New Energy and Facelift for Ole Red
When we purchased our 2000 34' U270 in 2017 it was in pretty good shape. Before taking delivery MOT replaced airbags and fuel lines and added a Progressive Industries EMS. Shortly after taking delivery we hooked up with Paul Yasbeck in Leesburg, FL who has done everything else that's been done to the coach. Readers will know that although I'm intrigued with all the DIY talent on the Forum, my only talent is the ability and willingness to write checks for properly done work we chose to do after significant research and thought.
Shortly after returning to Florida from MOT we added the SeeLevel tank monitoring system TPMS for the coach and toad, and replaced the original Dometic refrigertor/freezer and separate U-line ice maker.. Since 2018 we've added day/night MCD shades, replaced the radiator, brakes (including turning rotors and replacing bearings), Koni shocks and added a Safety-T-Plus steering stabilizer. So other than minor air system leaks and regular annual service the coach will be mechanically sound as much as we an do with preventive replacements and maintenance.
After our 2020 trip we committed to our final big investment....a redo of the interior and an entirely new energy management system.
Interior
We replaced the original Flexsteel captains chairs with special order Villa chairs in the color scheme we'd seen in a new IC37. This gave us the co-pilot electric leg rest and lumbar supports missing in the originals...as well as factory shoulder harnesses built into the chairs. We also ordered ultra leather in the same color as the base color of the chairs and had all the original material replaced on the entry door, dash, and over dash valance.
We also completely replaced the flooring from the entry to the bedroom with Mannington Adura Flex LVT. In a previous post we showed the condition of the "wet step" which necessitated rebuidling the bottom box of the entry stairs. We ordered color matched Roppe floor treads (to match flooring and carpet) on the entry steps as well as using the same carpet on the entry step walls that we'd previously installed in the bedroom and along the wire chases along the walls from the front of the coach rearward.
The final interior upgrade was installation of 2 - 15k BTU Dometic heat pump AC's, both with Soft-start, and a new, programable control. We can now schedule AC startup when we leave the coach and have AC cool the coach before we return on hot days, even without hookups (see Energy Management below).
Energy Management System
After carefully studying the work of others, particularly with input form Roger Engdahl and Jeff Lendroth, we had 6-100Ah Batteborn GC2 lithium house batteries installed along with Victron 3000 Multiplus inverter, Victron SmartSolar charge controller, Victron Lynx Distributor DC distribution system, Victron Battery Protect, Victron BMV 712 monitor and Victron Orion 30 amp DC-DC charger. As part of this energy system upgrade we also replaced the original starter and addd an upgraded 160w alternator (U270 originally came with 140w).
To report system performance we added the Victron Cerbo GX module and the GX50 touchscreen color monitor. This provides not only reporting on the color panel in the coach, nearby reporting by bluetooth on our iPhone/pad and, when Ole Red has Internet service, monitoring and control of the entire system from anywhere via internet.
One significant advantage of the new energy management system is auto-generator control including autostart under a variety of conditions, including voltage and AC load. While the energy management system can run one of the AC's for 3 hours (without solar input) or longer with solar supplement, the generator autostart can also be programmed to start the generator when the AC load exceeds 1500 watts in order to preserve battery capacity (see below). Generator controls also allow input of Quiet Hours to ensure that any needed or desired generator start conditions don't violate park quiet hours.
Finally, we installed 6- Hightec Solar 210w panels using AM Solar stainless Rocker Feet which allow tilting although we have not added the tilt bars. The tilt function simply makes the panels easier to move when we want to clean beneath them.
What it Worth It?
We love traveling in Ole Red. All of these improvements....maintenance, interior and energy management...were done to enhance our enjoyment of our Foretravel. None of them make financial sense and we don't expect to get that money out when we sell someday. We do think it will make our coach highly desirable and easier to sell than other 20+ year old coaches. We think every owner should do whatever makes them happy and we enjoy all that each owner we've come in contact with has done to make their coach right for them.
We do plan to have the coach appraised, however, and increase the stated value for insurance purposes in order to recover a significant amount of what we've invested should the coach ever be totaled. Yes, a bigger premium, but worth it given our investment.
One final thought on economics...most of you will remember my stating in numerous replies to posts regarding how much to invest in a Foretravel...even with all that we've put into our coach from original acquisition to these improvements...we still have less invested than a new coach with comparable appointments and have a coach with a quality level many times over that of a new rig.
Thanks for taking a look.
Randy and Karen
Topic: New Energy and Facelift for Ole Red