OBI Dweller Review and Discussion

[CowboyKyle]

Hello!
I bought (essentially) an OBI Dweller 15. I got mine from Off Road Camper ORC out of Brownsburg Indiana. Houdini 15S. Can I join your thread or is this Dweller only?

I'm having an electrical issue and need some help.

My 12v control panel by the door started with the volt meter acting weird. volts would float all over 10.9-12.5v randomly seemingly. But, the amps were solid and changed with loads accurately. So just a weird volt gauge behavior.

But tonight i went out and half the 12v panel is dead. the step works, main 12v switch lights and I hear the relay click, fridge switch lights and works, the rest.... dead. water gauges dead, plugs, lights, water pump switches all dead, with no lights on the switches either. However, no blown fuses in the fuse panel. But when i pull the fuses on those dead circuits, the little red light for those fuses (that key you know you have a blown fuse) don't light.

bad cell in battery?? Bad relay??

I put a fluke meter directly to all three batteries and each is showing 13.4v steady. (they were still connected to the bus bars.. i didn't disconnect the batteries.)

The volt meter, when working, did seem to be higher or lower based on sun/shade on panels ( keep in mind i'm plugged into shore power and the 2000w Renogy Inverter Charger underbunk shows the batteries full and 13.4v

Any help of what to test or where to start would be helpful!!

I've been reading through the threads, very helpful. To share my own experience towing, I pulled the passenger side spare tire (to reduce back end weight) and bought a 10" drop shank for my F250 to level the camper while pulling and that made a huge difference. I do have load leveler hitch but no sway control. when I towed it home empty on a 6" drop shank (camper was tongue high) and that was a nail biter every time an 18 wheeler passed me... back end was all over the place. constantly used the brake controller on the truck to straighten the sway out. I also found letting off the gas lightly before an 18 wheeler got to the back of the trailer, then giving throttle back really helped with the sway. Start with ensuring the camper is level when pulling (proper shank drop) then all the other stuff after that.., shocks, load levelers, sway control bars, remove a spare tire, empty rear water tank. etc

Anyway, thought I would contribute on something and then ask for some help on my electrical issue 🙏 thanks!!

Welcome to the thread..... so, so many thoughts.

The original batteries are absolute trash. It's hard to diagnose anything electrical with those still in the system. A few people have had success with them long term, but they're in the minority. Regarding your loss of function on the 12v panel, you need to figure out where you're losing voltage. Start at the appliance and work your way backwards to the source.

Regarding your towing..... you're using a load leveler on an F250? I don't understand why. I also tow with an F250 and have aftermarket, squishy soft leaf springs and don't use a load leveling hitch. Do you have any pictures of your setup?

 

[CowboyKyle]

Ive had this problem in texas and I have a suggestion. The vent from the fridge location in the pull out bay into the back of a drawer inside camper does NOT get the heat out. I dropped a temp gauge in there and the fridge compartment was 135°. I think those ice cove fridges have a high temp cut off? Try plugging the fridge into DC inside your garage and see if it works great there. it may just be that that compartment is overheated.

Where in Texas are you?

 

[Suns_PSD]

Guys, I'll keep this post short and sweet.
I'm a Texan buying a caravan directly from Compaks. It's custom speced and MUCH nicer than a D15. Indoor/ outdoor kitchen, dinette up front that converts to a bed, 13.5 BTU roof mounted AC system, 400 Li battery system, power top, I could go on. The spec and colors can no longer be altered.
The cost is very reasonable but would be a few thousand less if 2 were ordered, primarily because 2 can fit in each shipping container but also because a volume discount applies.
If you are someone interested in buying the other unit so that we can split all costs, can pay cash, and are willing to pick up your unit at the Houston port, please PM me. I don't want to distract this thread but the cost for this unit would be around $29k.
I'll delete this post once I order one, or get a partner as I don't want to distract from the fantastic D15 info.
Thanks.

 

[BruderMaximus]

If you have the grey colored pipe running along the driver side, use this to adapt to standard RV sewer hose. Or water hose. Which ever you desire. It'll do both. You can also add an elbow for easier access, but I preferred the ground clearance.

