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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Toilet clog - you wont believe it...
On our sailboat, the sign said "Please do not put anything in the head that you have not already eaten"
Visit you local marine store - there are several catchy signs to communicate the message.
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bobmacc
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05/02/13 06:31pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: 30 amp meter
Check out the Progressive Industries 30amp Energy Mgt System - it provides full display of electrical consumption on a display that can be mounted in the RV. Definitely not the cheapest solution but it also provides - arguably -the most comprehensive protection for the electrical system against virtually all common conditions.
bob
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bobmacc
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04/08/13 05:55pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Progressive Electrical Management System, Hardwire HW50C
I installed one in my Journey. It is relatively straight forward. The most difficult part is working with / bending the very stiff 8ga conductors on the 50 amp cable to make connections to the blocks in the unit. I removed the AC feed cable from the main breaker and used it as the input to the HW50C and purchased about 5 feet of the same cable to connect the HW50C output back to the main breaker. Make sure you route the cables properly to and from the unit before connecting. This gave me considerable slack and room to make the connections easily. I mounted the HW50C below the breaker panel in a closet and stored the cable slack behind the closet wall with the other cabling to the panel. I had previously installed a PI 30 amp unit in my class C and I learned it was easier to store excess cable than it was to make connections working at arms length in a confined space.
You definitely will not be disappointed with the PI unit. It has saved me several times and the display points you directly to problem.
Bob
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bobmacc
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04/02/13 05:14pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Power Gear Leveling Control Panel
According to the Power Gear manual (which I admit to reading a few pages) and personal experience, the fluid level in your reservoir is low and needs to be topped up. You should check the system (pump, hoses and seals on the jacks) at the same time for signs of leakage. Good luck,
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bobmacc
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04/02/13 04:56pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Bought new motorhome in Florida, taking it home to Canada
bstark
I suggest you review the now current import requirements as much of what you are suggesting is not correct. The vehicle must be "admissible" per Transport Canada online listings. The vehicle basically must come from the US and be built to a "standard" either CSA OR the US RVIA standard for import into Canada. Canadian RV dealers will suggest that it must have CSA/Ontario Hydro/Whatever approval but that is just not true. You pay a fee of approximately $200 to the "Registrar of Imported Vehicles" aka "RIV" - that fee also includes the inspection. The inspection form is issued by the RIV after they (and Customs)verify it is admissible in compliance with the Transport Canada list and there are no outstanding safety recalls on the Chassis or house per the letters that the importer(you) must provide from the appropriate manufacturers. The vehicle must meet TC safety standards one of which is daytime running lights to pass the inspection which is conducted largely by Canadian Tire dealers. There is no requirement for propane inspections, electrical inspections, etc. The fact that it was built to the RVIA standard suffices.
There are subtle differences between the US and Canadian standards in the plumbing, electrical and other areas that really should have been harmonized with free trade. That said, you will never get the CSA to agree that other (US) standards are acceptable or they wouldn't have a job or contribute to the higher cost of doing business in Canada with no apparent value added - in my opinion.
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bobmacc
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03/30/13 08:13pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: broke down looking for ideas
You can read the codes yourself using the LBCU (Light Bar Control Unit) - a fancy moniker for the LCD display unit that shows the warning lights & mileage, etc, etc. I suggest you download a copy of the Owners manual from the Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp (FCCC) website and read the section on the LCBU. The codes are displayed in the diagnostics section. You might want to consider attending "Camp Freightliner" where your will develop a high level of comfort on all things chassis related. It is without doubt the best $200 you can spend related to RV'ing in my opinion.
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bobmacc
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03/29/13 12:01pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Bought new motorhome in Florida, taking it home to Canada
Is there any way that we can take our motorhome that we purchased in Florida back to Canada keeping the Florida registration, title and tag the way they are or is it a must that we import the vehicle and register it in Ontario and pay more ridiculous taxes? We are snowbirds , own a home in Florida but are Canadian Citizens.
I have tried searching online but cannot find the info we need.
If you could bring an RV to Canada and later return to the US the next winter, why would anyone ever even consider legally importing an RV?
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bobmacc
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03/15/13 08:00pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Trading MH from Canada into US?
I purchased a DP in the US and traded a Class C I had imported two years earlier. A key point was raised earlier - that you are a Canadian Citizen - and that triggers paper and complexities and it becomes a commercial transaction. If an individual (US citizen) is purchasing it, it is a simple private transaction but if it is going to a dealer so it is a commercial transaction. You need several documents (I had 8 or 9) prepared by a customs broker including compliance information with US Motor Vehicle standards and you go through the truck lanes because it is commercial.
That said, if the dealer is prepared to take it and you have confidence that the deal won't fall apart when you go to close, go for it. Otherwise, sell it privately in Canada and go for a "no trade deal" with the dealer.
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bobmacc
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02/10/13 05:54pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Trading MH from Canada into US?
I purchased a DP in the US and traded a Class C I had imported two years earlier. If an individual is purchasing it, it is a simple private transaction but if it is going to a dealer, it becomes a commercial transaction. You need several documents (I had 8 or 9) prepared by a customs broker including compliance information with US Motor Vehicle standards and you go through the truck lanes because it is commercial. That said, if the dealer is prepared to take it and you have confidence that the deal won't fall apart when you go to close, go for it. Otherwise, sell it privately in Canada and go for a "no trade deal" with the dealer.
