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P-pod for dry camping?

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MarkW View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote MarkW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: P-pod for dry camping?
    Posted: 01 Feb 2021 at 6:28am
<i>We had a discussion on the forum about the Curt bluetooth controller you can use the search feature for. The upshot was that it worked fine. The negative was that some of us, myself included, did not want the manual trailer brake override on a smartphone where it might not be instantly accessible in an emergency. In a trailer sway situation immediate application of trailer brakes without hitting the TV brakes can save you from having a wreck.</i>

Thanks -- my thought had been to use an old phone running nothing but the brake controller app and put it in a mount.
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MarkW View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote MarkW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Feb 2021 at 6:38am
Plus one on primitive campgrounds vs. RV campgrounds packed in tight spaces. The only bummer is the guys that run generators all day in the primitive camps to run their AC and TVs all day...

When tent camping, we've always chosen the 'no generator' areas whenever possible.  But we're also rarely around camp between breakfast and dinner, so that helps too.
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Feb 2021 at 9:31am
Originally posted by MarkW

<i><span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;">We had a discussion on the forum about the Curt bluetooth controller you can use the search feature for. The upshot was that it worked fine. The negative was that some of us, myself included, did not want the manual trailer brake override on a smartphone where it might not be instantly accessible in an emergency. In a trailer sway situation immediate application of trailer brakes without hitting the TV brakes can save you from having a wreck.</i></span>
<span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;"></span>
<span style=": rgb251, 251, 253;">Thanks -- my thought had been to use an old phone running nothing but the brake controller app and put it in a mount.</span>


That should work, the app has a big red button for manual operation . But most of the work I’ve seen with wiring up a 7 way connector has been running the 10 gauge power feed for the trailer which you’re going to want so you can use it for battery charging anyway, so I don’t really see any particular advantage to the Bluetooth brake controller.
1994 Chinook Concourse
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote lostagain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Feb 2021 at 9:32am
One of the advantages of small trailers like the rPod series is that they fit into campgrounds that don't have spaces for giant trailers that tend to have generators in use a lot more.   In the mountain west heat is not generally a problem so running an ac unit is unusual.  The result is that generator noise is much less than it seems to be in other areas.  Though generators are used by some to charge batteries, it's far more common to see solar panels taking care of the limited power requirements of boondocking in cooler areas.  And even the generators we tend to see are smaller ones with inverters that run much more quietly.  As between RV parks and small campgrounds, we'll opt for the small campgrounds every time.
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Colt View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Colt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Feb 2021 at 11:18am
Originally posted by MarkW

Does it really make sense to buy a trailer with electrical appliances and plumbing and then not use them? 

It makes sense only because the one we're looking it is used and appears to be a bit below market.  If we were buying new, I'd order w/o AC or microwave.  The same dealer with the 179 on the lot is also a GulfStream dealer.  Something like this would also fit our needs:


If we ordered without the AC, microwave and awning that we don't want, that should knock off another couple of thousand.  If the 179 doesn't work out, we might go that way.  Although I'm a little allergic to a brand new TT (lots of folks seem to have niggling problems in the first couple years that require return visits to the dealer and it sounds like often the warranty work is really slow).


That's a nice trailer! 

I went with a Redarc, wired, inertia sensing brake controller to reduce fiddling.  I can still push the button/dial to apply the trailer brakes.  I like it. 

I run a Scanguage II to monitor tranny temp. 

Trying to be very weight conscious, I have added 175 pounds of pots, dishes, sheets, towels, cleaning supplies, coffee supplies, toaster, rugs, hoses, cables, hitch .... everything I'd need but food for a trip to a disaster.  You'll likely not need to carry cables to boondock, but the rest you'll probably want.  It's just too comfortable to have them. 

In my case, Forest River's Unloaded Vehicle Weight of 2950 lbs, was just about spot on.  It's listed dry weight of 2760, or so, wasn't close. 

I do not need a weight distributing hitch, but I did install a friction anti-sway control.  It was cheap and light.  i don't know if I need it, but it makes me feel better. 

i also recommend a wireless rear camera.  It helps parking and changing lanes. 

I built a spreadsheet based on actual weights and positions of various bits in my trailer.  You can have a copy to modify, if you like. 
John
'16 R-Pod 180
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MarkW View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote MarkW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 2021 at 4:24pm
Just to close the loop on this thread, I looked at the 179 and it was a little tired.  Walked across the lot and looked at a '21 Gulfstream Vintage Cruiser and decided to go that way with their 17rwd.  We really like the woody interior, dry bath, and extra width without a slide.  The oven option is nice too.  I may keep lurking around here a bit though -- there are a lot more pods and pod-owners around and there's lots of good info here.  Thanks for all the earlier feedback.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote podwerkz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 2021 at 6:11pm
That's a nice choice if you had a tow vehicle with a suitable towing capacity....I hope you can address that situation. 
r・pod 171 gone but not forgotten!
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Post Options Post Options   Quote lostagain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 2021 at 7:00pm
Mark, that is the trailer we really wanted to get, but transporting it to the west coast made it too expensive for us.  It's a really nice trailer, well laid out and functional.  As I mentioned in another post, we got a Sonoma that is about the same size, differing mostly by the rear full bath configuration instead of in the center.  

Keep up with this board.  It has loads of useful information no matter what brand trailer you have.
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
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Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Feb 2021 at 5:58am
+1 to both podwerks and lostagain. Very nice looking trailer there. Bump up a size in your TV and you should be able to boon dock and use all its nice features. Have fun!
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1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
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MarkW View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote MarkW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Feb 2021 at 7:23am
Thanks.  I'm not too worried about weight.  It's 2825# dry and we'll be towing with empty tanks at all times.  One of my first mods is going to be to pull the toilet and replace it with a porta potty.  That way there's no need to for campgrounds with dump stations -- just empty the porta pottie into the pit toilet.  The blackwater system will probably never be used, at least by us.  We've been used to tent-camping where we travel by air and have to take our gear in checked luggage -- so we do know how to travel light.  Bikes will be in or on top of the TV.  Kayak is a 40# tandem inflatable.  I may remove the air conditioner and replace with a skylight vent (Gulfstream wouldn't let us order without the AC -- too busy right now to do those kinds of custom orders, I guess).  The microwave is probably going to go into storage too.  This is the actual trailer, BTW:

https://www.mikejonesmotors.com/--xInventoryDetail?id=9817089


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