RE: Thanks in advance!! 12v power question
Hi,
Yes I would suggest the 4 batteries as a minimum for full timing in that RV. That way she should be able to get two days from the batteries, in the event she does not get out to start the engine one day, or runs out of gasoline.
Also the 4 batteries can easy accept 50 amps at a time, while 2 might only take in 25 amps once they are a little over 1/2 full. And you can put 200 amp hours into the battery in about 4 hours, not needing to start the generator each day. Make sure she knows to recharge at 12.0 volts, not letting it get much lower, or if you have an indicator that reads 1/3 2/3 and full, to recharge at 1/3 not wait until it is empty, as this can tend to build up sulfur deposits on the battery plates and require more frequent replacement.
You might check with a local golf cart repair place. If you can get some Trojan T-125, they are slightly larger and heavier but the weight does not matter once parked in one place. T-145 is a little more rare, but still a larger capacity, while still light enough to carry without to much help.
The golf cart batteries are rated at 75 amp draw (in a golf cart motor service) for 105, 125 and 145 minutes respectively. I have the T-105, and mine are 4 years old, going great, the originals lasted 9 years and when I gave them away, they where still in great shape.
Is the TV set 12 volts or 120? You can get a small inverter - prefer one without a fan, that is rated as close to 100 watts as practical, as it will be more energy efficient than a 500 watt one. Then wire in with #10 wire to the battery with 20 amp fuse. 20 amp fuse will give up to 200 watts.
You can run a vacuum cleaner or microwave with the 2 KW Honda. There are also electric start versions, that are much heavier and louder, but easy key start. This might become important later in life? They also have a larger fuel tank, and also consume a little more power than the 2 KW. The 2 KW sure is quiet.
Did you happen to look for a used generator? Craigslist.com has some listed much of the time. Honda also makes a nice built-in water cooled generator. They might be more difficult to find used, but should last a long time, and is very quiet, but will require a larger separate tank. A used one from a junkyard pickup should work fine.
You might want to check prices here if you don't have the generator already. Mayberrys.com
I got tired of listening to my generator, and went with a large solar system. I also use a Olympic Catalytic Heater, and a 6,000 Btu will keep my RV toasty warm down to about 30F outside temps. Below that, I also run the furnace a bit to keep up. You do need to leave a roof vent open, as well as a window, put it does not use any electricity, and is completely silent.
I also love my very silent solar system. I have 400 watts, and that works great for full timing, when you are not using a lot of power in the winter. SolarOnSale.com
I hope that she enjoys the trailer. It is a low cost way to go, and can be an adventurer. With the correct equipment, it can be very comfortable too!
What state will she be parked in? That can give us some idea of the climates that she will need to be prepared for.
Do you have a solution for fresh water and dumping the holding tanks?
I ended up using a maserator pump and use a portable toilet to dump my RV. Or the same company that rents portable toilets can dump your black water tanks once every 2 weeks or so.
Potable water is a bit more difficult to get when it is a long distance from another house. But 1,000 feet of 3/4" PVC is only about $100 if there is a well nearby. It would also be possible to run a extension cord that distance, along with a voltage booster will work to power the batteries.
It is also possible to install a 12 volt DC well pump. Not easy or free, but possible. You can find some resources at HomePower.com
Good Luck!
Fred.
RE: towing multi objects
HI,
If you will be towing doubles through California, you will need a commercial license, and a current medical certificate.
I can not imagine that New York would not allow trucks to pull doubles through that state. But I guess the locals know. It might require a special permit or something.
Some trailers require "Doubles" when towing something with a high weight. I see transporters for earth movers that have 7 or 8 axles behind the tractor, on up to three trailers, with the weight supported between the main trailer and the boggy unit towed by the tractor.Hi,
I suggest that you unplug before running the generator.
Yes it is safe to run both at the same time, but I suggest that you unplug in case something does not transfer correctly.
The transfer switch is supposed to transfer from shore power to generator power without any of the wires remaining connected to the other position. Only if there is a problem will something happen.
Good Luck!
Fred.
RE: Genset and shore power
Hi,
I suggest that you unplug before running the generator.
Yes it is safe to run both at the same time, but I suggest that you unplug in case something does not transfer correctly.
