| |
Subject |
Author |
Date Posted |
Forum
|
 |
RE: Where do you keep your portable generator?
Back when I had a portable generator (long story) I had a custom drop hitch on the back of the motor home.. It was really 3 different receivers mounted on the drop
A 1 1/4 inch a 2" and a second 2" the small one held an adapter that held the bicycle carrier.. The 2nd 2" (top one) held a "hitch Hauler" tray and the bottom one towed the car.
Alas... I swapped out that drop for a smaller drop.. This one is also custom built (By Blue-OX no less) and has only the 2" 4 inches down, and a "Tong" that is designed to take a ball hitch on top, but which actually holds.. The Draw-Tite bicycle carrier.. No room for the hitch hauler tray.
And the generators grew a pair of legs and walked off too.. I know who's legs they grew but am unable to prove it.
|
wa8yxm
|
11/22/09 01:18pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: More WIFI...
Thank you.. Have been wondering how much I download as well.
|
wa8yxm
|
11/22/09 01:12pm |
Technology Corner
|
|
RE: What is wrong with my wireless router?
Linksys, and in fact most all router manufactures ship their routers on channel six
Try this... Turn it off. Then on your Garage machine right click on the computer with the ))) and choose "VIEW Available Wireless Networks" (Or if you are using software that comes with your Wi-Fi adapter open it and do a search or survey)
NOTE the channels that are in use by OTHERS Odds are several are on six.
See if anyone is using 11.. In fact map what others are using.
now.. Back indoors, hook up with Cat-5 or the laptop (Either will work but it's easier with cat-5)
Go to http://192.168.1.1 User name blank (if you have not changed it) and password: admin (again if you have not changed it)
First go to Wireless or Wi-Fi (i am not sure what Linksys calls it..) and change the channel to one that is A: Not 1 (one is a problem channel) and 2: As far from the other in-use channels as you can get.
Then go to ADMINISTRATION and change your user name and password
You may also wish to change your SSID and add WEP-PSA encryption phrase but if you do this you will have to re-connect each wireless device you use.
DO NOT FORGET YOUR PASSWORD
However if you do.. On the router is a hardware RESET hole. Insert the old un-bent paper clip and start over.
|
wa8yxm
|
11/22/09 01:11pm |
Technology Corner
|
|
RE: Kindle Free Books --- Any Catch?
I must admit I miss the feel of paper books when I use Kindle for PC
But I don't miss the price of paper.. Not at all.
The catch on the free Kindle books is that most of 'em are older books where copyright has expired.
Modern books. if lobbyists have their way.. Copyright may never expire as congress extends copyright far beyond the original duration (This last line is a rant)
|
wa8yxm
|
11/22/09 01:04pm |
Technology Corner
|
|
RE: 6 volt battery setup - discharge/charge
Three suggestions IF YOU HAVE A SOURCE OF SHORE POWER.. One if you do not
First. when you take two six volt batteries and hook 'em up like this
-{Bat}+t-{ery}+ what you get is one 12 volt -{Battery}+ for all purposes.
Think of it that way Makes it way easier for me to type the rest of the message
So if you lift the negative lead (the one marked - before the B in Battery) after fully charging the battery up.. You should be good till spring.
or.. If you have 120 volts avaibale and a good 3-stage converter such as an Xantrex True Charge XADC or a Progressive Dynamics 9200 or 9100 WITH wizard.
Hook that wire back up and plug in
Option 3 is a BatteryMinder or Battery Tender (Both TM) or equvilent.
The BatteryMinder/Tender PLUS is supposed to charge the battery fully, then enter a "Desulfacation" cycle which may actually improve battery life and performance.. NOTE the word MAY.. I'm not sold on 'em but I'm not against 'em either.. I am very much "Middle of the road" on the plus feature.
REQUEST:
if anyone here has done testing and/or has good solid INDEPENDENT of the company info on that.. I'd love to read it.
Folks wonder sometimes question how I can know as much as I claim to know...
Answer: I ask questions like the above. and others ask them as well. and I read the answers.
And I have been doing it for many years.
|
wa8yxm
|
11/22/09 12:17pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Converter upgrade or not?
I see a lot of good information in this thread and I happen to be a fan of the Progress Dynamcs Intella Power 9200 line or the 9100 line WITH the optional charge wizard.. It just does not get better than those.
However I will ask the one question nobody seems to ahve ask.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE NOW.. I mean.. Some converters the improvement is not that great.
If you already have a decent 3-stage than keep it.
|
wa8yxm
|
11/22/09 12:09pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Video, How would you like to have this Toy?
Though that does indeed look like a cool toy
Be just my luck that the first time I sent it up I'd fly a Figure "9" with it.
|
wa8yxm
|
11/22/09 12:01pm |
Around the Campfire
|
 |
RE: How does the US Gear Toad Brake System Work?
