| |
Subject |
Author |
Date Posted |
Forum
|
 |
RE: Couple easy, quick ideas for when on the road.
We love cooking up thin sliced potatoes like this in the skillet...
http://img.aws.livestrongcdn.com/ls-article-image-640/cme/photography.prod.demandstudios.com/c05efa02-ef13-42fc-8b29-36d431469e7c.jpg height=200
While eating breakfast in Gatllinburg on one trip we found these on the breakfast bar with thin sliced up onions in them... Have tried to dupe this around the camp fire but never have any success doing it. I think it is when to add the onions does the trick...
Any ideas here...
Roy and Carolyn
|
RoyB
|
09/29/16 01:05pm |
Camp Cooks and Connoisseurs
|
|
RE: Short life batteries
I also suspect your older model trailer does not have a smart mode converter/charger. The older converter/chargers only use a single mode charging voltage which is usually 13.6VDC. This DC voltage will boil out your battery fluids over time which very much shortens the life of your battery. If you are able to do regular battery maintenance this type of charger is ok but one should inspect their fluids on a bi weekly basis or so.
Changing out your older Converter/charger for a newer one that supports multi-mode charging DC Voltages will help your situation big time...
Units to look at are Progressive Dynamics and IOTA Converter Chargers models.
I too support disconnecting your negative battery terminal or install a Battery Disconnect switch. A fully charged battery will last the winter months or your long storage time... I have the compete battery disconnect Switches installed on my setup and my fully charged batteries will drop down from 12.6-7VDC to around 12.4-5VDC over the winter months here still sitting outside in the battery boxes.
This is what works for me at any rate. I suppose everyone's situation is somewhat unique.
In my case I started out in 2008 with 4ea 12V Interstate 85AH batteries connected in parallel (340AHs Battery capacity) and right away I lost one 12V battery due to the boiling out of fluids which made the one 12V battery to be shorted out internally. I changed out my older single mode converter/charger unit for a multi-mode smart mode charger type in 2009. I still check my remaining three each 12V batteries out of habit but have not seen any boiling out fluids since then. Last couple of seasons I have started to see my batteries performance start falling back and am currently in the process of changing out my existing three 12V 85AH interstate batteries. Two of my existing three 12V Batteries are really in poor performance shape now with only one that holds a good charge. I got a good six years out of the Interstate GP24 batteries...
I will end up with two groups of two 6VDC GC2 batteries in series giving me around 440AHs of battery capacity.
My last two seasons I have not been out all that much doing my OFF-ROAD camping style for various reasons so this is the perfect time to make my Battery Bank change-out... New batteries, New Battery box along with new battery cables, and cleaning up of all my Blue Sea battery electrical components... Drilling new holes as we speak haha... Everything needs a little of new fresh paint every now and then I suppose...
Your batteries should last you a long time but you do have to work at it alittle bit...
Just some of my thoughts here...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/29/16 08:30am |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: Trojan T105 Batteries - Need a charger
The Progressive Dynamics PD9260C-14.8V 60 AMP model does this...
This is a converter/charger unit that will go along with your 120VAC/12VDC Distribution Panel and is a "real" multi-voltage SMART MODE charger that works... Contact Randy at BEST CONVERTERS... The higher DC current Capacity of the PD9260C-14.8 Converter/charger will be there when you add a second group of two 6VDC GC2 batteries later on... There is no benefit of using a separate Battery charger for your new GC2 batteries. Charge them using 12V as if the two 6VDC in series are one larger 12VDC battery. Let the on-board COnverter/Charger unit do it for you...
If you have the WFCO 8900 series Power Distribution center this PD9260C-14.8V model should fit in the bottom compartment with minimum modifications or you can mount it stand alone closer to the battery bank inside your trailer compartments... You will NOTneed to replace the Distribution Panels (Breakers and FUses)
A typical 12VDC batteries wants to demand 17-20AMPS DC Current when hit with the smart mode BOOST 14.4-14-8 DC Voltages... Two 6VDC batteries in series would be considered a single 12VDC battery is this case...
