37 RV MODS & UPGRADES we have done in 2 years of Full Time RV Living
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- čas přidán 13. 07. 2024
- We both love to optimize things, including our living space so over the years we have done lots of mods and upgrades to our Outdoors RV 21RBS travel trailer to make full time RV life more comfortable for us. In this video we share them all!
We filmed this in April 2020, before we remodeled it! Below are all the mods listed with the video timestamps and the relevant links to our blog posts or directly to products. You can also find the items on our Amazon storefront: amazon.com/shop/adventurousway
*** Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
00:00 Intro
00:06 Mod #1: Door latch www.adventurousway.com/blog/i...
00:45 #2: Mesh screens over outside vents amzn.to/3hsefKF
01:13 #3: Propane quick connect www.adventurousway.com/blog/i...
02:24 #4: Extra insulation in the storage bay.
- Our video of how we did the mod: • RV Mod: adding insulat...
- Our Outdoors RV Factory tour video where we see this mod in production: • Outdoors RV Factory To...
03:29 #5: Anderson connector for portable solar panel www.adventurousway.com/blog/r...
03:54 #6: Storage box on the tongue: Plano tote, we found it at Walmart
04:20 #7: Welded lock point
04:51 #8: Anderson connector for DC-to-DC charger www.adventurousway.com/blog/r...
05:15 #9: Quick attach emergency brake cable
05:55 #10: DIY portable solar panel www.adventurousway.com/blog/d...
06:50 #11: Diamond plate inside the storage bay
07:31 #12: Contact sensors
08:12 #13: Slide topper amzn.to/3ljmnzq
09:23 #14: 600W of solar panels on the roof www.adventurousway.com/blog/p...
09:50 #15: Knife valve for sewer connector amzn.to/3hsTDlx
10:31 #16: Rear observation camera. amzn.to/2YAe5t5 (newer model)
11:04 #17: Welded hitch & tire carrier for 2nd truck spare
12:33 #18: Door grab handle amzn.to/3aZQN4P
13:01 #19: Extra 12V outlets for AeroGarden & laptops www.adventurousway.com/blog/a...
www.adventurousway.com/blog/i...
14:43 #20: Cut out Reflectix for each window
15:47 #21: Wall-mounted Pepwave router
16:43 #22: 12V fuse block behind TV
18:00 #23: Google Home Mini www.adventurousway.com/blog/m...
18:25 #24: Smart Wifi thermostat www.adventurousway.com/blog/u...
19:26 #25: Wall-mounted Dyson handheld vacuum
20:12 #26: Extra 12V outlet by the bed
21:53 #27: Maxx Air MaxxFan amzn.to/3b3969u
22:50 #28: Wall-mounted weather station amzn.to/3gtI2B2
23:30 #29: Bedside closet shelves
24:08 #30: LevelMatePRO www.adventurousway.com/blog/l...
25:34 #31: Dry erase fridge / freezer doors www.adventurousway.com/blog/i...
26:31 #32: Paper towel holder amzn.to/3kTmhye
26:50 #33: Smart button to turn inverter on/off
27:12 #34: Kitchen faucet with filter www.adventurousway.com/blog/i...
29:16 #35: Oxygenics showerhead amzn.to/2ECzgnq
29:53 #36: Dometic 310 toilet www.adventurousway.com/blog/d...
31:42 #37: Lithium batteries & inverter www.adventurousway.com/blog/r...
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ABOUT US:
We are Matt and Diana and we are young, full-time RVers on a quest to explore ALL the National Parks. We love roadtrips and being outdoors. We believe in living life the #adventurousway.
Filming dates: April 2020
#rvupgrades #rvmods
Thanks Matt for such an informative video. So many wonderful ideas.
Awesome video because you quickly covered each item with just enough detail. Love the updgrades ; sad they are needed. RV manufacturers should have many of these items already installed for new RV's.
Great list. We love our 21RBS.
wow, great set up. this is very similar to what i'll be setting up. i'll keep you in mind. thanks for the info!
I feel like a caveman watching the RV of the future. Hope the manufacturers adopt more of these fantastic upgrades.
