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Forum
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RE: Add a second 12v house battery with a 25' cable run?
If you have two 12v batteries wired in parallel the extra length of the run to the second battery will have minimal impact on available current from both and minimal impact on charge times. There is a lot less current loss with a remote 12v battery than with a 6v one. It would be foolish to replace your existing house battery with a 6v one and use the same for your remote house battery.
The current loss with 12 volts will be within 3% using 2ga wire. For a trivial gain you could use 1/0 gauge wire. If you had two batteries providing 24 volts the same 3% voltage loss could be accomplished over a distance of 68 feet using smaller 4 AWG wire.
Voltage is important and the effect is not proportional. Same 3% current loss using 6 AWG wire with 12v and a 16 foot run as with 24 volts over a 43 foot long run. Doubling the voltage enables a cable run nearly 3 times as long.
There are theoretical penalties that are blown way out of proportion. Does it really matter if it takes 2 hours or 2 hours and 30 minutes to recharge the batteries from your engine's alternators? Sounds like a loss of 20% is a big deal but in reality is usually is of little consequence.
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elkhornsun
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04/19/13 11:33am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Why 6V battery instead of 12V?
It is simply a matter of weight. 6v are industrial batteries and designed for heavy use in forklifts and golf carts and similar applications. With 6v batteries you split the weight of a 12v battery into two halves. Industrial batteries can provide 6v, 4v, and even 2v of power and are coupled together to provide then required voltage.
The golf cart 6v batteries are industrial type batteries and they are naturally going to last longer than a standard 12v battery. The industrial battery will have thicker plates which in turn makes it heavier for its size. Check out the Trojan industrial battery lineup and the weight difference is obvious.
A J150 battery is the largest size made in 12v form and these provide 150 AH at 12 volts and each one weighs 84 pounds. Group 921 size batteries provide up 225 AH at 12v and each weighs from 114 to 128 pounds.
It is not difficult to understand that as the AH capacity of a battery so does its size and its weight. At a certain point it makes sense to break a battery into smaller segments. Two 6v ones or six 2v batteries are individually easier to handle than a single 12v battery providing the same amount of amp hours. The greatest capacity battery produced by Trojan is nearly 4 cubic feet in size and weighs 465 lbs. It takes three of these 4v batteries for a total weight 1,395 lbs. to provide 12 volts. Plus side is that these batteries are rated at 1570 AH over a 20 hour period.
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elkhornsun
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04/19/13 11:08am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Used Motorhome-where are they?
If you had $75k to spend you would be looking at hundreds of motorhomes. Even at $50k you would have many to choose from on the used market. At $25k it is not reasonable to expect to find lots of MH, especially in your size range which is smaller than the majority of Class A MH though not for Class C ones.
I have used searchtempest.com to locate by owner listings on craigslist within a given radius from my house. The bargains were in locations that were the furthest from big towns. The ones that were for sale in large cities would often get snapped up in a matter of days.
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elkhornsun
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04/19/13 09:59am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Running diesel overnight to stay warm
Truckers used to do this but with $5 a gallon diesel prices most fleet operators would fire a driver who did this unnecessarily. Some of the trailers are refrigerated units and need to be kept cold but this is a special case. Go to a truck stop at 2 AM and see how many of the parked rigs have their engine running.
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elkhornsun
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04/19/13 09:46am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Which is the easiest on the back?
I would look at the tasks you do setting up and taking down your present trailer and automate as much as possible. Atwood for example makes a power tongue jack that is a back saver. Same applies to automatic leveling devices for the trailer.
For the tow vehicle I would want to have heated seats and good lumbar support and be sure that my wife was comfortable driving the rig. With a motorhome a Class B+ may be enough and it would be easier for both of you to drive and setup at a campsite and provide 20+ miles per gallon.
I would also toss the OEM mattress with one that would provide better support for your back. In my case I use the firmest top quality mattress I could find and a solid board instead of a boxspring.
A close friend has had the same problem for the past 15 years and would do the most damage when picking up a single weight so the force was greater on one side of his body. He had to give up scuba diving entirely as picking up the tank or the weight belt woould create this type of stress. I would look at the same with regard to everything in your trailer and have others do things like lift out the propane tanks for refilling and putting gear in smaller bins so there is less weight to lift and carry. A collapsible hand truck is also a great way to save your back.
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elkhornsun
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04/19/13 09:44am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: 5 Gal or 7.5 Gal - Propane Question
We can go for 6 weeks during the winter using 20# of propane. We have never had to draw from the second tank. I would not want to have the full tank any heavier than it is and have to lift it into position.
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elkhornsun
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04/19/13 09:24am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Automotive GPS suggestion
Our next GPS will be one that can do double duty as a monitor for a wireless rear camera. I would not buy a new GPS just to have this capability but I would not buy one today that did not provide this as an option in the future.
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elkhornsun
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04/19/13 09:21am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Removing Atwood jacks
After I unfastened the 4 square drive screws and dug away the sealant it was clear that there is a female receptable for the plug on the end of the cord. I could not visually determine this and did not want to damage the plug by pulling hard on it if it was a one piece unit. Nothing in the Atwood documentation for installation or maintenance covered the plug itself.
