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RE: Top of the World Highway
Border agent told us that as soon as the first snowflake falls, they head out and the border is officially closed until the snow is gone and the ferry starts up again.
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tony lee
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10/02/11 11:20pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Cold water from hot water heater
I've been trying to devise a way of building a bypass (T on the hot line with a valve to divert water to the fresh holding tank), then use some sort of temperature sensor on the water line, shutting of the bypass, diverting the hot water to the tap and then using the sink.
Nothing worse than trying to get a few days boondocking and having to watch "gallons" of water running down the drain. I know because mine suffers the same problem.
I'm building a new camper box on the OKA that I use for desert trips back home and there water is a very major problem - lack of that is.
I'm doing what you suggest. Placing a 12V solenoid valve right at the back of the shower mixer and another one below the sink to divert water back to the tank .
Difference is that I will just have a manual pushbutton on the wall so before turning on the tap, we will just push the button for X seconds - determined from experience - and then release it and turn the tap on. I also save more water by having a water temperature tempering valve set to give the correct shower temperature and another one set for high enough for dish washing so there is no fiddling around getting the temperature correct.
Reason for not having the process automatic is to reduce complexity. If you don't want to manually start the process then you would have to add a flow switch as well. Just count to ten or whatever and let up on the button.
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tony lee
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10/02/11 11:14pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Battery Problem
Just curious.
Are the main positive and negative leads hooked to the battery that is good and is the one reading 8volts the one furtherest away from the battery that the main leads are hooked to?? (or is it the other way around)
If so, it may be that the connections between the first and second and second and third battery are a bit light and this is preventing the second and third batteries from getting a full charge (or resulting in the first battery being hammered when dragging heavy currents running a big inverter).
I know the effect should be only minor provided the leads are big enough but it could be a factor in your case.
It isn't possible to easily balance three batteries unless they are all connected to an external lug with identical cables, but a partial balance will be obtained by connecting the incoming positive lead to battery one and the main negative lead to battery three (with of course the normal paralleling cables connecting all three positives and all the negatives as usual.
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tony lee
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10/02/11 11:02pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Travelling in Europe
Rig we have in Europe is a 6.5 metre long, 2.1 metre wide Class C diesel.
It also weighs less than 3.5 tonnes which is a fairly critical specification because anything bigger and you just won't get close to the centres of lots of interesting European villages. Anything longer and it won't fit in any parking space and anything wider and you will just have to stick to the freeways.
Yes, towing 4-down is technically illegal across most of the UE and while you may get away with it, you may not.
Height restriction barriers are also common, especially in England so that reduces parking opportunities even more.
England is not RV friendly, especially for those who want to boondock. Wildcamping is the equivalent term and much of it seems to take place in supermarket parking lots and council car parks. Further north you go in the UK the better but don't expect dump stations everywhere - or even anywhere for that matter.
France is one of the RV-friendliest places on earth - no need to boondock because free or low-cost aires are everywhere. Trouble is you won't be very popular if you turn up in a 35 footer expecting parking room. French RVers particularly abhor space between RVs and the general standard spacing is such that if you can open your door enough to edge out sideways, that is about right.
Fuel costs really aren't that important because the smaller vehicles and lower weights plus the greatly reduced distances you travel mean that fuel costs as a proportion of your other expenses really aren't all that excessive.
Diesel is available everywhere.
Caravans are much more common than Class A RVs in Europe
Guess it depends on where you go, but in my perception is that when driving around, motorhomes outnumber caravans by a big margin EXCEPT perhaps in caravan parks in the UK. Caravans are banned from village aires across France and are generally not fitted with the usual fixed water and waste tanks that motorhomes are.
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tony lee
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10/02/11 11:03am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Drive shaft lubrication question
Pretty rare for a driveshaft to fail catastrophically.
Usually there is plenty of warning - noise, vibration - to allow you to get them replaced without messing up a vacation.
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tony lee
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09/26/11 11:57am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: HELP!!!!!!
US$200 a day rental seems pretty typical -- plus the inevitable damage deductible you'll pay when you return it.
Which is why we bought our own, got a 5-year visitor visa, and come back every year or so to wander around a bit more.
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tony lee
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09/26/11 11:54am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: vacuum pump / reservoir
Your pump unit may have an inbuilt reservoir big enough for the application if it is just supplying one 'appliance' that operates infrequently.
