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RE: Do you guys find your camper to be a little bit of sanctuary
Just out in it on Sunday drinking a cold "Keith STONE" ;) listen to the local country station..
Have solved many troubling issues political and technical sitting around and in my camper and tending to a "Keith STONE":B
Oh and a Bud of mine does the same!! Sometimes we STONE each other.
He has an ORANGE one!!!
I tell folks that our camper is nothing but a portable cabin that we carry with us...Up in the mountains, out at the coast, in someones driveway, at relatives. When traveling it's our Diner, bathroom, rest area. Just have to use your imagination.
Jim
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bigfootford
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02/09/12 10:51am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Which is better: Higher or lower volt solar panels?
Hi bkirkpatrick,
Yes, that is the purpose of a combiner box.
I can't tell from the picture but are you running parallel all the way back to the combiner and then and running one positive and one negative down to the controller?
True, you can combine your panels at this point and enter the rv with 2 wires. I elected to use the box as you did but only switched wire types, multi conductor to individual wire, thus keeping the panel wires, + and -, separate until down in the rv/camper. I combined + and - down there. I did use twist connectors... I do like the buss bar and did use them where I combined them...in the rear fridge area.
I do not have to go up on the roof to troubleshoot/isolate issues of a panel that is acting up.
Combining panels in series is another issue. I just have 2 panels in parallel.
Jim
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bigfootford
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02/08/12 07:55pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: swing out barbecue and stove
Wonderful! Leave it to the TC guys to come up with innovative ideas and then implement them!
Jim
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bigfootford
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02/08/12 08:03am |
Truck Campers
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RE: TC Water Damage (Huge Reconstruction)
All's I can say is WOW, great job!!!
Jim
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bigfootford
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02/04/12 12:19pm |
Truck Campers
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Generator grounding, humourous....
For those that need a generator earth ground, you could put the bucket in the bed of your truck...
The work instructions said the generator had to have an earth ground, but the catwalk was 3 stories up in the air. Soooo they got a bucket....
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-TMej9_HP-KA/Ty2AF2qQV7I/AAAAAAAAByE/a5t94VxjE6Q/s768/earth%2520ground.jpg?gl=US height=640
Jim
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bigfootford
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02/04/12 12:05pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Do we really need LEDs in the camper
I think bigfootford said it best, and did a very good job of explaining.
"Do we really need LEDs in the camper?" NO. You can do without them. It really depends on your expectations from your TC. As for cost, it is substantially cheaper to camp in non-hook up spots in camp grounds. To do so, you need to have the AH to do so. I found it cheaper to reduce the need for AH, than it is to add them.
Wayne
I did follow Wayne's and Sleepy's lead on information gleaned from Wayne's wave3, solar, lifeline battery and Sleepy's, being probably one of the first TC'ers to adopt led lights along with his AGM Optima batteries.
Jim
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bigfootford
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02/02/12 01:23pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Refridgerator on DC mode
When we try to use propane while driving, the flame goes out. So we use 12 volts. We replaced the original wiring from the truck with a heavier gage. This improved the fridge performance while driving.
When we park for an extended period, we orient the truck so the fridge is on the shady side. That makes a big difference.
Ummm only happened to me maybe 2 or 3 times in 12 years and 150,000 miles of travel with the camper.
I did get rid of the factory fridge control board and installed an Dinosaur board several years ago for another reason. It attempts re-ignite and is adjustable.
http://www.dinosaurelectronics.com/
Jim
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bigfootford
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02/02/12 11:40am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Refridgerator on DC mode
Just to add if your fridge is on DC it will draw from the RV battery if there is not enough amperage coming through from the vehicle battery. No fun getting out in the boondock and finding a half dead battery.
Ditto this!
Jim
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bigfootford
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02/02/12 10:30am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Refridgerator on DC mode
I am wondering when driving if the refrigerator should be on the DC mode or should I use propane?
Most of us use the Propane mode.
You really need hefty wiring to run the fridge with your truck and charge your batteries. You may need to upgrade the wiring if you elect to run in the 12vdc fridge mode.
The fridge alone will pull well over 15 amps dc.
If your camper batteries are low, you will be drawing quite a bit of current from your alternator.
My fridge is a 2 way, propane and 110vac.
Some folks here on the TC forum have disabled the 12vdc cooling feature, they do not want it even engaged accidentally.
Lot's of discussions on this subject:
TC to truck wiring discussion
Check Matthew_b's install to upgrade wiring.
Jim
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bigfootford
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02/02/12 09:43am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Do we really need LEDs in the camper
We boondock at least 90% of the time or stay in no hookups in RV parks when avail.
Our camper only has room for 2 group 24 batteries. Do not have the room for gp27's or 2 t105's, they were too tall.
The 24's would leave us with about 60ah (60-70%soc) to play with when the batteries were fresh.
We would use about 25-30 ah a day Summer and 30-40 or more Winter. The 30,000btu suburban heater is an AMPAHOLIC!!!
I like my Honda genny but running it every day for a couple of hrs to maintain my batteries was annoying. If boondocking only 2 days then usually we did not run the genny unless it was winter.
So as many have done here in the TC forum I began to whittle on the AH usage.
First was to get rid of the need to run the furnace for primary heat.
We got a Wave-3....
Then a Led backlit TV replacing the tube type tv.
Then LED lights:
We are avid readers and like to read in the morning, evening and in bed before going to sleep. We had flame thrower lights in the bed that pulled 2 amps each. Plus over the dinning table we had 2 lights at 1.2 each.
We replaced the most used lights with led's and then all of them because of the results of the savings.. Who cares how many lights are on now!!!
Now, even in winter we rarely use over 20 ah per day...
Well what happened next was we found out we did not need 2 batteries.
We installed a Lifeliine group 27...100ah...
There are quite a few of us TC'ers that are running very efficient.
Probably Reddog1 is about as efficient as any tcer can get...Wave 3, led lights, Lcd tv and an older Dometic fridge.
His fridge does not need the 12vdc to operate. Just propane. So that reduces his AH load by:
Most of us have a 2 or 3 way fridge running on propane. It needs about .2 amps an hour average. .2x 24 hrs = 4.8 ah per day... So he has 5 ah per day extra.
When we were running incandescent bulbs in our camper we would use, on average:
Evening incandescent lights on is about 3 hrs...
2 lights 1.2 amps= 2.4 amps X 3 hrs = 7.2 ah
Bed area reading, 2 lights at 2 amps for 1 hr = 4 ah
Average total for incandescent lights= 11.2 ah...
After installing led lights Our AH consumption for lights dropped by about 86%..
2 lights .2amps X 3 hrs = 1.2 ah
Reading 2 lights at .2 amps X 1 hr = .4 ah
Average total for led lights... 1.6ah
As a final addition to our boondocking we added solar. We still like and use the Honda. Not all boondocking leaves us with sun..And the wife likes the Micro Wave sometimes.
Jim
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bigfootford
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02/02/12 09:18am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Trip Report: So Cal 13 days 1300 mi (Pics)
Vince "Starcraft69's" congrats Grandpa! Great report, coupling many things during your trip down south.
Been down to S. Diego a few times Zoo etc but not the Navy part you did. Want to do that one!
Nice tv install too!
Jim
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bigfootford
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01/31/12 08:33am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Why are we addicted to this site?
So what happens when just reading is not enough?? Will Brad or Wayne come to your home and help you thru the tough times? Or Whazoo? Sleepy?
Frank
This is how many friendships are made. Lots of PM's and emails going on in the background. More of this going on than you know.
Jim
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bigfootford
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01/31/12 08:19am |
Truck Campers
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RE: wave 6 catalytic heater
I have a wave 6 catalytic heater which I am very happy with. However, lately when I push the piezo starter it doesn't always start even though I have held the gas on for the required length of time. Does anyone have any ideas on what is wrong and what I can do about it?
Thanks,
J.D.
Are you saying that the flame does come on, you hold the knob in for 30 sec to 1 min, flame is still on, you release the knob and the flame goes out, which it should, then you turn the knob to high and you can not hear the gas and the pad does not heat?
If this is the case, does the flame touch the tube "Thermocouple" that is right near the flame burner?
If the flame is touching the Thermocouple and the flame goes out, after the max....maybe 1 min then I would suspect the thermocouple.
If you find that it is broken and want to fix it yourself...
Here is a link for parts. I would contact them to make sure you are getting the right part.
http://www.shoprvparts.com/product.do?no=11044F
Operation video here: Olympian Wave heater operation
Jim
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bigfootford
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01/30/12 03:11pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Setting out on maiden voyage in the morning
Wow, wow, wow you guys are going on a wonderful adventure.
Congrat's!!!
What prompts you guys to head to Cal on that route?
What time frame do you have?
Lots of American history in the Dakota's...
Wyoming has Ft. Laramie, Missile silos and Elsworth AFB...
Switching to Hwy 50 as you come across Utah and Nev....
Well this is Winter and lots of attractions will be closed..
We will be looking forward to you posts of your adventure.
Jim
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bigfootford
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01/29/12 07:16pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Trip Report: Quartzsite, AZ
Great post Mike! We want to do Q next year...Will be the first time. Maybe a RV.net Tc get together there could be in the cards. That would be fun.
Jim
That could work for us. We stopped there a few years ago but before the crowds and vendors. I kept meeting Canadians that said they were on the way to Yuma.
Yea, and maybe we would finally meet!
Jim
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bigfootford
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01/28/12 12:21pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Trip Report: Quartzsite, AZ
Great post Mike! We want to do Q next year...Will be the first time. Maybe a RV.net Tc get together there could be in the cards. That would be fun.
Jim
It's funny you mention that. I've been thinking about organizing a TC Rally in Quartzsite next Winter. I wonder how many RV.NET members would be interested in that?
Mike
Maybe, somewhere around Oct just do a post and feel it out. Heck even if there was only a couple of rv.net tc'ers showed up it would be fun.
We definitely would come baring a disaster.
Jim
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bigfootford
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01/28/12 10:28am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Crown Battery raises recommended absorption Voltage
My batteries take a long time to get to resting voltage with no surface charge--as in days. I just don't understand the battery blurbs that say wait a few hours. I also don't get knocking down the surface charge. How do you know you got that right? If you knock it down to resting at 12.7 does that mean you got all the surface charge or is the real voltage 12.6 and there is still some surface charge?
Using only resting voltage would mean going to what ought to be 50% by AH, then after a day or two or more, get the resting voltage and if it is below the battery spec voltage for 50% you know there is capacity missing.
So you are saying that after you have done a discharge to X %SOC at the c20 rate that it takes days for the battery voltage to settle (rest)?
Usually I see them pretty much settled in a 1/2 hr or so. I need to rock a FWC to get the electrolyte mixed to get a good SG reading though. This is where I pay attention to battery voltage, after a discharge.
Charging to 100% or greater then letting them rest is another story.
You are correct about getting rid of the "surface charge" and the blurb about knocking it off.
At this point I just pay attention to SG.
Yes days to settle it seems for FWC....I have seen AGM's stay above 13vdc for a week with no load...It's nothing to see the AGM's voltage stay above 12.8. Even after 10ah taken out of a 100ah lifeline (90%soc).
Life line says, " 12.8 or higher for a charged battery."
Some FWC deep cycles do say 12.7 or higher too.
In both cases, the discharge % battery voltage is pretty fixed for the given temperature of the battery.
Jim
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bigfootford
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01/27/12 02:37pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Crown Battery raises recommended absorption Voltage
Those are facts, no research needed.
JimI speed routinely and haven't been ticketed in 15 years. My mother has NEVER been ticketed. I guess that makes laws against speeding irrelevant. LOL! Also, you all missed my point (which doesn't surprise me as no one reads anymore), I don't care if YOU don't maintain YOUR batteries. My issue is with telling OTHER people they don't have to without TELLING them about AGM battery maintenance requirements. That's a decision for OTHERS to make, NOT you. I had to find this info out on my own (battery manufacturers and the marine crowd). No one here told me and not everyone is so umm diligent (yeah that's the word). Until I see a trend towards that, I WILL keep harping on it.
Guess I should have added that when I had FWC's I did have to pull them out, check SG, add water and if the SG was out of balance I would equalize with my old linear charger until the SG's were to spec.
I agree with you and what you wrote about FWC's.
I have read and studied, worked with battery maintenance and charging for over 40 years...From Mainframe UPS systems to Radio controlled systems and of course RV's. Submarines included.
I believe in FWC maintenance 100%...
After reading lots about AGM's Both Military and Boat applications I think performance observation is needed. And If you have the proper tools to Equalize a Lifeline battery then do it, only if is needed.
I can only offer direct input from my experiences with AGM's that I have observed and worked with. The ones I have pointed out have not needed any Maintenance....Making sure that you fully recharge after each discharge will ensure prolonged life and that's it.
Lifeline still says, " Conditioning should only be done when the battery is showing symptoms of capacity loss due to extended time in a partial low state of charge condition. This could be caused, for example, by low charging voltage for an extended number of charge cycles, or by repeatedly charging to only 90%SOC."
Life line battery tech manual, go to page 20
Some posts and rv.net folks commenting back in 06 and 08
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/18877091/gotomsg/18885401.cfm#18885401
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/21114853.cfm
Glad you have not had a speeding ticket...Didn't know that your mother sped though...Does she know you told on her...You bad boy...Just joking.
Jim
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bigfootford
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01/27/12 12:57pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Posting Photos
I have not heard of anyone complaining about pix size on this or other forums that I visit in a very long time. Maybe everyone is complying with the 640 rule...or I missed the complaints. Please register my complaint. I frequently have a slow internet connection.
Many people in rural areas have slow internet connections. Many people have slow connections when they travel in their RV. Considering this is a RV Forum, I think you would have more folks with slower internet connections.
I do post on another Forums that has restrictions on the file size. I have never heard of a complaint.
Actually, I really see very few people that do not comply with the 640 rule. Sometimes someone will forget, sometimes a new member is not aware. Brad and I just edit the photo in post. If after a couple of times with oversize photos, Brad or I will send a PM with a link to the photo instructions. I think the members in general are doing a great job with the photos.
Wayne
I went back and checked some of the pix I posted, adjusted for 640 and the size increased..Maybe not all but the 2 I did were bigger.
I have never paid attention to the sizes.
I know Wayne's stituation, he lives down in a canyon...He has no access to cable or DSL. He has to use an air card. Line of sight is tough through pine trees and hills..Poor guy....
He should get a Balloon to raise his antenna...
Pictures downloading? Heck he can't even get logged on sometimes.
Jim
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bigfootford
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01/27/12 11:14am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Crown Battery raises recommended absorption Voltage
So to tell if the batteries have lost capacity, you need to run a test, such as timing a steady draw at their 20hr rate. I don't know how you can tell when you get to 50% with AGMs though. I use an hydrometer to tell me that with Wets and then I compare the time it took to get to 50% with the 10 hrs it should have taken.
AGM's capacity?
Get the battery (s) at or near 70deg F. or use a chart for offset, then do the 20hr discharge rate down to a discharge SOC goal...80 or 70 or60 or 50%, let it rest, measure the voltage...Trimetric helps a lot. Can't get any simpler than that. Done it that way with FWC and AGM's for years.
I have measured SG and discharged...found it a waste of time, I just use the voltage at rest. If I detected something wrong then I pull the battery (s) out and check individually etc. Guess that's the lazy way but I have found it accurate enough.
Every time we are out boondocking, over 100 days a year, I monitor ah and battery voltage. I can see quite quickly if something is going on.
Jim
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bigfootford
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01/27/12 11:06am |
Tech Issues
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