Need input on FWC options (new 2016)

[jonb96150]

After searching for a used grandby front dinette for a few months I have decided to pull the trigger on ordering a new one. A lot more than I am comfortable spending, but I keep telling myself the depreciation is much less than typical RV's. We went to the Woodland Mother Ship last Saturday, but didn't stay too long as it was pretty hot for us Tahoe folk.

So I'm working on the options list.

What do FWC owners feel are must haves?

Solar panel: Leaning towards this, are they durable?

2nd Battery: Leaning towards this but it is a heavy option.

I'm waffling on the furnace, tough on batteries and fuel I have read. How much would not having one affect re-sale? I'm coming from a lifetime of tent camping w/o heaters so I don't know what I'm missing here lol.

Jacks: Kinda spendy at 695.00. Would FWC install without buying the jacks?

Fantastic fan is a go.

2 way fridge is a go. I've been using an ARB for over ten years and love it. Are these comparable?

Yakima tracks only: Is this compatible with solar? Do people regret not getting these? I'm not sure if I want to be loading and unloading our kayaks from the roof.

Rear LED floods and LED ext lights would be nice but at 690.00 combined I'm waffling.

Exterior gas struts are a go.

Front dinette is a go. (Without cassette toilet).

Extra roof vent: I don't see this on their pricing sheet but I've read elsewhere that it is an option. I'm leaning towards this, and even adding the fan to it.

Opening window to truck cab: I don't see this on the price list either but I have seen pix of them. Since my truck has a rear slider I think this would be handy.

Thanks in advance for any insight. I have learned a bunch from this forum and really appreciate it. I tried several different searches but could not find this topic. It probably has been discussed before ad nauseam but I couldn't find it.

JonB

 

[elmo_4_vt]

My thoughts as a recent purchaser:

I would do the Solar... At least the roof panel. Very nice to be able to run the fridge indefinitely and not have to worry about the battery if you have sun.

Conversely, I only did one battery. Cheaper to buy the second later yourself i you find you need additional capacity and the hookup is just to #10 wires. Easy.

I like the heater, if only for rainy days and getting changed at night and in the morning. My wife would be hard pressed to go with it, so made my decision easy.

We went with one fan and one vent in the room. When running the fan, it actually gives a very nice breeze on the vent side over the bed and has been great on hot nights. I'm not sure if the double fan would be worth the extra electrical draw. If you decide later, the wires are installed for power from the factory even if you don't get the second one.

I got the tracks only, and they use them to mount the roof panel. Much better option than straight into the roof in my opinion, and give a lot of options later too.

I got the LED rear and ext. lights, but have yet to use them. So not sure on this one... I can see the help for backing at night, but the fact that you have to get out to switch them on makes it much less convenient. I like truck mounted rear lights.

I don't think they do the front opening window any longer... I think they had a habbit of leaking and were a liability for FWC.

 

[NikonRon]

Get the Yakima tracks on the roof and do your own solar panel and controller, way cheaper. I'd skip the furnace, creates too much condensation in the camper. All the campers come standard with a roof and rear wall solar plug. Front sliding window is no longer available, they leak. One battery should suffice. The ARB is a much more efficient fridge but you have to take what they have on that, unless you get a shell model and use your ARB, which is what I did. Really like building it the way I needed and wanted it, works out much better. Ron

 

[Cayuse]

Since you're asking for opinions and remember that everyone's got one...

Install solar yourself. Mine is a 2002 and didn't have solar wired but installing it was easy.

Two batteries is nice, I run my fridge March-November, no issues.

Having a furnace is nice, waking up on cold mornings and being able to take the edge off inside the camper is a luxury I've grown fond of.

I replaced a single vent with a Fantastic Fan and really like it. I know where the second hole in the top is supposed to go and can feel the framing from inside so one of these days I may cut into the camper and install another vent or another fan.

