SoCal Tear Drop Owners! Post up!
- Thread starter Yulli
- Start date
Lucky j
Explorer
I installed it like this in my 510:
Wow, this is nice and not to expensive when you look at all that is in the kit. Does it have to be montend flat like that? And I'm sure I could find a place to install something like that in my trailer.
You have a lot of space above it, does it need that space, or could you built a shelve above it? And I assume that the exhaust is going straight down through the floor?
Keith Starr
Inmate #2558516
I could absolutely install a shelf above it, per the instructions it only needs 25mm of space around it. I just haven't needed a shelf.
Note: Westy Ventures is the US importer and warranty center for these heaters, Karl is very helpful.
The HS2000 (pictured above, $695+shipping from Westy Ventures) must be mounted on its horizontal axis; it should never be mounted vertically or at an angle. The HS2200 ($775+shipping from Westy Ventures) can be mounted under the floor (outside of the camper) or inside the camper vertically, taking up less valuable space than the HS2000:
The installation instructions for the HS2000 can be found here: https://www.propexheatsource.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/HS2000-from-Dec-2015.pdf
Installation notes from Westy Ventures can be found here: http://westyventures.com/Propex%20Installation%20notes.doc
I did have to buy several XXmm hole saws and a some other parts (wire loom/clamps, solder, etc.) so the total investment was north of $700. Take your time with the install, the damn thing is worth it. SoCal offers the HS2000 as an option, they enclose it in a very nice aluminum setup behind the drawers but it costs a fair bit more than $700.
A lesson I learned: US spec Propex heaters are jetted for US regulators (11" water column) so a good two-stage US regulator is what you want. Ignore the pressure specs in the Propex instructions as 14" water column (UK pressures) will cause a rich mixture gas lockout on a US spec Propex heater. I tried to get smart and increase the pressure in my US regulator and ended up spending some very cold nights with a non-functional heater!
Last edited:
Semi-Hex
Enfant Terrible
I was wondering how that fancy regulator worked on your rig. I wasn't sure if England and the US were the same and now I know.
I've thrown my hat in the Socal Teardrop bucket! Deposit in as of last week. Delivery mid-march. XS 5x10. They have a new option with positioning of the ARB fridge where it goes in long ways. This frees up room for another row of drawers. I'm putting a autohome maggi on the roof of 37's. Doing some other custom work - 3 100w solar panels, lion batteries, mount tabs for 4 roof flood lights, power in the maggi for electric blankets, chargers, and lights, got the furnace, etc etc etc.
Only thing I'm struggling with at this point is figuring out how to get it into the garage that is 80". I'm thinking 2 additional caster jacks, pull the wheels, lower it to the hubs, and it may be enough clearance, else, buy a set of 8" wheels to put on it to spring the suspension. I need to come up with about 14" of drop to get it in with the RTT in place. First world problems ;-)
Only thing I'm struggling with at this point is figuring out how to get it into the garage that is 80". I'm thinking 2 additional caster jacks, pull the wheels, lower it to the hubs, and it may be enough clearance, else, buy a set of 8" wheels to put on it to spring the suspension. I need to come up with about 14" of drop to get it in with the RTT in place. First world problems ;-)
Keith Starr
Inmate #2558516
Sounds like your 510 is going to be awesome! I love the new fridge placement, much better use of the space. How does that affect the length of the bed?
My garage is 80" as well. I want to add a leaf to my spring pack but then it won't fit, and I'm not sure I want to deal with lowering it to take it in and out. First world problems for sure lol. Can't wait to see the pics when you get yours.
Last edited:
Semi-Hex
Enfant Terrible
This is really cool! About a year and a half ago, I had asked about doing just this with a small (35 liter) fridge. I guess they did it. I’ve been doing just this on my own though the fridge is in the center.
Semi-Hex
Enfant Terrible
None on ours and I just checked. Our trailer is from Wanderlust so the power coat company would be different.
No Ma
Wonderer
On the other end of the galley spectrum.... we got our 510xs with an 82qt ARB fridge mounted in the normal location. They are very adept at moving things around and ending up with a very well laid out plan. Ours includes the Propex heater installed by SoCal behind the drawers. Very well done.
Thanks All - can't wait for her to enter the queue. Mid February can't come quick enough.
I'm thinking about tapping and mounting quick deflators on the trailer tires to get it into the garage. They will take it down to 5 lbs in a minute, and I have a compressor.
I did order a James Baroud Explorer XXL and some Frontrunner RTT quick disconnects. Will have custom tabs mounted for those puppies. Working on a hoist that will connect to my house to get it on and off as easily as possible. Expecting an HOA letter ;-)
I'm kind of obsessing over some custom wiring options right now:
- solar, battery monitoring
- 2 panels mounted to the rig. I'm thinking the flexible style on the front, and one on the roof of the RTT.
- 4 flood lights on custom tabs on the rack
- Power to the RTT for lights, heater, USB chargers, etc
- Upgraded charger/inverter
This is pretty cool: https://www.simarine.net/products/#battery-monitors
Any owners gone nuts with this stuff?
Cheers
I'm thinking about tapping and mounting quick deflators on the trailer tires to get it into the garage. They will take it down to 5 lbs in a minute, and I have a compressor.
I did order a James Baroud Explorer XXL and some Frontrunner RTT quick disconnects. Will have custom tabs mounted for those puppies. Working on a hoist that will connect to my house to get it on and off as easily as possible. Expecting an HOA letter ;-)
I'm kind of obsessing over some custom wiring options right now:
- solar, battery monitoring
- 2 panels mounted to the rig. I'm thinking the flexible style on the front, and one on the roof of the RTT.
- 4 flood lights on custom tabs on the rack
- Power to the RTT for lights, heater, USB chargers, etc
- Upgraded charger/inverter
This is pretty cool: https://www.simarine.net/products/#battery-monitors
Any owners gone nuts with this stuff?
Cheers
Phxdsrtrat
Observer
I went a little nuts with the wiring on my trailer (not a SoCal, but same difference here). I originally went with a flexible solar panel but later decided on a 100 watt folding panel I could place where the sun was. This has worked out better for me at keeping the battery charged with solar.
For battery monitoring I looked very closely at the Pico One but it was still a very new unit at the time. I ended up going with a Blue Sea Systems SOC. Not nearly as nice. I wired in a single shunt at the battery to track whether or not I was discharging/charging the battery from all sources. I also wired in one of the extra voltmeters to my solar controller output to monitor that aspect. Works really well. The Pico One has some really neat options like support for multiple shunts and it's display and smart phone app make it really cool. However, the Blue Sea Systems unit did everything I really needed and all the other electrical upgrades on my trailer have been Blue Sea so that's the way I went.
For charging my trailer came with a Progressive Dynamics 4045 which was more than sufficient when attached to 120 volt AC. I'm using an EP Solar MPPT Solar Controller for solar and a Redarc BCDC-1220 for DC to DC for charging from the tow vehicle. I had discovered my 2016 GMC Canyon's intelligent charging system dropped the voltage so much when the truck battery was charged that the trailer battery simply wouldn't get above about 80% charge without the DC to DC charger.
I toyed with the idea of an inverter but never pulled the trigger. After a year I've had no need for it so it probably isn't happening at this point.
-Curtiss