Thursday, September 19, 2024

Yes, it fits in the driveway...

 

Just.  Not where we're planning on keeping it, but for a few days, we want it close while we get things set up in the new Roadtrek Chase 50 and spend some time working with all the systems in it...


 The goal for the morning was to spend some time learning the infotainment screens and get it set up for Apple Car Play on our phones.

I shot some video as a "walk around and walk through"...

Then, we took the van out to run errands - 4 stops for groceries, prescriptions, PetSmart (for Murphy's gastronomical enjoyment), then off to the east for lunch at Oregano's.  One more grocery stop, where we got some ice cream and other refrigerated items and put them in the fridge and freezer for the half hour ride home (yes, that worked great!)  It was good to put the Car Play to practical use and get a feel for how the Roadtrek does in traffic and parking lots (just fine).

We left the coach air conditioning running while we shopped and had lunch - I wanted to see how it would do on a hot day and how the batteries would handle that load... happy to report two thumbs up for this lithium battery system along with the 3000 watt inverter and the Truma air conditioner.  That will be great when we are traveling with Murphy and we want to make a stop... the boy will stay cool and comfortable, and no generator running. 

A good full first day with it.

 

4 comments:

Mark Devers said...

Jim Thanks for the tour. That is one very nice motor home y'all got there. By the way what was Joan working on in the front?

Captain Jim and the Blonde said...

Hi Mark - thanks, we are enjoying the learning process with this new rig; compact and easy. It will be a process as we figure out what to put where and what we actually need to have along for traveling in this. Joan was taking off a sticker on the lower windshield that the manufacturer used to ID the coach.

Earl49 said...

Very nice tour, and an elegant floor plan. They thought of everything, and not messing with a generator will be nice too. I looked at the specs on line. The 6'-2" interior clearance would be an issue for me, but you are both normal sized. It will be interesting to see what area Murphy claims as "his". I'm also guessing that the X7 will be the designated RV guitar now.

Captain Jim and the Blonde said...

Hi Earl - Check out the Noovo van company, located in California: they are making vans based on the new taller RAM Promaster van body - it gives you a 7' interior height. Not sure what the bed length is though... some of these van companies really scrimp on the beds, both in length and width. They advertise "seat belts for 4 (or 5), but no place for that many people to eat or sleep.

We have been using the van daily, utilizing the lithium batteries, 3000w inverter, and the 280 amp aux alternator (that most of the van companies are calling a "generator") - even running the coach a/c for hours at a time, the batteries have been keeping up. We plugged it in to shore power for the first time - all good, but the alternator recharges the batteries faster than shore power. It has been interesting learning these systems that are new to us.