Otherwise you will need to run from the pump to a Tee joint, with one branch going to the reservoir and the other to the rest of the system.
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tony lee
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09/24/11 09:29am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Ethical behaviour, or just par for the course.
Had a prompt and informative reply to my email.
I am unsure of what the practice is in the National Parks, but it is standard in the Provincial Parks in BC.
In our training videos and programs it is required that all evidence of the last visitor be removed from the campsite prior to registering it to someone else, firewood included. And although firewood can be purchased on site, we have no problems when guests bring their own (or are fast enough to grab the abandoned stuff!).
I should clarify my own position - and that is since we NEVER - well, perhaps almost never would be more accurate - light a campfire, I couldn't care two hoots what anyone does with firewood - other than to NOT to collect it by ripping trees and shrubs down anywhere near the campsite.
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tony lee
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09/23/11 07:42pm |
RV Lifestyle
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RE: heading to Canada next week. have a couple ?'s
If they do come on board you will have to leave your unit. They will not enter if you are on board.
As others have said, your experience WILL vary. Last time through, the border guard did briefly come on board - to the top of the steps, glanced around inside to make sure there weren't any Canadians trying to get into the US illegally, and then got off again. Only thing he was concerned about was to check if I had the RV in park before he walked in front.
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tony lee
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09/18/11 10:42am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Anyone Straddle the tow bar
Seriously, I think you are all right, there is an element of danger in standing between the car and the motorhome. But then again, there is an element of danger when driving down the highway with the refrigerator on propane too (which I also do)
I leave the propane on too, but I don't stand in the middle of a busy roadway, which I see as more similar to standing between vehicles. The other dangerous practice is getting behind vehicles when guiding them in. I know the ladies stand behind so they can be seen in the rear vision camera, but it is still a dangerous practice.
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tony lee
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09/18/11 10:29am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Dawson Creek to Jasper
Good condition at the moment. Plenty of bison in one area but they are well road-wise - in the daytime anyway.
Local drivers seem to regard double lines as the signal to overtake, but they still do it safely enough.
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tony lee
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09/17/11 09:41pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Propane
.get tank refilled as soon as possible after it is empty.
My fixed tank has a gauge on it and once it gets down between 1/2 and 1/4 full, I fill it up again so little chance of it getting empty.
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tony lee
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09/17/11 09:02pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: bing, bing, bing, bing - but parking brake was released
Gong is plugged into the harness under the dash so not difficult to find it and unplug it for the time being
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tony lee
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09/16/11 10:24am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Ethical behaviour, or just par for the course.
Certainly some interesting perspectives on the "problem".
Best one was someone arriving at a spic'n'span site, hopping out only to be somewhat discombobulated by discovering that not only had the previous camper grossly overstepped the bounds of common decency by generously leaving $10 worth of sawn, split dry firewood stacked neatly by the fire ring as a welcome present, BUT the campground managers had failed to steal it to resell once again at a 300% mark-up.
Hate to think what the reaction might be if they spied a discarded cigarette butt anywhere near their campsite. Bird droppings on the table would be real heart-attack material.
Problem for them is that the majority of campsites I prefer do have the occasional piece or two of good firewood left for the next camper AND it is left there. Some sites even provide free firewood so just about every site has a few bits of wood next to the firering. Given that some of those sites are NP run, I imagine any problems involving fire risk are small enough to be discounted.
My main thought is that I very much doubt that a departing camper would say to himself - "OK, Couple of bits of firewood left over. Think I'll leave them so the campground manager can resell them to the next camper"
Anyway, the responses have piqued my curiosity enough that I'll seek a definite answer for the authorities who own that particular campsite - and will let you know the outcome.
The firewood was abandoned on the property of another, it became the property of the other to do with it as he or she pleased, remove it, leave it in place, use it or sell it. This is not theft.
Hmmmm. Doubt whether that is true. Most civilised legal systems have a "theft by finding" law, but if not, are you happy for the restaurant owner to just keep your wallet or laptop you abandoned under the table??
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tony lee
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09/15/11 02:51pm |
RV Lifestyle
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Ethical behaviour, or just par for the course.
This topic has been moved to another forum.
You can read it here: 25403172
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tony lee
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09/12/11 11:11am |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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Ethical behaviour, or just par for the course.