The transfer switch is supposed to transfer from shore power to generator power without any of the wires remaining connected to the other position. Only if there is a problem will something happen.
Good Luck!
Fred.
RE: The 10% min Tongue weight rule - Why?
One thing they do while testing new vehicles is load them all kinds of ways.
Like take a camper and put 500 pounds in the very back of it and then get some stupid and great driver to take it on a slalom course!
Then they come up with what is stable, and what will turn a vehicle on it's side in a sharp curve at 35 MPH. Then they can certify this truck can carry this much weight if you load it properly, and if not loaded properly, sudden loss of control can happen.
With test results like this, they decided to move the "Standard" longbed to 5 feet ahead of the rear axle and 3 feet behind it. This is typical of all American pickups since the mid 60's. (in the early 60's I heard that the 8 foot longbed was set up 4' ahead of the axles and 4' behind the rear axle, until they discovered there is not as much stability, and to much rear overhang on the hitch) The only exception is when Ford made the Super Camper Special in the early 70's with a even longer wheelbase, 7" longer with a 5'7" in front of the rear axle and 2"5" behind the rear axle. This allowed a longer camper rear overhang, and also room for the spare tire in the front section of the pickup bed, with a cover on the passenger side, just behind the passenger door.
Chevy also made a 9 foot longbed pickup for a short time, in 1969 for campers.
The car manufactures can take a flatbed trailer, load it with concrete blocks, and then tow it on a test track. Try out the braking, and stopping the truck without the trailer brakes. Check stability in turns, and so on. THey can move the hitch weight around, overloading the hitch, and bringing the hitch weight to a negative value if desired during a test run.
They found out that 10% hitch weight with a travel trailer is about the minimum weight that you want. 12% seems to provide more stability in strong crosswinds, and putting the weight closer to the ground helps too.
Some boats do not have a lot of hitch weight, and they also tow fine. But they are not as tall as a travel trailer, and tend to have more weight over the trailer axles, and that might be why they still tow well with only 100 pounds on the hitch with a overall weight up to 5,000 pounds.
With a car, towed 4 wheels down, there is a tiny amount of weight on the hitch, say less than 35 pounds with that weight split between the car and RV hitch. They tow well because the weight is not required to get stability.
Good Luck!
Fred.
RE: Inverter use.
Yes you "Could" - but I would not recommend it.
I had to once, when my dash air heater was not working, because of a plugged heater line to the dash heat and defrost. But only for enough time to get the front windshield defogged, then I put it away. (I have a water filter on the heater core water line, and it was plugged).
I think I was running the generator, not the inverter. If your furnace will not work, then I suggest that you use the generator when running such a large load.
It is really tough on the alternator to put that many amps out for a while.
Good Luck!
Fred.
RE: Oil Analysis... At How Many Miles?
Hi,
I have never tested my oil yet. But I should consider it. There are things they test for, such as if they find bearing material or coolant, they can warn you about the problem. You should expect a report in the mail if there is almost nothing wrong, but they should call straight away if there is a tiny amount of coolant in the oil, indicating a leak in the head gasket or someplace else.
I did install a water coolant filter in my motorhome. I believe my friend's advice to put it in, and that it will lubricate the water pump seal, and the hoses from the inside out. At 10 years old, I installed all new hoses on the RV and new coolant for the first time.
At one year old, the first water filter plugged up. It seems like sand was in the filter, and I installed a new one, as the heater was not working and it got cold. Each year after that, I installed another filter.
One year I put on a slightly larger filter with SAC's in it. Supplemental Coolant Additives. Some coolants are not to be used with SCA's. They are not compatible. The FIL 4070 does not have SCA's but others have them. The green coolant can use SCA's. Fil #4019 is a adapter to put the Napa water filter into the heater hose line. I located mine just behind the bumper, where I can put a 5 gallon bucket under it, to make changing mess free.
Good Luck!
Fred.
RE: Solar Panel, Battery and Winterizing
HI,
If the batteries stay full of power, then there is not a danger of it freezing until -75F.
Many solar controllers are simple and turn on when the output voltage is below 13.3 volts and shut off at over 13.5 volts. Without a battery connected your controller might turn on for a second, and then reach 14 volts, and then go off, reach 0 volts, and go back on.