We really appreciate your time and recommendations for upgrades. I have a few of your recommendations in my A. shopping cart, just need to run by my better half. Many of your ideas will be appreciated in our new OR 22FQS! Especially the leveling system. Thank you! 😊
I'm glad it was helpful Steph! Yes, the LevelMatePro plus the Anderson levelers is a relationship saver :D -Diana
Nice setup! Amongst many other upgrades, I picked up the Dometic 310, because it’s pretty easy to add a cheap bidet adaptor. I probably won’t use it when not connected to sewer, as it helps fill the black tank quicker. But sure is nice and cuts down on paper waste.
Wow. One of the most comprehensive videos I've watched on RVs. Thanks
Glad it was helpful! :)
Relocating the trailer brake is an awesome idea! I'm glad I gave you a chance, despite you being over this episode for almost a year. I've been hunting good RV advice for almost 5 years and this is the first time that I've heard of this, despite appreciating the fact that the trailer brake is important. Thanks for sharing.
I'm glad you gave us a chance too!
Awesome upgrades! We took a lot of notes and will be doing some this weekend, thank you for your videos and keep them up!
Have fun!
I’m in the very beginning stages of my full-time RV, living journey. Just stumbled across your channel and enormous amount of valuable content, thank you. I am subscribed. Look forward to future videos.
Ah, Fellow Nerd! Bash 2020 - nice. This is a fantastic video blog. I have many, many questions. Thanks for the great ideas!
I love some of these Mods, when we first got our travel trailer I wanted to get them all. After owning for some time I've come back to this video to see what else we can upgrade :) Thanks for sharing!!
Glad you're enjoying them! What have been some of your favorite mods so far?
Very good job! I love all these mods! We struggle with most of these and instead of trading in the camper we can add some of these! Thank you 😊
That's fantastic to hear! I'm so pleased these mods were able to help you. Which ones were your favorites?
Thanks for sharing enjoyed it a bunch. Greetings from 🇨🇦
Excellent video! I have saved it for future reference. I am definitely going to do several of those upgrades. Can’t wait to view the rest of your videos!
Thank you! I'm glad we were able to inspire you with some new ideas :-)
OMG contact sensors on the cargo doors is exactly what I need! The first month into RVing I left one of the doors open overnight and a storm rolled in and I got some water in there. Ordering these ASAP. Brilliant!
OUCH! It's far too easy to leave the storage bay doors open, right?
Definitely can't wait for the smart home videos. The geek in me is showing.. lol. Another great video! Love all the mods guys!
Good to know there is interest for geeky videos :)
Good gracious......you two are absolutely amazing. Thank you SO much for your incredible information......love your communication style as well.
Thank you so much!
Best mod review ever. Great job.
Thank you!
Nice mods/upgrades!
One of the best RV info video's I've seen :) TY!
You're very welcome - glad you enjoyed it and I hope you picked up some ideas!
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing them. Definitely will be implementing a few of them ourselves!
Thank you! Hopefully you are looking forward to the upcoming remodel video.
Adventurous Way With great anticipation! Hubby and I really don’t need a large dinette. We’re looking forward to putting in a desk and chairs. I’m particularly interested in powering everything we can with additional 12v plugs.
Interesting video; thanks Matt. First visit and now your next subscriber. Best wishes to you both.
Welcome aboard!
Great video! Very informative!
Thank you!
That was an excellent video - both content and presentation! Thank you so much for sharing your very creative mods. Love the whiteboards on the refridgerator!! My husband and I are planning to start RVing part-time next summer and we are hoping to do a lot of boondocking. While we have a Rockwood Mini Lite right now, we are looking at the Outdoors RV Creekside 21RBS for our future trailer - huge tanks!!! Safe travels to you both!
Thank you so much! We love our 21RBS and after more than 2 years of full-time living in it we still wouldn't change it for anything else.
That’s a very good brand. They now insulate the storage bay at the front. Have fun!!!
