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RE: Road tripping for used TCs
We're Xscapers members, and once we decided to look at a specific TC, we posted on the Xscapers FB page asking if anyone would go take a look at it in exchange for a little bit of cash. We found an experienced RVer to give us an unbiased review and all the photos we wanted for $100, and bought it sight-unseen and had it transported to us.
That might not be a viable option for you (?), but speaks to the benefits of some of these RV clubs and networking with others.
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n0arp
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04/13/22 12:51pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Campsite Lighting
All of the above, obviously LED are most effective when dry camping. Yes the night sky is nice but also need some lighting depending on the activity. The propane lantern was always my go-to, but since I added an LED strip under the awning, have not used one much.
Time/activity/neighbor dependent as all is, just like the outdoor speaker threads. How about answering the OPs question instead of telling him he doesn't need lighting? jeez....
Well, OP is a RV company that has been conducting market research on here for the last month. Doubtful it is for OP's personal use at all. Generally speaking, I'd rather not see a bunch of lights added to RVs (especially ones marketed for boondocking) when all they will do is annoy their neighbors. One thing I've observed out here is that if you put a lot of obnoxious lights on a trailer, they're going to be used. If this were any other user, maybe I'd answer the question a little differently.
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n0arp
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04/11/22 04:27pm |
Tent Camping
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RE: Campsite Lighting
Why would you want to do that? Enjoy the night sky.
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n0arp
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04/11/22 04:01pm |
Tent Camping
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RE: Get Internet with No Cell Service??
Just cause it works today at point A does not mean it works tomorrow at point B.
Cellular plans are similar. You aren't guaranteed access everywhere. Access is provided on best-effort basis and you may be deprioritized or throttled. Oh, and there are contracts most of the time instead of it being month to month where you can cancel whenever you want.
We don't have any cell service - AT&T or VZ, where I'm writing this from. Starlink works great.
And we're (for the most part) not talking about using it *in motion*. Using it in multiple locations is now supported. Using it rolling down the road is not (but works fine - I don't mind voiding warranties).
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n0arp
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04/09/22 01:07pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Parallel different brand lifepo4 batteries together?
It's best not do to it, but should work fine *in parallel*.
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n0arp
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04/09/22 09:58am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Parallel different brand lifepo4 batteries together?
If they're actually clones (as in the BMS is the same), then you'll be fine. Different implementations may not play so nicely together and you are gambling on that. If not the same, nothing catastrophic will happen, but you may not be able to utilize the full potential of the bank.
Will Prowse didn't talk about BMS types really in his teardowns and the other guy just said they were average...Not listing the BMS manufacturer....
What could happen if both were differently made?
Depends on how they differ, but nothing substantial and it depends on how they are used, as long as we're talking parallel and not series. The worst case is probably that one BMS disconnects its cells according to some parameter, while the other does not. You are effectively working on one battery until that parameter is cleared. That can cause them to get out of sync with one another, and when the other battery reconnects the cells, the inrush between the two could be enough to cause damage. Unlikely, but again, worst case scenario.
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n0arp
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04/09/22 08:57am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Parallel different brand lifepo4 batteries together?
If they're actually clones (as in the BMS is the same), then you'll be fine. If different, nothing catastrophic will happen, but you may not be able to utilize the full potential of the bank.
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n0arp
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04/09/22 08:36am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Get Internet with No Cell Service??
Anyone who shells out that much coin for something that comes with those terms is a financial fool IMO. It essentially says we can shut you off at any time for any reason or our stuff may just not work and in that case too bad. But hey its your money. I tried to subscribe for the farm, says I might receive hardware and service in 2023 or later if I send a $100. Screw that.
If you actually read the thread, a lot of the discussion revolved around that you don't have to preorder and can get it immediately if you choose a service address that allows full ordering and either change the service address after ordering, or roam. I've ordered two of them, and never had to wait more than week for them to arrive.
SL has worked in more places than either of the AT&T or Verizon unlimited SIMs I pay just as much or more money for, and consistently provides much better speeds. Interestingly enough, neither AT&T or Verizon guarantee you service everywhere you go, and neither of them are any cheaper when you get into high usage plans. Also, they can shut you off for any reason at any time per their terms as well.
