I have had my 2023 since Oct 2022. A good 60 + % is dry camping. NEVER, has it lasted 5 days. By about 3.5 and at night everything goes dead. Yes, I will agree, that while traveling the USA and you soend a night at Flying Gas Station or find a place to pull off, everything will work. But if you plan on really going "Drycamping/Boondocking, you better have a generator to "boost your battery" every 2-3 days. We can Boondock for 7, 10, 12 even 14 days, with the help of a generator and really concerving our water use into our holding tanks.
See all those bed supports made of wood in the front storage area, they are vastly undersized and will break. My Micro Mini had this support system, the wood used had knots in it and was 3/4 by 1 3/8, only 5 or 6 across the whole span. The bed sits on a 1/8 inch! piece of plywood. Ours caved in after about six trips and I had to rebuild the entire structure. I used seven 1 1/2 inch by 1/1/2 laminated (glued and screwed) supports, 7 of them., plus went to a 1/2 sheet of plywood for the top (4x the thickness of the original).Also I had to build out the entire under support to hold them. Winnebago also simply attaches and glues a ledger board to the inside wood walls (very thin) to hold the cross supports. The addition weight I added was about 60lbs, nothing in the overall weight of the trailer, but will now never fail. My wife and I are also very light people, I'm 155lbs, can't imagine what would happen if someone much larger was using this trailer. Bottom line, to save weight they under build this support system by at least half. Do yourself a favor, get an aluminum framed trailer that is welded, it is more expensive but you will save yourself big $$ in the long run. I have a wood shop and am a skilled wood worker, so my labor was free, wood cost me about $300. My time would have been $2000 for the tear out and the rebuild.
Yes! Kind of par for the course, as I see it done this way in most rvs. Prioritizing weight over durability, and even weight over aerodynamics. I do wish the Rv industry would realize that generally speaking, weight of a camper isn’t as relevant to safety/economy while towing (especially in these ultralight campers) as is aerodynamics. Back to the durability issue, I’ve noticed the thinness there as well. I’ve seen others correct it with square tubing. It’s all a relatively easy fix, fortunately, so I’d just add, don’t let that deter you from buying an otherwise great little trailer for the money. It’s worth mentioning though, and Winnebago has been pretty good at reacting to consumer feedback over the years. They do pay attention.
By the way, your puppy is very cute. I have a question for you. I bought mine at an auction, so I have very little information although it was brand new and I went by a dealership and asked him about it and as you said earlier, the person was clueless. So I’m kind of learning on my own but it’s keeping me in parks instead of off the grid and that’s what I bought it for. My current problem is that I don’t know how to have it on battery operation only. The reason I say that is I cannot open the slide unless I’m on power and I know that that’s not the case. Otherwise you couldn’t be off grid. I’m just not certain how that works. Is there an on off switch? Any help would be appreciated thank you.
We’re waiting on our DS FLX. This video answered, and showed, most all the questions we couldn’t really glean from winnebago’s promos (and provided component model numbers!). Very well done and much appreciated!
@@joestravels3027 I think I've watched every video currently available. Got a really good feel for most everything, I think, but one thing I haven't seen is the privacy curtain in the closed position. (I'm an early riser, wife's not) :-)
I noticed that you had the wheel chock thing in between your tires. I cannot find one that fits in between those tires. Can you tell me where you got yours and what model it is
Thank you for sharing your experience. We have a 2022 2100 BH we purchased in October last year. It has the 12 volt fridge we like it also very much. It has the Dometic AC and water heater. It came wired with the 190 watt solar panel and two common wet batteries and two twenty pound tanks for gas. i have priced purchasing two Lithium batteries and just upgrading the batteries and setting the charger to Lithium battery setting for charging. The tanks are also straight forward. I also have tested a AI Power 2200 inverter power generator and that seems to run the AC. I have had to turn the AC off to run the microwave. i have a larger generator but the 2200 is an easy to travel with size. Good luck with your unit I hope it works out for you!
Sounds like my old setup. If you haven’t already (sounds like you may have, if you can run your a/c off that size inverter), look into the Micro-Air Easy Start system. I had that on my last camper with the Dometic 15K A/C. I could run the A/C on 15A service, but not the microwave at the same time.
I’m measuring 28 and 3/4 inch coupler height when level, understand I need to have my ball up to at minimum 29 and 3/4 inch. Did you all have same measurements?
Thanks for the videos. I just bought my FLX last month. I did have solar on my 5th wheel but no inverter so am looking forward to being off-grid with this. My concern is having the 12V fridge and the draw on the battery. I have been hooked up to power in AZ but am heading back to my Lake Superior property in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan next week. I am going to unhook from power until I leave just to ensure there are no problems. Hopefully I don't run into the same issues you did. Once again thanks for the info and I'd appreciate any tips.
