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RE: How bad is 95 between Baltimore and Wilmington,NC?
I have pulled our 5th wheel many times from Jamestown, NY to central VA area via Warren, PA, Ridgeway, Clearfield, Altoona, Bedford, Breezewood, Burkley Springs, Winchester, Charlottesville. At this point you could continue to Richmnond on I-64 and then south I-95 to I-40, or you could go south on US 29 to NC to get I-40 then east to Wilmington.
Jamestown to Lynchburg, VA is ~10 hours. Lynchburg to Wilmington ~ 5 hours.
I don't like the white nuckle driving in heavy fast traffic.
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plascell
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07/19/08 07:51am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Tow Mirrors for Chevy Tahoe
The mirrors need to extend outward enough to see "behind you" not just down the side. Measure the width of the towed trailer and then the width of the mirrors when mounted. Walk behind the trainer to a point where you can see both mirrors. The distance in front of you is a big blind spot.
That being said, the only mirrors I have found worthy are the McKesh mirrors. Extend them as far as they will go. I used to use BOTH slide-on AND McKesh mirrors trying to get the best rear coverage. Never was pleased until I also got a rear view video camera to cover the "blind spot".
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plascell
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07/19/08 07:30am |
Towing
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RE: Ground plane antenna on Class C is it working?
Been reading some of your posts -
It is unfortunate that a perfect match of 1:1 doesn't mean the antenna will radiate or receive well. A dummy load is 1:1, but radiation is nil.
The maximum radiation occurs from the current lobe (not voltage) in the antenna. In a 1/2 wave dipole or 1/4 wave whip with full size radials the current lobe is at the feed point. Any changes in physical size and the required "matching" to keep reflected power from the transmitter, will likely change the location and level of the current lobe.
A simple experiment might be to make a dipole for 27 MHz (ft = 468/MHz) and place the feed point at the bottom corner or upper corner at the back of the RV. Try to keep the center coax lead connection to the vertical wire, and run the shield side horizontal as a single radiator. Tape the antenna to the outside and give it a try. This will work only with fiberglass RV.
Good luck with your experiments.
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plascell
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07/19/08 07:20am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Shenandoah
Sorry Freebird, but being that high up ~3000 ft, there is little water for a stream, let along a pond with fish.
If you would like to be in the south district of SNP, Loft Mtn CG about MP-85 is very nice. Some of the A-loop sites are very large with wonderful sunset views.
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plascell
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07/19/08 06:59am |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: So..I'm thinking of going total solar powered....advice?
Get the biggest single solar panel that will fit on the roof; 100W plus. In the long run you will not be sorry for the added capacity as your life style changes.
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plascell
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07/08/08 06:33am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Lot's of Battery Corrosion
Measure the float voltage on the batteries. If it is 13.2 it is OK. Higher than 13.8 it will overcook the batteries. Fix (adjust) or replace the charge controller. A disconnect switch shouldn't be required except when removing the batteries and needing to power down the whole RV. You should have a fuse you could disconnect on the solar charge line. Also, the float voltage should change a little bit with battery temperature. A good charge controller will have a temperature sensor to be installed on a battery case.
(August Trailer Life has articles on Solar and Generators)
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plascell
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07/08/08 06:24am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: EU3000 while driving
okiegeezer - the Low Oil Sensor is killing the engine. You may have low oil to boot that is agrivating the problem too. But the motion of the oil while driving is why it won't keep running.
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plascell
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07/06/08 07:35pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: CG NEAR MIDDLEBURY/ELKHART, IN
Don't overlook the largest flee market (Tues & Wed) at Shipshewana, just west of Middleburry. There is a nice quiet CG ( I think called Shipshewana North or Amish Log Cabin CG) at the junction of route 120 and 5. There is a Dairy Queen type of business in the corner of the CG. www.amish.org
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plascell
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07/05/08 08:45pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: attaching hooks on outside of 5th wheel
You should be able to attach to the screws in the moulding along the edge. The seem of the sidining and the underside behind the pin box should be sealed with a moulding strip - hard plastic channel with a raised soft vinyl strip that slides along the channel, covering the screws underneath. Make a small metal bracket to slide under the moulding at a screw location. You may want to use chauk to fill the slight gap you make either side of the bracket.
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plascell
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07/05/08 08:13pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Blocks for under the leveling Jacks.
I had the same opportunity 6 years ago. My choice was to cut 3/4" plywood in one foot squares to spread the weight of the rear stabilizers, and I double thick the plywood (crossed the grain too) for the pair that went under the front handing gear. Polyurthaned them so they wouldn't absorb water and fall apart. They have yet to show any age or real useage. In the driveway I use 2x8 about a foot long under each of the landing gear. The plywood is used on grass and loose gravel. Under the wheels to level up I drive up on 2x6. I carry 4 each the width of the truck bed, made from scrap wood. If I had to purchase the wood, I would look again at the orange plastic blocks that are very popular.