I work remotely and boondock almost exclusively (full-time) in remote locations. To keep the paychecks rolling in, I need multiple options for Internet access. I would say the initial investment (up-front cost) paid for itself within a single week of use, and that the monthly fees are easily overshadowed by the money Starlink continues to facilitate. So financially, it has allowed me to make money in places I wouldn't have been able to otherwise and I'm thrilled with that. To each their own, but I'm not interested in being tied to a single location just because I have to work.
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n0arp
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04/09/22 07:55am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Get Internet with No Cell Service??
Where are you coming up with them allowing you to move around with it? Everything I have read says it is for a single address location only. When I check my service address, it says my area is already at maximum capacity and to expect delivery in 2023. I looked all over their website and could not find roaming was OK. I also read that they plan to have a mobile version, but it was a few years out.
They enabled roaming in Feb, and added the following to the Terms of Service on their website:
https://imgur.com/RGTCwfX.jpg width=640
It's mostly referred to as roaming, because in the debug data, if you are out of your native cell, it sets the roaming flag to yes.
Portability seems to be nationwide (continental USA), because on the FB group I mentioned, people have reported it working all over the country, with very few exceptions. I have a CO service address and have been using my service in AZ, CA, NV, and UT without issue. We're currently camping with another couple, using our old round dish, who also have a CO service address and are seeing similar results.
There is also a very good chance that if you place an order with a different service address, you can move service to your exact address. We’ve found that just because you can’t place an order somewhere, doesn’t mean you can’t set your service address there as an existing customer.
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n0arp
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04/08/22 02:22pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Get Internet with No Cell Service??
Thanks for the added information…So IF I have this right (??….) when you say ‘service address’ this means the (general?) location of your whereabouts for reception, versus ‘exact address’ is where you receive your mail, and service address needs to be occasional updated as you move on to other locations - at least that’s what I’m thinking…
3 tons
Yeah, "service address" is where you expect to use the dish. When you go to their website and type in an address to see if it is available, that is the service address. Further into the checkout procedure, you can enter a different shipping address for them to send it to. It's always been possible to use a different service address than your exact location, and historically, within about a 15mi radius would still guarantee you service. More on that in my next paragraph. We found that if it didn't like the first service address you tried, you could often, but not always, find an eligible address or plus code within that 15mi radius, and just change the shipping address to have it sent to you.
Up until Feb 18, anyone moving around and using Starlink had to change their service address on the Starlink website every time they moved. Again, any usable service address within about a 15mi radius would work. On Feb 18, they began to allow roaming, and now updating the service address is no longer necessary. The caveat is they "only guarantee service at the service address", so if are using it elsewhere, it's on a best-effort basis. We, and many other people, have had great luck with just roaming this last month and a half.
Starlink is still very much a work in progress and evolving all the time, but with the recent update to allow roaming, it has become our primary source of Internet, enough that I'm considering dropping one or both of my expensive grandfathered unlimited cellular options in the next few months if nothing changes.
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n0arp
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04/07/22 04:30pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Get Internet with No Cell Service??
If you apply for Starlink today, you may get it within 2 years. My neighbor applied last February 2021 and is still awaiting his equipment.
The people who are waiting that long are the ones who just put in their exact address, and don't look into it any further.
Please translate into wider group-speak…I have no idea whatsoever why an exact address won’t work, nor the necessity to join FB… This sounds crazy…
It's very simple and nothing crazy. There are certain addresses that will accept immediate orders, and some that won't. You set your *service address* to one that will, and your shipping address to your actual address or wherever you want to receive the package. On the FB group, there are people tracking and reporting what addresses are accepting immediate orders, along with explaining how it all works.
Generally speaking, your exact address may not be eligible for immediate shipment, but one five miles away in the next town is. Or, with roaming now being available, you can use an address clear across the country and still have a reasonable expectation for fast and reliable service. Service is per cell, so you are usually not roaming if you are within approximately 15mi of your service address. RVers have been hopping around the country and changing their service addresses with every move for about a year now. With roaming, which was enabled on 02/18/2022 - you no longer have to change your service address, but can roam instead. Roaming does not guarantee the same level of service, but most people are reporting that there is no notable difference.
My last order used a plus code in the middle of the desert for a service address, and a mailing center in a small town for a shipping address.
Here is an example order. An order to Sheep Bridge Rd in Virgin, UT, with shipping to a mailing center that allows you to receive packages in St George, UT. That's more or less how I ordered mine. And it's taking full payment, so it will ship out in 2-3 days. If it only requires a deposit, it adds you to a waiting list.
https://imgur.com/r80p6WK.jpg width=640
You can change service addresses any time after ordering (and available service addresses do not necessarily corroborate with addresses that accept full orders), or just use roaming.