Depending on how much direct sunlight you get, and how much other lights/appliances you use, you should theoretically be able to power the fridge indefinitely. I tested mine here in Florida, by parking it in the storage facility with a charge of about 50%, and leaving the fridge on the coldest setting. I also forgot to turn off the antenna booster. When I came back to pick it up a week later, the fridge was still running, and the solar panels had charged the battery up to 100%. If you’re not getting the same amount of sun, you might need to dial back the fridge settings a little You’ll have to play with it a little to find out what works for you.
Definitely will! I’m having some issues with the electronics right now, which Winnebago, Lithionics, and Xantrex are assisting with. Perks of being an early adopter. I will post more videos detailing these and my adventures as soon as I can.
It may be a setting issue. If the charger is pulling too many amps to try to charge the battery, it may overload the house circuit and switch itself back to using the battery to power the camper rather than charging it. Or the battery profile is incorrect on the charger and it’s stopping before the battery is fully charged.
Removed cover in front covering lithionics battery and inverter pressed reset on inverter on the side and also reset button on go power box that has 3 blinking lights put cover back on turned battery.switch back on and pushed power button back on it blinks when on pluged back into house 100 percent charge 1 hour 4 screws hold wooden cover on easy to move away I think hitting reset buttons did trick plus grabbed battery terminals and wires to check for tightness all good now
Thanks for the video, love your new TT!... I do have a question though, are you able to comfortably watch the TV from the sofa? I am sure that the TV comes out but appears that even with it swung out all that you can, you still would have to turn your head in order to see it? Thanks in advance and looking forward to more of your videos.
Thanks for watching. Yes, sort of. The tv won’t swing out far enough to be placed directly in front of you facing forward on the couch. You’d still have to turn your head almost 90 degrees to see it. It’s fine for one person, but I could see it being a problem for two or more. I either lay on the couch or lay on the bed to watch tv.
This is one of the biggest negatives to this camper for me. They should have mounted it above the kitchen sink on a swivel so it would be directly across from the couch and then you could swivel it towards the bed too.
Congratulations 🎈 Nice Trauma package! We love the 12V Fridge; we were purposely in search of a TT with a 12V when we first purchased our first TT. And now we upgraded to a 2022 Imagine XLS 22Mle the parent company is Winnebago. Which has a 10cuft Dometic 12V fridge as you do. Yes saw this Minnie Flex on UA-cam at the Tampa RV show. Could not make it to the Tampa Super show this year my daughters wedding. But instead made it to Tennessee and took. delivery Feb 4 of our new Grand Design TT. Currently running 160Watt Solar; Will eventually upgrade to an lithium setup. I noticed your stabilizers had nothing to give them support in the grass. Anyway get some blocks under them and notice how much more stable your TT will be lol
Sorry I never responded. Congrats on your new Grand Design. That was a big contender. I have the blocks for the stabilizers but these trailers are so dang tall now, and my spot so sloped side to side, that I had to use them under the wheels and under the tongue Jack just to get it off the truck. I’ve since addd a flip jack which helps a ton! They really should at least put an adjustable foot on the tongue jack if they’re going to lift these so high off the ground.
@@joestravels3027 Thanks. Never had a slide before. Have you had any experience with any issues with them? I do want to get away from the dinette and liked the sofa option.
@@hrprez6719 yes, I’ve had both. Honestly, I thought id like the sofa better because it does pull out into a much softer and larger bed. But I miss the dinette. In it, you can sit across from someone and play cards or board games, and the table is much sturdier than the one that bolts to the front of the sofa. And you get more storage underneath the dinette, which is better than the awkward narrow storage behind the sofa. I also preferred to keep my pets’ food bowls underneath the dinette, so that They were off the floor and so I wouldn’t accidentally kick them over. The only downsides to the dinette are that the cushions aren’t comfortable if you’re planning on working from your camper or sit for long periods, and the back of the dinette might block the lower corner of the tv, depending on where you’re watching it from.
Has anyone had problems with the battery charging? We just bought a 2022 2108TB. We shore powered the battery to 100% before our first trip trial run so to speak. We were fine for one day and had lost power for the most part after that. We did not run the ac or micro. At the last of the trip, we cut it short because the lack of battery would not run the refrigerator. We had to operate a gen to pull in the slide and leveling jacks so we could depart. Our solar panels seem not to charge the battery back to a useable state. Anyway just curious
@@joestravels3027 well i tried after I got home with the inverter off it seemed to not make a difference. The batteries don’t charge or very little via solar. Frustrating
Looking forward to your future videos. We just put a down payment on the same model and it will be our very first trailer. If the folks at the dealership don't know much about it because it's so new we will be watching your videos to help us along the way.