A- Original grey colored metric pipe
B - 1.25 x 1.5" flexible coupling
C - 1.5" PVC pipe
D - 1.5" PVC valve
E - 1.5" x 3" flexible coupling
F - Pipe to Bayonet adapter
G - Gray water drain cap

You can probably find most of this stuff at Home Depot, if you so desire. I think I put it all together in about 15 minutes. You can use a regular RV sewer hose, or a standard garden hose. Let me know if ya'll have any questions or want the links to any of this stuff.

I did this mod! slightly differently, i put a 90 on it and pointed it out the side, the end of the 1 1/2" 90 is threaded and I screw various ends on. typically it sits with a screened end screwed on it to keep the wasps out but i can drain it whenever I want. Great mod!

 

[BruderMaximus]

Where in Texas are you?

Just south of you, end of mopac... down FM1826 towards Dripping

 

[Suns_PSD]

Just south of you, end of mopac... down FM1826 towards Dripping

We're neighbors. We live in Skyridge off of 1826.

 

[BruderMaximus]

Welcome to the thread..... so, so many thoughts.

The original batteries are absolute trash. It's hard to diagnose anything electrical with those still in the system. A few people have had success with them long term, but they're in the minority. Regarding your loss of function on the 12v panel, you need to figure out where you're losing voltage. Start at the appliance and work your way backwards to the source.

Regarding your towing..... you're using a load leveler on an F250? I don't understand why. I also tow with an F250 and have aftermarket, squishy soft leaf springs and don't use a load leveling hitch. Do you have any pictures of your setup?

I'll get pic of hitch later.

VOLTAGE LOSS... can I just pull fuses on systems until I isolate where losing voltage? (assuming it's not a dead cell) Any idea what the relays go to? see pic of my 12v fuse panel attached. (I'm thinking of creating my own manual for this thing! there are maybe 4 pieces of real info (torque settings etc) in the whole thing. No wiring diagram etc etc disappointing.

BATTERIES
Hmmmmm maybe i'll pull those three OEM AGM batteries out and put them on a tester. (or maybe i'll just buy a new LiFePO4 and skip the "..,these oem batteries really do suck" learning curve)
Any advice on what to do to pull those without cooking anything??
- Can i kill all the breakers and turn off the inverter and be ok to start disconnecting batteries?
- Can i do that with the panels in sunlight?

I've wired a house electrical system, took me a min to sort a 4-way switch. I've got nice soldering irons and tools for electrical. But this RV wiring stuff is new to me and i'm not there yet understanding the interplay of AC and DC systems.... I can follow instructions though.

 

[BruderMaximus]

We're neighbors. We live in Skyridge off of 1826.

Are you in the new housing development across from barsana dham? if you look north across the creek, and 👋 wave, i'll wave back green metal roof haha too funny

 

[BruderMaximus]

Are you in the new housing development across from barsana dham? if you look north across the creek, and 👋 wave, i'll wave back green metal roof haha too funny

two thoughts. I do love this camper. mad about my electrical situation though. but i would buy it again, good design. I enjoy being in it. Flaws can be overcome.
Maybe your relationship directly with COMPAKs can help all of us, especially if they are trying to secure a reputable footprint in our market. Helping us work out their bugs would help them. If they could help us with remote support, most of us can turn a wrench i'd guess. See if you can get them to join our thread and play tech support. You'll need to sort out the towing balance thing. That's the achilles heel to be solved IMHO. That thing scared me towing home. It needs to be tweaked right before i'd let anyone I like tow it. Maybe an alignment check when you get it. I may do that to my own just to see if that is contributing.

 

[CowboyKyle]

I see you like to live dangerous.

 

[Suns_PSD]

Are you in the new housing development across from barsana dham? if you look north across the creek, and 👋 wave, i'll wave back green metal roof haha too funny

Yep. Are you in Bear Creek?

