Aframe info and hvac info

[ridgeline1]

could someone please tell me what will operate in 12 volt stage with no 110 volt available.does overhead fan operate on 12 volt?what are other items? also I was told that I need to put heat pump fan on auto mode to prevent some problems with unit. Any other info I need to know on heat pump in any mode as far as operation. Does heated bed take very long to heat up? thanks

[jimdic]

You can operate the following on 12 volt power:

Fantastic Fan
Water pump with water heater running on propane
Refrigerator (it's best to run on propane when dry camping)
Stereo
Fire and propane alarms
Lighting
Cassette toilet if so equipped
Stove and oven (if you have an oven)
Furnace


All of the above, plus the following operate with electrical hook-ups:

Microwave
Kool Kat (electric heat pump for heat and air conditioning).

Hope this helps. I have no idea on heated mattress.

[ridgeline1]

thanks for reply. does anyone know what setting fan should be set on for heat pump to heat ? seems like my dealer said said auto. or could be a problem.may be wrong on that /

[1A Camper]

I need to put heat pump fan on auto mode using the thermostat or it runs when the propane Furnace is on. Not needed.

2x on jimdic list.

[Carla]

Need to be plugged in to electrical to use heated mattress.

[RenFaire Camper]

when we've used the heated mattress we've turn it on about half an hour before going to bed.

[ridgeline1]

thanks again. just installed my prodgy p3 brake controller. Set power level to 6 as manual said/ only got light braking on trailer. set power level in stages until I got to 14 and brakes on trailer did not lock up as manual said would happen.I know brakes are new on Aframe and need a little braking in . I reduced power to 8 and will use that setting for fl trip .do any members have suggestions or experiences you have? p s I set boost setting on one.

[1A Camper]

My unit works the same way, called dealer and they said they would not lock. So I will be waiting to see if anyone here with an A-Frame the wheel lock at max setting. I can feel the brakes slowing the TV when applied.

[ridgeline1]

looks like you are in the same boat as me on brakes Heck I use to pull several pop ups with no brakes on them. will never happen any more. it seems that wear on or lack of brake wear is a factor.The mfg tekonsha/ rep said check brake drums after trip for possible adjustment. I know some of the questions we ask are mickey mouse but info I have got from this board have really helped. hope we get more feed back on the brake thing/ It only took one person pulling out on us to make a believer out of me////

[rawlus]

I can lock brakes on trailer no problem. But if brakes are brand new, they'll need to breaking in first. This is why I said your p3setting is going to change over time. It's not a set it and forget it device.

[ridgeline1]

rawlus thanks for the tip on trailer brakes. think what a1camper and me are trying to find out is what do you consider a proper brake in is in miles or years.we both have 2014 models.did your power settings go down or up as the brake shoes seated? also under normal conditions what is a run of the mill settings you have after your break in after two or three years of use. I know they should vary with miles and other factors. how long did it take after purchase of unit to be able to reach lock using manual control ? My starcraft 19 ft hybrid would slid the wheels with higher power settings with a P2. just seems like a 14 which is max on P3is a tad high you think.

[rawlus]

well, locking up the trailer brakes is probably not something desireable in normal operation - but i suspect that if the trailer is brand new and the brakes are brand new - they will require some time seating before you feel the full benefit of the electric braking system... a few long downhill grades where you will be applying the brakes on the tow vehicle anyway to slow down will help with bedding the brake shoes as well as cleaning off any residue or rust that may be on the trailer brakes to begin with.

as i said earlier in this post, i'll manually apply the brakes on the trailer when i am first pulling out of storage with the "oh ****" lever on my P2 controller. this is just for me to 1) test that the brakes are functioning and 2) to physically grind off any rust/debris that has accumulated on the brakes since i parked it from the last trip.

i dont remember what my numerical setting is right now on the controller - the numerical setting is not as important as how it "feels" - if it feels like the brakes are balanced between the tow vehicle and the trailer, that im not either dragging the trailer or pushing the tow vehicle, then thats the setting i go for - to me, the dial could have no numbers on it, it makes no difference, the numbers are meaningless to me as every single application is going to be different - it depends not only on how good your trailer brakes are but how good your tow vehicle brakes are.

my tow vehicle is a V8 HEMI Jeep Commander with EBC performance brake pads and EBC performance slotted and drilled disc brake rotors on all 4 corners - so the big tow vehicles braking is very efficient and consistent. so in my application, i may have the voltage for the trailer brakes set relatively low compared to someone else's vehicle.

in terms of break in for the trailer brakes - i would say 100 miles or so of varied driving, with long consistent braking down grades (which tends to be light application of your vehicle brakes over a longer time) as well as shorter stopping for red lights and stop signs (which tends to be heavier application of your vehicle brakes for a shorter time) should provide the necessary wear and tear to bed the trailer brakes to their optimum.

power setting from trip to trip fluctuated slightly and if i was driving in the mountains for an hour or two, i might even make an on the fly adjustment to get a bit more stoping power from the trailer so the tow vehicle was doing as much work on those downgrades.

i couldnt say that it consistently went in one direction or another - i just would adjust by feel, the road conditions i was currently facing and what felt the most balanced - sometimes that would be a slight adjustment up (more voltage, more brake pressure) and sometimes it would be to adjust down (less voltage, less brake pressure)

good luck

[ridgeline1]

rawlus/ thanks again. sounds like you know your stuff. I am going a little stur crazy wanting to camp.Guess old retired people need something to do.hope the fl trip will take the edge off. I know there will be other questions come up after trip.aprox 2000 miles round trip. never been on gulf part of fl. we have a home in palm coast but it has been rented since 2009. its about 7 miles from old marine land. renters have never been a day late on rent/////

[rawlus]

yeah, enjoy yourself and have fun, dont stress the camper and towing too much, its not a complicated setup.

there are a few threads on here about mods for the a frame, id encourage you to read/look through - after youve had some camping time with the trailer youll discover your own list of things that can make it even more enjoyable.

have fun.

[Jeep4Two]

I have an a126, about 2200lbs loaded, a prodigy P3 controller. I run the setting at about 7.4 and get a good balance. That setting seems to keep the trailer from 'tugging' the TV during braking while also not letting it push the TV.

I also couldn't get the trailer brakes to lock at the highest setting so just played with it to get a good balance and feel.

[Pooneil]

Originally Posted by Jeep4Two

I also couldn't get the trailer brakes to lock at the highest setting so just played with it to get a good balance and feel.

That sums up my experience too. I get a similar stopping distance with similar peddle force towing or not towing. In contrast, the peddle force when towing is less than when the bed of the truck is loaded with heavy cargo.