Spencer for Hire
Active member
Thanks. Looks like a long trip from Massachusetts but maybe worth it.
eatSleepWoof gets a Winnie
- Thread starter eatSleepWoof
- Start date
eatSleepWoof
Do it for the 'gram
Forgot to mention this earlier. Last camping trip I learned that stainless steel garden hoses are not nearly as durable as rubber ones. An RV drove over my hose (I had it across the road, my fault) and flattened it in two spots. I've previously had vehicles drive over my rubber hoses without issue, and really didn't think it would be an issue with the stainless hose, but it most definitely is. It still lets water through, but is obviously affected in a big way.
The stainless hoses are awesome because they don't kink, are thinner and lighter than their rubber counterparts, but getting flattened/destroyed by other campers is a non starter.
So I've replace it with this rubber one. This hose is considerably bulkier & heavier. Barely fit it on my spool and in the drawer. I'll definitely have to remake that spool down the line. The hose also kinks like crazy, despite the "kink less" claim. But it also feels like a heavy duty beast, so at least that eliminates the issue of being crushed.
In any case, another trip coming up at the end of this week. Heading to a remote, backcountry site for about a week, and then (possibly) more front-country camping in a new park. Weather is looking iffy, so we might come home earlier than planned.
The stainless hoses are awesome because they don't kink, are thinner and lighter than their rubber counterparts, but getting flattened/destroyed by other campers is a non starter.
So I've replace it with this rubber one. This hose is considerably bulkier & heavier. Barely fit it on my spool and in the drawer. I'll definitely have to remake that spool down the line. The hose also kinks like crazy, despite the "kink less" claim. But it also feels like a heavy duty beast, so at least that eliminates the issue of being crushed.
In any case, another trip coming up at the end of this week. Heading to a remote, backcountry site for about a week, and then (possibly) more front-country camping in a new park. Weather is looking iffy, so we might come home earlier than planned.
eatSleepWoof
Do it for the 'gram
I was curious how much water my fresh water tank actually fit, so I picked up a garden hose water meter and filled up the fresh water tank. Water started pouring back out the intake at 33.1 gallons. The tank is advertised as 31 gallons.
Perhaps the meter isn't super accurate, or the water tank size is advertised under-size? In any case, glad to be getting the full capacity, with seemingly no air-locks preventing fill up.
In this experiment my water heater and water lines were already full of water prior to fill up.
Perhaps the meter isn't super accurate, or the water tank size is advertised under-size? In any case, glad to be getting the full capacity, with seemingly no air-locks preventing fill up.
In this experiment my water heater and water lines were already full of water prior to fill up.
Todd780
OverCamper
Hopefully the weather holds for your camping. Enjoy!
I was curious how much water my fresh water tank actually fit, so I picked up a garden hose water meter and filled up the fresh water tank. Water started pouring back out the intake at 33.1 gallons. The tank is advertised as 31 gallons.
Perhaps the meter isn't super accurate, or the water tank size is advertised under-size? In any case, glad to be getting the full capacity, with seemingly no air-locks preventing fill up.
In this experiment my water heater and water lines were already full of water prior to fill up.
The tank is not rigid, the expansion can be up to 3-8% of its total volume.
eatSleepWoof
Do it for the 'gram
Spent five nights in this spot. Came home on day 6 absolutely exhausted (we were supposed to spend a few more nights here and then head to a provincial park for another week of camping).
This is our favourite spot, where we've camped five or six times now, but haven't been in the last 5 years. About 6 hours from home, so getting there is a lot of effort. The only real problem this time around was the bugs - endless mosquitos, flies, horseflies, and even ants endlessly feeding on us; I have more than 100 bite spots, no exaggeration. We've never had issues with bugs here before, but this trip was insane. My wife, kid and dog were similarly eaten alive.
Set in a valley, in between two tall mountains, and right on a fast moving river.
We've had a fairly wet summer so far, which worked out in our favour as campfires are still allowed. This was the last night, burning whatever firewood we had left.
River about 30 metres behind the trailer.
The first few days we had weather alternating between pouring rain and beautiful sunshine about every 30 minutes. Very frustrating.
Show me a hotel with a window view like this!
Endless great views.
This old girl had a pretty decent last camping trip. At 13 years old and with countless health issues, she's very close to the end. Glad we got her out to this spot one last time and made some memories (and many photos)!
The water level in the river went up about 6-7" in the six days we camped here. I'm always wary of setting up camp near water (be it lake or river) and always keep track of the water levels by placing markers on the edge of the water to see how/if it changes over time.
That's a 150ft, orange garden hose pulling water from the river to the trailer. We absolutely loved having endless water. The toddler got hot baths (outside) 2-3x per day, which gave us some much needed (if short) rest each time.
First time finding a porcupine in the wild. Also saw a black bear on the road both on the way in and out, three deer, and a rabbit.
My ~570W of solar worked beautifully and had the trailer charged to 100% by about 5pm every day. Didn't have to run the LX (for the DC/DC charger) even once. Here it is putting in more than 20ah of charge into the batteries.
