RE: Best gas card
I don't use a specific gas card, but I do use a card that we get air miles for our usage. This works when we need to travel by air. Just about 2 months ago my wife traveled from Florida to New York and the total ticket cost us $25.00! If we did not add a couple of extras, the price would have been $5.00.
Oh the card Case Southwest.
RE: Toad Braking
Also take a look at the Unified Tow Brake by US Gear. I've had mine a number of years and it is now on the 3rd toad. Great device, and I can hook up the car with one cable too.
RE: House battery recommendations
You can get 6 volt AGM batteries at Sam's Club and they will run you about $160 per battery. And just so your aware, there are only about 3 battery manufacturers left in the US now, so these 3 make many different brands. For instance, this company http://www.dekabatteries.com/ makes the Sam's Club batteries and the West Marine battery. Both have the same specification, but one you'll pay more than double the cost of the other.
RE: Rear axel issue
There doesn't seem to be much of a history on the TiffinRVNetwork on this, but if you go there or call the factory, they will likely give you the name of service center that can help you out.
RE: Mail Forwarding
We've been with Your Best Address going towards 4 years now and we couldn't be happier with them. I also visited their facility, which is located in a comercial building in Sioux Falls. We have no complaints what so ever.
RE: MSW Inverters and Residental Refrigerators
I replaced my Norcold this past summer with a Whirlpool RR from Lowe's. I also added a 1000 watt pure sine inverter from Xantrex with remote switch, and a 30 amp transfer switch just for this addition. Not really necessary, but we have medicines we carry that must be cooled so I did not want to take any chances.
In my coach we took out the the drivers side slide window to put the refrigerator in, but on other coaches they have taken out the drivers' side window to do this.
We are much happier with the RR as there is more room in it, so we can store more, we have lots of ice, and most important, the ice cream stays hard.
RE: Tire ratings i.e. going from 'G' to 'H'
My 2008 Phaeton has H load range tires on it, but take a look here (http://www.rvtechlibrary.com/tires/rvtires.pdf) and this may help you with your decision. Or try this site for a load of information http://www.rvtechlibrary.com/tires.htm
RE: RV Direct (Orlando RV Location
Direct RV, Albany RV, Buffalo RV, and I believe one other location are all the same company. And one thing their business model has is that they will sell cheap, but service is not there unless you live very close to them. Even then, it may be a problem. I am most familar with Albany RV, but found out that Albany RV sold units that may have been the same model number as another Jayco model, but they followed the Walmart Model by having the manufacturer build the unit cheaper than their standard unit. So even though you you thought you were getting the same unit as another dealer sold, at a higher price, it was not the same - it was built cheaper. So my recommendation is buyer be ware and stay away from this dealership.
RE: Is RV Surplus Salvage in Elkhart still worth a trip?
I was to their new store in August and they had a number of items. Unfortunately, it depends on what you are looking for to determine if it is worth the trip. But, I found that there were 3 additional RV Surplus type places in the area also. So for me, knowing that there are more, it would be worth it.
We stayed at the Goshen County 4-H Fairgrounds while we were in the area, and they had the list of local places that I used to find the stores. One of them is in an Amish farmers barn, but it has a number of items and they had good prices then.
RE: Fleetwood vs Tiffin opinions sought
I've owned a Winnebago, a Fleetwood, and now a Tiffin product. The difference with the three is if it is a manufacturing error and you are past the warranty, the first two are of no help. In the case of the Tiffin, they're willing to admit to a problem and will work to fix it.
Also, I just sent Tiffin an email when I had a problem, Bob Tiffin personally called me back to say they would fix it.
When I had a major Fleetwood problem, I didn't hear a thing until I pushed the dealer to speak with the district rep, and the district rep offered no help either.
RE: Looking at Allegro 35QBA....advice please
Visit Tiffin RVNetwork.com and then ask the same question, you'll get yourself a lot of information. Tiffin really is the only company that stands behind their units if there is a warranty issue, and even if it's out of warranty and something happens that they believe it shouldn't have, no questions, they'll cover it.