Most folks have been using 14.4VDC charging mode for the two GC2 6VDC batteries in series and it just takes a little more time to reach the 90% or 100% charge states...
Just my thoughts here... I am just now changing over as well to the GC2 6V batteries and will be using my existing PD9260C-14.4VDC mode smart mode charger for my setup.
The battery experts on here will probably have a better explaination for you...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/28/16 11:34am |
Fifth-Wheels
|
|
RE: Throttle non-responsive after batter disconnect
We used to clear some fault codes by disconnecting the battery terminals and then pull a light switch ON for a short time... This will drain off any residual current that may reset some settings... Used to work great doing this clearing code messages etc.
However a couple of years ago I had to replace my Truck Alternator one time so pulled the battery terminals and pulled the alternator and off to NAPA I go. Came back with rebuilt alternator and got it all hooked back up and things ran good but my idle setting was way off. My engine would die if I took my foot off from the gas pedal at a stop sign. I drove it awhile this way for a couple of days as the book said it would re-learn its setting again...
Finally had to take it in to be put on the Ford Computer at a minimum cost of $90 an hour. It took about five minutes to reset all the settings and things were just fine after that. Still had to pay the $90 service charge for the five minutes of work...
A better for Ford idea I reckon...
Even today if I have to pull my Truck start battery terminals for any reason I always throw in a second 12VDC source to keep the computers still going...
Will work hard to keep from throwing away another $90...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/27/16 02:44pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: 13.5 rear AC amps
My roof 13,500 BTU Air conditioner will not run from my EU2000i Honda Generator. The front panel says 120VAC 13.3AMPS... I got it to run one time by only plugging the 13.500 BTU air conditioner into the Honda 2KW generator by starting the fan first but when it recycled a few minutes later it tripped the generator breaker...
http://www.wisesales.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/650x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/e/u/eu2000i-front-panel.jpg height=300
google image
If I plug my trailer into a 20AMPS House Service connection using a RV Adapter long plug (AMAZON) the 13,500 BTU Air Conditioner runs great. Plugging into a 15AMPS House service connection runs most of the time but as soon as anything else in the trailer with mid to high wattage turns-on it trips the house breaker.
I would always plug into a 20AMP House circuit if I was going to use my Roof Mounted Air Conditioner.
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/27/16 09:05am |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Installing DC/AC inverter
We like to camp alot creekside way back off the trail around here in VA.
I have a washing machine 120VAC water pump that is connected to an old heater unit from a car and have a 12VDC Fan behind it. I can run cold water being sucked in from the creek through the water heater cores and then back to the creek. I have two 50-foot water hoses that I throw one end into the water and connect the toher ends to the heater core/water pump connections. I have all of this mounted inside a old cooler box I don't use anymore. We can blow low 7Os water temps into the trailer all night long with hardly any draw from the battery bank. Surprising how cool that works out for us.
We also love to use our roof mounted fantastic fan pulling in cool night air through small opening in the window flaps. Once the sun goes down it gets pretty cool back in the woods creekside somewhere...
Like I indicated above my duty Power inverter is a 600WATT Pure Sine Wave unit directed connected within 5-6 feet away just inside the trailer to my 255AH battery bank and I run two multi-head 120VAC receptacle plugs extension cords from the two 120VAC connections with one going to the Home Entertainment area and the other cord going to the back of a table top near where we sleep. The extension cords all run behind things and are completely out of site... This saved me from having to tap into any of the trailer wiring... This is where we plug in our chargers for cell phones and computer etc and run several small wattage 120VAC items we have. Since our Inverter is pure sine wave type we don't have to worry about what gets plugged into them - nothing burns up... I just leave everything plugged into the 600WAT Power Inverter even when we are on shore power.
Our lightning is all LEDs so we don't have much of a 12VDC power drain for all of the necessary things.
