About Me

Hi -

I am a new RVer, and very conFUSEd.  I decided to call this blog the conFUSed RVer.

My name is Don and I am a 50+ year old Telecommunications Director at a Major University in Tallahassee, FL.

Here are some of our favorite photos from our adventures so far.

My experience with RVs is very limited, though I am not a stranger.  While I was a child my dad had several motorhomes.  We started while we were stationed at Sheppard AFB in Texas.  We had a 1974 Escapade class A.  Dad was an Air Force Veterinarian and most of my childhood he was not at home.  But while we were at Sheppard he was running the veterinary school and for once he was.  For several years we traveled almost every weekend in the Escapade to a Texas State Park or somewhere in the area and it was a blast.  He purchased a RV lot at Venture Out in Panama City Beach Florida and we spent the summers there.   During my childhood we had several other motorhomes including several Pace Arrows and a GMC Palm Beach but none of them got used like the Escapade in Texas.

Another motorhome person in my life was my Uncle Ben.  He started the craze and got Dad hooked. He had a Travco class A and and FMC class A that I remember, and probably several others.  As he got older he bought a top of the line Fleetwood diesel pusher.  He always told me that his favorite was the FMC and he owned at least one frame up restoration FMC in his later years.  He actually tried to convince me to buy one when I said I was looking at motorhomes.

We traveled everywhere. Mom, Dad,  my brother, the beagle and me.   Usually we either had a Honda 70 motorcycle on a rack or towed a Fiat 124 convertible. I remember trying to plan the routes before computers so we had a road we would fit on.  I also remember that Mom said that traveling in the Motorhome was not a vacation, so you would see our large motorhome pulled into a Holiday Inn parking lot every3 or 4 days.

How is all of this relevant,  well as the older child, I got to help, and help I did.  So I  should know a little bit.  How much I remember, that is another story.

So here I am.  My children are grown up and my wife and myself want to travel more.  We have a beagle that needs to come so we start our journey in a motorhome.

We wanted something small but comfortable.  This is my wife's first time with a motorhome, so it should be interesting.  We purchased a 2017 Winnebago Fuse 23a and off we go.   It is a new model, maybe even the first one sold so I will share what we learn about it.  I will also share what we see on our travels and other things find interesting.   Feel free to add to the conversation.

winnebago fuse 23a

Don Pace
2017 Winnebago Fuse 23a
Tallahassee, Fl 
dgpace at gmail.com



41 comments:

  1. Hello. I really like your website, and appreciate you giving so much good info on a relatively new model. I'm looking to purchase a Fuse, and was curious what you paid pre-tax for your unit? If you'd rather answer privately, my email is djclaff@gmail.com. Really appreciate your help!
    -Don

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  2. I read your entire blog and really enjoy your writing and experiences with the Fuse. I'm torn between the similar floor plans of the Fuse and Trend and enjoyed reading why you chose the Fuse. Going forward I really look forward to your wife's CPAP usage. I'm looking for a RV that we can dry camp in and not run the generator while sleeping with my CPAP. Please explain in detail what CPAP she has and how she is converting to 12vac. One way around this is to install an invertor and 110 outlet for the CPAP. This way you do not have to do the conversion at the CPAP level. The 110 outlet would be nice for other devices such as laptops. Thanks Jay

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    1. The big difference between the Fuse and the Trend is stability. The Trend has single wheels in the back and is front wheel drive. The Fuse has dual wheels in the back and is much more stable when driving down the road.

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  3. I will have to go look at her CPAP for the model again since I am not home at the moment. It has a power brick/ac adapter and is natively 12 volts. We checked and can buy a cigarette lighter adapter for it. The plug is a standard round 12v 2.1mm dc coax connector. Will not need an inverter.

    I checked with Winnebago and the USB ports above the beds are 12v on the back side and they convert to 5v for the USB, so I should only have to pull out the USB socket and replace with a cigarette lighter socket and should be good to go. My only concern is amperage supportable by the wire being used. The CPAP per the manual draws (if my memory is working) something like 5 amps. I will provide all of this in a post once I get it done.

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  4. I have posted some more on the CPAP mod and details on her machine at http://confusedrv.blogspot.com/2016/04/12v-mod-for-cpap-machine.html

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  5. Question: Does the Fuse have enough power to feel safe going up hills? Are you loving the Fuse? Do you feel it needs stabilizers?
    Thanks

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  6. It has plenty of power going up the hills in Florida and South Georgia. That is not saying much however. I have not had an opportunity to drive it up any serious hills to date. It has plenty of power running down the Interstate at 70-80mph. It is not close to topping out when running that fast. It really drives nice. More like a large SUV than a truck. The diesel seems to have plenty of power for this size coach. It seems to hold the road pretty well. I do not think that it needs stabilizers. When we have large trucks pass, it does not get bounced around.

    I have been really happy so far. One or two annoyances but really happy. Go over to the yahoo fuserv group or the Facebook Winnebago Fuse owners group ands there. There are several people there and they will give you their opinion as well. I am new so comparing to other RVs is outside of my expertise but several there are long time RV experts.

