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RE: Safe use of electric space heaters
BTW is that a 30a or 50a trailer? Two heaters on 30a service would be max. And you may need to shut one off to use another high draw item. 50a you could run two with no real trouble.30a trailer and I would mainly be using them at night when everything else is off. I would not run a coffee maker or the microwave with them on.
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mfoster711
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01/02/12 09:25pm |
Tech Issues
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Safe use of electric space heaters
I had my heater break in the camper this past week and decided I was going to add a couple of simple, small electric space heaters to the camper for future use in case it happens again. What general guidelines should I follow in buying a new space heater to make sure I am not overloading circuits and causing fuses to blow or breakers to flip?
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mfoster711
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01/02/12 09:00pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: RV repairman - Did I get taken for a ride or fair service?
In any event we have not heard from the OP for some time. So we don't know the problem, or the solution.
Until I hear from the OP I'll give the repairman the benefit of the doubt.Uh, hello, I am here. I posted just a few messages ago. What specifically do you want to know? I have not taken the camper to another repairman yet so I can't say for a fact that this or that was the problem but I will answer what ever you want to know.
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mfoster711
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01/02/12 08:52pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: RV repairman - Did I get taken for a ride or fair service?
I guess I should be happy that my doctor is not a "repairman". That caparison is apples to oranges in my opinion. in any repair job, there is a set of given checks that should be made. Maybe not on the first visit, but DEFINITELY on the second visit.
What I see is he cleaned the unit on the first visit and thought that was the problem. If he did the cleaning job correctly, a further cleaning wouldn't be necessary on the second visit if it was done correctly and completely the first time. Why should it take two visits to do the same job? That in and of itself tells me that he was is not competent. Under no circumstances should it take two visits to clean a furnace. He should have been looking for another problem the second trip and didn't.Very interesting points Bill. I have to agree that a cleaning should only take one trip. I will also state that this repairman did not do any other kind of checks that I witnessed but he is now suggesting a complete replacement.
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mfoster711
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01/02/12 06:19pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: RV repairman - Did I get taken for a ride or fair service?
Thanks for all the comments. You confirmed what my gut was already telling me, that the repairman "did his best" and sometimes sh** happens. It is just a hard pill to swallow when you spent $260 and it still is not working. I was never planning to ask for money back, just curious if others thought he deserved it.
I was wanting other opinions because this campground is a place we have stayed at dozens of times. I would guess 60% of all our camping trips have been there. We know the owners and many of the campground employees and this RV repairman was suggested to us by one of the park employees. I was really hoping this RV repairman worked out because of the frequency we camp at this location it would be nice to have a reliable RV repairman nearby.
Needless to say, I won't be calling this guy again. I am not convinced his troubleshooting skills are the best. I plan to be honest with the park employee that recommend the guy but I will let him develop his own opinion on whether or not to recommend him again in the future.
A few notes in reply to some of your comments:
RoyB - Yes, space heaters and a down comforter will be added to the camper.Dog_Trainer - No, the repairman said he would replace the unit as the next step.I was on shore power, not batteries. I was staying in the exact same site I always use.Butane, really? Where would you even buy this? I last filled my tanks at a Jellystone campground in Waller Tx so doubt they would have butane. Also, I tried the heater during the day and it still did not work. Also, everything else was working fine, stove, oven, hot water heater.
Note: I plan to add another post in the technical forum later to debate exactly what might be wrong with the unit.
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mfoster711
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01/02/12 09:01am |
General RVing Issues
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RV repairman - Did I get taken for a ride or fair service?
I was camping for 4 nights this past weekend and found out the heater was not working. We braved the first night and I called a mobile RV repairman the next day. I was a little hesitant using a mobile mechanic because I feared how much the charge would be for him coming out but he quoted on the phone that it would be $60 service fee, $80 per hour and he said worse case it might be a bad controller board that would cost $150. All in all he agreed when I said "so we are looking at maybe $300 worse case scenario" but he also added that most of the time the heaters just need cleaned out to get them working.
He came out and said the heater was clogged up with mud daubers and just needed cleaned out. He removed heater from camper, banged it out good and re-installed back in camper. Heater was working at this point. I paid him $180, $60 service fee and 1.5 hours labor.
