RE: Interstate 81
I'm a flatlander, not used to hills, and I didn't think the hills were bad. I had to touch the service brakes a couple times,but the exhaust brake took care of most of it. I'm at Natural Bridge right now after spending the night, and I-81 to the north of there is a good road. I'll see the southern portions when I break camp this morning.
I'm at the KOA. It's all mostly gravel and narrow sites cut into a small hillside. Not somewhere where I would like to spend a lot of time, but good enough for spending the night. The office staff are very friendly.
RE: St. Mary's Rock Tunnel - BlueRidge (Skyline Drive)
I just went through the St Mary's Rock tunnel yesterday. My DP is 12'10" in the center over the sat dome. The ranger said I would fit if I stayed away from the sides. I waited for traffic to clear, and drove smack down the center of the tunnel. It fit. Fortunately, the tunnel is short enough that you can see the traffic on the other side before you enter it, and also so you don't have to hold your breath too long.
The hills were not bad. I could usually maintain speed going up them, and the exhaust brake held the hills going down, I rarely had to touch the service brakes. And that was while dragging a 6,000 lb toad!
The worst hills and turns were when I got off Skyline Dr and headed back to I-81 on US 33. I drove the northernmost 65 miles of Skyline Drive, and got off before the southernmost third of the route.
RE: King Dome - In Motion - Like It?? - Mine's terrible
My story sounds just like the OP's story.
I have the top end King Dome, and I have spent months working with their techs upgrading software, checking settings, and replacing tuners and dome parts, and I still have frequent problems where it gets stuck on "lock verify" and can't find a satellite.
And then add the Dish 612 dual tuner DVR into the mix, and it gets really frustrating. I have spent hours running check switch and it has never found all of the satellites - it just goes too fast, faster than the dome can switch.
I have already checked everything Doug and others have suggested in thread.
I have finally given up, and am using a portable ground mount Dish 500. I don't get all of the HD channels, which ticks me off, but I don't want to carry a second dish for 61.5. (129 is not an option here, so no Dish 1000 for me.)
Maybe next year I can switch to the new Eastern Arc birds and get my HD back.
The only suggestion of Doug's I didn't do is change receivers to a 211. (I tried a 722 and two 612s.) Having a DVR is more important to me than the dome. (I use an external hard drive to move shows from home DVRs to watch on the road, only Dish DVRs can do this.) If they had a single tuner DVR I would try it. But alas, there is no such option. So, I carry a dish.
RE: Lake George NY to Crossville TN
Thanks, guys! I had checked out Bean Pot last night, and it looked like it will do nicely. I was afraid of the KOA since I've noticed many of them really going downhill over the uears. I tried to reply last night, by my computer was being cranky and locked up on me. Rather than try to get it going again, I just went to bed. :S
But now that I wake up this morning and see the good coments about the KOA, I will have to check that out.
As it turns out, after a round of phone calls last night, we are definitely diverting south for this trip. It also turns out we may be able to driveway-dry-camp at our destination, so it's all up in the air.
We will be breaking camp soo, and I guess I will just head down I-87 and see where it takes us. Hopefully we'll make to the MD/VA area and will find a place there for the night.
Lake George NY to Crossville TN
Help please! My plans are changing, and I need fast route planning advice.
Here I sit at a campground in Lake George NY (just above Albany) getting ready to continue our vacation into New England, but our plans are changing.
It now turns out that we will need to be in Crossville TN (West of Knoxville) on Wednesday. I figure it's a bit under 1000 miles, and leaving Sunday I will have 3.5 days to get there. That averages to around 300 miles per day, which is right at the limit of what I like to do. (After all, this is vacation, I don't want to spend it all on the road.)
This has taking me by surprise, and I've had no chance yet to do much research into this diversion. I'm looking for suggestions of roads to take, or roads to avoid. I'm not afraid of rolling hills, but would rather avoid narrow twisty steep mountain roads. Also, rather than take Interstates the whole way, I'd like to take spend a few miles on scenic routes. And I'd really like to avoid the really bumpy and bone-jarring rough roads (like I-86 -- the old routhe 17 through Southern NY)
It looks like I can take I-87 down towards NJ, cut over West on I-78 to PA, and then pick up I-81 down through MD, VA, and into TN. If I do that, it looks like I will parallel Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway. I would love to take the time and drive them end-to-end, but I think I will have to be more selective. I also understand there is a tunnel near the middle of Skyline Drive that I will not be able to fit through (I'm at 12' 10" high.)