RE: CLASS A FORUM, ENTEGRA
I visited the Entegra factory this past summer, as I like to do a lot of research when buying a new coach. Though the Entegra has a very good fit and finish, I was not impressed by their building methods and construction.
They use fiberglass batt insulation in the walls and fiberglass rolls in the roof. Most other brands use foam core in their walls and roof. Also, the method of engineering that they use to fasten the walls to the chassis is not what I would like to see also. If you go to this site: http://www.rvcruzer.com/2012_anthem.php you'll find a good review of it though. But remember he writes articles for magazines on a routine basis, and cannot afford to burn any bridges with the manufacturers.
For me, the Entegra will not be on the top of the list for my next coach due to what I consider substandard engineering.
RE: Springfield rv&camp show (Big E site)
Before 2007 it was a very good show, but just like everywhere else it has gone down with the economy. We haven't been to it during the last three years, so I can't tell you how it is now. All that being said, I don,t think there are any better ones like this in the NY/NE area.
RE: Splendide drying issue
Do not give up on the Splendide unit. The Splendide people can work you through the system to get it drying right. I also, with there help, pulled mine out and had to clean out an area that the hot air blows through. There was almost a fist sized lint block in there. Once that was out it's worked just fine.
RE: Residential Refrigerator Installation
Don,
I installed a Whirlpool RR this past summer in my coach. And I wrote up a fully documented procedure for doing the conversion. Unfortunately, you can't see the pictures I included.
Procedure to Install Residential Refrigerator In Tiffin Motorhome
2008 Phaeton QTH
Pictures are added for some clarity, some pictures included may have been provided by others that have posted on the internet with no copyright protection included.
Dealer Who Does Others
1. Disconnect breaker powering 12 volt supply. Breaker is located in rear compartment on passenger side.
2. Unplug 120 volt power to Norcold refrigerator behind unit. There are two plugs, one for the refrigerator and one for the ice maker. One is from the inverter and one is directly from power panel.
3. Open 120 volt breaker that supplies power to refrigerator. Use tester to verify power is off.
4. Shut off water to ice maker by shutting off water to motorhome
5. Disconnect water to ice maker
6. Install water shut off valve (if not present), you will need this when hooking up line to new refrigerator.
7. Turn water back on to motorhome.
8. Shut off propane at tank, and burn off excess propane in lines at stove.
9. Disconnect propane at back of refrigerator and trace propane line back to manifold on passenger side of motorhome. Disconnect unused line at manifold and plug manifold.
10. Turn propane back on to motorhome and leak check cap.
11. Dismantel and remove Norcold refrigerator, Note: no parts are to be reused. Take off doors, remove all shelving and racks. Construct rolling platform to protect floor and prevent injury when sliding unit out of the cabinet. Carefully remove back coils from refrigerator. (Note: Rolling platform is built to be even with bottom of Norcold refrigerator when it is removed. The platform will need to be shortened later.)
12. Remove everything from refrigerator in motorhome.
Shelving removed from inside.
Doors Removed
Refrigerator removed from cabinet – note rolling platform under refrigerator used to remove it.
11.Remove back air space reducer against outer wall.
Take measurements to accurately determine size
available for new refrigerator. Width _____ inches;
Depth ______ inches; Height _______ inches.
(above) Air restrictor removed showing floor with power cables going up side, outlets for old refrigerator and the gas and water lines in center.
Refrigerator removed and view of inside cabinet with foam and air restrictor shown.
12. As necessary, reinforce side wall connections to outer wall. This may be simple re-enforced using silicone sealant prior to reinstalling new refrigerator.
13. Using measurements for new refrigerator, Whirlpool Model ED2KHAXV 21.7 cu ft (this refrigerator was available in 2012, different model may be needed for later years), determine needed opening for new refrigerator. There is no additional side room, so refrigerator cannot be wider than 33 inches.
14. Using aluminum piece of appropriate size and sealant, close opening in roof to vent.
Above shows opening through ceiling that needs to be closed up. I filled space with foam and then used self leveling sealant to close it on the roof as shown below.
15. Remove bottom floor piece above power panel. If clearance is available above refrigerator, panel may only need to be removed to improve support.
