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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: What Did You Do in your Sprinter Based RV Today?
Hey V6 Sprinter owners. NAPA has Mobil 1 on sale through June for 5.99/qt and it includes the 229.51 spec stuff (Forumula M) the DPF equipped Sprinters use. That is a screamin' deal.The 229.51 oil is not listed at the 5.99 price. www.napacircular.com Pulling it up on the web site confirms it's 8.99 a quart http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=MOR105856_0006406863
Wayne,
When I click on the second link you provided it clearly says 5.99.Looks like it depends on the store. For example, if you type in zip 95001 it lists 3 stores. If you pick the Santa Cruz store the price is 5.99. The Felton and Castroville stores give 8.99. At least that's what happens right now, today. Seems fishy to me. I wonder is this is intentional, or if it's a software "feature".
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Wayne Dohnal
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06/06/13 03:01pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Just a flicker...and only a small one
Here's something that may or may not apply. On the Sprinter chassis, the Signal Acquisition and Actuation Module is always measuring the current drawn by each lighting circuit, and if too high, it shuts it down. If one hooks an extra bulb on something like the backup light circuit, the bulbs give but a brief flicker when the circuit is activated. Mercedes left enough headroom in the current limit to drive a relay, which is the documented solution in the Sprinter Body Builder Book. Your truck is a 2008. That's when Chrysler and Mercedes were connected (my Sprinter is officially a 2008 Dodge). Maybe there was some platform technology sharing here? Just a thought.
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Wayne Dohnal
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06/05/13 06:55pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: What Did You Do in your Sprinter Based RV Today?
Hey V6 Sprinter owners. NAPA has Mobil 1 on sale through June for 5.99/qt and it includes the 229.51 spec stuff (Forumula M) the DPF equipped Sprinters use. That is a screamin' deal.The 229.51 oil is not listed at the 5.99 price. www.napacircular.com Pulling it up on the web site confirms it's 8.99 a quart http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=MOR105856_0006406863
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Wayne Dohnal
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06/05/13 09:45am |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Oil drain plug rusted in and stripped
I have a car where the drain plug seizes every single time. The first time I went to change the oil I rounded off the head, and after trying all sorts of things, got it out a few weeks later. Since then (about 10 years ago) I have a rule to never ever loosen an oil plug with anything other than a 6-point wrench. Have never rounded one off with a 6-pointer.
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Wayne Dohnal
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06/03/13 11:06pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Altimeter for the MH
My Garmin Nuvi 2555 can be configured to constantly display the altitude with the primary map display.
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Wayne Dohnal
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06/03/13 01:19pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Satellite radio external antenna
I glued a piece of sheet metal to the top of the refrigerator vent, stuck the magnetic antenna up there, and fished the wire (which was long enough) to the receiver. In a previous install I mounted a small steel bracket under one of the crank-up vents and stuck the antenna there. Worked fine.
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Wayne Dohnal
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06/02/13 02:03pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Built-in Onan Generator - inverter compatibility
Sounds like the charger is just too aggressive in rejecting imperfect AC input power. I skimmed the website and manual and didn't find this issue addressed. The Outback grid-interactive inverters have the same characteristic. Somewhere in the manuals and/or app notes it says the charger won't work with most small generators, and recommends the Honda eu-series.
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Wayne Dohnal
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06/01/13 07:05pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Directv receiver question
Access cards are "married" to their receiver, and can't be successfully moved to another.
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Wayne Dohnal
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06/01/13 09:55am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Atwood dual water heater switch
Use a 12 volt led with the exising switch.That's what I did with my Atwood. The switches just switch +12 on and off, but to be safe, make sure yours works the same way. The last I checked, the electric switches for the Suburban heaters directly switch the 120 volt AC element power.
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Wayne Dohnal
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05/30/13 09:50am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Low Voltage & Charger Efficiency a thread mutation
For generator users. I figured a rational discussion would be worthwhile.In that context I can be more specific. The PD converters have an 'interesting' relationship with generators that can be good or bad depending on the circumstance, because of the converter's dependence on the AC waveform's peak voltage, and its lousy power factor. The 'hot ticket' is a Honda inverter generator paired with a PD converter. The Hondas stand alone with a target output voltage around 125 instead of most other's 120, and it maintains the peaks when faced with the bad power factor load, allowing the PD converter to exceed its specs. If the PD converter is sized too big for the generator (e.g. 60 or 80 amp converter with an eu1000i), the converter can be manually kicked out of boost mode until the battery draw goes down. With a non-Honda inverter generator, the PD converter should still work pretty good. Pairing the PD converter with an AVR generator results in reduced performance. The poor power factor load 'confuses' the AVR. The generator output is still in the 120 RMS ballpark, but the peaks are way down and the PD converter's output suffers. With a smaller conventional generator this turns into an advantage, allowing a 'tiny' generator power to a 'huge' converter at reduced power. A conventional generator in the 750-1,000 VA ballpark will run a 60 or 80 amp PD converter in boost mode in the same situation that will overload an eu1000i.
In summary: With an inverter generator or small conventional generator, PD is a good choice. With a larger conventional generator, another brand (one example being WFCO) will perform much better. Having only 2 generators and a few converters I'm making broad statements without a lot of data, but other forum posts have been consistent with the conclusions.
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Wayne Dohnal
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05/29/13 03:17pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Generators and charging RV batteries - Questions/Comments
Hi, This is a question and not a statement...