So does anybody have any route suggestions that will let me make good time, yet still cover the more picturesque portions of some scenic routes? Are there any roads in the area I should be sure to avoid because of poor road surfaces, long construction zones, height/weight restrictions, chronic heavy traffic, or because it's just not an appropriate road for a lumbering beheamoth with toad (things like very steep/narrow/twisty?)
I would greatly appreciate any and all suggestions and warnings (including places to stay along the way and in Crossville.)
edit - Definitely diverting the trip, no longer just a possability.
RE: 220 volt from 110 vac?
There is not sufficient information in the specs to know if it is a center tap or double coils. .
the outback uses a single primary coil and dual secondary coils.
I have used these units first hand.
Are you sure? Looking at the page previously posted in this thread, and opening the user manual PDF file, it appears that at least for this particular model, it's not wired like that. It is an autotransformer with two identical 1:1 single windings. There are only two coils. Those two coils are connected in series, with the neutral buss bar connected to the common point between the two coils.
They WILL work for the 2HP wood working application.
That may be true, I don't know. If it were truly as you stated (single primary coil, dual secondary coils) I would agree with you without hesitation. With this autotransformer arrangement, I'm not as sure (it's not that I think you're wrong, I just don't understand the implications of an autotransformer.)
Looking at the step-up wiring diagram, I have no trouble believing that there will be 240 volts between the two output hots, and it looks like the neutral potential will be between those two hots. What I'm not clear on is if the system will be properly balanced in regards to the two hots. Running a pure 240 volt load should be no issue. But using it as a split phase supply (with two opposing 120 volt legs) is not as clear to me.
RE: A few more Winterizing questions
I am not sure if you have a by pass on your hot water heater or not. There should be more than one shut off valve. They are usually mounted inside of your r.v. on the side of the hot water tank.
There are several different styles of bypasses, with one, two, or three valves.
The simplest has three control valves - one on the cold water to the tank, one on the hot water out of the tank, and one on a bypass pipe that crosses between the two other valves. To bypass, close the two valves to the tank, and open the bypass pipe valve. To use normally, open the two valves on the tank, and close the bypass pipe valve. While this has the most handles to turn, they are all simple on/off valves.
Another style has two control valves - the valve on the hot water outlet of the tank is replaced by a check valve -- lets water out, but not in. To bypass, just close the cold water inlet valve, and open the bypass pipe valve. To use normally, close the bypass pipe valve and open the cold inlet valve.
Another style (like mine) has only one control valve - the hot water outlet is a check valve, and the two other valves are replaced with a three-way valve. In one position, it closes off the cold inlet and opens the bypass pipe. In the other position it closes off the bypass pipe and opens the cold inlet. I assume this is the type of bypass the OP has.
There may also be another two control valve style that eliminates the check valve, and puts another three-way valve between the tank's hot water outlet and the bypass pipe. Both valves need to be flipped to go from normal to bypass mode. I would think this arrangement is uncommon because a check valve would normally be less expensive than a fancy three-way valve.
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Regardless of the valve arrangement, it should be pretty easy to confirm that you have the valves set properly to bypass the tank. If you flip the valves such that water flows to the hot side of the sink spigots, but no water flows out of the open tank drain, then you know you've got it set correctly for bypass.
RE: class a safety chains? only 2500lbs each
A rated chain has a 4 to 1 safety factor. Working Load vs breaking strength. Does that make you feel any better?
No, not really, it doesn't make me feel better.
Isn't that rating factor already taken into account when the required load rating is specified? If you put on chains or cables that are half of the recommended rating, they're still half of the recommended rating.
You'd be encroaching on the built in safety factor. If that was good enough, then that is what the rating recommendation would be.
RE: class a safety chains? only 2500lbs each
just called blue ox and they stated that there 5000 lb rated coiled cable is rated a total of the 2 cables to be 5000 lbs. each cable is rated at 2500lbs for a total of 5000, not 5000lbs each.
That doesn't sound right to me. The few regulations I've seen said that two chains or cables are required, and each one must be rated for the full load. If what they said is correct, and I were buying from Blue Ox, then it looks like I would want 12,000 pound cables for my 6,000 pound toad.
When I talked to Roadmaster while setting up my rig, they confirmed that their 8,000 pound cables are rated for 8,000 pounds each, and would be what I want for my toad.
Having each chain/cable able to handle the full load makes sense to me. If your cables/chains are rated for half the weight, then if one is a little longer than the other, or you're not straight on when a separation occurs, one of them will take the full weight of the toad. If that's not up for the task, and it breaks, then the other one will then end up with the full load. If the first one couldn't handle it, then the second one might not, either.
