Is is possible to combine a Winnebago & Roadtrek?

[Cameramanlady]

Hello everybody! I'm Carrie. Nice to meet you all.

Okay, so here's the deal. If I'm gonna pay $100k+ for a vehicle that I will be living in, I want it to be perfect.

My idea of perfect is the Winnebago ERA 70C (or 70M, same thing) layout with the EcoTrek & VoltStart systems.

Is there a way to combine them?? On a lesser note, I really hate the glossy cabinets of the ERA, but that is a much smaller issue.

Thanks for any feedback you can give me! ❤

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Cameramanlady

Hello everybody! I'm Carrie. Nice to meet you all.

Okay, so here's the deal. If I'm gonna pay $100k+ for a vehicle that I will be living in, I want it to be perfect.

My idea of perfect is the Winnebago ERA 70C (or 70M, same thing) layout with the EcoTrek & VoltStart systems.

Is there a way to combine them?? On a lesser note, I really hate the glossy cabinets of the ERA, but that is a much smaller issue.

Thanks for any feedback you can give me! ❤

I guess you could do it if you threw enough money at it.

I think there is a better alternative which is the Coachmen Galleria Li3. It builds with an underhood generator and a Xantrex designed lithium battery system (built by Lithionics) plus a 3000 watt inverter which will supply sufficient 120 VAC to run the roof AC without shore power assist. IMO the Galleria cabinetry is superior to Winnebago or Roadtrek and their electrical system is hands down better designed than the Roadtrek Etrek. They offer a solar option of up to 300 watts. They don't incorporate an autostart system like Voltstart but IMO, Voltstart is a dubious and cranky solution to a non existent problem.

[AAFD]

Look at Advance RV class B units, get it made the way you want it.

KC

[BBQ]

Originally Posted by Cameramanlady

Hello everybody! I'm Carrie. Nice to meet you all.

Okay, so here's the deal. If I'm gonna pay $100k+ for a vehicle that I will be living in, I want it to be perfect.

My idea of perfect is the Winnebago ERA 70C (or 70M, same thing) layout with the EcoTrek & VoltStart systems.

Is there a way to combine them?? On a lesser note, I really hate the glossy cabinets of the ERA, but that is a much smaller issue.

Thanks for any feedback you can give me! ❤

Adding lithium batteries is easy.

Most solar places have complete system/kit you can buy.


Voltstart is not so simple.
Do you mean you want an underhood generator?

You can retrofit an underhood generator. It is easy.
The one offered by Roadtrek is made by Nations.

https://www.nationsstarteralternator...-dak-280xp.htm


Before you jump in with both feet,
you need to understand,
to run the underhood generator properly,
you will need the Mercedes Benz's high-idle option.
(Someone mentioned that you can have this programmed by MB.)

[Cameramanlady]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

I guess you could do it if you threw enough money at it.

I think there is a better alternative which is the Coachmen Galleria Li3. It builds with an underhood generator and a Xantrex designed lithium battery system (built by Lithionics) plus a 3000 watt inverter which will supply sufficient 120 VAC to run the roof AC without shore power assist. IMO the Galleria cabinetry is superior to Winnebago or Roadtrek and their electrical system is hands down better designed than the Roadtrek Etrek. They offer a solar option of up to 300 watts. They don't incorporate an autostart system like Voltstart but IMO, Voltstart is a dubious and cranky solution to a non existent problem.

Interesting. I just browsed the Coachman website. Most of the Mercedes sprinters have roughly the same layout, except for the ERA 70m (and 70c). I love the design with the larger bathroom in the back and so much storage. All the Coachman options with both the Galleria and the Crossfit lines are pretty much the same with the bed in the back and teeny bathrooms with little storage.

[booster]

I think you will have a hard time duplicating the 70C with the slide/bed and rear bath, as I don't know of any others made that way.

