New 2014 Work and Play 18ec questions

TBT · 05-25-2013, 11:02 AM

Hi to everyone,
I am very close to buying a 2014 Work and Play 18ec and I have a few questions. I know someone on this forum hear has the answers.
1) I live in South Florida and will be spending quite a bit of time in the Florida Keys during the summer months and would like to know if someone who owns a WPT 18 ec, is the standard 13500 btu a/c large enough to cool the coach in the dog days of summer, or should I upgrade to a 15000 btu a/c? I was told by one sales associate the factory upgrades the standard 13500 btu unit to a 15000 btu when they know the unit is being delivered to Florida, I dont believe that. Just a note, I do not want to upgrade, if the std a/c unit is sized properly, too large of a unit will not remove the humidty due to frequent cycling and then you will have a cold and wet feeling camper.
2) My second question is does anyone know if the double bowl kitchen sink is a standard feature in lieu of the single bowl shown on 2013 model year campers? I have seen many interior pictures posted on internet sites advertising 2014 WPT 18 ec showing a double bowl kitchen sink.
Thank you to all for taking the time to answer questions from a previous post and to those who are able to provide information on my new inquiry.

Mark S · 05-25-2013, 03:04 PM

We have a 2012 18 EC and really like it. We live in south Florida too (Davie) but our camper is currently waiting for us in Las Vegas where our son lives. We camped in Las Vegas last July, as well as other parts of the southwest, and the standard AC worked fine. We had a floor fan which really helped during the hottest part of the day in Vegas. I wish the AC had a lower speed fan for night time as my only complaint with the AC is that it is loud at night.

Every sales photo I saw had the double sink but I looked at many 18ECs and none had the double sink. Double sink would be nice but they seemed to exist only in photos when I was looking.

We have pulled ours about 12,000 miles and we are really happy with it. Great layout and easy to maneuver. We are continually making minors mods to make it more comfortable. Most importantly, my wife likes it and does not want to upgrade.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions.

Good luck, Mark

TBT · 05-25-2013, 08:22 PM

Hi Mark, thank you for your response, I am happy to hear the standard a/c unit is sufficient to handle the heat load we experience in South Florida.

I am also researching which weight distribution hitch to purchase, we will also be loading a 2009 HD Streetglide and Cricket golf cart in the garage. I am considering a Equalizer wd hitch or Blue OX wd hitch. I do not know what capacity hitch to purchase yet, due to not knowing the total loaded weight of the camper and tow vehicle to establish the tongue weight. What type and capacity WD hitch do you use and are you happy with it?

Thank you,

PS: We live in Coconut Creek, Florida

Keithfirefighter · 07-01-2013, 05:05 PM

I just bought a 2014 24 FBW and it came with a double sink ! I don't know if its different for the 18 EC !!

Haedtime01 · 07-02-2013, 07:26 AM

I bought the equalizer hitch last month before leaving for NH, TNT and I sure like it. I bought my unit from Lazy days in Tampa. I have the 13K Ac and it will run you out of the unit it gets so cold. I bought the hitch online, 10K 450.00, and paid Lemesa Rv in Sanford to put it on for 200.00. Money well spent. It is well worth the money. My .02

Mark S · 07-02-2013, 08:13 AM

My dealer sold me a used 1,200 lb Husky WDH with a friction sway bar for about $300 installed. I knew noting about WDH's at the time. Seems to work well enough. Not sure how's much better it would get for the additional investment.

TBT · 07-03-2013, 10:02 PM

Thank you all for the great information...We have recently purchased and took delivery of a 2013 Work & Play 25 UDT. We are anxiously looking forward to our first road trip to Daytona for Biketoberfest in October. We are currently modifying and setting the camper up for our first trip. I will start a new thread with pictures as we navigate the upgrade and modification progress. I.E. Diamond plate tool chest,battery relocation, PVC fence post sewer hose holder, B&W Biker Bar mount installation etc..

tracetrimble · 07-08-2013, 11:34 PM

I have one 13.5k a/c on my (black) WPT30WR, and it *barely* keeps up with Texas summer heat. Runs all day if it's over 95º. I'd expect a 13.5k on a 18' unit can freeze you out.