This is a great video! I live in an RV now but am converting a school bus into a tiny home and a lot of these upgrades I now have to think about because I will be installing them instead of buying a coach with everything in it
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
*i like that idea with the fridge, i have the same one though i was considering upgrading mine to a bigger one because that one just doesn't hold as much as i would like. I have the same stove and hood vent in mine as well and i do live in mine full time as well. i don't travel with mine i am living in it on a lot that i am being allowed to use by a friend. I have power and cable internet here as well as septic. I upgraded to the Oxygenics shower head on another youtuber's reccomendation and like you left the metal hose rather than change it out for the braded plastic one that came with the shower head, got a lot of interesting though i am sure costly ideas from this video. but since i am not living in a home i can focus my money on those upgrades and possibly have the same enjoyable experience in my own RV. Incidently Harbor Freight sells a 300Watt solar array with the props that you could set out on the ground they don't come with the fancy inverter and charge controller you have but they do have the 300 watt pannels (3x100 watt) with the frames and props*
I added the knife valve to the front grey/black and rear grey tank dumps but I added clear elbow to both of them... outdoors rvs are great, but before 2020 they didn't add hatched to access the valves. the added valve and elbow brings the connection out and faces them down. you can connect hoses easier and you can ensure its empty with clear elbows. I dump the black water, then close the new knife valve and flood back the grey tank into the black tank and then open the valve. it flushes the black tank with soapy grey water and really clears the black tank nicely. saves time and water not having to attach black flushing hose.
Good setup and well thought out. I'm looking at a 24TRX and need some good usable mods....Great Job!!!
A good rule of thumb for off-roading / Ditch the 20" rims - get a 17" or 18". It will allow a tire with more sidewall to absorb impacts and flex over rocks, as well as the ability to deflate and enlarge the track when in deeper sand. etc.
When I first bought the truck I tried to get the dealer to swap on smaller wheels but they wouldn’t. Although the smaller rims would be good for off-roading, larger rims are actually better for towing because of less flex in the sidewall, so it’s swings and roundabouts!
Great video.
I learned a lot
Thank you guys ❤️
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video. I have certainly taken some notes and extended my project list on our TT. Your electrical setup was the inspiration of mine and I can see adopting a lot of the mods you have shown here. See you out there. - Kitsune Travels With Vixen.
That's awesome to hear! Safe travels!
Hi I was very impressed with your upgrades. I had one suggestion. They make a spare tire holder that goes in the floor for toy haulers. I thought you could put your batteries there and lower the sinner weight of gravity. It would also give you more space.
Hah, I just bought a new faucet. Wish I had remembered your clever faucet!
you guys really put in the work!!
Haha, yeah I guess so! when you live in a small space, it's easy (and worthwhile) to tweak it until it's just the way you want it.
Brilliant video mate
Thank you!
Very impressive mods for sure. Just realize "really really easy to install" is extremely relative. I know a lot of the mods you've done are way beyond my level of competence, and access to tools needed. Inspiring none the less.
That's very fair feedback. Were there some mods there that you feel you could take on yourself? With the exception of a few (e.g. welding on the tire carrier and lock point), most shouldn't need any particularly specialized tools.
Great information and I appreciate breaking the video into sections corresponding to the modifications you are talking about.
It was quite tedious to write it all out, but I'm glad it was worth it!
Thank you for al the great information.
Our pleasure!
Upgrades in your situation are great. We took a different approach and bought a Class C that had almost everything we wanted so we bought knowing I'd swap the 6 gallon WH with an on-demand WH (took me about 8 hours), will have on the road mobile coverage, and will swap the kitchen sink with a 1 basin model. Other than this it's just a matter of storage solutions.
That sounds like a great option if you're able to find something so close to what you wanted! And yes, storage is always fun in RVs - I think we'd make excellent Tetris players!
Awesome video! Good info!
Thank you!
What a GREAT video! I like how you go into some depth without rambling. You speak slowly, clearly, and are easily understood. Not to mention that the volume is great, with no background noise 👍🏻
I'm a new RV'er and you had some awesome suggestions.
You've got a new subscriber and a thumbs up here. I'm looking forward to checking out more of your posts. 😎👍🏻
Thank you! and welcome to our channel!
Excellent video &
Upgrades , extremely well done 👍 totally agree . Will implement these in our TT when we are ready to buy . Thx so much & safe travels to you wherever they take you . 👍⚾️
I just did this today and don’t know why it’s not standard for water storage tanks. The valve for our tank could only be accessed from the far corner of the one bench, most inaccessible place possible. I got an extra of the round electric covers from the RV store. Drilled a 3.5” hole on side of camper right in front of that valve. Affixed, sealed and caulked the cover (I also cut off the little tabs on the inside of the cover). Now I can access that valve from the outside, literally right next to the fill port for the tank. So much EASIER!
