Ordering a DRV 39dbrs3

[Eric1234]

Hi everyone my name is Eric 

 

I am in the process of doing research on the various options drv has prior to ordering for a 39dbrs3 mobile or elite. This would be 5th trailer and hopefully last for a long time. we have looked at the drv build sheets and searched multiple forums for others experiences when ordering and their options they choose. If you have a drv can I have a moment of your time and glean some knowledge from your experiences.

 

thank you in advance 

 

eric 

 

1. Is there a difference in the cabinetry between an Elite suites and mobile 

2. Wiring, we were thinking of the multiplex wiring but what about solar prep should I ask about 2 or 4 gauge wire to the roof for a possible large solar system in the future? 

3. Inverter option: the 2800 inverter, would you buy it again 

4. Window silks: your opinion and experiences 

5. 2” riser, we would order it for our F450 but do we need a 3”

6. I like how new horizons putting the generator under the trailer directly behind the axles to free up the front bay, do you think DRV would do that? 

7. Is there an unpublished list of options out there that would be a good addition to a new build. For example it’s not published but you can get a diesel onan generator. 

8. Exterior paint: we like the midnight mist paint scheme, is there options for additional layers of clear coat? “Cut and buff” is that included with elite paint scheme ? 

 

Edited April 10, 2019 by Eric1234
Misspelled word

[DJohns]

On the # 2 question I wish I would of had the builder install a 2" pvc pipe from the roof to the basement for future access of wires to the roof. I would of brought through the area where all my  tv and electrical controls are with a tee there for access.

#6 On NH mounting the gen behind the axle is nice BUT get a propane model. Add a 25 or so gallon propane tank and delete the 2 40 # propane tanks out front for a bigger basement.

[ARGO]

Second on the PVC. But I would add another 2" conduit run alongside the frame front to rear. Rear camera, wiring problem w/ rear lights, etc all made easier. If your rig has open frame & no belly pan, maybe not necessary.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Please consider buying thru either Rolling Retreats in Oklahoma or RV's4Less in Tennessee.  RR only handles DRV and can get some custom mods done.  

[Shawn Patterson]

5 hours ago, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

Please consider buying thru either Rolling Retreats in Oklahoma or RV's4Less in Tennessee.  RR only handles DRV and can get some custom mods done.  

I second Allie and Jim's recommendation on Rolling Retreats!  You won't find anyone more knowledgeable about Mobile Suites than them and Slade's pre-delivery inspection/remediations are second to none.

[Shawn Patterson]

On your original questions, here is my input on what I can speak to...

Solar wiring...  A 2-4 AWG wire is typically not needed as you will most likely be running at least some of your panels in series which will up the voltage and reduce the necessary wire gauge.  I am in the process of installing 4 335w panels with 2 in series and 2 parallel and the stock 10 AWG wire that DRV uses is fine.  When I inquired about this when looking at a new FullHouse I was told the largest DRV would do is an 8 AWG wire which I would expect would be more than enough for your needs unless you plan on going full parallel. Installing the wire chase from the basement to the roof would be the best bet if they will do it for you, but if not the #8 wire should be fine.

2800 watt inverter... I don't have it and wish I did.

Unpublished options... I know there are a lot of things you could have done in the past, but my understanding is that DRV/Thor is clamping down on a lot of the semi-custom things they used to allow.  Talking to Alicia at Rolling Retreats is your best bet to find out what can be done these days.

[rynosback]

20 hours ago, Eric1234 said:

Hi everyone my name is Eric 

 

I am in the process of doing research on the various options drv has prior to ordering for a 39dbrs3 mobile or elite. This would be 5th trailer and hopefully last for a long time. we have looked at the drv build sheets and searched multiple forums for others experiences when ordering and their options they choose. If you have a drv can I have a moment of your time and glean some knowledge from your experiences.

 

thank you in advance 

 

eric 

 

1. Is there a difference in the cabinetry between an Elite suites and mobile 

I believe there is.

2. Wiring, we were thinking of the multiplex wiring but what about solar prep should I ask about 2 or 4 gauge wire to the roof for a possible large solar system in the future? 

A lot of people upgrade the wires to the roof as it is a minimal cost when building a unit.

3. Inverter option: the 2800 inverter, would you buy it again 

I went with the standard 1000 watt inverter.  With the standard 1000 watt, you only carry 2 batteries vs 4 with the 2800 inverter.   Batteries are heavy.  Plus I am always plugged in every night. 

