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NEWELL’S NEWS
Fall 2013
View from the Corner Office:
A p p r e c i at i n g L e s s o n s L e a r n e d
Welcome to the fall edition of
Newell’s News!
This issue includes practical
tips for managing your coach’s
electrical loads; a customer profile
of renowned restaurateurs and
long-time Newell owners, Jim
and Barbara Neely; and a photo
“album” of our August rally in
lovely Northern Michigan.
But I want to open with a few personal observations about how
motorcoaching has changed over the last four decades.
In August, my wife Alice and I decided to “enjoy the journey as
much as the destination,” and we took our time driving to and
from the Newell rally in Michigan. We allowed four days for the
1,100-mile journey there and five days for the trip home. Our
relaxed pace brought back fond memories of the 1970s, when
things were simpler, coaches were smaller, and our schedules
weren’t so tight.
Motoring in the Pacific Northwest
In the 70s, we lived in the Puget Sound region of Washington
State. The Cascade Mountains, San Juan Islands, and open
spaces of Eastern Washington were all within a day’s drive of our
home and easy destinations for our frequent weekend outings.
We took those trips in our first motorhome—a 1973 Chinook
2200 on a 454 Chevrolet chassis. All of 22-feet long, the
Chinook was primitive by today’s standards. The bathroom,
for instance, was an adventure in and of itself. It was not
quite as wide as the average human at the hips, so using
the commode required leaving the door open to gain some
necessary extra space.
The Chinook was the first in a series of motorhomes that went
on to include a Beaver Class C, Executive 32, several Blue Bird
Wanderlodges, and, finally, our first Newell in 1980.
Lessons learned
We learned valuable lessons from our early travels, especially in
the Chinook. Some highlights:
• Even a powerful 454-cu. in. Chevy V-8 creeps like a slug if
several spark plug wires burn through because they’re routed
across red-hot exhaust manifolds. We kept replacing the
ignition wires but never thought to reroute them. Go figure!
• Never turn off a mountain highway in a state park onto
a narrow dirt road with less than a quarter tank of fuel
showing if you don’t know how long the road is or whether
there’s a turnaround up ahead.
• Be prepared to tell your pregnant wife at least two or three
times that it’s not a good idea for her to exit the motorhome
to get her picture taken with a cute, cuddly looking bear at
the side of the road.
Change is good!
Nostalgia is sweet. But change has its benefits. The bathroom in
our current Newell seems nearly as big as the entire Chinook.
Our diesel engine has no spark plug wires. We NEVER turn
down a narrow dirt road in a state park—or anywhere else, for
that matter. And although Alice still wants her photo ops with
wildlife, I’ve given up trying to talk her out of it. After 40+ years
of marriage, I’ve learned my limitations.
Enjoy your autumn travels!
Karl Blade
Newell Coach Corp. President and CEO
In This Issue...
Y o u r El e c t i c al Sy s t e m 3
Photo Album: Beautiful Northern Michigan
4
F e at u r e d C o a c h : 1 4 9 9 5
C u s t o m e r P r o f i l e : J i m & Ba r b a r a N e e ly
6
A p p s W e L o v e 7
Volume 34, Issue 4
Your Electrical System:
Preventing Overload
H
as your Newell ever lost electric power and needed the
shore power breakers reset, but you didn’t know why?
In this article, I’ll provide some information and tips
to help you understand your coach’s electrical system so you can
manage its load more effectively.
The two ‘legs’ of your system
When your coach is connected to 50-amp/240-volt shore
power, its electrical system has two circuits (“legs”) of
50-amps/120‑volts that each feed about half of the coach’s
electrical circuits. The two legs provide a total of 100 amps
at 120 volts to share among the many loads, including those
energy‑hungry appliances that make life easier, more fun
and more comfortable.
On Newell coaches the largest potential energy consumers
are split between the two legs. Typically, the first and third
roof air conditioners are on leg #1, and the second and
fourth are on leg #2. There’s also an automatic override of the
second and fourth air conditioners when the dryer or electric
AquaHot mode is being used. So if you can’t get one of the roof
air conditioners to start, check your dryer override switch or
your electric AquaHot mode switch.
Different power requirements
Unlike resistance-type appliances such as coffeemakers and
stove-top burners that use a relatively constant flow of electricity,
air conditioners and refrigerator compressors are run by electric
motors that require significantly more power when they first
start. If several motors sharing the same 50-amp leg attempt to
start simultaneously, it can mean “lights-out” and a quick trip to
the shore power pedestal outside to reset your breakers.
