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Joined: 02 Oct 2017
Location: San Jose CA
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Posts: 51 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: 171-ers?
    Posted: 21 Oct 2017 at 1:59pm
Is there a 171 group?  I have the basic, baby-pod, 171 and would be interested what others have done to enhance their 171 Pod experience.   
2017 RPod 171
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Oct 2017 at 8:14pm
I've had a 171 since 2009.  I've added:
  • a small shelf (18" wide x 4" deep) on the curbside wall over the dinette seat for keys/wallets/etc
  • 3M command hooks for jackets/sweaters just inside the door
  • cut a large, rectangular hole in the base of the curbside dinette seat, just inside the door (and trimmed it out so that it looks neat) which acts as an excellent place to put shoes
  • a second deep-cycle battery
  • cutoff switch on one battery box
  • 12v socket (weatherproof) on one battery box.  Handy for powering speakers outside, for the electric air pump, and for the mascerator ('poop cannon' - for emptying the grey and black tanks through a 5/8" garden hose - it'll pump that gunk 50', including 10' uphill)
  • 15w solar panels on the battery box.  Note: these aren't for boondocking or fully charging the batteries.  I store my trailer in a friend's yard (she lives in the country) - the solar panels keep the batteries topped-up between trips.
  • 12v sockets around the dinette and in the bedroom.  I boondock a fair bit and use these mostly for charging phones/tablets
  • installed a 300w inverter beside the converter under the streetside dinette seat, along with a dedicated outlet and a switch to turn the inverter on/off
  • rigged-up some bungee cords to hold the table in place while moving - I always hated having to put it down/back up constantly while on a roadtrip
  • a paper towel holder under the upper kitchen cabinets.  I found one at walmart that ratchets as opposed to letting the paper towel spin freely - that way the paper towel doesn't unravel while I'm travelling down the road
  • a vertical plate holder.  I've got square Corelle dinnerware.  I used a under-sink wire shelf thing from the hardware store, mounted it on the side, put some thick foam shelfliner on the bottom, and use it to hold the dishes vertically.  They're much easier to access that way (I'm not lifting bowls up to get at the plates), and it keeps them safe enough while the trailer is moving.  Nine seasons so far and no broken Corelle.
  • 2 rubber mouse mats under the water pump.  It mutes the THUMP THUMP THUMP when the pump is running.
  • a mirror on the outside of the bathroom door
  • replaced the thermostat with a digital (+programmable) thermostat.  I upgraded the thermostat in the house and had the old one laying around.  It was digital and far less finicky to use that the one that came with the trailer.  I don't really use the programmable feature in the trailer.
  • a toiletpaper holder on the rear wall of the bathroom.  Its just above shoulder height, and while not the most obvious place, its easily accessible.  I chose the spot because its well protected from the shower when the shower curtain is pulled
  • 3M command hooks to hold towels in the bathroom
  • custom cut floormat for the shower pan.  its for (a) dirty/gravelly shoes when someone goes in to use the toilet and (b) helps prevent grey-tank smells from creeping up into the trailer.  Obviously, the mat is removed when its showertime
  • an Oxygenics shower head.  Its the most awesome showerhead on the planet.  Plus, it somehow saves water too.
  • a shelf above the bed on the curbside wall of the trailer (between the bathroom and the rear wall).  this is my #1 favourite mod.
  • 3M hooks on the bedroom walls around the opening for the door - just more places to hang clothes.
  • Indoor/Outdoor thermometer with weatherstation
  • A vinyl awning, about 8' wide and 7' deep, held up with two extendable poles and guy ropes.  I have an r-dome - which is great for poor weather and large groups of friends (we've had 12 people and 3 dogs in there one Thanksgiving) - but when its just me, it takes too long to put up, and I hate having to roll-up the sides as well.  I bought a tent-trailer awning from a company I had dealt with before (when I had a tent-trailer) which fits into the awning rail and goes up in five minutes.
  • battery-powered LED twinkle-lights sewn into the valence on the awning.  Bought the lights at a post-Christmas sale, took me about an hour to sew them into the seam on the valence; I also made a little pocket to hold the battery box (3 AAs) that hangs under the awning.  Its really nice, soft light at night.
  • push-on-off lights on the ceiling in the outside storage bays.
  • replaced the fresh water tank drain plug with a copper tap (making it much easier to drain the tank)
  • replaced the low-point drains on the trailer with a copper tap (again, making it much easier to drain when its time to winterize)