 

[Suns_PSD]

two thoughts. I do love this camper. mad about my electrical situation though. but i would buy it again, good design. I enjoy being in it. Flaws can be overcome.
Maybe your relationship directly with COMPAKs can help all of us, especially if they are trying to secure a reputable footprint in our market. Helping us work out their bugs would help them. If they could help us with remote support, most of us can turn a wrench i'd guess. See if you can get them to join our thread and play tech support. You'll need to sort out the towing balance thing. That's the achilles heel to be solved IMHO. That thing scared me towing home. It needs to be tweaked right before i'd let anyone I like tow it. Maybe an alignment check when you get it. I may do that to my own just to see if that is contributing.

Not sure I have much of a relationship but I have been in talks for about 8 weeks, and do plan to fly to the factory for a final inspection.
The thing is that the Compaks RV structure is really solid, but 'Covid Camper' is a thing where demand greatly outstripped supply and quality control in the entire industry was known to have dropped. Their (all RV builders) backlog is now greatly reduced so they should have less new staff, better quality control, etc.
MDC takes great care to remedy these issues based on what I've seen, but you obviously pay for that service as it goes through at least 2 additional retail mark ups. Plus imports for resale have much higher import tariffs (2.49% for personal use, 40% for resale)
The rest of the RV components/ systems are warrantied by their respective manufacturers and frankly, it's like owning a boat, classic car, old home, etc. you're just going to need to be a handy person. I mean ultimately you are dragging a shed around in a hurricane and an earthquake simultaneously. It's going to get messed up.
However, when I'm there (in Shandong Province) I do have an interest in establishing a direct parts source and I'm 50/ 50 going to move into importing and reselling units just like others have done but at better spec and pricing as the goal, removing the middle man.
That said, if the admin changes, and I suspect it will, I'd expect new large Chinese import tariffs to make this an impossible business plan.
Btw, the American built campers, with a handful of exceptions (i.e. Oliver for 6 figures), are complete crap. They really are. I wouldn't give you more than $10k for 98% of American built RVs. Glorified garden sheds.

 

[RJWB]

Has anyone used this 10 click method to adjust the Dweller brakes?

Push in on the star gear and lift it up. Keep doing this until the brake pads catch on your drum. When you can't spin your wheel by hand anymore, back the gear off by about 10 clicks by pushing down on the star gear. Does the wheel now spin freely (even if it sounds like the brake pads drag slightly on the drum)

I'm thinking of giving it a try. Let me know. Thanks

 

[Josh00333]

Lots got done today!

Tested all the systems, filled water, loaded the trailer with all my odds and ends, started cleaning (got 75% of it done on the inside). Got it registered, and the plate mounted. I didn't have a plate holder, I just self tapped it into the plate spot, that what every one does?

Over all everything works! That's a good sign LOL! I got all my junk loaded. Water pump works, faucets work, toilet works, lights all work even the handle one. Awning works, question on that at the bottom.

AC works, but... ya not that well in full sun with the top popped and the back opened up. The AC blows a cool 55, just doesn't have the BTU's. Rig was parked on the street full sun and it's HOT here in Boise high 103 today was 105 yesterday ugg looks like 108 Sunday. Yesterday I had the top down and the rear pulled in, it did cool it down inside to 85.

Refer worked great! Surprised how well and fast it cooled down, granted it was empty.

Shocks swapped out. Not hard at all, ended up doing them in two stages, for what ever reason 2 shocks came last night and two this afternoon. So did two this am when it was cool and the other two this evening. Oddly my top ends fit fine the lower ends took a bit of convening (not much) to get in. Note to those doing them, take all 4 shocks off, do the out board shocks first THEN do the inboard... You would think I would have remembered that advice on the second one... I'm a bit slow some times...

I carry larger 33lb propane tanks. Partially it's more fuel in one shot for my generator, and partially more is always better right?! The hose line wouldn't fit, to short, so swapped it out for a SS 20" line. Not super happy with the bottle securement. I've got the ring as closed as possible, but seems the ring's bigger than it needs to be. Don't think they will go any where, but they move more than I would like against the rubber cushions (for lack of a better work).

Questions:
Awning, any one mount the arms to the side of the trailer like most RV's? or every one run them strait down?
Ideas on bottle security; what have any one else done? or it's just fine and no issues ever reported?

 

[BruderMaximus]

Yep. Are you in Bear Creek?

not that far