Sky King76

Yep…thanks fellas. I bought a 15-20 to 30Amp dogbone plus an electricity management thing I’d researched that is a surge suppressor AND actively prevents damage. Irony was the dealership had this RV on consignment and they took the goodies out AFTER they took the pictures to post on their website, including this exact surge suppressor. Yes, I called them on it.

So…one other thing. On a positive note from all the help here, is that if the A\C is only pulling roughly 7.6Amps of AC current, then when we visit friends we can easily plug in to their 15-20Amp socket and be good without a beefy 30Amp, as long as we turn the A\C off when running the microwave\convection for example. We don’t use hairdryers or the like so this may work out. or… Am I missing something here?

Hum…I looked it up and at this point I can’t be specific about the alternator other than it says a “high output auxiliary alternator specifically designed to charge lithium batteries”. I noticed on the bigger battery packs there is a button you can push on the instrument panel so that when electricity gets below 30% the engine will automatically start and charge the batteries back up to 80%.it will do that five times.I would assume that means it’s perfectly acceptable to idol this thing with no problem… I saw in literature somewhere, something about 170 amp alternator but that may have been on the bigger battery packs or that may be the one I have and there’s even a bigger one. I do have a 3000 watt inverter. Anyway thanks again for your help John it’s greatly appreciated.

I’ll have to look in to that. I think this one pulls 11,500.

Thanks John. I’m gonna contact the guy who did the inspection on an RV that failed and see if he does battery upgrades. We had just looked at a Thor Sequence that was only a year older but had a generator. I did recall seeing a Thor video saying the lithium batteries was an “upgrade” over a generator BUT I missed the part where they were talking about the 800Ah or 940Ah setup NOT the 200Ah, like ours. I guess if we’re going to boondock a lot, batteries are obviously a lot quieter than a generator for neighbors and the like. What confused me and thus my original question, I was looking at a specific EV car a couple years ago and in my research found the older ones were equipment with a gas engine for when the batteries got low but the engine did NOT run the car, it charged the batteries, which still ran the car. Technically I guess we do have a “generator” of sorts, in that I can start the engine which is equipped with a high output alternator. I know as a kid we’d never let a vehicle idle for a long time but I guess the newer vehicles like the RAM 3500 it’s OK. We do have solar…190 and I’m gonna go up and look at the space on the roof for more. I read 380 was pretty common, so I should be able to get at least 1 more panel up there.

Wow…thanks Glenn and Chad…take the rest of the day off…so helpful!!! AND thanks for not writing something sarcastic about how stupid I am. So at 76Amps coming off 2 100 Ah batteries and drawing 75Amps it would make sense the air conditioner is only good for 2.5 hours or less. Our first RV trip will be to Maine in a week to stay with friends who live just outside Acadia National Forest where it’s high 40’s at night and averages low 70’s during the day so air conditioning may not be a big deal. Plus if it’s drawing less than 15Amps of AC power we can connect the shore power to the house and be good to go. Unfortunately, I’m gonna start looking at replacing these batteries with maybe 2 300Ah. These RV’s can come with up to 940Ah batteries depending on your options so there’s obviously room under there with this being front wheel drive.

Thanks Chalkie… 76Amps, 12.6 volts was on the MasterVolt. With the inverter on to run the air conditioner it showed 120V and 806 watts. I thought it was extremely high as well and dumbfounded but I’m learning. Bought it end of May with only 3,000 miles so it’s “new” and maybe there’s bugs or the batteries need to cycle more. I was just concerned how we can plug in to a 30Amp and see 76Amps draw.

So when I plug this B class in to 30Amp shore power, does the shore power charge the batteries and the batteries are running everything either as 12V or through the inverter? Planning our first RV experience for next week and I’m still trying to understand the details here. I went out yesterday and turned on power to the 200Ah batteries, then the inverter, then the A\C and wow…it was pulling 76Amps. So how does that work? If we’re connected to 30Amp shore does the batteries supply the rest of the 46Amps or what? Otherwise, wouldn’t the shore breaker pop? Sorry…just trying to avoid as many “surprises” as possible on our first adventure.

