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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ค. 2024
- What broke and how did it hold up? Nearly two years of full-living and travel in a camper can be hard on it. In this video, we share what broke, what we like and dislike as well as some final thoughts. We looked long and hard for a quality camper to buy back in 2019, two years later, the results are in. Let us know what you think down in the comments.
🎥 Why This Camper?
• 10 Reasons We Chose Th...
🎥 Water Pump:
Break: • 🔋Cooking with Lithium ...
Fix: • Cheap Shurflo Water Pu...
🎥 Broken Water Heater:
• Broken Boondocking Ep....
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Index:
Intro: 0:00
5 Cons - What Broke: 0:45
5 Cons - Annoyances: 4:27
5 Pros - What We Love: 8:07
Final Thoughts: 9:46
Outro: 12:38
Bloopers: 12:55
Products used in this video.
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a small commission, this helps us to continue making and sharing videos. Thank you for your support!
✅ Small Blower Fan: amzn.to/3jDHGgM
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And if you have any other questions, please leave a comment and we will be sure to respond!
Thank you for watching!
We are a travel couple and explore full-time in our NuCamp Cirrus 920 Truck Camper. The camper rides in our Ram 3500 Dually Diesel CrewCab truck. We love our camper and we are excited to share our life with all of you!
Our plan is to continue traveling for another 5 years at least, we are just getting started. Subscribe and follow our adventures around North America and the World!
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What kind of problems have you had with your camper?
Leave a comment!
We delivered RecreationVehicles manufacturer-to-dealer and dealer-to-shows.
With the advantage of decades of experience compressed into a couple years and a hundred thousand miles, we realized a factory RecreationVehicle would crumble on the rough logger tracks to remote mountain lakes for our summers, or the non-existent trails to isolated Baja beaches for our winters.
Accordingly, 2003, we converted a 1997 Ford CF8000 commercial truck to our concept of an ExpeditionVehicle.
Nearly two decades of full-time live-aboard, and we are still growing as our rig evolves with us.
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Our only problem was a pinhole leak atop the radiator.
We replaced the standard-house alternator with a big-house, and keep the original as a spare.
We have a 2021 No Boundaries 19.6 travel trailer that we have lived in since August 7, 2020. The seating is horribly uncomfortable. Of course, RVs are not designed for fulltime living. We took out the jack knife sofa and just bought two very nice stadium seats and sit on those The only thing to actually go wrong is that the screws in the furnace cover and in the stove come loose when we travel. We ju st have to make sure we tighten the screws when we finish leveling. We're planning to sell the travel trailer this fall and set up our truck for truck camping. We truly hate towing. The set up and break down for travel trailer camping is very time consuming and frustrating as well. However we do love fulltime travel/nomad lifestyle, just to do it a bit differently. Sorry this got so long!! LOL
Update i have seen a manufacturing video for your camper i know why your getting problems it's a steel frame construction they don't insulate the frame or base so your getting a thermal bridge problem really bad that for this manufacturer I really hope you get sorted best of luck guys.
I'm impressed with their warranty and how they replace parts instead of saying oh, that's not covered.
We agree completely! NuCamp is well known for their customer support and when we were researching truck campers this was one of key factors for us.
Love bloopers 😂😂 I admire how you’ve managed to maintain your RV in such a good shape for 2 years! You did a really great job!
Thank you so much!😂 It’s our home and we try to maintain it as good as we can!
I have always been super impressed by you being so handy and able to modify and repair your camper. Way to go and thank you for sharing your journey and honesty along the way. Best wishes.
Thanks 😊 I don’t always have the right tools or do things the right way, but everything seems to be holding up so far. Thanks for watching!
Your doing the right thing by running the fantastic fan on low on really cold nights 👍🏼🇺🇸
Thanks! It’s been helping us with moisture a lot!
Wow! I'm super impressed with your experience. Very balanced, as most people have so many more things break (or simply wear out) when using something designed for occasional weekend use. The Alde heater issue was purdy painful at the time, but- you got it done! Clips, strings, squeaky hinges- stuff happens and you get that. But, it's still tight, quiet and there are no handing doors!!! Yay for you folks!!!
Thanks. We are surprised that we haven’t had more issues. Granted, I have a tendency to fix small stuff without thinking about it. Loosened screws, electrical connections, caulk, lubricating latches and such. We wanted to touch on the larger items and not the daily maintenance stuff. We are happy with it so far, I just hope it continues to hold up well. Time will tell, but I’m feeling hopeful.
Nice couple wish to see you both together.... Really lovely sight to see you both enjoying......👍👍👍
Thanks for the kind words! We do enjoy our travels!
Thank's you guys! for this video! You would NEVER here about delamination from the dealers about the products they sell. Yours being one of the Premium truck campers on the market, along with Lance, etc..just goes to show folks that anything and any brand can and will have problems! Thats just part of RV life! Ya just fix it and go on! We have had our Palamino 2 years now and have had some very minor issues...But , we know...from past campers through the years, there is MORE to come!! Thanks for the info to help people ''Deal with the Drama'' All the Best to you both!
I know Cirrus generally makes a good product, but I wouldn't consider sidewall delamination "not a serious issue". They stepped up and fixed it under warranty for sure, but still. That would concern me more than a little bit. Hopefully all good now though. Look forward to seeing more content!
I completely understand what you’re saying. I didn’t explain myself very well with that statement. The delamination is unfortunate, but very common with this type of construction. While unsightly, it doesn’t really pose a structural problem and we could have easily continued traveling with that bubble. What I meant by not a big deal was that it wouldn’t prevent us from traveling and living with the camper. My worry with any camper is major structural problems that would effectively leave us homeless. Cosmetics and similarly minor issues are less of a concern.
But, any problem is unwanted and I’d like it if nothing ever broke! I’m happy that we have made it thus far without any major issues.
