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Forum
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RE: AC light fixture?
My 2006 TH has a 120V ceiling fan with three CFL bulbs in it. I use this more than the 12v florescent lights in the ceiling. I also have three built-in TVs that are 120V...and of course the 2 A/C units.
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MaxThrust
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06/25/12 09:08am |
Tech Issues
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RE: LCD TV install + spicy wiring
Wow, nice job. The more you dig the more you'll find and if you're like me I can't let it stay that way. I have no clue how they don't have more issues in these things. I have never been that lucky, I always have to do it right or I end up paying dearly every time.
I've had to rewire almost everything in my Toy Hauler. The first thing was my stereo; the outside speakers were on continually, no matter what position any switch was in. I almost cried when I opened up that can of worms...lol.
The next thing I had to fix was every single coax cable, connector, and every splitter in the trailer, from front to back. That made TV watchable and my cable internet work.
The latest project was to move the converter from under the bathroom cabinet to the basement wall just behind the battery compartment. I have no idea how long the wires were from the converter to the batteries originally, but it was 8 gauge and my guess is about 12 feet or more. With my PD-9160 my batteries weren't getting fully charged...well, ever. I now have a 30" run to the batteries on 2 gauge wire. They charge up nicely now.
Everything they do in these RV's seems to be junk. I'm often amazed when I crawl through storage areas and behind cabinets of high-end RV's at RV shows. They are all junk. (I haven't crawled through super-high-end units though...lol.)
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MaxThrust
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06/24/12 04:27am |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: First time I ever saw this...CG wifi
I think, legally, it might be tough for them to enforce that rule because of the unlicensed nature of those frequencies. That being said, most businesses in the US can chose to deny service to anyone for (almost) any reason. In fact, their best bet is to refuse service without a reason. (LOL)
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MaxThrust
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06/21/12 08:18am |
Technology Corner
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RE: AC Vent Closing or Redirecting
I took some high-quality paper plates and cut circles that would fit under my vents. I popped a hole in it so I could snap the vent back on and you can't tell I've blocked it off. I tried aluminum foil, but it whistled loudly.
One vent was right over the shower and the other one in that location was right over the thermostat, causing the A/C to short-cycle. In the far back my daughter was roasting with little air coming out of her vents. Once I sealed off those two vents with my high-quality paper plate cutouts it solved all my problems. I've been running like that for a number of years now with no issues.
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MaxThrust
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06/20/12 09:09am |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: The Ultimate DIY thread - Ubuilding (Pics)
Wow, thanks for the updates...keep 'em coming.
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MaxThrust
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06/14/12 04:21am |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: Onan Surging then wide open throtle
My Onan 5.5 would not start so I took the carb apart and cleaned it. It would then run, but after it warmed up and under a medium load it would surge and then pull a hard throttle when a heavy load would start. I finally decided to get the genny good and warm, pulled the air cleaner off and started blipping carb cleaner in the carb while it was running. After just an handful carb cleaner shots it runs smooth as glass now. I was really impressed with how it ran. Must have been a piece of gunk stuck somewhere.
Just something to try.
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MaxThrust
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05/29/12 07:48am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Water Hose
White hoses were originally design with more reinforcing in them so they wouldn't blow out from being constantly under pressure when hooked up. Back in the day the only difference in the hoses was just that, more reinforcing. The rubber/vinyl or whatever was the same for both garden and potable. They made them white for eye appeal. Mine is orange. Green, black and apparently blue are also available. For me it is garden hose and tap water. Bottled water is just a bacterial culture according to the chemists. Good marketing job by the bottled water companies. As for the amount of lead in a hose.....you could never drink enough water in your life time for it to show up in your body.
YUP!!!
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MaxThrust
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05/26/12 11:26pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Filling up with water on the road
I would think twice myself about filling my 110 gallon water tank with 900+ pounds of water. My fresh water tank is just behind my front landing gear. That's a ton (1/2 ton...lol) of weight at that location. I generally travel with 25 gallons or so in case I need it on the road.