And this is why I love having a 12v fridge. 28.6c inside the trailer, fridge is easily holding 3.4c (set nowhere near max cool setting), while the freezer is MINUS 28.5c. Try getting that kind of performance out of a propane-powered, absorption fridge.
(It wasn't actually 39.7c outside, closer to 30-32c. My outside temp sensor is set inside the propane tank cover, which was hotter than ambient.)
With a second kid a few months away, we don't plan on camping any more this year, and likely not at all next year. Will be winterizing the trailer (in July!
) very soon
This is our favourite spot, where we've camped five or six times now, but haven't been in the last 5 years. About 6 hours from home, so getting there is a lot of effort. The only real problem this time around was the bugs - endless mosquitos, flies, horseflies, and even ants endlessly feeding on us; I have more than 100 bite spots, no exaggeration. We've never had issues with bugs here before, but this trip was insane. My wife, kid and dog were similarly eaten alive.
Set in a valley, in between two tall mountains, and right on a fast moving river.
We've had a fairly wet summer so far, which worked out in our favour as campfires are still allowed. This was the last night, burning whatever firewood we had left.
River about 30 metres behind the trailer.
The first few days we had weather alternating between pouring rain and beautiful sunshine about every 30 minutes. Very frustrating.
Show me a hotel with a window view like this!
Endless great views.
This old girl had a pretty decent last camping trip. At 13 years old and with countless health issues, she's very close to the end. Glad we got her out to this spot one last time and made some memories (and many photos)!
The water level in the river went up about 6-7" in the six days we camped here. I'm always wary of setting up camp near water (be it lake or river) and always keep track of the water levels by placing markers on the edge of the water to see how/if it changes over time.
That's a 150ft, orange garden hose pulling water from the river to the trailer. We absolutely loved having endless water. The toddler got hot baths (outside) 2-3x per day, which gave us some much needed (if short) rest each time.
First time finding a porcupine in the wild. Also saw a black bear on the road both on the way in and out, three deer, and a rabbit.
My ~570W of solar worked beautifully and had the trailer charged to 100% by about 5pm every day. Didn't have to run the LX (for the DC/DC charger) even once. Here it is putting in more than 20ah of charge into the batteries.
And this is why I love having a 12v fridge. 28.6c inside the trailer, fridge is easily holding 3.4c (set nowhere near max cool setting), while the freezer is MINUS 28.5c. Try getting that kind of performance out of a propane-powered, absorption fridge.
(It wasn't actually 39.7c outside, closer to 30-32c. My outside temp sensor is set inside the propane tank cover, which was hotter than ambient.)
With a second kid a few months away, we don't plan on camping any more this year, and likely not at all next year. Will be winterizing the trailer (in July!
) very soon
Kingsize24
Well-known member
Sucks about the bugs. They really can make a pleasant area absolutely dreadful.
And the solar sure is a game changer. And I bet the ability to bring in water is as well. I really need to look into a system soon for our longer trips. Even if not for drinking. I hate the run to an RV spot for water song and dance.
Beautiful pics brother! And I just realized we have the same thermometer. Lol
And the solar sure is a game changer. And I bet the ability to bring in water is as well. I really need to look into a system soon for our longer trips. Even if not for drinking. I hate the run to an RV spot for water song and dance.
Beautiful pics brother! And I just realized we have the same thermometer. Lol
Dmski
Adventurer
Your craftsmanship on some of these projects is top notch! I’m writing some of these ideas down for my little trailer to dos.
Was curious about Minnie wall construction, is it azdel and aluminum or is there wood studs and wood interior on these? How has this been in the winter months? Have you had issues with freezing pipes?
Was curious about Minnie wall construction, is it azdel and aluminum or is there wood studs and wood interior on these? How has this been in the winter months? Have you had issues with freezing pipes?
eatSleepWoof
Do it for the 'gram
The studs are all aluminium. You can see a stud in one of the photos I shared of my installation of the furnace access panel. Walls are azdel, yes.
We haven't used the trailer in the winter months. With a toddler, winter camping isn't really a priority or all that practical. And we're expecting kid #2 in about 1.5 weeks, so there might not be any camping for quite a while. The trailer has an electric, 12v heating pad on the bottom of the fresh water tank (and I believe other tanks too, although I can't recall 100% at this point), and the furnace is also ducted into the underbelly. The water tank heater(s) are on a manual switch, and then there's a thermal switch in play, too. You can turn the heaters on, but they won't actually start heating until temperature drops below a certain cutoff that the thermal switch regulates. Not a bad setup, provided everything works as intended.
I'd imagine that with adequate electrical availability (big batteries or 110v hookup) you could use this trailer at/near freezing temps without too much worry or risk. But I don't think I'd make a habit of it. If doing proper winter camping, I'd probably bring water in portable containers and avoid using the trailer's water system altogether (as I've done in the past with other trailers).
I winterized the Winnie recently, so it's covered and tucked away for what will likely be a long time.
