RE: Funding the state coffers!
can you feel my pain?
Lakeside
Not really, you chose to live in Maine, didn't you? You should move on down to "Tax Free" NH.
I'm just fooling with you, when I bought my new sailboat a few years back, (a 47 footer @ $185K) my state taxes, town taxes and federal documentation fee was just over $5000.00 and I had to buy the bow numbers, that I couldn't display (can't have two registrations numbers, but both are required. The good new was; it went down each year there after, then bottom out at $600/yr. after 8 years.
I suppose things could be worse, I could be paying Maine state income tax as well. New Hampshire the "Live Free or Die" state and the booze is cheap too!
RE: Cougar High Country construction
Check out this very long thread on the Cougar High Country 321RES on another site. There is a lot of good information on the trailer. Keystone has corrected most all of the earlier problems, my trailer didn't have any.
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f272/cougar-321-res-89806.html
RE: Cougar High Country construction
The OP is referring to the Cougar "High Country" not your average Cougar... I have one and cut into the side walls to install a spray port and it's solid glued in foam insulation. I'm installing a second A/C in the forward cabin and have had to run the power line through the celling back to the distribution panel, they are stamped galvanized steel trusses, with 6" of fiberglass insulation, the roof is 1/2" plywood. The walls and end caps are high gloss fiberglass and the floor is a composite of "OSB" with 2 1/2' foam glued to it on a steel frame.
Comparing my 2010 Sprinter 297RET to the 2012 Cougar High Country 321RES. Keystone was able to cut a 1000 pounds off the trailer, added a foot in length and add an additional slide. I've towed the trailer a little over 9000 miles, the fuel mileage has increases almost 2 miles per gallon with the new aerodynamic design, the living space is more comfortable. With the high gloss siding it's a lot easier to keep clean too.
All in all, I'm very satisfied with the High County.
RE: Honeywell Generators?
I bought one from "Orange Depot" for under $300. I though I was getting a real deal, until I tried to use it... It's a "Two Stroke" machine, the one I'm going to have trying to start it and the one the EMT boys are going to have trying to get me out of there!
All seriousness aside, it was the most difficult beast to start. On the starting instructions, it says to press the primer button 30 times then pull cord. The only way I could ever start it was with a liberal shot of starting fluid. Once it was running it was real noisy, not at all what you'd want to hear in a campground.
I gave it to my son-in-law for power outages at their home. It's a young man's machine. I'll stick to my "old mans" Hondas...
RE: Campground/RV Park Sturbridge MA, Oct. 2013
Go ahead and stay at Jelly Stone, it's not "that" bad... I stayed there last year and I was taken aback by the overall seediness. But I wasn't there for the campground's charm and ambiance, I was there to visit "Old Sturbridge Village". It's not that bad if you know what to expect. Besides, they must be doing something right when the place was full in mid-October.
My biggest issue is we were parked so close together, I couldn't open my awning without hitting my buddies (we were parked curb side to curb side). The lack of sewer at our site wasn't a problem because I knew that before I signed up. Getting to the dump station was(it's not big rig friendly, but I manage not to hit anything.
Would I stay there again? You bet! It's OSV that I going there for and to be just a mile or so from it I can put up with almost anything.
RE: underchassis storage
My TT is a Cougar High Country 321RES and is 96" wide. The roll on the skirting starts about 2" up, pretty much standard for new trailers. The unit I got came 99" long we cut it down by 6" which seemed about right with the skirt roll.
The quality of the unit is good, considering what it is. I'm not impressed with the design or quality of the totes. The covers fit loose and don't lock down, when I put my big 50amp cord in the cover keeps popping up. Nothing going to fall out, but I like things a more tidy. With the covers fitting so louse water just runs in and out the drain holes in the bottom although they are rugged and will last.
I can't provide you with any pictures just now, the trailer is at the repair shop getting some fiberglass fixed. However, it looks like the one that pictured in the link you provided.
RE: underchassis storage
I bought one and installed it under my TT and it hung out 3" on either side. I could just see myself running into them and tearing my leg open. I took it back off and had one of the guys that works for me cut it apart and re-weld it.
He cut 3" off the each rail and 6" off the spare tire rack. he welded the latches back on radiuses the corners, painted it and we reinstalled it. The total rehab time was just a little over an hour. For me, it was money well spent as my new TT is short on outside storage space. Moving the spare tire off the bumper and forward of the axels was my main concern as I now have more space of the bikes.
I'm sure the unit I bought was designed for a toy hauler. Perhaps they have a shorter version, but I would ask before I order another one.
RE: Need information on 5.4L Ford V8
ThomasNH,
I thought the 2010 was the last year of the 5.4 liter gas engine in the F series.\
Sorry a typo, it is a 2010
RE: Need information on 5.4L Ford V8
I tow with a Ford 2011 5.4L six speed trans with 372 gears and I have ample power. I'm towing a 2012 10K trailer and average 10mpg. Since I'm in NH we travel the mountains of NH, VT, NY and MA most of the time and I'm always waiting for my traveling buddy and his Chevy towing a 24' fifth wheel. I'd buy another one.
RE: cost of tolls and EZ Pass from ME to FL
We make a trip down to the Sun Shine state every year. By far the best way to go is: 95 to 495 to 90 to 84 to 81 to 77 to 26 back onto 95. It's about a 100 miles further but saves time, tolls and fuel, it's the main north/south truckers route. You pay a toll to ride northern part of 95, and the Mass pike and one way (north only) on the Newburgh, NY bridge, for me the whole trip is under $10.
I've traveled both ways dozens of times and I'll never do the 95 trip again.
BTW: I tow a 35' travel trailer.
