Our first camper, a T@G MAX, had a Zamp Solar connector. Because of this, we purchased a Zamp Solar Suitcase. We liked using it and expected our new camper to be wired for Zamp as well. However, our nüCamp T@B 400 is not wired for Zamp.
So, this became our first official modification on the 400. I wanted to use the solar suitcase, but was concerned about drilling a hole into our new camper. My husband convinced me that he could do it without creating any issues. He did a fantastic job and it works great! I am sharing his step-by-step instructions for any of you who might also want a Zamp connector.
Items Used
Zamp Connector and WireTools used
Zamp Connector with wire. We purchased the connector and 10’ of the wire for $23. You can get the connector cheaper with a very short wire, but we did not want to splice to add needed wire.
Painter’s Tape
A drill.
Drill bit for screws 1/8” Jobber Drill Bit.
Drill bit 1/4” for pilot hole.
Paddle bits: 7/8”, & 11/16”.
4 Phillips Head screws, #8 x 3”, type A point.
2 each 3/8” Lugs, 12 gauge.
Silicone, clear.
The Hole
To begin, he put painter’s tape on the drill spot to protect the finish and to mark it.
Painting tape to protect finish
The hole in our new 400 was really three holes. Firstly, he drilled a 1/4” pilot hole approximately 3/8” deep to start the hole. Secondly, he drilled a 7/8” hole that was 1/8” deep. It is for the lip of the flange. Lastly, he drilled an 11/16” hole all the way through the camper wall. This is to accommodate the bulk of the connector.
Three-stage hole for Zamp
Attaching the Zamp Port
The Zamp connector fits perfectly into the hole and the four screws attach it securely to the wall of the camper. My husband marked the spot before drilling, drilled the holes, and tightened the screws. Next, he applied silicone around the connector to seal the area from water.
Zamp Connector inserted into hole
The above wire extends to a heavy duty distribution stud that can be accessed under the bed.
Connecting to the Batteries
Next, he connected the wire to the batteries. We have two six-volt AGM batteries and the Zamp connector can access them via a heavy duty distribution stud that came installed in the camper. You may be connecting to a single battery and not using the distribution studs.
View under the bedView of battery posts
Also, my husband cut approximately 4 feet of surplus wire. He then crimped and soldered the black and red wires. He also added shrink tube to the ends.
We were a little concerned about how to attach the wire to the battery posts because of everything we have heard about reverse polarity and the Zamp. So we contacted Zamp and they explained to us that the positive wire would be coming from the male lead on the port. For our cable, it was red, so we basically just attached the red cable to the positive post and the black to the negative post.
We asked the Zamp technician what would happen if we connected it wrong. He said that it would just show an error on the charge controller. That made us feel better.
Conclusion
Finally, we gave it a trial run in our driveway and it worked beautifully. So, we now have a Zamp port on our new camper just like we had on our first camper. My husband also ordered a Zamp decal. I would have been good without the decal, but love the port.
Our second year of retirement was wonderful, except for a couple of months which were quite difficult. We settled into a routine when not traveling that was comfortable and companionable. I can honestly say I do not miss working. We were also able to travel extensively and it was amazing.
I am writing this post primarily for my husband and myself. It is like a journal of our experiences. Because it will likely be boring for those who do not know us, it will not be posted on camping social media sites.
The time that we previously spent working is now being taken up by a slow, comfortable pace of living. We start our days later now, with ample sleep. Most of our meals are at home and are generally healthier than before retirement. We work out at the gym about four times a week, me with classes and my husband doing a combination of exercising and socializing. Our days start around 7:00 and we are usually asleep before 11:00. Sadly, we have officially become old folks!
Family Time
We now have much more time for family and we see them every opportunity, but we do try not to encroach upon their lives too much. It is great to know that we can be there for them if they need us without having to worry about working.
I have been working on a family cookbook since I retired and finally finished it. I gave family members copies of it on Thanksgiving. They seemed to like it and the personal notes in it. It is nice to have all my favorite recipes in one spot and on line.
A day with the grands
We were able to take a couple of road trips to Tampa to visit our son. Retirement has enabled us to have much more time for trips like those.
