Tiniest Hymer Promaster Carrado/Axion

[warpig]

That is good to know because I am going to do my best to park in the shade wherever I go. Thanks.

[silex840]

Originally Posted by mumkin

I've been using the UG for 3 years with my 2 Group 31s (which replaced the original EcoTrek200) and it works great. Granted I do very little boondocking to have tested my limits.

My new Simplicity will have the same... after the dealer replaces the one AGM with 2 Group 31s.

BTW... the majority of the problems that we get over on Facebook is user error these days. But there are still too many people needing replacements. Most users over there love them. I find it too labor intensive... don't want to have to be thinking about when to turn on or off... or how many to turn on. I guess I must admit that I am getting old...

Which FB group is being referenced? I'd be interested in joining!

Originally Posted by Davydd

With the second underhood alternator (or UG as one calls it) I have found solar of no importance. I can drive or idle for 15 minutes per day to replenish my batteries equivalent amp hours that my 420w of solar contributes on a good day. I can drive less than one hour to replenish the use of my batteries for a whole day and I am a high user of electricity leaving the inverter on all the time to make my van transparent in electrical use be it boon docking or shore power. With the Volta system you can reduce your idle or driving time to one half of that.

UG still sounds useful so I'll be sure to add that in soon even with just using AGM batts. I like solar in that it generates clean energy. I just wish the density was higher in a given surface area so we can fit more wattage in the same space.

Originally Posted by kite_rider

I track mileage on Fuelly.com. For the 13,200 miles tracked on my rig I'm averaging 15.2. Note that almost all of this is towing a small trailer and many of the states I cross now have 80mph limits. Over the last few thousand miles I've changed my driving habits a bit and am cruising the freeways at around 70mph and my onboard computer tells me my average consumption is 15.7. This weekend I took a trip to the Columbia River Gorge area without the trailer and my onboard computer says I'm averaging 17.9! Speed limits here are 65mph. During the first 8 or 9K miles the transmission seemed to hunt around a lot to the right gear; now it feels like it's not doing that as much and my mileage may be getting a bit better.

I really love the small displacement diesel engines these vans have in Europe. We borrowed a small Ducato based RV and toured around 11K miles in England, Spain, France, Italy, and Germany. After doing a bunch of math to convert liters to gallons and kilometers to miles I calculated 24MPG average for the trip! Power on the small engine was 'so so', but good enough... As much as I love diesel, the whole NA emissions requirements seem to have made the choices here limited and increased my fear of costly emissions related repairs ...

Looks like I need to do less street driving and more highway!

Originally Posted by warpig

Thank you to Kite Rider, Smith 101, Silex, and falfal for your input on the Axion. The model that I am looking at does have the eco, volt, UG, and solar. You have given much to think about.

Here is where I am currently at. I've been focused on the Axion, Aktiv, but always have my eye on the 59G. I like the Axion and Aktiv for their shorter lengths. I like the 59G because it has a lot of bang for the buck. I don't know if I'm ready to pull the trigger on a purchase immediately, but here are the offers on the table on the Axion & Aktiv:

- Axion (eco, solar, volt): New/2017 67k out the door
- Aktiv (2AGM, UG, no solar, no volt): Used/2018/10,300 82k out the door
- 59G (standard): New/2018 estimating around 76/77k out the door

None of the dealers are particularly close,so any service would be done elsewhere. My preference would be to boondock on most excursions, but I would certainly be staying at campgrounds as well. Obviously, there are many other issues at play that will go into my decision, but in terms of vehicles and price, I welcome any opinions that anyone has. I am very fortunate to have found this forum and appreciate all that I have learned so far. Thank you.

You're welcome! Those numbers look similar to when I was shopping around so you're on the right track. I was initially interested in the L-trimmed Travato's (due out this Summer), but then other shoppers were using saying in that respective thread that it would be a $30k MSRP option which made it too rich for my blood. It's all a moot point anyways once I found out the Axion can tow just that much little bit more since the GVWR is thousands of pounds less than these more "fully equipped" models.

Originally Posted by warpig

That is good to know because I am going to do my best to park in the shade wherever I go. Thanks.

The best of both worlds is solar on the roof and a connection on the side for a portable panel. The Travato has this. I plan to add it to the Axion eventually. One of many projects. I'm sure the other owners here would agree that the Axion is a great platform, if not the best out right now for the price, to build upon to meet your specific needs.

[BBQ]

.

You can add an underhood generator yourself.

Look for shops specializing in utility vehicles, emergency vehicles, and police cars.


