OBI Dweller Review and Discussion

[WillySwan]

Let me know what you come up with as a fix to hide the hole from the Renogy controller.

My hole is still uncovered; I haven't been inspired by anything yet. We don't even see it anymore.

If you plan to use the HB9000 heat pump, I would suggest leaving the hole as-is or covering the hole with a louvered grill. All of the make-up air for the heat pump is drawn under the bed through the existing louvered opening. I think it is marginally sized and adding some additional intake area would not be a bad idea.

 

[S J]

just came to our landing spot for the night and pitched up roof on our dweller 15. Heard kind of an unusual noise, didn't seem like anything to strange though. Later in the evening I noticed our interior ceiling had cracked about 14" to 16" long.

Any ideas ? at first I thought it may have been coming from the skylight screw being over tightened in production. Then I removed some of the cover and noticed the mounting screw was about 2" to 3" away and no crack running from screw to the end of the other crack.

I picked up trailer about 60 days ago and everything has worked great so far.

I emailed obi this weekend, obviously they are closed.

What do you people think ? It's really weird.

 

[WillySwan]

just came to our landing spot for the night and pitched up roof on our dweller 15. Heard kind of an unusual noise, didn't seem like anything to strange though. Later in the evening I noticed our interior ceiling has cracked about 14" to 16" long.

......

What do you people think ? It's really weird.

You heard the noise as you were popping up the top on your D15? If there are no signs of exterior damage (something landing on the roof), and if you had all of the exterior cover latches unhooked, then you should expect this to be a warranty-covered issue.

For those of us no longer under warranty, I think this answers the questions of "Can I, or should I, walk on the roof of my Dweller". For those that are considering additional A/C capacity, I would also be very cautious about cutting another opening into the roof to install a roof-top A/C unit unless I had very good details regarding the rooftop interior support structure.

I sorry you had this happen. Best of luck and let us know the response from OBI and your dealer.

 

[S J]

You heard the noise as you were popping up the top on your D15? If there are no signs of exterior damage (something landing on the roof), and if you had all of the exterior cover latches unhooked, then you should expect this to be a warranty-covered issue.

For those of us no longer under warranty, I think this answers the questions of "Can I, or should I, walk on the roof of my Dweller". For those that are considering additional A/C capacity, I would also be very cautious about cutting another opening into the roof to install a roof-top A/C unit unless I had very good details regarding the rooftop interior support structure.

I sorry you had this happen. Best of luck and let us know the response from OBI and your dealer.

yes, as I was popping up the d15, I heard the noise. I looked on roof, no damage ( I thought the same thing ) everything was unlatched, etc.... there is about a 2" air gap between the ceiling and the roof. I am thinking the interior roof is fiberglass. the obi website does not have a lot of good information as you probably already know. Fiberglass should be an easy fix along with new skylight.

Thx

On a side note. I have not had any trouble with trailer wobble. 65, 70, 75. Its towed great. I was a little leery at first after watching roa's youtube video, on towing above 55 or 60. I am towing with a 2016 silverado ltz, 2500 hd truck.

 

[WillySwan]

What do you people think ? It's really weird.

Here is what I think. This is all just speculation from looking at the two pictures you posted:

"Something" has caused the lower skin of the roof structure to fail. Either is was faulty construction or some exterior load over-stressed the structure. An exterior load could have happened at anytime after the roof was assembled. It looks like the failure started at (or extends to) one of the corners of the roof vent. If the inner panel is a load-bearing skin, which I think it is, then corners such as this are going to have some high stress concentrations. It would be interesting to see a photo of the crack underneath the roof-vent cover. I would expect where they cut the rectangular opening for it to have a nicely radiused corner, not a sharp intersections at the corners.

When you go through the process of raising the roof, put a finger on the crack and see whether you can feel any movement. It may be a two person job. If you can feel it, that would indicate to me that the roof panel will likely need replaced (or competently repaired by someone with a great deal of knowledge regarding the roof design).

 

[WillySwan]

I am thinking the interior roof is fiberglass. the obi website does not have a lot of good information as you probably already know.

I agree on both points. When I cut the hole in the front of my D13 to install the pressurization intake, it looked like the inner skin of the sidewall is a gel-coated random mat fiberglass panel. From the smell when I cut it, I think it is a polyester resin, not epoxy. It was thicker than I expected. I think the inner skin of the roof is the same material.

 

[S J]

I agree on both points. When I cut the hole in the front of my D13 to install the pressurization intake, it looked like the inner skin of the sidewall is a gel-coated random mat fiberglass panel. From the smell when I cut it, I think it is a polyester resin, not epoxy. It was thicker than I expected. I think the inner skin of the roof is the same material.

I believe the only wood in the trailer is the cabinetry.

