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RE: QUESTIONS ABOUT HEATER
We had a Suburban heater in our previous camper, and an Atwood in the current one. The Atwood is much quieter than the Suburban.
Wow, those Suburban's must be REALLY loud. My Atwood (the long, skinny one that is in many TC's) is pretty noisy, I thought the OP's description applied to my Atwood. I see the replacement alternates here as not applicable to fit in the hole my Atwood would leave.
I have a Platinum Cat I have been meaning to install for 5 years now - the severity of the problem vs the effort of the solution has not yet forced me to do the work. As I get older, my hearing will deteriorate; a natural solution?
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vanbikehorse
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11/18/08 10:42am |
Truck Campers
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RE: 110 hook up
I added the Smart Charger option to my Iota Charger (did not come with it from the TC Manufacturer). It was a simple plug in. They do not keep a constant charge voltage, but adapt to conditions of the battery to treat it the best. I now leave mine plugged in all the time. To upgrade to such a unit is in the range of $100-150 depending on the size of the converter you have if you do the work yourself (something like $30 if you just need the smart charger).
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vanbikehorse
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11/13/08 11:26am |
Truck Campers
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RE: GM 6 liter Highway MPG?
I wouldn't do it. I had a 2002 2500HD with 6L and 4.10 gears. Got 10-12 mpg. Unloaded mixed town and country was 12, highway 16. Upgraded to the diesel to get the power so I didn't have to dance on the gas pedal all the time. You are already there!
The 3.73 won't like those Maine hills. Around PA/NJ, I could maintain 60-65, but would sometimes need 2nd gear to do it. You could be in first with that high of a rear end!
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vanbikehorse
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11/13/08 11:11am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Will Camper drain Truck Battery?
A continuous duty solenoid is better because it costs a lot less. They are technically better than the isolator you have found in your search (as that one has a voltage drop when supplying power). IMHO, they are NOT technically better than the ones Hellroaring Technologies makes. http://www.hellroaring.com/ .
I mainly got mine due to solid state reliability and ease of install (all I had to do was to provide a battery voltage feed to my Hellroaring and its smart enough to know when to turn on and off).
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vanbikehorse
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11/12/08 08:16pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Table Pedestal Keeps Breaking
That's basically what I described in my post of how to build a brace :)
So you did Joe; sorry I missed it the first time. You even described how to do it in such detail that the OP should have had it done by now and told us nevermind!
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vanbikehorse
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11/12/08 08:04pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Will Camper drain Truck Battery?
I guess the best plan of attack is to disconnect the camper while not in use but still on the truck. Thanks for the info!
The trick is to make sure it is done 100% of the time. For this task, I chose to install an isolator. Even though it is an electronic component that might fail, it is much more reliable than I am!
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vanbikehorse
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11/12/08 11:36am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Table Pedestal Keeps Breaking
Gotta chime in.
Not gonna use my Risk adverse father hat; others have presented those points and those who will listen have heard.
I'm gonna put on my problem solving engineer's hat. The summary question posed is "how do I keep the table from breaking". To interpret the question otherwise eliminates many possibilities that may help the OP. I do not believe any of the "don't put the kids back there" are off topic as they do solve the problem.
In defense of my thesis, I will offer another approach that is also not the direct question posed by the OP (stronger base), but still may be a solution. My Alpenlite has a brace at the top of the seat (about half way up the table leg, but attached to the seat base) that cups the table leg. It has a removable strap so the leg can be removed to convert it into a bed. Assuming that the kids are bumping the top of the table and the force is transmitted via the leg to the base, this type of a brace would protect the base and require a substantially larger hit to break either the top or bottom "base".
PS - It would work even better if the kids weren't in there when the TC is moving!
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vanbikehorse
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11/12/08 11:28am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Need a replacement rim Questions 16x6
We have a local place "hubcap heaven" that speciallizes in pre-owned hubcaps and wheels. Perhaps you have an equivalent. I've always had better luck there than the "network of Junkyards".
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vanbikehorse
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11/12/08 10:49am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Mr. Heater Little Buddy.
There is no CO problem, it burns the oxygen and that is why you need ventilation, the unit has a low oxygen shut off. People that have never used one are the folks that say they are dangerous. I mount mine below the furnace on the wall so it won't tip over.