We've had our 920 since 2018 and replaced the entire camper in 2019 because of so many issues I can't even tell you but the one we have now has been pretty good. Pantry latch keeps breaking bought a slide bolt at hardware store to hold it closed,bathroom door same as yours and squeals too,shade on dinette window stuck half way. Rest has been good want to go to Alaska next year in it if Canada opens up. Happy trails
Sorry to hear, I feel lucky that we have had minimal issues. Certainly nothing that stoped our travels. Our pantry slide hasn't broken, but the catch sometimes pops out, but its just a case of pushing it back into the slot. We have learned to hold it while we close the slide. It appears that something has shifted causing the alignment to be slightly off; I'm not surprised.
Canada is on our list too, but it will have to wait for next year if its open. Thanks for the comment!
Cool video! I hope you guys are doing well and I can’t wait for Nucamp to start building the 920 again :)
I have had my 820 for 2 years and lived in it for about 16 months full time. Have a lot of the similar issues. The door under the sink, alde system, and of course the tabs on the blinds. But overall it been great. Looking forward to living in it for awhile...Just fixing things as they come
Up. Happy Ttavels
That’s good to hear. We don’t worry about the small stuff. It was really nice to hear from Austin that the frame, and overall structure is pretty foolproof. I can handle repairs, but not if it snaps in half.
It still amazes me that these things can handle daily earthquakes and hurricanes with minimal issues.
You two are fabulous, I am considering buying and loved your video ❤️
We are very impressed with our camper. 60k miles, 2.75 years of full-time living and it’s still in great shape.
@nucamp is amazing !! Thx for the video!
We looked at your type of Cirrus, but ultimately (because we're not going to be living in our FT) went with a Tacoma & a Palomino Real Lite SS1600 --- we took the extra time to order exactly what we did/didn't want on it, then waited 4 months for delivery! But, so far we're loving it. No major problems so far! Lack of storage is an issue, but we've got the back seat of our truck. At some point in the future we'll probably trade up for larger truck/larger truck camper (like yours). Videos like yours are very helpful, so thank you!
Thank you so much! We feel the same way, there’s always a trade off. And yeah, it takes some time to figure out exactly what works and doesn’t work for your particular situation. Good luck with shopping!!
Sounds like Cirrus took pretty good care of you. Thanks!
No complaints, they are very nice to work with.
For your mattress you can get a roll of den dry on Amazon and cut it to size of your mattress. They use them on marine boat mattresses. We live in Rhode Island and there is always moisture. Anyway good vid 👍🏻 and safe travels, Bob and Deb
Never heard of that, I’ll look it up, thank you!
We got that after we lost a mattress to mold. It has worked amazingly.
I like the European design touches on the Cirrus campers but we ultimately went with the Northern Lite 8.11 SE. The all fiberglass clamshell design and true 4 season capability is what sold us. We live in the Rocky Moutains so all of our camping is at higher altitude and colder temperatures.
I do like the Alde heater concept over the traditional heater everybody uses. I have enjoyed your videos!
NL is an awesome camper! It's always dependent on how you're going to use the camper. Our finalists were Norther Lite and Cirrus. The list of pros/cons lead us to Cirrus. I've been looking at the newer NLs and still love them!
Great content yall!
Thanks for watching and leaving a kind comment!
Y’all are so fun!! :)
Thank you 😋
This is the video that I watched and found your channel. Derry, NH
This video performed better than we expected. I'm glad it found you!
I have a 2013 T@G trailer, which is the same manufacturer and same sidewall construction . After the warranty expired, the side started to bubble and delaminate. I got in contact with Little Guy (the manufacturer at the time) and they not only covered the work, but also did some similar upgrades.
I’ve been über happy with the trailer and am now kicking around a Cirrus. Good to hear that nuCamp does well at customer service.
We've been very happy and NuCamp has gone above and beyond with their service. No complaints from us!
Little Guy has a great reputation too, however, we've never owned a teardrop camper.
I see someone sent a message on the beddy*s as well as us. just to let you know, I have watched almost all of your youtube videos. i most liked the ones when sasha went back to st. pertersburg. although we have a lance, we really like all your info on products and how you have up graded so many electronic and power sources. you and sasha have given us many tips on our travels which will begin very sooon
Thanks for watching. Beddeys is on our wish list, we keep hearing good things about them!
Nice honest review of your camper after 2 years. It’s stood up well to your day to day use and you’re right RVs are not meant to be lived in they are for occasional use. Appliances and cabinets aren’t designed to take the every day use too long but to make them stronger they would be too expensive and heavy. My Lance camper is a 2007 but was in a hardly used condition when I bought it last year. It’s good to compare the different makes and research the company and how they stand by their product. One major pro you didn’t mention is Sashas lovely smile. Safe travels.
All excellent points! RV's all have their issues, so its a case of pick your poison. I feel like we have been lucky, especially the use and abuse the camper takes. By no means is it occasional.
I would have to agree about Sasha's smile, it brightens up our little home!
Thanks for watching :)
We just got our 2019 820 it was used but the previous owner only used it a couple times and it was in absolutely new condition. They did have to replace the Alde control board before I took delivery. I'm very happy build only a couple issues I mentioned already. I leaving for Alaska from Florida July 11th the Border is set to open on July 21st. Stay tuned.
I’m excited that Canada might open. But at this point, I’ll wait for next spring to head to Alaska.
Nice camper & honest review! Heating system sounds interesting
I have an 800 lb barebones camper & it is so fun fits on 1/2 ton truck
Thanks, we do love the Alde system! Your camper sounds nice and light. Enjoy your travels!
