RE: dumping gray water in forest
I've read about a boondocking trick, finding a place well away from any water, then digging a hole about 4-5 feet deep, size depending on tanks, letting fly with both black and grey, then covering it back up. I can't see any circumstance where that would be usable by me, but at least it wouldn't stink unless animals dug it up.
RE: Lights Dim, Blink
Nice thing about a new converter (I assume a three stage) is that it doesn't boil the batteries, so they last significantly longer.
RE: Plastic Sink Repair
A plastic sink can be as low as $20 at a RV store. I'd see about a replacement of something the same, or at least similar. One might even find a metal sink with the same dimensions.
RE: ethanol treatment & generators
For my generator, I toss a little bit more than the recommended amount of Sta-Bil, which has kept it able to start on the first pull so far. I also run the generator dry by closing the valve on the fuel petcock as opposed to leaving fuel in the lines and the carb. This also has helped prevent hard starts, as far as I can tell.
RE: Checklist for new toy hauler
There is a lot of stuff. I'd try overnighting at a local Wal-Mart (make sure the manager and local ordinances allow it), and if you find you need something, there is an easy fix.
Several notable items from me:
1: Assuming you have a 30A connector, buy a 50A and a 20A, as well as the "generator" 30A. That way, if a campsite has a blown 30A outlet, you can use a 50A adapter and still be in business.
2: A generator, or a pair of 2000 watt generators running in parallel. Lots of threads on this on this forum.
3: A decent sewer hose with a 90 degree extension, as well as a clear plastic extension sleeve. The 90 degree extension keeps the hose from dropping down into the sewer pipe, possibly causing a backup, and the sleeve can help you know when tank emptying is done.
4: Depending on tow vehicle, I'd consider a Bolt hitch pin lock. These will key to your truck's key. This is useful because it means one less key to lose, and are decently weather resistant, far better than most locks, especially locks that encounter as much road grit as a pin lock would.
5: BAL X-chocks, Roto-Choks, or another brand. These keep the trailer still, but for safety, I use the cheap rubber/plastic ones as well if the TT is on any type of grade.
6: An electric tongue jack. Helps a lot.
7: A mattress topper. Usually trailer mattresses tend to be low-end, but a topper can remedy that without needing to replace.
RE: New Sunseeker 2500
I think those have a fiberglass roof and end cap. Other than the vinyl trim as mentioned, I don't think there would be any issues. I would probably replace a couple things just for kicks. I don't know what battery converter it uses, but if it is a single stage, I'd chuck it and get a good three stage. Similar with the water pump -- if it is a single speed, I'd add an accumulator tank, or upgrade to a variable speed model. These are small things, but will make life easier on the road.
Of course, it is nice to add solar, a MPPT controller, and an inverter, but that can get expensive.
RE: Toilet clogging up
I've seen people use commercial-grade wet/dry vacs in their black tanks in order to slurp up poop pyramids. I wonder if this would be a possible solution. However, if it is the plastic disc from a hole saw, then that wouldn't help much, if at all.
RE: Stuck with Rude Neighbors Argh...
So far, I've been lucky with campsites so far. Most people tend to have music, but it isn't ear-splittingly loud.
If I did encounter a CG that wouldn't do anything about someone's music so loud that it drowns out my RV inside my rig, I'll pull out my dB meter, take pictures of it at various places, hitch up, and head to greener territory. I've yet to post a negative review (I always leave a positive review at every CG I go to because I feel like a lack of negative items is a BIG positive) or contest a credit card, but those are always options that can be used.
RE: rv shows
I had a similar experience a couple years back at a show in the fall. The dealer started adding oddball fees after we shook hands, then he was coy about explaining what they were, so I backed out.
RE: how much ice in black tank to clean sensor?
I've seen some people cut an access port (using a screw cap) so they can hand-clean the black and grey tanks with a mop and a wet/dry vac. This can even be useful on freshwater tanks since one could dump ice in there, not for cleaning it out, but for cold water on a hot Texas day.
RE: Toilet clogging up
I don't get where the clog is. Is it the toilet valve, the toilet, or the black tank?
The only time I've had a clog in the toilet itself was when someone used enough TP that is filled up the hollow part. This was remedied by a yardstick used as a ramrod.
It can't hurt to fill the bowl before #2 so any solids are escorted by at least a half a gallon of water down the chute.
RE: dumping gray water in forest
Here in TX, it is OK to dump grey water, provided the landowner gives permission. However, I do the old hiker thing of "pack it in, pack it out". Grey water does smell, and thanks to the slobs who dump black water almost anywhere, any water coming from a vehicle is going to earn a call to the county sheriff.
A few years ago, when I was shopping for a used trailer, one seller had a system set up where he could hit a remote on his TV, which would open the grey and black valves while he was driving. He managed to score a $3500 fine when he let loose, not realizing a Texas DPS officer was behind him. So, after paying the fine, this guy just dropped the black tank, letting anything from the toilet just fall to the ground.
