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Forum
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RE: Bedroom a/c dead
I was only going by this diagram of a typical RV30A-50A Adapter connected to a 50AMP two zone trailer... I don't know if all 30A-50A adapters do this or not. You notice the 30A is strapped to feed both zones on the 50AMP side in this diagram... If this is the case then YES both zones gets powered up and you have to decide what is "on" when using the 30A pedestal source of power otherwise you will trip the pedestal breaker if you are drawing too much current.
http://www.dmbruss.com/images/FullTimingLifeStyle/Adapters/3050ampRVDistribution.jpg height=350
If the RV30A-50A-adapter only feeds one zone then only one Air Conditioner will be able to be used...
Just my thoughts
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/19/13 03:32pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Theft
I only have one story that happened to my neighbor camper when camping up in the Smoky Mtns Natl park at ELKMONT Camp Ground. This happened about three years ago...
Me and my neighbor was the only two occupied camps in loop. I was setup in C7 and he was in C9 across the road from me.
He had small TT setup and I was in my OFF-ROAD POPUP setup.
We of course visited alot and talked about what all we were using etc doing what we always do when camping. He had 3KW Honda Generator chained to a small tree sitting out in plain sight. My generator is a 2KW Honda generator sitting secured in the back of my truck bed near the tailgate corner. It is totally covered with a folding hard plastic bed cover when not is use. I just pull mine out onto the tailgate when I use it...
http://i.imgur.com/S2dJg.jpg height=350
We both left the camp site this one morning to go to the local town for supplies. I got back around 2PM in the afternoon and could not turn down my loop because of a tree laying across the road. So I just went all the way around the camp and came in the other side of the loop road and parked at my camp site. Sure enough the tree was cut down in the early afternoon while we were both gone from the camp area. His 3KW Honda Generator was gone. Just after I showed my neighbor shows up and there we both stand in disbelief that his generator was stolen in broad daylight. We asked around some other campers and no one mentioned they heard anything. It probable was cut down with a hand saw since it was around 8-10 inches in diameter...
Not much you can do...
I personally haven't lost anything in all my years of tent camping and the past five years camping in my OFF-ROAD POPUP. I have found out most neighbor campers tend to look out for one another,
However any of these special items like small generators and the such is just too easy to grab and run...
With typical chained 2KW generator sitting out in the open like this google photo probably would not last long in an unoccupied camp site.
http://rvtravel.com/blog/rvnow/uploaded_images/P1060136-742834.jpg height=300
http://casitaclub.com/forums/uploads/post-2-1068068734.jpg height=300
just my thoughts
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/19/13 09:50am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: A/C in tent trailer
We do pretty good using 9X12 tarps installed over both bed ends of our OFF-ROAD POPUP. This is my poor man GIZMO I guess...
Here is a photo of my setup...
http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx22/roybraddy/IMG_2321.jpg height=400
Since there are just the two of us I have also sit a small 5K BTU portable window house a.c unit in the unused bed area. Just sit it on a board with the back sticking out a window flap and used duct tape to seal it off. The only downside is to make sure the runoff goes outside the trailer... That helped a bunch the one or two times we did it.
Best bet is to always try to park under some tree cover. Being from the Wichita Falls areas I know that may be hard to find everywhere.
Another solution is to park under a 20x30 tarp over the top of your hole trailer. Mine has a cutout in the tarp for the roof mounted a/c and the power roof fan...
We have done this camping in the Smoky Mtn Natl Park near Gatlinburg where all of the forest parks are like rain forests - always dripping water days after rain storms...
Just make some shade somehow...
something like this maybe...
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-HdRqsq0hVrc/T8zgUgziYlI/AAAAAAAAARQ/Uc0w0y9Q8dI/s400/DSCN2771.JPG height=400
Just my thoughts
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/19/13 08:17am |
Folding Trailers
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RE: Bedroom a/c dead
Are you connected up to a 50AMP service connections. Each of the two air conditioner 120VAC power from one of the two power zones from your circuit breaker panel. Both power zones may only get active when you are running from a 50AMP service connection.
