Elite I bed across the back and adding some color

[Ron and Phyllis]

We were accustomed to separate single beds in our pop-up A-frame.  Since picking up our Elite I Hull # 1209 on August 11, we are trying a single bed across the back for my wife, that we leave in place.  I use the dinette bed across from the galley, putting it up each evening.  This keeps us from having to crawl over each other during the night.  It also creates more space by not having the large dinette and opens up a seat on each side in front of her bed.    I simply made a plywood support and use the small fiberglass extension that was in the closet.  The 4 small side cushions are the middle of the bed and we have a 3 inch memory foam over the cushions that extends across the back.  By no means will this work for everyone, but we're not very large so it seems to be working well for now. Having lots of small pillows, that I recovered, helps for lounging around in the evening while watching a movie or reading. The valances are on 1x2 poplar with the fabric stapled to it and velcro holds them in place very well so far.  I borrowed Foy's ceiling panel design.  I did have him make me one of his beautiful shower mats! 

Ron 

[Coddiwomple]

Really like what you did with the bed in the back and we are considering doing the same, however, we just ordered an Elite 1 and will not receive it until May 2023. 

Taking this idea a step further, we are thinking about making the side dinette in to a permanent bed too and then install a Lagun mount with tabletop at the back. This could also be used as a prep table next to the stovetop by swiveling it there. I suppose we will have to see how this will work after we get our Ollie. 

David Purkey

[Ron and Phyllis]

I will be interested in seeing what you end up doing.  We may go back and forth varying according to the situation.  My wife has a neurocognitive disorder and often needs help when she gets up finding a light or if she wakes up and is confused or uncomfortable.  I had hoped we might not wake each other as much with the bed across the back.  Right now, it's not the case.  I'm hoping this may change in time.  We just got back from a couple of cold nights 29 and 32 degrees on top of Mt Pisgah NC on the Blue Ridge Pky.  I decided, since we had no hookups and it is shaded and we needed to conserve batteries, that we would use the full bed.  It worked well.  I still like to lounge on the lowered side table down with the pillows to read or watch tv.  We'll see.  Just a comment, even with mostly shade, our batteries charged enough from the solar panels to run the fan on the furnace that I set at 60-62, use the water pump, and we used lights sparingly.  We might have done ok one more day. I have a movable solar array also, but I could not get it to charge when plugged into the Zamp outlet.  I'll have to work on this.  

On a previous trip, I had an issue with the battery door coming open 45 minutes down the road.  A block on the door that attaches to a cable broke when it flew open from road vibration.  The door would not stay closed.   I had to tie the door shut until I could get home and repair. When home, on further inspection, I found the locking mechanism would not properly engage a nylon block mounted in the roof of the compartment.  I removed the block and made it thicker by adding an aluminum plate to give more for the locking mechanism to strike against. Plus, the aluminum wouldn't score from the metal locking arm like the soft nylon.   I opened a service ticket and Oliver sent me replacement blocks for the door and the roof.  The nylon roof block was still just too thin so I used my thicker block with the aluminum plate.  I think this means that either the door is just a little off or maybe the locking mechanism.  I made some photos that I might post.  It works fine now with my repair.  I met an Elite II owner on that trip and showed him the broken blocks.  We looked at his 2017 battery compartment and the roof block was made of solid aluminum instead of the nylon block in mine.  

Good luck on your delivery and I hope to hear from you again.

Ron Williams

[Ron and Phyllis]

After looking closer at the Lagun mount and your idea of using it to increase your prep space, I will be very interested to see what transpires.

Ron

[SeaDawg]

9 hours ago, Ron and Phyllis said:

I have a movable solar array also, but I could not get it to charge when plugged into the Zamp outlet.  I'll have to work on this.  

What brand is your movable array? If it's not zamp, you probably need an adaptor to reverse polarity.

Glad you were able to enjoy Pisgah without it. 

[Coddiwomple]

OK, when I do the modification (if it is possible - depending on backing) next year I will post it here with photos.

David P.  

[Ron and Phyllis]

11 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

What brand is your movable array? If it's not zamp, you probably need an adaptor to reverse polarity.

Glad you were able to enjoy Pisgah without it. 

Located the small adaptor to reverse polarity and the Renogy panels work as I had hoped. Again, thanks!

[topgun2]

On 10/6/2022 at 11:36 PM, Ron and Phyllis said:

The nylon roof block was still just too thin so I used my thicker block with the aluminum plate.  I think this means that either the door is just a little off or maybe the locking mechanism

Many of these "locking mechanisms" are adjustable as to the length of the rod that holds the metal tab which slides onto that thicker block you installed.  Pictures certainly would help us determine if this could be done in your case.

