Formica Top and Trim Coming Loose

jjdcamper · 07-13-2013, 08:00 AM

I Don't know if I'm posting in the right place but I couldn't find a spot to post my question.

On my third trip with my 2013 Flagstaff T12RB, when I opened the camper up, I noticed that the formica top and the trim around the top of the cabinet that houses the microwave oven have come loose. The formica is de-laminating and has buckled. Has anyone else had this problem? It's not happening to anywhere else that has formica or trim work around the top. Just the one cabinet.

The dealer has been notified, pictures of the damage have been emailed to him, and apparently he is going to order the parts and get the problem resolved.

(Sorry if I posted in the wrong place.)

Jim
jjdcamper@gmail.com

wayne in florida · 07-13-2013, 11:53 AM

By chance are you covering with a Blue tarp????? If so may be traped moisture.

jjdcamper · 07-13-2013, 02:20 PM

Wayne:

No, it's never been covered with anything. Appears to be poor workmanship as the dinette table and sink and stove countertops are made of the same formica and trim, and they are fine.

Jim

bakken · 07-13-2013, 02:39 PM

Our countertop around the sink is showing signs of something bad going on, just more cheap crap from the factory.
I will eventually take the countertop off and take it to a place that can make up a Corian duplicate.

wayne in florida · 07-13-2013, 03:48 PM

Jim
Just a shot.... Lots do use the trrps and wonder why they have mold and bugs.
So True on the workmanship

jjdcamper · 07-14-2013, 03:07 AM

And now problem #2. The air conditioner won't shut off, is blowing slightly cool air, and won't switch over to heat pump. In other words, the whole unit is malfunctioning. It's a Dometic unit, which I never had any trouble with Dometic products in other campers I've had. The camper is a 2013 Flagstaff T12RB - A Frame hard sided. I pulled the filter out and it's not the least bit clogged. (This is only my third trip with this camper.) I tried shutting the unit off, waiting ten minutes and then turning it back on. Same results. That's why I tried turning on the heat pump to see if the unit would switch over. I'm on shore power so it's not my batteries.

Anyone have similar experiences to the ones I described? Should I try shutting off the main breaker to the shore power and turning it back on to try and reset everything?

MODERATOR(s): Can you transfer this entire post to the A Frame-Hard sided Forum? I think I'm posting in the wrong place.

Thanks,

Jim

Jeep4Two · 07-14-2013, 09:06 AM

I would certainly try cycling the breaker. Leave it for at least 5 minutes to allow the controls to fully reset.

Mine has had no issues like that, but I have the analog thermostat. I suspect a thermostat issue here and the power cycle should help.

jjdcamper · 07-14-2013, 06:03 PM

Jeep4Two:

I turned the main breaker off at the park supply, waited about 30 minutes and turned it back on. The unit started blowing colder air but not as cold as before and it still won't shut off. I suspect the thermostat also. I left it running about 3 hours and now the vent on the outside is heating up and blowing hot air out. I shut the unit down completely and now I'm depending on the ceiling/exhaust fan to try and move some air around inside the camper. I'm hoping the dealer calls me tomorrow with an answer. I have 4 days left to go on this trip and the forecast is for the mid 90's all week. Ugh!

Thanks for your help.

Jim

Jeep4Two · 07-14-2013, 07:59 PM

Bummer. Was hoping a reset might take care of it. The thermostat is only half the equation in these cool cat units. There is a control box that the thermostat connects to so that may be the problem.

Here's to cooler weather until you can get back to the dealer.

jjdcamper · 07-15-2013, 04:43 AM

Jeep4Two:
Does anyone from Forest River/Flagstaff/Rockwood monitor the forums on this site? I have more problems than the ones I listed on this site and it would be nice if those guys monitored the comments here and offered help or suggestions. They could also use the consumer information in future design changes, such as outlet placement. If this many major things are going wrong with a brand new camper, what do we have to look forward to in 3 or 4 years? If Forest River isn't monitoring this forum, perhaps the moderators should forward all Forest River related comments on to them. I'm at the point that if one more major problem arises I'm going to ask for a new camper.
Jim

Jeep4Two · 07-15-2013, 12:01 PM

I don't think the mfg specifically monitors this forum. I do agree that it would be good consumer research on their part.

jjdcamper · 07-16-2013, 07:37 AM

Well, I finally had to contact the owner of the dealership to get some sort of response. He was quite terse in his emails and told me all about how warranties work. He cannot fix anything that's under warranty without Forest River's consent. FR requires pictures of the malfunctioning part and a full description from the dealer, not me, before they will consent to a repair. I have to take the camper back to the dealer and no doubt leave it there until it can be fixed. My estimate is, it will probably take two to three weeks before I hear from them once I take the camper back. Great, right in the middle of camping season! It's funny how quick the dealers are to take your money for the purchase but so slow to react if anything goes wrong. And to top it off, the dealer is a two hour trip, each way, for me. If I didn't know better, I'd start looking for labels that say, Made in China! It wouldn't surprise me to find out the A/C units are made in China and shipped to FR. Or and other appliance in the camper. I'm beginning to think I bought a pig in the poke. Is there anyone out there who has a 2013 T12RB Flagstaff A Frame that hasn't had any trouble with their camper at all? I'd be interested to know.