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plascell
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07/05/08 08:04pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: skylight in the shower
I would think black cloth with velcro would survive better than paper. But try a large piece of couragated cardboard (paint flat black if needed) first as a pattern.
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plascell
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07/05/08 05:39am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Landing Gear Switch Cover
http://sostx.com/rvmod/id15.html#wlgs
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plascell
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07/03/08 06:33pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Solar Help
IMHO the Harbor Freight low power panels are OK for charging a cell phone, Period! As said above, get one large panel and a good MPPT type charge controller as the entry level system, that will allow you to add additional panel later. You won't have to swap anything out as you move up. Your panel should be the largest single panel that will fix on your roof - 100 plus watts. There is an advantage to get higher voltage panels to use with the MPPT type controller. Stop trying to just get by with cheap. You are putting this on a $$$$$ DP!
www.AMSOLAR.com products have served me well for over 6 years. Pay for solar once and then distilled water for the batteries there after.
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plascell
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07/01/08 07:10pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Antenna Help
If the antenna(s) can be replaced, then they must come apart at the mount. Remove one antenna and see what radio doesn't work very well. Replace the antenna and remove another and recheck the radios to see if the performance changes. Do it by elimination.
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plascell
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06/30/08 09:43pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: You might be a boondocker if...
You might be a boondocker if... you use a funnel each time you fill up with water.
You might be a boondocker if... you don't know if you have window shades.
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plascell
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06/30/08 07:27pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: River Views Campground, Galax Va
Have no knowledge of the subject CG. But we have stayed twice at http://www.deercreekrvresort.com/DCRATES.html about 7 miles south of Galax, 1/2 mile north of the NC line. No frills, but all sites are flat with full hook ups, cable, and wifi. Very clean. They expect the RVs to have their own toilet facilities, but they do have very clean restrooms and free laundry.
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plascell
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06/26/08 05:31pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Disco Battery ?
Kevin, If the rv is plugged in to shore power, leave the batteries connected and watch the electrolyte level for indication of over charging (requiring adjustment to your power converter). If there is no shore power during short and long periods of storage, disconnect the batteries so they will be charged/ready next time you need them. You might also verify that EVERYTHING is disconnected from the batteries when the switch says they are disconnected. Try all the lights and look at the smoke and CO2 monitors.
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plascell
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06/25/08 07:48pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Vermont Route 4
I'll be watching the replies here as I need to go the other direction from Albany to Lebanon, NH...
Clemkad, you didn't say where in NY you were headed, but to avoid to long loop south around Lake George, you may want to think about RT22 north from Whitehall to Ticonderoga, You could follow it on Google Earth to see if it is as flat as it appears on the map.
One thing for sure, we don't want to purchase fuel in NYS if we can help it.
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plascell
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06/24/08 07:10pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: recommending sites to see!!!
Rob, After reading your other postings, if you come from Lancaster area, come west thru York, PA (Harley Davidson factory tours) south on US15 to Fredrick then US340 to Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. US Rt9 & Rt7 to around Leesburg to US15, south to US211, west to Skyline Drive at Thornton Gap. Enter the Shenandoah Park here and go south and camp at Big Meadows in the Central Dist of the park. Next to the South Dist. and camp at Loft Mt. Continue south to Afton Mt I-64 at MP106. You will have to make a decission. West to I-81 to the Smokies, OR straight ahead into the Blue Ridge Parkway, or southeast toward Lynchburg and Appomattox Court House, Bedford and the Nation D-Day Memorial, Brooker T Washington National Historic Site, and then west to Roanoke and again the choice of the Blue Ridge Parkway or I-81 south.
The Skyline Drive in Shenandoah NP is 35 MPH for 106 miles. The Blue Ridge Parkway is 45 MPH (someplaces 35) for 460 miles to the Great Smokies. Do go slow enough to see and enjoy the area. If you must, you can get to I-81 or I-77/I-40 to make time to get to the GSNP. There is a lot to see around Asheville, NC, and mountain crafts by the local folks throughout the southern Virginia and NC mountains. Lots of places to pull off the Blue Ridge Parkway, not like Shenandoah Park with only 4 access point for its 106 miles.
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plascell
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06/24/08 06:49pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Need a switch protector for remote awning button
Not sure what the switch looks like. Can you cut a switch plate from 3/4" thick wood and mount with long screws?
For toggle switches use a "U" channel of metal a few inches long. Drill a mounting hole centered in the bottom of the channel to mount over the switch mounting shaft. The upright sides of the channel should be higher than the switch.
If it is a push buttom, make a small donut (cylinder) of wood, plastic, or metal to slip over the buttom such that you need to push the recessed button with a pencil or a small finger.
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plascell
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06/24/08 06:13pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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