Good times in Tampa
I am trying to keep my brain challenged, so I spend a good bit of time doing Luminosity games, Sudoku, and others. For some reason, I find them relaxing and somewhat addictive.
Planning trips and later writing about them is also something I enjoy. I know that one day, we will not be able to go like we do now and I am working to capture our memories. Also, in a small way, I believe I am helping some new campers navigate their way. I have received responses from several who let me know how much they appreciated the blog.
Yardword and housework also take up parts of our days and it is good to be able to devote more time to them.
Lastly, we watch way too much television. We try to limit it and honestly do get a little sick of it, but there you have it.
Our Big Event
Knee replacement for my husband is something we have been working on since we first retired. It was delayed by needed vein surgery that was done in our first year of retirement. Unfortunately, there were complications that resulted in pulmonary embolisms. Then, we had a period of time on blood thinners and testing to see if it was advisable to move forward. It pushed the surgery to August of our second year.
He got through the surgery fine. While he was at a higher risk for blood clots, thankfully there were none! However, his rehabilitation was harder than for most because he had significant swelling related to the vein issue. It was very, very painful for him and challenging for me as well because I helped him with his rehab at home. Wow, it was tough! It was scary too because I wasn’t sure at first that he would even get back to where he was before the surgery.
A new knee
He is now much better and we are told his knee will continue to improve many months after the surgery. We are so glad to have this behind us.
The Inevitable Decline
We both are very aware of the effects of aging. My husband had the bad knee for several years and though older, I was much more active. Now, his knee is better and we are hoping he will be able to do more. It seems that now I am going to be holding us back. An orthopedist told me that I will eventually need shoulder replacement. Additionally, a hip that was only occasionally an issue before has become quite painful.
Not to be all doom and gloom, but these things make me acutely aware that we had better go and do what we want to do while we still can.
Recreation
Yes, we do have lots of fun! I think it makes it that much sweeter knowing that this is not something that is just going to go on forever.
Camping in the T@G
We have been camping for just over two years now and we both love it. I think we got along better in that small teardrop camper than we do in our very roomy home. There is so much beautiful country to see. There is also the feeling of overcoming obstacles and working together.
Our retirement goal is to camp in all fifty states. Toward that goal, we were fortunate to take two amazing month-long trips. The first west all the way to California and the second north to the Upper Peninsula. Both were incredible!
Winter trip out WestSummer trip North
Our summer trip included the nüCamp 18 rally in Sugarcreek, Ohio. We also attended the Key Lime Rally in Gulf Shores and the Tiny Christmas Campout in Pensacola. Lastly, we went camping with several friends at Stone Mountain. We have so many wonderful memories of those trips! I feel so blessed that we had this time together.
Next Level Camping
Our little T@G gave us so many wonderful days camping that we knew we were all in for much more. We had been looking for something that offered a few more amenities—a bathroom and a place to be comfortable when inside during the day. The nüCamp T@B 400 was our choice.
Our new camper
We loved it immediately, but felt that the tongue weight on our tow vehicle was under too much strain. So, we traded our tow vehicle for something bigger. Lots of changes in our camping world occurred that week in November!
Very much bigger tow vehicle
We were able to use our new toys on our last camping trip of the year to the Tiny Christmas Campout. We did some camping in South Carolina on the way. Another state for our map!
First T@B 400 trip
We made quite a bit of progress in our goal of camping in all fifty states. Still a long way to go though!
Our states map
Big Cities
We were fortunate to be able to travel to two big cities during our second year, Los Angeles in January and Chicago in July. Both cities were exciting to visit—amazing food, interesting museums, and lots to see and do. We like to stay at hotels in the heart of big cities to be able to see as much as possible.
Warner Brothers Studio TourChicago Water Tower
Dancing
Ballroom dancing has been a big part of our lives for several years. We are members of a dance club and two dance groups. From the sound of that, you might assume we are good dancers. That is not the case, but we do enjoy it and we get to spend time with some truly wonderful people.
The declining knee has resulted in declining dancing over the last few years, but I hope we can dance more in the next year.
Our dance club’s Leadout
Second year retirement was a great for us! We look forward to our third year of retirement and whatever adventures it may bring.
