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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Engine blew white smoke died then generator
Smoke is black or gray
Steam is white
"White Smoke" suggests one of two thigns
Water got into the fuel bad enough to become significant
Blown head gasket.
The fact it happened on both the MAIN engine and the Generator in short order suggests water in the fuel tank. lots of it. Now that is fairly easy to fix.
On the other hand.... it could be EXPENSIVE if I'm wrong.
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wa8yxm
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08/03/21 05:41pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: 6 or 12 That is the question
Actually Group 31 are about 130 but wait there is more (27/29 are about 100)
Most of the "Group xx" batteries out there are either straight up starting or MARINE/deep cycle.. these batteries should be kept fairly full for best life. Rapid againg sets in around 75% (M/dc) or 80%(Starting) where as a TRUE Deep Cycle can go to half full before that happens.. or so they say. NOTE there will be differences berand to brand. Also the ability of the battery to recover from an "OH C**P!" level run down (like the volt meter has only one digit run down) is better with the DEEP CYCLE.
GC-2 (Golf Car, takes 2 to make 12 volts) and GC-12 (Golf Car, 12 volt) are DEEP CYCLE batteries.
LiFePo4 is even better, and more costly and other things that matter some good some not so much... (I'm just starting to play with those)
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wa8yxm
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08/03/21 05:39pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Talk about voltage drop (12v)
300 watts is about 30 amps at the battery 14GA is good for half that at 120 volt and even less at 12 volt due to voltage drop.
Plus there is a voltage drop INTERNAL to the batteries (I do not know how much)
The key to battery/inverter is three fold
One, Keep the leads as short as you can but do not mount the inverter inside the same space as the batteries
Two HEAVY cable for a 300 watt Starter cable works very well and is low cost up to around 750 watts it works well. long about 1000 it might be a bit...er.. anemic
3: for as much of the run tape or wire loom the cables like this ============
Side by side. This is more important on larger inverters.
AND MORE battery never hurts..
DEEP CYCLE batteries work best for House use.
(As opposed to MARINE/deep cycle) note how I use case on those)
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wa8yxm
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08/03/21 05:33pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Help adding satellite to my RV
The reason it does not work when you use the cable inlet is the amp is not the amp it's a swich and power inserter.. The Amp is in the Over the Air antenna head. not in the wall.
The Sat receiver supplies one of two DC voltages to the LNB in the antenna. also some signal info.. And all of that can NOT pass through the winegard switch.
"
So you have two options..
You can access the back of the Winegard wall plate disconnect the park cable *(I think that is the center connector) and extend it to the receiver.. I do not like to do this for multiple reasons.
Option 2 is run a nice new RG-6 (Get it at any Hardware, Lowes, Home Depot) from the receiver to any handy hole in the body (like next to a water pipe for example) and out to a compartment wheere you either store a coiled cable (Not my first choice) or use a double female (Barrel) connector or mount a connection box.
Or alternatively drill a hole and install a bulkhead fitting properly sealed
And unplug the receiver (or otherwise remove AC power) Before connecting or disconnecting antenna. Just for safety. RG-6 quality stuff, all the way from Receiver LNB port to antenna if you please.
WHY. Well. losses, 6 has about 1/4 the loss of 59
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wa8yxm
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08/03/21 05:28pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: After towing RV with bad batteries, truck blinkers...
Bad ground connection on lights or between tow vehicle and trailer
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wa8yxm
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08/02/21 05:14am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Must I have a toad with a 27' Class C?
Must you have a towed. Short answer NO
But taking down to run to the store for a quart of milk or a loaf of bread is a major pain in the operating system.
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wa8yxm
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08/01/21 03:58pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Wheel Stop vs Wheel Chocks
Whatever you use remember two things
Chock before you unhook
Remove chocks after you hook up
I have seen what happens when people forget.. both those things (Flying plastic bouncing off very expensive motor homes and possibly causing injury in the 2nd case... Rig headed toward the lake in the first... thankfully there was grass once it rolled off the pad and the jack dug in and stopped it. HINT to stop trailer fraster. Do not pull the safety chains, do not push/pull the Trailer itself. Pull on the break away cable. if the battery is good that'll stop it .. SWIFTLY.
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wa8yxm
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08/01/21 03:57pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Has anyone noticed
There are a lot of folks who have been cooped up for a year now that are thinking The RV life looks.... interesting. And some who have been forced to "Downsize" though when you figure some of those Class A's go from between 100 grand new up to over a quarter million (250,000) I'm not sure how much "Downsizing" it is $$$ wise.
but Enjoy I just downsized (last year) From a 100,000 new RV with terminal damage from an aggressive seim (no injury) to an apartment.. What downsized.. Well I was paying off the RV loan a bit faster than the bank desired in order to pay it off sooner.. and the monthly check was larger than the monthly rent.
There is much more.. it was time to move on and I think the Rig was about to hit me with a MAJOR fix me bill so I'm not at all upset.. Feeling better than I have in a while in fact.
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wa8yxm
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08/01/21 03:54pm |
RV Lifestyle
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RE: Parasitic current draw on tow vehicle
Sounds like either the VOM is bad or the operator (you) is... Yup that can happen.. I have multiple VOMS and sometimes get confused as to how they work. (No two alike type thing)
Suggestion is a Jump Starter. they make two types (I of course have one of each) one is a Lead Acid (AGM) battery in a big HEAVY box. about 25 Amp horus usually with battery leads Some of these have air compressors, work lights and other features.. NOTE when hooking up it is suggested the NEGATIVE (Black) wire NOT go to the battery but rather the block or other unpainted metal part (This is for US cars with Negative ground.. If by some strange chance your car is positive ground that's the RED wire).