Congrats on the new purchase! I’ll upload more videos soon. I’m working with some of the engineers to sort out a couple issues we’ve encountered. I’ll share the solutions when we figure them out.
@@joestravels3027 - would be interested to hear details as we are looking at this unit as well. Additionally we are wondering if we can daisy chain additional batteries
I haven’t. Winnebago deliberately stopped installing them, presumably due to supply chain challenges. They installed a roof vent in the kitchen to compensate but I found it didn’t remove near enough air, so I replaced it with a Maxxair vent. It does a great job.
Your AC noise compared to what I’m used to (a Coleman on a StarCraft popup) is NOTHING to complain about, either with the compressor on OR fan on to circulate the air…….just saying.
Yes I believe that. I previously had a Micro Minnie with the Dometic a/c though, which was about the same loudness as this one, and did function like a regular a/c that turned off when it reached the set temperature. So that’s my baseline. But you’re right, neither compare to some of the a/c’s out there. Colemans are notoriously loud, but efficient.
HI Joe , thanks for the quick reply. I am in touch with Winnebago Customer Care specifically parts dept. They state they will get back to me but nothing thus far. When I asked the dealership about the missing hood and vent they acted like it was news to them ! As you know a gas appliance must be vented by code to be safe ,as well as, the flammable cabinetry directly above the stove top. We are talking $ 150 in parts plus a minor install process. Did you install you Maxxair 7500 yourself ?
Yes I did. It’s actually a fairly easy install. I wondered whether omitting that vent was kosher, but I never pressed them on it. I’d be interested to hear what the result is. Potential recall? Maybe they’ll add one for us?
Hi Joe , I have installed all the Go Pro , Xantrex and Lithionics apps on my Moto Z phone. Several of the Xantrex 3000 parameters were wrong and I had to correct them. The Go Pro app always reads a fully charged battery and the Xantrex app rarely agrees with the Lithonics app in regards to the level of battery charge. Are you experiencing any of these wonky issues ?
Yes. Short answer is, don’t use the battery level indicators of the other apps. They don’t play well with the lithionics battery. Only trust the lithionics battery app. Get that info straight from the source.
Hi Joe, how long did it take you to charge your battery system off 110 20amp? and does the battery charge with the tow vehicle? and do you know if you can add another battery?
I haven’t tried to charge it with 20A service, but I imagine it will take three of four hours. I use my trucks generator and do it in about one hour. The tow vehicle won’t charge it, or at least any power will be negligible. You can add another battery, but you’ll want to get the same battery from Lithionics, which is five or six thousand dollars. So, if the battery isn’t enough, I’d probably just buy a small Honda generator to charge the battery as needed.
@@joestravels3027 Your video and these messages have given more info than days of searching the web, thank you! Just curious...what is the lowest that the battery can safely discharge without getting damaged? And from that point how long would it take the solar on a sunny day to recharge the battery? Can it charge while the AC is running? And one last question, I saw that portable solar can be added but can more solar be added to the roof to help charge the battery? Sorry for all the questions, I am (hopefully) about to purchase one and the salespeople do not have this info.
@@c.m.303 thanks. The battery goes into power reserve mode at 10% state of charge if I recall correctly. I never let mine get that low. It shouldn’t hurt it if you do, it’s just a hassle because it shuts down to preserve power. Assuming you can get 30A of solar, and don’t use any electricity, it would take about 11 hours to recharge the battery. Realistically, though, the power is going to fluctuate throughout the day, you’re running your fridge, and a fan, etc., so you’ll probably get 30-50% charge max. I carry a small generator for emergencies. Yes, the battery can charge while the ac is running, assuming you’re collecting more energy than the inverter and ac uses. That won’t happen on solar though. You’ll need a generator or some other power source.
@@c.m.303 one more of the same sized solar panel can be added to roof. Any more than that, and you’ll have a hard time finding space up there. Also, the solar controller can only handle one more panel. I go into more detail in another video, specifically on the solar panels.
@joestravels3027 Thanks for the info! This brings up another question. If I add a small generator, does that add to solar panels recharging the battery, or does it replace/ stop the panels from charging?
Odd, we have the exact same model and mine (and the other FLX models on the lot at our dealer) do not have the vent panel on the entry side like you have. There is only the heater exhaust and other connectors but no large cover like you see on your rig.
Yes. Mine is a very early production unit, which is part of the reason I’ve been having some issues. That vent panel is for an LP fridge, which is obviously not needed on this because the fridge is 12V. They sealed the hole up behind the panel, but on later production units, they aren’t cutting the hole to begin with. I wish mine was like yours. ;) You likely have the upgraded Lithionics battery as well. I have it too now, replaced under warranty, because the originally included Lithionics battery failed within a month of use.