We do very well with our 600WATT Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter (AMAZON)... Been doing this since 2009 in our Off-Road POPUP camper...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/26/16 06:49pm |
Class C Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Installing DC/AC inverter
My intent was to run the fridge and AC while driving off the inverter.
Does this mean Fridge and ROOF Air Conditioner?
We got AC meaning a coupe of different things here...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/26/16 04:37pm |
Class C Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Installing DC/AC inverter
oops double entry
|
RoyB
|
09/26/16 04:33pm |
Class C Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Installing DC/AC inverter
Hmmm I think he wants to run his Air Conditioner and Fridge, etc too ???
Well at least he is getting some info on that process as well...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/26/16 04:32pm |
Class C Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Installing DC/AC inverter
For an Inverter to produce enough watts to run an air conditioner you will need to provide 120VAC @ around 20AMPS AC Current.
This is going to require around 12VDC at 200AMPS Current. This is around 2400WATTS.
Then you will want this Inverter to run for many hours... Can you image a battery bank that will produce 200AMPS of DC Current to run for 10-12 hours or so over night. You also have the problem of not discharging your battery bank lower than its 50% charge state or your batteries will not last very long. Batteries are expensive.. So this means you will have to come up with a battery bank that will produce 400AMPS of DC current so you can only draw 200AMPS for the 10-12 hours.
Most batteries specs will tell you how many minutes you can draw 12.0VDC for so many minutes. A Trojan T-1275 Battery says it will will produce 12.0VDC at 75AMPS DC current for just 70 minutes. That's just a tad over one hour. Of course this will totally discharge the battery so you really only get to see 35 minuets of use if you don't want the battery to drop below its 50% charge state.
I would think you are talking about 8 to 10 Trojan T-1275's batteries in parallel to even start thinking about this process...
You will also want to use a HD built Inverter... Not one of the $150 types...
I am no expert here so you need to run these type of questions through the experts on here to get the real skinny of what it takes to have an inverter operate your 13,500 BTU air conditioner.
I run a 600WATT PSW Inverter at half power here alot from 6PM to 10-11PM at night only drawing around 22 AMPS from the 255AH battery Bank and by 8AM the next morning it is right at its 50% charge state (Around 12.0VDC)... Then I have to run my generator for about three hours to charge my 255Ah battery bank back up from its 50% charge state to its 90% charge state so I can do this all over again the next day/night run off my batteries. I can do around 12-14 cycles of this 50% to 90% charge states before I have to run a full 12 hours full charge to keep from hurting my batteries. Its not as easy as one would think haha...
I am a very long way from running a 13,500 BTU Air conditioner doing this for sure...
I don't think you will find this to be a feasible thing to do...
Using 10each Trojan T-1275s 12VDC 150Ah 82-lbs batteries will weigh around 820 lbs - Where in the world would you put these batteries in your Toyota Minnie Warrior camper...
Just me blabbing along here - please check with the Battery experts on here to get real numbers... Ask Pianotuna how many batteries and AHs he runs in his full time live in Motorhome... I'm not sure if Don runs his Air Conditioner off the batteries or not...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/26/16 04:07pm |
Class C Motorhomes
|
|
RE: ONAN Wall Socket Voltmeter
That is a good price... I have been using this 120VAC Plug-in meter Prime Products 12-4055 AC Voltage Line Meter (AMAZON) that has the GREEN SAFE ZONE printed on the scale.
This is around $17 however from AMAZON...
http://imagehost.vendio.com/a/35108491/aview/__KGrHqF__lME1F4Spe1EBN_em8OVeQ__0_1.JPG height=300
Certainly neat to have around especially when you want to use your Air Conditioner plugged into alternate 120VAC sources... Mine is plugged in in a spot I can easily look at it all the time before I turn on something that draws alot of watts...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/26/16 11:38am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: I need help with Photobucket dilema
I moved all of my PHOTOBUCKET photos to IMGUR. It is just click click now to post pictures. I can also change the photo size very easy as well for those sites that don't support different photo size photos...