When I had my 26' pull behind with the 40 gallon tank I usually filled that one up prior to leaving, but I camped in different locations then.
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MaxThrust
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05/26/12 06:37am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Gas Wars UPdate! $3.02/gal
I accidentally used an Arco station once...never again. They charged some insane amount to use a credit card and at that you had to pay at a center kiosk, guessing how much you would need to fill. It was very odd and much more expensive than the signs would lead you to believe. It costs me up to $150 to fill up my truck and I'm not carrying that much cash. Lesson learned.
My home town in WI has very expensive fuel and seriously, I think they have remotely controlled fuel signs. The majority of the available fuel is from Kwik Trip stations. If one station changes it's price they all change in lock step. There is no point in trying to go somewhere else as every station is the exact same price. The major stations are even more expensive. Monopolies are not always good.
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MaxThrust
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05/24/12 11:43pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Water Hose
We ate lead paint as kids and we're just fine. (twitch) (twitch)
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MaxThrust
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05/24/12 11:28pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Why steal a truck tailgate?
Maybe it was stolen by someone who flunked physics and removed their tailgates to get better mileage and discovered it doesn't work. J/K
I'm not exactly sure, but I would guess they destroyed their own and then either didn't want to file a claim because of getting a rate increase or it's not worth filing a claim. Maybe they don't have insurance. I'm pretty sure there's many reasons for it, mostly they weren't raised properly and have no clue it's considered bad form to steal other's stuff. It can also be downright dangerous.
BTW, how much does a replacement cost? That could be the clue to this mystery.
I'm sorry you were ripped off.
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MaxThrust
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05/24/12 11:15pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: camper fire
I'm very sorry for your loss. I'm glad you're not destitute and hope the insurance settles quickly. I'm not surprised about the Good Sam thing...I've not heard much positive about them for years.
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MaxThrust
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05/24/12 11:00pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Water Hose
I was full-time for years. I used the white hoses, but they would only ever last a few months out here in AZ and I needed at least 40' to reach from the faucet to my fresh water inlet. I got sick of replacing them so often and got my hands on a Goodyear branded (bought at Sears I think) high temperature/high pressure hose. I also have sediment and charcoal filters on the inlet. I never noticed a bad taste, but I'm pretty sure that high quality hose is killing me. BTW, I've now had that hose since 2007 and it's still holding up without issue. (Oh, and I'm no longer full-time, but still have that hose.)
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MaxThrust
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05/24/12 09:08am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Fuel Price Gouging
I'm not so much worried about how fuel prices will affect my pocketbook while driving my coach, as I am about the 100mi per day I spend commuting. And how the price of fuel affects everything else we buy day-to-day.
The fuel used for the 3000-4000 miles I put on the RV every year is just a small part of my budget. Add it to the 40,000-50,000 miles that DW and I collectively put on our two autos, and your analysis starts to add up to real cash........
That's why I mentioned that the day-to-day fuel costs (and higher prices in general) have more of an affect on people than extra cost on a vacation. It just seems to be where they really feel it all at once, although they shouldn't let it ruin their vacation in my opinion.
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MaxThrust
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05/24/12 08:32am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Fuel Price Gouging
First off, I hate the fact that fuel prices are soaring. In some cases it seems to be artificial and even pushed by the current administration. That being said here's some facts for thought.
30 day 2000 mile summer vacation.
10mpg
200gal
$3.50/gal
Total cost of fuel is $700.
10mpg
200gal
$4.00/gal
Total cost of fuel is $800.
The difference is $100 over 30 days or $3.33/day.