Someone asked you about your fuel consumption well I have a 2014 F350 with the 3.7 diesel its a crew cab like yours not a dually. I get 16.7 mpg without the Camper on. I went from Palm Coast Florida up to South Carolina and back through Atlanta on the way back over 2000 miles I averaged 12.6 mpg I was impressed. I'm a retired Tool Distributor and I had one of my trucks with the Cummins which was rock solid engine but way to noisy. The Ford F350 diesel is so quiet I couldn't believe it. I love this it rides like a Cadillac.
Nearly identical to our MPG. 16-17 when empty and 12ish when loaded.
Ditto the cabinet door under the sink. I got some wood glue and filled the (stripped out) screw hole, let it dry, then drilled a much smaller pilot hole before screwing the OEM screw back in. Not had any problems since. Love your videos!
That’s a great idea!!! I never thought of letting it dry first. I’m going to use that trick in the future!
Great video guy's. What other campers have you lived in & the pro's & con's with them? I've done some truck camping in the past & I found out that if you park headlong into the wind it will help reduce buffeting & if something blows towards the truck the front is more reenforced for impact. Also use splash guards to keep you & your truck clean, they work, I know. Thanks for sharing, drive safe, 🤠
Great video! I really appreciated your realistic comments. One question - how many days did you two have to stay in a hotel while NuCamp was fixing the delaminated panel?
Awesome!!! Wanna get one for my son!!!!❤
I would call the bubble de-lamination, MAJOR,BIG,HUGE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad they took care of it for you, it must have taken a couple of weeks you were out of your home.
It’s such a common issue across the industry. Ours was minimal, but even if we didn’t get it fixed, it wouldn’t have been a problem unless it grew significantly!
Just found your channel and love it. I'm considering the 820 and looking at NL. Have you done any vids regarding finding and updating your truck? I'm interested in how you did your front rack and the rear hitch for bike support. Thanks for your great work.
Good to know. Sounds like it is well built and the company seems to work well with customers. (Microwave was scary...we use a Instant Pot for most everything indoors. We'd rather cook outside mostly. Sun Oven is awesome too!)
We love the convection oven for roasting and baking. I too would like to cook outside, but all too often it’s not practical. Wind, rain, hot, cold, animals, insects, etc make it had to cook outdoors routinely. But, when the weather is nice, we do a lot of charcoal cooking! We also have a Coleman camp stove which is nice:)
Thank you. Nucamp looks like the way to go!
We’re very happy customers, it’s been a great 2 years!
Nice to see Sasha back
It's nice to have her back. It's no fun traveling alone...
Selling my Ford E250 hitop van for a change to a crewcab 4x4 longbed and truck camper now. Remodeling a Basecamp house so I need a pickup w/o camper
Sounds great! What made you want to switch?
Love your camper and your channel….
Thank you so much!☺️
I really like your videos.
Thanks!
Very helpful video
Thanks!
If they had to replace the structure only after a year makes you rethink about getting a full fiberglass one. Also anything that moves don't use it. Lance and Northstar are indestructible. I've been researching and researching. Great video.
Thanks for watching! I do like Northen Lite and I did look at Northstar. Every camper has it's on set of pros/cons. Nice to have options :)
I gotta say I love my arctic fox 811 we with the single slide. It's tall inside with a large bathroom and very roomy. I too said heck no, no slide at first, then I got in both and that was it. Fits on my single rear wheel Chevy 3500 too. If you have a chance check one out. Either way truck campers absolutely rock. I go everywhere without issue. Tow my boat or ATV!
We looked at a lot, AF, Lance, NorthStar, Palimino, etc. someday, I’ll get a different camper. So many options and toys out there. The 811 is a great camper!
A suggestion: Squeaking = wear on a bearing surface. Looks like your bathroom door hinge has a small plastic bearing surface, just like all the cabinet doors in our house. Eventually, the plastic will fail - you'll probably notice a broken piece of it lying on the floor - and you'll need to replace the hinge. I've found Lowes carries a variety of Richelieur (also branded 'Blum') hinges of this type; in fact, I'm replacing one of these hinges this weekend. Your small items are simply 'wear' issues, not 'malfunctions'. Very understandable. Good video!
Exactly! The hinges have worn through whatever bushing materials that existed. It’s on our list to replace, but it’s still working for now, even if it’s a little squeaky. I’ll look up those hinges, a direct swap would be nice and easy!
Just watched your video regarding how you make your bed. I too have had issues with making my bed in my Keystone Passport. It has a murphy bed. What I have decided to do is make zippered sheets. One with a soft liner that can be used to cover the entire mattress with the zipper side open towards the front door. It will also act as the fitted bottom sheet. And then another to cover that one with long zippers that are situated lengthwise down each side. You can do this with thin blankets as well. Problem solved!
You guys should have way more sub's!!!!!
It’s slowly growing. TH-cam is a test of patience and constant improvement.
Hello! I like your channel very much...I get a kick out of it. ...even when you're racing the setting sun you take the time to film a second take from the road. Please allow me a few questions. Do you feel you need/needed the dual rear wheels on your truck? Did you consider a camper for an eight foot bed? If yes, which one one/who makes a good one? Could you have made use out of the greater length? If your current camper is installed in an eight foot bed could one make use of the gap between the unit and the cab for storage? Thank you!!!
Thanks for checking out our videos :)
We decided on a dually for safety and redundancy. Also, we needed the payload capacity of a dually. Our truck is an 8 foot bed and we have a camper designed for an 8 foot bed. If you were to get a 6.5 foot camper and put it in a 8 foot bed, that would give you a great little storage area. You would probably want to brace the front of the camper using wood or something across the bed of the truck to act as a bump stop for the camper.
We could have survived with out the extra length, but we chose not to go that route. We knew that with living full time, taking our winter/summer clothes, all of our athletic stuff, like backpacking, snorkeling, biking and tennis equipment, we would need as much space as possible. If we were just doing this on the occasional weekend, I would have gone with a completely different camper. So it really come down to the use case.
I think that NuCamp, Kingstar, Northern Lite, Bigfoot, Northstar, Alaskan, and most of the other brands as excellent options. It comes down to the mixture of features, how the camper will be used, what truck you will be using it with and most of all... price. I think the best way is to find a dealer with the campers that you're interested in and go spend a little time in them, do some reading on the web and join the facebook groups and you will learn everything you need to know.
I was waiting to hear you say that you 2 broke the bed. That would've made for a good laugh.
👍
How does it hold up in the winter? When I retire I would like to get a truck camper and use it as a mobile ski house. Would the insulation and plumbing / heat design support such a use case?
Truma Combi - Hot Water Heater & Furnace that provides ducted heat throughout the RV & it is whisper quiet.
Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada
Hello, I had a cirrus 920, camper as well, was nice in so many ways, but definitely had its issues. The thermostat for the heater is right above the radiator, and there is a tubing pipe that takes it straight up. If you block off the tube with the wires, it helps to get it up closer to the true temp. Yet when the sun shines on that wall, it also gives a false reading, and shuts off the heater prematurely, or when the sun shines through the big window, the heater does not shut off till extremely over the temp you want. I installed a 1 meter long radiator under the big window which helps out a lot as there is not much heating that side. After all of the heating system work, I stayed in it to -24 c , with no problems with the water. The bathroom needs way more heat. There should be a radiator behind the toilet, as there is framing back there that has hit temps of -3 c even when 18 c in the camper.the thermostat should be placed beside the stereo head unit. As just about anywhere else the heat travels up the walls and would falsely inform the thermostat. I also put way more hose for the heating underneath. I had to tape up a few of the joints under the camper in the back, as you could see out when looking in from the inside. 1/4 inch at the worst. We also had no sealant on the roof, and such it started leaking in the bathroom from the roof. The floor started sinking by the table, and such could feel the cross bar of the aluminum frame whenever we stood by the table.the windows did nothing to keep the heat out, on hot days, and could not sit at the table when the sun was shining on the window. Even in the winter. Just too hot. If you went to a double bed and used a twin comforter, would help with the bed cubbies. We had frost behind the tables cushion so bad, the wood behind was saturated. As well as the upper cabinets closet to the front. They are on a frame rail, so were always wet in the fall and spring. My toilet would smell when driving unless it was empty or the pass through window was open. Which sucks at -20 celsius. And all of the windows were really cold in the winter. Putting the shrink wrap on the windows helps a lot. The fridge started having issues and not always working, was going to replace withe an ac/DC fridge from vitrifrigo, asit is the same size. Also the fridge was never sealed from the factory. So on windy days, wind was blowing directly into the camper. The Alde system started having issues after 2 years. Would kick out randomly, replaced the regulator, but did not fix the issue. The wall of the closet was not straight, so always had issues closing the door. They sent me a new door, but solved nothing, as the wall was the issue. The pantry door latch would always pop out of its molding, so if you don't notice it before a drive, it would open up. For running the wires for solar, found that running them between the fridge and the pantry worked great. Went straight down and over to the batteries. Where I put the controller.
Wow, thanks for the details. I agree that camping in cold weather is a completely different realm. We try to avoid it as much as possible. I did a couple winters in a 5th wheel and have no wish to do it again.
Our pantry latch pops from time to time, but we always double check before we head off. I was able to file part of it down and it’s much better now. Something shifted over the miles.
We no longer have the dinette cushions, but I can see how there could be a moisture issue back there.
The only time we have the toilet smell is if the gasket is dirty and allows gases to escape. We clean it frequently to prevent that.
I agree that the bathroom could use some extra heat behind the sink, but we seldom stay in cool enough weather to even think about it.
What would be your overall rating of the camper with all of your experience?
I know this is an old video but I’m waiting for the introduction of the new, updated Cirrus 920. I’m hoping for a large LiFePo3 and a better use of storage space. It promises a dry bath!
I hope so too!
We have been watching and learning, we bought a truck camper and are getting it this week. We are from NH too!
Awesome and congratulations 🎊 🍾 I'm a little slow to respond to your comment, have you gotten the camper already?
We are waiting for parts to outfit the truck right now. Paid for it but it is sitting at the dealer waiting. So anxious to get on the road.
@@lindaheminway6279 can you recommend your dealer? I'm in CT and am looking for recommendations
@@Sonya-hc1mx Hi. We are buying our truck camper from Polar RV in Salem NH. The people there have, so far, treated us well. They seem knowledgeable. They also seem quite busy. I wonder if there is a dealer near you in CT that would help? Though, truck campers seem to have their own set of expertise. I hope you find the right place. Give them a call, at least. They are a small operation.
@@LHeminway thanks. I will check them out. I don't think we have any dealers around here. I think NH or PA are the closest.
Oooh! you have just inspired my next video! here I am in my friend's garage waxing my camper and doing maintenance work trying to figure out what to film next, and BAM! this pops up in my feed. would ya'll mind if I did my own video on this exact issue? I don't want to steal your thunder by any means, but I wanted to do something a bit different than my typical adventure/exploration video so people can be informed on what to expect possibly if they use their camper like we do. Other than that, I have compiled a list of everything to date so far of my camper's damages:
So far, since I started full timing in my Northern lite camper back in feb of 2020, my fantastic fan mount broke, I've had some cracking in my gel-coat(warrantied), I've lost countless sewer and grey water tank caps, still haven't figured out a solution to the leaky generator box(argh), a few plastic buttons that cover screws that the slider for my bathroom have broken, forgot to disconnect my back up camera when unloading camper once(oops), the door is more difficult to latch closed now(adjusted strike plate as much as possible and it's not enough), some of the locks are seized up and won't work properly(issue not resolved with graphite lube), lightly bent the refrigerator cover due to a tree while driving down a very tight road, very scratched windows(not a fan of these acrylic pane windows anymore), had a problem with the forced air furnace...can't remember exactly what happened but it was warrantied, AC issue still not resolved: I was told by manufacturer that it would run on a Honda 2000 or above and doesn't. may be issue with the integrated soft start mechanism in the AC unit....other than that I can't think of anything else. not too bad considering what I've put this camper through since I purchased it!
