gusbratz
PA
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Joined: 01/27/2011
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hello all, just bought our first MH. a 1984 winnebago chiefton. has a 6.2L diesel and an 4.0 KW propane Genset. it is kind of ratty but we hope to fix it up and go on a family vacation this summer for a week or 2. I think it has been sitting for about 2 years and before that it was lived in for a while. looks like it hasn't seen any maintenance for about 10 years. only one front brake works but we plugged in the block heater for an hour and gave it a jump and it started and i drove it over 100 miles home. i am a bit of a backyard mechanic and feel confident i can go through the brakes and engine without a problem but i have a few MH questions as this is new to me.
1.)the fridge doesn't work, but it came with a new in the box electric fridge. i think it would be good to get the original working because it works on propane, ac or dc. seems like a good thing but i have no expierence. maybe i could get an inverter to run the fridge while on the road? or should i get mine working?
2.)when i bought if today he started the gen up for me. but once i got home i couldn't figure out how. i pushed the start button but inside the cab and inside the gen compartment and it did nothing. maybe i need to have the engine running? there are 3 batteries in the cubby under the floor but only 2 are hooked up. he said the little thing with the fins is a battery isolator. how does this setup work? does the coach have to be running or turned on to get the gen going? if i run a power cord out from the house will it charge the batteries?
3.) how do i fill the propane? do i need a special hose? or does the gas station have this. can i fill it without driving to this gas station? maybe i could t into the system and put a 20# bottle beside it so we could run the furnace. it is 0'F here....
well that should get me started. maybe i will post some pics tomorrow if any body wants to see them. any advice or any one with experience with a coach like this i would love to hear it. super excited.
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wrvond
West Virginia
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Joined: 08/11/2010
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gusbratz wrote:hello all, just bought our first MH. a 1984 winnebago chiefton. has a 6.2L diesel and an 4.0 KW propane Genset. it is kind of ratty but we hope to fix it up and go on a family vacation this summer for a week or 2. I think it has been sitting for about 2 years and before that it was lived in for a while. looks like it hasn't seen any maintenance for about 10 years. only one front brake works but we plugged in the block heater for an hour and gave it a jump and it started and i drove it over 100 miles home. i am a bit of a backyard mechanic and feel confident i can go through the brakes and engine without a problem but i have a few MH questions as this is new to me.
1.)the fridge doesn't work, but it came with a new in the box electric fridge. i think it would be good to get the original working because it works on propane, ac or dc. seems like a good thing but i have no expierence. maybe i could get an inverter to run the fridge while on the road? or should i get mine working?
2.)when i bought if today he started the gen up for me. but once i got home i couldn't figure out how. i pushed the start button but inside the cab and inside the gen compartment and it did nothing. maybe i need to have the engine running? there are 3 batteries in the cubby under the floor but only 2 are hooked up. he said the little thing with the fins is a battery isolator. how does this setup work? does the coach have to be running or turned on to get the gen going? if i run a power cord out from the house will it charge the batteries?
3.) how do i fill the propane? do i need a special hose? or does the gas station have this. can i fill it without driving to this gas station? maybe i could t into the system and put a 20# bottle beside it so we could run the furnace. it is 0'F here....
well that should get me started. maybe i will post some pics tomorrow if any body wants to see them. any advice or any one with experience with a coach like this i would love to hear it. super excited.
Hi, and welcome.
I don't have a whole lot of answers for you, but can help with a couple I think.
First, the refridgerator. It sounds like your new one is what is called a 'residential' unit. It only runs on 110 VAC. The old one has the advantage of running on 110 VAC, 10 VDC, or propane. This is handy if you boondock a lot. It means you can run the reefer off the house batteries, propane, or a suitable power pole. If you intend on staying in parks with power poles only, the residential will actually be easier to operate and maintain. To keep the contents cold while not connected to shore power will require your generator to be running, even while driving down the road, which can get expensive.
Inverters that are any good are pretty expensive. They can cost as much as you paid for your entire MH. I think you might as well plan on sticking with the converter you already have and wait for the bigger, newer MH to use an inverter in.
You'll have to go to a propane fill station to get the tank filled. Alternatively, you can install an extend-a-stay kit and run an auxillary propane tank that you can carry to the fill station. If you have the MH connected to shore power at home, just get an electric space heater or two and plug in inside. Lots cheaper than propane.
The isolator is designed to seperate the chassis battery (for the engine) from the carriage batteries (for the house). You'll pretty much have to trace the wires to see how it is connected. Google can help you find a wiring diagram, if you're lucky.
Good luck!
1988 24' Alumilite XL Class A by Holiday Rambler w/Ford 460
1990 25' 2609IN Innsbruck by Gulf Stream
1996 5.2L Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 3.73 gears and factory tow package
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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Joined: 07/22/2007
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We have really enjoyed our old MH but it has required a lot of work and money. I like projects it seems. Happy travels when you get it fixed up some.
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recycled55
Near Chicago,Il
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Joined: 09/22/2011
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I bought a 84 winnie chieftain 22 recently and am going thru some of the same issues. I am presently replacing the ceiling panels a bit at a time. Like you said its cold.. I use a elec. space heater to take the chill off.
Have you given any thought to "burping" your fridge. Do some searches about it. Haven't reinstalled mine yet but hoping it helps. Mine only worked in the freezer part and nothing in the fridge part.
Check out the classic winniebago forum also for info. They primarily deal with old classics like outs and older.
I wish I had your engine rather than my gasser.
When you get some pictures I would like to see how similiar the mh are to each other.
Best of luck to you.
recycled55
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Rickyrocket
Coventry,RI
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Joined: 04/09/2007
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the burping thing could get you thru a couple of months but it will surely fail when ou least expect it,I did it and it failed on the way to Florida when it was fully packed for a three day road trip(kids enjoyed as much ice cream & pizza as they wanted)
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ets1996
tumwater,wa.
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Joined: 12/07/2010
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Welcome to the forum and Happy RVing we are on our third old new to us Rv you came to the right place for help advice etc. Don't think about your rig as you said looking "ratty". I always figure at the end of the day when you pull into the RV park and park next to that big shinny rich and shamless rig the driver of that rig also has to get out and hook up the poopie we are all in this together Enjoy
* This post was
edited 01/05/12 12:17am by ets1996 *
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J-Rooster
Port Orchard, Wa. / Lake Havasu City, Az.
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Joined: 11/14/2004
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Gus, Welcome to the RV.Net family! Congrats on your new coach and you'll have lots of time to get the bugs out before summer.
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RVRODDER
ENGLAND
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Joined: 08/24/2010
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welcome to the forum ,my last rv before this one had the 6.2 diesel,it proved to be a very good motor,good luck.The finned type battery isolators generally work very well, as they have no moving parts,they stop the house 12v cicuits from drainind down the chassis batteries; but still allow the vehicle batteries to charge the house batteries, when the engine is running, and the vehicle batteries are up to the right charge level.I wouldnt be driving any further though, until I had repaired those brakes!!
Gulfstream Sunvoyager Cummins 5.9BT DP.
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jetboat4
wausau
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Joined: 03/22/2009
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I would love to see pics
1999 Fleetwood Southwind 35S F-53 V-10 Triton with Banks
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jimervin
ga
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Joined: 07/20/2004
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One thing about the Winnebago is that they make their own parts, not aplliances, so you should be able to get about anything you want from the factory. Good luck, take your time, and have a good time with the refurbishing.
jim
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