You would probably be way ahead to get the 70C if you like that floorplan enough and have someone like AM Solar do a lithium conversion to it, or if anyone is installing the Xantrex setup yet.

Personally, I wouldn't be excited about trying to get a Roadtrek system, as they have had lots of trouble and still have some worts. It can be done much better than they have done.

[Cameramanlady]

Originally Posted by BBQ

Adding lithium batteries is easy.

Most solar places have complete system/kit you can buy.


Voltstart is not so simple.
Do you mean you want an underhood generator?

You can retrofit an underhood generator. It is easy.
The one offered by Roadtrek is made by Nations.

https://www.nationsstarteralternator...-dak-280xp.htm


Before you jump in with both feet,
you need to understand,
to run the underhood generator properly,
you will need the Mercedes Benz's high-idle option.
(Someone mentioned that you can have this programmed by MB.)

I did not know that there was a "high idle" option. Interesting! Does everyone offer that option?

So here's a little bit more info. I have a pug. I want to be able to go grocery shopping or perhaps to a movie without worrying that the air conditioning will cut off and kill him. But at the same time I don't want to be one of those people with generators who are spoiling the outdoors being loud as eff.

[Cameramanlady]

Originally Posted by booster

I think you will have a hard time duplicating the 70C with the slide/bed and rear bath, as I don't know of any others made that way.

You would probably be way ahead to get the 70C if you like that floorplan enough and have someone like AM Solar do a lithium conversion to it, or if anyone is installing the Xantrex setup yet.

Personally, I wouldn't be excited about trying to get a Roadtrek system, as they have had lots of trouble and still have some worts. It can be done much better than they have done.

I really appreciate the feedback.

[avanti]

I would not recommend counting on idling a modern diesel engine. it is very problematic with any vehicle with a diesel particulate filter, and it is not at all clear how much a high idle option helps. Mercedes advertises this option primarily for power take-offs that require high and constant RPM. For DPF health, they require running at highway speed periodically. High idle does not count as highway speed.

For your needs, a large battery and inverter makes much more sense. I can run my A/C for two hours on a 440 Ah AGM battery. If you want to watch a movie, you would want a little more cushion, but that is easily achievable with a modern lithium battery. Running an A/C all night from battery is hard. Running it for a few hours now and then is not.

[GeorgeRa]

If I would be looking for a B-class van or other class RV for living I would resist adding any complexity to make life on the road easier if failures happen. Call a few RV facilities around and ask if they would service Li system, or other more complex electrical or heating systems. If you would choose hydronic ask around who could fix it. Sacrificing performance with a vanilla current and well-established technology will minimize impact of troubles on the road.

The situation would be different if you plan to do all maintenance and repairs by yourself.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by avanti

I would not recommend counting on idling a modern diesel engine. it is very problematic with any vehicle with a diesel particulate filter, and it is not at all clear how much a high idle option helps.

I think the advantage of the high idle option is misunderstood. Its virtue is that it produces a modest increase in alternator output which is good because depending on the loads involved, it may reduce the period for which the engine has to idle at all. However, it's been pretty well settled that stationary operation at high idle does little if anything toward mitigating particulate accumulation in the filter.

With Mercedes, unless there have been recent design changes, as a practical matter, high idle should be chosen during initial engine production because post production implementation involves among other things, modification of the CPU. As of 2018 models, Roadtrek orders every Sprinter with the high idle feature. Interestingly, if the Chevy V8 has cruise control, you can implement a high idle option merely by dealer programming with no alteration of the CPU.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by AAFD

Look at Advance RV class B units, get it made the way you want it.

KC

That's certainly the good news regarding ARV. The not so good news is that the price of admission is >$330,000.

[mlts22]

As an alternative, if you are going to be full-timing in the vehicle, why not go with Sportsmobile or Advanced-RV, and get exactly what you want? That way, you have the best of all worlds.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Cameramanlady

Interesting. I just browsed the Coachman website. Most of the Mercedes sprinters have roughly the same layout, except for the ERA 70m (and 70c). I love the design with the larger bathroom in the back and so much storage. All the Coachman options with both the Galleria and the Crossfit lines are pretty much the same with the bed in the back and teeny bathrooms with little storage.

