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Forum
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RE: Microwave failure after just 2 years...why?
I once had the compressor on a freezer die on me. We had almost a week of surges and brownouts. I got someone to come an look at the freezer. The repair man said he was having a busy week due to the brownouts. I was surprised that he didn't mention the surges. He said that he repairs far more appliances due to low power than high power. Low power causes appliance to work harder and overheat. The overheating shortens the life of appliances.
That said, I find the lifestyle of a microwave, like most appliances, has gotten shorter over the years. So I buy cheap. I buy only the minimum that I need. I replaced a 8yo cheap convection microwave (1100W) with another cheap convection microwave (Galanz from Walmart). I have learned over the years of using microwaves that ranged in power from 1200W down to 700W that a higher wattage typically isn't better. Currently we have a 900W convection micro in the bus and a 700W in the truck camper. I used a website that has power conversion guides and translated them into a spreadsheet. Then all my microwave recipes include times for 700W, 900W, 1000W and 1100W microwaves. I have discovered that changing the cook time works better for me than changing the power levels.
FYI, most microwave recipes and packaged food directions are written for a specific power level, typically 700W unless it says otherwise.
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LMHS
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11/14/23 02:52pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: South Florida RV park suggestions
You need to define "warm". My idea of "warm" (East Coast FL Native) and my husband's idea of "warm" (MI Native) were radically different.
As a general rule, excluding higher elevations, most places south of I-40 will give you what is considered a "temperate" winter.
As a general rule, the farther from the coast you are (100 miles or more) the cheaper and less in demand campground sites are. This does not apply to high demand waterfront and/or "resort" campgrounds/RV parks.
Every place will, even FL, over the course of a typical or not so typical winter, experience lower than "normal" temps, even down to freezing. Yes, South FL has had freezing temps and it has happened many times in my lifetime (I'm almost 63yo). I even remember it snowing. It didn't lay but it snowed in Ft Pierce. It just had the right conditions. My mother (also a FL Native) remembers it getting so cold in the winter (Jupiter) that the mullet froze to death in the river. The time my black tank valve froze and cracked, I was in Cordele, GA (I-75 Exit 101 which means it was 100 miles from the FL/GA state line) as it had almost a week of unseasonable freezing temps in Jan or Feb. A week later, things had warmed back up to normal. Growing up, I remember the pond in front of my grandmother's house would freeze up at least once most winters. It was often thick enough the hunting dogs could walk across it. I know one of my cousins walked across it too one time (kids!). This was in central FL near Ocala. the "Great Freezes" which wiped out most of the northern orange groves over about 3 winters, reached all the way to the Keys. This was during my grandmother's time (she was also a FL Native). It also took out the big pineapple plantations in the Jensen area. They didn't replant. