Just purchased a 2011 32MKS here in Ottawa, Canada.
Looking forward to using this forum to learn all I can about the trial & tribulations of this new RV manufacturer.

Thanks to all who have taken the time to write up your experiences thus far.

Darwin
P.S. Looking forward to pickin' my Martin guitar under the awning of this unit! :)

EVERGREEN OWNERS GROUP

Sirquack, congrats on the new TT.
Please join our EVERGREEN OWNERS GROUP and share your experiences with fellow owners.
Here is the link:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/evergreenrecreationalvehicles

CCC

Hi Varmit

I haven't used the gas line hook up yet and didn't know it couldn't be used with a coleman stove.  In fact, I thought that was what it was there for?  How did you fix it so you could use the stove?

I bought my 31DS in Sep of 09 as well so they were likely made the same month, possibly even the same week!  I noticed the self leveling caulk around the roof on top was a little thin so I re-did it and haven't had any problems.  We have been camping through 2 very heavy rains without the issues you have described.  Have you contacted the company about this?  You should be under warranty and they should verify and if needed, re seal your entire camper.  ESPECIALLY since they claim to water test every unit individually.

I did notice that the caulk around the storage doors and other vertical surfaces was caulked with clear silicone type caulk rather than a product like "Dorco" caulk.  Was that what caused your problems?

Just genuinely curious,  were the exterior lights that got wet inside even caulked at all?

When your mattress got wet, I am guessing the water came through the fan vent?  One tip, we installed "Maxxair" vent covers over all three roof openings which may be why we haven't had a leak yet.

Also, your concern about the storage compartment getting wet is surprising given the way the channel is made around the door.  I would really like to hear from you as you get to the bottom of the causes of your water problems as I hope not to suffer the same fate.  As mentioned above, I thought the caulking around the black trim ring around the storage door was inadequate an re-sealed it with a thicker bead of clear silicone and so far so good.

Thanks so much for your post and please let us all know how you resolve your water problem.

MrPiper

Mr Piper,
The only way to use the propane connection is to disconnect the regulator from the appliance you are using. I dont want to do this as I might want to use it with the dispoable canisters also. As for the leak ,it was on the very front of the cowling on roof , and leaked down through into the closet the onto mattress.The caulking is poor quality on marker lights and I have already replaced two bulbs from rusting.Thanx Ward

Sorry guys that I have not posted in some time. Our trip to Michigan was great, except the Chicago road construction. :) We camped in Northern Indiana on the way back and it was great. In regards to leak problems, we have had absolutely none. It poured the first night out, and all the way back to Iowa the next day. Back through Chicago it was raining so hard it looked like fog. We have camped 3 times since back in Iowa, and have just had a great time. Love this 2011 31DS a lot. Need to run, but hope to get back with you all asap. Charles, will try to get involved in the other forum, just been so darn busy with lots of things and frequent other forums from my other interests. :)

I have a 2010 25 RB. I am not very happy at this point. The latest problem is the moniter panel giving false readout. Upon returning from latest trip, I was cleaning Rv and cleaning the back water  tank. The monitor showed I had 75% full black , 100 % grey, 75% fresh. This was wrong! Everything was empty. I had to remove the panel and fuse . Then it reset. It still shows I have 25% black.
Next  failure was the black vinyl insert on trim at front of Rv. It popped out of the black metal trim and I had a 10 foot section of the vinyl flopping  as I was going down the road. Check out my other problems  ( rain water leaks , etc ) on other posts.
Thanx Varmit

TANK MONITORS

Varmit,
 You made the same post to our EVERGREEN LIST ,look back several weeks and you will see a post by me on how to RESET the tank monitors without disassemly of the wall unit or anything else. Press a couple of bottons, drain and fill the tank.


CCC

Racerguy wrote:

---

Varmit,you have some legit problems but the tank monitors are not one of them.There is not a rig out there, no matter the cost where the monitors are correct.Just an RV fact of life.You will soon learn to be a good judge of how full your tanks are just like the rest of us

---

I had someone tell me this once and I almost believed them. I am stubborn and refused to believe that Monaco would put sub-standard gauges in the tanks.  Rather than repost here I will point you to my blog where you can read how I attacked this problem and now have gauges that read correct all the time.

http://travelingrvweather.blogspot.com/2010/01/holding-tanks-and-level-gauges.html

Will my method work for everybody?  Probably not.  In some cases the gauges might actually be broke in some fashion.   But before giving up at least try attacking the problem and do a good cleaning of the tank.