RE: cost of tolls and EZ Pass from ME to FL
Here's a good one for you... A doctor friend of mine who has a small camp on a island off the coast of ME. He has to tow is his whaler back home each time since there is no place to park it. Being the "smart" doctor that he is; he takes the "Easy Pass" transponder off the windshield, puts it in the anti-static bag and stores it in the center console of the car. He then goes through the cash lane to pay for the car and the trailer, because he's heard they charge separately for the trailer.
After a couple of months of going up and down the pike every weekend he checks his "Easy Pass" account only to see that it did in fact read his transponder but also charged for the trailer as well. So, he double paid and more as he didn't get the discount on the cash transaction.
Since the transponders are RF I don't think they need to be in direct sight to work. I'd just stick it on the windshield, if it doesn't work, they'll send you the bill.
RE: Vermont Camping
We spent a few days at the Champlain Adult Campground last summer... An adult Campground own by a French Canadian, humm, I wondered if clothing was optional... I was game for it, but a little apprehensive. I called for reservations and talked with the owner to make the deposit. His reply was, "we don't take credit cards, I'll take you at your word you will be here or you will call me if you're not coming". Humm, is this guy for real?
When I arrived, there it was, a small campground in a old orchard. I wonder through the little paths around the apple trees with my huge rig looking for some sign of an office. I found it... a little hand pained sign on a stick, saying office, that way, down a foot path. We had to leave out rigs blocking the so-called road, followed the path to the office (which was in the barn). On a big black board was my first name greeting me and site assignments. Now, to find my spots in this orchard without a map or street signs this will be interesting. One of the campers there took pity on me and offered to show me to my site.
When we reached our sites, I was amazed. The grassy site was well shaded and dead level with water, electric and sewer close by (no extension needed). We quickly set up camp and was laying out the ground mat when a neighbor came by and said no mats or pegs allowed.
After we settled in and were on our second round of refreshments when the owner came riding in on his bike. What a nice guy, we offered him a drink and chair and we spent the rest of the afternoon getting the rest of the story. He said the reason for the name of the campground was; it's all ledge there and putting a pool or a playground would be costly and swimming in the lake is tuff due to the shale bottom. If you show up with kids they are most welcome, but not much for them to do there. He doesn't want the grass to be killed with mats. All the utilities are less than a foot down and therefore no stakes (he calls them pegs).
It's one the best campgrounds I've stay at... Clean, spacious, very reasonably priced, every site is unique and has a view of the lake or the orchard. Most campgrounds would have put at least one or two more camper between us. I enjoyed my stay there so much I'm going back this summer to spend another week there. I'd give it and A+.
RE: Can I use a cheap battery Carbon Monoxide Detector in my TT?
Also from First Alert site is this , in case you doubted me...
"What it the typical carbon monoxide detector life? How long will a CO alarm last?
A First Alert® carbon monoxide detector life span is warranted for 5 years. After 5 years any detector should be replaced with a new CO Alarm. Alarms may have an actual life span that is shorter due to environmental conditions and may need to be replaced sooner. Test them weekly and if a problem arises while still under warranty, please call for a replacement. Batteries should be replaced as needed for those alarms requiring them."
RE: Can I use a cheap battery Carbon Monoxide Detector in my TT?
No disrespect Blizzard, but From First Alert web site is this:
"Is carbon monoxide heavier than air? What is the diffusion of carbon monoxide in air?
Carbon monoxide is not heavier than air. The diffusion of carbon monoxide in air is relatively even, meaning that a source of carbon monoxide can distribute the gas evenly throughout the room and house. When installing a carbon monoxide alarm, choose a location where the alarm will stay clean, and out of the way of children or pets. See User's Manual for specific installation requirements."
RE: Can I use a cheap battery Carbon Monoxide Detector in my TT?
Check the date code... The sensor only has a five year life. There is no logic in the alarm to tell you when the sensor is spent or weak.
There was a PSA by the local fire marshal office on TV the other day. The marshal warned people to check the date code, he said six years but in the HVAC industry we tell everyone five.
Remember that old saying, "When in doubt, throw it out..." It's your life!
RE: Dometic 3 way fridge not working on propane
Just had that problem with a buddy's camper.. Check the manual reset, high-limit. Follow the wires around until you find it to reset it just push in the center button. Should be near the front on the chimney.
RE: Just found out about something new!
Larry, you have to get out more... We did a extensive summer road trip this year and better than half the campgrounds we stayed at had Yurts. You can rent small ones for just your family or you can rent big ones for a youth group that will sleep 20 or more. Some of the big ones come self-contained.
When we were in Niagara Falls the CG there had them there and at first I thought, who'd ever want to stay in one of them? Then a small bus with 15 boy scouts pull in to tour the falls and it became very clear who'd stay in them. What a great idea... Being a old Scout master and have made that very same trip 40 years ago with just 12 scouts, I was impressed with how well it worked. Too bad they didn't have them back then, we had to camp in our own tents...
RE: Electrical question
There is a auto reset circurit breaker just a few inches away from the battery. It looks like a rectangle box with two threaded studs on it and usually has a red plastic cap the covers them. Wires from the hot side of the battery connect to one terminal an wires from the camper connect to the other. They are usually 30 amp and if you over load them they snap open the circuit and close when it cools down.
Sounds like you have a direct short it light or just overload the circuit.
BTW: on my coach there is one of these breakers on very 12VDC appliance and motors.
RE: Fuel mileage difference when going from 5th wheel to trailer
It's not the weight as much as the windage. When I got the 2012 Cougar High Country 321 RES I saw a strong 2 mile per gallon increase over my 2010 Sprinter 297 RET. The trailer manufactures have really come a long way in improving the aerodynamics.
I like the layout of a 321RES due to the lack of steps. However, outside storage is another problem. It's made rethink just how much I need to bring...