Dang! I know being an early adopter always has risks but having the battery crap out that fast is ridiculous. This is why I still plan on carrying a generator. I would rather be over prepared than screwed.
Interestingly, I just pulled out the circuit breaker box and noticed the fridge area is plumbed for lpg as well (it’s just capped off), so if I really wanted to, I could change the fridge out for a propane fridge. I’m assuming with the later builds, they won’t have that, since they got rid of the vent. Not sure.
Hey Joe, GREAT video! I also have a Flx and Powerboost. I'm running into a challenge similar (maybe the same?) as you. Since I just responded to a thread on Winnebago Owners - Minnie board I thought I'd copy it here. Just wondering if you've solved this problem or perhaps discovered a work around? Sure would be nice to fully use the technologies in these two vehicles. Here's the thread: So the PB is a beautiful option. There is one major challenge with the Flx. Both the Flx and the PB have inverters. When I first started using the PB to provide "shore power" to the Flx I noticed strange power usage numbers. Almost double what you might expect as a draw from the suite of technical appliances (air conditioning, lights, microwave, etc.) that were supposedly developed to operate on very low energy. So, of course, I talked to our dealer's service department. They said the best way to use the PB and avoid the inverter conflict was to turn off the inverter in the camper. Trouble seems to be that when you do that you stop all AC and DC charging of the battery. Yes, the PB can power your Flx. Yes it will extend your time a bit in the back country. But no, it seems you can't charge your batteries with the available 30 amp service at the same time you're powering your camper with the PB.
I haven’t had that issue. My power boost powers my camper just fine, though there is definitely some efficiency loss in the process. It just took some trial and error. First (you may know this, but I’ve seen many posts from people that don’t, so I’ll say it) the breaker on the road side of the coach is NOT the breaker for the inverter. It is the battery disconnect switch. If that is off, your battery will not charge while on shore power. Second, the campers inverter does NOT need to be powered on to charge the battery. If you have sufficient shore power coming into the system, the converter will take over and charge your battery regardless of whether the inverter switch is on or off. And lastly, the trial and error part for me was the settings of the Xantrex system. The app is the best and easiest way to monitor and change the settings. When you are using the powerboost, or a 15/20 amp outlet, you’ll need to reduce the charge current that the charger sends to the battery. If you don’t use any appliances, the powerboost should have no problem charging the battery at full speed. But if you are using the air conditioner or microwave at the same time as charging the battery at full speed, you’ll make the powerboost’s computer mad. Just reduce the charge current (I think I have mine set at 90 amps for powerboost, 50 amps might be more appropriate for a 20A outlet) and keep an eye on the total system draw, particularly as the a/c cycles on and off.
Nice trailer, looking forward to your travels. I am debating on the Non FLX and add the components which adds about $10k anyway.. So why not have it all done. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! That was my thought as well. This way, everything’s covered under warranty. If you’re financing, it’s all included so you don’t have much additional out of pocket expenses to get started.
@@joestravels3027 Plus several components are upgraded too right? I just wish they didn't advertise the flex package all over the trailer for everyone to see...I'd feel safer if it was far more subtle.
@@c.m.303 yes, although in the newer ones, I’m hearing they’re putting in different appliances, like a GE fridge, which I’m hearing lots of complaints about. My Dometic fridge works great. To be honest, after owning for a year… and if you’re handy and/or want a project, I’d probably buy the standard model and do some upgrades myself if I were to do it again. I love the truma appliances EXCEPT for the ac. It is a pain in the butt to clean, and it’s not as quiet or as efficient as it’s touted to be. I would prefer a standard ac with an easy start, or even better a true 12v ac that doesn’t require an inverter. The lithionics battery is great, probably the best out there, but there are other much cheaper “good enough” alternatives that you could build your own for the same amount of money, but with double or triple the battery capacity, and make this more of a true off-grid camper. But… buying the FLX package is a lot easier.
I have had my 2023 since Oct 2022. A good 60 + % is dry camping. NEVER, has it lasted 5 days. By about 3.5 and at night everything goes dead. Yes, I will agree, that while traveling the USA and you soend a night at Flying Gas Station or find a place to pull off, everything will work. But if you plan on really going "Drycamping/Boondocking, you better have a generator to "boost your battery" every 2-3 days. We can Boondock for 7, 10, 12 even 14 days, with the help of a generator and really concerving our water use into our holding tanks.
Thank you for all your info. This is the one I was looking at.
Glad it was helpful!
THANKS! Considering buying and this was a GREAT non sponsored video.
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it and found it useful
I really like these. Thank you for your help.
