[medcrest]

Not a Newell owner yet, but hope to be.  Have moved from an Airstream trailer to an Airstream Class B+ to a Four Winds Siesta 24SR.  We’ve just started our search for a Newell.  As of now, we’re looking at a 1990 to 1996 coach, because we don’t want or need a slide.  I’m sure our search will narrow as we follow this blog.  I’ve already learned a great deal about what goes on.  Quite concerned about the necessity to keep the rig plugged in at all times for the various reasons.  We don’t have a great deal of money and if it’s going to cost thousands just to keep it up in storage, we’ll probably find another rig.

Paul McCullough
Scottsdale, AZ
Four Winds Siesta 24SR

To further complicate matters, I'm not a blogger, so I've got no idea what I'm doing or where this is going..

[Fulltiming]

Welcome Paul. Glad you joined the group and congratulations on discovering Newell. Having started RV'ing in three Airstream trailers I understand the attraction to a Newell. It is a logical step into a motorcoach from an Airstream trailer with quality interior, solid construction and an all aluminum body and roof (only the front and rear caps on the Newell are a composite material).

The coaches that are all-electric (a few 1993's and almost all Newells 1994 and newer) have more batteries (typically 2 chassis and 6 house 8D batteries) to meet the extra load of the residential refrigerator. Prior to that, most Newells had 2 chassis and 2 house 8D batteries. In either case, those large expensive batteries can drain down fairly quickly without being on a battery charger of some type. It doesn't have to be 50 amp or even 30 amp. A 15 amp NON GFCI circuit is enough to keep the batteries charged. If you are very close to your RV, it is not necessary to keep it on power all the time BUT if you don't, be aware that the batteries will have to be charged fairly frequently as there are a number of parasitic drains on the batteries that are not easy to work around including the engine computer (DDEC). There are battery cutoff switches in the engine compartment but even with those in the OFF position the batteries will drain down so you will need to start the generator and let it recharge the batteries or find some other way of charging the batteries (solar, 15 amp power circuit). I would be hesitant to leave mine with the battery cut off switches in the off position for more than a few weeks without checking on them and charging them up. If the inverter is turned on, that large bank of batteries can be drained VERY quickly. Unlike many Airstreams and other RV batteries, the 8D batteries are very large and very heavy (over 150 pounds each) so taking them out to recharge them is not something you even want to consider. It takes a lot of power to turn over a 500 HP diesel engine and the inverter loads can really pull down a bank of even 6 8D's. You certainly don't want to let them discharge to the point that it damages the batteries as the replacement cost is high. Even the cheapest wet cell 8D's are typically $200 each and AGM's which Newells come with are closer to $700 each delivered.

[Hotrodhornet]

I have coach 366, a 1994 model with the propane/electric refrigerator. I use the battery cutoff switchs on a regular basis as I did not have electric power at my previous storage. I have left it as long as 6 weeks with no problem starting the engine or the generator.
When I do start the generator the inverter/charger is charging the batteries on a bulk charge so I am not sure exactly how low they were. Paul

[encantotom]

Paul, i sent you an email with my contact info and to invite you to come out to my place in wittmann, az to see my coach and to visit about newells.

tom

[medcrest]

Thanks to the three of you. Spent the morning looking at the Help! section. I've always done all my own home repairs and am fairly handy on plumbing and electrical. But now I'm old, fat and on oxygen and crawling around under a rig looking for a valve I've never seen before has gone by the way. My little 24 footer is fairly straight forward, with the exception of the fact that Thor now owns Four Winds. The Class B we owned was a post takeover of Airstream by Thor and it seems like going big has led to a lot of corner cutting. I really want to get away from them. Unfortunately, I'm not high pressure air or HVAC competent. Newells get scarier with every post. The maze of unmarked copper pipes and valves in the water handling section is one example. I haven't seen (or recognized) the under floor HVAC systems in any photos, nor the ?hot water heat system. Starting to look at my old six man tent with fondness.

Paul & Jane
Remain Newell-less

[Fulltiming]

Most of the larger, heavier coaches, regardless of brands, have chassis systems that are more related to over the road trucks than to pickups. Air suspension (you won't believe the difference in ride vs springs) and air leveling (keeps a heavy coach from sinking jacks into soft soil or hot asphalt) have desirable advantages but are more complex.

Newells are not scary but they are definitely more complex and sophisticated than most Class B's, Class C's and small, light weight Class A's.

[medcrest]

Worked my way through part of my college driving semi, but I wasn't in charge of maintenance (thank goodness!)

[77newell]

I've left both my previous Newell, a 77 model, and the newer 93 model for a couple months at a time with the batteries disconnected with no problems. I did run the desulphation routine on my battery charger a couple times a year to help with battery longevity.

I too have moved up over the years from travel trailers. During that shift I've noticed that the the maintenance on the house part has generally been easier with the Newell. The chassis maintenance requires a lot more time and effort than on the trailers I've owned despite their chassis not be particularly high quality. For example, I could pull the wheels on the trailer with a typical cross type lug net wrench and a screw jack with an extension handle that didn't require going under the trailer. On the Newell, it requires a 20 ton hydraulic jack that requires I skootch under the coach to place and jack it, and then it takes a 4 foot extension on the 3/4" socket wrench to loosen the lug nuts. Then I get to wrestle a tire and wheel that weigh 130 pounds or so. Could I hire this done? Sure, but where is the fun in that and it's not easy to get someone to come to my house to do it. And, I couldn't justify keeping the coach if I had to pay someone to do lots of things. That's just my internal standard and others are sure to have different standards. BTW, I've needed to pull tires on each of the coaches several times.