New Solis Owner Info

Just a brief bullet list of items a new owner would want to know.

• Fresh water tank – Most do not drink water from it. There are many posts about this and for the most part seems like a good in-line water filter ($200-$500) would be prudent.
• Hills – The Promaster van for the most part does NOT like hills, especially in snow, mud, wet pavement, etc. The balance of weight is on the back tires, which makes the front have less traction when going up inclines
• High RPMs – The Promaster engine doesn’t mind high RPM. Most of the reading I’ve done says it is ok to have high RPM when going up a steep road.
• Stock is good – While some of us had made lots of changes to the Solis, it isn’t absolutely necessary. For me the Solis is a hobby/project that I enjoy keeping myself busy with. For the average weekend away, I can’t think of any “must do” mods. Although rear Sumos springs for <$500 are a huge improvement in drive quality. Some people are “meh” on them, but many. many others say this is a must have.
• Sliding Door – The slider can be unlocked on the inside by pulling the lever twice.
• Fridge – The fridge holds quite a bit of food and generally should be set between 3-4. That stupid dial gets bumped a lot when filling and taking items out of fridge. Check it occasionally.
• Battery Drain – On the stock Solis (and most modded rigs) the #1 item that will suck the battery dry is the fridge. Make sure it is set to a reasonable temp. If it gets bumped to 7, the battery will deplete in less than 24hrs.
• Propane switch – The solenoid that keeps the propane lines open actually uses about 1 amp of power. This is another item that will deplete the battery faster than necessary. If you don’t need the stove or heat, turn the propane switch off.
• Charging Batteries – There are a bunch of ways to charge the Solis batteries. The main two: driving (longer stretches are better) and plugging into “shorepower”. Get a 30a to 15a converter and just plug it into normal house outlet. The solar power system will top off a battery, but not bring it back from dead. Even a full day of sun will only change the batteries maybe 30%
• Batteries – Avoid draining batteries to zero. On the control panel if the battery indicator is at one, charge it.
• Water Fill – While it seems complicated, the instructions for all the knobs are right there on the water panel. There are only three things I recommend. An in-line RV water filler filter, an inline hose valve and drinking water approved hoses a 3′ and a 25′. BTW: Don’t buy a 50′ hose. Two 25’s are way more versatile.
• Propane – Propane lasts way longer than you expect. Don’t fret too much if the control panel shows one or two lights only. The heater and the stove are the only things that use propane.