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RE: Norcold Problem or Blessing?
I went to Walmart and bought one of those indoor/outdoor digital thermometers for about $10 bucks. I set the remote one in the fridge and keep the monitor one in the kitchen area. The "indoor/outdoor" labels are reversed, but it tells me exactly what the temps are inside the fridge at all times. By using this, I can monitor and adjust the fridge settings to keep everything at the perfect temp.
No guess work involved.
Ron
Thanks for this suggestion. I know what "Big Whitey" says is true, but I don't want to overwork the unit by keeping it colder than is necessary leading to an early failure.
Big Whitey has NO CLUE. He is just a Naysayer. You cannot cause an early failure by overworking a RV absorbsion refer. There are NO MOVING parts. Your refer is operating to specs. That said, some models of Norcolds have a auto defrost feature that every 48 to 54 hours of continuous operation the refer shuts off for 2 to 3 hours to allow the evap fins to shed any ice/frost build up. Post your year and model and I can tell you if your model has this feature. Doug
i may not have a clue but i do have the good sense to not depend on an absorption fridge to keep things cold or listen to a know it all like you. i may be a Naysayer but i am a Naysayer with a compressor fridge that keeps things very cold and requires no maintenance.
You are correct. I AM a know it all. I have 34 years as a RV Technician and there are MILLIONS of RV refers out there performing every day, 7 days a week all year round. BTW, ALL compressor refers require maintenance. Pull one out sometime and look at the clogged Condensors and fans. All those dust bunnies and pet hair if you have pets. Doug (Know it all and very proud and not ashamed to know it all). :B
growing up i remember my dad always told me " Son when you know it all you leave nothing for anyone else to know ". now i know what he meant.
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big whitey
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04/19/13 10:23pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Norcold Problem or Blessing?
I went to Walmart and bought one of those indoor/outdoor digital thermometers for about $10 bucks. I set the remote one in the fridge and keep the monitor one in the kitchen area. The "indoor/outdoor" labels are reversed, but it tells me exactly what the temps are inside the fridge at all times. By using this, I can monitor and adjust the fridge settings to keep everything at the perfect temp.
No guess work involved.
Ron
Thanks for this suggestion. I know what "Big Whitey" says is true, but I don't want to overwork the unit by keeping it colder than is necessary leading to an early failure.
Big Whitey has NO CLUE. He is just a Naysayer. You cannot cause an early failure by overworking a RV absorbsion refer. There are NO MOVING parts. Your refer is operating to specs. That said, some models of Norcolds have a auto defrost feature that every 48 to 54 hours of continuous operation the refer shuts off for 2 to 3 hours to allow the evap fins to shed any ice/frost build up. Post your year and model and I can tell you if your model has this feature. Doug
i may not have a clue but i do have the good sense to not depend on an absorption fridge to keep things cold or listen to a know it all like you. i may be a Naysayer but i am a Naysayer with a compressor fridge that keeps things very cold and requires no maintenance.
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big whitey
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04/18/13 07:17pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Reservations about reservations
I never make reservations when traveling. I like to stop when I see something interesting and keep going if I don't. I don't like traveling on a schedule. I've never had trouble finding places to stay.
x2
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big whitey
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04/17/13 05:55pm |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Freezer works but fridge dont?
Ok thanks I will check and post model # if its not.. hopefully it is, we are leaving on friday for the weekend and I really hope to have a cold fridge..
this advice will save you time,gray hairs and $$$$$. not to mention tons of aggravation and this excellent advice is free. if you want a cold fridge forget about any absorption fridge and go buy some/any type compressor fridge, as the sorriest cheapest compressor fridge is superior to the nicest most expensive absorption fridge $$$$ will buy.
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big whitey
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04/17/13 05:45pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Norcold Problem or Blessing?
on the surface it is a blessing but ultimately it WILL be a problem as it lulls you into a false sense of security. translation: you just kicked the can down the road cause it will do what all absorption fridges do best " FAIL TO KEEP THINGS COLD "
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big whitey
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04/17/13 05:20pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Phantom Walmart horn blower
We all know that many Walmarts allow overnight parking in their lots. But are we really to the point where people who come there to shop need to be more considerate of the people sleeping there?
actually we are at the point where " EVERYONE " needs to be more considerate "PERIOD".
I would venture a guess that 90% or more of the overnighters at WMT are also customers.
Walmart stated a few years ago, that the average overnighter spends $87.00 in their store.
WalMart marketing revolves around getting you in the store and keeping you there. Why do you think that many Wal-Mart’s have nice bus stops in their parking lot?
In area of high Amish population they have an areas to tie up and water horses.
Why are some of the isles inside at a different angle? To keep you walking and looking at merchandise.
Why are there no clocks in Wal-Mart’s?
I am not knocking WalMart, I admire their marketing efforts. They know how to market.The average Walmart store Grosses around $250,000 per day.($400 billion annual sales, 4200 stores) If there are 10 rigs overnighting (a high number) that is $870.00 of that quarter of a million per day. Doesn't exactly move the needle. The odds are very great that the average run of the mill Ford Taurus in the parking lot for 30 minutes is generating much more in sales than that Million Dollar Prevost taking up 10 parking spaces all night does. It is a great perk that Walmart offers RVers by allowing overnighting, but it is hardly material to their success or failure.
in a former life i was director of marketing for a company whose largest account was WMT. i have first hand knowledge of their marketing strategy and i can tell you they have no interest in providing perks to RVers or anyone else for that matter. to them a sale is a sale is a sale be it $87 or 87 cents. they want every dime,whether it moves the needle or not is inmaterial to them. most of their stores have plenty of parking spaces so they could care less about the Prevost taking up empty spaces long as they are spending $$$$. they are all about market share and will do whatever it takes to remain top dog.