Power-protection features
Late-model Newell coaches include a Silverleaf galley display
that shows your coach’s power loads. They also have a control
system that automatically phases-in the starting of your rooftop air conditioners. The system doesn’t detect which appliances
you’re using, so it can be overloaded if it tries to start an air
conditioner while you’re brewing coffee and frying eggs. But
in these situations, electrical breakers within the coach and at
the outside power connection provide additional protection
for your system.
A glimpse inside a Newell coach’s electronics bay.
Monitoring power quality
Newell coaches 388 and later come with a surge-protection
system that monitors incoming power quality. If your exterior
shore power voltage is too high, too low, or has other undesirable
anomalies, the surge protector automatically disconnects your
shore power to protect your coach’s electronics. If fluctuating
campground voltage is causing ongoing power interruptions,
we recommend that you use your generator until the local
power supply stabilizes.
Also, if you temporarily need more power, we recommend that
you use your generator instead of shore power. Most late-model
Newells have a 20,000-watt generator (20KW). The 50-amp
shore power pedestal is only 12,000 watts.
When a storm threatens
Another important tip: As soon as you hear thunder or see
lighting in the distance, start your generator. Your coach is
equipped with the ultimate lightning-strike surge suppressor—
an extra-heavy-duty onboard power source. When you start the
generator, the coach transfer box automatically disconnects from
shore power­­. This isolates and protects your coach electronics
and appliances from any high-voltage spikes the local power grid
might experience during a storm.
Happy trails!
John Clark
Newell V.P. of Customer Service
Newell Gallery:
Good Times in Northern Michigan
T
he Newell Rally in Northern Michigan this past August
was a great success! The weather was perfect, and
the setting was lovely. But best of all was seeing old
friends and meeting new ones. We came, we saw, we ate, we
shopped! Good times!
For more photos of the rally, visit our online gallery at
www.NewellCoach.com/MichiganRally2013
Mark your calendars!
It’s not too early to start planning for the Newell Lowcountry
Luxury Rally in Hilton Head, South Carolina, May 12-16, 2014.
Rally attendees gather for afternoon socializing.
Grant and Amber Kernan prepare to dive into a
mega-lobster feast.
Mackinac Bridge spans the Strait of Mackinac to connect
Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas.
We embark on own private bus tour of beautiful
Mackinac Island.
Customer Profile:
H o w t h e N e e ly ’ s b r o u g h t Ba r - B - Q Ba c k t o M e m p h i s
I
f you’re ever driving through Memphis, and you get a
hankering for some genuine Southern barbecue, there’s
no place that will fulfill that longing better than Jim and
Barbara Neely’s Interstate Bar-B-Q restaurant. Only a short
drive from the freeway, Interstate has been in business for
over 20 years, serving up some of the very best barbecue the
country has to offer.
The Neely’s, who have also been driving Newell coaches for over
20 years, are vivid examples of the bold, entrepreneurial spirit
that is characteristic of so many Newell owners.
There and back again
Born in Memphis, Jim moved to California in 1958. Propelled
by a strong, extroverted personality, he pursued a career in
life-insurance sales. This eventually took him back to Memphis
in 1972, where he developed a chain of successful insurance
agencies across the Southeast.
Then, in the late 70s, his life took a new direction.
Another opportunity
In 1979 Jim and Barbara’s son was discharged from the military
with a medical disability. To help ease his transition to civilian
life, Jim and Barbara purchased a small grocery store for him to
run. Jim also sensed another opportunity. The delicious barbecue
he remembered from his youth in Memphis had become nearly
impossible to find. So in 1980, he added a barbecue pit and
seating area to the grocery store.
‘They were wrong’
The store faced considerable challenges. It was located in a
tough part of town where violence, drugs, and alcohol abuse
were rampant. “Everyone told me I wouldn’t be able to make
it,” Jim recalls. “But they were wrong.” Armed with a .38 caliber
pistol and a billy club that told the rougher element he meant
business, Jim took control of the neighborhood. He bought
the lease on the bar next door and closed it. He soon closed the
grocery as well and expanded the restaurant from 42 seats to its
current capacity of 275. And as the restaurant’s success grew, the
neighborhood was transformed. “Now, people come here after
church on Sundays,” Jim says with pride.
The restaurant’s success benefitted the Neely family as well,
eventually allowing Jim to retire from the insurance business.