RT gets its GU from Nations. It is approx $1,500.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by silex840

The best of both worlds is solar on the roof and a connection on the side for a portable panel. The Travato has this. I plan to add it to the Axion eventually. One of many projects. I'm sure the other owners here would agree that the Axion is a great platform, if not the best out right now for the price, to build upon to meet your specific needs.

Unless it's some sort of flexible roll up panel, in a class B, where can you store a rigid panel while on the road?

[mumkin]

Originally Posted by warpig

- Axion (eco, solar, volt): New/2017 67k out the door
- Aktiv (2AGM, UG, no solar, no volt): Used/2018/10,300 82k out the door

Activ is too high... I had a quote on a 2019 special order 2AGM, UG, plus solar for about that.

Someone asked about Facebook pages, there are a number of Roadtrek and Hymer owners pages... an Activ owners page... a Zion and Simplicity owners page... and on and on... LOL

[warpig]

Originally Posted by silex840

The best of both worlds is solar on the roof and a connection on the side for a portable panel. The Travato has this. I plan to add it to the Axion eventually. One of many projects. I'm sure the other owners here would agree that the Axion is a great platform, if not the best out right now for the price, to build upon to meet your specific needs.

Portable panels are a good idea when parking in the shade. I'm glad you are liking your Axion. I'm still not sure which direction to go. For the most part, I'll be solo so the Axion does make a lot of sense for me. I do a lot of mtn biking and I'd just keep the bike inside.

Originally Posted by mumkin

Activ is too high... I had a quote on a 2019 special order 2AGM, UG, plus solar for about that.

Someone asked about Facebook pages, there are a number of Roadtrek and Hymer owners pages... an Activ owners page... a Zion and Simplicity owners page... and on and on... LOL

I thought that it might be. I don't think that they're going to budge off the price, and I'm not willing to pay it, especially since I'd need to go across the country to get it, but I'd have one hell of a return trip home!!!!

[silex840]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

Unless it's some sort of flexible roll up panel, in a class B, where can you store a rigid panel while on the road?

I honestly haven't looked into it yet. There are both flexible and folding panels out there. Here is one example:
https://www.harborfreight.com/100-Wa...Kit-63585.html
I would store it folded up behind the backrest cushion of thesofa or if a roof rack is added then sky is the limit there!

Originally Posted by BBQ

.

You can add an underhood generator yourself.

Look for shops specializing in utility vehicles, emergency vehicles, and police cars.


RT gets its GU from Nations. It is approx $1,500.

Sweet good find!

Originally Posted by mumkin

Activ is too high... I had a quote on a 2019 special order 2AGM, UG, plus solar for about that.

Someone asked about Facebook pages, there are a number of Roadtrek and Hymer owners pages... an Activ owners page... a Zion and Simplicity owners page... and on and on... LOL

Dealerships always want to sell what they have on the lot before ever placing a custom order. Heck, some won't even entertain the idea of placing the order and will push you to no end to buy what is on the lot. This is probably where used car salesmen get the stigma they receive. They do this, because it's the difference between a definite commission now versus maybe one later. Which would you choose? Rhetorical question. I'm good at playing devil's advocate since I've been on both sides of the coin. Just use the knowledge you know have to leverage the current deal and get a few more grand off the price (or whatever you deem fair) once you are ready to bite the bullet and buy your baby

Ahh I see okay I'm in quite a few FB groups already then I was hoping there was a Carado or even Axion specific one, but wishful thinking. Perhaps I shall stat one?

[00alix]

This thread is amazing. I've been plotting to get a class B to tow my race cars to the track and sleep at the track.

I read that some have already used their Axion to tow with the beefier towing options. But I'm wondering if this front wheel drive Promaster will pull my 1000lb trailer + 2300lb car. I feel that it would be able to easily on flat roads, but once a year I will need to tow it over the sierras and don't want to break down up there.

Any more input on towing from owners? Thanks!

[wincrasher]

Originally Posted by 00alix

This thread is amazing. I've been plotting to get a class B to tow my race cars to the track and sleep at the track.

I read that some have already used their Axion to tow with the beefier towing options. But I'm wondering if this front wheel drive Promaster will pull my 1000lb trailer + 2300lb car. I feel that it would be able to easily on flat roads, but once a year I will need to tow it over the sierras and don't want to break down up there.

Any more input on towing from owners? Thanks!

No, it will be maxed out. The GCWR is 11,500 lbs. The van should weigh around 7000 lbs (maybe a few hundred more) + about 1000 lbs (or more) for your stuff, yourself, water, fuel, etc. That leaves about 3500 lbs for whatever you want to tow, so you'd be at maximum, if not over.