Disgruntled Jim

**ependydad** · 07-16-2013, 08:03 AM

Not an aframe for me, but *all* new campers have some level of issues. It's a fact of life. When you think of them as a "home on wheels" and liken it to a new build- it's not a whole lot different. I had a house built in '99 and we had a similar list of fix-it issues. In fact, the builder had 1-week, 1-month and 1-year check-ins prescheduled and planned for.

But, I digress- my real comment had to do with leaving the camper to get the diagnosis and then repair. If your camper is essentially usable, you could try and schedule time with your dealer to have the documentation part done. Should only take a few hours. Drive up for that, get them to take pictures and whatnot and then take it home and use it until they're ready to fix it and then drag it back up.

I did that with my camper. Had it in and then went straight from the dealer for 3 weeks of camping and then took it back for the work to begin.

I hear you on the 2 hours away- my dealer is about 2 1/2 away (and they were even the 2nd closest dealer to me).

jjdcamper · 07-16-2013, 08:34 AM

The camper, as it stands, is not really usable. It has no A/C at all and the ceiling fan won't cool it down, it just draws in air from outside. I live in South Carolina and right now, it's in the mid 90's to high 90's for the rest of the summer. So, the camper is not usable and I might as well leave it at the dealer until he gets the A/C fixed. Without the A/C, I wouldn't go camping anyway. I can take 80 degree weather but the 90's is a different story. At 9:00 o'clock this morning, it was 81 in the camper. By noon, it will be 90. But thanks for your reply. I appreciate it.

Jim

**ependydad** · 07-16-2013, 08:38 AM

Craptastic. I hear you, though. If I can't be cool when I sleep, I can't sleep.

Good luck. :-(

Pooneil · 07-16-2013, 08:38 AM

I learned from owning a pop up that that light and cheap campers are lightly and cheaply built. And are relatively high maintenance. Yet I returned to buy another light camper. A philosophical approach to the issue helps with the frustration, because there is no alternative.

gregory · 07-16-2013, 03:16 PM

I read your post to Gary and he has raised a couple of good points for your consideration.

Let's revisit the cabinet de-lam issue. The coolcat thermostat is mounted on that cabinet. There is also the wheel well is located under the cabinet.

It could be moisture from microwave use or a leak in the wheel well or other moisture getting in there that has not only messed up the cabinet has also corroded a wire or connection for the thermostat. Something is going on that may connect the two issues.

If it was ours, we'd take pics of our own, a lot of them. Then, in order to continue comfortably enjoy the rest of the trip, Gary'd replace the thermostat. While we're at it, a look inside the cabinet behind the microwave and take a bunch of pics of what is found in there as well.

But then, ours is out of warranty...

Sorry for your troubles and best of luck,
Deb

D-mo · 07-16-2013, 04:04 PM

im not sure about the delamination .. but i did have the microwave cabinet pull away from the interior side of the camper ... i also believe our buddy hamguy had the same issue.
For us .. it was a simple matter of taking it in .. having them re-screw the cabinet to the wall and that was it ... dont do it yourself as there are strict tolerances in the amount of screw depth that you can go .. before you pierce the outside shell.
if the counter top is delaminating .... then the issue could be water coming in from the outside handrail, light socket, or 120 power socket ...
my main note for you is ... that the cabinet is a support for the outside wall. when you put up your trailer .. it will not allow you to align the top triangle side with the box .. and if you force it ... you may break the sealing plastic strip along the bottom end of the triangle.
sorry cannot help you with the cool cat .. however you should never turn the cooling on then ramp it over to heat within a short time-frame ... as this will cause a definate failure .. i read this information in the coolcat manual that came with the camper ..

keep us updated .. d-mo

thehamguy1 · 07-16-2013, 06:02 PM

Does your camper get really hot inside when it's closed up, Jim? If it does I'm going to once more plant my foot firmly in my mouth by speculating that excessive heat buildup could cause both the trim and the Formica to let go of their attachment. When I was doing remodeling work one of the easiest ways to remove Formica was to heat it with a clothes iron. It didn't even have to be at its hottest setting to soften the contact cement used to fasten it on. It was the work of seconds to heat an area and slip a putty knife under the edge to remove it. As the edge banding may also be held in its edge groove with contact cement, that could be softening too.

It's quite possible that the sink top and the microwave cabinet top were not made at the same time or with the same batch of glue. I'm guessing something went wrong with either the glue itself or with the application method on that top. If it's glue failure and not moisture buildup, that would be the better outcome, I think, and much easier to fix.

Just chipping in with my $.02 worth. When I'm proven wrong once again, let's all pretend I never mentioned it.

handbuilder · 07-16-2013, 11:16 PM

For what its worth - the ceiling fan(at least mine) can suck hot air out or bring outside air in....so that might help to draw out the heat. When I first used the cool cat, I had to get used to the delay in it shutting off. The furnace took a good half hour of learning how it operated in shutting off...didnt have the instruction manual with me - but once I determined to be patient in operating the cool cat and waiting for the cycling, it wasnt as irritating. My expectations kept comparing to the instant operational result like our stick built home offers but the unit in the trailer is much different in the delay to start and stop - has to finish its cycle and then shut off. Also it took many attempts to figure out how to actually shut it off - having to watch the digital light to the "off" mode...I unknowingly kept pushing the mode back to "on" thinking I was "off". haha

Another thought that comes to mind is the temperature you have your cool cat set to? Is it possible its not shutting off because its working to achieve the cool down temp you have it set at?

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