Prudence, and common sense, tell me that there should be two chains or cables for redundancy, and each one should be able to handle the load as an individual. Whether or not the law explicitly states it, that's the minimum standard I want to go by for my equipment.
RE: safety chain or cable???????
any difference between the two as a saftey chain when towing a toad behind a class a?
They are both used, I don't think there is much difference from a safety point. The should both be able to do the job if the ratings are sufficient and the quality is good.
I use straight cables because they fit in the tunnels that are part of my tow bar, and therefore they don't drag or get tangled.
RE: Hocking Hills State Park - Ohio...
You should have no problems if you are there Wed or even Thursday in October. If for some reason you can't get in there are a ton of private campgrounds in the area that won't be sold out.
Unfortunately, while I have a little flexability, I can't be there that early. There will be several other families in our group, and some of them have even less flexability. Some other time, I would take a chance on it, but not that weekend with a group.
The problem we're finding is that many of the campgrounds are closing that weekend.
A wonderful private campground near the state park is Scenic View.
That does look like a nice place. But unfortunately, they close Oct 31. I can make a reservation for Friday night, but they are closed for Saturday night (just like a lot of other places we checked.) :(
One of the other people in our group found space for us all at Happy Hills in Nelsonville. I've not found much information other than their site, hopefully it will be a reasonable place.
RE: Hocking Hills State Park - Ohio...
Thanks all for your suggestions on sites and reservations. But this is definitely true:
Many of the campgrounds sell out months in advance
I tried to make reservations, but it's Halloween weekend and Hocking Hills is completely full. Not one site left. Even called them to make sure. :(
RE: WOW!!!! Just Got HD.
I can't believe people don't see a HUGE difference when going to HD. Make sure you use HDMI cables as they really do make a difference. Can be found cheap on eBay.
Some of it may be equipment, some may be the way it's set up, and some may be the perception of the viewer.
I have a pretty good (but not super-duper setup) in my living room, and I think the difference is startling when it's the right source material. Other HD shows or channels can be less impressive. There are various HD resolutions, and different levels of compression. It can vary a lot.
In the bedroom we also have an HD setup with the same type of receiver and connection, but to a CRT set. While HD channels are an improvement, it's not nearly as good as the plasma in the living room.
The LCD in the MH (same source material and connection) is somewhere between the CRT and plasma in my perceived picture quality.
There are a lot of variables, but the biggest can be the perception of the viewer. While I'm amazed by it, my DW can't see any difference at all, and can't understand what I see in it. :R
RE: Mini 5er Spotted
Regarding the original post, (aluminum siding, fiberglass front) my money is on an older Shadow Cruiser fifth, which would be exactly as described. IIRC the front came to a sharp horizontal point with "Shadow Cruiser" written in bold letters above the front windows. It looked very futuristic for its day, very aerodynamic. Unlike the Scamp that looks like a fiberglass Mantatee being towed to a kiddie park.
Nope, it definitely wasn't a Shadow Cruiser, there were no striking lines on it like that. It was very bulbous, just like the Scamp. At a quick glance, it looked like a different material on the bottom half, but I could've been mistaken as I only had a quick glance of it. It was probably a combination of the graphics and the horizontal belt line on the Scamp.
RE: Using RV generator for house power during power outage
I don't believe anyone caught this mistake of mine. If I run off the generator the power cable has no power on it.
I caught it as soon as I read it, I just didn't have a chance to read it until now!:S
A. The pedestal supplies 240 volts (really) to the rv. The rv splits this into two out of phase 120 volt lines.
B. The rv generator provides only 1 120 volt line. How is that connected in the panel? Both breaker boxes are of course 120, but in this case in phase. Could that be a problem?
A: The two 120 volt hots with opposite phase from the campground pedestal are connected to two independent buss bars in the breaker box, each bar feeding half of the 120 volt circuits. There is 240 volts across the two buss bars, but odds are nothing in the rig uses 240 volts, so it doesn't matter.
B: The medium size generators (like my 8kW Onan) have TWO 120 volt outputs, in phase. They are connected to the the two buss bars in the breaker box, one output from the generator feeding half the circuits, the other output feeding the other half. In this case, since the two buss bars are in phase, there is no voltage between them, so if there were any 240 volt circuits, they wouldn't have power, but since there probably aren't any it isn't a problem.