The other is a LI tupe... way lighter. 10 AH but about the same Kick Start power.
I use, or rather used, the big one as a "Portable car" for powering 12 volt stuff that plugs into the accessory outlet.
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wa8yxm
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08/01/21 03:49pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Wolves as Pets
I have met a few half-wolfs half-other around. The local Campgrounds require like a million dollar liability policy if you have a wolf/other cross breed or selected other breeds. The ones I met were basically pussycats.. In fact one acted EXACTLY like my female cat in that when I stopped petting him he reached out and grabbed my hand with his paw and pulled it back... Kind of impressive as his paw is bigger than my XXl hand.
As for Cats.. Try a Maine Coon..
The main Coon is 1 Gene different I'm told than the Wild Lynx. one Gene
And the Male is the #1 Cuddle Cat. they just love to cuddle...
I still miss Alex.. Took him to the Vet in Nov ("Routine" visit for him, NOT for me. I had to go Hospital so he had to go to Vet's boarding house) Clean bill save for a minor heart mummer..
5 Months later he had a serious tumor. Could not eat, Vet and I agreed on the kindest thing... I still miss him.
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wa8yxm
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08/01/21 03:39pm |
Around the Campfire
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RE: Atlanta Explained
Once I got done laughing (Thank you by the way)
I've been to Atlanta... Spot on
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wa8yxm
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08/01/21 07:45am |
Around the Campfire
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RE: Dash AC not cold
When it is 85 it comes out 63... Normal operation for the new refrigerante systems (what is that R-134A) the older Freon (R-12) systems got colder
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wa8yxm
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07/31/21 06:07am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Electrical layout in fifthwheel
6FT sure looks like scribbled GFI. Outdoor, kitchen and bathroom receptacles are typically GFCI protected.
YUP sounds right to me.
Forget the labels, sort of, Get a Brother P-Touch
now as you identify which outlets/devices are on which breaker put a label on teh outlet/device matching the breaker that feeds it.
You might wish to re-label 6FT to GFI while you are at it.
The P-Touch is your friend.
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wa8yxm
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07/31/21 06:04am |
Tech Issues
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RE: The big anti virus lie
I have been bit by a virus or two over the years. So has my Daughter. The one that bit me was a 'nothing virus' and all I needed to do was run an alternate boot system (Different OS) to clean it otu.. .The one that bit my daughter was more serious but easier to clear out
The virus that bit her "hid" all the files on the system so she had only a black screen (The wall paper was "hid" as were all the program ICONS.
Her computer "expert" husband worked for over 2 hours to recover one file she needed (master's thesis)
Took me less than 15 minutes to undo the damage the computer did by using a single Arcane DOS command.
Then I had to install an anti-viral to slap it off the drive.
IN her case a simple firewall would have blocked it.
In my case. Well I know the vector (Work) and who installed it there (Sgt).
Fact: I once voiced a question as to if the two (At that time) Big names were perhaps "Seeding the market" by putting malware on the net... I was told one of them was.. (I believe it too) But that Peter Norton would NEVER do such a thing (Well the man I was talking to does know Mr. Norton)
So though I use a free-anti-viral... If you are going to pay.. Norton please
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wa8yxm
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07/31/21 06:00am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Forums error page
Must have opened the links just as they fixed it.
Thanks, as I said it's more an issue report than anything else.
No problems this evening.
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wa8yxm
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07/30/21 04:11pm |
Around the Campfire
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RE: TPMS - lock nuts on caps?
The Lock nut is normally an anti-theft device.
The Sensors are usless without the matching receiver..
In theory a low theft item.
Especially on dual tires where they can not even be seen
HOWEVER. that said.. You have different sensors than I had.
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wa8yxm
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07/29/21 04:51pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Power Sag/Current Issues at Seasonal Site
12 ga is 20 amp for less than 100 feet
30 amp and a long run 8 ga or larger is required
That is the issue
NOTE that sucking More amps by using an Autoformer to boost the voltage (By booting amps park side) can cause that 12ga to melt..> The park won't be pleased if they see you have an autoformer..
So,, Install it, inside where it can not be seen.
(That is what I did)
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wa8yxm
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07/29/21 04:49pm |
Tech Issues
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Forums error page
When I opened six tabs into six different parts of the forum family Class A, Beginning RV, Tecnology Corner
General RV and Tech Issues and Around the campfire, not in that order
The first 3 popped "Forums error page"
All reloaded properly however.
So not a complaint. Just a notice.
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wa8yxm
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07/29/21 04:45pm |
Around the Campfire
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RE: New 4" heavy duty bumper cannot fit Rhino drain hose inside
Go to Lowes, Home Depot Et-Al and get a 6 or 7" square plastic fence post with caps. also a hinge and a bolt latch.
Now attach the post to the top of the bumper.. I won't go into how to do this but if you use bolts use carrage bolts (Smooth domed head with a square shoulder) from inside (no sharp surfaces inside post)
One end glue the cap on
other end you will need to slightly modify the cap and end so you have a "Tongue" that sticks through a Slot in the bottom of the cap. Hinges on the top.
Hose goes inside, ends fit too.
Close the "lid" and drop the latch bolt through a hole in the "Tongue" of the post gravity will hold the bolt in the hole and anyone who steels the hose.. Well... Would you steel THAT item?
Or you could padlock it but I think that's over kill
Amazon dot com example of the bolt latch you use only the big part.
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wa8yxm
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07/28/21 05:57pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Hookin' the Honda,,,,
The Honda (Generator) store will have a twist lock 30 amp extension that should work just fine... I also know how to make the custom cord (have one in fact) but that's another story (I know how to make it because I had to replace the ends. both)
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wa8yxm
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07/28/21 05:52pm |
Tech Issues
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