My controller just shuts off if there is no input voltage from the batteries.
I would not think there is a reason to take the batteries off, unless you have theft concerns. The solar panels should keep the batteries full unless there is a long time with snow on top of them. If they get tilted, then normally they will stay snow free, and they get fairly warm because they are dark color.
Good Luck!
Fred.
RE: Supplemental brakes
I have not heard of that brand. Mine is sort of a bunch of junk. Really parts from a junkyard that cost about $15, and a 50' air hose, 2 quick connect fittings.
I used a cruise control motor from a Nissan. It has a cable attached to it, and when I apply vacuum, it pulls the brake pedal to the floor. A couple of check valves and tee's to make the power brakes work while towing and when the engine is off on the towed vehicle, and it was all put together in about 2 hours.
Good Luck!
Fred.
RE: 50 amp to 30 amp plug
Hi,
Look for it here. They can mail it to you within a week.
CampingWorld.com
Look for electrical and search for 50 amp adapter. If you want a waterproof 50 amp connector, it might be a little more than a typical one.
Good Luck!
Fred.
RE: redisplay/unhide all hidden forums?
New computer without the hide clicky?
Look on Craigslist.com they have used computers for a song. So get a portable with wi-fi, and then you can use it all over the house!
Just a thought.
There should be some instructions on the hide clicky sub-routine. Did you try the help section?
Good Luck!
Fred.
RE: Salt free water conditioner
Hi,
I use a Everpure water filter, sold at Camping World. The filters are a little expensive, but it claims to filter out most of the bad stuff in the water, and so far I have consumed water from my plastic fresh water tank for over 10 years, and not gotten sick from it.
Are you looking for a water softener that takes out excessive minerals?
You might be better off just installing a 5 micron filter that is in a cartridge that is 12" tall and about 5" diameter. I have had one to protect my water processor, and so far it is working great! I only use mine for the drinking water, but if you want to filter out minerals from all of the water, this can work on the water pump output, and will lower the pressure a bit, but should work OK. If you have a accumulator tank, it would probably work better to put the tank after the water filter, so the pressure drop will be less most of the time.
Good Luck!
Fred.
RE: Do you think a Tahoe can pull our 26 foot TT?
Hi,
It should work fine. The trailer is not really all that heavy. I know someone who safely pulled a trailer that size with a 75 GMC Jimmy, when it was new, and has a 350" engine and without fuel injection.
Yes there are those out there that insist anything heavier than a pop up should be towed with a super heavy duty dually.
You do need to take some cautions though. Make sure that you take the truck and trailer to a scale. Make sure you are not overloading the rear axle, and those passenger tires. The tires should be near their maximum pressure while towing, it makes the tires a little stiffer.
Also don't load up the Tahoe with passengers so that it does exceed it's weight capacity. Put heavy things into the trailer, not the Tahoe. Avoid taking a full tank of water to the campground if there will be water at the campground.
Just common sense things to think about.
Good Luck!
Fred.
RE: Fifth wheel with 2 FULL baths?
Hi,
If you have a really big budget, then http://horizonsrv.com/ will build you anything that you want into the RV. They specialize in full timer RV's that tend to be really heavy!
For something that can be safely pulled by a lightweight Dodge with a heavy engine, then consider these. Glendale RV.com
They do build a three bedroom two bath unit, but alas the rear bath is only a 1/2 bath. It does have 4 holding tanks! You might ask if they can make an exception.
Good Luck!
Fred.
RE: Picked up fiver and made 1st mistake
Hi,
Did you know that the trailer pin is supposed to be forward of the rear axle 1" or 2" while towing, and you should only put the hitch in the rearward position while maneuvering in a parking area.
Where you trying to tow with the trailer in the rear position? Or the forward position? From your explanation, it sounds like you tried to tow with it in the rearward position, then it slid into the forward position on it's own. It should not be doing that either.
Check with the people that sold you the hitch and ask them what's up! They should be able to show you what is going on.
At least the trailer pin did not fall out of the hitch. Yes this can happen. There is even a special hitch saver that is made to catch this mistake! Blueox.com
Good Luck,
Fred.