There are a few arm-chair observations and assumptions in this thread that simply aren't true. To clear them up:
1) There are no long term commitments required. All service is month to month.
2) You can get it within a week if you use a service address that is open to ordering.
3) In-motion service works but is not fully approved at this time - YMMV if using it AND equipment warranty is voided.
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n0arp
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04/07/22 09:27am |
Tech Issues
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RE: New to Class A - Would it be Fleetwood or Winnie or Tiffin
Commercial vehicles go 100's of 1000's of miles with these same diesel/Allison drivetrains, so I wouldn't be too concerned about mileage if maintenance is documented. Tires on one of these rigs can be a $3k bill, so keep that in mind to check DOT date codes on the tires, replace if there are visible cracks or older than 8 years.
$3K? I wish, hahaha.
OP, I would expand what you're looking at. I posted this in the "Tiers of Motorhomes" thread that was posted here a few days ago.
I've spent the last two years looking for an early 2000s coach. My top priorities were build quality and condition, without much regard to price (though all of these end up being far, far less than a newer coach, one of the reasons we decided on this era). Gas coaches were never in consideration. We looked at and turned down a lot of coaches. My short list near the end was (roughly in order of preference):
1) Foretravel U320 and U295
2) Country Coach Affinity and Magna (and to a lesser extent, Allure and Intrigue)
3) Beaver Marquis (and to a lesser extent, Patriot)
4) Monaco Signature, Executive, and Dynasty (or Holiday Rambler Navigator)
5) American Eagle, American Dream, and American Tradition (Fleetwood's top coaches)
6) Prevost, Wanderlodge, Newell, Alpine, and a couple others depending on the specific coach
Individual lines above, are sorted by tier (or at least, I'm relatively sure they are - if memory serves correct).
I ended up with a 2000 Country Coach Magna and have no regrets.
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n0arp
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04/07/22 08:34am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Get Internet with No Cell Service??
If you apply for Starlink today, you may get it within 2 years. My neighbor applied last February 2021 and is still awaiting his equipment.
It's easy enough to get a Starlink within a week or so. I've gone through the process twice (once for the round, once for the rectangular dish) - but you have to play with service addresses. There is a FB group for Starlink use in RVs, and it's full of documentation on it. The people who are waiting that long are the ones who just put in their exact address, and don't look into it any further.
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n0arp
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04/06/22 08:15pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Get Internet with No Cell Service??
Willing to commit to a month at a time, but no year contracts.
Isn't Starlink a yearly deal?
Reportedly, they lose money on the satellite terminal they sell you - so they have to a long-term commitment to recoup that.
No. It's month to month. You can cancel at any time. You pay a fair bit to get started, and I suppose they assume if you spend that much, you aren't going to cancel after just a couple months.
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n0arp
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04/06/22 02:32pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Get Internet with No Cell Service??
Starlink, especially if you can get a service address near where you plan to stay. Roaming has been working well for most of us for the last two months or so, but it's not guaranteed to work.
Our Internet setup consists of:
Cradlepoint AER1600 router w/ MC400-1200M modem
VZ and AT&T Unlimited SIMs
Panorama MAKO 4x4 antenna mounted on the roof
Starlink (we had the round dish, now using the new style)
WeBoost Drive 4G X that we haven't used in months
We get Internet, one way or the other, just about everywhere we go. Starlink is #1, with fallback to AT&T and then Verizon services as configured in the Cradlepoint.
https://imgur.com/6NESc2z.jpg width=640
We had Internet in Lajitas with cellular alone - I don't remember which provider, but know we didn't have Starlink yet when we stayed there.
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n0arp
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04/06/22 12:47pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Cooking surfaces and tools, What's your favorite to use!
We have a 240V convection cooktop inside the rig, and got rid of our Blackstone in favor of a Lodge cast iron griddle designed to work with it. I never was a huge fan of the Blackstone - we had a 17" and eventually upgraded to the 22" (which was better about it), but they both heated unevenly. For a lot of meals that isn't an issue, but it's quite annoying when trying to make hibachi rice dishes (for example), where you are trying to brown evenly across the entire surface (it's doable, but you have to keep it moving on the Blackstone). Our cooktop (Kenyon Bridge)/ griddle (Lodge Pro-Grid) combo is much better suited for that.