Great question. Just bought a 2022 Thor Sequence and all the way up to the walkthrough I didn’t know it was lithium, I thought it had a generator because I’d just seen one earlier in the day that was a year older. Thank God Thor has some really good videos on YouTube about these models, in hour long detail. When I realize it ran on lithium, I remember seeing one of the Thor videos and the reps said the batteries were an upgrade over the generator AND you could run the A\C all night easily on the batteries. They were NOT talking about the little 200Ah setup we have. We don’t anticipate being part of the RV lifestyle to any degree and wanted to boondock as much as possible but as someone said we’re go aftermarket for way more amps. Compare the cost of adding after purchase vs already on the vehicle. I know they use some better batteries on the bigger setups. No clue if we’ll replace or add or even how that works. Oh…for example I went out and turned on the power, inverter…and A\C. It was pulling 76Amps! I didn’t even know that was possible. So if I would have left it on…I don’t know what temp the A\C was set on, it showed about 2.5 hours of battery before I’d have to start the engine.

We purchased a B class RV this week as our first RV and despite the endless research over the past weeks, I failed to realize the BMPro controller was a stripped version because of the chip shortage in 2022. This is a Thor motorcoach. There was a black strip over the bottom of the controller when I had seen buttons and a read out in a 2021 Sequence that I had seen earlier in the day. I stupidly assumed it was and “upgraded”version. It was the exact opposite.I actually ran my finger across the strip and could feel the buttons underneath but it still didn’t register. I sent RVMaster an email asking if they plan to replace the chips or do I get a full version of the controller. Has anyone else got satisfactory resolution to this? I can tell you this, we will look into this legally from every angle. The wife just retired as a lawyer, so this will give her something to do😏. That doesn’t mean there’s a legal way to force them but if there is we will find it.

Same with the RAM Linda but I’d forgotten…thanks. Think I’ll put a sticker of some sort on the button as a reminder. I saw a YouTube video from a really sweet couple who travel full time with a trailer and they suggested putting a sticker or card on the dash with the RV height, so you can glance at it on a moments notice. No doubt there will be many of those tips we’ll learn on here as well.

Yes…the batteries run the A\C. I’m pretty sure this one has the “standard” 200Ah so I’ll have to boondock a few times to see how well it holds up. The one solar panel is good to run the lights I guess. I believe in one of the videos a Thor engineer said it puts out about 9 amps?? I now see you can get a 400Ah and I believe 800Ah setups on this rig. I did go back late yesterday and asked the sales guy WTF…there’s no generator. He acted surprised at my question. Said he’d never seen a Thor Sequence WITH a generator. Huh??? I just saw a 2021 with a generator. One thing he did say that made sense was the RV actually does have a generator…it’s the engine itself. I will have to check this particular unit but from all the videos and everything I’ve seen, there’s a button you can push somewhere on the dash when parked so if the battery levels get below 30% the engine automatically starts and runs the battery up to 80%. It will do that up to 5 times.

I’m very tempted to go back over there…only about 15 minutes from here, and ask where our damn brand new hose is AND based upon one of the manuals, I’m going to tell them to search this RV top to bottom until they can find the expensive surge protector. Yes I know they stole it from the prior owner but I’m furious. I’m still mystified over that sticker still being on the glove box after 3,000 miles.

Thanks Elia! I think the Thule type is what we’re looking for. Only problem with that one is it probably won’t tilt down enough to completely open the back doors. Yeah Linda, I haven’t been concerned about weight and balance issues since my flying days but will keep that in mind. Plus this unit is front wheel drive. I’ll continue looking for a box that swings away.

That’s right Linda. If the sales person listened there would be less time wasted showing things that are not of interest. I did learn at this New Jersey location a huge chunk of their business is trailers or I guess fifth wheelers, I’m not sure what that is but trailers. They only had 4 B class on the whole lot. They said their sales are chiefly for people who take the trailer to a Jersey shore RV and leave it there for the summer. They said B class RV’s are all over the south for some reason.

The deal is done…other than the temporary license plate coming off on the way home and they have to overnight a new one. Check this out…during that $1,700 “inspection and make ready”, which we didn’t pay for, we get there and water had overflowed the sink because the grey tank was full and water ran on the floor. We were FURIOUS. The kid shows me everything, then I take my inspection list from forum members here and Ruby on YouTube, ask him to unplug shore power and turn on the generator…NOTHING. Why??? Because this thing has the lithium battery option…no GENERATOR🙄 When I saw if on Memorial Day and even yesterday, there was zero mention of no generator. I don’t think any of the sales guys knew. I remember reading somewhere the lithium battery option was expensive, so I agreed to continue with the sale. I actually figured Camping World didn’t know about the expensive option or the price might have been higher.

Closing on a Thor Sequence today and we need one of those boxes that connects to the hitch. We plan on using the RV in part for golfing trips and need one of those to store our clubs and other stuff. Is there a hands down favorite cargo carrier these days?

