Hello all,
I am just writing a quick post here to discuss our first camping trip in our new 2016 Roo 233s. This was also our first time ever using a hybrid (or any travel trailer for the matter). We (wife and 4 kids) are avid campers and typically camp about 10 trips per year. 6-7 trips (weekends, long weekends, and week long trips) in our popup camper (was a 2010 Coleman Avalon) and 3-4 trips tenting to places where our popup couldn't go. We average 40 nights of camping per year. We vary from campgrounds/sites with water/electric to complete boon-docking and everything in between.
Our first Roo trip this past weekend was to a local state park campground. No water/electric at site. Narrow campground roads (very narrow in places). So, not ideal setting for first trip but might as well pull the bandaid off and learn in the toughest setting.
We pulled into the campground, found our site, only to see immediately that we would not be able back into the site, in spite of the website telling us the camper would easily fit. The site itself was huge, but the road was about 10 feet wide with zero swing area to back in. I'm pretty good at towing/backing from years and years pulling my popups and knew right away this wouldn't work. Luckily we found a new site not far away that was available and worked for us. (very lucky as this is a popular campground).
Setup was incredible. Our old popup was a Coleman high wall and took a good amount of time to get it fully setup. The Roo was awesome--fast. And we loved having full access to the camper even after it was hooked up to the car (unheard of with a popup). The number of times we forgot to put something in the popup fridge when packing...)
When we camp without hookups, we are very conservative with power usage. I bring lanterns (for inside and out) and keep the battery for powering the water pump, some lighting, and keeping the LP fridge (panel and fan) going. So I was very shocked when after being setup for about 4 hours, our battery was 100% dead. Luckily, even though I didn't think we would need it for a 2 night trip, I had an extra, brand new fully charged group 29 battery with me. I swapped it out, bringing the power back on and me left trying to figure what happened to the first battery (also a new, fully charged group 29). About 5 hours later (middle of the night now) our LP/CO monitor starts chirping saying low voltage. I check the battery--dead
This time the battery died even though we we all sleeping--the only thing on was the water pump, but with nobody up, it was idle, and the fridge which, by itself running on LP should last days like this. I was befuddled (and not too happy).
So our fridge is now off (food all warming), we can't use the water or flush the toilet, and I can't figure our what happened. I always bring along a charger so I got it and went to grab dead battery #1 when I saw the problem. Yup, during setup or while my kids were playing around the camper, someone knocked out the trailer emergency brake pin. The trailer brakes were on the entire time, killing both of my fully charged batteries. Crazy. But I was thrilled to see this was the problem (super easy instant fix and way better than being something wrong with the electrical of our brand new camper. This is certainly something I will keep a close eye on in the future.
All in all, we had a great weekend of camping. My wife and kids love the Roo and we are already planning trips for next year!
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