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  7. I am enjoying your blog. It is both entertaining and informative. How much room do you have with the slide in? Could you post a picture? Thanks.

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  8. These photos are with the slide in. Almost all of the photos so far have been with the slide in since we only put out the slide when setting up for a while.

    http://confusedrv.blogspot.com/2016/02/fuse-23a-inside-photos.html

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  9. Thanks for this very informative blog! I really like the Fuse but having had no previous experience with diesel engines I'm a little unsure about purchasing one. Is there additional maintenance required for a diesel (aside from the DEF) versus a gas engine? Also how often does Ford recommend changing the engine oil? Thank you.

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  10. My only diesel before the Fuse is my ford F250 pickup truck. It is a 2001 I purchased new and now has 200,000 miles on it. Other than changing the fluids, I have had it in the shop to replace a computer model a few weeks after buying, I had to replace a water pump at about 100,000 miles, I had to replace an alternator about the same time. The only differences in maintenance is that the Ford F250 diesel needs much more oil than a normal car during the oil change. You also have to replace the fuel filter more on schedule than for a gas car. I would not worry about that if you like the unit.

    A far as oil changes. The manual says that the engine computer will tell you when to do it. I have heard somewhere between 5000-10,000 miles. A lot of people recommend to do it every 5,000 miles as good practice. The diesel takes 3-4 times as much oil as a gas engine and the price of an oil changegoes up accordingly.

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    1. Hi Don thank you so much for this blog my wife and I pickup our Fuse Jul 16 we will keep reading thanks for the tips. Norbert

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    2. Hi Don thank you so much for this blog my wife and I pickup our Fuse Jul 16 we will keep reading thanks for the tips. Norbert

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  11. By the way that same delivery date heading to Ft Wilderness 1 night to get feet wet.

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  12. By the way that same delivery date heading to Ft Wilderness 1 night to get feet wet.

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  13. Ft. Wilderness is a good spot for the first night off of the dealers lot. I would recommend that you spend the first first night at the dealers lot with a pad of paper so you can get them to answer any questions and fix any problems. Once the dealer makes everything right you found at delivery (and don't leave before then) then head to a glamping spot like Ft. Wilderness. One of those no surprises spots. If you are new like us, making sure your first experience is a good one is important. Also you can go down and get the takeout fried chicken which is a decent price and pretty good.

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  14. Thank you, Don, for all the helpful info! I am also considering a Fuse and had three questions about practical matters:

    1. Where would one put and plug in a coffee pot?
    2. Do you ever hit your head on the corner of the microwave frame (looks like it extends beyond frig frame in photos)?
    3. Could you elaborate on the placement of holes for the tables, please? If there isn't one between the driving chairs and the one near the couch is covered when the slide is in, can you not use the table in that part of the RV without deploying the slide? You mentioned some part you could order???

    Thanks for any insights you can share.,

    Lorrie

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    1. A regular percolator will fit between the stovetop and the sink. It can be plugged in above the spot since there is a plug on the bottom of the cabinet. You can also plug it into the socket that is on the side of the counter next to the door. I will post pictures on the Facebook group.

      I have not and am not sure how you could hit your head there. It does extend slightly but not in a way you could bop your head on.

      You are correct, you can't use the table up front without the slide being out. I have bought some porta legs so I could use the table. There is a post in the blog about them.

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  15. Hello from Canada! Just discovered your blog yesterday and now reading it from the beginning! Great and helpful stuff, keep it up!
    I haven't bought a Fuse yet, but test-drove it the other day and was really impressed how well it handles on the road. 23A model would be my choice as well. Hopefully I'll be the happy owner soon too.
    Cheers!

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    1. I hope everything works out. Let us know how it goes and make sure you check out the Facebook "Winnebago Fuse Owners Group"

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  16. I'm very curious about your 2" lift. I have a transit T250 that I'd like to do the same too. Of course the front part is the hard part. You mentioned Mcbride RV recommended taller springs, but later in your write up it looks like they went with a strut spacer. Do you have any more information you can help me with so I can do the same??
    thanks!

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  17. Not my lift method but from Richard. If you join the Facebook group Richard will probably tell you as much as he knows. We also have a good person at Ford looking into what they did to get the additional clearance on the 2017 Transit

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  18. Considering a Fuse 23A, we currently have a 2016 Era 70X. Our questions: Is the toilet in the 2017 Fuse a China toilet? Cannot find any reference in the Winnebago specs on this for 2017.
    Is the clearance better in the newer models, so the rear doesn't scrape when going down driveway ramps?
    Thanks for your help - Tim

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    1. The toilet is plastic.
      The clearance is about 1.5 inches higher in the newer ones. Can't speak for your driveway but based on my experience so far it would have removed the low issues for me. If my early 2017 23a was just 1/2 inch higher I would have never scraped the tail

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  19. Hello from California! Enjoying your blog, please carry on. My husband & I have had 2 Rv's in the past and are planning on another once he retires early 2018. My husband loves the Fuse 23A. I have taken some convincing as I really wanted 2 slides, as we hope to go from West to East so I thought additional space was essential. I keep coming back to the Fuse for Ford Stability, style, comfort, so looks like we are now on the same page for some happy camping! Wishing you many happy travels. Cali M

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    1. Good luck with your decision. Be sure to check out the Facebook Winnebago Fuse Owners group. Lots of good information in there. You also get many more points of view other than just mine.