4. Window silks: your opinion and experiences 

are you talking about the Elite standard paint on the windows?  I have seen the color be different from the body.  I would not have that option, but some like it.

5. 2” riser, we would order it for our F450 but do we need a 3”

I have 2 inch risers on my Ram.  I would talk with the guys towing with a 450 to talk about there set up.  3 may not be bad, as you it is good to have as much bed rail clearance.

6. I like how new horizons putting the generator under the trailer directly behind the axles to free up the front bay, do you think DRV would do that? 

If they are putting it under the trailer, I would think that the road clearance would be HORRIBLE.  

7. Is there an unpublished list of options out there that would be a good addition to a new build. For example it’s not published but you can get a diesel onan generator. 

I would deal with Alicia at Rolling Retreats.  She knows these rigs and has a lot of customs that she does.

8. Exterior paint: we like the midnight mist paint scheme, is there options for additional layers of clear coat? “Cut and buff” is that included with elite paint scheme ? 

I had the whole coach cleared for an extra 3k.

Answered in Bold.  

Two things I would change is delete the oven/stove and just get the cook top.  As our oven SUCKS!  Plus you should get a couple more drawers deleting it.

I would also delete the skylight in the bathroom.

I also have a couple pages of customs items on my build.

you should also join the Facebook DRV owners group and go on the Thor forum.  There is a DRV section there.

Edited April 11, 2019 by rynosback

[Eric1234]

Hi everyone 

 

 

thanks for taking your time to respond, we are excited to sit down and order a new coach. I just wanted to get as much information as I can before ordering. 

 

Good to know rolling retreats is so well regarded, we have a phone appointment next week with them. 

 

If if anyone has anything else to pass along you think would be helpful please do 

 

have a good day 

 

Eric 

[rynosback]

Someone on Facebook just posted yesterday that they went to Moryde and they measured his Suites connected to his F450 and determined that he needed 4 inch risers added.  So that is what he had done.

Hope you see this in-time Eric.

Edited April 13, 2019 by rynosback

[Consolenut]

4 inch risers id be really leary of overall height. I dont know exactly how tall the drv are. but just looking they sit awfully high up to begin with.

[rynosback]

What is to tall?  The rig should sit under 14’.

[Consolenut]

13'6 is legal height max. Over that and overpasses become an issue. Nearby on interstate 40.  Many and i mean many are posted 13'6.  you get to 14'  and your air conditioners will meet asphalt and natural skylights you will have.

i guess you could get off every exit and get back on to avoid the lower overpasses

Edited April 19, 2019 by Consolenut

[ms60ocb]

On the 1000 vs 2800 watt invertor. I have the 2800 with a generator thus a 1000 watt would be applicable. That said my Electrical would be more specific. I have a one outlet in the bedroom for Medical devices and one outlet for the Satellite receiver plus the refrigator

Clay

[Eric1234]

Thanks for the insight everyone: 

 

One thing my wife and I are struggling with is mobile vs elite suites. The DRV website does not lay out specifically the differences. I know the big ones fiberglass roof, different paint schemes, fiberglass fender skirts. But I was told there are 40 differences. Does anyone have a list of the 40 upgrades on the Elite suites. I can’t justify the price difference of the elite vs a mobile.

 

thank you 

 

Eric 

[mptjelgin]

On 4/10/2019 at 3:17 PM, Shawn Patterson said:

Solar wiring...  A 2-4 AWG wire is typically not needed as you will most likely be running at least some of your panels in series which will up the voltage and reduce the necessary wire gauge.  I am in the process of installing 4 335w panels with 2 in series and 2 parallel and the stock 10 AWG wire that DRV uses is fine.  When I inquired about this when looking at a new FullHouse I was told the largest DRV would do is an 8 AWG wire which I would expect would be more than enough for your needs unless you plan on going full parallel.

I disagree with your assertion that a 10 AWG wire is fine for any serious solar system.  Voltage drop on these relatively low voltage systems can really impact efficiency, and adding heavier wire at the time of build is practically free.  When we had our Hitchiker built we specified 4 AWG wire and it cost us less than $50 extra. 

Using a DC voltage drop calculator, with the system you've outlined above (1340 watts at 24 volts nominal, say 50 amps) you will be losing a full volt in just a ten foot run of 10 AWG wire. And it is hard to get from panels to controller in less than 10 feet. It may not seem like much, and does satisfy the "less than 10%" rule that is sometimes thrown around, but jumping up to 4 AWG wire lowers that voltage drop to around .25 volts. That is significant efficiency that you would take advantage for the entire life of the trailer, assuming that you are looking to use solar regularly. 

