Xid_az
Member
Thanks, appreciate it. We found a full zip that could fit an 18" mattress, and the one you linked says it fits 13" on the cal king, so I'm hoping it will work out.
OBI Dweller Review and Discussion
- Thread starter gendlert
- Start date
All good questions. I agree it would be good practice to check and insure that there is not dirt or mud buildup on the inlet and outlet openings. I'm not sure whether it is practical to clean the coils with water, compressed air, or coil cleaner.
As with most systems on the Dweller, there is no clear guidance. The HB9000 owner/installation manual does not specify any periodic maintenance for the exterior coil.
USMCBladerunner
New member
New solar project wrapped up on Saturday. Like many others, we've found that the Dweller doesn't handle heat well, especially direct sun. So we prefer to find shaded spots when overlanding. Without full sun, the batteries were depleting in one day, and was running a generator to recharge. So, I decided I wanted to use a solar suitcase to add solar that could reach out to the sunshine while parked in the shade. My Dweller doesn't have the Andersen plug.
Objectives:
1) Add 200-400W of solar that could extend at least 50ft from camper to sun when parked in the shade.
2) Not drill holes into the exterior of the camper.
3) Not gap a window for cable entry when in use.
I shopped around for solar suitcases. Many come with PWM controllers on board. I elected against these, as the lower voltage cable run would be the long run from the SCC to the batteries and I didn't want the cost or weight of 120 ft. of heavier gauge cable to avoid line loss. I purchased 2 x 200W Growatt solar suitcase panels.
For the SCC I went with the Renogy Rover 30 Amp MPPT unit.
I originally thought I would put the SCC under the bed somewhere, but it's a big unit and would only fit horizontally, which isn't conducive to cooling as the radiating ribs on the back run vertically. So I decided to put it in the closet behind the false wall, among the other electronics.
I decided to use a solar cable gland inside the "bar" as the cable entry point. This is right next to the closet, so convenient for cabling install.
Finally, I cabled the SCC directly to the battery bank. I intend to "upgrade the distribution box to a bigger unit with more ports, but didn't want to get into that just yet. The pictures show excess cabling which is for the future configuration to the distribution box.
I also put in a solar system monitor. My batteries and SCCs are all Renogy, so I used their unit with Bluetooth modules.
Objectives:
1) Add 200-400W of solar that could extend at least 50ft from camper to sun when parked in the shade.
2) Not drill holes into the exterior of the camper.
3) Not gap a window for cable entry when in use.
I shopped around for solar suitcases. Many come with PWM controllers on board. I elected against these, as the lower voltage cable run would be the long run from the SCC to the batteries and I didn't want the cost or weight of 120 ft. of heavier gauge cable to avoid line loss. I purchased 2 x 200W Growatt solar suitcase panels.
For the SCC I went with the Renogy Rover 30 Amp MPPT unit.
I originally thought I would put the SCC under the bed somewhere, but it's a big unit and would only fit horizontally, which isn't conducive to cooling as the radiating ribs on the back run vertically. So I decided to put it in the closet behind the false wall, among the other electronics.
I decided to use a solar cable gland inside the "bar" as the cable entry point. This is right next to the closet, so convenient for cabling install.
Finally, I cabled the SCC directly to the battery bank. I intend to "upgrade the distribution box to a bigger unit with more ports, but didn't want to get into that just yet. The pictures show excess cabling which is for the future configuration to the distribution box.
I also put in a solar system monitor. My batteries and SCCs are all Renogy, so I used their unit with Bluetooth modules.
USMCBladerunner
New member
Sunday morning was test time. All checked out. The sun and shade were moving quickly, so the amperage numbers aren't the same in the pics, but the system all checked out.
I'm a bit concerned about whether the SCC will cool sufficiently once I close the closet back up, so I kept the slack cable from the cable gland for now. If it is all fine back there after a trip or two, I'll trim the cable down to fit.
I'm a bit concerned about whether the SCC will cool sufficiently once I close the closet back up, so I kept the slack cable from the cable gland for now. If it is all fine back there after a trip or two, I'll trim the cable down to fit.
gendlert
Well-known member
You're correct, that "MAIN" breaker is what allows shore power into your trailer. You do have to push the Renogy button to charge your batteries, though.
The "A/C" breaker makes the air conditioning unit live.
The "INVERTER" breaker makes the 120V outlets in the trailer live, but again, you have to push the Renogy button to turn on the inverter.
RJWB
Member
I have this mattress protector on my Dweller 15. The California King fits perfectly and you are still able to fold the mattress, six sided with the zipper. The only place I found it online was at target.com.
California King Maximum Mattress Protector - Allerease
Read reviews and buy California King Maximum Mattress Protector - Allerease at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.
www.target.com
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RJWB
Member
I have not done this yet, it's on my future upgrade list. Part of me feels I don't need DC to DC charging anymore. Typically when I'm driving on the road I'm in full sunlight and the solar system performs well. I also upgraded to lithium batteries.
RJWB
Member
The good news is cooler weather is coming. I would not recommend using bungee cords to tie down your refrigerator freezer. Bungee cords allow things to bounce. Your refrigerator/freezer will be bouncing up and down every time you hit a bump on the highway. Just my thought.
Thanks for your input, I'm beginning to feel the same way. I don't think I need to charge while driving since I'll have sunlight then. Just need to improve my battery life when parked in the shade.
Obsessed2findARuggedHybid
Well-known member
I have been told that some tow vehicle altenators have issues handling 30 amp dc - dc charges. I decided to go with an 18 amp vitron charger. It keeps up with frig plus a bit more. Good enough to get me to camp site fully charged regardless of sunshine.
Flettrich3
Member
Good Morning! My bathroom vent was broken during transport from the dealer. The lid was torn off. The dealer can not find the exact replacement but did send one to me. The replacement one they sent is cheap as hell with no lights. It took 2 months for the dealer to even send something. I decided to find my own vent to put in. Has anybody replaced there vents? If so can you pass on what you replaced it with. I also had a bunch of cracked running lights which I believe whomever put them on during building they over tightened them. I have been looking for replacements along with the dealer and OBI. Its crazy that OBI can not find any lenses for these lights. Why replace the whole light when it is just the cracked lenses.
FordGuy1
Adventurer
I would definitely use the DC/DC charger. Solar is great, but in times that you are in weather, or wooded areas, it is nice to pump 30amps into your system. The one thing I see in how people wire the tow vehicle, and this only applies to newer vehicles, is the placement on the charge cable so that the battery PCM alt control works properly.
RJWB
Member
The suction cups and rope is something I added because the shower walls sagged so much. Hope this helps
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RJWB
Member
I do carry a small gasoline generator with me if needed, believe this or not I've camped 27 nights this year and have not had any rain. California living.
I love our Dweller 15. Obi, has a lot of room for improvement ! Not sure what their problem is, Its almost like you are dealing with a bunch of teenagers when trying to order parts. they are not very accommodating. It's almost like they are doing it on purpose to get us off their back. The dealer who I purchased the Dweller from has been great, they even have issues too and will not be continuing to sell their product. Obi, has a great product, their customer service kinda sucks though ! Not sure if you tried this, email obi "info" and ask to escalate your issue and speak with Victor directly, I believe he is the owners son. Supposedly they have been working on a new webpage for the last 2 years to improve the Obi/dweller webpage. Good luck. You might wanna try Roa in utah, They are pretty closed lip if you did not purchase directly from them though. It is worth a shot.