See all those bed supports made of wood in the front storage area, they are vastly undersized and will break. My Micro Mini had this support system, the wood used had knots in it and was 3/4 by 1 3/8, only 5 or 6 across the whole span. The bed sits on a 1/8 inch! piece of plywood. Ours caved in after about six trips and I had to rebuild the entire structure. I used seven 1 1/2 inch by 1/1/2 laminated (glued and screwed) supports, 7 of them., plus went to a 1/2 sheet of plywood for the top (4x the thickness of the original).Also I had to build out the entire under support to hold them. Winnebago also simply attaches and glues a ledger board to the inside wood walls (very thin) to hold the cross supports. The addition weight I added was about 60lbs, nothing in the overall weight of the trailer, but will now never fail. My wife and I are also very light people, I'm 155lbs, can't imagine what would happen if someone much larger was using this trailer. Bottom line, to save weight they under build this support system by at least half. Do yourself a favor, get an aluminum framed trailer that is welded, it is more expensive but you will save yourself big $$ in the long run. I have a wood shop and am a skilled wood worker, so my labor was free, wood cost me about $300. My time would have been $2000 for the tear out and the rebuild.
Yes! Kind of par for the course, as I see it done this way in most rvs. Prioritizing weight over durability, and even weight over aerodynamics. I do wish the Rv industry would realize that generally speaking, weight of a camper isn’t as relevant to safety/economy while towing (especially in these ultralight campers) as is aerodynamics. Back to the durability issue, I’ve noticed the thinness there as well. I’ve seen others correct it with square tubing. It’s all a relatively easy fix, fortunately, so I’d just add, don’t let that deter you from buying an otherwise great little trailer for the money. It’s worth mentioning though, and Winnebago has been pretty good at reacting to consumer feedback over the years. They do pay attention.
By the way, your puppy is very cute. I have a question for you. I bought mine at an auction, so I have very little information although it was brand new and I went by a dealership and asked him about it and as you said earlier, the person was clueless. So I’m kind of learning on my own but it’s keeping me in parks instead of off the grid and that’s what I bought it for. My current problem is that I don’t know how to have it on battery operation only. The reason I say that is I cannot open the slide unless I’m on power and I know that that’s not the case. Otherwise you couldn’t be off grid. I’m just not certain how that works. Is there an on off switch? Any help would be appreciated thank you.
We’re waiting on our DS FLX. This video answered, and showed, most all the questions we couldn’t really glean from winnebago’s promos (and provided component model numbers!). Very well done and much appreciated!
Congrats on your purchase! And thanks for the feedback. Let me know if you have any specific questions, and I’ll try to answer them in future videos.
@@joestravels3027 I think I've watched every video currently available. Got a really good feel for most everything, I think, but one thing I haven't seen is the privacy curtain in the closed position. (I'm an early riser, wife's not) :-)
I noticed that you had the wheel chock thing in between your tires. I cannot find one that fits in between those tires. Can you tell me where you got yours and what model it is
Thanks for a great review, not hardly any reviews out there with your detail.
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your experience. We have a 2022 2100 BH we purchased in October last year. It has the 12 volt fridge we like it also very much. It has the Dometic AC and water heater. It came wired with the 190 watt solar panel and two common wet batteries and two twenty pound tanks for gas. i have priced purchasing two Lithium batteries and just upgrading the batteries and setting the charger to Lithium battery setting for charging. The tanks are also straight forward. I also have tested a AI Power 2200 inverter power generator and that seems to run the AC. I have had to turn the AC off to run the microwave. i have a larger generator but the 2200 is an easy to travel with size. Good luck with your unit I hope it works out for you!
Sounds like my old setup. If you haven’t already (sounds like you may have, if you can run your a/c off that size inverter), look into the Micro-Air Easy Start system. I had that on my last camper with the Dometic 15K A/C. I could run the A/C on 15A service, but not the microwave at the same time.
I’m measuring 28 and 3/4 inch coupler height when level, understand I need to have my ball up to at minimum 29 and 3/4 inch. Did you all have same measurements?
That sounds right
Thanks for the videos. I just bought my FLX last month. I did have solar on my 5th wheel but no inverter so am looking forward to being off-grid with this. My concern is having the 12V fridge and the draw on the battery. I have been hooked up to power in AZ but am heading back to my Lake Superior property in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan next week. I am going to unhook from power until I leave just to ensure there are no problems. Hopefully I don't run into the same issues you did. Once again thanks for the info and I'd appreciate any tips.
