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Forum
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RE: The very worse nightmare for the "weight police"?
If the trailer has 22.5" rims and adequate tires, I see no problems with that 32,500 pound trailer going down the road at 55 MPH! It looks like it expands out to be 14' wide.
Yes I would tow it with a dually ford, as long as it came with the factory option 250 HP Cummings in it. Yes the F-650 does come with that engine as a option.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/24/12 04:20pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Power converters
Hi,
I guess you will need to provide a LOT more information, like how many batteries, do you plan on dry camping a lot and recharge from the generator, or do you plan on being in campgrounds with hookups?
What appliances do you have in the RV? A/C? Microwave? Any other large electric loads like coffee maker, hair dryer, toaster?
Do you want a 30 amp electrical service or 50 amps? If 50 amps, 120 or a 120/240 volt system? Yes it is possible to use #8-3 wire and hook that up to a 50 amp receptacle, and only use 120 volts.
What experience do you have with 120 volt home wiring? IF very little, then consider hiring this part out.
You can probably buy a 10 circuit fuse panel at any auto parts place, and use 20 amp car fuses for the 12 volt distribution, make sure that you have a cover for the fuse box (some come with covers, others do not). #6 wire from the battery to the fuse box is OK, and then you can buy a 45 - 65 amps "Converter" that is actually a battery charger. All the grounds in a typical modern RV are white, with the other color usually being black, red, orange, pink, purple, blue, so that when you find a wire, you will be able to say "That is on the blue circuit, I can shut off this load by puling the fuse for the blue wire."
The 120 volts is a lot more complicated, and will start making big sparks if something is not hooked up correctly. So that is why I suggest finding someone who has wired a house before to make sure everything goes well. Just make sure that all the white neutral wires are connected to one bussbar, and it is not grounded to the RV in any way.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/24/12 04:10pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: types of solar panels
Hi,
I have bever heard of a RV only solar panel. There are some home only type panels, that might not have a frame around the solar panel, and might be molded into roof insulation or something, or some solar panels above 200 watts are just to large to fit easy onto a RV roof, where it really needs to be less than 40" wide.
My suggestion is to measure a couple of places you think a solar panel might fit. Something more than 30" X 50" if possible. Without the shade from the TV antenna (mistake with the original installation of my pair of 45 watt panels). My original set of 45 watt panels, 15 amp controller, and some wire, roof mounts, and instructions for $750 in 1994.
The flexible solar panels require a lot more square feet to make a given wattage, so a 50 watt panel might be twice as large with the flexible panel than a rigid one.
Also compare with dollars per rated watt, then don't expect the wattage to be nearly as much as advertized. Expect they will actually charge about 80% of the advertized rate. Or take the rated amps X 5 to get about how many amp hours you will collect in a day.
And while you might carefully count how many amp hours each light might use, remember to add about 35 AH for the propane, CO detectors and refrigerator draw.
I just figure that you should be collecting about 50 amp hours per day, then what is in the battery will last about 4 days - and will eventually discharge to almost nothing. But if you collect more like 75 AH, then you can refill the battery each day.
SunElec.com
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/23/12 08:23pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: New Solar Panel Tariff
Hi,
How can they change the law retroactively? I would think that if the new tariff comes into place on a certain date, then all goods that have cleared customs before that date paid the current fee, and goods received after the new effective date paid the now current fee.
That is like giving a bunch of cars a speeding ticket for doing 25 MPH in a school zone that is marked 25 MPH maximum and then tell the drivers well next week the City will change the law to 15 MPH and post new signs, but we are starting to enforce the new law this week, because they will vote on the law next week, and will put up the new speed limit signs in a couple of months and let them know what the speed limit is then.
I would hate to be the importer of a whole container full of solar panels when the new law does take effect, and own a bunch of panels that will face a huge increase in import tariffs.
Harley Davidson got a law passed around 1978 that increased the import tax on motorcycles soley to benefit their company - the only large American motorcycle manufacture at that time. So a motorcycle that cost $1,000 retail before the import tax new had to retail sale for $2,600 after the tax of $1,000 was applied. Sure it was Honda Motor corporation that paid the tariff, but in reality it was the American consumer that actually paid through the nose for that tax to support one motorcycle manufacture.
Now they want the same sort of law to cause imported solar panels to increase in prices, so that American manufactured solar panels can compete at the same (now increased) price level. Interesting.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/19/12 12:27pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Solar Panel Controller Clicking
Hi,
When the solar output voltage is above 14.5 volts, the relay inside the controller clicks off. When the output voltage then drops almost instantly to 0 volts the relay will click back on.
