Mods for Season Six 2024

TravelRV Life
Written By Ann Huffman

Mod 1: Had Warranty Items Serviced

At the end of Season Five, there were a few warranty and recall items that we needed to have serviced by our RV dealer. These included the Balmer alternator recall, the stove recall, replacing a warped bed platform, replacing the bedroom window blinds which had broken, the blind spot detection recall, and replacing the gray tank monitor sensor.

We were happy that they left the KISAE DC to DC charger (paid link) in place. We installed it during Season Five to avoid the Balmer issues, but we like having the additional charging power and we are using it as our solar controller instead of the one that came with the EKKO. The KISAE solar controller works much better.

The warped platform was an issue when we originally took possession of the RV, but our dealer didn’t receive the replacement from Winnebago until after we were on the road for Season Five. They held on to it for us and replaced it when we came back home.

The window blind cords broke just days before our one year warranty ran out. We contacted our dealer immediately and had no issues having them covered under warranty, even though the repairs took place much later.

Our gray tank monitor started reporting “no comm” errors pretty early in Season Five. Our dealer replaced the sensor under warranty, but it wasn’t long before it started reporting errors again. Since we dump our gray tank every time we fill our fresh water tank, we really don’t need to monitor our gray tank level. It is about the same size as our fresh tank. If we hooked up to city water, then it would be more of an issue, but that is not something we ever do.

Mod 2: Installed Smart Plug

The SmartPlug (unpaid link) is a replacement for the 30A electrical connection on the outside of the EKKO. Keith was not happy with the one that came with the EKKO, because he felt it didn’t make a secure connection. He is much happier with the SmartPlug, as it locks the connection in place. Replacing the outlet also required replacing the connector on the end of our 30A electrical cord.

Mod 3: Added pad under Lagun table leg

The Lagun table leg has rather sharp edges, so we were concerned it might eventually cut into the flooring. So we just added a little pad under the leg. Problem solved.

Mod 4: Installed rear view mirror camera

For Season Five, we removed our rear view mirror, since it really didn’t serve a purpose with no window out the back. However, we missed not having one. So we installed a rear view mirror camera, called Wolfbox G900 (paid link). The camera mounts on the rear of the RV and the display looks just like a rear view mirror. Keith ran the cable from the display to the camera around the windshield, down into the engine compartment, underneath the vehicle to the back, then up the corner molding to the top. We followed Michael Townsend’s post about the install in the Winnebago EKKO Owners and Wannabes Facebook group. Thanks, Michael! The angle of the camera can be easily adjusted by dragging a finger around on the display.

Mod 5: Installed AC silencer kit

The air conditioner in the EKKO is loud. Adding a silencer kit helps. The one we installed was the Wacko RV AC Silencer Kit (paid link).

Mod 6: Replaced Xantrex control panel with Bluetooth version

The Xantrex control panel for the inverter installed in the EKKO is not the Bluetooth version. Scrolling through the settings to change something is pretty clumsy. We swapped out the control panel for the Bluetooth version (paid link) so we can connect it to an app on our phones. This makes changing settings or reading errors when they pop up much easier.

Mod 7: Bought new tires

It was time. Having a blow out on the road is not fun, so we don’t want to push it. The tires we installed were the Toyo Tires 205/75R16. Hopefully they will last longer than the factory tires.

Mod 8: Fixed overhead rattle

For Season Five, we had removed the TV and converted the space to a central cubby. However, it had an annoying rattle. Keith took it all apart again. He pulled up the floor of the cubby. Apparently, it was rattling against the metal supports underneath it. He added double-sided tape between them and carpet on top of the shelf floor. Now the rattle is completely gone!

Mod 9: Upgraded USB socket outlets

There were two cigarette-lighter style DC sockets in the bedroom and one by the entry door that were only used for USB-C charging. Replacing the outlets with USB-C outlets (paid link) meant we didn’t have to worry about the cigarette-lighter adapters coming loose.

Mod 10: Made better silverware bag

For Season Five, we used a pencil bag to hold our silverware in. We liked that it was easy to grab and take out to the picnic table, or to just access the utensils stored underneath it in the drawer. However, it was just one large compartment, making it hard to find the piece of silverware we wanted. Also, the one side of it was mesh which the fork prongs liked to get tangled up in.

So Ann decided to sew a similar bag, but with dividers. It took quite a while to figure out the design. It was much harder than Ann imagined, as she tried to not have any raw edges of material exposed. She wanted it to have a flat bottom like the pencil bag, with stiff sides that would stand up, but flexible enough to bend over to fit in the drawer.

She made it out of cotton canvas, with blank stencil plastic for stiffners. Craft cord ran along the perimeter, giving something to attach the dividers to. It is basically a rectangular contain, with a sling sewed down the middle, creating three separate compartments. One is for forks, one for spoons, and the third for knives and miscellaneous (iced tea spoon and soup ladle). We lay the dinner forks one direction and the salad forks in the opposite direction. Similarly, we lay the soup spoons opposite the teaspoons. There is also a little side pocket for the paring knife.

We tested out the new bag on our solar eclipse trip in April. The bag turned out to be just a little too tall. Ann was concerned the bag wouldn’t stand up, but the issue was more that it wouldn’t really flop over, so closing the drawer was a bit of an issue.