Jacks, how often are you going to take the camper off/put it on? I have used the jacks less than six times in the two and a half years that I've owned the camper. I kept it on all last winter, took it off the first winter. Have had it off maybe two other times. So they don't get used often.

Free advice is worth what you pay for it, YMMV

 

[craig333]

Do your own lights and solar (but double check the wiring is run). Get the heater if nothing else for the resale value. They use much fuel than you'd think and don't add condensation. Newer ones use a lot less electricity than the old models.

Fantastic fans are great. Wish I had two.

Jacks don't get much use but when its maintenance time you do kinda need em.

 

[bill harr]

+4 on the heater I consider it a must have. As others have said do your own solar, way cheaper. I have tracks makes it easy to mount the panels. Get 150 watt panels that reach from panel to panel and makes the mounting quick. I have the rear lights and hardly use them.

 

[cchoc]

Get lots of solar, be careful of going too cheap assuming you want something that will last and can take a beating from weather. The fridges in the FWC won't be as efficient as your ARB, I've had both. I like my furnace and hot water heater and external shower.

You'll want 2 batteries even if you add the second yourself.

 

[jonb96150]

Thanks for the great input! I massaged the option list.

Exterior lights - deleted

2nd battery deleted (will add later if needed)

Solar deleted (will do this myself)

Yakima tracks only, kept

Jacks deleted (will source some used ones somewhere)

Furnace added (might as well spoil myself lol)

Fridge, not sure on 65L or 85L. My ARB is 40L and with planning carried two of us through 10 days of Alaskan bush with no resupply, so I know 65L is sufficient. But would I regret not getting a bigger fridge? Would the energy needed increase in proportion to the size increase?

Fiberglass exterior, would this hold up better than aluminun to brush and tree limbs? All my rigs get really pinstriped from the dirt roads I'm addicted to. They get more overgrown each year.

Thanks again for the input, it is very helpful to get opinions from folks who have been there done that!

JonB

 

[parkkitchings]

1. I'd definitely go with external solar set up. I think the ability to move it to follow the sun is helpful when either parking in the shade or when you don't have that much direct sun to begin with. I've got an Overland Solar 90 watt with one battery and it does the job. Been camped for over a week straight without ever cranking the truck.

2. I'd skip the factory furnace and install a catalytic heater. I put one in mine, easy to do, and it works great. No battery drain and it's quiet. Every furnace I've ever had over the years eventually starts making racket when the fan kicks on.

3. ARB is the way to go over the factory fridge as well. I think they're much more efficient. My two cents anyway.

Enjoy your new rig. I've been living on and off out of mine over the past two years and had zero problems.

 

[Cayuse]

I'd go big on the fridge. I have the Isotherm Cruise 65 and reall wish that I had either the 85 or the 110. At some point in the near future I'll probably pull the 65 and put a larger one in.

 

[NikonRon]

Only you know if you need the bigger fridge, I have an ARB 50 and it's plenty big. Bigger fridge is going to consume more power and space. Furnace is over priced, a Mr Buddy heater is fine and you have the option to leave it at home when you want. Furnace also uses up cabinet space. Friends of mine have the furnace and are constantly fighting with the condensation and mold issue. Anyone running heat has the same problems rather they realize it or not. I still like to feel like I'm out camping, don't need air conditioning or heat. That's just my view. Ron

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

Just my personal opinions from being around our campers for so many years, using them, owning them, and listening to customers experiences over the years . . .


<< Solar panel: Leaning towards this, are they durable? >>

Yes, they seem to very durable.
Buy it from us, or shopping & installing one on your own is OK.
(as long as you are familiar & comfortable with basic 12V wiring)


<< 2nd Battery: Leaning towards this but it is a heavy option >>

Yes, get a second battery for sure if you are getting a 2-way compressor refrigerator from us.
Usually best to get the same type, same size, and same brand of battery, and get them both close together as far as age.
Batteries connected together usually like to be same kind of battery and same age.
This will usually give you the longest life out of them.
Mixing an old battery with a new battery, or one type of battery with a different type of battery is not ideal & not recommended.