This really was a great video. Unit you showed the emf nightmare you sleep over. Lol. It’s great bro. Just startled me. I would love the opportunity to mod a vehicle like this and explore my creativity like you have.
Great mods to your trailer. Most industries can rarely keep up with the "Do it yourself" folks. If they did, there would be few aftermarket RV accessories out there. That said, what the RV industry needs to concentrate on is reducing the water intrusion into most RV's. There are way too many perforations through the exterior skin of most RV's. Every hatch, jack, light, etc. provides a potential water entry point. The best exit point of many RV systems is the rear of the trailer, and the second best is the sides of the trailer below the floorboards. If it was up to me, I would design a rig with nothing on the roof. The heater/A/C could be mounted at the rear of the trailer and ducted forward. Bath/kitchen fans can also be exhausted out the back. Solar panels could be mounted in an array that folds down over the rear of the trailer while in transit and flips up when parked. If they would eliminate all roof perforations, they would also lose the need for a ladder. Antennas can be mounted from the rear wall as well.
That oxygenetics shower head is a must have..my 6 gallon hot water heater now lasts for a full 10 minute shower without going cold.
The Oxygenics shower head is great! Ours was starting to leak the other day and I was thinking we might have to replace it with another one. But it just needed tightening up and it's good as new again.
Omg. You won my loyalty on the safety latch to somewhere else besides the hitch. Good work
Haha, thanks! I can't claim credit for that idea, a friend of ours suggested it, but we like it!
I had to repeat a few other good ideas you had compiled to my RV neighborhood friend too.
Thank you so much!
You're welcome!
Quality video
So many great mods wow. Love it guys literally can use so many of these, the solar is a big thing im getting interested in going forward on our journey. Also the slide topper is something we had on our older model and i would love to add one to our new model.
Max_Your_Journey (Alvin)
Thank you!
What a great Video Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it!
I started rv living a couple months ago, vintage RV, and found some wasps nests in the internals. The mesh covering on the vents in a great idea to prevent this from happening again, I'll be doing that this weekend.
I'm glad you found the video useful!
AMAAAAAIZING! i did a bunch of 12v plug additions to our trailer can't wait to get on some of those other mods! great work
Thank you!
Lots of great upgrades. Nice video. One note, the breakaway loop, did you check to make sure the license plate screw isn’t threaded into a plastic insert? That’s what most of them seem to be. I don’t think I’d trust one of those to trigger the breakaway.
I like the extra insulation that you put inside the front of the nose cap
Nice !
Bloody hell mate! Videos quite good 👍
Thanks!
Absolutely brilliant! So generous and intelligent AW to share your experience and save aspirational RVers from having to learn the hard way.
Aww, thank you!
We filmed this in April 2020, before we remodeled it (remodel video coming up in a few weeks)! Here are all the mods listed with the video timestamps and the relevant links to our blog posts or directly to products. *** Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
00:00 Intro
00:06 Mod #1: Door latch www.adventurousway.com/blog/installing-an-rv-door-holder-latch?
00:45 #2: Mesh screens over outside vents amzn.to/3hsefKF
01:13 #3: Propane quick connect www.adventurousway.com/blog/installing-propane-quick-connect?
02:24 #4: Extra insulation in the storage bay.
- Our video of how we did the mod: czcams.com/video/Mh7BAfa79Wc/video.html
- Our Outdoors RV Factory tour video where we see this mod in production: czcams.com/video/4-OJhQtROtg/video.html
03:29 #5: Anderson connector for portable solar panel www.adventurousway.com/blog/rv-solar-part-2-renogy-100w-portable-solar-panel?
03:54 #6: Storage box on the tongue - Plano tote, we found it at Walmart
04:20 #7: Welded lock point
04:51 #8: Anderson connector for DC-to-DC charger www.adventurousway.com/blog/rv-electrical-upgrade-part-3-dc-charger-truck-12v-socket?
05:15 #9: Quick attach emergency brake cable
05:55 #10: DIY portable solar panel www.adventurousway.com/blog/diy-portable-solar-panel?
06:50 #11: Diamond plate inside the storage bay
07:31 #12: Contact sensors
08:12 #13: Slide topper amzn.to/3ljmnzq
09:23 #14: 600W of solar panels on the roof www.adventurousway.com/blog/perfect-off-grid-rv-solar-system?
