An update. I have a GD Imagine travel trailer, 2400BH. Nice unit, a few problems, mostly dealer caused, but GD fixed it. Evidently the dealer took delivery in the winter and never hosed it off and the 3 tank dump valve cables were rusted shut. GD shipped me new cables & valves and paid for them to be replaced. The frame has a lot of rust starting on the tongue and on the frame behind the axles. The front facing surface of the rear axle is all rusted. I sprayed the whole thing down with Krown Rust Proofing Oil.
I then had an issue with the refrigerator cooling fan on the back side of the refrigerator compartment. It was loud and ran all the time. GD referred me to Dometic, who promptly sent out a new fan. Just as noisy. I then researched and bought my own computer cooling fans. I put one blowing in one the bottom grate, one blowing on the fins and one blowing hot air out the top grate. The unit keeps things cool and or frozen very well, no issues. The fan system I rigged up seems to expel the heat adequately. The challenge is, I almost exclusively dry camp with a generator and solar panels. Keeping the battery maintained is a daily chore, but, part of dry camping. The fans bring the battery down further than if I had a conventional vertical vent set up.
I started an online email chat with a GD service tech about why GD uses black refrigerator grates on both the top and bottom on the side vent unit, or even a top vent for that matter? I explained my position that I feel the black grates contribute to the heat build up inside the refrigerator compartment. If I camp where there were hook ups, it would not be as big an issue. However, when dry camping, every degree of heat that can be avoided becomes important. I can clearly feel the heat build up in that compartment when the unit is powered off. Radiant heat from the sun is definitely a contributing factor. Not only is there more heat for the fans to deal with, but the hotter that space is, the harder the refrigerator has to work.
I started an email chat with a GD tech. His first suggestion was to park with that side of the camper away from the sun, which I took exception to. He then read my conclusions about the black grates and agreed that they would seem to add to heat accumulation and that I have identified a valid concern. When I asked if they could send me a couple of white grates they said all they have are black. I then asked if I could correspond with someone in the engineering dept. about the issue, seeing as GD claims to listen to and value input from the customer. I made my opinion known about being deserving of a couple of white covers at no cost and that I should not be having to spend money to make my 24k + camper function properly. They again repeated they have no white covers available. I then said I would buy the covers myself but that I still wanted to speak to a higher level technical or management representative about the black covers. I was told that all they could do was forward the concern to management. It has been 2 weeks, no call from management.
I decided to call Dometic this afternoon. After holding, I spoke with a representative who listened to and understood my situation. I asked if he could help me purchase the correct white covers. He took some inventory numbers, found the right cover, is sending them free of charge. When I asked if I could pay for overnight shipping because I am leaving on a trip early next week, he upgraded the shipping to overnight at no charge! Way to go Dometic!!
I like my GD travel trailer, I would still recommend GD, and already have to a couple of people who have purchased them. I'm not quite sure what to think about the GD customer service, or how much they really care about customer input? I thought that GD prided itself in the fact that they have built in suggestions from customers and users of their products? Like the slide out dog dish under the refrigerator? I would have been happy to buy my own white grates and have some dialogue with a GD engineering specialist about the situation. Again, hats off to Dometic! and I am not condemning GD, but am a bit surprised.
thank you
I then had an issue with the refrigerator cooling fan on the back side of the refrigerator compartment. It was loud and ran all the time. GD referred me to Dometic, who promptly sent out a new fan. Just as noisy. I then researched and bought my own computer cooling fans. I put one blowing in one the bottom grate, one blowing on the fins and one blowing hot air out the top grate. The unit keeps things cool and or frozen very well, no issues. The fan system I rigged up seems to expel the heat adequately. The challenge is, I almost exclusively dry camp with a generator and solar panels. Keeping the battery maintained is a daily chore, but, part of dry camping. The fans bring the battery down further than if I had a conventional vertical vent set up.
I started an online email chat with a GD service tech about why GD uses black refrigerator grates on both the top and bottom on the side vent unit, or even a top vent for that matter? I explained my position that I feel the black grates contribute to the heat build up inside the refrigerator compartment. If I camp where there were hook ups, it would not be as big an issue. However, when dry camping, every degree of heat that can be avoided becomes important. I can clearly feel the heat build up in that compartment when the unit is powered off. Radiant heat from the sun is definitely a contributing factor. Not only is there more heat for the fans to deal with, but the hotter that space is, the harder the refrigerator has to work.
I started an email chat with a GD tech. His first suggestion was to park with that side of the camper away from the sun, which I took exception to. He then read my conclusions about the black grates and agreed that they would seem to add to heat accumulation and that I have identified a valid concern. When I asked if they could send me a couple of white grates they said all they have are black. I then asked if I could correspond with someone in the engineering dept. about the issue, seeing as GD claims to listen to and value input from the customer. I made my opinion known about being deserving of a couple of white covers at no cost and that I should not be having to spend money to make my 24k + camper function properly. They again repeated they have no white covers available. I then said I would buy the covers myself but that I still wanted to speak to a higher level technical or management representative about the black covers. I was told that all they could do was forward the concern to management. It has been 2 weeks, no call from management.
I decided to call Dometic this afternoon. After holding, I spoke with a representative who listened to and understood my situation. I asked if he could help me purchase the correct white covers. He took some inventory numbers, found the right cover, is sending them free of charge. When I asked if I could pay for overnight shipping because I am leaving on a trip early next week, he upgraded the shipping to overnight at no charge! Way to go Dometic!!
I like my GD travel trailer, I would still recommend GD, and already have to a couple of people who have purchased them. I'm not quite sure what to think about the GD customer service, or how much they really care about customer input? I thought that GD prided itself in the fact that they have built in suggestions from customers and users of their products? Like the slide out dog dish under the refrigerator? I would have been happy to buy my own white grates and have some dialogue with a GD engineering specialist about the situation. Again, hats off to Dometic! and I am not condemning GD, but am a bit surprised.
thank you