Reluctantly, Ann made a second version, cutting down the height of the bag. The second one works much better. We can instantly grab the utensil we are looking for, and the bag is short enough for the drawer to close without issues.

Mod 11: Added strap across medicine cabinet shelf

We store tall items on the top shelf of the medicine cabinet. There is only a short lip on the shelf. It is not an issue when we are traveling down the road, as long as the cabinet door is latched shut. However, Ann seemed to knock something off the shelf every now and then when she went to grab something. We added a velcro strap across the shelf to prevent that from happening. It is at an angle to avoid the door hinge on the the one side.

Mod 12: Installed soap holder in bathroom

For Season Five, our hand soap lived next to the bathroom sink while we were at camp and in the basket hanging over the moving wall while we were on the road…unless we forgot to move it. Then it would fall off the sink onto the bathroom floor. For Season Six, we now have the hand soap sitting in a holder (unpaid link) mounted to the bathroom wall. Keith found a plastic container at the Container store that fit a soap dispenser bottle we had previously purchased. He screwed and taped it to the wall. A much better solution.

Keith also mounted a similar holder in the water compartment to hold the hand sanitizer bottle. This makes it very convenient to use after dumping our tanks.

Mod 13: Added national park stickers to gear garage door

In Red Tail One (our VanDOit camper van), Ann liked to add national park stickers to our fridge and cabinet doors as we visited the parks. However, Keith would not let Ann put stickers inside the EKKO. Ann was disappointed, but then got Keith to agree to let her put stickers on the inside of one of the gear garage compartment doors. Now everyone is happy.

Mod 14: Mounted phone/earbuds/watch chargers to top of bin in bedroom

As we now both have Apple Watches, Airbuds, and iPhones to charge, we bought Evolved 3-in-1 chargers (unpaid link) that can charge all three devices at once. We attached the chargers to the top of the storage bin we have between our beds. The charger can now be plugged in all the time. It is in a convenient place so that our phones act as clocks at night when we place them on the chargers.

Mod 15: Reworked organization of gear on water compartment door

For Season Five, we mounted an organizer to the water compartment door to hold all our water accessories. However, they fit a little tight and we were concerned that things may be putting some pressure on the valves inside the water compartment. We reworked how the things were organized to relieve that pressure. The most significant change was to pull the fresh water hose out of the organizer and hang it from a large twist-tie from the top of the door. This seemed to spread out the bulk a little more, since the hose is probably the bulkiest thing in there.

Mod 16: Repaired roof bag with Gorilla tape

We use a roof bag (paid link) to store our paddle board and gear. During Season Five, we also stored some of our backpacking gear in there. The roof bag is supposed to be waterproof, but the buckles eventually wore holes through the bag. We taped up the holes a couple of times during Season Five, but more appeared. During our solar eclipse trip in April, we only had paddle board gear in there, so we didn’t worry too much about the small holes. However, when we got back home, we discovered the heavy rains had soaked our paddle board. Water doesn’t hurt a paddle board, unless it stays wet for long periods of time and starts to mold. So before we started our main Season Six travels, we added a lot more Gorilla tape. We were hoping that would do the trick, especially since the bag isn’t as full as before and the buckles now sit on top of the reinforce portion of the bag. However, about a month into the season, we discovered water is still finding its way into the roof bag. We’ll have to come up with another solution.

Mod 17: Added metal stops in gear garage to keep items in place

Most of the items inside the gear garage are pretty well secured. However, some things liked to slide around some. Small pieces of aluminum angle keeps our camp sign and camp table from sliding around on the narrow shelf. Another metal angle keeps some supplies in place on the garage floor.

Mod 18: Added firm foam topper to Keith’s mattress

Ann finds the EKKO beds comfortable. Keith wanted a little more firmness. So he bought a firm foam topper (paid link) that he put on top of his mattress. He had to cut it to match the weird shape of his mattress. He likes that much better, although it makes the bottom sheet fit a little tighter.

Mod 19: Sewed elastic straps on fitted sheets

During Season Five, the fitted sheets would sometimes slip off the mattresses. For our solar eclipse trip, we left off the mattress covers that we had left on the mattresses during Season Five. This reduced the friction and our fitted sheets were constantly slipping off the mattress. When we got back home, Ann sewed elastic straps to our fitted sheets to help hold them in place.

Mod 20: Mounted reading light at foot of Keith’s bed

We both like to sit at the foot of our beds, facing the rear of the RV. The EKKO reading lights are located under the cabinets at the head of the beds. Keith spends more time sitting up in bed than Ann and does more reading and writing in bed. So he mounted a reading light (paid link) up on the wall with velcro. It is detachable and has a clip, so he can move it and clip it to his iPad, book or notebook.

Mod 21: Removed Solar Control Panel

Since we were now using the KISAE as our solar controller, we removed the solar control panel that came with the EKKO and covered up the hole with a piece of spare plastic.

Mod 22: Added metal angle in front of bedroom boxes

Sometimes a little metal lip is all you need to keep things from sliding. This one is in front of the boxes we keep between the beds.

Don’t let the long list of modifications fool you into thinking we don’t like our EKKO. We love it. But we will always be trying to tweak things, getting closer and closer to perfection, or changing as our needs change. We hope these mods have helped you make your life just a little bit better.

Check out our related video: Mods for Season Six 2024

(Ann)

Ann Huffman
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