Yes…and I got the impression this Camping World is run by morons. We have been fortunate to afford luxury vehicles over the decades, so in comparison these sales people and staff…are just above incompetent. On top of that, the sales kid yesterday was telling my Ivy League lawyer wife the “girls” upstairs take care of the paperwork and registration. I calmly explained on the drive home that RV’ers work hard, enjoy simple things in life, are conservative and all that entails. I think one advantage we have Dan is they know we are walking in with a cashier check and don’t need them to beg a bank to approve our loan app. We can walk out and go buy from someone else…no problem.

Yeah…as someone who sold airplanes and reading comments from you and others on here, I just kinda know going in not to believe anything because every word goes to how they’re gonna make an extra buck…everything. I just saw it as swimming with sharks but I’m a shark so… I was frankly shocked but they agreed to the 93,500 OTD 20 minutes before closing and the sales guy is off tomorrow…the last day of the month. The sales guy did make one last stab at draining a little more out of me by saying the price is agreed to and fill out the credit app online and we’ll be set when you get here. Nope…cash. They get a loan kickback but I wasn’t feeling generous. A little while later I got a call from the finance office making a run at getting a loan. She was nice but still… I even suspect they will try to pull something tomorrow and we will walk.

There ya go. Different sales guy today who knew little about the RV but said it’s already on consignment for the reason you sold yours or RV traveling wasn’t for him or the financial situation changed significantly. We’re at 93,500 out the door and they were at 95,500. We figured at 93,500 OTD, that’s what we’ll pay with taxes on the older one with a lot more miles. I don’t know you particular circumstance but there doesn’t seem to be a huge depreciation hit on Class B RV’s like cars but I could be mistaken. OTOH…it could be the huge bump in RV usage since the pandemic or I could be way off, I suppose.

The wife and I are trying again after a failed inspection but this time rather than a class C we are looking at a class B. There is an individual who is selling a 2021 Sequence for 87 firm with 34K but at Camping World we can buy a 2022 with only around 3500 miles with an asking price of 105 but an out the door price of 89. Shouldn’t the wife and I be extremely suspicious of a brand new class B that only has around 3000 miles? What is up with that? As a matter of fact Camping World had a second class B that had around the same number of miles! Thanks for your response…going back to look at the one at Camping World late this afternoon. I was somewhat shocked because the sales guy followed up today with a call and I told him thanks but we are looking in the 80’s not low 100’s. His boss calls back, said it’s only been on consignment for a week. Said I understood completely and if somebody want to pay 105K good for you but we will only pay in the 80’s. Sales guy calls back and says the seller “doesn’t want to make another payment”. I don’t necessarily believe that but that’s not relevant to the negotiation. Is this common where somebody buys an RV and after a few thousand miles decides they don’t like it and have the money to burn? Surely to God it wasn’t an issue of problems with the RV since it’s brand new and under warranty…right?

The owner picked up the Forester and wasn’t mad…actually felt bad we spent $800 for the inspection. He even said the leveler collapsed on him once and he had to “open the panel” and do a reset. He also knew the roof needed “some work”. Lastly, the seller said HE should have done a pre-buy inspection before he bought it. On to look for a B Class at the right price but I know it’ll be a long journey.

Sadly it didn’t work out and we’ve decided it’s better for us to go with a B Class anyway. The big thing was the roof is in “poor” condition and there is evidence of water damage inside the RV. There were several other things including all the tires had to be replaced, a potential issue with the slider, he retracted the leveling system then when he went to put it down he had to remove the panel, unplug and plug it back in to get it to work. The hydraulic box was covered in fluid. There were other issues as well. The weird thing is I sent the seller an email late yesterday morning saying thanks but we’re gonna pass and either I’ll pick him up to get it or I’ll drive it down to him and the wife will pick me up. No response… Since it’s just the wife and I, not wanting to tow a car, why not go for an all in one with solar and the rest…other than the outrageous price of B Class. Hopefully we can find one for less than 100K.

Thanks Linda… I have now gone back-and-forth with the inspector a few times and if we pull the trigger, which I believe we will, I am definitely hiring this guy. The other inspector who I emailed at the same time yesterday, hasn’t even given me an initial response so…

No prob… Yeah we’ll do that leak check and I did look at the roof. There were specks of mold here and there but the caulk didn’t look cracked and didn’t see any stains in the bedroom in the corners. I assume the inspector will look it over well. One inspector got back to us and I thought $799 was a little steep, plus $100 for each fluid analysis. However, it was the nicest email. The guy said he can work it in pretty quick and since I’m allowed to “rent” it for a few days, if we go local, he’d meet us and make sure we know everything to do at a RV park or wherever, even before the inspection. Plus he does the inspection at the seller’s house.