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eatSleepWoof
Do it for the 'gram
Winnebago released a new line of trailers, Thrive. Some nice, modern changes here.
I found myself browsing the bunk-bed model 22MBH (https://www.winnebago.com/models/thrive/22mbh) and noticed that they implemented about half of the modifications I've made.
- Blinds: identical to what I installed.
- Spare tire: relocated to the exact spot I used, using the same exact mechanism.
- Lights: replaced the offensively white ones with soft-yellow, as I did.
- Added pantry storage.
- Added drawers under the bed.
Am I wrong in feeling I should be getting some kind of royalty kick backs?
All in the all, the new Thrive looks to be a huge improvement. They've fixed a LOT of the gripes/limitations I have with my current trailer, and even included a water tank that's double the size of mine. Wish it were bigger still, but even so, that's a big step up.
Now if only they used dual pane windows...
I found myself browsing the bunk-bed model 22MBH (https://www.winnebago.com/models/thrive/22mbh) and noticed that they implemented about half of the modifications I've made.
- Blinds: identical to what I installed.
- Spare tire: relocated to the exact spot I used, using the same exact mechanism.
- Lights: replaced the offensively white ones with soft-yellow, as I did.
- Added pantry storage.
- Added drawers under the bed.
Am I wrong in feeling I should be getting some kind of royalty kick backs?
All in the all, the new Thrive looks to be a huge improvement. They've fixed a LOT of the gripes/limitations I have with my current trailer, and even included a water tank that's double the size of mine. Wish it were bigger still, but even so, that's a big step up.
Now if only they used dual pane windows...
RovingMedics
New member
Looks like a beautiful trip! I was curious about this bit:
"That's a 150ft, orange garden hose pulling water from the river to the trailer."
Any issues filtering sediment out of the river or is it safe to assume you used a filter? We're also looking at some transfer pumps. Which pump worked best for you while camping?Love seeing what you've done to the unit.
Also noticed the Thrive series. They look pretty good.
"That's a 150ft, orange garden hose pulling water from the river to the trailer."
Any issues filtering sediment out of the river or is it safe to assume you used a filter? We're also looking at some transfer pumps. Which pump worked best for you while camping?Love seeing what you've done to the unit.
Also noticed the Thrive series. They look pretty good.
eatSleepWoof
Do it for the 'gram
I use a 12v EcoWorthy pump, it works well, and even comes in handy around the house quite a bit. When choosing a pump, pay attention to how high (vertically) and how far (horizontally) it can draw water; the higher & further, the better. Make sure the pump is self priming, so there are no problems running it dry. Also consider the pump's current draw (amps) and how you will connect it to a power source. Most 12v cigarette lighter plugs have a 10-15a limit. I also suggest using a plug with a built-in on/off switch, as that's very useful and simplifies the overall setup.
No issues with sediment or anything else. 12v pumps usually come with a strainer, and I also put another strainer-cap on the end that goes in the water, to filter out any larger debris.
Most of the time I put the hose (with that cap) in the water such that it's not actually sitting on the river bed, but is rather floating, hung up on some wood or whatever else. Typically easy to do.
--
By the way, I sold that orange, rubber hose. It was heavy duty, but an incredible pain to roll up and/or store, even with my custom reel. I'll be getting another stainless hose to put back on the reel, and will also carry a short length of rubber hose (25-50ft) that I'll use any time I need to run the hose across a roadway (where vehicles would damage the stainless hose).
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RovingMedics
New member
Ahhhh, even better idea. I was thinking about the Milwaukee 20v transfer pumps or something along those lines but this is much more reasonably priced and I can use the 12v plug on the Ecoflow too.
Winnebago released a new line of trailers, Thrive. Some nice, modern changes here.
I found myself browsing the bunk-bed model 22MBH (https://www.winnebago.com/models/thrive/22mbh) and noticed that they implemented about half of the modifications I've made.
- Blinds: identical to what I installed.
- Spare tire: relocated to the exact spot I used, using the same exact mechanism.
- Lights: replaced the offensively white ones with soft-yellow, as I did.
- Added pantry storage.
- Added drawers under the bed.
Am I wrong in feeling I should be getting some kind of royalty kick backs?
All in the all, the new Thrive looks to be a huge improvement. They've fixed a LOT of the gripes/limitations I have with my current trailer, and even included a water tank that's double the size of mine. Wish it were bigger still, but even so, that's a big step up.
Now if only they used dual pane windows...
Interesting. The Thrive looks really nice in the pics, the bigger tanks are a huge bonus. I agree the fresh and gray tanks are my biggest complaint on my 2306BHS. The kitchen layout is nice, then i realized they changed it so the trailer is now 8' wide. Our 7' wide layout is one of my favorite things, to much more maneuverable and easier to see around (even with tow mirrors). Lots of nice touches with the new style, but it looks like they also switch to leaf springs, blah. And they upped the weight quite a bit (8k gvwr) while still only have 3.5k axles...