# Minor Annoyances With 312Bh



## midlifecamper (Jun 15, 2011)

Just wanted to put together this list of minor annoyances with the 312BH. I'm not complaining, we love this camper and there are so many great things about it, I'm just trying to be constructive here. The engineering that goes into this camper is certainly impressive, which makes it surprising how they could overlook these things. Also wondering if other folks experience the same things. Some of these have easy fixes but I listed them anyway.

1. Top of main door rubs against awning, creating a grey mark in the shape of a half moon.

2. Outdoor kitchen burner lid bumps against door handle when opening/closing it.

3. Outdoor kitchen burner knobs are labeled Right and Leet (not Left). Someone at Suburban made a nasty typo here.

4. Outdoor grill hose is too short. It reaches the grill if it is fully extended towards the kitchen area, but then you can't close the kitchen overhead door. You have to unhook the hose and move the grill to make room to put the kitchen door down.

5. Outdoor kitchen sink drains into the black tank, it gets stinky from time to time. I've seen other posts on here about this.

6. Front grey tank port is underneath the big slide. Because of this we just leave the port open all the time but I doubt this is what the manufacturer intended.

7. The switches for the 2 flood lights are reversed. The left one works the right flood light, and the right switch works the left flood light.

8. The drip tray in the outdoor fridge cannot be removed or emptied. The fridge door does not open wide enough to get it out.

9. The tub leaks onto the floor when taking a shower due to no caulk around the tub.

10. The 2nd door has a translucent window. You can't see clearly but at night when someone is in the bathroom you can totally make out what is going on in there because it is dark outside and light in the bathroom and the shadows are very clear.

11. There is no lock on the inside door to the bathroom. If someone enters the bathroom from the outside door, people on the inside don't necessarily know that someone is in there.

12. We got a shower liner, cut it to size and hung it in the shower. But the little suction cups that hold the liner closed when you're in the shower can't suction to the shower walls because there is a slight texture on there.

I'll continue adding to the list as I discover more things. Please don't let this discourage anyone from buying the 312BH or another Outback, the awesomeness of the camper far outweighs these minor annoyances. Again, just trying to be constructive.


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## joeymac (Aug 19, 2010)

midlifecamper said:


> Just wanted to put together this list of minor annoyances with the 312BH. I'm not complaining, we love this camper and there are so many great things about it, I'm just trying to be constructive here. The engineering that goes into this camper is certainly impressive, which makes it surprising how they could overlook these things. Also wondering if other folks experience the same things. Some of these have easy fixes but I listed them anyway.
> 
> 1. Top of main door rubs against awning, creating a grey mark in the shape of a half moon. - We have the same issue. *- We have the same issue. Not sure how to fix this other than to keep the awning fully extended.
> 
> ...


Funny we have the same issues !!!!! Hope a few of these suggestiuons help !


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## MacTeam (Jul 27, 2008)

Top of main door rubs against awning, creating a grey mark in the shape of a half moon. - We have the same issue. *- We have the same issue. Not sure how to fix this other than to keep the awning fully extended.
*

Most RV stores sell the little wheel that mounts atop the door with two screws. At least when you close it, it's a smooth wheel running against the awning instead of the door itself.

LEET -> LEFT... wow someone got sacked for that one I betops: .


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## luverofpeanuts (Mar 9, 2010)

We have a 2010 290RLS, but found the list interesting and good food for thought.


midlifecamper said:


> 1. Top of main door rubs against awning, creating a grey mark in the shape of a half moon.


Hmm... if the awning is fully extended, and you've "tightened it" and set the "set screws"... and it still rubs... I call that a warranty issue personally. I don't think it should happen....and I don't think this happens on ours... but I'll check.

I personally find that with the awning extended, I can't "latch" open the door, because the awning arm is in the way!! A dumb oversight.



> 5. Outdoor kitchen sink drains into the black tank, it gets stinky from time to time. I've seen other posts on here about this.


Mine doesn't have a drain!!!



> 7. The switches for the 2 flood lights are reversed. The left one works the right flood light, and the right switch works the left flood light.


Interesting...I'll have to check that one on ours.


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

midlifecamper said:


> 1. Top of main door rubs against awning, creating a grey mark in the shape of a half moon.
> 
> _I retract the awning a few inches, so the "seam" where it attaches to the roller, is at about the two o'clock position. That raises the awning two or three inches, which helps with door clearance._
> 
> ...


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## Jewellfamily (Sep 25, 2010)

My door doesnt rub my awning. It clears by an inch or so on my unit. The grill hose was too short on mine as well but we caught it on the PDI and the dealer built us a longer hose. I'd have to pull down the underbelly and do some scouting around but have thought about re-plumbing the outdoor sink from the black tank to the rear grey tank and possibly tying the two grey tank drains together so the one slide valve for the rear tank controls both drains, but it hasn't bothered me enough to take on that much of a project yet.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

midlifecamper said:


> 6. Front grey tank port is underneath the big slide. Because of this we just leave the port open all the time but I doubt this is what the manufacturer intended.


I am pretty sure I could go ALL summer long and not empty my front tank. We wash dishes, but there just are not that many to fill a 30 gallon tank.	We just got back from a 10 day trip...the dump station was empty so I figured I'd empty the front tank. Opened er up....was done about 3-4 seconds later.