TBT · 07-09-2013, 06:06 AM

Thank you for the information, we purchased a 2013 25 UDT with a 13,500 BTU A/C and it is performing quite well. I have recently started the modification process starting with relocating the battery in to an aluminum tool chest mounted on the generator rack as well as replacing all of the outdoor 12 volt electrical connectors with marine heat shrink connectors. I will try to remember to take pictures and start a new post on progress.

Mikeydoesntlikeit · 10-22-2013, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark S

We have a 2012 18 EC and really like it. We live in south Florida too (Davie) but our camper is currently waiting for us in Las Vegas where our son lives. We camped in Las Vegas last July, as well as other parts of the southwest, and the standard AC worked fine. We had a floor fan which really helped during the hottest part of the day in Vegas. I wish the AC had a lower speed fan for night time as my only complaint with the AC is that it is loud at night. Every sales photo I saw had the double sink but I looked at many 18ECs and none had the double sink. Double sink would be nice but they seemed to exist only in photos when I was looking. We have pulled ours about 12,000 miles and we are really happy with it. Great layout and easy to maneuver. We are continually making minors mods to make it more comfortable. Most importantly, my wife likes it and does not want to upgrade. Feel free to ask if you have any questions. Good luck, Mark

do you have any issues with your unit to speak of?

TBT · 10-22-2013, 08:00 PM

My wife and I just returned from camping in Daytona Beach for Biketoberfest (our first camping trip) with our new toyhauler and did not experience any issues during this first trip. That does not mean I have had no issues, we did replace the carbon monoxide detector prior to this trip due to it going bad and I had to replace the GFCI breaker. For some reason when I turned on the 32" flat screen which is plugged into the GFCI circuit in the garage the breaker would trip. Since I replaced the GFCI outlet I have had no issues with the TV. My next improvement will be to get under the unit and seal every nook and cranny to prevent bugs from finding there way into the unit around plumbing and electrical penetrations even though there is foam around the penetrations they are not bug proof. I am happy to report the 13.5 BTU A/C unit provide plenty of cooling comfort as the temperture approached 90 degrees on some days. The real test will be next summer when go to the Florida Keys.

ScottBob · 11-03-2013, 02:25 AM

I have a 2014 18EC, and it does indeed have a double bowl sink. And the window is probably twice the size than on the 2013 version.
Mods I've done so far- Watch that first step going outside- it's a lulu- so I installed one of those folding "oh sh**" handles by the door. I also mounted a couple large plastic tote boxes on the generator rack for hoses, extension cords, etc.
The only problem is the camper has no insulation whatsoever in the walls (it's 1" thick plywood with fiberglass gel coat on the outside). Yes, the 13,500 BTU A/C can keep it nice and cool in hot Louisiana summers, but I had a hard time heating it on a recent trip when the temperature only got down into the 40's. Although the A/C has electric heat built into it, it didn't blow warm enough to do any good, so I turned it off. Next, I tried to turn on the gas furnace, but it wouldn't come on. So I pulled out my trusty oil filled electric radiator and finally got it warmed it up in there. But the next morning before leaving, when I went to disconnect the 30 amp service cord, I discovered that the neutral conductor inside the twist-lock plug on the outside of the camper overheated and scorched, melting the plastic and making the plug nearly impossible to remove. I never had a problem using the same electric radiator in my previous camper (a Puma 20QB), but then again the power cable wasn't removable like on the 18EC- it was hard wired. (It stored in a cubby hole on the side.) So now I have to replace the twist lock receptacle, and re-think how I'm going to heat it up in there. If I can't get the gas furnace to work, it'll have to go back to the dealer for warranty repair...

Mark S · 11-03-2013, 06:10 AM

No issues to speak of. I had a leaf spring break last year, but Forest River warranty took care of it. Also had the ramp door develop a "soft spot"' near the hinge where the motorcycle wheels kept going over, which again was covered by replacing door. I now have a 24"x 24 "aluminum plate I put in place to spread the weight. Otherwise no other issues worth reporting .
After two years and 16,000 miles towing this unit throughout the country we still like it.

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