Thank you

I am coming out of the closet and probably going right back in but I wanted to express my thanks to all that keep this forum going.
I pick up my New PC this week after an approximately two year search of what I wanted and needed  with quality of workmanship being my number 1 priority. Once I got to my short list I started by looking at older models (new ones all look great). Money I decided should not be the big deciding factor since I have learned you usually get what you pay for. My choices finally narrowed to C.H. and PC.
After looking at both extensively it was clear to me that the quality of the PC and their willingness to make the custom changes I wanted blew away the competition. The Forum also played a big part in that and I read every new post daily. Kyle said it best a few days ago when he said something to the effect that the forum does a great job at selling PC without their input. What I learned the most from you is that PC stands behind their product and once you drive off you are not left standing alone.
Anyway this thanks is to all the forum users that really keep this going. I think there are probably hundreds like me who benefit from your wisdom who will always lurk in the shadows absorbing knowledge but will seldom be heard from. Thanks again!!

Welcome to the forum Chiuly.
Thank you for the nice description of your search for your PC.  
We hope that you will post from time about your new experiences.
Happy trails,
--Bruce and Sharon

Welcome.

Please post your through about your new baby and what changes you had done.

Everyone from the first time buyer to those that have owned many differene RVs has something that can be helpful to some one. Like you said, you gained a lot from others posts, so why not help others. Pay it forward.

Good point! I will try.

Chiuly,

As a newbie, here, I would definitely appreciate hearing about your new PC and the custom changes you incorporated to make it unique for you.  I'm still in the "dream design" stage... so your input could indeed help in my process!

Thanks!

Jim

I just typed a lengthy reply to modifications but when I went to post I apparently timed out in my log in time and it was lost in cyber space.
I will try again sometime in the future.

Try typing it in a word processor or notes and then copy and paste it into the forum.

Chiuly,

Thanks for making the attempt.  I hope you'll be able to find time to do it again.  Typing it offline, making corrections and then doing a copy/paste will probably be a more comfortable process.  Regardless, thank you for taking the time!

Jim

Try this again with Tom’s sage advice:
My wife and I live in Alaska and we like to hang out in remote places that most people would consider cold. I first chose PC because it has all internal plumbing. I added 4x4 because I didn’t want to have to run at the first hint of snow or Icy weather. I also like to be able to get in remote areas. I seldom go anywhere I cannot get into with two wheel drive but I have the insurance that if the weather changes I have the 4 wheel drive as a backup. Winter driving in general up here is much safer on the highways if you have 4x4. Third I do only backcountry camping or “boondocking” so I upgraded the Inverter to a 3000 watt pure sine wave and upgraded the battery charger to a 45 amp Lithium battery charger. That leads me to the batteries; I had PC put in the largest battery box they could put in. It will accommodate an 8D flooded battery. I am installing 400 amps of Lithium or LiPo batteries. They weigh one third to half of a flooded battery but put out twice the usable power and maintain a constant voltage throughout. The other nice thing is they charge twice as fast, have very little loss of power over time and should last three to four times what a flooded battery will last. The down side is their cost but over time that should negate itself. I also had PC wire for 300 watts of solar power on the roof and an additional 100 watts that will be ground deployed. I will install this once I get home. I also had them wire most of the coach thru the inverter with only one plug and the AC on Alternate Current. I had a number of other small items done on the interior like a plug in the back closet and one under the bed to accommodate a cordless vac. and my cordless drill/impact-wrench/flashlight/screw-gun. Many other changes were just things that fit us best. Probably the change that maybe the most controversial is our paint; Flat Black with Camo trim. I know that everybody that lives in warmer climes are probably rolling their eyes. For us we wanted something that would blend into most environments and we could pick up some nice radiant heat especially early in the morning when we like to sit outside and watch the sun rise and later when we want to watch the sunset. The nicest part of dealing with PC is being able to get what you want. Our rig is not for everybody and that is the way it should be for everybody. This is the fourth rig for us and we have owned a large TT and a fifth wheel and a large camper which is a 4x4. Our favorite is still our camper for the places it can take us and ease of use but it does not do well in the cold and is very limiting on how long you can stay before needing propane and dumping. We hope we have built our dream rig. PC has been great at accommodating us even though they probably think we are nuts and we are but that’s beside the point. The only thing I could not get that I wanted and was out of PC control, was I would have preferred a diesel. I have several diesel trucks and my believe is they get better gas mileage and seem to last longer have a lot better torque than any of the gas engines I have ever owned. I know when I am towing large items they seem in a league of their own.
We also got the levelers because I am tired of trying to level rigs with blocks and we never seem to camp anywhere it is level. The satellite seemed decadent but it gets dark early in the fall and tv reception outside any city is nonexistent here. We spend the majority of our time outside but when it’s stormy sometimes the tv is a nice diversion when all the books we have brought are exhausted. We can also get the weather and watch the news.

