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Forum
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RE: Wiring issues with my 2012 Lance 855S
I have no idea why you are so lenient with Lance about these issues. I also do not understand why you think these Lance quality issues apply to other manufacturers. I have a Northstar TC and there are no wiring issues. In fact all of the wiring is very nicely done and the appearance is of workmanship with straight wiring runs and lots of hold downs. The wiring is all 10 gauge with plenty of both 110 and 12v fuses. I have been through the entire system because I made some additions including an additional solar panel and additional 12v sockets. I also added wiring for a 12v compressor fridge.
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JimK-NY
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02/17/13 12:44pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: what speed do you maintain on the highway ?
This seems to be a question only a flatlander would ask or try to answer.
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JimK-NY
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02/13/13 03:03pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Cab over clearance
For stability, the lower the better. Frame flex does require a substantial gap. My unit only had a gap of about 1.5" and that was not enough to avoid the camper hitting the cab. I raised the camper an additional 3/4" and that seems to be enough for my Dodge.
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JimK-NY
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02/09/13 08:07am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Jacks down while camping with camper still on truck?
If you want to use the jacks for added stability, there are two steps I would recommend to avoid problems. First be sure to undo the tiedowns. This will prevent damage if there is a tire pressure leak. Next take the electric controller cable and wrap it onto the truck steering wheel. This will remind you that you need to raise the jacks and attach the tiedowns before driving. Personally I dont bother with the jacks. The slight amount of sway seems normal after a short while.
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JimK-NY
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02/09/13 08:03am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Another Grand Circle Planning forum!
I read of one photographer who waited too long for the perfect light and got stuck out on the redrock at night. He spent a cold night on the rock. You want low angle light and early morning light is probably out of the question so you would want late afternoon light and thus the problem.
It's quite a hike. My wife would never make it so I never tried to enter the lottery.
BK
No way would I try to hike out after dark. The year before last someone went in late without a permit and did not make it out alive. They fell into a slot canyon. Actually just getting out at the end of a long day is rough even in daylight. I was so tired I hitched along with someone who had a hiker's gps. The BLM guide is minimal.
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JimK-NY
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01/26/13 06:02pm |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Another Grand Circle Planning forum!
Steve, very nice. I need to make it to Yosemite one of these days.
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JimK-NY
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01/26/13 05:54pm |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: secure items in medicine cabinet
Turning over was only one problem. Seems that everytime I opened the door, something fell out. Unfortunately the cabinet was over the toilet so that was an especially unwelcome occurence. I used cardboard and duct tape to make trays that just fit the cabinet.
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JimK-NY
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01/26/13 04:57pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Another Grand Circle Planning forum!
Good luck on your trip and especially The Wave lottery. I would not hang around Kanab for numerous days hoping to win the lottery. Unfortunately the odds are not great. I tried (and won) last year in March. There were at least 100 people trying for the next day lottery. Actually there may have been a lot more since many of the lottery participants were trying for passes for numerous people in a group.
If you want to significantly improve your odds, do the Friday lottery. There will be 3 drawings: Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. You do need to pick a specific day. (Hint: pick the day with the worst weather forecast and if the forecasts are similar, pick Monday.)
BTW, if you are interested I just did a blurb book which covers my photographs from last year. Most were from the Grand Circle area. Just check the blurb.com bookstore for "Special Places." Again, best of luck.
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JimK-NY
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01/26/13 04:49pm |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Vehicle Length Restrictions for Roads
glacier national park going to the sun road 27'and they do check
Restriction is 21', not 27'.
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JimK-NY
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01/26/13 04:27pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Slab City and California Desert - Best Time Through?
I would recommend staying at the Salton Sea and visiting slab city during the day. Don't leave you rig or any valuables. If you do decide to stay overnight, find an area where you are not taking anyone's regular camping area. I would recommend traveling with a large dog and a shotgun. I have stayed lots of places, but this one did not feel welcoming.
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JimK-NY
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01/25/13 02:08pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Time to replace the batteries - advice?
I wanted the highest capacity battery bank that would fit in my camper battery box. I got rid of the tray and that left me enough space for 2x150 AH, 30HT, Lifeline AGM batteries. Since these are AGMs I don't need to service them and the tray was not needed.
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JimK-NY
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01/22/13 09:17am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Refrigerator Types
Steve, thanks for your followup. I really don't know how I would identify an issue. The fridge seems to cool well but beyond 90 degrees or so it runs a lot to maintain a fridge temp in the upper 30 degree range. It works substantially better if I adjust the temp upwards.
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JimK-NY
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01/20/13 06:02pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Aussie requires info on Flying J RV parking overnight
Also remember there are plenty of other truck stops in addition to Flying J. I never ask about "camping". " If you need to ask at truck stop or any other location ask about "parking or "overnight parking".
If there is adequate parking and the business is open 24hrs, you should not have a problem. I even asked at a Walmart that had signs posted prohibiting overnight parking. The signs had been required due to local ordinance but I could stay with no problem as long as I was discrete; i.e., no lawn chairs, no slides, etc.
