What Did You Do To Your Class B Recently?

[rjf7g]

I took our American Cruiser to the car wash to clean up the outside. Looks pretty good now.

[Rok]

Marco,

The company we went with is Drone Mobile. I think it also goes by a number of names, but the name on the phone app is Drone Mobile.

As mentioned earlier, I really like the auto start feature. I like running the rig a little bit every couple of days (I also try to make sure to drive it once a week). Having the auto-start feature means I can run the van from nearly anywhere.

There are some fail-safes built in to the system: (1) When you auto start the rig, it will auto shut-off in 15 minutes if the key is not inserted and turned. (2) If someone were to get in the van and try to take off, if they so much as tap the brake, the engine turns off.

[Bud]

"I like running the rig a little bit every couple of days (I also try to make sure to drive it once a week). Having the auto-start feature means I can run the van from nearly anywhere."

Cold starts over and over again?

Bud

[Rok]

I don't get your point, Bud. Cold starting it twice a week shouldn't be a problem. If you used it every day, you would cold start it every day, no?

I'm just curious as to what your post meant.

[booster]

Originally Posted by Rok

I don't get your point, Bud. Cold starting it twice a week shouldn't be a problem. If you used it every day, you would cold start it every day, no?

I'm just curious as to what your post meant.

Cold starts without driving long enough to get fully hot for a reasonable time (oil temp, not water temp) is very bad for engines as it produces water that doesn't get boiled out. I takes a pretty long drive, from what I have read, with most saying at least 1/2 hour at highway speed after full warmup. I generally wouldn't bother to start a parked vehicle unless I was going to be driving for a least an hour, but we live in Minnesota where is cold a lot, which makes it much worse.

[Bud]

Rok, cold starts cause wear as engines are designed to operate 'best' at the normal operating temperature, the sooner the better within reason.

I thought you might have responded with a why, not with a why not.

In any event, I really really like it when someone posts how they really like their system....... Thanks for posting.

Bud

[avanti]

Originally Posted by booster

Cold starts without driving long enough to get fully hot for a reasonable time (oil temp, not water temp) is very bad for engines as it produces water that doesn't get boiled out. I takes a pretty long drive, from what I have read, with most saying at least 1/2 hour at highway speed after full warmup. I generally wouldn't bother to start a parked vehicle unless I was going to be driving for a least an hour, but we live in Minnesota where is cold a lot, which makes it much worse.

This is 100% correct. The LAST thing you want to do is to start an engine and then not let it get up to full operating temperature. This is especially difficult to do with a modern diesel. For example, it is not clear that a Sprinter engine will EVER get up to operating temperature at idle under many conditions. That is why they add auxiliary heaters (Espar or electric), so the heat will work for delivery guys.

There is no question that best practice is to let the engine sleep while in storage.

[Rok]

Thanks for the response, folks.

.....Rocky

[markopolo]

I created a new topic to discuss engine operating temperature: http://www.classbforum.com/forums/f5...html#post50755

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Thanks for the info on DroneMobile Rok

[Rok]

No sooner than I started singing the praises of the auto start feature, than our rig wouldn't start. Battery at 11.8 V., we even jumped it to make sure.

At this point we are about 90% sure that it has something to do with the drone mobile unit. Just before I tried to start it, we were showing it to a friend and my wife stooped down with the key fob in her pocket and did something. We are wondering if she might have accidentally did some combination of key punches that disables the starting of the car. The dealer says that's not possible, but I vaguely remember it being in the manual.

Other possibilities are a rodent chew, or a solenoid or starter suddenly failing without warning. Or maybe a wire falling off somewhere.

It now doesn't start remotely OR with the key.

The dealer is coming by tomorrow to check it out. I will update as the situation progresses.

........Rocky

[angelmroman]

Makeover for "Kiki"....She has provided me with comfortable, dependable service as I've crisscrossed this beautiful Country. After considering several "New RV" options, I returned some of that TLC by sending her to the Shops for Paint and Upgrades, "spoiling" her just a bit 😀....Exterior; New Two-Tone Metallic Paint, Windshield, Headlamps, Aluminum Grill, Wipers, 16" Glossy Black Wheels, Black Chevy Emblem , Bug Guard....Interior; Wireless Rearview Camera, four 120V outlets, four 12V DC outlets, 8 USBs, Winegard G2 Portable Dish, DirecTV 200 Hr DVR, 28" Samsung Smart TV, Bose Bluetooth Speaker, 300 Watt Pure Sine Inverter....1000's of miles ahead of us. Canada & Mexico on the Radar. Wishing everyone many safe and happy miles 😉

[Rok]

Originally Posted by Rok

No sooner than I started singing the praises of the auto start feature, than our rig wouldn't start. Battery at 11.8 V., we even jumped it to make sure.

At this point we are about 90% sure that it has something to do with the drone mobile unit. Just before I tried to start it, we were showing it to a friend and my wife stooped down with the key fob in her pocket and did something. We are wondering if she might have accidentally did some combination of key punches that disables the starting of the car. The dealer says that's not possible, but I vaguely remember it being in the manual.

Other possibilities are a rodent chew, or a solenoid or starter suddenly failing without warning. Or maybe a wire falling off somewhere.

It now doesn't start remotely OR with the key.

The dealer is coming by tomorrow to check it out. I will update as the situation progresses.

........Rocky

Better late than never. The problem turns out to be that in the 2012 Sprinters (and a number of other years) there is an under fused circuit and if even a slightly higher load is put on the circuit, the fuse blows. The situation that produces the "slightly higher load" that is mentioned in the service advisory from MB is starting the vehicle in extreme cold conditions.

The remedy is very simple replacing the 20A fuse (IIRC it is at location 22 in the fuse box) with a 25 amp fuse. After we did that, all works fine.

Kudos to our Drone Mobile tech for figuring it out. It was also corroborated by our local MB dealer that that circuit was a known problem child in a number of circumstances.

I might be remembering the fuse number wrong, so don't quote me on that, but the starting circuit fuse can blow with the slightest provocation.

.......Rocky

[goreds2]

A few weeks ago, I drove it to work all week because my truck was being worked on. My co-workers loved it.

[ponti33602]

We added a SmartPlug connector kit and replaced the stock. No more twist. Just straight plugin.

[goreds2]

I have not driven mine in a couple of weeks so connected the trickle charger to the battery.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by ponti33602

We added a SmartPlug connector kit and replaced the stock. No more twist. Just straight plugin.

Have one since 2013, one of the best decisions in my conversion. I have one cable modified for 15A to be used in the garage during storage and the black RV 30A with blue indicator by Smart Plug.

[SteveJ]

I made note of the pine tree sap accumulating on it while camping on the Trinity River at Douglas City CA

[avanti]

Originally Posted by SteveJ

I made note of the pine tree sap accumulating on it while camping on the Trinity River at Douglas City CA

That's called "patina".

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by SteveJ

I made note of the pine tree sap accumulating on it while camping on the Trinity River at Douglas City CA

High concentration isopropyl alcohol removes sap in seconds.

[SteveJ]

Originally Posted by avanti

That's called "patina".

Cool. I have an old KLR dual sport bike that has loads of patina so I know how to deal with y. Thanks for the heads up.