Just something to check - I have never played with 50AMP trailers - just going from what I read on here about having two air conditioners installed in trailer.
If you are connected to your house only using a 30AMP RV adapter then it is possible your second zone is not powered up in your trailer.
Also as others have said your 12VDc power should be connected as well to supply power for the thermostats.
just my thoughts
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/19/13 08:01am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Auto reset circuit breakers
AUTO RESET circuit breakers may be nice to have for some protection circuits but if you have an overload that remains and you are using the auto reset device it will trip out then cool down after a few seconds then turn back on only to trip again. Sometimes this operations being repeated over and over again my cause some damage.
Sometimes a MANUAL RESET device may be best to use under some circumstances...
For instance I like the AUTO RESET type for being used in the SLIDE or TRAILER JACK operations where you are holding down a spring loaded control switch. You will know something is not right and stop the overload action by releasing the spring loaded control switch.
However if you have an AUTO RESET unit installed between the Power Distribution Panel and the batteries than it will continue to TRIP and RESET until whatever that caused the overload burns it self out. I would rather have an MANUAL RESET device in this instance...
Just my thoughts
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/18/13 08:30pm |
Hybrid Travel Trailers
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RE: Dual-15-adapter-generator
I did a search for these a few months back - can't find them anywhere anymore... Maybe keep an eye out on EBAY...
Mine were called DUAL HONDA 15AMP ADAPTER. I have three of these in my Rv tool box.
You can see it here in use on my truck bed mounted 2KW Honda Generator...
http://i.imgur.com/S2dJg.jpg height=300
This was a WEB SITE brochure shot of them is use for a couple of the INVERTER TYPE Generators...
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41VXMPN9XWL._AA300_.jpg height=300
These are HARD WIRED to parallel BOTH sides of a standard 120VAC receptacle. These cannot be used if your 120VAC receptacle is a split phase unit. The only purpose for these adapters is to spread out the contact space to give you a good solid connection for less heat generated. Although you plug your 30AMP RV shore power cable into one of these you only get a 15AMP service from a standard 15AMP 120VAC DUAL receptacle.
You CANNOT make two sides of a 15AMP 120VAC receptacle give you a 30AMP source... Both ports that plug into a standard 120VAC DUAL receptacle is HARD WIRED in PARALLEL.
Pretty handy to have around if you know what they are used for...
Just my thoughts
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/17/13 08:25pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Sat dish and cable
I never could figure it out without tearing up everything tryig to use the SAT connection that is next to the CABLE connection on the outside of the trailer. I wouold have to unhook things to make mine work so I just run two RG cables in from the two ports on the portable SAT DISH - one to the bedroom area and the other to the living room area. Then I connected each RG cable to a SAT RCVR ANT input. Each SAT RCVR picked up the SAT DISH just fine doing it this way. Then I used the VIDEO OUTPUTs of the SAT RCVRs and ran that to a VIDEO INPUT on the HDTV in each room. This way I can select to watch the regular CABLE/OTA TV or the SAT TV using the TV remote. Of course when I selected the SAT TV I would have to switch remotes to change the channels...
Worked out great for us but when the digital NATL BROADCAST local HDTV came along recently it turned out these local broadcast signals were all in full screen high def digital TV mode and much better quality than the SAT TV stuff so we just stopped bringing along the SAT DISH and extra SAT RCVRs from the house. We always like to watch the national broadcast channels anyway and they are FREE of course...
If there was something we wanted to watch on the cable channels when camping off the power grid then just use the computer to watch them.
We even do this when at the regular camp ground sites that have cablehookup. They are all in analog mode so we use the OTA BATWING antenna to watch the locl NATL BROADCAST channels and then switch to to the cable to watch the other stuff... Once you start watching full screen high def digital TV it is hard to switch back hehe...
just my thoughts
Roy ken
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RoyB
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06/16/13 07:58pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Quartzsite in summer - where to stay for 1 nite?
I always thought it was where the RV stopped rolling hehe...
With all that heat you only have about two hours to enjoy anything... 6AM to 8AM hehe...
