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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Inverter on Generator wiring?
How about a manual selector switch to choose between generator and inverter power like this one: https://www.amazon.com/VictorsHome-Changeover-Positions-Terminals-Universal/dp/B07MZ739CS/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=1K078X1TF5BD5
Since each selection has different inputs and outputs, you would have to jump the outputs together when you connect them to downstream line.
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wnjj
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09/29/23 09:31pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Proper Power Receptacle For Home?
Our confusion stems from this quote:
Even though I've a 30 amp service I chose to create a "break out" box.
When, in fact, you have a 50 amp service and you are plugging in a breakout box with a 30 amp and multiple 20 amp outlets.
While probably not the correct terminology, I read it to mean the RV has a 30A service input (I.e. shore power cord), likely because it’s the only thing that made the rest of the comments make sense.
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wnjj
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09/01/23 12:19am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Proper Power Receptacle For Home?
Even though I've a 30 amp service I chose to create a "break out" box. That gives me one 30 amp on one leg, and two 20 amp on the other (yes, I know it is not balanced). Each outlet has its own breaker.
I find it most useful for winter camping as it allows me to heat 100% electrically in the cold.
I'm confused. A 30 amp RV service only has one leg. It is the 50 amp service that has two legs.
Looks to me like a 240V feeder to a box with a single 30A 120V and a pair of 20A 120V receptacles. Doing this allows you to use your 30A RV to max and at the same time run space heaters or other things on extension cords from the other leg.
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wnjj
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08/29/23 03:00pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Predator gennys?
You do realize eco mode is like eco boost? It’s only eco until you need the power.
Yes, I do. It works great any time you need less than full power output, which is the case when running A/C. It only needs to start then the running power is much lower. On eco mode the generator slows back down to a moderate speed making it quieter and use less fuel.
Basically, I've never (continuously) needed all of the power so pretty much always benefit from eco mode.
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wnjj
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08/28/23 02:06pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Predator gennys?
A few anecdotes:
1. Honda 2000 has run several A/C units we've tried with it, at least at lower elevations. All with ECO mode ON.
2. A Champion 2000 would not run the same unit the Hondas did.
3. A pair of brand new Yamaha 2000's would not start my uncle's A/C unit while on ECO mode, despite the running load being quite low. You could switch to ECO once the A/C was running but it would not restart once it cycled off. This defeats the purpose of ECO mode.
Your mileage may vary but it would take a lot for me to leave Honda. They've earned their reputation.
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wnjj
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08/24/23 05:40pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Truck in front of the camper
8.1L's produce a lot of heat and do use oil, up to a quart every 1000 miles. Mobil 1 5W30 seems to hold up the best.
When I bought my 8.1L, my dad already had his. At the time he had read that running 10W30 helped reduce oil consumption. I cannot confirm it helps but I have been running it since new and at 70k miles it still goes a few thousand miles before it needs a quart.
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wnjj
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08/22/23 04:00pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Truck in front of the camper
Been running a 2005 8.1L 3500 SRW with a ~4000lb wet Eagle Cap 950 since late 2006. I added Rancho adjustable shocks but not sure I noticed a huge improvement. I'm sure they are better than what OEM shocks would be once worn out. No issue with power even with a 2k trailer in tow. I've only checked the mileage a couple times and it's solidly in the 8's with mixed freeway and back roads.
Only ~70k miles on the truck with a MAF sensor, oil pressure sender and coolant cap replacement so far.
If you are looking for "any camper you find" you will need a dually or limit your choices to ~9.5' campers or less.
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wnjj
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08/15/23 06:17pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Extension Hitch Question
The 600# tongue weight seems plenty high for a single axle trailer. Can you load the UTV further back to reduce that, making the 350# rated extension an option?
What is the approximate total loaded trailer weight?
Alternatively you could extend the tongue on the trailer which would not only move the jack back it would also lower the tongue weight.
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wnjj
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08/14/23 06:06pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Trying to replace 120v outlet
I just replaced a single gang RV POS receptacle. I had 1 5/8 inches depth to play with. Bought a single gang "old work" box, took a Dremel and cut the box depth down to 1 1/2 inch depth. Then pulled Romex into the box and fastened the conductors to a residential receptacle.
By "cut the box depth" do you mean cut the back off of it? If so, that's no longer a box and misses the point of using one. If I misunderstood please forgive me.
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wnjj
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08/12/23 06:46pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Site squatters
Wow!
I see no reason under normal circumstances that there is a need to park your TV in another campsite. Just inconsiderate selfishness, too common today.
I can think of a simple one. If the site is kind of small and you have to park your vehicle crossways between the hitch and roadway it may be easier to just pull in the empty spot nearby if you're planning to leave again, provided you are there to move it if needed. What they could have done better under the circumstances is watch for the new arrivals and proactively move before they had to ask. Regardless, not a big deal.
We arrived to our reserved spot once to a complete setup with 2 tents and bunch of stuff all over the table. They didn't come back from the beach for 30 minutes or more. I explained that it was reserved and they happily packed up while I helped others in my party get parked in their spots. Kind of clueless on the squatters' part but no big deal.
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wnjj
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08/08/23 06:28pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: RV Breakers Trip on Shore Power but not Generator
No reason to order a new multimeter. Just touch the leads together when on the lowest ohm setting and see if it reads near 0.
Does the breaker trip with just the extension cord plugged in or does it need to be connected to the RV also?
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wnjj
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07/26/23 11:21am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Dead...
Water batteries weekly? That seems crazy unless the charger is over charging the batteries and boiling it out. A Progressive Dynamics (PD) charger will not harm the batteries plugged in full time. In fact it cycles as needed to keep them healthy.
I never added a drop of water in 17 years (with new battery about every 6 years).
If the OP has a cheap converter it would be money well spent to swap it out and continue using standard inexpensive batteries.
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wnjj
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07/24/23 02:33am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Dead...
What converter/charger model do you have? It matters.
I've used a generic Walmart EverLast (Interstate) battery, replaced about every 6 years since 2006. It's never needed any water. PD9245 converter plugged in 24/7/365 when not camping.
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wnjj
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07/20/23 05:38pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Norcold 811 fridge not working on A/C
If you have the cover off the control board, check for 120V across the AC_HT (LO/HI) pins where the electric element plugs in while the fridge is on in AC mode. If you don't have 120V there and the 8 (7.5A) fuse is still good you may have a bad AC relay. If you do have 120V on those pins and the fridge still isn't cooling, you may have a bad electric element. You can test that with a ohm meter with the power OFF by measuring ohms across the same AC_HT terminals. It should measure ~40-50ohms.
The AC side is fairly simple with the power cord coming in routing one terminal direct and the other terminal through the fuse and relay to the heat element.
Our 621 model fridge intermittently failed on AC 5 years ago. I fixed it with a $2 relay replacement. https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29727778.cfm
Service manual for your fridge here if it helps: https://norcold.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/OM_N61N81_635485D_20210902.pdf
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wnjj
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07/12/23 04:07pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Water pump randomly runs for short bursts
Could be the check valve. I installed a better quality one from HD.
Hmm, I'm not sure what that is as I just see the pump. Could the check valve be part of the pump?
Yes. People on here often talk about the check valve and perhaps they have an additional one, but diaphragm pumps are nothing but a couple of check values and a solenoid. If you are even slightly mechanically inclined you can take the pump head apart and make sure it's all clean in there. It only takes a small crumb of plastic debris to cause it to leak back.
Some have installed a check valve on the suction side of the pump to stop a leaking pump but that's more of a workaround than a solution to a bad pump.
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wnjj
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07/05/23 12:32pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Slideouts on household current
Oh, ok. Yeah, I know the battery is toast. It's pulling solely household current I'm certain.
On truck camper jacks, there are explicit instructions to have a fully charged battery before use. I'd imagine slides have similar needs.
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wnjj
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06/27/23 07:22pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Cam lock spins
Just remembered something.. I think I've seen these with 4 teeth. (more teath better)
cam lock washer bites into wood
That same site has plates as well:
Cam lock plates
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wnjj
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06/13/23 04:20pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: tow with all wheel drive?
I think some of the confusion here is in what people are calling 'AWD'. My definition matches what is described on wikipedia:
"Particularly in North America for several decades, the designation AWD has been used and marketed - distinctly from "4X4" and "4WD" - to apply to vehicles with drive train systems that have permanent drive, a differential between the front and rear drive shafts, and active management of torque transfer, especially following the advent of ABS."
To me that means if you have a switch to select 2WD, you don't really have an "AWD" vehicle.
Since at least 1999, GM has offered an 'AUTO' mode which is really a conventional 4WD system with computer-controlled shift on the fly. Some vehicles like the Yukon I have offer 2WD,Auto,4WD and others have 2WD,Auto,Neutral,4HI,4LO. My '05 pickup has 2WD,Neutral,4HI,4LO like the old days which I assume is still available at least on the pickups.
There was also an actual full-time AWD option in 1998 called AutoTrac. Some version of that was likely still around in later years.
Any/all should be fine for towing if the vehicle is rated for it.
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wnjj
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05/31/23 12:12pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: When impatience hurts!
Anyone that thinks the big rig driver should have done something needs to reconsider.
Do you want a 80K pound load running across the median and killing himself and oncoming innocents?
The truck driver was correct in maintaining his lane or it would have been much worse.
Well there are couple things he could have done different that don't cause any drama:
1. Don't even be in the left lane passing and likely speeding to do so.
2. See the motorhome barreling alongside him and slow down before it does something stupid like cut you off.
I'm NOT saying he needed to do either of the above things, but they could have also prevented the problem. Yes, it's 100% the motorhome's fault but not being involved in an accident even when it's not your fault is still the best option.
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wnjj
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05/30/23 02:23pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Will Air bags make a big difference?
Ok for those still following this thread and offering advice - I went back to the Cat scale, hope I've got this right.
1st ticket -Steer Axle only 5,780 The truck on only one pad.
2nd ticket Steer Axle 3,260
Drive Axle 3,460
Trailer Axle 5,940
Combination 12,660
So I added the two truck axle weights, then subtracted the truck weight, and I get a difference of 940, divide by the truck actual weight of 5780, and I get 16.26% Am I doing that right?
If you are trying to calculate the percentage of tongue weight, you should divide by the trailer's total weight. So 940/(12660-5780) is about 13.7%. Still good though.
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wnjj
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05/26/23 06:27pm |
Towing
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