Bottom floor removed showing numerous power wires. Note that new support will need to be added to support new RR refrigerator. Also at this point you will need to do any rewiring needed to lower floor.
16. Remove 12 volt and 120 volt power from inside power panel. Correct 12 volt label to indicate as spare.
17. Install/modify 120 volt wiring to work with new dedicated inverter for refrigerator. Place wire to aft wall in driver side storage compartment for reinstallation into transfer switch. Label wire as “Power from breaker panel”. (Note: If you are installing a remote inverter shutoff, make sure wiring is installed at this point.)
18. Mark out required new refrigerator opening on front panel.
19. Cut opening to enlarge it for new refrigerator (if necessary) using straight edge as guide for saw being used.
20. Once opening is made, install new floor even with bottom cut in front panel. Ensure floor is properly supported to carry weight of new refrigerator. Ensure water and electric lines are routed up through new floor. Below is a picture just before floor was put down.
21. Reposition all wiring against back wall to make its’ overall projection into compartment as minimal as possible. Wiring should not intrude into compartment more than 1 ½ inches.
In my unit I was able to remove unused wire that would have supplied a 3rd air conditioner had it been installed.
22. Reseal new floor around edges.
23. Remeasure to ensure new refrigerator will fit in newly created space.
24. Reinforce top of opening if needed to ensure adequate support for securing refrigerator.
25. Leak check propane manifold plug.
26. Using 2/0 welding cable 25’ 6” (this length may vary depending on where inverter is being located) long route cable with appropriate terminations, with protective loom, from battery compartment to area just forward of hot water heater in storage compartment. Put red shrink tubing on each end of one cable to indicate positive cable. Put black shrink tubing on each end of one cable to indicate negative cable.
27. Install new inverter against ceiling just aft of current inverter in driver side storage compartment.
28. Making sure the inverter is off and assemble the terminated cables with connectors. Connect positive cable (with red ends) to positive terminal on inverter. Connect negative cable (with black ends) to negative terminal on inverter.
29. Install ground cable from inverter chassis ground (GND) terminal to frame of motorhome. Cable should be 2/0 welding cable also with proper terminations.
30. Install Class T fuse holder for 150 amps in battery compartment electrical panel (this is the appropriate size for the inverter being used, another inverter may have different requirements). Connect red marked cable to one end of fuse holder. Connect other end of fuse holder to positive connection on battery bank using appropriate length of 2/0 welding cable with red marked shrink tubing. The NEC (NFPA 70) specifies that the protection fuse holder can be no further than 18 inches from the battery. This may not be possible, but should be as short as possible. DO NOT INSTALL FUSE AT THIS TIME.
31. Do not connect black cable to negative connection on battery bank.
32. Using meter, ensure all 120 volt power is off before proceeding with next step
33. Install PD 5110 30 amp power transfer box (marked Refrigerator Transfer Panel) on back wall of drivers side storage compartment.
34. Using wiring diagram on inside of cover and diagram at end of this package, wire as follows: a) Connect wire with 15 amp plug from inverter to wires labeled as Gen Neu and Gen Hot; b) Connect wire coming from breaker in electrical panel to wires labeled as “Power Cord”; and c) Connect wire going to back of new refrigerator to wires labeled “To Panel”. Connect ground wire of each cable to ground terminal and ground terminal to chassis. See Diagram 1.
35. Making sure the inverter is off, install 150 amp fuse in fuse holder. Connect Negative cable to Negative terminal on batteries. Turn on the inverter.
36. Check front panel of the inverter. The digital display should show 12-13 volts, depending on the voltage of the battery. If it does not, check battery and the connection to inverter. The other indicators should be off. (Note: This is only appropriate for the inverted used on this installation.)
37. Using meter, check power supply to electrical outlet installed behind refrigerator. Then turn off breaker in electrical panel and recheck to ensure appropriate voltage is present.
38. Remove computer desk on driver’s side slide to make space to bring new refrigerator through window. Complete prior to arrival at dealer. (Again, this was appropriate for this model of Tiffin Motorhome, other Tiffin models made need to have the refrigerator come through the window next to driver’s seat.