Enjoy...
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/16/13 06:30am |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Shocking! AC power tingle between frame and (real) ground
Somewhere you are missing the GROUND terminal on the plug. Could even be the 15AMP receptacle you tapped into does not even have the ground connected.
YES it could be a dangerous situation.
I would get it resolved ASAP...
Just my thoughts
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/16/13 06:23am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Acronyms
The D in DW can mean many other four letter words as well depending on the ongoing situation... The one I love in TV... you figure that one out...
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/16/13 05:56am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: No power from 12 V battery
Please advise your friend that the trailer battery may be required to satisfy a DOT LAW that all trailers with electric brakes installed must have a trailer disconnect switch installed that will operate the trailer electric brakes if it becomes disconnected from the truck going down the road. The DC voltage to operate the Electric Brakes if this happens usually comes from the trailer battery...
You certainly want a run away trailer to stop as quick as it can and not hurt anyone. So does DOT...
If the trailer does not have electric brakes installed depending on the weight of the POPUP then disregard all of the above comments about not having an battery connected for the few years...
just my thoughts
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/16/13 05:38am |
Folding Trailers
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RE: Jayco Converter Upgrade
If you already have a nice AC and DC Power Distribution Panel you dont really need to replace that. The converter/charger is usually a separate module or chassis located in the bottom of the Distribution Panel chassis. You can just replace the module/chassis only.
Let Randy at BEST CONVERTERs know what you want to do and he can help you get setup. Just don't let him sell you a WFCO unit haha...
I actually left my WFCO converter/charger in place and mounted my PD9260C 60AMP replacement converter/charger unit in a different location closer to my battery battery bank. Since my WF-8945 converter/chassis was new this gives a backup to use if I need it. I just flip the 120VAC circuit breaker ON-OFF for the one I want to use... I could never get my WF-8945 to go into smart charging modes so got a converter/charger that would immediately go to those modes using a remote control if I needed it to do so.
Post what make and model you have that needs replaced - Lots of info on how to replace it can be found on google as well... Converter/charger units only need the 120VAC connection and two DC 12V cable connections... Thats it.... Some converters have built-in smart mode controls and some or remoted. My PD-9260C has the remote control type up inside the trailer where I can force the converter into any of its smart charging modes with the push of a button...
Just my thoughts
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/15/13 07:15pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: How to use a battery charger?
sherpaxc - if you truly have a functional smart-mode technology converter/charger than I think your best situation would be to use the 30A shore power cable directly connected to the generator 120VAC receptacle using the RV30A-15A long adapter. This will re-charge your battery to 90% charge state in as little as three hours. I use this VOLTAGE VERSES CHARGE chart to allow me to come pretty close to the status of my batteries...
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qtbKtwygtXs/TTDTlnImolI/AAAAAAAAIsI/CpvnBOwklEA/s1600/battery%2Bvoltage%2Bchart.jpg height=300
Using this chart I have planned out all of my battery load for the things I want to run off the power grid to drain my battery down to 12.0VDC. From the chart you can see this is pretty close to being 50% state of charge. You want this to occur at 8AM the next morning when you are allowed to run your generator. Then I will run the trailer off of the generator which will re-charge my battery back up to it's 90% charge state in around three hours. This will be indicated by the resting battery charge being 12.5-6VDC. Of course the best method for testing the battery's state of charge is to check the specific gravity...
If you truly have a smart-mode converter charger unit then you will be able to use your battery for one day/night camping and then re-charge the next morning back up to the 90% charge state so you can do all of this all over again.
You might want to do a couple of nights trial runs in your camp back yard to get the hang of it. The IOTA may not be as automatic as you may thing it should be. Need to learn how to know it is working in smart-mode charging technology modes before you commit yourself to being in the off the power grid situation.
I also think you would be alot better off if you have at least TWO GP24 12VDC batteries installed in parallel. I use three of the standard issue GP 85AH Interstate batteries (total 255AHs Capacity) and can use alot of 120VAC appliances from an INVERTER in addition to the using LED trailer lights and other 12VDC drains directly from the batteries.