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big whitey
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04/11/13 07:37pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: Phantom Walmart horn blower
We all know that many Walmarts allow overnight parking in their lots. But are we really to the point where people who come there to shop need to be more considerate of the people sleeping there?
actually we are at the point where " EVERYONE " needs to be more considerate "PERIOD".
I would venture a guess that 90% or more of the overnighters at WMT are also customers.
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big whitey
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04/11/13 05:33pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: palomino truck camper
I'm entertaining the thought of a new tc to replace my '94. There's a company on ebay in Iowa that is offering just what I want for $14,000. But Palomino used to not be very good. Any thoughts on the new one? I know there's a lot of movement in the industry with changes in companies and brands.
Thanks.
don
unfortunately some things never change. :(
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big whitey
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04/07/13 05:55pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Sierra and Sand Dunes - TR
wayyy cool,i am so jealous. hoping to make a similar trip jan/feb/mar.
i would appreciate any info on gas/water availability in DV.
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big whitey
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04/03/13 03:44pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: So what did you do to your Truck Camper today?
Gave my truck and camper a much needed bath.
X2,filthy after our 4 weeks in Fla.
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big whitey
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04/03/13 03:37pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Travel Ideas for the winter months
coulda shoulda been a bit more transparent in my post. we are headed to the DSW this time of year to see the sights but more specifically to escape the cold (in typical snowbird fashion). so any areas with daytime temps below 60 * is OUT of the question.
HATE COLD WEATHER!!!!! LOVE THE DESERT
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big whitey
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04/03/13 03:19pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Absorbtion refrigerators in Hot Weather
Once you get above 80 F ambient temps I don't care if you have a fan hooked up to a racing engine you just are not going to improve the cooling of a absorbsion fridge much.
I have camped in daytime temps of 90, even 100 degrees and let me tell you my fridge was barely able to maintain 50 F in the fridge section.
The absorbsion cycle starts out extremely inefficient even at 70 F ambient temps. It gets worse at 80 F ambient and by 90 F ambient the absorbsion cycle is nearly at a dead stop.
Fans in the chimney might move more air around but that air is extremely hot to start with. Therefore very little improvement will be had.
That's interesting, and not at all reflective of my experience.
I'm sure some absorption units are better than others in how they are engineered, installed and insulated, so individual results will vary.
We frequently camp in temps reaching the upper 90's in South Central Texas while attending the grandson's summer baseball tournaments. Using the fans we have no problem maintaining refrig temps in the low 40's during the day and the 30's when I check it first thing in the morning.
beer/soft drinks at low 40's temps,yuk no thanks. how long will milk last at these temps?
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big whitey
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04/02/13 05:36pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Absorbtion refrigerators in Hot Weather
The best solution is to dispel the heat from the back of the refrigerator. Under less extreme conditions, the chimney effect works well. In high ambient temperatures, a fan forcing more air over the coils and up the "chimney" helps dramatically. Your refrigerator will have a 12 volt connection in the back, and since the computer pancake fans are also 12 volt, and trip to radio Shack will probably solve the problem. for me, I just hung the fan with wire ties from the coils, and inserted the fan wires into the 12 volt connection as needed.
+1
I mounted a couple of these computer fans behind the fridge to help boost the movement of air up the 'chimney' in hot weather. That, plus trying to shade the refrig. side from the sun and limit how often it's opened can make a big difference in how well it cools in the heat.
Once you get above 80 F ambient temps I don't care if you have a fan hooked up to a racing engine you just are not going to improve the cooling of a absorbsion fridge much.
I have camped in daytime temps of 90, even 100 degrees and let me tell you my fridge was barely able to maintain 50 F in the fridge section.
The absorbsion cycle starts out extremely inefficient even at 70 F ambient temps. It gets worse at 80 F ambient and by 90 F ambient the absorbsion cycle is nearly at a dead stop.
Fans in the chimney might move more air around but that air is extremely hot to start with. Therefore very little improvement will be had.
One huge side effect of my home fridge conversion, I no longer have this issue, keeps the fridge section at a very nice frosty 34 F temp even when the outside temps are 100+ F! You would have to pry my home fridge setup out of my dead cold hands before I would ever consider another absorbsion fridge.. :B
X2
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big whitey
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04/02/13 05:33pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Travel Ideas for the winter months
we are tentatively planning to leave NC after Christmas and head in the geneeral direction of the desert SW(3 mos). we are looking at Vegas,Phoenix,Joshua Tree,DV,etc,etc as potential destinations. i too would be open to suggestions especially in this part of the country.
FYI,we will be be boondocking exclusively.
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big whitey
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04/02/13 05:19pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Campfires: Love them or hate them?
love my campfire,hate yours as yours is smoky and stinks and we all know mine is neither.:R
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big whitey
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04/01/13 06:53pm |
RV Lifestyle
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RE: Sat dish
Cushion the area with a piece of Eternabond tape. I did the same thing under my old bat wing antenna. Worked great.
that is exactly what i did. easy as cutting a piece of Eternabond and sticking it to the roof.
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big whitey
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04/01/13 05:53pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: western trip
not to hijack my own thread BUT,to what degree will water/gas be available in remote areas of DV as we plan to boondock and travel extensively throughout DV for an extended period of time. thanks.
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big whitey
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03/29/13 07:59pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: Poor tv reception
Snow?? Since they have gone digital, how do you get that?? Just curious.
x2
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big whitey
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03/29/13 07:40pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: western trip
thanks to all for the info especially the links,i really appreciate the effort.
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big whitey
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03/28/13 05:34pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: western trip
thanks all for your responses. good to know there is at least some boondocking available at DV.
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big whitey
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03/28/13 07:55am |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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