I am mounting two sections of 2" angle steel between the jack mounts and the sides of the camper and then will be fastening brackets to hold a Porta-Bote for transport. Slick solution that someone else did and was kind enough to post pictures.
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elkhornsun
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04/19/13 09:20am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Cell Tower Antenna - How Directional?
Man, this is really frustrating. I was up there again Saturday in the same spot on top of the mtn. A friend of mine had one of those cheap pre-paid throw away Walmart phones and he could talk to whoever he wanted.
But my high-dollar Verizon iPhone showed 4 bars, but could not connect at all. Then we drove about 1/4 mile away and 300’ elevation change DOWN the mtn. I could only get 1 bar on my iPhone there, but it worked perfectly.
So, 4 bars = no connection and 1 bar = great connection…..ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!
Brad
The "cheap" phone is using 1xRTT for communication and often this is the strongest signal from the towers. It has to be as it is the bread and butter business of the wireless phone companies. For voice I use an inexpensive flip phone that only works with 1xRTT and that is good enough and the battery charge lasts for weeks.
All the transmissions are line of sight and depend upon the height of the tower and the height of the cell phone and the distance. For communications the signal from the cell tower has to reach the cell phone with adequate signal strength but the transmitting signal from the cell phone also has to reach the cell tower. Cell phones as they are going to be held against your head for extended periods of time are limited in their transmitting power by the FCC.
Often a person with the cell phone can listen to someone who is on a land line that is connected to the tower and broadcasting to them but the person on the land line cannot hear the person on the cell phone. The signal strength from the cell phone's transmission is not strong enough to get to the tower's transceiver.
A RF signal booster helps amplify the signal in both directions and I use one along with an antenna to get 3 bars 4G in locations where otherwise I would get zero bars. The RF booster is not cheap but I can use the same one at home and on the road. I use a omni directional 18" marine antenna on the road and a directional parabolic grid antenna at my house.
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elkhornsun
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04/16/13 01:51am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Gone to diesel? Some questions for those that have.
I have always used gas powered trucks and SUV's to tow and the heaviest tow was a 12 horse trailer. My 2011 diesel needs very little attention and as it is used for "severe duty" 50% of the time I have adjusted the oil changes to 7500 mile intervals. It is 10 quarts plus $10 for the filter. I don't use synthetic for several reasons, it provides no benefits at temperatures greater than zero degrees and at normal and high temperatures a 5W-40 provides poorer lubrication than a 15W-40 oil both due to the presence of temporary polymer shear and the greater problems with any particulates.
Companies are starting to put 15W-40 synthetics on the market but with the 7500 mile change interval it would still provide no benefits. I want to change the oil to remove any possible soot and sludge at 7500 mile intervals regardless.
The Allison transmission requires more maintenance in terms of lubricant and filter changes but that is a good thing as it will help to maximize its life under severe duty conditions.
Much of the more frequent maintenance and lubricant changes would be required with a gas powered vehicle if subjected to the same type of use. If a vehicle was used 90% of the time for around town driving then a gas engine would be a better choice as diesels do not do well with lots of short trips where the engine does not come up to full operating temp.
A diesel is in some ways a luxury item but then so is a heavy recreational trailer - it goes with the territory.
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elkhornsun
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04/16/13 01:24am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Why does the market demand Diesel??
My 2011 GM diesel fully loaded cost a grand total of $41,600. There is a theorectical $9k upcharge for the diesel engine and Allison transmission but it really depends upon how good you are as a shopper and negotiator.
Diesel provides better acceleration with a heavy load and I find that a safety factor. Where I live I don't have the luxury of slowing getting up to 55 MPH to merge onto the highways. Add a trailer and you need to get a 60 foot rig into a small gap between cars and that takes power.
Diesel braking has to be experienced to be fully appreciated. With a heavy load the braking distance of vehicles increases dramatically and the more I can use the truck's engine braking the more control there is on downhill mountain roads.
With a gas engine I would be limiting myself to a 7500 lb. trailer weight. Anything more and my safety margin starts to diminish rapidly and the stress of managing it on busy highways goes up nearly as quickly.
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elkhornsun
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04/15/13 09:42pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Freshwater hose storage ideas
I carry a 25' thin rollup hose, a 25' web type that collapses into even less space, and a 10' normal water hose. Most of the time the 10' is all that is needed to fill the water tank or to hookup at a campsite. The extra 50' is for times when I truly need that length of hose which is about 5% of the time. The three hoses take less space than a regular 50' hose and 80% of the time the 10' one is all that I need.
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elkhornsun
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04/15/13 07:59pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Joshua Tree NP Closed Due to Graffiti
The easier it is for city folk to get to an area the greater the vandalism. When Nixon had the forestry service open up the trails to motorcycles to please the bike manufacturers the vandalism in California skyrocketed. It was so bad that a friends father shut down his pack station and his packing business entirely.