09:50 #15: Knife valve for sewer connector amzn.to/3hsTDlx
10:31 #16: Rear observation camera. amzn.to/2YAe5t5 (newer model)
11:04 #17: Welded hitch & tire carrier for 2nd truck spare
12:33 #18: Door grab handle amzn.to/3aZQN4P
13:01 #19: Extra 12V outlets for AeroGarden & laptops www.adventurousway.com/blog/aerogarden-harvest-elite-in-our-rv?
www.adventurousway.com/blog/installing-12v-outlets-in-our-slide-out?
14:43 #20: Cut out Reflectix for each window
15:47 #21: Wall-mounted Pepwave router
16:43 #22: 12V fuse block behind TV
18:00 #23: Google Home Mini www.adventurousway.com/blog/mounting-google-home-mini-rv?
18:25 #24: Smart Wifi thermostat www.adventurousway.com/blog/upgrading-to-a-smart-wifi-rv-thermostat?
19:26 #25: Wall-mounted Dyson handheld vacuum
20:12 #26: Extra 12V outlet by the bed
21:53 #27: Maxx Air MaxxFan amzn.to/3b3969u
22:50 #28: Wall-mounted weather station amzn.to/3gtI2B2
23:30 #29: Bedside closet shelves
24:08 #30: LevelMatePRO www.adventurousway.com/blog/levelmatepro?
25:34 #31: Dry erase fridge / freezer doors www.adventurousway.com/blog/installing-magnetic-dry-erase-rv-fridge-freezer-doors?
26:31 #32: Paper towel holder amzn.to/3kTmhye
26:50 #33: Smart button to turn inverter on/off
27:12 #34: Kitchen faucet with filter www.adventurousway.com/blog/installing-a-double-kitchen-faucet-and-ultrapure-rv-water-filter?
29:16 #35: Oxygenics showerhead amzn.to/2ECzgnq
29:53 #36: Dometic 310 toilet www.adventurousway.com/blog/dometic-310-toilet-install-review?
31:42 #37: Lithium batteries & inverter www.adventurousway.com/blog/rv-electrical-upgrade-part-1-introduction-goals?
Adventurous Way I like the toilet I like to change mine out but that price tags is a little stiff , the sprayer I would like to use as a Bidet that saves on toilet paper lol
The most useful upgrades I have seen and the presentation was straight forward and easy to understand. Well done.
Thank you, Don!
What he said! Great job!
We installed a wood stove in our RV. Amazing upgrade!!
I would love to see a photo
@@mikearthur8129 are you on Ig or Twitter? I will send a pic
@@TinasCrazyLife twitter.com/mike_catv I live in my RV so always looking for ideas. Thanks for your reply
Great video and I appreciate how detailed your time log is to find the certain modifications. Any chance we could get the model of the pep wave router that you have?
We have the Pepwave MAX BR1 MKII, but since we got ours I think there is a newer version out.
It's fascinating (to me, at least) to watch the newer trucks offer off-grid power options and now hybrid powertrains. This could change the electrical side of boondocking. Ford's 2021 F-150 will offer inverter options that range up to a 7.2KW inverter. The smallest inverter option is 2.4KW and, with the larger gas tank, can generate that sustained amount of electricity for a total of 85 hours. Daytime A/C use and house bank charging whenever needed could be supplied for days at a time. Maybe not the best choice for full-timing...but for most of us, simply checking the option boxes for the new towing vehicle replaces the expense and complexity of electrical systems which full-timers lust for. And all that sunk cost in a trailer's electrical system isn't lost if one wants to later upgrade the RV.
Absolutely; the Pro Power pack on the new F-150 could be a game changer! Even the smallest one would be enough to max out the charger on our Victron MultiPlus. We have a blog post coming out in the very near future on exactly this topic - I think it has huge potential for both full-time and recreational RVers.
Now we installed the same toilet and we also added a bidet to the set up which gives you a much more toilet experience and a clean butt TMI right . lol
Jeeez! That battery set-up is....! Now I see where you’ve got your batteries.(instead of your front hitch!). A lot of your upgrades are great ideas and very do-able for anyone. Using your own fresh on-board water is a good idea. We all use the very best potable water source, so why do we not just take the extra step; filter it and drink it, instead of always over-thinking it and use bothersome bottled water. I like your shelving system. Those rod hangers are awfully dumb!