That night the heater stopped working again. It worked fine until about 4 am so it ran at least 7 hours before stopping. I called the same RV repairman and he came out again. He said something must have shook lose during the night and clogged it up. He removed heater, banged and cleaned it out again. It still seemed a little clogged so he went to the extreme of using a water hose to push water through the furnace (he took precautions to protect the circuit board and other components) to thoroughly clean it out. I watched him do this and I personally thought "that sure is going to clean it out good". Anyways, he reassembled everything and put the heater back in the camper and everything was working again. He was there for at least 2 hours this time but only charged me $80 for one hour of work and no service fee. I thought this was fair at the time.
Well, that night the heater stopped working again. It worked until roughly 4 am again and then stopped. Exact same symptoms as the previous two times. Fan blows and tries to ignite but the furnace does not stay lit and get hot.
I called him the next day and his response was "well the mud daubers must have done more damage than we can see. At this point I suggest we replace the unit. It will be around $700-$800 for the part but I will not charge any labor. The only problem is that I will not be able to work on it for 3 days because I am out of town. You can leave your camper at XYZ place and I will work on it there". Well, I was not wanting to spend another $700-$800 with this guy because I was starting to doubt his abilities, not to mention leaving my camper where he suggested was not an option in my book.
So I am back home now and have not spoke with this man again. I do not plan to use him to replace the heater (seeing how that is 3 hours away) not to mention I found the heater for $600 with PPL. So the question that is bothering me is did this RV repair man screw me? I paid him $260 and still have a broke heater. On the other hand, the heater worked just fine both times he left my camper. The extreme he went to cleaning it the second time was very thorough.
So what do you think? Does this man deserve the $260 he has or should I be asking for a refund?
Note: I will be starting another post to discuss this technical details of the furnace repair/replacement. For this post, I am just asking if the man deserves to keep the $260.
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mfoster711
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01/01/12 07:15pm |
General RVing Issues
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Heat question - Leaving dog in camper
I plan on camping for a week with our dog and on several of the days we will be making day trips and leaving the dog in our camper. I am a little worried about the heat in case something happens to cause our camper to lose power and A/C. I am wondering how hot is too hot? Is 105 degrees too hot?
My camper is stored on a lot without any shade. In the past few weeks we have experienced 100+ days here in Texas. Inside my camper I have a thermometer that tracks the highest/lowest temp that it has experienced. Even with outside temps getting to 100+ the inside of my camper never got above 105 sitting outside in the direct sunlight. I am convinced those people that try to compare the inside of a camper to the inside of a car are foolish. A camper is insulated and offers a little protection from heat which is why it only got to 105 in my camper.
That being said, 105 is still freaking hot! We will be camping at a campground that we have used over a dozen times. We have never had power issues at this campground. Out exact site is heavily shaded so it should offer some protection from the heat. I plan to leave a large water bowl for out dog when we are gone.
All that being considered, I highly doubt our camper would get over 100 degrees even if the power went out shortly after we left the campground. Even if it did, the dog would have a large water bowl so I am wondering if I should be worried knowing that she might be left in the camper for many hours at 95+ degrees.
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mfoster711
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06/17/11 11:44pm |
RV Pet Stop
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RE: Just installed a Reese Sidewinder
First, I have a Sidewinder and I LOVE IT!. I have never read a single comment from a Sidewinder owner that did not love it.
Second, have you checked Etrailer.com for the Sidewinder? I ordered mine through them. Free shipping, no tax and delivered in a few days.
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mfoster711
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06/04/11 10:04pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Austin TX
Give us a little more information about exactly what you are looking for. Do you want a nice RV Resort (i.e. you are not worried about cost). Does it have to be in Austin? Are you looking for something secluded or more in the city? When you say water, are you looking for something on the water or just near a lake?
The Texas Hill Country has many great places to camp. I define the Hill Country as everything roughly between Austin, San Antonio and Kerrville. I spend most of my time camping in this area.
My favorite campground is JellyStone campground on Canyon Lake. This campground gets a fair number of winter texans and I know they have reasonable monthly rates. It is very much a family friendly campground and the owners are great. We camp there 6 or 7 times each year (week in the summer, thanksgiving, memorial day and 3-4 other weekends).