Now we have people of all ages driving dirt bikes and 4WD vehicles over pristine desert land and putting permanent scars in the landscape, leaving trash in campgrounds and streams including Pampers and broken glass, and then there is the noise pollution with the televisions/satellite dishes and loud stereos blasting music across campgrounds and lakes.
Lake camping is so noisy we no longer bother to go on the weekends or during the summer months. I like the Rolling Stones but do not want to listen to their music while fishing instead of the local wildlife.
This cuts across all ages. We have developed into an increasingly destructive society with little concern about the environment and deriding "tree huggers" while voting for people that want fracking and dams and coal mines and nuclear power plants. To quote Pogo "we have met the enemy and he is us".
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elkhornsun
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04/15/13 07:42pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: fuel economy
The weight of fluid in the holding tanks is trivial compared to the affect of wind resistance which increases with the square of your speed. Full holding tanks equals less than the average American adult.
Driving at 75 MPH the wind resistance is 85% greater than it is at 55 MPH. With a 15-20 MPH headwind my fuel economy falls by 25%.
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elkhornsun
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04/15/13 07:33pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: need your opinions: rv or hotel?
Look at the numerous Class B and B+ motorhomes built using the Mercedes Sprinter platform and with fuel efficient 5-cylinder diesel engines. They get 23 MPG and there are used ones on the market selling at a big discount. Plenty of space inside for a couple and two small dogs and lots of storage space in the basement area.
Driving and parking a Class B is much easier to do than with larger RV's and you get better fuel economy and less stress.
When I was traveling around with two sheepdogs I found very few motels or hotels that would allow pets of any kind. I would get a ground floor room in the back and sneak the dogs in at night. Luckily they were jet black and quiet, non-barkers.
With motels/hotels you need to check in by a certain time and check out by 11:00 AM and you need to usually reserve in advance. If you decide to stay longer or leave sooner than you had planned you are stuck. Usually the hotels need at least 24 hours notice and some require 72 hours notice of any change or cancellation. This is why we opted to buy our camper as the cost is roughly the same as hotels but we have the ability to alter our schedule at any time, most of the time.
You may like eating out as do we but for a lunch break it can be a pain to have to leave a nice spot and drive into a town and most places are mediocre at best for breakfast and lunch and in some areas even dinner is not something to enjoy if you really like fine cuisine. With our fridge and cooktop we can stop at a beach and fix a snack if we choose or have a cup of coffee in the morning before heading to a town for brunch.
After a short while your dogs will consider the RV their mobile doghouse and this greatly reduces the stress of traveling for them. My dogs knew that the RV was going to get them home and often they prefered to be inside where they could relax and be off guard duty.
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elkhornsun
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04/15/13 07:21pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: would you switch
It depends upon what he is selling the truck and camper for and what shape the camper is in. Generally speaking doing such deals with friends is not a good idea. If a few months after buying the truck it needs a major repair or the fridge in the camper goes out and you need to spend $1000 to $5000 for the repairs it is a very different situation with a friend than with a stranger.
At a minimum I would look around using searchtempest.com to find comparable trucks and campers to get an idea of a "fair price".
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elkhornsun
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04/15/13 05:37pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Truck camper pricing
Before you buy new look at the prices for 3 year old campers on craigslist and other places. In 2011 the 2008 model year camper was very little used by its prior owner and we paid less than half the price for a new one. We did not have anything under warranty but $13,000 will cover a lot of repairs.
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elkhornsun
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04/15/13 05:32pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Truck Prep For TC
I think most campers have their "pigtail" located at the front right corner. A 7 pin plug in the bed is way more convenient than one at the bumper. If you don't have one there I would add it. It will also make your #8 wire run shorter which reduced voltage drop further.
While you're looking at campers be sure to compare the construction of the Palomino to some other brands. You may be surprised what you find.
Lance has the connector at the left front corner. With a house battery it is better to have it inside the camper as it will provide more current to the camper with less loss. Charging the battery from the alternator is not the problem and where current loss is a concern.
If the camper comes with a 110v AC charger and voltage converter it makes more sense to have the house battery charging from it so you can charge while at a campsite with a hookup as well as from the alternator while driving.
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elkhornsun
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04/15/13 04:53pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: 3.42 or 4.10?
With the brand new for 2013 DEF emissions setup on the Ram diesels I would not want to be buying an early production unit but would wait until the truck has been out for 5-6 months and the service bulletins are in the hands of the service department.
Being the first to buy any first year diesel pickup truck has not been without problems regardless of the manufacturer.
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elkhornsun
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04/15/13 04:47pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: western trip
Late May to early June would be my pick for time to see waterfalls and be in Death Valley and have a good chance that the road over Tioga Pass will be clear of snow. Early spring is best for waterfalls and avoiding crowd excepting during school spring breaks.
With Death Valley it can be brutally hot in the summer but also brutally cold in the winter and early spring. I have been in Death Valley when the winds were blowing so hard that 6" diameter rocks were being blown across the roadway.
Traveling in that part of the state I would add Mono Lake and Mammoth and Bishop to my itinerary.
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elkhornsun
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04/08/13 06:45pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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