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bobmacc
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02/10/13 05:39pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Crossing US border with Alberta beef
There was a time during the discovery of "mad cow" disease in Canada that beef imports were prohibited. That was a couple of years ago. Best advice was provided in the link above - that beef from Canada is admissible providing the origin can be proven. Check out that link but scroll to the section on imports from Canada. As others have pointed out, prohibitions can change daily if agricultural risks/diseases are identified and it is in no one's interest to bring prohibited items into either country.
Bob
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bobmacc
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01/23/13 06:49pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: GE Spacesaver XL1800 Micro repairable?
I had a Sharp microwave with a display problem that was fixed by this gentleman.
http://www.microwavedisplay.com/
I had a difficult time finding someone willing to do a board level repair but this person returned the board and it has worked since. He does work beyond display bards so check his web site. His price was cheap as the microwave was headed to the dump before I found him.
Bob
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bobmacc
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01/23/13 06:28pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Tracphone
You NEVER could update your Tracphone from Canada as there is no Tracphone service available in Canada. When you update your phone, the Tracphone system needs to communicate with your phone - which it can't do if you are out of the service area in Canada - hence you must update when you are in the US and have service available. This is not a shortcoming of Tracphone but rather a fact that any cell service cannot be updated where there is no service or they do not have a roaming agreement as is the case with Tracphone. This is one of the reasons that Tracphone is at the top end of the value scale (cheapest) for the services it provides.
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bobmacc
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12/29/12 04:26pm |
Snowbirds
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RE: Norcold, Are you sorry you had the recall done?
Had the recall box installed in 2011. This summer, my charge solenoid failed and on my way to check it, I turned off the house batteries as I exited the coach. The fridge must have been running because it set off the box. Happened noon Saturday and had to purchase a bar fridge to keep the meat frozen. Got it fixed Monday morning. Evidently the recall box was not supposed to operate with the power off but mine did. Got a Amish unit installed to avoid future surprises - works great.
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bobmacc
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11/21/12 06:29pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Onan Energy Command controller?
I have the EC-30 (the wired version) on my current coach and also installed one on my previous class C. They are handy if you are leaving a coach with pets inside to turn on the air conditioner or consuming battery power overnight and don`t want to deplete the batteries. As well it provides a display of both the house and chassis battery voltages and displays generator fault codes. The wireless units have less functionality with the thermostat mounted in the unit as opposed to using the coach unit. The wireless unit is costly by comparison with the wired unit - only if you are able to wire and install it yourself. I installed the wired unit in a Winnebago coach using their wiring diagrams that identify each conductor in the coach. That made it simple but still took 5+ hours after planning which wire I would use and where I would connect to it using the schematics. The wireless unit is much simpler and can be easily installed in less than an hour.
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bobmacc
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11/08/12 02:30pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: CAN/US$ Exchange
I use RBC in Canada and RBC Bank US (headquartered in Georgia with a Winnipeg Call centre) in the US. You can transfer to the US acct using your Canadian online banking as well as view your US accounts and are charged just the standard exchange rate. I have an RBC US Client (Debit/Visa) card as well as a RBC US Visa rewards card. Note the banking data network is run by Visa in the US and using the client card as "Visa" will withdraw the amount instantly from your account so it is not a "credit card" really. Accounts Service charges are $2.95 per month (no transaction limits) and as others have suggested, you can get cash (generally up to $100) back on most purchases from merchants including Wally World so it is convenient. You can also use PNC banking machines if you can find one. From my perspective, this arrangement works well and I can transfer monies to the US account when the exchange rate is good. From what I have read here about what others have, it seems to be a pretty good and cost effective arrangement.
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bobmacc
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11/07/12 04:34pm |
Snowbirds
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RE: Bell satellite
Aklak
Don't know where you get your information about 91 woking in the US a month ago. Unless you are within 100 miles or so of the border, coverage on 91 was changed on July 03 2012 when the transpnders were moved to Nimiq 6. Google Nimiq 6 and you will see the coverage footprint. I know this becauuse I was in the US in July and on July 03, watched the 91 coverage disappear throughout the day transponder by transponder. By evening, there was nothing left. We were 400 miles south of the border in South Dakota at the time.
Bob
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bobmacc
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10/25/12 08:02pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Circle Check for Class A Motor Home in Ontario
Congratulations Jim !!!! A tremendous accomplishment even answering the general test questions so many years after the first licence.I had never anticipated being questioned on "the basics" after being licenced for so long but survived as well. Glad you did well and enjoy your travels,
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bobmacc
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09/29/12 08:02pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Circle Check for Class A Motor Home in Ontario
Five'er is correct on the 4600KG - greater and you need an "A".
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bobmacc
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09/27/12 07:08pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Circle Check for Class A Motor Home in Ontario
You might want to get the licence manual for the Class D licence. There are quite a number of things you must check both under the hood and under the vehicle as well as inside. It could take up to 15 minutes. When you take the test, the examiner will be beside you and you must verbaly report what you are checking and your findings. It is very comprehensive and you will be scored if you miss items.
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bobmacc
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09/25/12 05:26pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: I pad
Get a prepaid Visa card and use it at an AT&T dealer such as Radio Shack to purchase the SIM and prepaid service. Thats what I was told by a dealer when I inqured. Alternatively, get a Virgin Mobile Broadband to Go MiFi Hotspot. Decent coverage East of the Mississippi but check the maps if you intend to use West of or away from major interstates.
Bob
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bobmacc
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09/11/12 08:29pm |
Technology Corner
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