We love this campground because of the following:
Family friendlyRoomy campsitesCentrally located to many things in the Hill CountrySecluded rustic areaNear Canyon LakeNear Greune HallOnly an hour to San Antonio or Austin for day tripsI could go on and on
**Begin Edit**
I will add this about the JellyStone campground....the winter texans are really great. I typically avoid campgrounds that have lots of full timers or winter texans but the winter texans that stay there are always wonderfully nice. I get the feeling the owners are sort of strict about who they allow to camp full time. If you are a Biker that plans on driving your Harley in a midnight everynight, don't plan on staying there. Most of the winter texans are retirees that like being at the campground because it gets lots of families and kids camping there. I bet it helps them stay young!
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mfoster711
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04/27/11 07:51pm |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Passengers in a fifth wheel?
Anybody that kennels a dog needs to try the kennel for themselfwith the exception of house breaking purposes!!!!Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding....We have a winner for the stupidest comment ever! I have had multiple vets recommend using a kennel. My family fostered a puppy for the TSA training program and they insisted we kennel the dog. Chuck, you are clueless!
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mfoster711
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04/13/11 10:52pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Passengers in a fifth wheel?
If you have to stop short you aren't going to stop a 100lb dog from going airborne no matter where he is. Totally agree. Here in Texas heat would be my only concern about putting a pet in the 5th wheel while traveling. Otherwise, do it if you need too. If you want to be real safe, put the pet in a proper travel crate while in the 5th wheel and he is probably twice as safe in it as compared to sitting on the seat in your truck.
Another thought on this subject....I really wonder how much bounce there is in the 5th wheel while traveling. A year ago I put some coins on the counter of my bathroom sink in my 5th wheel. Those coins are still there after many trips. They haven't bounced or slid off. And they are not stuck to the counter either. They are just sitting there and haven't moved.
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mfoster711
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04/13/11 08:23pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Repair Billing
Just another reason we didn't allow customers in the shop - too many experts and time managers.
A good mechanic is more efficient with 2 or 3 vehicles being worked simultaneously - while one is diagnosed waiting for customer contact by the Service Manager, the next one is diagnosed. While the parts man is pulling parts for one, the next one is being re-assembled, or tested, or something is drying, or soaking. The less efficient approach would be to work on one rig from beginning to end, chatting with the clerk in the skirt while waiting for parts or whatever.
If you don't have enough confidence in the integrity of the shop, go somewhere else. Both of you will be much happier.Ditto. You nailed it!
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mfoster711
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04/07/11 08:38pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Will Bedsaver Work With Sidewinder?
First, to answer the OP's question, I have a sidewinder and looking at the bedsaver I would believe that the wedge for the sidewinder would cause the bedsaver to be less likely to catch your hitch but it would still work. How much less likely? Who knows, I just think it would interfere to some degree. But, if purchasing a bedsaver gives you peace of mind, then do it!
Second, I might sort of be taking sides with N8GS with the rest of my post but please don't shoot me.
I have thought about purchasing a bedsaver in the past but mainly because I am very anal and tend to be overly cautious and overly prepared. Buying a bedsaver sort of fits my personality of being prepared for who knows what. Now, that being said, I must reiterate that I am very anal. Therefore, I quadruple check everything when I hook up. Seriously, I go way overboard but that is just how I am. I think the odds of me forgetting a step and overlooking something that results in me dropping my camper on my truck are EXTREMELY low (I knocked on wood after typing that).
So, considering how anal I am, what really are the odds that something might happen that would result in the bedsaver "saving me"? It would have to be a mechanical break down of some kind but what are the odds of that? Seriously, of all the times somebody has ever dropped their camper on their truck bed, what percentage of the time would you say it was the result of them "forgetting something" and what percentage of the time would you say was the result of a mechanical failure?
Let's be honest, I am guessing that 99% of the time it was because the person made a mistake and only 1% might be the result of some type of mechanical failure. Yeah, I know, I have absolutely no evidence to support this claim but does anybody dispute this estimate?
In the end, I sort of agree with N8GS's statement. In my opinion, if you are an overly anal person that quadruple checks everything when hooking up, the odds of a mechanical failure occurring that would result in the bedsaver "saving you" are extremely low.
Note: An extremely anal person like me also regularly inspects their hitch looking for any kind of issues that may lead to mechanical failure.