My current favorite would have to be our Ooni Karu 12 pizza oven. We make pizza at least once a week and it's hard to beat wood-fired pizza baked at 800-1000F.
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n0arp
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04/06/22 11:22am |
Camp Cooks and Connoisseurs
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RE: 2007 Cross Country headlights
They may be these, as they don't appear to be sourced from a car like most are.
https://www.jegs.com/p/Hella/Hella-Modular-Lamps/2892423/10002/-1
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n0arp
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04/04/22 09:13pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Tiers of Motohomes
I've spent the last two years looking for an early 2000s coach. My top priorities were build quality and condition, without much regard to price (though all of these end up being far, far less than a newer coach, one of the reasons we decided on this era). Gas coaches were never in consideration. We looked at and turned down a lot of coaches. My short list near the end was (roughly in order of preference):
1) Foretravel U320 and U295
2) Country Coach Affinity and Magna (and to a lesser extent, Allure and Intrigue)
3) Beaver Marquis (and to a lesser extent, Patriot)
4) Monaco Signature, Executive, and Dynasty (or Holiday Rambler Navigator)
5) American Eagle, American Dream, and American Tradition (Fleetwood's top coaches)
6) Prevost, Wanderlodge, Newell, Alpine, and a couple others depending on the specific coach
Individual lines above, are sorted by tier (or at least, I'm relatively sure they are - if memory serves correct).
I ended up with a 2000 Country Coach Magna and have no regrets.
I'm leaning toward Pace Arrow, Southwind, or Damon Intruder.
None of those would even be in consideration.
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n0arp
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04/04/22 09:05am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: New Ram 5500 Build
Thanks for the details and help. From my own pencil and ruler drawing the design contact patch for a camper on a long bed camper is around 96". Half inch gap to camper bumper and 2" of camper bumper from a bed length of 98.4". To get the center of gravity over the rear axle on the flat bed requires a 101" contact patch. A NL 10.2 has about 102" before you hit some low point drains...so if by magic it seems to work out with a stock 11'4"X8' bed. Should be able to get 3 inches of the widest part of the camper on the bed and be 1" in front of the rear axle. Now if all this actually works in the real world
The 1" gap around the camper seems tight to to get this loaded up especially if you have to do it solo. Will use it as a minimum gap starting point. Other opinions?
How about mounting the spare on a rig like this? Most place it in your storage area or mounted to the front but wondering about finding a way to get it under the rear area of the truck.
If it's a C&C, there is no room under there unless it's hanging really low. I've seen people fab up rear carriers that kill your departure angle, or you could sacrifice a lower toolbox and put a spare in its place. I personally put mine on the headache rack.
1" is fine, you just have to be careful. I usually loaded and unloaded solo. Remember with an inch on each side, you have 2" of play.
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n0arp
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03/30/22 10:25am |
Truck Campers
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RE: New Ram 5500 Build
Similar to Padres_Chris I am looking at 84" chassis cab with the 8'X11'4" aluminum bed with camper COG over the rear axle, front space and down the sides top and bottom with boxes. Full time use and need the space for all the gear for biking, backpacking, ski and surf/foil...you get the picture.
Will anyone talk me down to a 60" with better turn radius and off road? Is there such a thing as too much storage on a truck camper?
Design questions: What is the gap this group would recommend between the boxes and the side of the camper? The tighter the harder to load, the bigger your are losing valuable storage space.
Considering a Northern Lite 10.2...any advice on fast guns/ tie downs through or with the side boxes?
With an standard 8' bed, rub rails and the width of the front legs you are getting very wide...any advice on tucking in the legs? I have seen pictures of a Douglas custom and looks like they customize a space for the legs but on a stock bed would require notching I suppose??
Any advice is appreciated.
Take all the support you can get under the camper. If you truly use it off road, and it's a longer camper with a lot of overhang, you will break the frame otherwise. I had to reinforce/repair mine due to excessive flexing in the overhang. Between that and storage, the 84CA is a no-brainer. You can overcome the poorer breakover angles with larger tires, careful driving, and stacking rocks when those fail you.
I had a 1" gap on either side of the camper. I wouldn't run tie-downs through the boxes because I store things that need to be out of the weather in them. Check my photos for the arrangement.
The legs fold in so they're not any wider than the awning or other things sticking off the side of the camper. That width is a non-issue.
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n0arp
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03/29/22 02:33pm |
Truck Campers
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