I have a truck camper with no slides and good blackout screens so I can stay almost anywhere. I avoid places like deserted industrial areas that might not be safe. Once for an extended urban visit, I checked with the police on the parking regulations and found overnight parking was allowed for up to 30 days without moving the vehicle. I often look for areas which are transition between business and residential zoning. I do try to avoid residential areas where I would appear conspicuous or where I might be taking a parking area someone else normally uses. I look for churches. Parking on a street in front of a church is a great place especially for weekdays.
The only problems are likely to be resort areas. For example, I would not try to boondock on the Florida keys.
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JimK-NY
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01/20/13 07:23am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Refrigerator Types
........I hope the link above works correctly as it describes the problem that occurs with compressor fridges. They use a lot of power. I have a NovaKool that is about 4 cu ft and uses the smaller sized compressor. It pulls about 25-50 AH/day under normal conditions; i.e., the outside temps varying between say 50 and 80 oF. When temps are in the upper 80's or higher the fridge will run constantly pulling about 3 amps. Consumption could be up to about 70 AH/day. The 7.8 NovaKool has a much larger compressor (about 7 amps) and you can expect a consumption up to about 140 AH/day. I actually had this unit and pulled it out and replaced it with the smaller NovaKool.
It sounds like you need to look into adding more insulation around your fridge. I live (and camp) where temps routinely exceed 100F for months on end and my fridge doesn't run constantly even in that extreme. If your camper has little or no insulation on that wall it will make the fridge work harder then it needs to. You could also instal a pancake fan wired to cycle with the compressor to increase airflow over the coils.
I added 3" of dense foam insulation on both sides and the top. Also added a large vent at the bottom and top of the compartment and finally added 3 computer fans to move air through the compartment.
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JimK-NY
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01/19/13 08:38am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Hey all. New lifestyle, new challeng
Consider campground hosting. Benefits vary greatly but you could get free camping and hookups plus a tax-free stipend of $15/day. This will also keep you from traveling. RV travel can get very expensive.
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JimK-NY
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01/17/13 07:47am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Outfitter or Hallmark
I assume you are looking only at popups. If so, you might take a look at Northstar. They have some nicely engineered and well-built models. Regarding features: every choice seems to be a compromise. Obviously a N-S bed is an advantage but that means a bigger unit. I am not sure if there are issues with aluminum frame construction, but I do think a well built and maintained unit should not leak. If a unit leaks and it goes undetected for a long time, the unit will reach the point where it is too costly to repair regardless of the frame.
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JimK-NY
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01/17/13 07:33am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Refrigerator Types
personally i could care less what the electrical draw is. if i am sitting still in the shade or under cloud cover a couple of days i just run the H2000 for a couple hours & good to go. i am much more concerned with having a reliable COLD fridge that does not have to be level. i have 170 w of solar and a pair of group 31 AGM bats that meet my energy needs about 98% of the time,running a gen set the other 2% of the time is not a biggie.
my energy needs also include sat dish/receiver/tv use probably 2 to 3 hours per day,i rarely run out of juice.
I am glad to see that you could care less, but I am a bit more concerned. Right now in your hometown, a full day of sun with a 170 watt panel will only give you 36 AH. That is probably not enough to run a fridge even in cool weather.
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JimK-NY
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01/15/13 12:37pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Refrigerator Types
My unit was a 7.8 cf but it was from about 2003-2004. Maybe they are a bit more efficient now. I would still expect the unit to run nearly continuously in 90 degree temps and probably 75% of the time in the mid 80 degree range. Even at a bit less than 5 amps, that is a lot of juice. Of course an absorption fridge takes very little electricity and can run for months on a single propane tank.
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JimK-NY
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01/15/13 12:29pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Refrigerator Types
Sorry, I could not get the above link to work correctly, but it should work if you cut and paste it into the address line on your browser.
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JimK-NY
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01/15/13 06:21am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Refrigerator Types
http://www.exploroz.com/Members/145028.75/1/2009/Queensland_Adventures_Winter_2008.aspx?p=%2FBlogs%2FDefault.aspx
I hope the link above works correctly as it describes the problem that occurs with compressor fridges. They use a lot of power. I have a NovaKool that is about 4 cu ft and uses the smaller sized compressor. It pulls about 25-50 AH/day under normal conditions; i.e., the outside temps varying between say 50 and 80 oF. When temps are in the upper 80's or higher the fridge will run constantly pulling about 3 amps. Consumption could be up to about 70 AH/day. The 7.8 NovaKool has a much larger compressor (about 7 amps) and you can expect a consumption up to about 140 AH/day. I actually had this unit and pulled it out and replaced it with the smaller NovaKool.
Even with the smaller unit I am not happy with the amount of electricity. I had to install a couple of big batteries (2 x AGM model 30 = 300 AH) and I have 270 watts of solar. My solar system puts out about 100 AH/day on a sunny summer day. So all is well unless I park in the shade or it is cloudy.
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JimK-NY
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01/15/13 06:13am |
Truck Campers
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