That's all I can think of at the moment.  I'm sure there's lots of other little stuff too that I've forgotten.
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Oct 2017 at 8:26pm
Its been a few years since I last posted an awning photo.  Here are a couple shots from last month:






-edit- one more.  note: the awning is intentionally 'droopy'.  if it rains, the water shoots off the awning.  if the awning was tight, a large pool of water would gather up there. 
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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Joined: 02 Oct 2017
Location: San Jose CA
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Posts: 51 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Oct 2017 at 9:12pm
Oh, my, you have been busy! I like probably all your mods and hope to do some in the future. I appreciate you listing all you have done. It is printed and in my mod folder! I'm into figuring out storage right now, of trailer and stuff.

-I'm adding a small solar panel for battery charging for storage as my first mod.
-I am planning to use the dinette under-box near the door as a place for my cat's litter, litter box and food (separated) by cutting an opening in the inside long side for entrance. I hope to cut the seat support according to the size of each area, add a support-separator and hinge the lids.
-I have about a third of the space towards the front of the counter side dinette under-box for storage. Again, support-separator and cut/hinged lids.

I do have a question about the bed. What a pain to make and access storage, if needed. Have you done anything to make that area more user friendly?
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Joined: 02 Oct 2017
Location: San Jose CA
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Posts: 51 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Oct 2017 at 9:13pm
BTW I really like your awning - thx for pics!
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Oct 2017 at 10:43pm
The underbed storage is definitely difficult.  That's why I build the shelf over the foot of the bed.  Clean clothes go on the shelf, dirty clothes in a duffel bag under the bed.  Apart from dirty clothes, I keep things that aren't frequently used under there: a couple of water jugs for longer boondocking trips when I need to refill the water tanks, a little 12v vacuum cleaner, and a folding soft-sided cooler.

I used to take the cat camping (the cat left has since with my ex).  I put the litter box under the curbside dinette seat and the cat would access it via the shoe hole.  A litter tray worked, but the cat would kick up litter all over the place; unfortunately, a covered litterbox was too tall for under the seat.  In the end, I used a rubbermaid bin, cut a door-hole in the side, and left the top off (for a couple inches more headroom under the seat).  The cat took to it right away - never had any problems at all.

The cat was always a good camper.  Relaxed in the truck on the way to the campground, and enjoyed staying in the trailer.  I bought him a harness and a leash for outside.  But, mostly, he preferred to stay in the trailer, sit on the bed and look out the windows.
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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Joined: 02 Oct 2017
Location: San Jose CA
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Posts: 51 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Oct 2017 at 12:38am
I have one of those big bins with a hole cut out of the side which has worked pretty well at home, but my cat is still messy! She was a stray who adopted me when she was around 6. Now at 14-15 years, she has many medical issues. I hope to have her camp comfortably with me, so I'll see how it all works. I have a cat-tent and I will try to use next week when I camp nearby in a more wooded area. Hopefully, the weather will hold and she'll experience the outdoors safely, since she can't jump or move around much anymore.

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I am so looking forward to more explorations as I get use to trailering, as well as more mods since I like doing that as I can. Getting the uke out and hope to re-learn and enjoy music quietly. Happy travels and camping.
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Joined: 20 Dec 2015
Location: Statesville NC
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Posts: 103 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Oct 2017 at 7:12am
I like the cat litter idea since our cat has recently become diabetic we don’t want to leave her at home anymore. It is too much much to ask/train the neighbor to give her insulin twice a day
Gregm
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Joined: 10 Sep 2015
Location: Elmira, NY
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Posts: 28 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Nov 2017 at 2:55pm
Exactly how do you attach the shelf to the wall? Which anchors, how many, location? 
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