Bill

[Ron and Phyllis]

12 hours ago, topgun2 said:

Many of these "locking mechanisms" are adjustable as to the length of the rod that holds the metal tab which slides onto that thicker block you installed.  Pictures certainly would help us determine if this could be done in your case.

Bill

Thanks Bill, I will check tomorrow to see if an adjustment could have been done, instead of my thicker block remedy and reply if it could save someone some extra effort.  

Ron

[Coddiwomple]

Ron,

Following up on the articulating table mount. Here is what I plan to install in "Coddiwomple" (Elite 1) when we get it next spring. With this setup we should be able to position the tabletop next to the stovetop and my wife is happy about that. 
 
It is a lagun-type removable table mount and seems to be very strong. The powdercoat finish is nice and the fit is tight.

I contacted Foy and he can make a tabletop for us with the underside routed out to lighten it up so I will order that later when I dial in the final tabletop dimensions. 

Need to figure out support bracing and backing later. Might have to have a custom brace made so as not to stress the fiberglass.

I purchased this from EZ-Reach (division of Cass Hudson) and spoke to the design engineer about my plan to add a second arm so I would have an elbow like movement rather than just one arm with an arc. He thought it was a good idea and would work so I ordered two of the 12" arms. I cut one tube down so it would fit in to the other and it works great. I extended it out all the way and put 20lbs on the table bracket - It is solid. Now I just need a trailer to install it in!

David Purkey

[ScubaRx]

On 10/29/2022 at 1:41 PM, David Purkey said:

Ron,

Following up on the articulating table mount. Here is what I plan to install in "Coddiwomple" (Elite 1) when we get it next spring. With this setup we should be able to position the tabletop next to the stovetop and my wife is happy about that. 
 
It is a lagun-type removable table mount and seems to be very strong. The powdercoat finish is nice and the fit is tight.

I contacted Foy and he can make a tabletop for us with the underside routed out to lighten it up so I will order that later when I dial in the final tabletop dimensions. 

Need to figure out support bracing and backing later. Might have to have a custom brace made so as not to stress the fiberglass.

I purchased this from EZ-Reach (division of Cass Hudson) and spoke to the design engineer about my plan to add a second arm so I would have an elbow like movement rather than just one arm with an arc. He thought it was a good idea and would work so I ordered two of the 12" arms. I cut one tube down so it would fit in to the other and it works great. I extended it out all the way and put 20lbs on the table bracket - It is solid. Now I just need a trailer to install it in!

David Purkey

Nice work. 

[leo]

I'm catching up on some reading, I know this from a few months back, but @Ron and Phyllis it's great to hear someone else 
enjoying the Elite I like we do.  We use the beds the same way.  We do use the side bed in a permanent  setup like @David Purkey 
was considering.  I hope that is working out well.  We find we enjoy not having to setup/change the beds daily.  And we have 
pillows that allow us to use either the back area as a lounge area for us both sitting up w/feet up and watch TV together.  Or we 
have our "separate" areas and I'll use the dinette as my day-time lounge area with my wife in the rear.  We have some nice sized 
lap trays we use for the few times we eat in the camper.  We've had our trailer (Hull #36, third owners) for about 18 months and have 
found this to work out very well for us.  We all have our own ways of course, but again it's nice to hear about some shared views too.

[Coddiwomple]

OK, I finally completed the modification with the lagun table and we are very happy with the results.  We have ordered some backrest cushions from OTT to replace the split backrest cushions. We just returned from our first camping trip with Coddiwomple and really like this setup.  My wife, Martha, sleeps on the back bed (28" wide) and I sleep on the side dinette bed (24" wide).  

David

[mossemi]

Very nice mod!  That's an excellent arrangement for y’all.

Mossey

[ScubaRx]

On 10/3/2022 at 3:23 PM, Coddiwomple said:

Really like what you did with the bed in the back and we are considering doing the same, however, we just ordered an Elite 1 and will not receive it until May 2023. 

Taking this idea a step further, we are thinking about making the side dinette in to a permanent bed too and then install a Lagun mount with tabletop at the back. This could also be used as a prep table next to the stovetop by swiveling it there. I suppose we will have to see how this will work after we get our Ollie. 

David Purkey

We had one of the very few twin bed setups in our original 2008 Elite. It was set up very similarly to what you are describing here and it worked very well for us.

[H53aircrewman]

Great modification! Something to consider.