I have used one (in a tent) and they are dangerous (as is pretty much everything in life, including your regular furnace). There is the potential of CO problems, fire problems, low oxygen problems (who says all those sensors always work...). If you use one, you should observe the precautions indicated above.
I don't use it in an TC because I consider the TC furnace less dangerous. I got a different type heater for the tent, a Zodi that you sit outside the tent and pumps in heated air that has been through a heat exchanger.
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vanbikehorse
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11/12/08 10:36am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Truth be told
We don't crank up the water heater often, but 100% of the showers involve heated water. The cold shower approach sounds like banging your head against the wall because if feels so good when you quit!
You are remembering to service the water part of that heater; check the anode yearly as well as clean out the gunk in the tank, right?
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vanbikehorse
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11/12/08 10:23am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Age old question: Is this too much camper for my truck?
Slim,
The answer to too much camper for my truck is invariably YES. So you are giving up GVWR and working on GAWR. This in GM HD usually translates to the tires.
I think your camper numbers are pretty close. Mine weighs in around 3400 lbs with everything ready to go. When I do that, my rear axle load measures 6000 lbs. On a short bed, EVERYTHING goes to the rear axle, so you should be less. Air bags or SuperSprings are necessary for sway control - as are Rancho 9000x's (even though the stock suspension doesn't deflect much, it really moves around down the road.
The tire thing is a tight call. It looks like you would be OK without new tires if your old ones are 10 ply rated, good condition, etc. I would say get the camper and weigh the rig.
PS - Go with the Alpenlite, you won't be disappointed! (of course those Outfitters are nice.....and still in business.
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vanbikehorse
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11/04/08 10:31am |
Truck Campers
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RE: battery ??
I did not see anyone mention anything about temperature, so I will note that something like low twelve's voltage is fully charged in the 30's F. You need to factor temperature in the equation. I've always used 75% charge as a low limit for planning purposes.
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vanbikehorse
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10/30/08 07:02am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Tow/Haul Mode
One of the advantages of the tow/haul mode that seems to have been missed so far is that it changes the torque converter lockup.
Quote:
T/H isn't much on the gassers, but on the Duramax, it is a real winner with torque converter bypass and grade braking being the major features.
So shoot me, I described what it functionally does (bypass the torque converter) instead of its marketing name/implementation technique......
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vanbikehorse
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10/30/08 06:55am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Tow/Haul Mode
I had a 2002 2500HD with 6 L gas. I don't remember the specifics of the percentage of max that was recommended for T/H, but I was just below it with 7500 lbs T/H. You must be way below it. I would say don't use it and if you find you get in a situation where you are upshifting and then immediately downshifting (e.g. in town or just the wrong combination of rolling hills), punch into it.
T/H isn't much on the gassers, but on the Duramax, it is a real winner with torque converter bypass and grade braking being the major features. I like to use it to slow at exits by tapping the brake coming into the exit, which tells the transmission to downshift and gives you engine braking.
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vanbikehorse
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10/27/08 05:22pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: How do you wipe that nose?
I use a pressure washer and bug remover. I use the bug stuff from WalMart. I put it on my extendable pole scrubber pad, covered with a rag (applicator). After about 15 or 20 minutes, I will use the scrubber pad on my extension, with the bug remover to catch what I can. I then use the pressure washer to finish it off.
As a side note, I do use the pressure washer on the entire TC, but hold the wand further back than on the front.
You wash your TC every trip! How can you not have a pressure washer?
Mine is 2800psi, 3gpm (pressure is nice, but gpm cleans!). I have two weapons of choice for this: Turbo nozzle with extension and swirling brush. The turbo nozzle is my weapon of choice, but you can only use this on the straightaways (no seams, no window, no decals). My main use of the turbo nozzle is on the fiberglass horse trailer as it is mostly all straightaways. The bug edge of the nose meets the straightaway criteria, but you gotta be careful. The swirly brush gets the rest and is done at relatively low pressure. I typically only do this once or twice a year. Most of my bug cleaning is done after/during a long rain from a ladder on either side of the TC with one of those windshield cleaning tools (the scrubbing side, not the squeege) on a long stick.