 

Thanks Dan,I read your blog entry and will give it a shot.

Me again. :) Well we have been really enjoying our 31DS. Just had a little problem I need to figure out though. Decided to flush the black tank the other day after camping. First I cleaned out the blank tank, followed by the gray tank as usual. The RV guy told me some people flush out the black tank every trip, which pisses some people off waiting in line so I figured I would wait after 3-4 trips.

Anyway, I had a 10 foot old piece of hose that I rigged up just for this purpose. I opened the black tank valve and turned on the water at the dump station, which I had hooked to the black tank flush hookup. Water was spraying out each end of the hose. I just figured I didn't have the little worm screw clamps tight enough, but figured enough water was probably getting into the tank. I let it run for about 4-5 min. then turned the water off and unhooked the hose.

Here is where I got a little pissed off, sorry...I noticed water was kinda draining from multiple locations under the trailer back near where I was working. I thought that was a little strange. About that time another camper pulled up behind us so I pulled ahead to let him have his turn.

As I pulled away I noticed a trail of water behind the trailer on the road. So we went inside the trailer and water was all over the bathroom floor, inside the little bathroom cabinet vanity that has the pump and switches, and even kinda ran into the bunk area in the back corner. what the heck is going on here?

We dried it all up with towels, and then headed home, but this drives me crazy. I don't know if I did something wrong, or if something is plugged or whatever. Maybe something is not hooked up right in the plumbing for the black tank flush?

any help would be appreciated...Randy

Oh yes, Evergreen Everlite is a new company that just started shortly after the US Economy issues and when Pilgram closed up. The trailer was purchased in MI and we live in IA, but I plan to still call them. At the time there was no dealer within 300 miles that could even come close on the deal we got...

I've been following this thread with great interest, as I'm considering a purchasing a TT for full time use. The light weight of the Evergreen TTs appeal to me, but one thing concerns me. I've heard (from Escapee and other sources) that most full-timers need about 3,000 lbs of carrying capacity for all the worldly goods of 2 people (more if you like to boondock and need to add another 800lbs or so of batteries, solar panels, generator, etc.) Since the 31DS model only has a carrying capacity of 1627 lbs according to their website (I'm sure the real world cargo capacity is much less when loaded with all the neat to have options), how do you full-time Evergreen owners get around this severe weight restriction?

Thanks for your help,

Chip

Thanks for the reply, Deb.

Another model I have been considering is the Slingshot by Crossroads. Unfortunately there are none in stock at any of our local dealers for us to actually look at and evaluate. On paper, they look nice for our intended use, but so did the Trailmanor until we actually got to tour them and found them totally unsuitable for us. The 28 ft. Crossroads GT27RB model weighs in at under 4,000 lbs yet has over 3,000 lbs of carrying capacity making it more suitable for fulltiming. It looks like one of the more practical 1/2 ton towable units out there. At slightly over 4,000 lbs, their 30 ft GT29BH with a similar load capacity, looks suitable too - at least on paper.

http://www.crossroadsrv.com/slingshot/


With about 2,500 lbs of carrying capacity, the 5,000 lb Keystone Bullet 278RLS appears to be a solid 1/2 ton conteder for a FT rig too. I really like its floorplan and the bigger water and waste tanks, but would rather a shower stall like the 288RLS rather than a tub. I just don't know if the 33ft 288's 1900 lb carrying capacity would be enough. The under 20k street price is attractive too. I guess everything's a compromise.

http://keystonerv-bullet.com/index.php?page=floorplans&model=278RLS&year=2011

Chip

-- Edited by Sushidog on Tuesday 17th of August 2010 12:31:27 PM

Thanks for the reply, racerguy!

I'm trying to do my homework here, by adding up all the things I'll be carrying to determine what I'll actually need when I start to full-time. First looking at the actual weight stickers on trailers on dealers lots and comparing them to the manufacturer's advertised weight, they are typically 150-200lbs heavier. I believe this is due to options not included in their advertised weight, such as: 15k a/c vs 13.5k, 30 gal propane tanks, enclosed underbelly, spare tire, awning, spare tire, electric jack, etc.