      I think picking an RV is a matter of how you plan to use it. The Fuse has plenty of storage for us (two of us & the beagle) to go a week or 10 days without stopping to wash clothes or do a deep clean. We tend to re-supply every 3-4 days while out (we stop and get food/bottled water/treats) but only use half of the storage that is in the vehicle. We don't plan to go spend a month off the grid in the wilderness. Just not our style. I do think that we could go a full week without resupply in the Fuse.

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  20. Hello again - just wondering where the outlet is in the galley area to plug in coffee makers, etc. I can't see it in any of the videos, and it must be there somewhere....
    thanks in advance!!

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  21. I found my answer in the questions above - thanks for all your info.

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  22. Hi, Don,
    Your site is a wonderful asset for us new RV owners. Our 2017 Fuse has dual tires in the rear. The inboard tire valve stems have extenders but the outboard tire valve is short, faces inward, and is buried inside one of the holes in the hubcap. I bought a pressure gauge with a reversed head but I can't even get my fingers on the valve stem to remove the cap. I have put TPMS transmitters on the two front and two inner rear tires but cannot check the pressure in the outer rear duallys. Anybody else out there with this problem?
    Thanks for any help,
    Doug and Patti

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  23. There should be no cap. They make a valve stem extender you can get for the outer wheels that is more or less U shaped so it can be checked easier. The think that I find to do is to remove the wheel simulators (hub caps) and then it is makes it reasonably easy to check with the air chuck you have. Those simulators make the angle hard to get lined up correctly to check the air

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  24. Thanks, Don. I was able to get the tire pressure checked after removing the simulators. Too much trouble to put on the TPMS transmitters at this time. Will look into the angled valve extenders.

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  25. Hey Don. Miss your blog posts. Hope all is ok.

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  26. It will pick back up in the middle to end of September. My work is such that the summers are full

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  27. Hi to all!
    A little addendum re. 'the color of an RV isn't just a cosmetics' as posted in: "2018.5 Changes in a New Brochure."
    I just installed the "Physics Toolbox Apps" on my phone (Google Play or www.vieyrasoftware.net/) and checked the sunlight in our living room ~100klx (kilo-lux) so I grabbed a few sheets of card-stock, a piece of Al foil and mounted them close to the window so they were somewhat facing the sun. After some 10min I took my cheap infrared thermometer and checked the temperatures. I knew there would be differences, but this really surprised me: Silver ~28.8°C(84%F), White ~30.2(90), Bright Green 45.1(113), Dark Green 52.3(126) and! Black!! 59.5°C (139%F)!!! And we live 46.4 deg North (Northern Ontario) => Well, I'm not keen on of putting Alcan Foil over my head, so I'll stick with the White Platinum paint or equivalent foil-wrap (could be removed later, at a sale time, for someone who loves living in a sauna ;-) Anyone can calculate how much would they save in the bright white RV over the stock Fuse down south...
    Cheers to all,
    JaKo

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  28. Hi Don!
    Just wanted to say thanks to you and your beautiful wife for taking the time to produce this blog- it's so informative. We're about to purchase either a View or Fuse. Torn between the additional sleeping space for a guest on the View and the advantages of the Transit in maintenance issues. Again, many thanks.

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  29. Don,do you recall the tape you used to Mount your undersink paper towel holder and are you still happy with the results?
    Thank you, Doug Hale

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  30. Hey Don, I have a Fuse 23T and am having a lot of trouble with the clearance in the back. I am going to add springs. I was curious if you found any solutions as to make the back bumper more resistant to damage.

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  31. Don, I absolutely love your blog! We were lucky enough to find a 2018 Fuse (2017 chassis) with only 3600 miles on it. An older couple bought it and drove it to a casino campground once and decided this wasn't for them. They did hold onto it for almost three years but it looks as new as the day they bought it! The toilet, shower or stove haven't even been used.
    Anyway, I ordered my Sumo Springs and they are scheduled to be installed in the next or so and I wanted to thank you for the info.
    I do have a couple of questions for you and the group: Has anyone figured out how to get at the inside dual on those with the stainless wheel covers to check the tire pressure or add air? I tried today and it seems impossible. I may have to take it to a tire shop and have the rear wheels taken off and an extender installed to bring it out to the front of the wheel. Any advice would be appreciated.
    I also tried to drain the 1/4 tank of existing water and located the valve on the passenger side of the unit but could not get any water to come out even though I can see the water level at 1/4 thru the tank. It may be a Winnebago repair visit for me.
    Well, I rattled on long enough for now. If anyone has any insight on my issues, please chime in.
    Regards, Joe Beador

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    1. On the wheel covers, Not a hard thing. The covers are held on with the faux llug nuts. 2 of them will turn and tow will not. You can sort of look at them and see a flair or an indentation to see which ones will turn. Once removed the cover comes off easy and the lugs screw back on. Hard to t describe. A lot of folks put on the extensions but I just put on and off the wheel cover to get there

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