It takes some planning - you just can't plop down in the woods and expect it to work for you. It usually gets dark around 10PM at night when we tried that...
just my thoughts
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/15/13 02:13pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: grounding TT
The NEUTRAL WIRE shown as white in this pictorial should only connect to the source. You must not run the WHITE wire to EARTH ground on the trailer. The same is normally the same for the GREEN wire. It gets it EARTH ground from the pedestal source.
This is a typical wiring of the camp ground pedestal...
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb122/EdConley/Plugs/rv-service1.jpg height=300
My NEUTRAL (WHITE WIRE) is floating on the trailer side and is only connected to the camp ground PEDESTAL 30AMP connections... My GROUND (GREEN WIRE) is however connected to the TRAILER FRAME connection as well as being connected to the PEDESTAL which is normally connected to EARTH GROUND on the PEDESTAL side.
When camping off the power grid and when working with some of my trailer mounted RADIO ANTENNAs I may something do a EARTH ground rod connection to the TRAILER FRAME to help my RADIO ANTENNA waveform pattern.
I will not do this if I am connected to a regular camp ground pedestal.
Just the way I do it....
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/15/13 01:25pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: How to use a battery charger?
I do alot of camping off the power grid and like to connect to the generator using the RV30A-15A long adapter. This gives me time for making coffee and running some other high wattage 120VAC things when I am charging my batteries when allowed to run my generator.
Your 2008 JAYCO may not have smart-mode charging capabilities on-board that will let you re-charge the batteries in a quick three hour generator run time. To get your batteries back up to 90% charge state with just using 13.6VDC coming from the on-board single mode converter/charger unit will require 40 hours to return the battery to 90% of full charge. If you really want to get serious about camping off the power grid you really need to have on-board smart-mode charging capability along with you when camping.
It does appear the BATTERY CHARGER you just got is "NOT" a smart-mode technology type charger and only has a 12VDC output per say. Using this type of re-charging only a couple of hours aday will be very hard on your deep cycle batteries. They need to get back to to the 90% charge state after every 50% discharge state otherwise they will start doing internal damage to the battery cores.
I can do a couple of weeks cycling my batteries from 50% to 90% charge states and then I have to do a full 100% charge state to prevent my batteries to start their internal self destruct mode. This is battery science talking not me....
Consider this Progressive Dynamics brochure report on how long it takes to re-charge a deep cycle battery.
"Progressive Dynamics ran this test on the amount of time it took a PD9155 (55-amp) converter/charger set to three different output voltages to recharge a 125 AH (Amp Hour) battery after it was fully discharged to 10.5-volts.
14.4-VOLTS (Boost Mode) – Returned the battery to 90% of full charge in approximately 3-hours. The battery reached full charge in approximately 11 hours.
13.6-VOLTS (Normal Mode) – Required 40-hours to return the battery to 90% of full charge and 78-hours to reach full charge.
13.2-VOLTS (Storage Mode) – Required 60-hours to return the battery to 90% of full charge and 100-hours to reach full charge."
They don't even mention just using 12VDC to recharge a deep cycle battery - It will literally take several days to get the battery back to the 90% charge state.
I also have a great B&D VEC1093DBD "smart-mode" 40AMP battery charger and it has been great to have to go along with my truck bed mounted 2KW Honda Generator setup. There are many occasions that I have needed to jump start folks or charge up batteries sitting on the tail gate. A GREAT PLAN B item to have around.
http://i.imgur.com/YZMuX.jpg height=300
If you really want to be successful about camping off the power grid and keeping your batteries re-charged you will need something that has smart-mode charging technology along with you. You don't have enough time camping to just have 12VDC charging capability
just my thoughts
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/15/13 10:10am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Diesel generator for 5th wheels?
Then after spending all that money for generators then you have to worry about where you can legally run them...
This is probably why alot of folks go for bigger battery banks and solar panels with small generator just for charging batteries when allowed to...