Restaurateur Jim Neely has been driving Newells for
over 20 years
‘The best barbecue in the land’
Over the years, Interstate Bar-B-Q has been heaped with
accolades and awards. American Way magazine dubbed it “the
best barbecue in the land.” People magazine rated it the secondbest barbecue in the nation. And in 1995 the Memphis Business
Journal named Interstate the Small Business of the Year. The
presentation ceremony was bittersweet for Jim. It was held at
the Peabody, a Memphis hotel that, when he was a boy in the
segregated South, he would not have been allowed to enter.
23 years strong
Jim and Barbara joined the Newell family while attending the
Family Motor Coaching Association Convention in Minot,
North Dakota, in June 1990. The moment Jim and Barbara
walked into the Newell display area, a show coach caught
Jim’s eye, and the transaction for the Neely’s new coach was
completed on the spot. The relationship that began there has
spanned 23 years and several coaches. It continues strong
to this day.
Featured Coach: 1499
I n n o vat i o n s ta k e C e n t e r S ta g e
W
ith its innovative floor plan and one-of-a-kind
interior, Coach 1499 breaks new ground for
Newell. Offering the ultimate in coach design and
engineering, this 2014 quad-slide delivers fully on the luxury,
power, and spectacular road manners Newell is known for. It
includes Newell’s standard Cummins 600-hp engine, EasiSteer
computer-controlled steering, and ZF active suspension.
The salon floor features vein-cut marble inlaid with bamboo.
The ceiling showcases Newell’s new, double-diamond design.
The master suite includes a unique walk-around “island”
bed layout and a 47” 3-D LG television on a retractable lift.
The master bath shines with quartz counters and a full
travertine shower with contemporary tile inlay.
Apps We Love:
N e w e ll’ s R e c o m m e n d e d T r av e l A p p s
T
hose of us here at Newell who are hooked on our travelrelated apps thought you might enjoy knowing about
some of our favorites. So we’ve compiled a list of apps
that have made our journeys easier, safer and more fun. They
really can help you get the most out of any trip, whether it’s a
cross-country adventure or a trip to your favorite spot. Available
through iTunes, most are inexpensive; some are free. Although
we focused on apps for the iPad and iPhone because that’s what
we use, similar apps are available for other platforms as well.
ALLSTAYS Truck Stops and Travel Plazas
This handy app checks your location and
displays the closest truck stops, rest areas,
Wal-Marts and other key locations. You can
filter locations by specific type, based on
what you want to see on your map (such
as truck stops with DEF, Wal-Marts that
permit RV parking, low-clearance bridges).
You can zoom-in using the hybrid map option and see a satellite
view of your intended parking area. Their offline manual comes
in handy when you don’t have Wi-Fi or cell service. Cost: $9.99
ALLSTAYS Camp & RV
This app gives you a comprehensive filter
that can help you find just the right
campground. It helps you find parks that
will accommodate your coach, indicates
whether they have Wi-Fi, provides
campground reviews from previous guests,
and much more. Cost: $9.99
Find Near Me
This navigation app helps you find nearby
amenities, necessities and conveniences
including ATMs, bars, banks, gas
stations, hospitals, hotels, movies, taxis,
theaters, restaurants, and Wi-Fi spots.
You can customize it to find just what
you’re looking for in a new city, whether
it’s a Mexican restaurant or the nearest hospital with an
emergency room. Cost: FREE
My Radar
This app gives you a quick look at the
weather that’s approaching your region.
Once you start the app, it locates your
position and uses animated graphics to
illustrate the weather that’s heading your
way. It also allows you to search additional
locations within the lower 48 states.
It includes standard pinch-to-zoom functionality and offers
both portrait and landscape orientations. If you’re in a region
that’s experiencing serious weather conditions, you can opt for
push notifications. Cost: FREE
The Best Road Trip Ever
This fun travel app features almost 10,000
cool and offbeat attractions. You can use
it to pinpoint your exact location on the
road and check out what’s nearby. With
thousands of photos and tons of stories,
it’s perfect for anyone who loves to get in
the coach and explore! It won’t offer the
“typical” spots found on most travel apps such as run-of-the-mill
fast-food joints—unless they have something worth seeing—a
UFO or giant creature on the roof, for instance. Cost: $0.99
How to Cook Everything: Cooking Basics
How to Cook Everything: Cooking Basics,
by New York Times columnist Mark
Bittman includes 185 recipes, 1,000
photos, lots of kitchen tips, and audio and
video clips. Its simple, straightforward
recipes are gorgeously photographed
and include intuitive, learn-as-you-go
layouts that allow you to pull up “how-to” demos of techniques
used in recipes. Cost: $9.99
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