Using the heater for the 1st time

[jbrostek]

I just got a 2014 primetime, my first new unit and had the same thing. I guess there is just enough coatings and such from manufacturing to set off the smoke alarm as well. Thankfully it wasnt in the middle of the night, but I learned something.

[ficksters]

Originally Posted by bikendan

this happens when the dealer fails to inform a new owner, during the PDI, that they need to run the furnace with the windows/vents open for awhile, before using it for real.

this was covered in my PDI but i had already read about this needing to be done, during my research before i bought my Roo.
it's mentioned very often on all RV forums.

makes me wonder what else your dealer didn't cover in the PDI.
did they tell you about "seasoning" the tent ends?
did they cover proper closure pocedures for the tent ends?
did they advise how to prevent condensation?
did they advise using a water pressure regulator?
did they show you how to use the electric side of the water heater and not to turn it on unless you had water in the WH?

just to mention a few things that dealers fail to mention to new owners.

Mine did not go over "seasoning" the tent ends....
Kinda went over the closure procedures for the tent ends (What do you do as I am curious how this differs from what they told me)
they didnt tell me how to prevent condensation
or
the electric side of the water heater


Can you help on these areas?

[raspivey]

By "seasoning" they basically mean to soak it real good a couple of times. The stitching they use will expand and fill gaps once it gets wet. Until that happens it could leak a little. Mine never did, but I hear it's fairly common.

I never had condensation problems either, but that'll occur when you have warmer moist air inside and colder air outside. Crack a window, turn on a fan, etc.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by ficksters

Mine did not go over "seasoning" the tent ends....
well, you should have gotten a piece of paper from the canvas manufacturer, telling you how to do this. it came with your owner's manual. as raspivey said, you wet the canvas, especially the seams and then allow them to dry out. this allows the thread to swell and fill the holes.

Kinda went over the closure procedures for the tent ends (What do you do as I am curious how this differs from what they told me)
without knowing what they told you, it's hard to tell you anything different. the ends with the pre-attached canvas are much easier than mine. but just make sure the canvas doesn't get caught in the seals when closing. and you shouldn't have to take the mattress off the bunk door when closing up

they didnt tell me how to prevent condensation
keep a vent and/or window cracked open. get Popup Gizmos or the generic solar blanket versions.

or the electric side of the water heater
there's a black toggle switch on the outside of the WH, accessed through the WH outside hatch door. if you'd read the water heater's owner's manual, that came with all the paperwork, it'd show pics of the toggle switch and how to operate it.DON'T turn it on unless you are sure you have water in the WH.


Can you help on these areas?

i'd ask for some money back, with the amount of things your dealer failed to show you. it makes me wonder what else they failed to go over.

[KMP44]

Originally Posted by ficksters

Mine did not go over "seasoning" the tent ends....
Kinda went over the closure procedures for the tent ends (What do you do as I am curious how this differs from what they told me)
they didnt tell me how to prevent condensation
or
the electric side of the water heater


Can you help on these areas?

On our PDI it was pretty cold and windy, so the training we got on the bunk ends was "you had a popup, so you know how these work." and it did not involve opening or closing the ends, so with that disclaimer - here is how we do it:

Take pillows and sleeping bags off, leave thin foam topper and sheets on the bed.

Pull the support bar out and lay it on the outside (far) half of the mattress.

Let the U-shaped bar on the end come down onto the mattress.

Fold the front (near) half of the matress over and sandwich the bars inside. Then secure the snaps on the two straps that hold the mattress in the folded position. Key Point - push the mattress away from you (toward the outside) as far as it will slide. Seems to make it easier to close the door.

Then head outside to close. I make sure the small amount of slack in the canvass on the front edge is pushed back away from the lip. If this gets caught when you close the door you probably can't see it because its on the top, so I just try to make sure its no canvas is going to get pinched in the seal. Then lift the door up. With 2 people one can be on each side to tuck in any slack in the canvas. If doing it solo, you can tuck in one side, put a hand on the door so it doesn't fall, and walk over to the other side to tuck in the canvas then I usually have to go back to the first side one more time for a final tuck. Once in a while, the mattress shifts and keeps the hinge from letting the door close all the way. Just drop it down, go in and push the mattress back and then go back out and try closing it again. Key point here - have a window/vent/door open when opening or closing the ends. Because you are significantly changing the volume of the trailer, you need a way for the air to move in or out. Closing the ends without a place for the air to escape the trailer is surprisingly difficult. Once the door is shut, double check both sides to be sure no canvas is caught in the seal and close the latches.

On the condesation issue - it really only seems to be an issue when its pretty cold outside (like 40deg or less). I don't think you can totally eliminate it, but you can minize it so you don't get dripped on. Air flow through the tent ends is important, and the lower you set the temp in the tt, the better. We turn the furnace down to about 60 and use the heated mattress. I don't have PUGS to insulate the ends, but I am sure that would be a huge help as well.

Enjoy the new IKSS!

Kevin

[pscott426]

How do you like the outdoor stove and refrigerator, we are looking at the 19 or 21dk.

[rown4au]

Originally Posted by pscott426

How do you like the outdoor stove and refrigerator, we are looking at the 19 or 21dk.

both are fine, the outdoor fridge is essentially a college dorm fridge that runs on 110 shore power so it will not keep things cold unless you are plugged in.

[itat]

For a video explaining the Roo, start with this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE3KX...%3DZE3KXWPVGY4

It's the first of a series of videos. They show a 2010 23SS model with the bungees on the tent ends but other than that, it should be fairly similar to all the newer models with permanently attached canvas.