<< waffling on the furnace, tough on batteries and fuel I have read. How much would not having one affect re-sale? >>

Get the furnace for sure.
Very safe, very reliable, digital thermostat.
Camping in an aluminum framed camper with soft pop-up fabric can be a bit colder than a tent.
The new Atwood furnaces are quieter than ever and only draw about 2 amps per hour.
With dual batteries and solar you can use the furnace anytime you want.
(using a catalytic furnace can use up your oxygen inside the camper if you don't have proper ventilation, and they do put off some moisture / condensation)


<< Jacks: Kinda spendy at 695.00. Would FWC install without buying the jacks? >>

Jack Bracket Only are standard equipment.
Best to buy the jacks when you get the camper new, if you are planing to take the camper on & off the truck anytime in the future.
Cheaper & easier to buy them with the camper new.
But you can always come back and buy then down the road anytime.


<< Fantastic fan is a go >>

This is really nice to have.


<< 2 way fridge is a go. I've been using an ARB for over ten years and love it. Are these comparable? >>

These are getting really popular (2-way compressor refrigerator/freezers).
Similar in nature to an ARB, but they do draw more power than the ARB cooler refrigerators.


<< Yakima tracks only: Is this compatible with solar? Do people regret not getting these? I'm not sure if I want to be loading and unloading our kayaks from the roof >>

Nice to have in case you want to add racks or solar down the road.
If you order Yakima Tracks Only and a solar panel, we will mount the solar panel to the tracks (less holes in the camper roof that way).
If the tracks are on the roof, it is easier to add a solar panel on your own if you choose to.


<< Rear LED floods >>

Nice to have, but not needed.
The campers come standard with an LED rear porch light.


<< LED ext lighting package >>

Nice to have, would be a luxury, but not a must have option in my opinion.


<< Exterior gas struts are a go >>

Very nice options to have.


<< Front dinette is a go. (Without cassette toilet) >>

This is one of our best selling configurations.


<< Extra roof vent: I don't see this on their pricing sheet but I've read elsewhere that it is an option. I'm leaning towards this, and even adding the fan to it. >>

Extra vent is really nice to have, but not a "must have". I do like having one in the campers though.
Extra vent with another fan is great for really hot or really humid areas.
If you get an extra roof vent over the bed, it is pre-wired so you can always add the fan down the road if desired.


<< Opening window to truck cab >>

No longer available. : (



Hope this helps,.

Stan

 

[elmo_4_vt]

Thanks for the great input! I massaged the option list.

Fridge, not sure on 65L or 85L. My ARB is 40L and with planning carried two of us through 10 days of Alaskan bush with no resupply, so I know 65L is sufficient. But would I regret not getting a bigger fridge? Would the energy needed increase in proportion to the size increase?

One thought about the fridge size... If you get the smaller one, I think it normally gives you some additional storage. In our case (Flatbed Hawk), it gives a nice drawer under it that we wanted more than the extra fridge space. We will also have a 2nd fridge in the truck though, so that made the decision easier for us. You can fit a lot of food in the 65ltr fridge.

Don

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[Rando]

I am in the same situation, and have many of the same questions (although we are considering a flatbed fleet).

One question about the fridge - where does the extra volume for the larger (say 110L) compressor fridge come from? Do you loose the drawer below the larger fridge, or do the larger fridges utilize dead space from within the cabinetry?

 

[bill harr]

I used a 65L in my Hawk Build. I wanted as much storage as I could get and have a 7" deep area above my fridge. I have had my fridge packed but never ran out of space. I really like the separate freezer for that ice cream treat when camping. Knowing what I do now I might have gone with the 85L, it would still give me storage above. 7" deep storage may be too deep, I do not use all the area.