So what is happening is the battery to solar controller wire is not continuous, there is a bad fuse, loose connection, or something in that path. Once found, the fuse replaced, or wire tightened, then the controller will sense that the battery is either above 13.5 and not come on, or below 13.2 and come on for a longer time, then shut off.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/19/12 12:11pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Roof Vent Replacement
I agree that it is a simple thing to change the roof vents. Probably would pick up a new vent cover for anything that has been sitting in the sun a equal time. And the Maxx air covers are probably why my roof vent covers never had any damage in 16 years.
Being able to leave them open in the rain is a bonus, but keeping out more light, dust, and protecting the covers from hail damage is also nice!
If you are going to a RV supply store, might as well pick up a calking gun rubber roof repair caulk. Once up on the roof to repair the vent cover, you will probably see some crack needing attention, and if not, I always keep a spare tube of roofing repair, because once out camping, I don't want to return to the store for some materials if a leak happens.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/19/12 12:07pm |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: Inverter - Converter - Solar Panels
While it is possible to build a class C motorhome with 1,600 watts of solar panels (Because one member has done it) there was not space enough for the air conditioner, any roof vents, or even the TV antenna on the roof. And the truck he used as a 3 axle International, with a much higher GVWR than any sprinter, so space was limited only by the 102" wide roof that was about 30' long.
With a solar system that large, then in the middle of the day you will be collecting more power than a 13,500 Btu air conditioner will consume, but by 5 pm, the inverter will have a very heavy draw on the battery pack, and it would have to be more than 6 each 220 AH batteries to keep the air conditioner running past 9 pm, even if the compressor is only on for 50% of the total time.
Running a microwave with a pure sign wave inverter is easy. Running a microwave with a modified sine wave inverter will kill the microwave pretty soon, and then you can use the microwave to store bread, and not plug it in anymore.
SunElec.com is one place to find lower priced solar panels.
What might fit on the smaller SPrinter roof is only about 400 watts of solar panels, and that is plenty to run the microwave, but only enough to run the air conditioner for a few minutes per day.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/18/12 10:18pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: how long does a rubber roof last?
Most of the white stuff on my roof had flaked off (by design to keep it looking fresh) by 2010, and I was able to wash the rest off with a little TSP. Here is a link to my roof coating.
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24993453.cfm
You can google a new roof material, or take it to the local RV dealership for about $4,500, depending on length.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/18/12 10:10pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Mt. Rushmore SD to Colo Springs
When at Mt. Rushmore, there is a side shot of Washington's head, that most people miss. After leaving the Mt Rushmore monument parking area, go to the right, and look for the small parking lot. You can get a side shot of Washington from that parking area.
Also there are 4 tunnels on highway 16 that point straight to the monument. Stop at the second one, as the first one from both directions is really crowded by people who do not know there will be 3 more tunnels to take pictures from it.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/18/12 09:16pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: time for a new Ford truck, i need help with axle ratios
Even if that were true I think the new offerings with the 6 sp torqueshift transmission will be much better suited. The 5.4L was not exactly a powerhouse either in 2001. (260HP-350 ftlbs torque) One advantage of the 6 speed is that need for low rear gears is no longer applicable. The 6.2L is the current standard on the SuperDuty series and is available in a 3.73 or a 4.30. Either one will seem like a racecar compared to the 2v 5.4L.
Well said, and saved me a lot of typing.
The first gear of the new 6 speed is a lower ratio, so it is easier on the drivetrain while starting out.
The 4.10:1 drive ratio as noted above is easier for the engine to turn than the 3.73:1 rare ratio, and a 3.35 like used in the F-150 is even higher torque requirement to turn it. But the new Ecoboost engine has 350 foot pounds of torque thanks to it's turbocharger, and does not ping like a carbureted engine might because there is only air going into the cylinders to be compressed, and can not ping until the fuel is introduced at the critical moment before firing off in the power stroke.
I wish they would hurry up and start offering a Ecoboost in the F-250/350 series. Ford seems to be putting them in everything else they make.
So yes you are better off with the new 6 speed and the 3.73 rear axle ratio will work fine as well. Just keep changing that rear axle fluid every 25,000 miles and transmission fluid every 15,000 miles.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/16/12 09:26pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Should Tire Max Load = Trailer GVWR???
