New Owner Questions - Clipper 17FQ

[usersrdum]

Hello everyone,
Great forum. I've already learned quite a bit from post's on this site. I recently purchased a used 2015 Coachman Clipper 17FQ and I had a few questions after our first test run this past weekend.

1) Fresh water sensor is very inaccurate. Light read full at about the halfway mark. We also ran out of water when I still had 2 lights.

2) Trailer breaks pulse when coming to a stop. As I slow to a stop (below 15mph) the breaks on the trailer seem to grab and release causing a slight bouncing feeling. Trying different setting on break controller did not seem to help.

3) Water pump works fine, but is loud and seems to rattle? The Rattle is my concern. Almost sounds loose? Is this normal?

4) Refrigerator didn't seem to get cold until it ran overnight.

Thanks for any help!

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by usersrdum

Hello everyone,
Great forum. I've already learned quite a bit from post's on this site. I recently purchased a used 2015 Coachman Clipper 17FQ and I had a few questions after our first test run this past weekend.

1) Fresh water sensor is very inaccurate. Light read full at about the halfway mark. We also ran out of water when I still had 2 lights.

2) Trailer breaks pulse when coming to a stop. As I slow to a stop (below 15mph) the breaks on the trailer seem to grab and release causing a slight bouncing feeling. Trying different setting on break controller did not seem to help.

3) Water pump works fine, but is loud and seems to rattle? The Rattle is my concern. Almost sounds loose? Is this normal?

4) Refrigerator didn't seem to get cold until it ran overnight.

Thanks for any help!

1. Pretty typical. Not much you can do about it. Just need to learn to estimate your water use.

2. Can't help much here. Maybe brake shoes or drum out of round?

3. Pumps are typically noisy. Some folks mount them on some kind of foam (someone used a computer mouse pad) or something like that to quiet them. Never heard of one rattling, though. Maybe something like another hose is touching it?

4. RV fridges can take up to a day to cool down, so your experience is probably "normal." If your temperature control is a slider on the fins inside the fridge, make sure it's slid UP all the way to start. Once it's cool, you can slide it down if necessary. And if you are going from campground to campground, be aware that bouncing down the road can cause the slider to slip back down, so make sure to check it when you get to your next campground. A number of us have added small computer fans in the back to push more air around the cooling coils to help with cooling. Do a search for fridge and fan. Here's one thread; there are many more:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...o-i-31639.html

People also add fans inside to help keep the inside temperature more even. Here's a thread on that:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...-fan-7088.html

[usersrdum]

Thanks for the info.

Will it hurt anything if i overfill the fresh water tank?

[Wayne39]

Nope, it will simply overflow to the outside of the RV. Watch out, you might get wet feet. Have fun camping.

Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Forest River Forums mobile app

[rockfordroo]

No, if you don't overfill so that you pressurize the tank. If you end up pressurizing the tank, you can cause it to "balloon" and potentially cause your tank supports to fail. Fill slowly and don't get distracted.

[markb5900]

Will only address your brake pulsing.
Assume you have an after market brake controller.
They use "momentum" to apply the proper brake pressure. So when you are going slow the computer in them basically don't know what to do. So they pulse.
VERY VERY VERY common with them and not much you can do to stop it.
Once I got a factory installed brake controller, I never had it again as your engine computer is sending the signals then.
There are a couple of after market ones that do the same thing, but I don't know the brands and they cost about 400 bucks.
Hope that helps.

[rockfordroo]

I never had pulsing with my prodigy 3. About$150.

[Wayne39]

Re: brakes pulsing
You mentioned about buying a used rv but made no mention of your tow vehicle which is where the brake controller is installed. Did you have any problems towing any other rv or is this your first?

[BC.campr]

Hey usersdum,
Think you've got answers on the other items...here's on the pump and fridge.
We also have a 17FQ, our pump sounds a bit funny if the water gets low and gets some air in the lines, soon as it runs and purges all the water it quiets down in ours. I've added a heavy rubber isolator mat and accumulator and it has made it quieter to us, check out page 24 of the 17FQ mods thread.
Our fridge was just not keeping up at anything above the 25 celcius range and would not keep things cold enough. If you check out page 29 on the same thread you can see the mods on the fridge. It now only takes 4 hours to go from 26 celcius turned off to ready to use at 3 or 4 degrees. We have not had any issues with a warm fridge in even extremely hot weather.
hope that helps... 👍

[usersrdum]

Thanks everyone. Lots of good information

[Cyclicpitcher]

I use two of these water meters, one I have marked Black and one I have marked Potable. Get a white paint marker and write on the side of the units and let the paint dry.

I love these little units. For filling fresh water tank and also for backwashing my grey and black tanks. Easy to see how many gallons you have run into your tanks!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Best wishes!

[usersrdum]

Cool, didn't know they made these. I'll give it a try. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Cyclicpitcher

I use two of these water meters, one I have marked Black and one I have marked Potable. Get a white paint marker and write on the side of the units and let the paint dry.

I love these little units. For filling fresh water tank and also for backwashing my grey and black tanks. Easy to see how many gallons you have run into your tanks!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Best wishes!