What's Your 2014 Wish for RV Design
Thought this would be a good time for us to voice our wish list for RV designs and perhaps some companies will incorporate them. Still on our list is for rv makers to let the customers design their...
Forum Discussion
I have a fairly lengthy list... hope I don't bore people, as I've mentioned a few of these before:
1: One piece aluminum roof, formed down the sides, then a two part epoxy spray applied after the A/C, skylights, vents, fans, etc. are placed. That way, there are no cracks for water to get in, a scrape or a puncture isn't an immediate leak, and maintaining the roof consists of looking up top for any holes. A metal roof and sides are standard with most cargo trailers, should be the same for travel trailers.
2: Get Truma to start selling their products in the US. Truma is a German company that offers some truly innovative heaters, fuel cells, and other products.
3: Once #2 is done, use a propane fuel cell. This way, there would be no need for an absorption fridge, since the fuel cell would be able to to keep a compressor fridge running, with extra capacity (especially combined with a solar cell) to keep the house batteries charged.
4: Twin pane windows (the real type with an inert gas in the middle so they do not have condensation between the panes) standard.
5: A built in EMS so if someone plugs into 240 by accident, the magic smoke won't escape throughout the rig. Same if the CG power is dangerously low, so compressors do not fry.
6: Better locks and door handles. The locks should have at least the same security as a laser cut (technically cut with a vertical milling head) car key. A RV needs the same security as both a car and a house. It would be nice to see multi-point locks and stronger frames so a thief has to work at getting in. No CH751 junk.
7: Inside meters for the battery voltage, incoming charging amperage, and so on.
8: A decent solar array on top. Even solar panels on the sides can be useful.
9: Built in Wi-Fi and cellular amplifiers. Since most RVs act like Faraday cages, it would be nice to have a built in repeater to be able to fetch signal easily.
10: Wall-mounted washers like a Daewoo Mini Drum. They don't take up much space, and provide a very useful thing, especially for the space. Of course, you can't toss a blanket in it, but for soiled clothes, it does a decent job.
1: One piece aluminum roof, formed down the sides, then a two part epoxy spray applied after the A/C, skylights, vents, fans, etc. are placed. That way, there are no cracks for water to get in, a scrape or a puncture isn't an immediate leak, and maintaining the roof consists of looking up top for any holes. A metal roof and sides are standard with most cargo trailers, should be the same for travel trailers.
2: Get Truma to start selling their products in the US. Truma is a German company that offers some truly innovative heaters, fuel cells, and other products.
3: Once #2 is done, use a propane fuel cell. This way, there would be no need for an absorption fridge, since the fuel cell would be able to to keep a compressor fridge running, with extra capacity (especially combined with a solar cell) to keep the house batteries charged.
4: Twin pane windows (the real type with an inert gas in the middle so they do not have condensation between the panes) standard.
5: A built in EMS so if someone plugs into 240 by accident, the magic smoke won't escape throughout the rig. Same if the CG power is dangerously low, so compressors do not fry.
6: Better locks and door handles. The locks should have at least the same security as a laser cut (technically cut with a vertical milling head) car key. A RV needs the same security as both a car and a house. It would be nice to see multi-point locks and stronger frames so a thief has to work at getting in. No CH751 junk.
7: Inside meters for the battery voltage, incoming charging amperage, and so on.
8: A decent solar array on top. Even solar panels on the sides can be useful.
9: Built in Wi-Fi and cellular amplifiers. Since most RVs act like Faraday cages, it would be nice to have a built in repeater to be able to fetch signal easily.
10: Wall-mounted washers like a Daewoo Mini Drum. They don't take up much space, and provide a very useful thing, especially for the space. Of course, you can't toss a blanket in it, but for soiled clothes, it does a decent job.