Thx

 

[gendlert]

I agree on both points. When I cut the hole in the front of my D13 to install the pressurization intake, it looked like the inner skin of the sidewall is a gel-coated random mat fiberglass panel. From the smell when I cut it, I think it is a polyester resin, not epoxy. It was thicker than I expected. I think the inner skin of the roof is the same material.

So I didn't read this until AFTER I stopped at OBI this morning to pick up some parts (DO35 hitch [thanks for getting me down that rabbit hole, @CowboyKyle) and a new skylight). My trailer is out of warranty, but I happened to be in Phoenix for a concert anyway, so I swung by on my way home to save on parts shipping. Dustin (current manager) was VERY welcoming and showed me around the shop.

They pulled the skylight off of an existing unit that they're essential using as a Dweller Junkyard, and I didn't take pics of the cross-section of the roof, but I'm going to replace my skylight in the next few weeks (still have a leak issue but it only matters in the rainy season, which is over so I'm not in a hurry to replace it while it's still hot), and I'll take some pics then for sure. But I did see two things: 1. the roof make-up appears to be very similar to the walls, and 2. they had a guy standing on the roof and walking around confidently. For those of you who are working on panels or vents or skylights, I recommend stepping as far as possible from the cut-out points for the vents. More to follow on the skylight project.

Other items of note:

• All new units will come with Monroe shocks (complete credit to Willy)
• They are continuing to improve the wiring, switches, and plumbing details based on feedback they're getting from this forum and others
• They have started to do direct-to-customer sales, and are offering many optional upgrades similar to what ROA was doing
  • Rear spare relocation on the D15 (or D13 if you wanted it, I guess)
  • 4-corner ARK stabilizer upgrade (they're sourcing them from eTrailer, and just passing on the cost)
  • 300 Ah lithium batteries (Renogy brand to be consistent)
  • Interior sink and induction plate (interestingly, they did not install the cook plate recessed into the counter because of ventilation (heat) concerns if it's in the cabinet)
  • Choice of McHitch or DO35
  • Option for a custom wrap to match your truck (my truck is black, but if I'm being honest, I would very seriously consider this if my truck was a different color, cuz that's cool; maybe for my NEXT Dweller 🤔)

Yes, I realize not everyone has the benefit of being a couple hours away from OBI, but it's worth the trip if you're in the Phoenix area for some reason.

 

[S J]

Looks kind of rounded. I removed the skylight shroud and this is the corner. The other corners look better. I tried sending a video, for some reason site was not letting me. I have no idea where the cross members are on the roof.

Thx

 

[CowboyKyle]

Forgive me for belaboring this point but the discussion has turned to this anyway. So is there any reason to do the lithium power upgrade other than keeping up with that 12v cooler? My current camper has an 80w panel and a single 12v marine deep cycle battery. My fridge runs on propane when I'm camping. I use all the lights, water pump, spark to light the stove, awning, and on cold mornings I turn on the heat for 15 minutes. I'm always topped off by 10 or 11am on a sunny day and mid afternoon on a cloudy one. I can boondocks indefinitely until I run out of LPG and my battery is always topped.

Are you guys using that incredible amount of power to run anything else that I'm missing? It seems overkill to me to spend $2000 on a lithium setup and 300-400 watts of solar just so you can keep up with that 12v fridge? Is there a 3 way fridge hack upgrade that could be done on these rigs? I'm looking at a 13 next week but I'm still having hang ups about switching to an RV that needs the amount of power equal to power a small apartment just to keep a small cooler running.

Toaster
Keurig
Inside fridge
Recharge drill batteries

 

[CowboyKyle]

I've read through this entire thread in doing my research and several folks have complained about the energy consumption of the fridge. Like I say I'm going o look at a Dweller next week but I dont want to deal with my batteries draining on a cloudy day or be forced to upgrade to a lithium system before I want to.

I'd love to hear about your experiences with non lithium, or prior to your switchover. Overall how many folks had problems with the batteries keeping up with the constant draw from the 12v fridge? We're just camping, albeit dry camping off grid for several days. Usually pretty fair weather and I dont anticipate much power use except the normal onboard items and maybe charging a phone or tablet.

Thanks everyone. This is an invaluable resource

I have a Snomaster fridge in my F250, for 5 years now. It runs off of a Wal-Mart AGM battery, for 5 years now. In the texas Heat, i get two days- tops. In the winter, i can get almost a week.
.
.
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I have Snomaster fridge in my Dweller. I couldn't get 12hrs with the original batteries. I eliminated the fridge has the problem by getting the same results as with my truck fridge on the truck battery.

 

[desertmat]

I recently obtained the D15 and, for what it's worth, I just got back from my inaugural 2400 mile trip from Phoenix, through the Navajo Reservation of NE Arizona, Up through Moab, a quick jaunt through the extreme western edge of Colorado, 4 days on forest service roads in the Uinta Mountains of Utah (everything from near highway grade to roads so rough you feel you might shake loose a tooth), up to the Teton Valley of Idaho via Wyoming and back down the more traveled freeways of Utah. Bottom line is the Dweller did great! Towing was a breeze and it went anywhere I wanted to take it.