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mfoster711
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04/01/11 10:29pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Did I wire my dual battery wrong - Fuse keeps blowing
WOW, I never knew my stupidity would result in such a debated topic! If it helps, yes, the batteries were dead as could be. That is why I pulled them out to fill with water. Admittedly, I had not maintained my batteries as I should since day one. They were over two years old and I had never once checked the water level.
After this little incident I felt it best to replace the batteries and move forward with my new knowledge on proper battery wiring and maintenance. Took the camper out this weekend and batteries were much better than before and the fuse never blew.
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mfoster711
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03/20/11 09:45pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Did I wire my dual battery wrong - Fuse keeps blowing
One last followup question, as long as I have + to + and - to - connected properly, does it matter which battery I connect the two camper wires? Does it have to be + on battery one and - on battery two or can it be + and - both on battery one?
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mfoster711
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03/15/11 07:06pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Did I wire my dual battery wrong - Fuse keeps blowing
You may have done inadvertently yourself a favor, depending on the sequence you connected your wires. The way you have the batteries connected will not produce 24 volts, it will produce 0 volts. The batteries are connected in parallel, but they are "bucking" each other. The batteries are probably toast, but it may saved your camper electronics.
Follow the diagram TURK2500 provided a link for when you connect your new batteries. Scroll down to the diagram of the two 12 volt batteries connected together.Yes, it appears I didn't have them wired correct for any method of wiring. If the batteries are toast, they just won't hold a charge correct? Not like they could cause any harm at this point assuming I wire everything correctly.
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mfoster711
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03/15/11 07:03pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Did I wire my dual battery wrong - Fuse keeps blowing
Thanks for all the replies. One more question, how do I determine which wire is positive and negative. Is it safe to assume the black wire is positive since it has the fuse inline? I didn't think you would normally put a fuse on a negative wire? And, if I get it backwards, what might happen?
Edit: Per one reply I tried to see where the wires went to see if I could determine which is connected to the frame but I can't see the end of the wires.
Edit2: Never mind, I read your replies better and realized two of you told me the correct wire. Thanks,
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mfoster711
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03/15/11 06:42pm |
Tech Issues
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Did I wire my dual battery wrong - Fuse keeps blowing
There is a 30 amp fuse inline on my battery and the fuse keeps blowing. I am trying to figure out why. I bought this camper new a little over 2 years ago. This fuse has blown numerous times but usually I replace it and then it is fine for awhile. I am guessing that it has blown 8 times in 2 years.
Well, just recently I pulled my two batteries out and filled them with water. I am fairly confident that I put the two batteries back in properly but not 100% sure. I am now having a problem where the fuse blows immediately once I try replacing it which obviously makes me think I didn't connect the batteries back properly. Went through 3 fuses and quit trying.
Here is an image of my batteries hooked up. Does this look right? Dual batteries are not my specialty so I was hoping somebody could verify the hookup.
If they are hooked up correct, then why would my fuse keep blowing?
http://www.markandtracy.com/var/albums/IPhone/IMG_0769.JPG width=700
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mfoster711
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03/15/11 06:07pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Need Selection & Information Help REAL bad!
I just realized none of us were answering your others question because we all don't want you to make the mistake of trying to pull a 5th wheel with that truck....so, I will toss in my opinion.
Which unit is better (quality and value)? - I am very pleased with my Jayco. If you search these forums about Jayco I believe you will generally find that most Jayco owners are very pleased with their camper. Jayco generally gives you a very good camper for the price. They have been in business a long time with lots of happy owners. I don't know anything about Rockwood so I can't really comment on it.
What % should we expect to get off a "MSRP"? - This is a little tricky. In my personal experience and based on what I have read from others, you should expect to get a discount of 25% to 35% off of MSRP. Just keep in mind that if you are looking at a very popular floor-plan and they just got it on the lot you ain't going to get as good of a deal as you would on a 2010 model they are trying to "move out". Do plenty of research is my best advice. Use the internet, it is your friend. Find several dealers that have the model you want and email all asking the best price.
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mfoster711
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02/20/11 09:26pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Need Selection & Information Help REAL bad!
I have to agree with everybody else, get a travel trailer or a different truck.
I have a 2009 Jayco Eagle Super Light 30.5BHS that I tow with an F250 with diesel engine. My camper weighs less than the one you are looking at and I would never consider towing it with anything less than my truck.
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mfoster711
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02/20/11 09:09pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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