RE: water pump and switch problem
Well I guess you now know exactly how many days the pump will last.
Actually the problem seems to be the switch or it's wiring.
In my motorhome, there are three switches. Have you tried more than one switch?
I found the relay box next to the pump in my basement, and I can bypass that switch relay box by finding the +12 input and going directly to the pump. This will give a little spark as the pump starts, and is one way to provide power to the pump for the rest of a vacation, until you can get it looked at.
When you want the pump off, just remove the fuse. Otherwise it will turn on and off by it's pressure switch.
If you have a volt meter handy, then you might be able to figure out what is the +12 input to start and stop the pump switch and relay. Then you might be able to figure out how to troubleshoot what is going on and what is not working today.
Good Luck,
Fred.
RE: Bryce Canyon and Zion
If you are going during the spring break, it might be a good idea.
I went there in April, and found it easy to find a campsite. I was not planning on going there, but it seemed much cooler than where I was going to. We spent a few days in Las Vegas, then drove to Lake Mead to check out some places around there. Finding it to hot, our best option was a much cooler Zion, a wonderful idea.
Check the average weather in March at www.weather.com to see what it might be like.
Good Luck,
Fred.
RE: New and Improved
Congratulations on the new coach.
Enjoy it and many happy miles to you!
I like the idea of a remote control to unlock all the basement storage compartments, and have seen a few RV's with swing-open doors instead of the kind that swing up. They tend to make getting out stuff, especially if there is a slide-out above much easier.
One used RV that I looked at had a stern warning on one of the basement storage doors. Do not run furnace with this door open. The furnace just above that door blasts out hot air, and if the door is open, it will damage the paint!
I am glad that my water heater and furnace are not near a storage compartment door!
Good Luck,
Fred.
RE: How to get around Toronto
Tell the guy at the border crossing that you are poor.
There is really a law in Canada that they can not let you in if you are poor. You will not need to worry about traffic in Canada.
RE: Do I need a dually for this trailer?
Hi,
I think that you might find a single rear wheel truck is just as stable, and easier to park in the tiny parking lots that are showing up these days.
The F-350 SRW has a 3,500 pound cargo rating. The DRW might go as high as 4,500 - 5,600 pounds.
If you pick a truck with a really heavy option, like 4 wheel drive, it can take away some cargo capacity.
Are you thinking gas or diesel?
The 5.4L is rated for 300 HP, and the V10 a little more with 2 more cylinders of the same size. It is about 400 - 500 pounds lighter than a diesel engine truck.
I have towed a 7,000 pound 60 KW diesel generator with a fairly loaded up F-250 cargo body truck. It had a 351 cubic inch engine - 5.8L, probably factory rated at 175 - 190 HP. It worked fine. The 5.4L that I had in a work truck was great, only about 225 HP in that model year. After 2004, I think Ford went to the three valve heads, and that upped the HP to 300.
Did I mention that I like Fords?
You are considering a total gross combined load of about 20,000 pounds. Make sure that you read the towing guidelinies for all three manufactures. Make sure the truck you pick will have the GCVWR, and has the ability to carry 3000 + pounds of cargo, passengers, and whatever else you will bring along.
At least you are not writing "I just bought a 7,500 pound shortbed diesel 4 wheel drive GM with a GVWR of 9,200 pounds. What can I tow with it, and carry 600 pounds of passengers". That answer is not much weight. Especially a fifth wheel.
You are ahead of the game by asking what truck before buying one.
I would not suggest a used F-350 before 2004, as the GVWR is about 3,000 pounds less than the 2005 and newer ones!
Good Luck,
Fred.
RE: Charging a towed car battery.
Hi,
You can install something really easy.
Run some #12 wire from your motorhome to a 20 amp automatic re-set circuit breaker (Napa and other auto parts stores) and then to the rear bumper. Then go to a connection to the towed car, then to another 20 amp circuit breaker to the car battery. You need a breaker next to each battery, because both batteries can supply thousands of amps if not protected.
Some braking systems run down the battery in the towed car. My car, I use a junkyard cruise control motor to pull a cable to pull the brake pedal to the floor. Because I ran a vacuum line from my RV engine, then I have power brakes as well.
Good Luck,
Fred.