Depending on how much direct sunlight you get, and how much other lights/appliances you use, you should theoretically be able to power the fridge indefinitely. I tested mine here in Florida, by parking it in the storage facility with a charge of about 50%, and leaving the fridge on the coldest setting. I also forgot to turn off the antenna booster. When I came back to pick it up a week later, the fridge was still running, and the solar panels had charged the battery up to 100%. If you’re not getting the same amount of sun, you might need to dial back the fridge settings a little You’ll have to play with it a little to find out what works for you.
Please post more videos. How many hours can you run the ac off the battery?
Definitely will! I’m having some issues with the electronics right now, which Winnebago, Lithionics, and Xantrex are assisting with. Perks of being an early adopter. I will post more videos detailing these and my adventures as soon as I can.
My new flx is exactly same having problem with battery reaching 100 percent pluged into my house
It may be a setting issue. If the charger is pulling too many amps to try to charge the battery, it may overload the house circuit and switch itself back to using the battery to power the camper rather than charging it. Or the battery profile is incorrect on the charger and it’s stopping before the battery is fully charged.
Removed cover in front covering lithionics battery and inverter pressed reset on inverter on the side and also reset button on go power box that has 3 blinking lights put cover back on turned battery.switch back on and pushed power button back on it blinks when on pluged back into house 100 percent charge 1 hour 4 screws hold wooden cover on easy to move away I think hitting reset buttons did trick plus grabbed battery terminals and wires to check for tightness all good now
Thanks for the video, love your new TT!... I do have a question though, are you able to comfortably watch the TV from the sofa? I am sure that the TV comes out but appears that even with it swung out all that you can, you still would have to turn your head in order to see it? Thanks in advance and looking forward to more of your videos.
Thanks for watching. Yes, sort of. The tv won’t swing out far enough to be placed directly in front of you facing forward on the couch. You’d still have to turn your head almost 90 degrees to see it. It’s fine for one person, but I could see it being a problem for two or more. I either lay on the couch or lay on the bed to watch tv.
This is one of the biggest negatives to this camper for me. They should have mounted it above the kitchen sink on a swivel so it would be directly across from the couch and then you could swivel it towards the bed too.
Congratulations 🎈 Nice Trauma package! We love the 12V Fridge; we were purposely in search of a TT with a 12V when we first purchased our first TT. And now we upgraded to a 2022 Imagine XLS 22Mle the parent company is Winnebago. Which has a 10cuft Dometic 12V fridge as you do. Yes saw this Minnie Flex on UA-cam at the Tampa RV show. Could not make it to the Tampa Super show this year my daughters wedding. But instead made it to Tennessee and took. delivery Feb 4 of our new Grand Design TT.
Currently running 160Watt Solar; Will eventually upgrade to an lithium setup. I noticed your stabilizers had nothing to give them support in the grass. Anyway get some blocks under them and notice how much more stable your TT will be lol
Sorry I never responded. Congrats on your new Grand Design. That was a big contender. I have the blocks for the stabilizers but these trailers are so dang tall now, and my spot so sloped side to side, that I had to use them under the wheels and under the tongue Jack just to get it off the truck. I’ve since addd a flip jack which helps a ton! They really should at least put an adjustable foot on the tongue jack if they’re going to lift these so high off the ground.
Great video. Is there any room to walk to bath when the slide is in?
Very little room. Maybe 6-8 inches. There’s a little more room on the models with the dinette.
@@joestravels3027 Thanks. Never had a slide before. Have you had any experience with any issues with them? I do want to get away from the dinette and liked the sofa option.
@@hrprez6719 yes, I’ve had both. Honestly, I thought id like the sofa better because it does pull out into a much softer and larger bed. But I miss the dinette. In it, you can sit across from someone and play cards or board games, and the table is much sturdier than the one that bolts to the front of the sofa. And you get more storage underneath the dinette, which is better than the awkward narrow storage behind the sofa. I also preferred to keep my pets’ food bowls underneath the dinette, so that They were off the floor and so I wouldn’t accidentally kick them over. The only downsides to the dinette are that the cushions aren’t comfortable if you’re planning on working from your camper or sit for long periods, and the back of the dinette might block the lower corner of the tv, depending on where you’re watching it from.
Has anyone had problems with the battery charging?
We just bought a 2022 2108TB.
We shore powered the battery to 100% before our first trip trial run so to speak.
We were fine for one day and had lost power for the most part after that.
We did not run the ac or micro.
At the last of the trip, we cut it short because the lack of battery would not run the refrigerator.
We had to operate a gen to pull in the slide and leveling jacks so we could depart.
Our solar panels seem not to charge the battery back to a useable state.
Anyway just curious
It may be the settings on your inverter. It may be running constantly, draining the battery. You should be good for more than a day if not using a/c.
@@joestravels3027
well i tried after I got home with the inverter off it seemed to not make a difference.
The batteries don’t charge or very little via solar.
