RE: Memorial Day
If you are in or near S.E. Michigan there is a free Memorial Day concert at the White Chapel cemetary, Long lake at Crooks rd, in Troy, MI
I think it's 3 pm but do not quote me on that please.
i-75 to Crooks rd Exit, left on Crooks (Does not matter which direction on 75) left again (Michigan left) on Long Lake to the entrance, straight ahead to the concert. They were setting up for it when I was there today.
RE: Do Class A drivers need instructions before driving
There are thousands of automobile drivers of all types out there who do not know how much mechinical.. I mean most know where the gas goes in, but how to check the oil, or the air pressure in the tire? (Or how to change a flat). and that's kind of Mechanics 0.01.
Heck, a whole lot of 'em do not know how to OPERATE oh they can drive, but Operate means a whole lot more.. Operate means you know what to do when the pants turn suddenly brown as it were (IE a tire goes BANG).
Now as for safety equipment.
A semi driver has replacements for every light bulb and fuse in his rig, He has either flares, triangles, or both to lay out in the event of a breakdown to warn approaching drivers.. And in theory he knows how to streatch 'em out
here is a test.. On the freeway, On the shoulder, Straigh stretch of road, How do you lay your triangles (if your answer is "I don't have triangles you flunk).
I'll answer later in this post.
There is other gear the semi driver may have as well, and above all else he is supposed to have training (NOTE supposed to, NOTE also that not all semi's have the required safety hardware either, some are downright unsafe at any speed).
The answer
First triangle 10' behind vehicle in line with traffic side of vehicle
Second one 100 feet back in line with center of vehicle
3rd 200 feet back in line with grass (non-traffic) side of vehicle
NOTE: this is the only pattern I remember.. If I'm on a hill or curve I grab the manual (What every commercial driver must know) and follow instructions.
Also if I'm not on the shoulder.
RE: Coast to coast or Thousand Trails
See the "Both" response.
less coast to coast is doing something different you must have a "Home Park" before you can C2C. Thousand Trails is a home park.
Although I do not know if TT members qualify for C2C at this time. You will need to confirm.. Equient LIfestyles has made some changes in TT parks that have caused them to be dropped by some exchange programs. Since I do not use exchanges at this time, I do not know.
(C2C is an exchange program.. Your home park members can use other C2C parks, and members of other C2C parks can use your home park in exchange).
RE: I got locked in for a while, what if it was a real lock in.
You should have your fire escape windows that push out.
I will second that.. now that said there are a few different types of excape windows
Mine have two levers, you turn the levers 90 degrees and the bottom of the window pushes out on a hinge..
Caution however, some of the excape windows are either not properly framed or the hinge is a release kind that will drop the window to the ground if you do that, SO CHECK IT OUT FIRST.
I have been on buses where you pull up on a bar at the bottom of the window (looks like trim) and it works as above
I have read of "Rip Cord" windows where you pull a ring and it rips the window seal.. this one is a once and then you replace it type. So you need to not open those less it is a bonifide emergency.
RE: Shower in RV [survey]
The two things I will suggest (Well 3 actually) are as follows.
1: BIGGER The standard RV shower makes a phone booth look large
2: Hand held (Telepone type) head This at least is fairly standard
3: Oxygenics head (Uses less water, gives longer shower)
It would be nice if the stall was big enough to support a foot rest or seat but that's asking a bit.
Check out the walk in bathtubs. Much better shower design.
RE: Driving with Hazards On!
Though they do render the turn signals in-op, they DO NOT render the brake lights IN OP.
(*) ( ) (*) ( ) means 4 ways on
(***********) is brake lights
RE: Satellite tv advice
Sat TV 1.01
There are two types of antenna, and different antennas in each type (The antenna is the dome or dish)
Domes and dishes
Domes work great with DirecTV (NOT HD) and do not work at all with DirecHDTV (Can not receive the satellites)
Some domes work great with DISH, epically the tailgator, HOWEVER only with a single receiver Even if the antenna is a "Dual" (meaning it has two outputs and can receiver both even and odd transponders at the same time) it works best with a SINGLE dish receiver.
Why is this: DirecTV uses one bird (101) for most all customers
DirecHDTV uses 101, but also uses two more (99 and 103) that are in a different frequency band, this is why the antenna can not receive them.
Dish uses 2 or 3 110/119 are SD, 129 (I think can never remember if it is 127 or 129) for HD) all in the same band. (NOTE: I am describing only western arc, there are 3 other birds if you are parked on the atlantic coast).
With a single receiver and a dome (like the tailgater) that can repoint quickly you change channels, and the dish repoints and you watch TV.
With two receivers that works for one of you, the other receiver looses signal, or, if the other receiver changes channels, there is nothing there.
Now, DISH antennas come in several types as well, You buy the dish that matches the service you have and, once properly set up (You have to do that in most cases) it works, period.
There is also an automatic roof mounted dish. (It points itself).
One comment about roof mounts.
parked in the open, work great
Parked in the shade of the evil signal eating tree. they work not at all.
So if you go with a roof mount, be it a dish or an in-motion dome, put an A/B switch in the LNB lead near the receiver.
A goes to the roof up Above
B to a bulkhead (Through wall) or ground block connector in the basement, Mine is on the Brake Bell Crank Bracket (Lots of b's there).
NOTE The tailgater is specific for the VIP 211K receiver and will not work with others.
RE: Small propane leak?
You will need: Somethign like this (link to Amazon.com)
Put it in the propane line on the active tank (Turn off tank before removing line) and then turn on tank, with EVERYTHING OFF (stove, furnace, oven, water heater) turn on the tank, wait one minute and turn it off, note gauge reading.