Needless to say, I didn't buy that TT, and I beat a path out of there as quickly as I could. I didn't want to tell him that he was pretty lucky to get off with just a fine, especially if he managed to get black water on a police vehicle.
RE: Trade my old Sprinter for a new one?
The newer NCV3s have more power, but they have all the awful emissions stuff to keep up with, such as having to fill up with DEF every 5000 or so miles, and if the DPF clogs, that is a $3200 repair bill.
Of course, the newer models are slightly bigger and from what I've read, smoother to drive.
If you are looking for a Sportsmobile upfit, have you considered going all diesel? It is expensive, especially the PowerTech generator, but it means only worrying about one fuel source.
RE: Trade my old Sprinter for a new one?
Only issue I can think of with the T1Ns is that the turbo resonator needs chucked. Only other issue is that at 120k miles, the transmission may need a rebuild.
Those used Sprinters sell fast, because they get such great MPG.
RE: Shopping for a High-End B+
There are lots of posts on this, including questions of a similar sort I asked last year.
For B+ rigs, you might do better in the C forum, because B+ is a market term for a C (van cab, custom built coach past it) sans the cabover.
For Bs, the Chevy and Ford chassis models are being phased out, since Ford is moving to the Transit line. Chevies are still being made, but with the two Euro-style van models coming out (The Dodge ProMaster and the Ford Transit), class B makers will be making a move to upfit those since they offer more inside space and don't need a fiberglass roof for extra space.
Right now, until the new vans hit the roads, there is pretty much one choice that B makers are focusing on, and that is the Mercedes Sprinter.
Want the best bang for the buck? JMHO, Winnebago ERA, hands down. However, it only has a 1 year warranty while RT has a four year is the only disadvantage.
Reliability? I'd say about the same on all models, be it a Ford, Chevy, Sprinter, or the new vans. Sprinters have fewer service centers than the others, but I have yet to read about a stranded Sprinter story on this forum.
RE: Picture From Last Saturday Night....
I've encountered people with inflatable movie screens and external speakers large enough to make the ones in KISS concerts look tiny. In fact, next to selling RVs bristling with flat screen televisions, it was one of the better sellers at the last RV show I went to.
RE: Stolen Diesel Fuel
I've had someone successfully boost a gas can in the bed of my pickup recently. Too bad that the container was eventually on its way to the Austin hazardous materials site because it had been sitting since 1999 in a shed.
I saw the gas can (well marked) nearby an apparently abandoned Mazda that was on the side of the road a couple hundred feet down from where my truck was parked. I'm guessing the "liberator" of the can earned the right to keep it having to pay for a tow, fuel line flush, and possibly engine repairs.
A friend of mine with an older F-150 that has two tanks did something more insidious. He moved the fuel fill for the working tank to the bed, and the tank with the fuel fill that wasn't used, he had filled up with rancid gas (so it did smell like gasoline) and water. Needless to say, there were plenty of times there was an inoperative vehicle near his truck.
RE: Lock your gas tank
I grew up in places like that where one didn't bother locking a front door, and the worst that would happen in a neighborhood would be some kids papering a tree on someone's house. However, things do change. Meth is a problem nationwide, and can cause perfectly rational people to have very poor lapses in judgement. People move in, and with a population increase come the predators and scavengers.
The trick with security is to be just one notch above everyone in the vicinity (but without going overboard, because too much security will attract the types that want in just out of spite), then if someone does succeed in theft, that is what insurance is for. Another item is unobtrusiveness. With a pickup and a bumper pull, you use a bed cap with windows so the generator can run out of sight.
RE: Lock your gas tank
That is pretty common. A gas cap lock on any and all vehicles goes without saying. It both keeps gas from coming out, and foreign substances from getting in.
Of course, the thieves are punching tanks and slicing hoses going from the gas tank, but a gas cap lock at least makes them work for the fuel they are stealing.
Another suggestion I have: If you have a pickup truck, buy a tailgate lock.
The Master lock is the beefiest, followed by the Bully (although the Bully one is very difficult to install), followed by the McGard (which is very easy to get installed, but it is the weakest.) Even a hose clamp with a spot weld on the screw is a deterrent.
I am surprised at how often I find my tailgate lid down, but thankfully still there thanks to the lock on the hinge. I don't lock the handle because it is stupidly easy for someone to break that off and move the locking rod.
RE: Laptop computer
I'd consider a "business grade" laptop, such as a Dell Inspiron as opposed to a "consumer" laptop. It costs more, but you can get a better service/support plan on it. Consumer stuff is hair-pulling at best for tech support.
Of course, the best tech support for individuals comes from Apple, and a MacBook Pro can easily run Windows, but you do pay for that.
