Customizations / mods to the Freelander 21QB

16. Added a LED light and switch to the storage compartment.

NWboondocker wrote:
Nice ideas, thanks for sharing.

Since you're concerned with battery life, a few simple things:
1) Upgrade to LED lights if not already. After trying a few different styles in my 26QB, I really like this one. A bit brighter than incandescent, still warm, and 1/10 the power.

2) Much more efficient to connect your TV direct to 12v instead of running off converter, if possible. Did Coachmen not install a 12v TV, or did you upgrade it?

The 2016 21QB has LED's as a standard feature. The TV is 110 only. My main reason for the battery upgrade was to run my coffee maker in the morning without starting the generator at 6am.

Nice ideas, thanks for sharing.

Since you're concerned with battery life, a few simple things:
1) Upgrade to LED lights if not already. After trying a few different styles in my 26QB, I really like this one. A bit brighter than incandescent, still warm, and 1/10 the power.

2) Much more efficient to connect your TV direct to 12v instead of running off converter, if possible. Did Coachmen not install a 12v TV, or did you upgrade it?

Healeyman wrote:


Because my tank drain valve was as equally hard to get to as yours I moved the fresh tank drain valve to the rear skirt of the house.

I plan to do the same as you. On my last RV I found it was also a good place to wash my hands.

Rocky,

You sound like my kind of guy. Why leave it alone when a few mods make it much more convenient and livable.

We have a Freelander 28QB and tow a Miata retractable hardtop.



As we normally travel every day (rarely more than 2 nights in the same place, we never "hook up" to water or sewer. I add water to the on board tank when it is empty and drain the waste thanks when they are full.

Because my tank drain valve was as equally hard to get to as yours I moved the fresh tank drain valve to the rear skirt of the house.





Because our scaredy cat would not go into a hole like yours to get to the litter pan, I installed a dirty cloths chute and put a ready-to-go laundry basket under it.





I installed a hand rail from another brand of RV. Gettin old is heck, donchano?



When parked, we usually use the front for storage.

I took the supplied lightweight curtain and backed it up with a Harbor Freight cheepie moving blanket. The heavy insulation keeps the cold in and the heat out of the house.





I've made some other changes, but those are most of the biggies.

You should see a couple of my "toy" cars (like the Ford V8, Automatic Transmission, 1959 Austin Healey pictured).

Tim

rockfishon wrote:
Thanks for the information. Do you know if they make a AL valve?

Rocky,

I have never seen an AL plug. Try Googling for one.

I bought the same brass plug that you did. When I told a friend about it, he (having spent much of a career selling electroplating materials) said almost word for word what I told you.

I took the drain plug back before I ever installed it.

Tim

mlts22 wrote:

rockfishon wrote:
2: Added second house battery and switch.

Feel dumb by asking, but did you add a second battery, or a second battery bank?

Regardless, I like your switch, and the only thing I'd probably add to that would be a 200 amp catastrophic fuse just so the batteries are protected against a dead short.

Added a second battery and auto reset circuit breaker. I think it was a 50A but don't quote me. The one I used for the second battery was the same as was used on the original battery.

Healeyman wrote:

rockfishon wrote:
I installed a quick drain on the water heater. Camco 11703 1/2" Water Heater Drain Valve

Rocky,

Be aware that your water heater tank is aluminum and your drain valve is brass. There is galvanic action, precipitated by the water, between those two dis-similar metals.

Eventually, the brass plug or the internals of the valve will corrode away and the brass drain plug WILL leak. When is largely dependent on the quality of the water you come across. For example, distilled or de-ionized water has no free electrons, thus will not corrode.

Galvanic action is why NEW water heater tanks have a plastic drain plug.

Tim

Thanks for the information. Do you know if they make a AL valve?

rockfishon wrote:
2: Added second house battery and switch.

Feel dumb by asking, but did you add a second battery, or a second battery bank?

Regardless, I like your switch, and the only thing I'd probably add to that would be a 200 amp catastrophic fuse just so the batteries are protected against a dead short.

rockfishon wrote:
I installed a quick drain on the water heater. Camco 11703 1/2" Water Heater Drain Valve

Rocky,

Be aware that your water heater tank is aluminum and your drain valve is brass. There is galvanic action, precipitated by the water, between those two dis-similar metals.

Eventually, the brass plug or the internals of the valve will corrode away and the brass drain plug WILL leak. When is largely dependent on the quality of the water you come across. For example, distilled or de-ionized water has no free electrons, thus will not corrode.

Galvanic action is why NEW water heater tanks have a plastic drain plug.

Tim