My customizations on the trailer include:

• Removed the rear spare tires and racks at the hinge (I really did not enjoy working around them to deploy the bed)
• Monroe shock swap
• Mounted a singular spare tire at the tongue
• Swapped the 3x AGM for 4x 100ah Redodo LiFePO4 (added the 4th battery under the bench against the shower)
• Swapped the stock solar charger for the Renogy MPPT 40 Amp

Problems I found:

• Ball valve handle and ‘indicator arrows’ were incorrectly installed. When I thought I was using the rear tank, I was using the front tank. When I set it to use both, no water was available to the pump. This was an easy fix, just removed the handle and the indicator and installed them in the opposite (180 degree) position.
• Loose wire negative terminal block under the bed. It was the lead to the solar charger and a simple fix.
• The protective film on the rear window is not coming off. I have reason to believe my trailer sat in the AZ heat for a number of months and that might be part of the problem. I have about 60% of it off, but the rest is stubborn. If anyone is reading this wall of text and has any suggestions, I would appreciate it. I really don’t want to damage the acrylic trying to get it off.

I have the Iceco 75 liter version and the 3 stock panels on the roof. No issues with having enough capacity. Some of the days in the mountains were quite cloudy with rain/sleet/drizzle but as soon as there was any sun, the batteries were topped off nicely. I didn’t power on the inverter and did all my cooking with propane so the fridge and lights were about all the power draw. Probably not the most useful information for the current discussion.

 

[S J]

Toaster
Keurig
Inside fridge
Recharge drill batte

So I didn't read this until AFTER I stopped at OBI this morning to pick up some parts (DO35 hitch [thanks for getting me down that rabbit hole, @CowboyKyle) and a new skylight). My trailer is out of warranty, but I happened to be in Phoenix for a concert anyway, so I swung by on my way home to save on parts shipping. Dustin (current manager) was VERY welcoming and showed me around the shop.

They pulled the skylight off of an existing unit that they're essential using as a Dweller Junkyard, and I didn't take pics of the cross-section of the roof, but I'm going to replace my skylight in the next few weeks (still have a leak issue but it only matters in the rainy season, which is over so I'm not in a hurry to replace it while it's still hot), and I'll take some pics then for sure. But I did see two things: 1. the roof make-up appears to be very similar to the walls, and 2. they had a guy standing on the roof and walking around confidently. For those of you who are working on panels or vents or skylights, I recommend stepping as far as possible from the cut-out points for the vents. More to follow on the skylight project.

Other items of note:

• All new units will come with Monroe shocks (complete credit to Willy)
• They are continuing to improve the wiring, switches, and plumbing details based on feedback they're getting from this forum and others
• They have started to do direct-to-customer sales, and are offering many optional upgrades similar to what ROA was doing
  • Rear spare relocation on the D15 (or D13 if you wanted it, I guess)
  • 4-corner ARK stabilizer upgrade (they're sourcing them from eTrailer, and just passing on the cost)
  • 300 Ah lithium batteries (Renogy brand to be consistent)
  • Interior sink and induction plate (interestingly, they did not install the cook plate recessed into the counter because of ventilation (heat) concerns if it's in the cabinet)
  • Choice of McHitch or DO35
  • Option for a custom wrap to match your truck (my truck is black, but if I'm being honest, I would very seriously consider this if my truck was a different color, cuz that's cool; maybe for my NEXT Dweller 🤔)

Yes, I realize not everyone has the benefit of being a couple hours away from OBI, but it's worth the trip if you're in the Phoenix area for some reason.

I spoke with Dustin on the phone yesterday with Obi. They are doing the 12 volt fridge upgrade too. I asked him about the roof capacity. He stated, there are 2 guys working on the roof right now that weigh around 190 lbs a piece. He seemed to think the roof would hold 800 lbs. I think he was being a little hyperbolic. He seemed like a good guy though. The 2nd bunk upgrade that roa is doing, I think is a big mistake. Especially if there are warranty issues. I would prefer the mobile cook plate over the fixed.

 

[CowboyKyle]

I spoke with Dustin on the phone yesterday with Obi. They are doing the 12 volt fridge upgrade too. I asked him about the roof capacity. He stated, there are 2 guys working on the roof right now that weigh around 190 lbs a piece. He seemed to think the roof would hold 800 lbs. I think he was being a little hyperbolic. He seemed like a good guy though. The 2nd bunk upgrade that roa is doing, I think is a big mistake. Especially if there are warranty issues. I would prefer the mobile cook plate over the fixed.

To my knowledge, all OBi Dwellers come with a 12v fridge. What upgrade are you talking about?

 

[S J]

To my knowledge, all OBi Dwellers come with a 12v fridge. What upgrade are you talking about?

12 volt interior fridge