OP - My answer to #2 above is YES.  If it is available and you are considering a solar installation in the future, get the 2 or 4 AWG wire if it is offered. It will never be easier than now to upsize those conductors. 

[jcussen]

If you run your panels series/parallel, should be about 80 volts nominal, so about 15 amps to the controller, so #10 wire is okay, if designed for that voltage. Have to make sure your charge controller will handle that voltage also.

Edited April 19, 2019 by jcussen

[Shawn Patterson]

7 hours ago, mptjelgin said:

I disagree with your assertion that a 10 AWG wire is fine for any serious solar system.  Voltage drop on these relatively low voltage systems can really impact efficiency, and adding heavier wire at the time of build is practically free.  When we had our Hitchiker built we specified 4 AWG wire and it cost us less than $50 extra. 

Using a DC voltage drop calculator, with the system you've outlined above (1340 watts at 24 volts nominal, say 50 amps) you will be losing a full volt in just a ten foot run of 10 AWG wire. And it is hard to get from panels to controller in less than 10 feet. It may not seem like much, and does satisfy the "less than 10%" rule that is sometimes thrown around, but jumping up to 4 AWG wire lowers that voltage drop to around .25 volts. That is significant efficiency that you would take advantage for the entire life of the trailer, assuming that you are looking to use solar regularly. 

OP - My answer to #2 above is YES.  If it is available and you are considering a solar installation in the future, get the 2 or 4 AWG wire if it is offered. It will never be easier than now to upsize those conductors. 

To the OP: When I inquired about this with DRV a year ago the only option was to upgrade to an 8AWG wire which was pretty cheap to do and I would certainly recommend considering. 

Now, that being said, Mark are you are saying my solar install isn't serious?  I think most would agree that 1340w of LG panels, 600AH of Battleborn batteries and 2 Victron 3000w inverters isn't playing around...   I too know how to use a voltage drop calculator and conscientiously did so when laying out my system.  With my four panels running 2S2P I will be pushing out no more than 21 amps at a max of 82VDC.  Assuming 75 volts (the lowest I have seen from these panels), 21 amps and a 10AWG wire running 20 feet, my loss will be at 1.12% which is well within the general rule of thumb of 2-3% loss for a PV system. The 10% rule is applied more to load circuits within the coach (eg. Batteries to inverter or lighting), not for the PV array to the solar controller.

So to your point, I agree that IF the OP is planning on running 24 volts that the #10 wire MAY not be the best choice. But then my first question would be why would you want to do that?  Regardless, I guess I should have qualified my answer on the wire more clearly to say something along the lines of "depending on the voltage output of your panels and how you configure them (series/parallel/combination of the two) you will want to take a look at the voltage drop to determine the best wire gauge."

So let's look at this case...  Four Renogy 12V 100W panels (RNG-100D-SS) all in parallel (pros and cons here I won't even get into). Vmp of 17.9 volts and Imp of 5.72, so in a perfect world we end up with 17.9VDC at 22.88 amps.  Now if we are running that 17.9VDC at 22.88 amps through a #10 wire over 20 feet, that equates to a 5% voltage drop which is a bit much for my liking as well.  But if we just change the configuration of those same panels to a 2S2P setup we now have 35.8VDC at 11.44 amps and using the same #10 wire only equates to a 1.28% drop which is more than acceptable and I didn't have to spend a dime on heavier wire and wrestle with a #2 copper python to get to an acceptable voltage drop.

So in summary, my humble opinion is that unless shading of your panels is a major concern, run some or all in series to up the voltage, reduce the losses and avoid having to spend a bunch of money on the larger wire and the hassle of working with it.

***TECH TIP***  Running solar panels in series requires an MPPT solar controller to handle the higher voltages.

Edited April 19, 2019 by Shawn Patterson

[mptjelgin]

2 minutes ago, Shawn Patterson said:

Now, that being said, Mark are you are saying my solar install isn't serious?  I think most would agree that four 1340w of LG panels, 600AH of Battleborn batteries and 2 Victron 3000w inverters isn't playing around...   I too know how to use a voltage drop calculator and conscientiously did so when laying out my system.  With my four panels running 2S2P I will be pushing out no more than 21 amps at a max of 82VDC.  Assuming 75 volts (the lowest I have seen from these panels), 21 amps and a 10AWG wire running 20 feet, my loss will be at 1.12% which is well within the general rule of thumb of 2-3% loss for a PV system. The 10% rule is applied more to load circuits within the coach (eg. Batteries to inverter or lighting), not for the PV array to the solar controller.