IMGUR is also a FREE photo program...
I have some 20 different folders in IMGUR for the various different photo categories. You can also make all of these photos private to keep others from viewing them if you prefer...
Here lately I have just discovered the SNIP feature of WINDOWS 10 which allows me to snip any part of the image I run across and save that to IMGUR... Great for using google Earth view and People View and zoom on down to a small section to show someone things of interest. I like to zoom on down and look at camp grounds...
Have no idea what the storage limit is on IMGUR but have been using it for a few years now and all is still free, private, and available for me to use.
I use to use Photobucket for all of this...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/26/16 11:16am |
Technology Corner
|
|
RE: Battery cables
I like what MR WIZARD says but my problem is I can never come up with the room to situate my batteries that way... Then my two connecting cables in the middle become long cables...
If I had the shunt I would always put it in the NEGATIVE FRAME cable. I never liked the shunts as that makes one of the Voltmeter leads HOT Voltage which is routed back inside the trailer to where your Voltmeter is located....
Using a Hall Effect transformer to measure DC CURRENT is best to use IMO...
The Fuse of course should always be in the cable that is supplying the source 12VDC. Its purpose is to protect the cables in the event the source gets shorted to frame ground. All those batteries connected can produce a very large amount of current if direct shorted to frame ground (literally hundreds of DC AMPS..) The fuse also has to be the right value to handle all of your normal 12VDC needs without blowing the fuse.
My two sets of 6VDC batteries wired in series wiring would look like this...
http://www.altwindpower.com/images/battery-series-parallel/6-volt-series-parallel-4.jpg height=250
Google Image
All like cables inside the wiring must be the same lengths in order to make the DC currents be same between all of the like connections...
Just my thoughts
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/26/16 09:52am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Furnace
The blower setup also has a safety feature called a sail switch. This is there to shut down your propane feeding the furnace in the event the blower is not working... The air from the blower makes it operate... Sometimes if it gets debris in it and doesn't operate like it should... Shoot some WD40 into it to free it up again...
Just another thought...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/26/16 09:26am |
Travel Trailers
|
|
RE: 03 AF camper "mystery fan" running.
I definitely would check the fluid levels in the battery... The older Converter/battery single voltage chargers are known to boil out your fluids which may eventually result in a shorted cell in the battery...
If it is the Converter fan kicking on alot something may be demanding more DC Current perhaps...
Just a thought here...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/25/16 10:58am |
Truck Campers
|
|
RE: Hunting Island State Park Site 157
Google search came up with this photo for site 157...
Hunting Island State Park SITE 157
This is probably the same photo you have already seen...
Never have been there but have heard good things about Hunting Island...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/23/16 05:22pm |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
|
|
RE: wifi antenna
I gave up on local campground WIFI signals several years ago.
I simply just don't depend of WIFI signals from all of the various sources. I carry my VERIZON MIFI unit with me everywhere we go. This works where ever VERIZON Cell phones work and will provide a great working WIFI signal for up to five of my devices..
My 3GB monthly data plan is private and secure and more than enough to provide us with checking in with the kids, paying a few on-line bills, and do some limited surfing of the internet... This small of of DATA however will not support any down-streaming of TV signals or videos... Most of those will use around 1GB per hour when using them...
We use our BATWING antenna to pickup the NATL BROADCAST Digital HDTV signals from the local towns for our HDTV fill each night...
Never have to worry about competing with the locals at camp grounds that have weak and loaded down WIFI signals trying to provide WIFI to their customers...
ALot of the users can use their modern cell phones to do the same thing and most often have access to a larger Data Plane. Our older cell phones are not setup for this procedures.