HI,
I agree that having the tires rated at the GVWR would be a great idea, and the axle weight is only going to be something between 8,000 and 9,000 when loaded fifth wheel is around 10,500 pounds GVWR.
But if you have a blowout, and put nearly 4,000 pounds of one side of the trailer onto one tire, you will surely damage the inner casing of the tire if you did not notice the blowout and kept driving a mile or more at freeway speeds. So having tires with a slightly higher rating is good insurance in my book.
Even if I did have a blowout, I am not really going to stop right away, especially if on a two lane highway, I will wait until a wide section of road that is somewhat straight, not a passing lane. So what if I destroy one bad tire and ruin that rim, I am not getting out on the road side of the trailer to change it on a blind curve, or at night. I can get a newer rim for $35 at a junkyard. Even new rims with tires mounted on them are fairly low cost here. ETrailer.com
So yes the factory did size the rims and tires correctly at around 2,500 pounds each for the expected maximum 5,000 pound axle load, that really should not be over 4,500 pounds per axle if you are not exceeding the GVWR, and might only be around 2,100 pounds on each tire in normal use without the trailer fully loaded.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/16/12 09:14pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Fuel filler neck
http://www.transferflow.com/ is another place you can get them.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/16/12 05:35am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Yosemite webcams
They added another webcam. The article has links to the others.
clicky
Here is a link to the Webcams in Yellowstone!
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/25975501.cfm
http://www.yellowstone.co/webcams.htm
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/16/12 04:43am |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: F-150: eco boost or 6 liter V8 ?
Those that have the Ecoboost do enjoy the extreme torque of that engine, and it puts a smile on their faces!
That said, the F-250 owners that I talked with also smile when they hit the go pedal too! If you plan on keeping it 150,000 miles, then the larger engine will probably be as strong as day one in 10 years, otherwise take both or a test drive. Remember that the Ecoboost will be about 200 pounds less weight, just because it is a smaller block, and things like that.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/13/12 05:40pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: What would you do? Air conditioning question
I did pay for the 15,000. I can honestly tell the difference too. I'm going to call in the morning and schedule a swap. I want what I paid for. I appreciate the comments and advice.
If you paid for the 15,000, I would demand it. And also some compensation for having to tow it into them, and losing the use of your RV for a week or so, that had to be worth another $150 or more - 1/4 of what a RV payment would be. And if they keep it two weeks (it really should be done in a couple of hours if they have the correct one in stock when you arrive to have it changed out) then I would take them to small claims court, and get what you deserve out of them. (but that might make getting service later more difficult if you get into a bad relationship with them.)
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/13/12 05:12pm |
Toy Haulers
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RE: What would you do? Air conditioning question
Hi,
Check the inlet and outlet air temperatures. If the air is going in at say 75F and coming out between 53 and 57F, then the unit is working normally, because it is cooling the ideal 20F +/- 2F. However if the unit is taking in 80F and blowing out 70F, then it is only cooling by 10F, and that is the problem, the unit has a freon leak and is missing about 1/2 of it's freon.
High humidity will consume some of the unit's cooling capacity, because each pound of water made will consume about 1,000 Btu's of cooling capacity.
WHen I lived in Mesa Arizona, and only have a single 13,500 Btu air conditioner on my roof, and it was 107F out, humidity really low (like 7% RH) I could keep it at 85F inside, and it felt much cooler than outside. Sometimes I would block off my bedroom to concentrate the cool air into one room, but most times it was OK, and kept up sort of well. The key is mine has the correct freon level, yours probably does not.
Also I have about 20% of my roof shaded by solar panels, and at one point I used about 40 square feet of Reflex insulation to cover more of the roof, that seemed to make a difference too, until it all came apart and blew away in a windstorm. The roof insulation was not all that great, and that was also before I recoated my roof with white bedliner material.
So take in the RV if the temperature drop is not 18F across the air conditioner. Check both, so they can not tell you "15 is normal for a RV air conditioner and you where getting 16 - what is wrong with that?"
And if your build sheet says 15,000 Btu's and they put in a 13,500, then they are liable to install the upgraded unit, at this point especially if yours is not working properly, I would go for the larger unit, it will make a 20F temperature drop with each time the 350 CFM of air goes through the unit.
If the upstairs A/C is not cycling on the compressor frequently, try setting the main unit to say 85F for a short time, see if that brings on the bedroom unit. Then you can blame it on the energy management system for shutting off one compressor at a time, to save energy and keep the amp draw below a certain threshold.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/13/12 01:43pm |
Toy Haulers
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RE: Re-coating a MH roof - What did you use?