Frustrating
Hey, getting my FLX next week. Ever figure out what your charging issue was?
Wired wrong from the factory. I brought it into the dealer and they troubleshot it and corrected the wiring.
All good now.
Looking forward to your future videos. We just put a down payment on the same model and it will be our very first trailer. If the folks at the dealership don't know much about it because it's so new we will be watching your videos to help us along the way.
Congrats on the new purchase! I’ll upload more videos soon. I’m working with some of the engineers to sort out a couple issues we’ve encountered. I’ll share the solutions when we figure them out.
@@joestravels3027 - would be interested to hear details as we are looking at this unit as well. Additionally we are wondering if we can daisy chain additional batteries
HI Joe , I see your 2108 FBS is missing the range hood and wall vent.
How have you addressed this with Winnebago ?
I haven’t. Winnebago deliberately stopped installing them, presumably due to supply chain challenges. They installed a roof vent in the kitchen to compensate but I found it didn’t remove near enough air, so I replaced it with a
Maxxair vent. It does a great job.
Your AC noise compared to what I’m used to (a Coleman on a StarCraft popup) is NOTHING to complain about, either with the compressor on OR fan on to circulate the air…….just saying.
Yes I believe that. I previously had a Micro Minnie with the Dometic a/c though, which was about the same loudness as this one, and did function like a regular a/c that turned off when it reached the set temperature. So that’s my baseline. But you’re right, neither compare to some of the a/c’s out there. Colemans are notoriously loud, but efficient.
HI Joe , thanks for the quick reply. I am in touch with Winnebago Customer Care specifically parts dept. They state they will get back to me but nothing thus far. When I asked the dealership about the missing hood and vent they acted like it was news to them ! As you know a gas appliance must be vented by code to be safe ,as well as, the flammable cabinetry directly above the stove top. We are talking $ 150 in parts plus a minor install process. Did you install you Maxxair 7500 yourself ?
Yes I did. It’s actually a fairly easy install. I wondered whether omitting that vent was kosher, but I never pressed them on it. I’d be interested to hear what the result is. Potential recall? Maybe they’ll add one for us?
Good video.
Thank you!
Hi Joe , I have installed all the Go Pro , Xantrex and Lithionics apps on my Moto Z phone. Several of the Xantrex 3000 parameters were wrong and I had to correct them. The Go Pro app always reads a fully charged battery and the Xantrex app rarely agrees with the Lithonics app in regards to the level of battery charge. Are you experiencing any of these wonky issues ?
Yes. Short answer is, don’t use the battery level indicators of the other apps. They don’t play well with the lithionics battery. Only trust the lithionics battery app. Get that info straight from the source.
Hi Joe, how long did it take you to charge your battery system off 110 20amp? and does the battery charge with the tow vehicle? and do you know if you can add another battery?
I haven’t tried to charge it with 20A service, but I imagine it will take three of four hours. I use my trucks generator and do it in about one hour. The tow vehicle won’t charge it, or at least any power will be negligible. You can add another battery, but you’ll want to get the same battery from Lithionics, which is five or six thousand dollars. So, if the battery isn’t enough, I’d probably just buy a small Honda generator to charge the battery as needed.
@@joestravels3027 Your video and these messages have given more info than days of searching the web, thank you! Just curious...what is the lowest that the battery can safely discharge without getting damaged? And from that point how long would it take the solar on a sunny day to recharge the battery? Can it charge while the AC is running? And one last question, I saw that portable solar can be added but can more solar be added to the roof to help charge the battery? Sorry for all the questions, I am (hopefully) about to purchase one and the salespeople do not have this info.
@@c.m.303 thanks. The battery goes into power reserve mode at 10% state of charge if I recall correctly. I never let mine get that low. It shouldn’t hurt it if you do, it’s just a hassle because it shuts down to preserve power. Assuming you can get 30A of solar, and don’t use any electricity, it would take about 11 hours to recharge the battery. Realistically, though, the power is going to fluctuate throughout the day, you’re running your fridge, and a fan, etc., so you’ll probably get 30-50% charge max. I carry a small generator for emergencies. Yes, the battery can charge while the ac is running, assuming you’re collecting more energy than the inverter and ac uses. That won’t happen on solar though. You’ll need a generator or some other power source.
@@c.m.303 one more of the same sized solar panel can be added to roof. Any more than that, and you’ll have a hard time finding space up there. Also, the solar controller can only handle one more panel. I go into more detail in another video, specifically on the solar panels.
@joestravels3027 Thanks for the info! This brings up another question. If I add a small generator, does that add to solar panels recharging the battery, or does it replace/ stop the panels from charging?
Odd, we have the exact same model and mine (and the other FLX models on the lot at our dealer) do not have the vent panel on the entry side like you have. There is only the heater exhaust and other connectors but no large cover like you see on your rig.