New subscriber here. I am blown away by the number of mods. More so, that you made a video explaining all in detail.
Do you have a rough estimate of weight with the with lithium batteries and inventor?
Look forward to more videos.
The lithium batteries and inverter added a little weight, but not too much and it's set further back than the original batteries on the tongue. Lead acid batteries are HEAVY - almost double the weight of a similar size lithium battery, but the lithium battery will have a much higher capacity for the same weight.
We didn't weigh our rig before and after that mod to get a comparison, but when we weighed it we were a little under our GVWR for the trailer.
Just the way you described the contact sensors early in the video, I knew you were a Home Assistant user - confirmed via your blog write ups!
:)
WELL WELL WELL VERY WELL made video. Also can we give props to the editor?
Thank you so much - from both of us! Glad you enjoyed the video :)
Great video, awesome upgrades. I'm interested in the how to convert outlets to 12v? I have a small travel trailer with no inverter..
Very good video, lots of good ideas. How wide is the trailer, I notice that the bed is accessible on both sides….major important
Cold will push the heat out of a structure if it gets underneath. You find out real quick cold is more powerful that heat. In extreme weather, build a skirt to keep that cold from getting under your rig.
Absolutely - we've had it all this year! Over 100°F in summer in Idaho, and then 0°F this winter in Vermont. We added skirting to our RV and it worked great: czcams.com/video/z2XUsBMz_1k/video.html
Just picked up my first trailer, and this video is giving me so many great ideas! I appreciate all the technical details, and your blog posts are very exhaustive. I'm running a home automation system at home (smartthings), but I plan to run homeasisstant in the RV with either an rpi or odroid. Curious, what 12v switch did you use to control your 12v appliances with zwave/zigbee? Powering the rpi should be relatively straightforward.
We're using Sonoff devices with ESPHome to control our 12V appliance - they use WiFi rather than Zigbee / Zwave. We do use both of those as well - for our thermostat and for some Samsung SmartThings sensors around the RV. Look forward to hearing more of what you set up!
Enjoyed this video a lot; great ideas! Where did you get the box on the tongue and who makes it?
It's a Plano tote that we bought from Walmart.
Good list, we’ve done a few of them ourselves. Just learn from our mistake on the screen door grab bar, make sure the trailer is level before installing it 🤦🏼♀️. Husband made sure the grab bar was level when he put it in, but the trailer wasn’t. So, the grab bar was slightly off level 🤦🏼♀️.
Definitely will look into that knife edge thing for the black water.
Wonder if that extra insulation down below cuts down the noise of the water pump, or if you have found a water pump that is quiet? If so, what brand?
Not a mod, but we bought supports for our slides which helped with the overall motion of the trailer (keystone Montana high country fifth wheel with four slides) plus support for weight on those slides.
Bought this trailer used in November 2023, the water seals on the toilets did not seal, we took them out and cleaned them, but iI didn’t help. In a crunch situation in southern Utah, so bought new seals at camper world for $50.00 for two, but can find them cheaper on amazon, and they fixed that issue.
And yes, TMI, but if you are trying to conserve water, dry camping, and not use a lot of water when you do your #2 business in the toilet. I lay down toilet paper sheets to “catch” it, and then a quick flush takes it down, mess free and not a lot of water to flush that.
Oh yes, making something level in the RV while making sure the RV is level first - definitely have run into that! Our water pump is under the kitchen sink, so no impact from the insulation. Our pump is noisy, so sorry, no help there.
We recently learned to clean the toilet water seals with citric acid every few months. Works like a charm. Even though our water is not that hard, over time I guess the mineral deposits on the water seal cause it to not seal properly.
Ugh, I’m near Albuquerque and the wind NEVER stops!!! Our RV is struggling and we have some reall issues unlike the moisture issues that the coast lines have. No mold here. But the wind is 45 degrees most of the year. Ugh
"A more pleasant toilet experience overall" - LOL
What I liked was they actioned off the “British Throne.” Well done!
Pretty sure the "cleaning wand" is a bidet....no? haha
Great video. I need you to narrate my videos. You did all that without notes or stopping or going off track with very limited editing.
I've done all those mods that relate to a motorhome plus about 70 more.... except for the fridge and herb garden and internet upgrade.
