Palomino Backpacker SS TC

[Camper_Marvin]

Hi Everybody. First time posting here and new TC owner (got Marvin in Sept 2017 on Craigslist!) It's a 2015 Palomino Backpacker Softside Truck Camper. My husband & I have been taking our camper out almost every weekend. We are new at truck camping. We're really loving it. We have a lot to learn though. I just downloaded the manual from online, but I didn't see an answer to my question, so I wanted to ask you all here.

When we were camping without power (no plug in and I think our rv battery is old/running out?), we tried to use our lift system for the roof and it didn't work. Fortunately, the camp ranger found us an alternate/open site with power and we were able to hook up power, but I wanted to know if there is a manual crank that we could get for situations like this when we don't have power. Any ideas for this newbie? Thanks! Jewel

[SidecarFlip]

Camper Marvin wrote:
I got the link to Best Converter and WFCO converters, but I'm not seeing the PD 4000 series here: http://www.bestconverter.com/WFCO-Converters-_c_82.html (Does the PD stand for Progressive Dynamics?) Am I looking at the wrong thing?

Do you have a place that you recommend to buy an AGM deep cycle marine battery (are they sold at Walmart or Costco or only at marine/rv places?

Yep, already located the battery under the cushion. This short video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnpBOoTR0Dc looks like it has potential for a future battery addition, but we're not there yet in time, skill & $

PD is Progressive Dynamics and Costco or Wally World is fine. PD makes a drop in upgrade for your WFCO, which, I suspect you taxed by running the roof lift motors on shore power... The current runs through the WFCO converter. WFCO's don't have a lot of residual capacity.

[Camper_Marvin]

I got the link to Best Converter and WFCO converters, but I'm not seeing the PD 4000 series here: http://www.bestconverter.com/WFCO-Converters-_c_82.html (Does the PD stand for Progressive Dynamics?) Am I looking at the wrong thing?

Do you have a place that you recommend to buy an AGM deep cycle marine battery (are they sold at Walmart or Costco or only at marine/rv places?

Yep, already located the battery under the cushion. This short video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnpBOoTR0Dc looks like it has potential for a future battery addition, but we're not there yet in time, skill & $

[SidecarFlip]

Camper Marvin wrote:
Thank you all for your suggestions. I've printed them out. I think after reading the responses we'll need a new battery. The link to the Reico Titan flyer was extremely helpful because it showed a little wire doohicky that we wondered what it is and now we know that that fits at the end of a drill to help "manually" lower the roof as an "emergency" way of doing it. We've got lots to learn about our lil camper, so I appreciate the info!

Re: WFCO converter- is this something a Palomino dealer has & can install? Is there a better/cheaper way of installing one? Neither my husband nor I are mechanically inclined.

Re: a "Group 27 battery"-- I've never heard of this and where can I get one (two?)? I'm sorry if these are really stupid questions. Thank you for your patience.

Best Converter sells the WFCO upgrade PD 4000 series guts. It's basicaly a drop in upgrade. You remove the old guts and replace it with the new guts. You have to hook up some wires but a screwdriver and an afternoon and you can do it yourself. No electrical or mechanical ability involved other than some common sense.

Your Backpack has a dealer supplied Group 27 in the battery box. Your camper and mine are capable of only one battery. I built a double battery box and added another Group 27. Building a battery box is a bit more involved than the converter upgrade.

Get another battery, preferrably an AGM deep cycle marine (not starting battery) and install it. The battery is under the front cushion under the plywood lid thats where your FW water tank, pump and electricals are at.

[Camper_Marvin]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I've printed them out. I think after reading the responses we'll need a new battery. The link to the Reico Titan flyer was extremely helpful because it showed a little wire doohicky that we wondered what it is and now we know that that fits at the end of a drill to help "manually" lower the roof as an "emergency" way of doing it. We've got lots to learn about our lil camper, so I appreciate the info!

Re: WFCO converter- is this something a Palomino dealer has & can install? Is there a better/cheaper way of installing one? Neither my husband nor I are mechanically inclined.

Re: a "Group 27 battery"-- I've never heard of this and where can I get one (two?)? I'm sorry if these are really stupid questions. Thank you for your patience.

[SidecarFlip]

sljohnson1938 wrote:
yes, there should have been a crank to manually raise or lower the top.
one came with the unit when originally sold.

one hink when lowering the top. if you have a Fantasic fan with reversible setting be sure to close all windows/doors. this causes the sides to be sucked in as the roof lowers.

They don't come with a crank for the roof. They do come with a crank for the corner jacks.

[SidecarFlip]

I have an SS1500 myself. Sounds to me like it's battery time.

You have a couple suspect issues. One, if you attempt to use the RT lift system with a low battery even if you are shore powered, the draw from the RT Lift system will overload the converter and possibly fry it. You MUST have a charged battery in the circuit, same applies to the jacks if, they are electric. A charged battery must be in the circuit.

Secondly, you have a 35 amp WFCO converter and it's a cheapo converter. I suggest replacing the guts with a PD 4000 series upgrade. I suspect you have already fried the WFCO by running the lift sysrem on straight shore power as the current has to go through the WFCO to actuate the lift motors.

Thirdly, You need to replace the battery and you need to monitor the water in it. The SS units come with one Group 27 battery. My personal opinion is, it's marginally enough. I scrapped the plastic battery box and built a double battery box and I tun a pair of 27's in parallel. You really need 2 batteries, not one.

In order of revelance:
Get a new battery or batteries
Upgrade the WFCO with a PD 4000 series drop in upgrade.
Maintain your battery level, check the electrolyte levels regularly and top off with distilled water.

You can operate the lift system manually with a cordless drill but it's a real PITA and the RT lift system is stone reliable. Your converter isn't.

Many threads on there about the WFCO's reluctance to go into bulk charge mode. Much easier to upgrade to a real converter.

Hope that helps.

[sljohnson1938]

yes, there should have been a crank to manually raise or lower the top.
one came with the unit when originally sold.

one hink when lowering the top. if you have a Fantasic fan with reversible setting be sure to close all windows/doors. this causes the sides to be sucked in as the roof lowers.

[joerg68]

It should be possible to override the electrical lifts with an electric drill or a hand crank.

I think your Palomino has the Rieco Titan lift, right?
http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/news/rieco-titan-on-palomino-rv-s-new-lift-system/

There is an override option mentioned, see page 7 at the bottom:
http://www.riecotitan.com/flyers/erls_2015.pdf

Does your truck charge the camper battery when it is running? In that case, it should be enough to start the engine to get the roof lift working again when the battery is too low.