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vanbikehorse
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10/27/08 05:07pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Tarp Over Roof For Winter
I've used the infamous silver tarps for the last 5 years. I use it over the winter and between camping trips. I have not had any issues with condensation or mold/mildew (I live in the woods and if it were going to mold/mildew, it would!). I found that a big horse water tub inverted over my rear fantastic fan gave me the proper elevation to prevent water pooling and to keep most of the tarp off the roof. The AC is at an intermediate height in the middle of the TC and the horse tub is higher than that, sloping away to both sides.
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vanbikehorse
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10/27/08 04:45pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Ordering truck with 2nd battery under hood-Good idea??
vanbikehorse
I don't think that anything has changed from my 2000, but as hard as it is to believe, with the camper connected you are drawing from the starting batt. and not the aux. batt. I found this out on my first trip, and drained my batts. with the fridge on 12 volts while stopped to sleep in a rest area. A the time I thought the isolater was bad, and had drained all three. The correct operation was explained to me by the Dealership tech. This tech had a 5er, so he knew 1st hand .
Once I understood the draw of the fridge, and the propane operation I've not done this since. I have a large deep cycle Optima, and with the main batt. I've run the furnace all night in 15* weather with no problem.
Also the design of my truck wont let me use a taller batt. and still close the hood. Mark.
Mark,
Something is wrong with your hookup. You got a wiring pigtail and a fuse with the Aux battery option. The wiring pigtail is only needed for the brakes, but the fuse and its connection (to stud 1 I believe) gets you the use of the isolator that prevents the starting battery from being connected when the key is off.
PS - Drawings Here
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vanbikehorse
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10/27/08 08:40am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Ordering truck with 2nd battery under hood-Good idea??
I have a 2000 silverado with the 2 battery option. On my truck {not positive but I think yours is the same} the second batt. only comes into play with the key on. This was for the high ele. demand of plow pumps and similar things.
With your camper connected, and the ignition off you would be drawing from the camper batt. and the starting batt. The only way to use all three is to rewire the second batt.
Also the second batt. doesn't help out with starting. But I does let you jump start yourself. I hope this helps. Mark.
Mark, I believe the 2 battery option works slighly different than the way I read your post (but that's a feature of the English language isn't it, one can read a lot into things!):
Paragraph 1: The camper battery is connected to the truck battery when the key is on.
Paragraph 2: With the camper connected and the ignition off, the aux battery would be connected to the camper and the truck battery would be isolated. I agree with the rewire statement.
Paragraph 3: Yes, true, you have to use jumper cables or the like to jump start yourself! I had to do this twice when I had my 2002. I've never had to do it with a vehicle that new that didn't have an extra battery - go figure.
What do you think - are we saying the same thing or not???
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vanbikehorse
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10/21/08 05:24pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Ordering truck with 2nd battery under hood-Good idea??
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've read on here before that the factory puts isolators in the truck's electrical so the TC will not pull power from the trucks battery when the truck is turned off.
Is this correct?
I was disconnecting the truck from the camper on overnight boondocking trips, but was surprised i didn't really need to disconnect, since my 06 Dodge probably had a isolator.
Thanks for clearing the muddy water.
Not having problems leaving the plug in doesn't necessarily mean you are isolated.
In general, trucks don't come with isolators and you should find out specifically if yours does. I would identify the charge pin on the trailer hitch and check it out with a voltmeter (or an electrical checker light - a buck or so at an auto store)with the ignition off. You can put one lead to a good ground and the other to each pin individually and see if any light up. If they do, you are not isolated. Then you should search isolator on the forum; lots of options from simple relay to super solid state Hellroaring system.
As I mentioned in another post, the GM aux battery does have an isolator (a simple relay isolator).
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vanbikehorse
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10/21/08 05:13pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Ordering truck with 2nd battery under hood-Good idea??
Back on the original question. You can't go wrong with an HD alternator. The aux battery on the GM gets you the isolator for the primary battery already installed, so that's good. To take advantage of the aux battey itself, you probably need to put in heavier wire than the 10 gauge the truck comes with. The battery itself will be another starter battery, so if you really wanted to use it for the camper, you could put the aux battey in another vehicle and put in a new deep cycle battery in its place.
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vanbikehorse
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10/21/08 10:52am |
Truck Campers
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