Chiuly,

I'd sure like to see pics of your PC. I think it sounds interesting.

You'll be happy with Phoenix and the support they'll provide after the sale. We sure were (which is why we've had 3 of them).

We've sold our 2552 and are out of the game (for now ?) but I still lurk here because of interest and the possibility I can offer some help.

Best of luck in your adventures.

Hi Chiuly,

Welcome!

WOW, I read through your description on your ordered 2552 4x4 and am extremely impressed with your technical specifications.  I do understand about your color choice up there in Alaska to absorb the sun rays.  The only thing I wonder is, do you really want to blend into the terrain so well?  Remember the movie Into The Wild?  If you get into trouble, nobody will see you from a helicopter or search plane.   Maybe have the factory paint your roof "Road Construction Orange"

I look forward to your pictures and detailed foot notes.  When I see your posts coming through, I will have to pop a bag of popcorn and settle into my chair here.

Hi Chiuly,

Thank you for the post, It is great and you have peaked my interest. I can't wait to see pictures of that paint job.

I have been thinking about switching to lithium batteries when it comes time to replace my house batteries. What would I need to replace as far as the convertor/charger and the alternator. Can you give me a guess of the cost?

Several years ago I read an article about installing a yellow domed light on the roof for when you need to be found. It would help at night but not so much during the day. My guess is that a good LED flashlight with a strobe would work just as well.

Do you have an expected delivery date?

Keep us posted.

Tom, I hope you realize I was kidding about my "Road Construction Orange" suggestion.  I like your comments Tom about an emergency LED beacon.  Actually a huge bright orange tarp would serve multiple purposes if Chiuly wanted such emergency visibility.

I recall some years back, there was story in the news about a fellow who drove his motor home on a closed winter road.  The fellow got stuck and then snowed in.  He survived for months but eventually died of cold and starvation.  It wasn't until spring when they found his motor home and body.  I want to say it was in Washington State but uncertain.  I think they searched for him but his rig got buried in snow and not seen from above.  Cleaning the snow off a huge orange tarp and emergency beacon could have saved him.  A good VHF 2-way radio might have also helped.

I always think of that stranded motor home story when I read of people on forums going wilderness camping during questionable times of the year.

Ron I know the orange roof was a joke, and a good one at that.

I read a simular story but the guy was in an old yellow school bus.

Ron has me laughing this morning,( remember the 4 hour time dif.) Cell service is another luxury we only find near towns so we carry a Sat phone for emergency. This item is a must for our boat because even VHF doesn't work in a lot of places.. We leave to pick it up in a few hours so Ill be out of com. for awhile. Ill keep this short to save on Popcorn. Lithium is about a hundred bucks an amp hr.  But that cost should come down in the future, You really don't need to change anything like alternator or even charger/converter they are very similar. I think lithium just charges at a little higher : 15 volts but any charger will work. We wanted a little bigger charger so that when we do run the gen. to charge we don't have to have it on that long. The distant between towns to replenish is long and the longer we can go between fill ups the better.