Edit: the accordion style window covers on the door are and have always been absolute garbage since day one.
I’ll have my team if attorneys contact your people to work out a licensing deal…
Have at it, the more the merrier. I’d love to see a review of other brands and models with a list of what broke. They all have issues, just like cars. Information is great to share!
The Cirrus comes with it's own ventilation, go to your kitchen window and unlock it, now push it out just a bit, see there is another track just behind the one you unlocked from, put your window handles into this second track, the outside track, and lock it into place, now close the insect screen, if you open the other windows into the outside track you will not have to use your shower vent again.
Greetings from Sydney Australia
Thanks, we do that frequently, especially when it’s windy. The reason that I crack the ceiling vent is because warm, moist air rises. It also keeps the cool drafty air away from our sleeping area. If it’s at all warm out, we open the windows while we sleep. But usually, condensation is only a problem below 50f.
Sydney was my very first travel wish. I saw it in a movie when I was a little kid and I’ve always wanted to visit. I have a small obsession with Australia! Greetings from the US!
Thanks for the very informative video! We had looked at the 920 a few years ago and still considering getting one if they ever start making them again. But one thing that looked to be a big neagative to us is the position of the TV. I realize you probably just use your laptops for entertainment, but how about that tv location? It seems impossible for 2 people to comfortably watch it from the dinette area. Is this the case? I'm assuming it's only feasible from the bed area, which of course is pretty far away.
We love our 920, it's been the perfect home for us. You are right, we have only used the tv maybe, 10-20 times, always from bed. We mostly use an iPad and stream our entertainment. Sometimes, we will rent a DVD and watch it from bed, in that case the TV is fine. However, trying to watch it from the dinette has never really come across our minds, since we have computers setup next to us 90% of the time. Different use case I guess.
Privet Scott and Sasha:)
I am thinking about buying a Nucamp 620. We currently have a fiberglass eggcamper trailer which requires very little maintenance and my wife does not want to give it up. You mentioned keeping up on the maintenance with your Cirrus truck camper. Can you talk about what that involves or perhaps make a video on it?
I want to know what I should be prepared to do if I take the plunge on the 620. Does yours have the single piece aluminum roof? Thanks. We enjoy your videos.
That's a great idea. I do have a few little fixed to do once we get to warmer weather.
As a summary, mostly what i'm talking about in terms of maintenance are things like caulking, gaskets, visual inspection, lubricating latches, tightening electrical connections... OK, maybe it's more than I thought. I just added it to my list of "Videos to make"
Thanks for the idea and feedback. I'll get it done ASAP!
Good info on the Aldi heater and the length of time it takes to warm up. I live in MN, so it's cold much of the year. We would definitely take advantage of the camper spring, summer and fall. Spring and Fall the evenings can get quite cold (20-30F) with beautiful, warm days. Honestly, that Aldi heater is the the ONLY reason I'm even considering the Cirrus. I hate the sound of a blowing heater fan going on and off all night. Can you run the Aldi heater while on the road so that its warm when you get to your destination?
Yes! In fact, we do it all the time! It’s so quiet and we can’t imagine not having the Aldi/Truma system. It does take time to heat up, but we’re used to it and we remember to turn it up before we reach our destination, so it’s toasty warm by the time we arrive.
It would be great if you can share how much you are spending to live full time travelling.
I’ve enjoyed your videos and they’re one of the reasons I decided to buy a Cirrus. We have a 2017 820 that we’ve only used a few times so far in the 5 months we have it. Ours is equipped with the Samsung microwave. I got the impression yours has a convection microwave. We’d love to switch it out without making a big project of it. Would you mind sharing the model number on yours?
Thank you so much! We do have a convection microwave. If you search for: "LaSalle Bristol® 520EC028KD7S - High Pointe 1.1 cu ft 1000 W Stainless Steel RV Microwave Oven" - you'll find the exact same one as we have.
Terry the Old Navy Photog I just finished installing my solar system I have one 100amp panel from Renogy and Victron 100/30 it was quite a job feeding the wires through I'll go into that later. I have a 2019 820 only difference from yours and mine is yours is on a long bed. I love the Camper only have two issues I hope they fix the rear entry door window has begun to delaminate It is just a 3M glued gasket type. I talked with them today I'm hoping they will take care of it before I head to Alaska on July 11th. I also had the passenger side large window blew off and hit a Semi that was behind me hitting his passenger side windshield. There's to positions and I had it so a little air could get in. That cost me over $450.00 to replace it. I was told at my delivery about the feature of the ability to leave it in tha 1/8 inch open position. Well I won't do that again because the latches gave way from the wind pressure. It sounds like New Camp is really helping you out let's see what they do for us. Lastly your reviews are why we bought the Cirrus. I do love it and like the quality overall.
2003, for our ExpeditionVehicle, we installed 36x12 (a foot tall by three feet wide) dual-pane sliders designed for a stand-still house.
I mounted them at our standing eye-level inside, about eight-feet above pavement.
My go-to adhesive is Vulcum 116; nearly two decades, and the stuff is still pliable.
This is exactly what I'm looking for! Thank you :)
We plan on joining Escapees soon, it seems like the perfect community for us.
Thanks for the tip!
A Bigfoot fiberglas camper with the Alde heater would be a beast!
Agreed. The Truma systems are also fantastic!
