Forum Discussion

KKELLER14K's avatar
KKELLER14K
Explorer II
Jun 13, 2018

Just a few things to stir the pot.

Why don't they just make everything with LED from the factory all around the RV??? Inside and outside?...WTH?? Antiquated building tech and the old school of RV building needs to bow out...get in the now. This is where the builders can and should offer new tech...come on now.. we as consumers are getting the sham!! Forget the old school lighting. OH! but now it gets so expensive and they can't make a buck? The most seasoned RV people would pay to have something that will last and consume less power but I just want to know why we can't make them lighter and way more warmer?...someone just has to find a way...I have a question..an airplane can fly at 30 thousand feet with temperatures at -50 below with a skin no more than 4 inches and keep the temperature at a 65 to 70??...how is that possible?? Someone please explain that..regardless of the RV world on earth,. Explain it to us how is that possible?? Air friction perhaps? Regardless, I still question the builders bottom line. Bigger is not always better...slides are pretty much out.... the maintenance, weight, and leakage is not worth it ...but it just gets more complicated and this should not be what camping with an RV should be about...ok slam me all you want but...this is what we do here. Open opinions are welcome just don't slam me personally... I just think we have gotten to big and it is not where I want to go....I love to glamp and tents are out in my opinion but the RV has pushed the limits as to size and functionality...agree? disagree? Open for discussion...

65 Replies

  • Winnebagos have been LED for years. As for heat, motorhomes heat the cabin just like airliners, excess heat from the engine. That's why, when a plane lands, the ground crew has to dash over and hook up the big ducts from the truck mounted A/C-furnace. Yes, slides need maintenance, but so does the entire RV..especially maintaining the caulking all over to prevent water intrusion. If you don't want to do maintenance, don't get an RV unless you want it to decompose into a pile of junk after a few seasons.
  • Don't let the little **** bother you.it only takes a few seconds to change a bulb. i used to get aggravated when we had a small rig with no slide .with all the junk we carry going to a bigger RV with a slide made all the difference in the world.if it leaks or need fixing oh well that will get done to but I will still enjoy all the extra room while it gets fixed.Let the dealers and the manufacturer worry about the big stuff and enjoy you time on this planet .at the end of the road it won't matter one way or the other because Medicare will end up with it all anyways.Hang in there.
  • OK, I'll bite.

    Paragraphs are your friend.

    LEDs are the best thing since sliced bread as far as RV lighting goes. The American made Northstar camper I took delivery of about a year ago has LED lighting all around from the factory. So at least one manufacturer agrees with you.

    That airplane in your example uses an awful lot of energy to propel you around at 500+ mph at 35000+ feet. It also costs several 10s to 100s of milion $. Efficient heating of the cabin air or usage of expensive insulation materials are probably not the manufacturer's biggest concerns. Better heating systems have been around for decades (look up the Alde hot water heater). Many campers have insulated windows today. Building materials and design principles are changing gradually. But a truck camper is a very difficult optimization problem (size, weight, stability, materials and manufacturing cost, durability, ...). I guess you could have one built like an airplane. But at what price? And who would buy it? And would it actually be better in daily use, and by how much?

    Bigger may not be better for everyone, but it is for some. Everyone has their specific requirements. RVers are a diverse group. Some want to offroad their camper in the desert. Others want to spend the winter in Alaska with the whole family. There is no one-size-fits-all-camper. What works fine for you may be unacceptable for another RVer. Let them buy a camper with 3 slideouts if they want them. Nobody makes you do that.

    I agree that quality doesn't always match the price and the promises of the marketing brochure. That problem is hardly limited to the RV industry, though.