Just my thoughts
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/15/13 10:01am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Camping pet peeve
I gave up my site once to a couple that really wanted it because it was close to the bath house. No biggie to us...
Then that night it rained and rained and water flooded them out big time... It actually floated their patio mat away. I felt so bad about that I went over and offered to change back with them but they said "thats OK"...
We are pretty much easy going all the time - life is way to short to worry about all of the small stuff... If your camp site surrounding is to much to deal with just hookup and move to another spot...
We was tent camping up on the Blue Ridge at Rocky Knob on one trip and the wife wakes me up in the middle of the night saying there's a bear out there. Sure enough you could hear the snorting and grunts so I get my flashlight and bear spray and head out the door for a look see. Didn't see a thing and just when I was about ready to come back inside I hear it again. Turns out its the next door camper guy sleeping in his POPUP with the open window flaps snoring away... I was probably doing the same thing before the wife woke me up hehe...
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/15/13 08:27am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Camping pet peeve
I like DJ's idea...
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RoyB
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06/15/13 08:06am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Dumb question alert. Can I use 15 amp power?
I see some folks still say to NOT USE the 13,500BTU airconditioners on a 120VAC 15AMP circuit.
Again I have no problems whatsoever running my COLEMAN MACH III Plus 13,500BTU model 8333D Air conditioner from a 120VAC 15/20AMP receptacle in my garage. I have been doing this for around five years now at this location with no ill effects using my 50-foot 10-gauge (10-3) extension cord and RV30A-15A 18-inch long "dogbone" adapter.
The spec sheets on both my air conditioners says it will draw 13.6AMPS in the LOW position and 14.3AMPS in the high position.
All I can say it works fine for me for whatever that is worth... Maybe you guys are referring to the 15,000 BTU air conditioners or maybe the newer COLEMAN MACHIII PLUS air conditioners draw more current??? My air conditioners are used in my 2004 and 2008 RV trailers.
I can only report findings on what happens to me in my situations...
My Roof mounted RV Coleman MACH III Plus model 8333D air conditioner used in both trailers should not care if it gets its 120VAC at 14.3AMPS to operate from a house panel 15AMP circuit breaker or a RV panel 15AMP circuit breaker. I haven't physically checked the breaker size in the WFCO RV panels. I think they are 15AMP breakers.
It works just fine for me with any of those two 120VAC power sources...
I will continue using my garage standard 120VAC 15A/20A receptacles for my two 30AMP Rv trailers connected to it as I have been doing for the past few years. Each RV trailer is on a separate 20AMP circuit breaker in my house AC power panel but the receptacles used are the 15AMP style receptacles... I just re-checked this again in the garage a few minutes before posting this.
http://www.garvinindustries.com/images/R15SG.jpg height=200
I only have one 20AMP style 120VAc receptacle used in my house wiring that was installed to operate an air compressor unit which is no longer hooked up. My fifth wheel trailer is using this 20AMP style receptacle.
http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/52/52a94315-a52e-430a-a8f7-8c4064e585d7_300.jpg height=200
I am sure my success is using the proper sized 10-3 GAUGE HD 50-foot extension cords and RV30A-15A long adapter. I have however used 12-3 GAUGE 50-foot extension cords as well with no ill-effect.
Can only report what I am seeing here... Works for me... Maybe I should report more on the 20AMP aspect of my hookup verses the 15AMPS??? I really should just install a 30AMP connections on the outside wall wired to the same 20AMP circuit and change the house circuit breaker to a 30AMP size and be done with it I guess... It probably wouldn't cost over $50 with everything available from LOWES.
just my thoughts
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/15/13 07:32am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: docking lights will not go out on new cougar fifthwheel
maybe they are being powered by the BACKUP light 12VDC source from the truck on the center pin of the 7-WAY trailer connector... This is something you want to have ON when backing-in ????
The trailer BATTERY DISCONNECT switch should not be installed where it will disable the required 12VDC power going to the trailer BRAKE MAGNETS emergency break-away switch when being pulled.
just a thought
Roy Ken
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RoyB
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06/15/13 06:17am |
Fifth-Wheels
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