Come back in an hour and note reading
Come back tomorrow and note reading
If the gauge varies a bit.. That is differences in the ambient temp.
if it drops a lot, that is a leak.
If it remains in the green overnight.. No leak.
Instructions provided with gauge
NOTE: some RV's have said gauge already installed.
100 PSI is in the green, 50 is not.
RE: 50 AMP connector
If you are talking about the connector that plugs onto the INLET on the RV.. Marinco is your only source far as I know, Check with Marinas as these are marine grade devices.
The one on the sticks and bricks end of the cord (or power pedistal or post) that one is common.
RE: battery compare
Either the charger did not charge (Some chargers are very slow, the Magnetek 6300 for example charges at only a few amps, can take a week to fully charge a pair of six volt batteries) some charge faster (like flat to full in six hours). It is all a numbers game.
Page 2: A dud battery or improper install are both possible too.
Long long time ago (like 1977) the OEM battery in my car died,, I went to J.C. Penny Auto and got a "Forever battery" This battery had a lifetime warranty, so long as I owned the car it's installed in they replace free.
About a week later I was back for my free one.
Next one was several years later (I'd have to ask my brother when he got Wife 2.0.. He's on 3.0 now, as it was the weekend of his wedding it failed).
Here is the best warranted battery on the marked, dead in a week. Nothing wrong with the car. (As noted the replacement lasted several years. And the 2nd replacement outlasted the car.. Seems the car died of a drug overdose.. Yup, I stopped at the red light.. So did the shuttle driver from Sentry Drugs.. Problem is I was there already, so his truck kind of "Overdosed" my car).
RE: Can I replace a 30A plug with a 50A?
The short answer is yes you can do it (replace a 30 amp plug with a 50) however if you do you will need to use a dogbone when on a site that does not have a 50 amp outlet.. I would just keep replacign the 30's.
It helps if you look at the plug and polish it up from time to time, I see mine turning black I break out ye-old-dremel (Ok so it says Crafstman on it) and a "brush tip" and polish it up a bit.
RE: Murphy Got Me Again
Ah yes, "If it is possible to get it wrong... they will"
Murphy, Murphy why must things always go wrong go wrong
Murphy, Murphy Why must things always go wrong.
The tune
Bring back bring back bring back my bonnie to me to me.
RE: Will the "Cube" pick up Direct TV HD?
Will "The cube" pick up direcHDTV in HD.
NO, it is a "Dome" type antenna and at this time no DOME does DirecTV in HD,
IT will, however, pick up the SD bird.
RE: Open Ground when on PSW Inverter -- Experts please advise
A couple of test questions.
1. Why 60Vac?
2. Why does the analog voltmeter read about 6V (from gnd to neutral or gnd to hot)?
Sal
1) The hot and neutral wires will each carry about 60VAC. You will see 120VAC hot to neutral and hot to ground, though.
Cheers!
Mike
I recall answering both of those recently though the 2nd one by inference.
A1: Due to capacitive coupling between the wires forming a voltage divider.
A2: Due the the lower impedance of the analog meter "loading" the divider (Which can only handle a very small amount of current)
RE: Propane bleed valve
and I do realize that there will be air trapped in the tank?
Thanks
There is no air in the tank now, and none can enter if the tecnician does his job correctly so what makes you think air will be trapped in the tank?
I recently (2 days ago) found out the proper name of that valve, this may not be exact but "Automatic fill level indicator" or some such. It has nothing to do with bleeding the tank and everything to do with letting the refill tecnician know the tank is full. That is it's only job.
Now to answer your question about what to do about it.
Go to a propane tank recertification facility, often this will be at a propane wholesaler (Someplace with a big tank farm, not your local dealer/gas station type operation but the place they buy from).
Talk to them.
Oh, how did I find out... Well there was a propane tecnician training class in session about 20 feet from me in a very quiet room (We were only ones there)
One question they had to answer:
If you get the proper mixture of propane vapor and air and add a spark what happens....
I could not resist and said "You land one county over"
After the instructor got done laughing... He confirmed my answer.
RE: step question
I would turn off the batteries when in long term storage to prevent parasitic loads from haulling them down. If the step switch is where it should be (Easily reached from outside the coach) I'd turn it off too.. No sense sending power where it's not needed.
RE: BATTERIESFOR HOUSE
Lowest cost is a pair of six volt Wet cells (GC-2) From San's club
Least worry but most expensive is AGM
In between is a maintenance free "Trolling battery" if you can find one. Wal-mart advertises but I've never laid eyes on. This should not be a Marine/Deep cycle, but a true deep cycle.
Note also that with proper maintenance, Life expectancy (Total battery life not time between recharges) is the opposite of price, Lower lasts longer in my experience. (Assumes all are of equal quality for their class)
I put AGM's in on their own loop back in 2006, Replaced them 2012, The original (2005) Wet cells are still going strong.
RE: Rip in Slide Boot how to Fix.
That looks like a fabric cover "Slide topper" type thing, if that is the case, I'd sew it and coat the seam with fabric cement. (Read that I sewed it and coated the seam with fabric cement) Let dry (Extended) for a day before closing.
RE: Sewer solution - worth it?
My complaint about the sewer solution is that it uses gallons and gallons of fresh water to do a job that can be done by a few watts of electricity
That's why I use a macerator pump when I need one.
Some folks talk about the "Woosh Factor" when dumping via the 3" hose.
You loose that too with both the sewer solution and the macerator.