The US gear system consists of a few major parts... First on the tow vehicle you have the control module.. This is a small box that hooks up with just a few wires. Works exactly like most every other quality trailer brake controller. IT is a progressive controller.. That is it contains an accelerometer and thus the harder your push on the Motor Home pedal.. The harder it commands the slave to pull.
In the car you have basically 4 units (Counting the break away switch) This switch is like every other switch of it's type and in fact they make universal replacements that work just fine.. I should know
The second module is the command box.. IT can be hidden under the dash and tells the other boxes what to do (save for the above switch)
next comes a vacuum assist pump.. This vacuum pump, along with the companion check valve and T fitting, supply vacuum to the brake booster on the towed car to assist brake operation
Finally we have the brake solenoid, This is a variable strength solenoid that normally mounts under the driver's seat.. This is a permanent mount. You do not remove it to drive the car.. It can be mounted elsewhere.. In my towed it's on the factory passenger firewall covered by a fake firewall I installed to cover it (Lots of leg room on my ride)
This connects by a cable. not unlike a parking brake cable. to a bracket on the brake pedal arm.
How does it work... Very well
A few weekes ago a driver passed me and got my attention (The word FIRE! is very attention getting, trust me) he preceded it with "The back tire on your bicycle is on"
Well.. I pulled off and stopped. Did the walk around and found a few things of interest
1: The car.. Right where I expected it to be.
2: The hitch..... No longer connected to the motor home .. The receiver on the MH is mounted on a cross bar that is bolted at each end to the frame rails.. The brackets had both broken and dropped the bar, completly on the ground, The only thing connecting the car to the MH was the control wires for the hitch.
The US-Gear decelerator... Stopped the car before it hit the coach.
|
wa8yxm
|
11/21/09 10:35am |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Can you use the leveling jacks for tire removal?
I have a 20 ton air/hydraulic bottle jack.. works great for tire removal
I have also used the leveling jacks
That said: 1: The leveling jacks on my rig are a bit.. er.. Anemic for tire removal (They will do it if I lighten the house a thousand pounds or so) and 2: The manual clearly says DO NOT
However when I did it I had tire chocks on the low side. A level floor and a host of professional truck tire guys if something went to..... you know where.
|
wa8yxm
|
11/21/09 10:27am |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Inverter /converter
If I'm no a "long jump" longer than I feel comfortable driving in a given day... I may overnight at a Wall-mart or a Flying J
The inverter lets me run the television for a couple of hours w/o running the generator. It lets me cook dinner or heat water for coffee/tea/hot chocolat.
OF course.. It does suck battery power.....
Now.. when I'm in an RV park or other location with a "hole in the wall" (my name for an Electrical outlet) I use the charger function of the inverter..
Where I"m parked now I share a 20 amp breaker with a bunch of video games.. My CONVERTER runs as it feels fit.
But the charger section of the Prosine 2.0 obeys my wishes.. So I cranked it down to an "AC Breaker size" of 10 amps.. Now if the wife presses COOK on the microwave.. the charger shuts off to protect the breaker.. And re-starts when the microwave finishes.
Very handy
When I move on to a 30 or 50 amp site I'll up the breaker size to 30 once again.. That pumps nearly 100 amps into the batteries at peak
|
wa8yxm
|
11/21/09 10:21am |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Where's the navigation bar?
To answer the O/P's question.. Yes, about half the time.. Sometimes I see it, Sometimes I don't.
|
wa8yxm
|
11/21/09 10:17am |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Just Curious - how many retired emergency services
When you're the Chief, you don't make daily trips to the donut shop......:B:B:B.....you send a Sergeant.
Back when I was a off-duty roofer (On medical leave) I used to visit a specific donut shop every morning.. And I had coffee with the Chief, at the table, at the coffee shop.
One of the best days was when I read his department was disloved and absorbed into a larger city next door.. (you might say I did not like this chief much.. You'd be right to do so.. He gave me the first of 3 tickets I feel to this very day I did not deserve.. Judge agreed with me on the other two (Who were given by a different officer) I plead "no contest" to his)
That said.. I liked his driver. He was a good cop.
(The chief had a "Ticket the teen" mentality.. even if it was the other guy's fault)
|
wa8yxm
|
11/21/09 10:16am |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Kindle Free Books --- Any Catch?
You can check out the Kindle book library with nothing more than your browser.. The Free Kindle for PC will read both free books and "Fee" books..
in many cases, since Amazon does not have to pay for paper, ink, and shipping cost on an e-book is near zero. You are only paying the publisher's profit and the author's cut.. So a book that may come with a 20, or 30 or 40 dollar or larger tag down at Barns & Noble or Boarders.... Comes with a 5 or 10 buck tag at Kindle Books.
|
wa8yxm
|
11/21/09 10:11am |
Technology Corner
|
|
RE: Frying Pan into the Fire? - HELP
Well. instead of worring about OFFICE.. Try downloading Sun Open Office
I think it's www.openoffice.org but please do not quote me on that.