Now add 383 lbs of fresh water (40gal.+ 6gal hot water x 8.34 lbs/gal), 60 lbs propane, and 100lbs of batteries. Add the contents of your fridge (6 cf at 5 lbs/cf avg load= 30 lbs), a full ice chest & pantry = 100 lbs (more if you buy your sundries at Sams, buy beer and wine by the case, etc.), clothes (3- 60lb suitcases worth (2 for DW) = 180lbs - probably a light estimate), linen, pillows & towels = 50 lbs., kitchen appliances (ie. toaster, blender, cusinart, rice cooker, ice maker, coffee maker) = 65 lbs, kitchen utensils, plates, glassware, knives & pots and pans = 150lbs - (though this may seem like a lot, this is less than 1/4 of my home kitchen, since I'm a pro chef), toiletries = 5 lbs, medical supplies, vitamins drugs, etc. = 5lbs, cleaning supplies and chemicals = 10 lbs., 2 folding chairs = 10lbs, floor/door mats = 10lbs, screen rooms/tentage = 15 lbs, toys (like bikes, hobby and sporting equipt., 2 scooters, etc. 500 lbs but will keep in back of truck so 0lbs), TV/DVD/satellite equipt., stereo = 100lbs, computers (1 laptop and 1 desk top) 55lbs, portable heaters & gas = 20 lbs, generator/spare gas (200lbs but carry in truck) = 0, sewage and leveling gear = 15 lbs, foam mattress topper 70lbs. BBQ grill/fuel 30lbs, tools, spare parts, etc. (300 lbs but will carry in truck) = 0lbs, misc. missed items such as riding gear, weapons and ammo, gardening tools, pet supplies, cages, camping gear, books etc. = 200lbs.

Totaling this short list I get 1,863 lbs. rounding it up to 2,000lbs of advertised carrying capacity, this seems an absolute minimum without adding all those nick nacks, souvenirs and gadgets we all accumulate over time. This confirms my suspicions that the 3,000lb reports from experienced FTers are pretty accurate. I guess one could get by with less if they loaded more into their TV. But in my case, I'd have to eliminate 1,000 lbs of scooters, tools and generator from my truck bed in order to do so.

Chip

Thanks Nor Cal Dan.

Yes, I understand that the truck's total GRVW cannot be exceeded, regardless of the recommended tow rating. Actually, from what I understand, the truck's GRVW limit is a legal limit (which you could be cited for exceeding) whereas the manufacturers recommended tow rating is not.

With these light-weight trailers weighing in at around 7,000-7,500lbs fully loaded combined with 800-1000lbs in the bed, another 500-700 lbs in tongue weight (on a WD hitch) this should be barely adequate for most 1/2 ton's GRVW. Naturally all trucks have a little different specs, but a typical 6.2l Silverado with a 4.1 axle ratio and a tow package usually has between 6400-7000lb GVWR. If the truck weighs in at say 5,000lbs this gives you 1,400-2,000lbs load capacity for the tongue, bed and passenger weight. These are typically rated to tow about 10,000lbs, so if you subtract 1,400lbs of bed and passenger weight you are left with 8,600 lbs of remaining tow capacity which should be more than adequate for the task at hand.

Obviously this could easily be beyond the capacity of an older 1/2 ton, or one with a smaller engine that's not set-up for towing. In either case, you're probably better off going to a 3/4 ton if you tow a lot, rather than using your 1/2 ton near its capacity most of the time. For limited use, say 500-1,000 miles of towing a month, you should be fine with a maxed out 1/2 ton, as long as you slow down on the steepest grades, avoid bad cross winds and generally use good common sense. IMHO.

Chip

At one point, I was considering an Evergreen Fifth Wheels until I had the opportunity to actually see one.

To me, it looked cheap, just slapped together, the spot under the oven looked like someone saw the opening and said "Dang, what do we do with that?" and slapped a piece of plywood there.

I wasn't impressed with the build quality at all. It's a great idea and I hope that they get their quality in their 5ers fixed. I can buy a higher quality unit for about the same price. Yeah, I'll need a bigger truck but I'll pay that price.