Great videos! Just wondering if you ever experienced any off gassing when you first got your camper? I see that the Cirrus handbook refers to off gassing - especially formaldehyde - which would be a concern. Thanks
We bought our camper as a "Last year left over", It had been on the lot for a year and was mostly done off gassing. Just like a car, they camper is made with all kinds of plastic, wood finishes, etc. Also, the first few months that we ran the heater, we could smell the rubber from the glycol lines. That took a while to settle down. Unless it's cold out, we keep air flowing through the camper as much as possible. I'd say it was all done off gassing after about 6-9 months.
If it's a big concern, you could look at finding a used camper or at least something that has been sitting for 6-12 months to get past the worst of it.
@@Stonyboot Really appreciate you taking the time to respond with your comments and suggestions. Looking forward to continuing to follow you in your adventures. Can’t wait until the day when I can hit the road as well. Safe travels!
Hi guys - have you used the Alde's temperature offset feature for the thermostat, setting it as described in the manual? If that isn't sufficient there is a remote temp sensor available for the thermostat.
Yes, we have it adjusted or an accurate temperature. The problem is with the thermal mass of the wood/wall/thermostat. The interior air temperature would cycle by about 5-8 degrees, which is much greater than the swing of the thermostat. By running the fan, it keeps the temperature swing to a normal 1-3 degrees.
I didn’t know about the remote temp sensor, that would be nice!!!
Shocked to hear that Azdel sides delaminated considering that's the main bragging point about them.
I understand what you’re saying. However, I did speak to one of the text and learned that they do not assemble the Asdale themselves. They buy the panels premade. Which means they don’t get to control the quality of the assembly. What he told me is that in some of the early series 920s in serious 820s there were some quality control issues with the Asdale panels which led to the lamination, however, newer models don’t have the same problem.
I will Definitely purchase Nucamp.....
We are happy so far.
You can buy Damp Rid to get rid of moisture. At Walmart and it really works. Small ones at Dollar Tree.
Thanks for the tip. I have used them and they help, but they don't really solve the problem. A little ventilation is all we need.
Hey guys! How do you this full time? Are you employed? Lol so you probably work from home/camper? I just don’t understand how it’s possible to do this full time? Awesome reviews! You guys deserve like min. 100K subscribers!
We love it! Full-timing is definitely not for everyone. It has a lot of challenges, like finding places to stay, getting and dumping water and not having consistency. But traveling has always been our dream, and we're so grateful that we were able to make it come true!
We are self-employed and we work from our camper. I (Sasha) teach ESL, and Scott has various gigs. Doing this full time can be hard, but we've adapted to this lifestyle over the last 2 years.
And thank you! Hopefully we can reach 100K someday!
Really like your videos! I'm new to your adventures. Started watching because I'm in research stage of deciding on a truck camper for full time.
Thank you!
Welcome aboard and thanks for watching. Let me know if you have any questions, we are happy to help. Email address is in our "About" tab. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.
@@Stonyboot Thanks!
We full-time live-aboard.
We prefer building instead of buying Shiny!.
.
One point to remember:
* your rig is constantly evolving
I counsel new builders to avoid believing 'this rig is my forever rig'.
.
2003, after my Very Significant Other got sick, we acquired a commercial truck.
In less than a week -- while selling everything -- we completed our conversion, then hit the road from Oregon with the vague goal of 'south'.
I used about 12 racquetball under my mattress laying on them the go flat then lift the mattress and a fan on the ceiling blowing to the front
Racquetballs are a great idea 💡 what kind of ceiling mounted fan do you have?
I will move from a sprinter to that Cirrus 820. What kindda of MPG you get out of your truck with that gear?
That's cool
We agree ☺️
Could you use a dehumidifier to prevent the moisture build ups as well?
I could, however, power consumption and space are an issue for us. The condensation isn't a major issue as long as you don't let it accumulate for too long.
Hey guys. Take a look at Beddys (zip up bedding). The quality is amazing. I'm not sure what size mattress is in the 920. We ditched our factory which was a queen and a half and replaced it with a foam queen. I have had Beddys in the last 2 campers and would not want to be without them. That would solve your hamper issue. Oh the luxury of all that bedside storage. Sigh. Oh, and we did manage to restring our screen door. I wanted to document it but it was such a trial and error nightmare that I can't shed any light on it other than to say it's doable!!
Thank you. We did look at their bedding and love the idea, it’s a little out of our price range right now. However, when this last set of sheets wears out (which is getting close) I’ll be looking at them again. Such a great idea!
As for the screen door, in our Cirrus FB group, someone shared their experiences with trying to restring the door, it’s doable, but a nightmare. I’ll order the string and give it a try. It would be nice to make a how to video since so many people have the same issue. We shall see 😁
@@Stonyboot haha I was one of those. I thought we would make a video but it turned out it would have been rated x for swearing. Good luck!
It does sound like nightmare, when I get around to it, I’ll try to make a how to video. But, I’m not feeling too hopeful.
SQUEAKY HINGE TRY VASALINE,...STRIPPED OUT SCREW TRY A FEW WOODEN TOOTHPICKS GLUED, JAMMED BACK INTO WORN OUT HOLE AND BREAK THEM OFF EVEN WITH THE WOOD...BROKEN WINDOW TAB TRY SUPER GLUE AND BAKING SODA..HARDENS 4 TIMES HARDER THAN NORMAL...
GREAT VIDEO THANKS FOR SHARING...
No need to YELL!!!! I've used petroleum jelly and it doesn't last, it has simply worn out. The toothpicks and glue held for a while, but broke free. I'll have to look up the superglue and baking soda trick, I've heard of that in the past, but assumed it wasn't true. I'd love to know the chemistry of how that works.
Thanks for the tip!
For the hamper besides your bed, try making a thin wall between bed and hatch. Try cardboard to see if you like it then find something sturdier if you do like it.
That’s a good idea, I’ll have to play around with some cardboard and see if I can come up with something. Thanks.