Spent a night in a provincial park and next morning the managing agent's staff went around cleaning up the sites. They did a good job raking the gravel and making a lot of noise blowing leaves off, but what really caught my attention was that they carefully picked up several pieces of sawn split dry wood left neatly next to the fire ring and put it in their runabout alongside a stack already there.
Given that the contractor makes good money selling this firewood in the first place (no free firewood supplied in this park), and that the previous campers left the wood there for the next campers, would the actions of the contractor's employees amount to theft or fraud - or is this just an accepted perk of the job?
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tony lee
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09/12/11 11:11am |
RV Lifestyle
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RE: Newbie question: Can I park any where in Alaska Countryside?
I see there is a need to worry about several aspect of driving an RV if all the OP has done is drive normal vehicles.
They are wider, longer, higher and heavier and have poorer visiblity so if all of those factors don't require special consideration, I don't know what would.
advice. Look up. Will the RV fit under that awning or branch?
Take turns wider than you are used to, especially on right hand turns. Start the turn only when the back wheels are close to level with whatever you are turning around.
Watch the low posts and bollards in campgrounds. Stupid designers get a commission from the panel beaters for every RV that gets the side crunched in.
Get your copilot outside when revesing with clear understanding of how they are to direct you. Banging hard on the side of the RV is one way to get you to stop. Never stand close behind.
The RV is maybe 8'6" wide plus mirrors. Wider than many trucks. Watch for signs, awnings and posts --
-- or be prepared to include the $1000 damage excess as part of your hiring costs.
Rear overhang is way more than regular vehicles so rear corner moves out when you turn. Especially in parking lots, this can cause a scrape on the rear corner.
Be selfish in store parking lots. Take up 4 spaces. Otherwise you might find yourself sitting there until closing time.
Don't tailgate. Allow plenty of space to stop safely.
Make sure the hirer runs you through all aspects of using the RV, especially dealing with water supply and waste disposal. Write the info down. Power management and propane supply need explaining too.
PS if you are used to gas-powered vehicles and the RV is diesel, be VERY careful about which fuel pump you pull up to.
As for boondocking - plenty of opportunities, but just be prepared for the occasional bear. We had one try to eat the red tail light lens off the back. Carry bear spray and don't let the kids or dogs run around in the forest away from your direct sight..
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tony lee
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09/09/11 12:20pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: black water coming from kitchen & bathroom faucets
OP posted on 9/7 early afternoon looking for help. Within minutes suggestions/questions were posted. 8 hrs. later (late evening) no response from OP.
Instant gratification syndrome strikes again.
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tony lee
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09/09/11 12:03pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Kwikee step question
Battery voltage down a bit - maybe because of low temperatures.
Needs regular lubrication of all joints in the linkages.
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tony lee
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09/09/11 11:57am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: jacks n wheels off ground
On most Class A's. the parking brake operates on the drive shaft, not the wheels.
except if it is a DP with air brakes.
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As far as other concerns, I see them as little more than old mechanics tales.
Wheel hanging on shock absorber when it is off the ground is bad for the suspension!!!!
Really? If it can handle that sort of thing at 60mph when you hit a big frost heave, it can certainly handle it when you jack it up slowly and let it hang there with no movement. Mechanical parts love no movement. Its the dynamic stresses that break things and wear them out.
Brake lines get stretched!!!!
No they don't.
Air bags get turned inside out!!!!
That's why they are made of elastic materials.
Running dual wheels up on small blocks or sitting it with a block under only one tyre will cause tyre damage and failure!!!
Again, running it up slowly and leaving it sitting there without movement is not going to hurt anything compared with what happens at 70mph when you hit a rock or a bump. If that is a concern better only ever drive very slowly on level flat concrete.
The jack hose might burst!!!
Yes, you've got me there. It might. If this is a concern then don't EVER use the jacks because they are under pressure as soon as they hit the ground..
When you jack one wheel off the ground you have lost your parking brakes!!!
Yes,but only with a transmission brake and even then while theoretically the coefficient of friction between the plate and a hard paved surface is lower than between the rubber tyre and the pavement, I would suggest that this would only become a significant factor if the slope was more than the jacks could level at anyway. If the tyre was just on the ground with most of the weight on the jacks the tyre isn't going to provide any grip so you are back to relying in the jacks to stop you sliding.
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tony lee
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09/09/11 11:53am |
Class A Motorhomes
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