Let the fun begin!

[Never2Many]

Hello fellow adventurers! Can not wait to hit the road in my new Voltage 3818.

Making some upgrades already including 8 AGM batteries, satellite TV antenna with whole home DVR, hose storage pipe, etc. half the fun I suppose to having a vehicle or house is customizing to be completely unique.

Will be searching threads for info, but if you have experience with any of the above mods, I would like to hear about, & learn from your experience. I have not learned how to attach pictures, but send those too if you can.

Soon, I plan on ordering a new one ton (or 1.5 ton) dually pick up to yank this heavy mother. My 2006 F350 will do it, but would like more power, better brakes, exhaust brake, & higher weight ratings, etc of new ones.

See ya on the road, or here on the forum!

[Fanboy]

Congrats!!

[HornedToad]

I still want to change over to multiple golf cart batteries,
regretted going cheap on the satellite on previous trailers,
go with a 6 inch tube so the sewer elbow will fit.

Welcome to the forum... Let the fun begin!!!

[RJKodiak]

I am new also to this forum. Pulling our 36' Kodiak with 2011 F350 Super Duty Diesel. Like the trailer isn't even there.

[Never2Many]

Thanks all for your welcomes!

On batteries, I went with deep cycle, 12 volt spiral Absorbed Glass Matt Optimas, size 27s. an $$$ little upgrade for 8 of them, plus lots of cables, deposits, & the biggest inverter I found 5000watt/10000 surge. Looks like I will not have room for them all if placed flat in front compartment, & also worried about the weight / stress on structure without reinforcing. Since sealed batts, could mount on ends, or sides, but I have had the pressure relief let go when charging too quickly, which made a corrosive mess on an SUV.

Have any of you had problems with cheaper modified sign wave inverter like I bought? I'm told the pure sign wave ones are better/cooler/& more effiecient for sensitive A/C electronics, but have never heard of damage from modified sign wave ones.

You read my mind, & I bought the 6" PVC sewer hose storage pipe, a couple of clean out treaded fittings & end caps. Not real cheap, but easy to shorten with a cordless power saw. I mounted under front, behind genset compartment on the steel crossframe with large zip ties.. It sits on top of exhuast pipe which melted it slightly, so I need to lower exhaust pipe a little, & drill some drain holes in bottom of storage pipe. Long enough for my spare hose & elbows, etc.

New trucks are beasts with great torque. Big Ford diesels often seem to come with 3.73 final diff gears. Wondering if power of 4.30 ones would be worth lower milage? Would help on pulling hills I think. Also may up weight rating some. Amazed the 2015 F450s will be rated at 40000 GCWR! That is combined truck & 5th wheel number, but my Voltage is rated at 20000# max...so it & big Dodge can pull over 30000s, which is truly astounding for a pick up!

[HornedToad]

Here are some photos of the 6 inch storage tubes on my old TH.

As mentioned with the 6 inch tubes I was able to get the sewer hose with elbow in one and a King Pin Jack in the other.

I'm going to have to add one of these to my new Voltage as the stock tube is not long enough for a 15 ft Rhino hose and too small for the elbow. (With Level Up I got rid of the King Pin Jack)

[donzinger]

Another option. I couldn't mount them side to side on this one due to all the pipes underneath, so went front to back. I am able to store two slinky's connected end to end in here.

[useless2resist]

Hello Never2Many and RJKodiak. Welcome and congrats! Horned Toad thanks for the info on the 6" pipe. My 3305 already has a pipe that I was going to extend because of course it came up about 8" too short. I am going to double check the size and if not 6" will just replace it all together. I use the same Rhino hose as in your pictures.

Good evening all from Pine Mountain RV resort in Pigeon Forge TN! Just discovered this place yesterday and it is awesome.

[Never2Many]

Thanks for the pics folks. Thought about painting mine black like that to match custom paint, but got lazy.

Also thinking of putting lanyard on end caps. I did not bother to glue on fittings, since not under pressure, but maybe I should put a little on them.

[useless2resist]

Happy Memorial Day to all. An open question but probably Horned Toad or Donzinger about the 6" pipe. I ran out of time to get my material this weekend but was wondering about that thin wall pipe. I have not seen that before. Is that an Ace Hardware, Lowes, HD, kind of thing or did you have to go to a plumbing supply to get it. Also I think if I use your side to side idea I can get a 15' Rhino and a 10' extension all in one tube. Then I would not have to take them apart every time. May be a coincidence but it seems every place I stay is alway more than 15'. Thanks!

[HornedToad]

6' Tubes in my photos above are thin wall pipe that I got from a plumbing supply. It's not cheap, as I remember $100 for 2 sections of pipe and fittings. I haven't gotten to add one to the Voltage yet. From the looks underneath I'll need to use zingers front to back set up.