39. Remove window valance. Complete prior to arrival at dealer.
40. Remove window in drivers side slide to make opening for new refrigerator to come through.
41. Bring new refrigerator through window, remove doors from refrigerator, if necessary.
42. Using new seal, reinstall window in slide. Use silicone on top window edge and extend down sides approximately 6 inches.
43. If doors were removed from refrigerator in step 41, reinstall them at this time.
44. Using 3M tape, install 1 ½ aluminum angle on top of refrigerator. Top flange of angle should have 3 predrilled holes.
45. Place Whirlpool refrigerator on previously constructed platform for installation. (platform height should be reduced to the height of the new opening prior to putting new refrigerator on it).
46. Carefully move refrigerator on platform in front of opening, once lined up with opening carefully push/slide/rotate refrigerator into opening.
47. Once in place, aluminum angle should be against top of opening fascia and bottom of refrigerator should be the width of the aluminum angle out of the bottom fascia. Ensure refrigerator cabinet is even all way around cabinet. You may need to remove roller wheels to do this.
48. Through opening in outside of motorhome, check to ensure there is adequate clearance to plug new refrigerator in and that water connection can be made.
49. Install 3 screws through aluminum angle into upper fascia.
50. Using holes that exist in bottom frame of new refrigerator install 3 additional screws into bottom support on inside of motorhome. Screws used should not be any longer than 2 1/2 inches. If no holes are available through refrigerator frame, carefully drill holes to secure unit to floor. Do Not drill through evaporator pan.
51. Using holes that exist in back bottom frame of new refrigerator install 3 additional screws into bottom support through outside opening of motorhome. Screws used should not be any longer than 2 1/2 inches. If no holes are available through refrigerator frame, carefully drill holes to secure unit to floor. Do Not drill through evaporator pan.
52. Connect water supply from motorhome to refrigerator. Open valve and check for leaks.
53. Plug in refrigerator to outlet that is wired through transfer relay.
54. Turn on refrigerator and check for operation.
55. Install trim board on top of refrigerator to cover aluminum angle that was installed. Install any additional trim as necessary.
56. Re-Install window valence
57. Re-Install computer desk
58. Install seals on back of outside refrigerator vent and reinstall on motorhome.
59. Review installation and repair/refinish as necessary.
NOTE: I had local dealer install all wiring and leak check propane so that if there is any problem at a later date, I can be assured that an appropriate technician completed this part of the work.
RE: Norcold 1200rlim ammonia smell
I replaced my norcold this past year with a whirlpool unit, and it almost fit perfectly in where my 1210 model was located. You'll need to figure out how much space you have to install the new RR and then go to Lowes or Home Depot and look through their books to find one that most closely matches the size you need.
I also added 2 additional batteries and a Xantrex pure sine inverter to complete the modification.
RE: Is there a residential frig close to a 1200s size
I installed a Whirlpool this past summer in my coach. It had similar dimensions to the frigidare mentioned above. The Norcold is actually deeper than most people thinks, because you have the box and then the coils behind it. Also there is a dimension needed between the coils and the back wall, so many coaches have a filler in there than can be removed.
RE: New fridge power
I added two additional batteries for a total f 6 6-volt batteries, I installed a Xantrex 1000 watt pure sine stand alone inverter and then installed a Whirlpool refrig this past year. I won't have done it any other way. The pure sine inverter cost about $235.00, the refrig $1034.00 and 2 additional batteries about $225.
I completed all the work myself and with my skills it was not too difficult. We couldn't be happier - frozen ice cream, ice all the time, and we have more room in just the refrigerator side that we had in the old 4 door Norcold. Oh, and I don't have to worry about a fire. I put a whole procedure together on how to do it, but don't know how to add it to the post.
RE: External Drive for ViP 211 (k) Receiver
You might also check with Tigerdirect or even Amazon for a hard drive matching your needs. I bought mine from CompUSA, a Tigerdirect owned, store and it set up just fine following the direction. This is the second drive, as the original one died, but as soon as I hooked up this new one, the system reformated it and it started working.
Hope this helped.