The generator being dual 120 volt outputs with no 240 available isn't really an issue for the RV. It can still drive two air conditioners because one A/C is on one of the hot outputs, and the other is on the other. Not having the outputs in phase only really causes one issue in the RV: if the generator is over 6kW, then it can output more than 50 amps total on the two outputs. Since they are in phase, the current in the neutral is the sum of the two hots. So, if the generator puts out more than 6kW, the neutral conductor from the generator, through the transfer switch, and onto the breaker panel must be oversized, as it is in my rig with a 8kW generator (which can put out up to 66 amps on the neutral.)
Where this really becomes an issue is if you are trying to use the 120 volt RV generator to power your home. Then you must make sure that everything you use to get the power to the home (cord, sockets, transfer switch, etc) can handle the increased neutral current (ie: has an over sized neutral) or you need to put in breakers which limits the power to 25 amps in each hot (so that the neutral can't have more than 50 amps.) As a side effect, you will not be able to run any 240 volt loads in the house (like a well pump or central A/C) and you run the risk of overloading any circtuits that have a shared neutral that relys on the the two hots being out of phase.
And this last paragraph is the real issue that has caused the last few pages of discussion.
RE: Using RV generator for house power during power outage
I would think that having a 240v gen set would be the best choice for coaches that use 240v for shore power. Also, once you get up around 7500watts, the wiring starts to get pretty large with 120v, so using the higher voltage has it's benefits.
Precisely my reasoning, and my disppointment.
Sometimes there isn't a logical reason for something like this. It's just the business model. It would be logical, for instance, for all smaller built-in RV generators to use inverter technology, resulting in less overall noise and fuel consumption. But it's not done. The RV buyers don't demand it, the RV makers don't demand it, and the generator companies just go on milking sales with the technological boat anchors.
In other words, because "that's the way we've always done it." :R
I didn't demand a 240 volt generator, because at the time I didn't realize the implications of 120 volt. It was only once I started to wonder if I could make more use of the generator I have that it became an issue. In my next rig (whenever that is) that is definitely something I will be considering. I had up until today figured that it would make no difference, but since there are 240 volt generators out there, maybe there's hope...
RE: Using RV generator for house power during power outage
I believe there is a specific reason Onan uses 120 volts and I think it has something to do with gen design not tolerating out of balance winding currents.
Sam
Then why is it OK with the larger units?
RE: Using RV generator for house power during power outage
I have been following this thread for a couple of days now the general consensus seems to be that all RV generators are 120v. I beg to differ, my 10kw Onan puts out 240v ac..I thought someone made that point but if not, you certainly are correct...the large 10K and above are split phase as far as I know.
Sam
If someone made that point, I missed it.
So I guess this means that there are indeed 240 volt RV generators out there, so I guess there isn't a technological or regulatory reason against them. Now that makes me wonder why the bigger generators are 240 volt, while my smaller 8kW unit is 120?
Maybe it all does come down to the possability that the smaller units will be put in a 30 amp rig, which wouldn't be able to handle 240 volts, but they are comfortable that a bigger unit wouldn't be used in such an application?
RE: My portable low profile satellite dish mount
I thought your were gonna' say that the dogs were interested 'cause it's soooooo low!!!!!!!!!!!
J
Yeah, I've worried about that. I've been lucky so far, as I've mostly been able to keep it at the back of the rig where people (and dogs) are not normally walking. It was just that one show (where I had to deal with people standing and talking) where I had to put it in front so far, so I guess I've been lucky. No suspicous stains and streaks on it yet!
I made up a PVC stand from the same sight and like you had flex issues. I shortened the legs down (4 leg unit)as much as possible. I then filled the tubes with expanding foam (light weight) It stiffend the unit alot.
I was considering filling it with sand or concrete to add weight, and I figured that might also stiffen it up, but I never got that far. The main reason I gave up on it, however, was I couldn't figure out how to aim on two satellites with the upside down geometry. So for the time being, I just mounted the standard mounting arm to a piece of plywood, which allowed me to put a couple paver blocks on it to hold it down, and I could plumb the vertical mast to use the normal aiming process.
I used this temporary mount for a couple weekends, and the clincher came when I was at a park with heavy tree cover, and I needed to aim through a gap in the trees. I just couldn't do it. That's when I decided that I wanted the Align-A-Site, and given that it isn't designed for the upside-down geometry, that was the final deathblow for the PVC stand.
On the very first trip with the new stand and the Align-A-Site, I again faced heavy tree cover. Using the Align-A-Site it didn't take me long to find the perfect spot to place the dish, where I could peek through the gap in the trees and hit both satellites.:C
RE: Allison tranny mode
So in real life situations, how many people actually use the economy mode and is it useful?
I turn it on before I even put the transmission in gear
Same here. I don't know if it really makes that much of a difference in fuel usage, but it makes me feel better. :R