Could you tell me the approx height of you rig with the camper? I have a 2001 Dodge DRW and am planning on getting this camper when they start making them again and am trying to determine if I'll clear a 12' garage door. Also thanks for the videos, totally sold my wife on this camper :)
Our rig is 11’6” to the tallest point. It’s close, but we’ve been in several 12’ bays.
Best regards from cyprous
Hi! Thank you so much!❤️
What about the moisture problem? Still there? For under the bed you can put some kaiflex, it should fix the water accumulation.
That’s a good idea, I’ll look it up. Moisture is only an issue in cold weather, which we try to avoid. A fan in the morning does a nice job at removing it and preventing buildup.
I like that camper to
Thumbsed up
Thank you!😂
Damn wish nucamp came to australia. I'd love to travel around with this on my Ute (ute might not be big enough though...................)
Can I ask what you do for a living
I'm surprised that you still have to use a fan under your bed even with the Froli system. I have a Lance travel trailer that I was using during the fall and discovered some condensation issues and was hoping the Froli system would handle it but I guess I need to also use a fan like you.
Also, how did bleach cause the premature failure of your hot water tank? I was under the impression that bleach is the "go to" product to use to sanitize RV water systems.
The froli works well during normal conditions, but when it gets cold, the condensation builds up faster than it will evaporate, adding the fan ensures that things stay dry.
It's not a certainty that it was the bleach that caused the failure, I wasn't able to inspect it and will never know for sure. Alde warns against using chlorine because of how it reacts with some of the metals in the system. They instruct you to bypass the water heater when you sterilize your system. Then use the disinfection setting on the Alde to sterilize the hot water system. This is also the case for many water heating systems. It was news to me too.
#StonybootI'm debating about getting myself a truck camper and one of my biggest worries or concerns would be fuel mileage how is that changed or is there any difference
There is a difference, but not as drastic as towing. Unloaded, we get 14-17 MPG, loaded, we get about 10.7-12.8. It depends on speed, terrain, air temperature, and so on.
The delaminating and bubbling of the walls is a big deal. Glad it was repaired. But that’s just luck since it was under warranty. This is one of the reasons molded fiberglass trailers stick out for me. But I do like the convenience a truck camper offers.
I believe you called the mattress holder a Freoley(?) Why not put some kind of slats under there put put that mattress holder on top of it so your fan could get under it a lot easier but easier?? Just the suggestion. I just came across this video and I am really enjoying it you're pointing out what's wrong what happened you're showing examples. My other question on the moisture is what about like like the damp red hangers bed hangers they have now or just the little cassette containers that riddix does yes to help with the moisture. I found a motor home and I wouldn't be able to boondock with it or off road unless I had it lifted but they have similar ones AKA Honda & Volvo. They are cheaper and cheaper than they are exactly in Europe.
Our camper came with the Froli system and we use our little fan to move some air and get rid of the moisture. Ideally, we like staying in dryer warmer climates where moisture is not that big of an issue.😅
In the video you say you have had other types of campers. In your Cirrus truck camper what if one of you has to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom? Do you throw the covers over onto the other person, crawl down to the foot of the bed, and hop down to the floor? How do you do this without disturbing the other persons sleep? I see this as a drawback to a truck camper. What is it like to go to the bathroom at night with the lights off in the camper? Do you have a night light for the bathroom? Sasha, can you address this in a video like you did in your shower video?
Great question! I’ll go one at a time.
1: we tend to wake up at the same time to use the bathroom (synchronized peeing?) aside from that, we don’t bother each other. We will try to work that into a video someday soon.
2: the queen bees is big enough so that we don’t disturb each other unless Sasha migrates to my side, which is a different topic. It’s just become a nightly routine and we don’t think about it. We scoot to the end of the bed and stand up.
3: lighting is no issue for us, we have several light emitting devices (battery monitor mostly) that cast a glow in the camper, they act as a nightlight.
These are great questions for us to cover in a video. Stay tuned.
did you have to bring your camper to NuCamp to fix warranty work or just to your dealer?
We didn’t have to, however, we’re mobile and we don’t have “our dealer”. We also wanted to check out NuCamp’s facility and tour the factory, so it all worked out really well!
I would like to know the cost of your truck camper. I had one myself and really loved it. Also, why did you go with 350 truck with dual rear end? And is your 350 a 4 wheel drive?
When we bought the truck camper the MSRP was around 40k, we paid 32k. The truck was 62k.
We wanted the payload capacity, stability and tire redundancy that comes with a dually. If I had a time machine, I’d go back and buy a F550 or Ram 5500. I have my eyes set in a F550 with the 7.3 liter gas “Godzilla” engine. Payload is always tight especially as full timers.
@@Stonyboot Thanks.
I had a lot of problems with my Cirrus truck camper. My toilet peddle broke and couldn't flush and the contents spilled all over the floor. The radiant heat boiler could not keep up with the cold so I had a lot of cold spots and froze at night. The main control panel was wired wrong from the factory and could not use the functions. The stove glass cover broke into a million pieces, the screws pulled out of the sawdust plywood doors and two of them fell off. I returned it to the dealer for a 17000.00 loss. The electrical system quits when the batteries fell to 25% so I used a solar battery to use my small appliances. Save your money.
You didn't notice the fact that the main control panel didn't work when you picked up the camper ?
Link to that slim fan by thermostat? Thx
I couldn’t never find one online. It was a fan that came with another product years ago and I just kept it for various uses. Sadly, it finally died about a month ago.
I'm stuck between Northern Lite & Cirrus. If Cirrus built their campers using the two-piece clam shell design like NL does, the choice would be easier. NL is still ahead because they have beefed up their lithium battery & solar panel capabilities. I am waiting though to see what Cirrus does with the redesigned 920 due out either late this year or next year. Hopefully they watch your channel and have incorporated the many improvements you two have made to your camper.