I enjoyed this very much.
Thanks for watching Terry!
after so many lame RV videos, this one is really amazing. Keep putting these out!
Thank you, Will!
Good on you for being focused on safety, but in regards to your dead-man brake: You said your concern was if your entire hitch assembly on your truck was to break off your vehicle, you'd lose your whole trailer, but the dead-man brake wouldn't engage because it would still be connected to the hitch. The brakes on your trailer are set up in reverse. By default, they are locked on. It takes the power coming from the electrical connection to your truck to release those brakes. So if your whole truck hitch were to break off the back end of your truck, the electrical connection between your truck and trailer would be broken as well, and your trailer's brakes would lock up instantly. That's why you can't roll your trailer without hooking up the electrical connection.
Maybe your emergency brake assembly works a little differently to ours. The one on our trailer doesn't rely on power from the tow vehicle to operate - it uses 12V from on board the trailer itself. In normal operation there is no current passing through the emergency brake, and only when the pin is pulled does current flow. But it all works regardless of whether or not the tow vehicle electrical connection is connected or not.
Now you’ve done all this you will probably trade it in! Lol!
Nah, instead we invested even more in it by doing a remodel and making it even more perfect for our use :) So we are definitely keeping it!
This is by far one of best most informative videos I have seen in three years! I am considering a ORV or sister product a Nash. You had so any great ideas. I also am looking at installing aprox 600 in panels on the roof and 600 AH in Lithium. I am so glad I found you! I am your newest subscriber.
Wow, that’s so kind, thank you! We figured it’d be fun to do a video covering lots of things quite quickly to give people some ideas and inspiration.
Thank you for your insight , im curious about your bike and carrier on the back of you rv
We have a blog post about our bike rack: www.adventurousway.com/blog/carrying-bikes-on-our-rv
With that kind of solar power are you able to run everything? We are getting a 38' trailer in the next few weeks and I'm trying to think of ways to power the whole trailer with solar. We will probably be in it for the next few years so these changes are awesome. Thank you for some amazing ideas.
FYI a normal home thermostat will work you just have to wire it right... my Honeywell digital thermostat works just fine
Yes and no. Battery-powered residential thermostats will often work, but if they rely solely on power from the Common (C) wire then they are usually designed to run on 24VAC and very few will work on 12VDC. That said, we recently installed a Honeywell T6 Pro Series Z-Wave thermostat in the RV that's working very well for us!
Re window insulation - how do you attach it? I’ve used bubblewrap with packing tape, couldn’t easily remove to see thru tho. Appreciated this video, I’ll be adding a few of these now too!
We cut the Reflectix to fit perfectly just inside the window frames in our RV. Once we pulled the blinds down, they did a good job of holding it in place.
However, since our remodel, that won't work with the new blinds since they're not such a tight fit. That said, we've not actually tried to use Reflectix with our new blinds yet, since they actually seem to be doing a pretty good job of insulating already. While they're not a tight fit, I suspect the heavier material is holding a pocket of air against the window, hence meaning we're not losing so much heat.
If we find ourselves needing the Reflectix, we still have the pieces in our storage bay. We'll probably either use painters tape and just plan on replacing it when it stops sticking, or maybe look at using some tiny magnets.
Great video! Thank you. I am very interested in replacing the thermostat. Please tell us the name of one that you ended up with. Thanks.
Thanks! We wrote up a detailed blog post of our thermostat upgrade: adventurousway.com/blog/upgrading-to-a-smart-wifi-rv-thermostat
Mesh screen to stop bugs
Cool upgrades. I would NEVER sleep on top of a lithium battery bank due to it's ability to go critical and explode or become a flame thrower. I've just seen too many lithium batteries go supernova to ever feel comfortable doing that. Although not probable, still possible. Still, cool upgrades throughout. Good job.
The well known occurrences of lithium battery fires are a totally different type of chemistry to the ones in our RV. The RV batteries are a slightly lower energy density but much safer. They don’t suffer thermal runaway like the other type, and they’re much more resilient to vibration, shock and even puncture. It’s totally safe 👍
@@AdventurousWay No multicell lithium battery is immune to thermal runaway.
The built-in Battery Management System (BMS) in the Battle Born batteries prevents the battery from overcharging which is typically the cause of thermal runaway. Of course almost any device can be forced to catastrophically fail through deliberate misuse, but we have no concerns whatsoever about the safety of these batteries.