Use Liquid Rubber Roof. It is a two part EDPM Rubber coating that will be happy with.
I agree that this will be the best coating for your roof, and is easy enough to apply. Even if you decide to throw in the towel, you can put the remaining mixed up roof coating into the refrigerator, and store it at 55F for a long time, find someone to complete the job for you, either a painter, handy man, or take it to a RV repair place.
http://www.epdmcoatings.com/rv_roof_repair.html
They sell it by the gallon, it is not what I used - I put on Herculiner because I was determined to have a slip resistant coating that should last over 15 years. My roof is the one mentioned with Herculiner bedliner, and it is really durable, and can be seen at this post.
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24993453.cfm
In that post, I described how difficult it is to apply the herculiner, and your dear wife will not want to sleep in the RV during the first week after it's application, as the chemicals soak into the existing roof, and then take a week to go away.
The two part application is easy, even the guys at a RV repair place can do it. Buy a heavy duty metal paint mixer at a good paint store, not the plastic kind. I went to Dunn Edwards, they have a good selection.
Use the recommended cleaner, I used TSP (tri Sodium Phospate, it works well and is also sold at the paint store). I did not change out my A/C gasket, something you might want to do - or not? I painted up to the gasket material, not over it. My gasket is older than yours, my RV is a Bounder, same roof material as yours, 1996. All the white stuff came off when I washed my roof.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/13/12 04:03am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Furnace burning to hot
Pappy...this is a Suburban Furnace repair/service manual...HERE!
And this is for an Atwood Furnace...HERE!
These are service manuals for furnace techs mainly...so unless you are skilled in this type of repair, you may defer to a qualified repair tech or propane device servicer.
Thanks for the service manual, it might be helpful to me someday.
However it did not show the location of the gas valve. My guess is like my furnace, the hot air is escaping from the hot air ducts and returning into the cold air inlet to the furnace. So if it is taking in a mixture of 75% 67F air and 25% of the 145F outlet air, then the mixed air into the furnace will be around 95F. This will produce really hot outlet air, and keep tripping the heat exchanger over temp switch.
I put some insulation (reflex about 1/4" thick) around the uninsulated hot air ducts, and taped them to seal in the air where I was able to reach them.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/13/12 01:06am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Forum is nearly unusable
Hi,
Many times it is my internet connection that is the problem, and when I have a weak wi-fi signal, I usually remember to hit CRTL A and C to copy my reply onto the clipboard. Then I can get back to that post, and hit CTRL V to post the same thing a second time. Or if using "Explorer" I can go to "Tools" click on "Work offline" then the back button will bring me back to the page that I had just typed in something, and I can re-send without all the trouble to type it all again.
Right now I am using http://forums.woodalls.com/Index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/26048111.cfm portal to get into the forums. IT seems to be working great today, you might give it a try too.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/13/12 12:55am |
Forum Technical Support
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RE: More led light mods
This thread has nearly 100 posts on it, all about LED lights, and E-Bay source for the fixtures.
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/25843585.cfm
It looks like you also did a nice job fixing your lights situation. However the propane leak detector, CO monitor and refrigerator all add up to use about 35 AH a day, and that is a lot more power than converting to LED's has saved.
My suggestion is a 120 + watt solar panel, each 100 - 120 watt panel will make about 35 AH a day.
SunElec.com
I had heard about some LED lights that where converted for about $15 each, and then some owners complained the LED fixtures did not last very long - 1 year of part time use and they burned out a row of lights, or something else went wrong with the LED conversion.
I figured that 10 bulbs at $15 each, and I would be much better off installing a new 195 watt solar panel for $265, and not worry about how much power my old lights used. Because I don't leave my battery charger on at night, and use the sun to recharge during the day, the voltage to my lights is only 12.5 or so, not the normal 13.5 that a charger or converter will put out, and this leads to a very long bulb life in my case, I have rarely changed a bulb since my motorhome was new in 96, and even full time for the past 6 years, only 1 light has burned out. Mainly I use two florescent lights.
Yet some of the LED lights in the link I provided above where only $45 for a set of 10, or $5 each + shipping, now the price to covert is more economical, and I might install some of the 5050 SMD panel LED's soon.
Fred.
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Golden_HVAC
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05/13/12 12:46am |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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