Hello
i as well bought a ever-lite 31rb i like it for the most part but i can say the couch in my rv is junk it it is veryloud when your sit on it you cant sleep on it everytime u move it makes noise..  over all it is OK 

Mr Piper,

If you get a chance can you read my thread in this section about my black tank flush problem. I know you have a 31DS and you might be able to help me figure this out. :)

http://rv-dreams.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=91511&p=3&topicID=38828605

Greetings,
We just purchased a 2011 31RLS here in Arkansas. Getting it ready for 3 mos. in Az. We will pull it with a 2005 Nissan Titan. Will let you know how we do after we get on the road.

We signed up for Virgin Mobile last month because of the unlimited aspect. Now it's limited unlimited...just received this today:



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Hey Deborah,
Here at Virgin Mobile, our mission is to deliver an outstanding customer experience. Sometimes that means making difficult choices in order to provide the best possible service to the greatest number of customers.

To make sure we can keep offering our $40 Unlimited Broadband2Go Plan at such a great price, we're putting a speed limit in place for anyone on that plan who uses over 5GB in a month.

How will it work?
Starting February 15, 2011, if you go over 5GB in a month on the $40 Unlimited Plan:
Your data speeds will be limited for the remainder of the monthly plan cycle. During this time, you may experience slower page loads and file downloads and lags in streaming media.
Your data speeds will return to normal as soon as you buy a new Broadband2Go Plan.
This change will only affect plans bought on or after 2/15/2011.
How will it affect me?
Keep in mind, 5GB is A LOT of data. To give you an idea, it's about 250 hours of web browsing or over 500,000(!) emails*. So this change shouldn't affect you unless you're a heavy downloader/streamer/etc.

How will I know if I'm getting close to 5GB?
We've updated the progress bar in your Connection Manager to show the amount of data you've used. If you go above 5GB in a month, the bar will turn yellow, letting you know your data speeds will be reduced until you buy a new plan.

By putting this speed limit in place, we're making sure we can deliver the same quality service you've come to expect from Broadband2Go. We hope you understand.

Thanks for being a Broadband2Go customer.
Virgin Mobile

* Data usage per activity is based on an average. Actual usage varies depending on the types of websites, video, email and other internet applications accessed.







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Just go to where it says more,you will get a dropdown that will let you delete it.Then you can post in the other forum.Hope this helps.

Thanks for the thread.  I've followed with interest since buying our 2010 Ever-Lite 31RB in Sept 09.  We have enjoyed it during a snowstorm in Birmingham, AL and a sunny 80 degree day in Fairbanks, AK and everything in between.  Three Way Campers and Evergreen have been great to work with whenever we had an issue.

MrPiper wrote:

---

Evergreen RV is a brand new company with an industry changing plan.  We were so impressed with the floorplans and features that we actually purchased this one before it even arrived at the dealer.  We saw one of the other models and he told us about this one being on order to arrive in a couple of weeks.  We loved the floorplan and all of the other features so much that we bought it on the spot and waited for it to be completed and delivered.

Cons:
4.) Had the dealer call the factory to verify this.  The fabrics are not "Scotchguarded" or any other protector applied.  This is no problem.  We spent $20.00 for a few cans of high quality scotchguard and took care of all seating surfaces, but buyers need to know this in advance.  The interior is very beautiful and we don't want a "Koolaid" motif in the future because of the fabric not being protected.

-- Edited by MrPiper on Monday 7th of September 2009 05:49:59 PM

-- Edited by MrPiper on Tuesday 8th of September 2009 07:26:38 PM

-- Edited by MrPiper on Sunday 14th of March 2010 06:53:56 PM

---

 I just wanted to make a point: scotchguard is HIGHLY toxic, and would not be considered a "green" product. the evergreen company makes a point about being a green rv, so this is why they would not use it. It's considered poisonous, and a neurtoxin. It's one reason i am considering the evergreen. I am trying to keep the chemicals out of my kids!

:)

Lisa

I was curious how well your TV worked (Nissan Titan) with your 31DS?  We have a 08 Nissan Titan PRO4X (rated at 8999 LBS) and was curious how well it would work with the 31' Ever-Lite Trailer.  I do have Firestone Air Bags as well a WD system on my current trailer (17' Casita) but its weighs almost nothing compared to the Ever-Lite.  Looking to pull the trigger here soon on the Ever-Lite but originally considered the 27 due to weight.  If the 31 works well for you I may go that route. 

Appreciate it - let me know.
-Jesse