RE: Advice on towing a 5th wheel
The overall length of a truck and 5th wheel would be 3-4 feet shorter than a truck and trailer.
The truck and 5th wheel can turn a much tighter turn then a truck and trailer.
There has only been a few times that I have had issues at a fuel station and it has to do with the height of the 5th wheel. I was still able to get fuel but I had to back out of the fuel dock.
If you go with a 5th wheel I would recommend getting a truck with a 8 foot box.
RE: Garmin GPS
I have the Garmin 770RV. It has some nice features but I don't trust it to take me on the best route so I also use my I phone with Waze.
RE: Canadians still crossing into the USA
I think it's sad that the border has been closed. I Like seeing the Canadians in Arizona and hope to see a few this winter.
RE: House batteries didn't charge while driving
It could be any of the those or it could be as simple as a blown fuse in your charge line. It could take four hours to recharge your house batteries and your drive today was not that long. Do you have a volt meter to check your house batteries?
RE: Pure sine wave inverter suggestions?
I have been using this Samlex inverter for five years and it has worked great. I know that you asked for a 1000 watt but you can get a 2000 watt for just a little bit more.
RE: 5th wheel hitch removal
I would leave the B&W turnover ball installed in the truck. The Companion could be reused and if it does not fit your new truck you could sell it.
RE: Advice on inverter size
I think you will be fine with a 400 watt inverter but if you go bigger find a place inside but close to the batteries to place it.
We run a 2000 watt pure sine wave inverter to watch TV and power the laptop, but we also use it to power the microwave once in a awhile and the wife uses her hair drier in the morning.
BTW it's not hard to mount four batteries end to end on the trailer tongue.
RE: 6 volt batteries, discharge limits
Most people will tell you 50% discharge, but my first pair of 6 volt batteries I discharged until the lights got dim because I did not know any better and I still got 7 years out of them. 50% is a very safe number but don't freak out if you drop below that.
RE: Handling freezing temperatures
We have been down as low as 23 degrees with no frozen pipes but we were not hooked up to power or water.
If you are planning to be in a RV park with hook ups you will need to disconnect your water hose.
RE: Interstate 12volt golf cart battery
Use Google to find your local Interstate battery dealer. I bought four Interstate industrial golf cart 6 volt batteries that are 235 AH each. So that's 470 AH at 12 volts.
RE: Battery storage with solar
Continue doing want you are doing now. I have been doing the same as you for the last seven years expect my batteries get down to 85% charged in the morning before the sun comes out.
RE: cleaning the outside of the 5'er
We removed our decals last year and after a few hours of trying to remove to oxidation myself I gave up and called a local RV shop in Washington, their quote was over $4,000. To me that is a we don't want your business quote. Last winter in Arizona I had it power buffed and waxed for $320 so now the oxidation is gone but you can still see where the decals were removed.
RE: B&W Companion
I have had my Companion for 10 years and never had any problem with the U bolts or draw down bolt. The anti seize sounds like a great idea so I will use some when I reinstall my Companion.
RE: 6 Volt Interstate batteries
I replaced my first pair of 6 volt Interstate batteries after 7 years. I now have four 6 volt Interstate Industrial golf cart batteries. These are the 235 AH batteries and not the same as the Costco Interstate batteries.
Google the Interstate distributor.
RE: Charging 4 batteries with external charger.
Why not use your converter to charge the batteries? The converter is most likely 45 to 60 amps. The 10 amp charger will take a long time to charge four batteries.