Open office should work with most, if not all, your office files and other than a small amount of re-learning.. You don't need to worry about mickey soft licenses.
|
wa8yxm
|
11/21/09 10:06am |
Technology Corner
|
|
RE: Group 27 batteries
I reckoned I would get these batteries to last for five years of moer, but not, after at least one discharge to zero or less, are they hooped.
I know of nobody who makes a deep cycle Group 27 battery I have seen larger 12 volt deep cycle. and of course six volt deep cycle
One of the differences between starting batteries and deep cycle batteries (And trust me. if it says "MARINE" it's a starting battery NOT a deep cycle no matter what else it says).....
One of the differences between them is that where as a Deep cycle may recover from the odd Oh, C**P! I ran 'em all the way down....
A starting battery is far, far less likely to survive such a disaster
Or as you put it "One discharge to zero and they are hooped"
Replace 'em with a pair of interstate U-2200's or the GC-2 (I think it is) from Costco (Or other Six Volt Golf car battery in series)
NOTE: Measure before you buy.. They are taller.
A good 3-stage plus converter helps too (Plus is equalization
|
wa8yxm
|
11/21/09 10:03am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: HELP - Im stranded!
I figured that was the problem. I am glad the road service guy was knowledgable about what could be wrong.
We all learn by experience. When it happened to me I didn't have any idea what could be wrong, but when you mentioned what had happened to yours, it rang a bell right away and I figured it had to do with the height control valve.
Good luck with your new coach. I have always liked the Mountainaire by Newmar.
Well there are, as they say, 3 ways to learn:
Sometimes you can learn by reading (This forum is a great place to read)
Sometimes you learn by watching (you did that)
And some guys.. Have to Pee on the electric fence for themselves.
(I am NOT in that classification)
By the way.. The reason I did not reply with assistance is learning method 1: I learned... by reading THIS THREAD
|
wa8yxm
|
11/20/09 06:54pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Need aux brake advice
I have said this many times
You rear end me.. You better have aux-brakes
|
wa8yxm
|
11/20/09 06:52pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Just Curious - how many retired emergency services
Do not know if I responded to this thread or not.. Michigan State Police dispatcher for over a quarter century.. Yes, I got paid (And still do) to tell cops where to go (Only now I don't have to tell 'em where to go anymore)
I used to say my job was helping folks sleep better at night.
The law abiding could sleep better knowing that, for example. the auto thief my skill caught was sleeping in jail.
The auto thief could sleep better cause he did not have to worry about "the Man" slapping his sorry behind in the slammer.
So I helped folks sleep better.
And quite a few, specifically car thieves owed their change of status to my skill.
|
wa8yxm
|
11/20/09 06:49pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Parking on Asphalt
I prefer gravel as my parking surface for winter storage.. It drains well and if my tires or jacks leave an "impression" a garden rake will fix it
Or lay down some scrap plywood on asphalt (more to protect the ashpalt than the tires
Concrete should (in theory) be OK too.. But gravel is less expensive
Advantage. Gravel: If like me you put in a sewer connection and you have a minor OOPS.. .It drains well and you can just hose it down
Major oops is ... another issue.
|
wa8yxm
|
11/20/09 03:05pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Tow bars vs Tow Dolly
I considered both tow dolly and tow bar (4-down) and settled on 4-down with an axle lock (Remco Towing product) on my Lumina APV.. here is why
Gasser rig, tow capacity 5,000 lbs.. Lumina 4.000 Dolly 1100.. No joy there
Dolly is harder to hook up. and you have to stow it (Which would not be an issue with my rig)
The axle lock means that my transmission is in park, millage is not running up and with the US-Gear aux braking system ALL WHEELS Break when I press the pedal
In short.. It don't get any better than that
The blue ox Aventa (I think that's how it is speelled) tow bars let me hook up if I'm off center. or if I"m angled, with no problems.
So does the Roadmaster Falcon if you go that route
Nothing to store (It hangs on the MH in my case)
Serendipity advantage:
I think it was last year. WIfe and I visited the Moose for dinner than checked out the new supermarket across the road.. Went to start the horse and NO JOY, fuel pump out.. Friday night.. Called AAA and towed home... Next morn had to tow it to peop boys.. Well. I've used my free tow for this break down so I backed the motor home up to the car, put it in trailer mode and hooked up
You can not do that with a dolly (At least not easily I have done it but it was not easy)
Towed it to Pep Boys. Dropped. they pushe dit in, fixed it (new fuel pump) while I watched TV in the MH in the parking lot.
Hooked back up (normally this time) Towed it home
Call me happy with the tow bar, IN fact call me VERY HAPPY
|
wa8yxm
|
11/20/09 03:02pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