Nope, that is a serious system, no doubt. I just think it is a no-brainer to spec and run heavier wire from roof to basement if that is a factory option. As I noted, in my case it was less than $50 to upsize from 10 AWG to 4 AWG. Given the cost of the rest of the system I can't imagine compromising on the wire feeding the panels to the controller. 

I chose to set my  24V (nominal) panels up in parallel to better tolerate partial shading so I am running higher amperage down from the roof. Different strokes...

[Shawn Patterson]

Just now, mptjelgin said:

Nope, that is a serious system, no doubt. I just think it is a no-brainer to spec and run heavier wire from roof to basement if that is a factory option. As I noted, in my case it was less than $50 to upsize from 10 AWG to 4 AWG. Given the cost of the rest of the system I can't imagine compromising on the wire feeding the panels to the controller. 

I chose to set my  24V (nominal) panels up in parallel to better tolerate partial shading so I am running higher amperage down from the roof. Different strokes...

Yep, I agree, 10 different ways to skin this cat for sure and at the end of the day as long as what you have works for you (and is safe) that is all that matters. 

Unfortunately, unless something has changed over the last year, DRV will cap him at a #8 if I remember right. They are getting much more cookie cutter as the custom things slow their production. 

[jcussen]

All the big solar panels, [300+ watts] made in the 10 years have bypass diodes. These greatly reduce the effects of shading. Have run panels in parallel and series in the same situation, and find not much difference in output. The bigger panels are a much better deal per watt, but are higher voltage and require a MPPT controller. Many charge controllers today will take 150 volts, and a couple 250 volts. Most home grid-tie systems run up to 600 volts in series, so it is now mainstream. 

Edited April 20, 2019 by jcussen

[rynosback]

18 hours ago, Consolenut said:

13'6 is legal height max. Over that and overpasses become an issue. Nearby on interstate 40.  Many and i mean many are posted 13'6.  you get to 14'  and your air conditioners will meet asphalt and natural skylights you will have.

i guess you could get off every exit and get back on to avoid the lower overpasses

I am about 13’ 5-6” with two inch risers.  This includes the AC units.  You have to include them or you could be in trouble.  The skylight and fans are lower then the AC units.  So high spot is the AC unit.  I tow level so both measure the same.  But if you tow nose high the front AC should be the highest point.

I follow my Garmin DEZL as I have programmed my height, weight and hazards.

Edited April 20, 2019 by rynosback

[rynosback]

16 hours ago, Eric1234 said:

Thanks for the insight everyone: 

 

One thing my wife and I are struggling with is mobile vs elite suites. The DRV website does not lay out specifically the differences. I know the big ones fiberglass roof, different paint schemes, fiberglass fender skirts. But I was told there are 40 differences. Does anyone have a list of the 40 upgrades on the Elite suites. I can’t justify the price difference of the elite vs a mobile.

 

thank you 

 

Eric 

Flooring-tile, carpet, shower, cabinets, slide wood trim, granite counters-kitchen & bath, the couch, theater seats, dining room seats, the fabrics used  just to name a few.  Some can be optioned with a Mobile and some you have to get a Elite to get that option.

We went with a Mobile, some Elite options and custom options.

[jblo]

Eric1324,

Please go thru with the contact to Alicia at Rolling Retreats--she probably knows more that anyone out there what is doable on an order, plus they make sure it is RIGHT before you take possession. And you can get a lot of Elite options on the Mobiles.

I am towing a '15 38RSSA with a '17 450 and barely getting by without risers. Alicia won't let you order w/o the 2" risers, might consider the 3" but 4" probably not needed.  It going to be a heavy dude, probably around 19500 as delivered, and no way to put the gen in the rear.

 

[Bigdon68]

On 4/19/2019 at 8:29 AM, Consolenut said:

13'6 is legal height max. Over that and overpasses become an issue. Nearby on interstate 40.  Many and i mean many are posted 13'6.  you get to 14'  and your air conditioners will meet asphalt and natural skylights you will have.

i guess you could get off every exit and get back on to avoid the lower overpasses

Mor Ryde did 3" risers on our rig and our overall height is 13'5".   You definitely want to stay at 13'6" or under.

Thanks

Don

Maryland

2017 F450

2016 38RSSA

Edited May 1, 2019 by Bigdon68