Excellent additions for safety and ease of use. A lot of your ideas should be standard equipment when RV's come from the factory. Happy travels to you all.
Thanks so much for all the great ideas! I just bought a 2022 21kvs and am trying to figure out how to install an observation camera and hide the wires. Can you fish a wire through the back wall?
We went with a wireless camera so that we didn't have to worry about the wires.
This was the first video of yours I’ve seen and WOW!……I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn’t hit the subscribe button fast enough. You deliver the information concisely and without the fluff. I don’t have to watch “man-bun-guy” and “dental-floss-bikini-girl” perfectly smiling in their perfect camper with perfect views.😂🤣 You’ve given me some great ideas which I will implement in my own travel trailer. I’m a single, 59 year old woman and do it all myself so I love good ideas. Can’t wait to binge watch your videos! Well done.
Edit: I just bought the Level Mate Pro. It’ll be great since I’m by myself!!
Aww, thank you for the kind words :) And welcome to our channel!
If those lithium batteries fail and start on fire, you guys are toast!!
You could argue the same about the fuel tank in your vehicle. Only that the lithium batteries we’re using are far less volatile! Ours are not the same chemistry as those you might find in an EV - they have a lower energy density but are much safer.
Could you recommend a smart thermostat for a furnace? Best mod video I’ve seen!
Thanks Steven! We have a series of blog posts on our website all about how we upgraded to a smart thermostat in our RV and some of the challenges: www.adventurousway.com/blog/upgrading-to-a-smart-wifi-rv-thermostat
Since that blog post we've actually upgraded again - this time to the Honeywell T6 Pro. It uses Z-Wave and runs on 12V with batteries. We've been using it since April last year (~8 months ago) and are very happy with it.
Thank you for the videos. I am thinking of putting my 2 lithium batteries and associated electrical devices under the bed as you have. What kind of temperatures do you see at both extremes? We do camp and travel below freezing. I may have to heat the batteries in the winter as I plan on using a dcdc charger when driving. Also, do you have to fan cool the area in the summer?
Being under the bed, the temperature has been really stable - it generally stays at or above the temperature inside the RV. The vents we installed seem to have provided sufficient to keep the inverter and other equipment at a steady temperature even in summer.
I love the idea of contact sensors. Do did not mention the brand you chose. Please suggest a brand?
We are planning to cover smart home technology in our upcoming videos.
Really nice stuff, gonna start following the channel for sure but man, some of these weights must add up! extra battery bank, diamond plate, solar - did you ever make any considerations about that? Just wondering as I'm starting to look at a bunch of mods myself and I've between worried about weight. And seems like you probably boondock a lot and that is even more weight with water tanks full. Thanks!
Weight is always something to be concerned about! When shopping for our RV, cargo capacity was one of the things we were particularly looking for, and Outdoors RV (the manufacturer of our RV) tends to do well in that regard. We also weighed the RV after our electrical upgrade and still had some headroom left.
As well as adding stuff in, we also removed stuff. For example, the old lead acid battery and converter that we removed.
Another thing to consider is the placement of the weight - ensuring that the trailer isn't too tongue heavy or tongue light. We consulted with our manufacturer on several of the upgrades to ensure they had no concerns.
A couple questions on this video. What is the storage rack that you have hanging off the back with the bikes? Also, you refer to a future video talking about solar energy setup. I haven't been able to find that one?
Hanging off the back of the trailer we have a bike rack with our bikes on which you can find more about here: www.adventurousway.com/bikes
We also have two spare tires - one for the trailer, and one for the truck on a custom rack that we had made.
We haven't published the solar video just yet, but stay tuned! In the mean time, we have lots of information available about our solar setup on our blog: www.adventurousway.com/category/solar
How does the window reflector work? Is it attached above the window?
u did great upgrades.....you should do it for a business...
Great video
Oh gosh, thank you, but it's hard enough doing the mods for our own RV, not sure I have any desire doing them for other people, lol!
We like the kitchen faucet, could you tell us the name and ware you purchased it? thanks
We share more details about the kitchen faucet install in this blog post: www.adventurousway.com/blog/installing-a-double-kitchen-faucet-and-ultrapure-rv-water-filter?