Point taken. Like most B layouts, the bathroom is relatively tight. To some extent it depends upon your perspective. Some folks (count me in) view the inclusion of a bathroom as an irritating necessity and when possible, gravitate to spotless rest rooms in Chevron gas stations. Others feel that the bathroom in a B should be a spacious secluded destination spot.

FWIW, in checking with Smith & Wesson, they still haven't made a gun with a barrel big enough to make me deal with a slideout.

[booster]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

I think the advantage of the high idle option is misunderstood. Its virtue is that it produces a modest increase in alternator output which is good because depending on the loads involved, it may reduce the period for which the engine has to idle at all. However, it's been pretty well settled that stationary operation at high idle does little if anything toward mitigating particulate accumulation in the filter.

With Mercedes, unless there have been recent design changes, as a practical matter, high idle should be chosen during initial engine production because post production implementation involves among other things, modification of the CPU. As of 2018 models, Roadtrek orders every Sprinter with the high idle feature. Interestingly, if the Chevy V8 has cruise control, you can implement a high idle option merely by dealer programming with no alteration of the CPU.

I think it would be interesting to see just how much extra net output you get from the fast idle, or if the heat cycling of the alternator more would make it not as much gain. With no driving speed fresh air coming in, it may be not nearly as much as it would first appear from the first blast of amps before the alternator heats up an starts to thermal cycle.

[BBQ]

Originally Posted by Cameramanlady

I did not know that there was a "high idle" option. Interesting! Does everyone offer that option?

So here's a little bit more info. I have a pug. I want to be able to go grocery shopping or perhaps to a movie without worrying that the air conditioning will cut off and kill him. But at the same time I don't want to be one of those people with generators who are spoiling the outdoors being loud as eff.

Don't drink the marketing koolaid... those auto-start are not reliable. You won't want to trust your pet's life on it. Go check their FB groups and read about the horror stories. If it is too hot to leave your pet alone in the RV, then don't.


For most situations, except in the middle of an 100+ degree afternoon,
the exhaust fan and open windows is enough to keep the RV cool. You will need to buy screen insert for the front windows. Of course you will not have the security of a locked van.

[NAZCamperVan]

Cameramanlady, Another Class B rig with that floorplan (slideout and rear bath) is the (no longer made) Leisure Travel Van Free Spirit SS. It doesn't have all the electronic bells and whistles, but you could add those components. Very well-made rigs on Sprinters. And there's a few used listed on RVTrader.com

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by booster

I think it would be interesting to see just how much extra net output you get from the fast idle, or if the heat cycling of the alternator more would make it not as much gain. With no driving speed fresh air coming in, it may be not nearly as much as it would first appear from the first blast of amps before the alternator heats up an starts to thermal cycle.

No doubt about it. I'll hazard the guess that the idle hot rating for the Nations alternator will support the roof AC but not much more..

[Technomadness]

Originally Posted by Cameramanlady

Interesting. I just browsed the Coachman website. Most of the Mercedes sprinters have roughly the same layout, except for the ERA 70m (and 70c). I love the design with the larger bathroom in the back and so much storage. All the Coachman options with both the Galleria and the Crossfit lines are pretty much the same with the bed in the back and teeny bathrooms with little storage.

I love the 70M layout too, but the deal killer is having to put the slide out to sleep.

You might be interested in the Pleasure-Way Plateau XLMB. It’s slightly wider, but has a 70M like layout, very high quality and no slide!
Plus they have auto-gen start, and lithium. Not quite a replica of roadtrek but other than the galleria the closest you can get.


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[Norcal Mike]

Take a look a the Coach House Arriva. It has a twin bed/King layout with a rear bath and a stand alone shower stall.