It's only a V6 and I'd worry about overloading the transmission - it's a slightly beefed up version of what they put in the Caravan.

Not to mention the towing characteristics of the shorter wheelbase might not be ideal. If you had the capacity (numbers wise), you find towing more stable with the longer wheelbase version (159").

[kite_rider]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

No, it will be maxed out. The GCWR is 11,500 lbs. The van should weigh around 7000 lbs (maybe a few hundred more) + about 1000 lbs (or more) for your stuff, yourself, water, fuel, etc. That leaves about 3500 lbs for whatever you want to tow, so you'd be at maximum, if not over.

There was an older post also asking about the weight of the van so when I rolled by the weigh station along the highway this week I decided to check it out. I was at 7,450 lbs which included a full tank of water, gas tank 3/4 full, four mountain bikes, and some other random gear along with an adult passenger.

Hope that is helpful...

[silex840]

Originally Posted by kite_rider

There was an older post also asking about the weight of the van so when I rolled by the weigh station along the highway this week I decided to check it out. I was at 7,450 lbs which included a full tank of water, gas tank 3/4 full, four mountain bikes, and some other random gear along with an adult passenger.

Hope that is helpful...

Very helpful sir! Was your black/gray tank empty? LPG full?

[kite_rider]

Originally Posted by silex840

Very helpful sir! Was your black/gray tank empty? LPG full?

Combined tank mostly empty, LPG tank mostly full.

[silex840]

Ok so now it's time to upgrade my base model with new batteries. I was going to go with 200Ah times five and replace the 105Ah in there now. Is this doable? I prefer lithium, but I read each 200Ah set draws 60W from the BMS which almost negates their usage. Or is there a way to spec a system that won't do this?

[kite_rider]

Originally Posted by silex840

Ok so now it's time to upgrade my base model with new batteries. I was going to go with 200Ah times five and replace the 105Ah in there now. Is this doable? I prefer lithium, but I read each 200Ah set draws 60W from the BMS which almost negates their usage. Or is there a way to spec a system that won't do this?

Did you say 5 200Ah batteries (lead acid of some sort I assume)?! Sounds kind of crazy to me, but I'll admit that I don't need the amount of power that others seem to. What is the application? Only one I've heard so far is hours worth of A/C to keep their pets cool when they leave them in the van.

I would be worried about the weight, not to mention that the cost and complexity of securing those batteries somewhere out of the way. If you *really* need that much battery, I would think Lithium would be a much better option.

Let us know what battery you end up choosing and why - also where and how you locate it. I plan to make some modifications here as well.

[wincrasher]

Not sure what you are talking about.

If you are saying you want to get the Roadtrek/Hymer modules, you can fit two of them under the van - that's it.

If you are talking after-market batteries, then you'll need to find a place to place 1000 ah worth of batteries - no small feat, even with lithiums as it's going to be a big block - at least 13" x 32" x 9".

Only the Hymer BMS has such a high parasitic load. It's defect in their design that the others don't have - they still have one, but it's measure in milliwatts, not watts.

You'll also need to make changes to your charging equipment - your inverter/charger if it doesn't have a lithium profile, and your solar controller as well.

[falfal3]

You may want to inquire how well other's operate at -20F. That's why the 60 watts. (60 watts is nothing)

[wincrasher]

Originally Posted by falfal3

You may want to inquire how well other's operate at -20F. That's why the 60 watts. (60 watts is nothing)

If you are implying that the load is for heating, that would be incorrect. It's just the BMS. There is additional load for heating pads. 60 watts is not nothing as it adds up thru the day. That is primarily why Hymer says to turn off unused modules.

Others are implementing some form of heating with the cabin heating system either with venting, or by placing the batteries inside the heated space. Volta has an option for heating pads. ARV uses heating pads as their box is outside under the van.

[BBQ]

.

Most of the lithium battery packs are about half the size of AGM batteries, for the same AH.

But of course they will be much lighter. And they can be drawn much deeper.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Hopefully, a moderator will step in here soon and make it clear that the rules of this forum don’t allow the types of disrespectful comments that have been appearing in this thread...

Agreed. Six posts deleted due to personal attacks and tone (including a few that were merely responses). Let me know if I missed any.

No more, please.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by avanti

Agreed. Six posts deleted due to personal attacks and tone (including a few that were merely responses). Let me know if I missed any.

No more, please.

Thank you.