I’m excited to see where everything is going NL has made some notable improvements and I’m looking forward to a new 920. I’m just happy that we still like what we chose, even if my eyes wander from time to time.
A couple-three years ago, we toured the tiny workshop of custom camper builder Bahn in Hood River, Oregon.
If we go other than converting a commercial dry-van box on our next ExpeditionVehicle, Bahn is top of our list
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A one-piece shell custom interior on a flatbed with tool-boxes... Yeah!
Sounds great!
Is the moisture an issue that can't be solved when they are manufactured?
Not really. You have a warm moist environment inside and a cold environment outside. It's like a glass of ice water in reverse. Aluminum frames tend to concentrate the condensation along the aluminum frame due to heat transfer, but you will always have some amount of condensation. There are dozens of ways to reduce the build up, but that will depend on your specific setup. Now that you have me thinking about this topic, it's actually pretty nuanced. There are so many factors that go into the condensation issue that I don't think there is a silver bullet to solve it. Maybe there's a video topic in there.
how did you do that with her chair at 10:48?
Have you considered using a portable dehumidifier?
We have, I have it saved on amazon, but it just hasn't become a real need. I'd rather have an ice maker 😎
I am back and forth on the nucamp and the northern lite. Not interested in a slide out. ( more to go wrong.) I have a 2021 Chevy 3500hd gas with 8 ft box. If you did look at a northern lite what kept you from buying it. I like it because of not a lot of seams.these two campers are at the top of my list.Appreciate your input
We had the same exact quandary. While I do prefer the clamshell design of the NL and BigFoot campers, the Cirrus won us over for the following reasons:
1. Alde
1.1 Price ($10k less was a big deal for us)
2. Window Sizes
3. Battery compartment (on the 920)
4. Generator Compartment (920 again)
5. Tank sizes
6. Cirrus is narrower by design, which works well for our purposes.
So many other factors, but, I still think the fiberglass clamshell design is the way to go.
If I had it my way, I'd build my own camper... Maybe someday.
What are your deciding factors?
@@Stonyboot(1) l love the way the Cirrus looks which has nothing to do with the durability of it.
(2) Alde but now concerned about how long it takes to heat up.
(3) cassette toilet ( still on the fence) but like the idea I can dump pretty much anywhere.
(4) the window in the roof love that feature.
NL
(1) two piece construction I believe a lot less maintenance.
(2) larger size camper
(3) don’t quote me on this one I have not experienced this. I think it would hold up better. In off road like forest ,woods where only 4x4 can go.
I have one more year before my adventures start. My youngest graduates . And hopefully prices and availability settle down . So still have time to figure it out.
@@fdale83 I usually don't give a shoutout to my own channel, but check out one of the first videos I uploaded to my channel labeled "off roading in a truck camper". if that doesn't prove the durability of the clamshell design, I don't know what does! other than that, both these brands are really nice. I love the interior design of the cirrus. it looks much more open. but I haven't been in one so I am not sure whether it is actually more spacious or not.
It’s a lot to weigh out. I think NL and NuCamp should team up and build the ultimate camper. I had and still have the same back and forth thoughts.
@@Stonyboot so true and thanks for your thoughts. I enjoy your channel and the interaction. See you two on the next one.
When you talk about your warranty work you always refer to Cirrus. Did you buy directly from factory or through a dealer? Warranty was only for 1 year right? I purchased a 720 from a dealer and it was at dealership for warranty work for 5 months! All the cabinets had to be replaced,water leaking into bathroom and cassette toilet area, molding cracking on outside all over camper. In general I am not happy with my purchase at all. I had it narrowed down after a year of research to the 720 and a Northstar Laredo. Actually had a order in for the Laredo and the dealer did not have a good finance person on staff and farmed it out which caused some issues. Called the dealer with the Cirrus and they had me approved in 5 minutes on the phone. Still regretting this decision. I am happy that you as a full timer are having minimal issues.
I bought from a dealer, but had the warranty work done at the factory. I have never found an RV dealer that I’d trust, so I scheduled with NuCamp and added it to our journey.
The 720s were plagued from the start, great concept but too many issues. It’s definitely a black mark, but they knew when to call it quits and ended the production.
We looked at Northstar’s and a 720, but the Cirrus 920 was the winner for us. I still feel like we’ve had a bit of luck, especially with the use and abuse our rig has taken. I’m gonna keep my fingers crossed and knock on some wood.
Cutie don't cut your hair. Ps great topic and production. Enjoy your travels
What do you tow your camper with please...
We haul our camper with a 2018 RAM 3500 Dually, Diesel, Crew Cab, 4x4 truck.
1:26
Among the many no-charge options, you receive the 'Vincent Price' sound-effects.
5:43
2003, for our ExpeditionVehicle bed, I fabricated the platform of 'expanded' metal -- similar to stout window-screen.
Irregardless of season/weather/temperature, we open windows on opposing walls.
9:14
Any vehicle is:
* in a hurricane
* during an earthquake
* passing through rioters
* while drenched with high-pressure fire-hoses.
I am amazed they last as long as they do!
This's the reason we built on a commercial 'million-mile' chassis.
I love the freebies!
We have a routine to ventilate and dry things. It’s just how it works. Condensation occurs in nearly every structure and there’s always a way to handle it.
I’d love to build a really solid rig on a real truck chassis. That might be a retirement plan for me.
Hello . What kind of mileage are you getting ? Thx!
10.5-12.8 MPG depending on terrain. Overall average is about 12. Not too bad considering, but I wouldn’t mind a little better :)
I would put a full size mattress and take the queen out - can't you get a dehumidifier?
I don’t think either of us would like sharing a full sized mattress. We can get a dehumidifier, but they consume a lot of power and space. Cracking the vent works really well!