Has anyone out there experimented with different chargers and converters and has come to a conclusion WHICH charger or converter loses LEAST amperage potential at 100 volts versus 120 volts? Read "potential" it is a percentage differential. That is to ask, WHICH brand and model of converter or charger is LEAST negatively affected by low voltage.
Thank YouI can answer that for 2 converters. The PD9160A needs a clean sine wave of 120 volts or more to produce its rated current in boost mode. On the other hand, the WFCO 8955 produces its rated current in boost mode no matter what kind of crappy power you feed it with, in terms of waveform or low voltage (within reason of course). Sorry for the general statement, I haven't tried every possible form of substandard power. With the WFCO refusing to go into boost mode in most installations, its robust power supply is unfortunately wasted most of the time.
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Wayne Dohnal
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05/28/13 09:32pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Experience with AC hard start capacitors and Honda 2000
I and others have had good success without installing the capacitor, although I suspect that it may have had one from the factory. This is with a Dometic Brisk Air 13,500 standard efficiency air conditioner. Reports for other brands have been less positive but not hopeless. You for sure need to switch the fridge to 'gas only' and may or may not have to switch off the power converter. Switch 'eco' off so the generator runs in fast idle. Just monitor the voltage inside the RV. If it gets within a few volts of the air conditioner's low spec of 103.5, it's time to abandon the effort.
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Wayne Dohnal
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05/28/13 10:49am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Camera - what lenses
One of the beauties of these 20ish megapixel DSLRs with a good zoom lens is the ability to crop. You can heavily crop a picture taken with a 200 mm lens for far greater telephoto effect and still have plenty for a good web image or small to medium print. I can see this if you save the pictures in raw mode, but would it still be true for jpeg files? Are those 20 megapixels preserved in the jpeg compression? I've got 10 or so megapixels and the pictures start to look pretty soft when I zoom in on them.
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Wayne Dohnal
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05/23/13 01:40pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Camera - what lenses
I use a Nikon D3100 with an 18-55 and 55-200 lens. Having just made a trip to 3 NPs, I think the multiple lenses are not the best solution. There were a lot of pictures that came out below par, or we totally skipped, because it's such a pain to keep changing lenses. The hardest part is when hiking and you're trying to juggle the body, lenses, and lens covers to take a quick shot and keep moving. If it weren't for the $1k price I'd already have the Nikon 18-300 VR lens. I'm going take a serious look at the Tamron 18-270.
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Wayne Dohnal
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05/23/13 09:45am |
Tech Issues
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RE: EU200i Companion receptacles
Both of the Companion's outlets are 120 volt. Just plug into the 20 amp outlet, or use an adapter with the twist-lock outlet.
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Wayne Dohnal
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05/22/13 03:15pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Generator running AC, is single Honda too small ??
That 10 amp startup reading has to be incorrect. A 15,000 btuh air conditioner draws more that that running steady, and a LOT more than that for startup. For the record, an eu2000i will start my RVP Coleman 15,000 btuh air conditioner. After the head pressure builds for a few minutes the power draw exceeds the eu2000i's continuous rating, so it's not a feasible combination.
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Wayne Dohnal
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05/11/13 05:13pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Trade offs of DC-DC vs. PWM for Absorbtion and float
4,000 rpm = 67 rps
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Wayne Dohnal
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05/10/13 10:56pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: LP vs Gas vs Diesel Generator
I have a built in propane generator. It's great for running the microwave for a few minutes here or there, or a short stint with the air conditioner. Having a diesel rig, a built-in gasoline generator is not a practical option. A big advantage of the propane generator is to never have to worry about the carb being gummed up. For running the air conditioner a lot, or charging the battery while boondocking, it's not a good choice because it goes through the propane so quickly. When boondocking I carry an eu2000i to charge the battery, and don't go where I'll need much of the air conditioner.
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Wayne Dohnal
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05/08/13 08:45am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Parallel Honda EU2000i and Ryobi 2000
Unverified opinion: If the Ryobi's output voltage and frequency are within the Honda specs the eu2000i should sync up with it. There shouldn't be any risk of damage (remember: opinion). The major problem I see that applies trying to sync a Honda inverter generator with any other is that Honda seems to stand alone with an output voltage at or near 128. This would mean that the two generators wouldn't share the load very gracefully, with the Honda carrying all of the load until it's close to being maxed out and its voltage gets pulled down. The subject Ryobi is the only currently available non-Honda/Yamaha generator I know of that parallels without the used of a sync line in its parallel cable. When Kipor did this years ago, Honda jumped all over them and the product got withdrawn from the market. Makes me wonder if Ryobi is licensing the technology from Honda and/or Yamaha, or if they're about to feel the wrath of Honda's lawyers?
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Wayne Dohnal
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05/07/13 02:48pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Using Clamp-On Multimeter to Check a/c Surge Current
The best and easiest way is to use a "memo-scope" and a current probe.I agree but what do you do with the data? Peak, average, RMS, single cycle, over a time window, how long is the window, etc? Even if there's a standard I don't know about, does the generator conform to that standard? I think this is a case where the only practical measurement is to try it and see if it works, or get enough user reports to have a fairly high level of confidence of the expected result. From what I've read, the Yamaha 2400 has a pretty good success rate with 13,500 btuh air conditioners, but there are some exceptions.
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Wayne Dohnal
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05/03/13 07:41pm |
Tech Issues
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