If my wife and I go out to eat at Texas Roadhouse (yum!) and I have my standard one or two drinks and my loaded baked potato and she just drinks water, our bill, with tip is just under $50. I have to eat regardless, so this cost is probably about $40 more than I would spend for a meal at home. I want to be fair so let's say we have steaks at home so Texas Roadhouse only costs $30 more. $100/$30 is approximately 3. Therefore if I go on vacation and skip eating out three times I've covered the extra cost of fuel. That's 3 days out of thirty and I know many people eat out every evening, in fact I'm shocked by how many do.
I refuse to let my vacations get ruined by $100. I know fuel prices impact people's daily lives and not just vacations, but I plan my vacations many months and sometimes a year or more in advance so I can adjust. I always fudge all costs but especially fuel costs due to the economy lately. My rule of thumb is about 50% more in the fuel fund than I plan on using. Any left over money gets put towards the next trip or vacation.
Someone mentioned extremely high fuel prices in parts of California. I also use Gas Buddy or gasprices.com to scout out prices prior to heading out on a trip. I will avoid places that are excessively high cost and in some cases I even plan on not getting fuel on entire segments of a trip. Often times when I go to San Diego I generally top off in Yuma, AZ and then don't buy fuel until my return. Sometimes I do buy fuel in San Diego because I'm there long enough to need it or I can get a good price at 32nd Street Naval Station...I just have to be flexible. I will never drive out of my way to save money on fuel. That simply doesn't make sense in most cases, I just look for the best deals on my intended path.
I've also learned not to buy fuel in Kearney, NE...I think they add an extra tax to pay for the over-the-interstate museum...lol. (Fuel prices are normal one mile off the interstate, which is likely true at many locations.)
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MaxThrust
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05/24/12 07:10am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: connected to shore power full time
I full-timed for years with park power. I always maintained a pair of T105 batteries. With these batteries and the once monthly 10 minute maintenance I could keep my cold beer, light, and the vents fans when the power went out...and it went out often in southern AZ. I also lost power for three days up in NJ one winter and was able to maintain a comfortable temperature and take a shower each evening until the power came back on. After 6 or 7 years the T105's finally gave up so I replaced them with a pair of group 24 (semi) deep cycle batteries from Wal*Mart. I wanted a pair of T105's, but I was spending less and less time in the RV and the group 24's are considerably cheaper for my usage. If I were full-timing yet I would have T105's or better.
It sure is nice not to worry about the contents of the fridge and being able to maintain some level of comfort when the power fails for such a small investment.
If you keep stuff in the fridge between excursions I think it would be wise. With a full pair of propane tanks and a decent battery (or two) I think the fridge would keep running for a few weeks at least. (If there's no other significant load.)
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MaxThrust
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05/23/12 04:28am |
Tech Issues
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RE: 5th Wheel Tripod Stabalizers?
A tripod does nothing for my 43' triple axle toy hauler, but I imagine they could be very helpful on a shorter two axle rig. I only have to have my jacks and gear sort of close and it's rock solid.
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MaxThrust
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05/22/12 08:07am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Converter/Slide Out?
It is possible if the voltage dropped enough that the amps increased briefly and knocked out a breaker or fuse. It's also possible, as stated above, that the voltage has dropped enough that it won't operate. If your converter went out it's very likely there wasn't much charge in the battery when it died.
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MaxThrust
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05/22/12 05:03am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Hot Water Heater Drain Plug
The calcium buildup inside the tank is normal. The water is so hard here that I have to clean mine out about every six months or so. I do believe those plugs are tapered, but ask someone who knows for sure. They will not go all the way in but do need to be snug without breaking. I think chasing the threads as mentioned will help, then proper application of teflon tape or even plumber's pipe dope should help.
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MaxThrust
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05/22/12 12:49am |
Toy Haulers
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RE: Ran Out Of Propane Already?
When I lived in New Jersey I could use up a 30# tank every three days and that was using electric heat to augment. Sort of a balancing act between an huge electric bill and running for propane every day.
I'm betting you used it all in the heater, in fact, I'm sure of it in 8 days or more.
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MaxThrust
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05/21/12 11:42pm |
General RVing Issues
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