Yes. Mine is a very early production unit, which is part of the reason I’ve been having some issues. That vent panel is for an LP fridge, which is obviously not needed on this because the fridge is 12V. They sealed the hole up behind the panel, but on later production units, they aren’t cutting the hole to begin with. I wish mine was like yours. ;) You likely have the upgraded Lithionics battery as well. I have it too now, replaced under warranty, because the originally included Lithionics battery failed within a month of use.
Dang! I know being an early adopter always has risks but having the battery crap out that fast is ridiculous. This is why I still plan on carrying a generator. I would rather be over prepared than screwed.
Interestingly, I just pulled out the circuit breaker box and noticed the fridge area is plumbed for lpg as well (it’s just capped off), so if I really wanted to, I could change the fridge out for a propane fridge. I’m assuming with the later builds, they won’t have that, since they got rid of the vent. Not sure.
Hey Joe, GREAT video!
I also have a Flx and Powerboost. I'm running into a challenge similar (maybe the same?) as you. Since I just responded to a thread on Winnebago Owners - Minnie board I thought I'd copy it here.
Just wondering if you've solved this problem or perhaps discovered a work around? Sure would be nice to fully use the technologies in these two vehicles. Here's the thread:
So the PB is a beautiful option.
There is one major challenge with the Flx. Both the Flx and the PB have inverters. When I first started using the PB to provide "shore power" to the Flx I noticed strange power usage numbers. Almost double what you might expect as a draw from the suite of technical appliances (air conditioning, lights, microwave, etc.) that were supposedly developed to operate on very low energy.
So, of course, I talked to our dealer's service department. They said the best way to use the PB and avoid the inverter conflict was to turn off the inverter in the camper. Trouble seems to be that when you do that you stop all AC and DC charging of the battery.
Yes, the PB can power your Flx. Yes it will extend your time a bit in the back country. But no, it seems you can't charge your batteries with the available 30 amp service at the same time you're powering your camper with the PB.
I haven’t had that issue. My power boost powers my camper just fine, though there is definitely some efficiency loss in the process. It just took some trial and error. First (you may know this, but I’ve seen many posts from people that don’t, so I’ll say it) the breaker on the road side of the coach is NOT the breaker for the inverter. It is the battery disconnect switch. If that is off, your battery will not charge while on shore power. Second, the campers inverter does NOT need to be powered on to charge the battery. If you have sufficient shore power coming into the system, the converter will take over and charge your battery regardless of whether the inverter switch is on or off. And lastly, the trial and error part for me was the settings of the Xantrex system. The app is the best and easiest way to monitor and change the settings. When you are using the powerboost, or a 15/20 amp outlet, you’ll need to reduce the charge current that the charger sends to the battery. If you don’t use any appliances, the powerboost should have no problem charging the battery at full speed. But if you are using the air conditioner or microwave at the same time as charging the battery at full speed, you’ll make the powerboost’s computer mad. Just reduce the charge current (I think I have mine set at 90 amps for powerboost, 50 amps might be more appropriate for a 20A outlet) and keep an eye on the total system draw, particularly as the a/c cycles on and off.
Nice trailer, looking forward to your travels. I am debating on the Non FLX and add the components which adds about $10k anyway.. So why not have it all done. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! That was my thought as well. This way, everything’s covered under warranty. If you’re financing, it’s all included so you don’t have much additional out of pocket expenses to get started.
@@joestravels3027 Plus several components are upgraded too right? I just wish they didn't advertise the flex package all over the trailer for everyone to see...I'd feel safer if it was far more subtle.
@@c.m.303 yes, although in the newer ones, I’m hearing they’re putting in different appliances, like a GE fridge, which I’m hearing lots of complaints about. My Dometic fridge works great. To be honest, after owning for a year… and if you’re handy and/or want a project, I’d probably buy the standard model and do some upgrades myself if I were to do it again. I love the truma appliances EXCEPT for the ac. It is a pain in the butt to clean, and it’s not as quiet or as efficient as it’s touted to be. I would prefer a standard ac with an easy start, or even better a true 12v ac that doesn’t require an inverter. The lithionics battery is great, probably the best out there, but there are other much cheaper “good enough” alternatives that you could build your own for the same amount of money, but with double or triple the battery capacity, and make this more of a true off-grid camper. But… buying the FLX package is a lot easier.
How much did you pay for it
Too much! 44k
Not very smart having the paper towel roll hung directly over the stove.
I disagree. I don’t use the stovetop anyway. I use a grill.
60k
Are you referring to the msrp? If so, never go off that, especially in the Rv industry. A more realistic price you can expect to pay is 40-45k.