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## Kevin K (Jan 31, 2011)

midlifecamper said:


> Just wanted to put together this list of minor annoyances with the 312BH. I'm not complaining, we love this camper and there are so many great things about it, I'm just trying to be constructive here. The engineering that goes into this camper is certainly impressive, which makes it surprising how they could overlook these things. Also wondering if other folks experience the same things. Some of these have easy fixes but I listed them anyway.
> 
> 1. Top of main door rubs against awning, creating a grey mark in the shape of a half moon.
> I'm going to try and tweek the posistion to cure this. If that doesn't work maybe the roller is the answer
> ...


Overall it has been a great summer of camping. Love the extra space... Happy Camper!!


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## Jewellfamily (Sep 25, 2010)

Oregon_Camper said:


> 6. Front grey tank port is underneath the big slide. Because of this we just leave the port open all the time but I doubt this is what the manufacturer intended.


I am pretty sure I could go ALL summer long and not empty my front tank. We wash dishes, but there just are not that many to fill a 30 gallon tank.	We just got back from a 10 day trip...the dump station was empty so I figured I'd empty the front tank. Opened er up....was done about 3-4 seconds later.
[/quote]
If you're boondocking, you'll never fill it because you are in water conservation mode. Its when you are on hook ups and not paying much attention to how much water you use that it will get you. On the 312, you can actually fill the tank up to the point that it will come out of the vent which is under the sink (isn't that handy). I found that out this summer in one of those "hey, where is that water coming from" moments....


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Jewellfamily said:


> If you're boondocking, you'll never fill it because you are in water conservation mode. Its when you are on hook ups and not paying much attention to how much water you use that it will get you.


Good point....


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## midlifecamper (Jun 15, 2011)

Kevin K said:


> 4. Outdoor grill hose is too short. It reaches the grill if it is fully extended towards the kitchen area, but then you can't close the kitchen overhead door. You have to unhook the hose and move the grill to make room to put the kitchen door down.
> Dealer built longer hose since I knew about this from info here... thanks guys


[/quote]
I knew about the short hose from other posts on here too and I brought it up during our PDI and the dealer said there wasn't anything they could do... that's the way it came from the manufacturer.


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## LaydBack (Aug 22, 2010)

midlifecamper said:


> 7. The switches for the 2 flood lights are reversed. The left one works the right flood light, and the right switch works the left flood light. If you open it up, you can switch the wires going to the actual light fixtures, on these 2 switches and it will remedy this. It would be the single wire, not the wire coming from the splice.
> 
> 8. The drip tray in the outdoor fridge cannot be removed or emptied. The fridge door does not open wide enough to get it out.I suggested flipping the door months ago, but never did it myself because it seemed like it would be odd opening it from the left. For those that have done it, how wierd is it really?
> 
> ...


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## joeymac (Aug 19, 2010)

srwsr said:


> 7. The switches for the 2 flood lights are reversed. The left one works the right flood light, and the right switch works the left flood light. If you open it up, you can switch the wires going to the actual light fixtures, on these 2 switches and it will remedy this. It would be the single wire, not the wire coming from the splice.
> 
> 8. The drip tray in the outdoor fridge cannot be removed or emptied. The fridge door does not open wide enough to get it out.I suggested flipping the door months ago, but never did it myself because it seemed like it would be odd opening it from the left. For those that have done it, how wierd is it really?
> 
> ...


[/quote]

8. The drip tray in the outdoor fridge cannot be removed or emptied. The fridge door does not open wide enough to get it out.I suggested flipping the door months ago, but never did it myself because it seemed like it would be odd opening it from the left. For those that have done it, how wierd is it really?

*This took some time to get use to, but now I am glad I did it, as it is easier to load the fridge with beer, and easier to clean after our trips.
*
9. The tub leaks onto the floor when taking a shower due to no caulk around the tub. Last time out, I just set the trailer up with the nose slightly lower than level, and no water ran on the floor. I bought the edge guards, but could only imagine them deflecting the water to a different spot to run down to the floor.

*I siliconed them to the tub, and they work perfect. 
*
11. There is no lock on the inside door to the bathroom. If someone enters the bathroom from the outside door, people on the inside don't necessarily know that someone is in there.Has anyone found one that matches the bathroom fixture color. Also, are you guys having to mortise out where the strike goes?

*They sell the bronzed lock set at Home Depot. I think Kwikset makes the one that matches. I believe it was $21.00. *


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## Jewellfamily (Sep 25, 2010)

midlifecamper said:


> 4. Outdoor grill hose is too short. It reaches the grill if it is fully extended towards the kitchen area, but then you can't close the kitchen overhead door. You have to unhook the hose and move the grill to make room to put the kitchen door down.
> Dealer built longer hose since I knew about this from info here... thanks guys


[/quote]
I knew about the short hose from other posts on here too and I brought it up during our PDI and the dealer said there wasn't anything they could do... that's the way it came from the manufacturer.








[/quote]
You can have hoses built pretty easy. Our Farmers Coop here builds all kinds of propane hoses. Have a look at your hose and see if there are numbers on the end fittings. There are several different fittings for the hoses and many look the same but aren't necessarily interchangeable, so take it with you.

My dealer just built one for us. Give their service department a call and maybe they can fix one up and ship it to you www.midstatescampers.com (Midstates RV outside of Rapid City SD).


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## Insomniak (Jul 7, 2006)

Be VERY careful when changing out the lockset on the bathroom door. I got the Schlage knob because the Kwikset didn't have the option for a round drive-in latch. The hole in the door was slightly smaller than what was required for the Schlage latch, so I had to make it a bit bigger. That's how I found out that the door seems to be made out of styrofoam and compressed paper with a very thin outer luan skin. No real wood around the lockset and you can mess things up in a hurry.


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