Most of the time I can use my Verizon MIFI unit going down the road with my computer using the internet... When mobile I have my Verizon MIFI sitting in a WILSON SLEEK Cradle that uses an outside antenna.. I have a similar setup in my OFF=ROAD POPUP trailer up behind the wrap around Valance Curtain sitting in a WILSON Cradle with an outside antenna. This gives us excellent HOT SPOT service all over the campground using our tablets.
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/21/16 05:37pm |
Technology Corner
|
|
RE: TV or tablet in your camper?
We certainly do have HDTV and Internet in our OFF-ROAD POPUP camper... I love to be able to watch the weather live radar for the area I am at when I can...
We use the internet to check in with the kids, pay a few bills, and surf the Internet some. I am working on More Battery Power here as we speak and this will probably include some Internet video streaming of things. Presently our Verizon MIFI unit gives us 3GB Data service per month which we will want to increase if we get into any down streaming routines.
I am also a Ham Radio operator which uses alot of Internet connections for things... When I am on WEATHER ALERT than I want to have both local HDTV and Internet for weather business...
My OFF-ROAD POPUP is configured for HDTV TV and several Ham Radio bands along with Police and Fire Dept/Rescue Squad monitoring... This includes additional batteries for off-road operation when not connected to shore power.
http://i.imgur.com/eqaVpto.jpg height=400
Roy's image
This is a layout of my popup floor plan showing where all of my Antennas and Ham Radio items are located...
http://i.imgur.com/B0JtldQ.png height=300
Roy's image
We are RV Campers and not RV Travelers per say so our day light time is really devoted to Camping usually OFF-ROAD way back in the woods somewhere and the Evenings/nights are devoted to Ham Radio and HDTV and other Devices we have with us...
Wouldn't want do it any differently haha...
ADDED NOTE: I should add we added a 600WATT PSW Power Inverter which gives two multihead 120VAC receptacles drops with one located near the Home Entertainment area and the second drop cord on the back of a table top near where we sleep. This is our always ON emergency power to run all the things like HDTV DVDs and cell phones and computer items chargers along with several other emergency power items we like to have available when camping... I very seldom use more than 300WATTs but it is nice to have the available Inverter power when we might need it... Having the Pure Sine Wave model Power Inverter makes all of this worry free on what might get plugged into the Inverter to use..
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/21/16 03:09pm |
Truck Campers
|
|
RE: Best 7 pole junction box
My 2008 model camper is just a standard electrical junction box with lid. The color codes are color for color and use the large yellow twist connectors...
I have seen some boxes have a terminal strip in them to make connections... I'm guessing that is what you are referring to.
Nothing special about mine... Works fine and I have replaced a 7-way cable a few years back that got pulled out somehow and drug its self to death...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/16/16 06:49pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: Great smokey np
My favorite is ELKMONT Camp... It has no hookups but has local bath room bldgs for two loops is available. There is a water spigot and 120VAC at each of the rest room bldgs... You will need a water can to tote back to your trailer. Not uncommon to see a battery being charged in the rest room hehe...
ELKMONT has a TROLLY service to Gatlinburg where you can switch there and go to Pigeon Forge...
ELKMONT also has a very small camp store that really doesn't much of anything in it. Its only open for a few hours starting around 4PM each...
We always drive to TOWNSEND TN for groceries and items...
The NP park has a dump station at the main entrance on the Gatlingburg side...
Loops are one way and depending which side you get your doors may open on the wrong side of your camper. There are some small loops for parking.. Park is almost 100% shaded inside the camp ground. If it rains the trees will drip water for days haha...
One of our favorite camping spots...
Townsend has several full service very nice camp grounds just outside the Townsend entrance to the Natl Park if you really want hooks. The same creekside (They call it a river - I call it a creek) runs through the same camp grounds inside and outside the Natl park...
Gatlinburg is a full walking town with not much parking available except at designated parking lots for a fee... Lots of stores and things to do and places to eat up and down the one main road. Pigeon Forge is layed out where you can usually drive to a place and park outside the building...
Roy Ken
|
RoyB
|
09/16/16 10:32am |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
|
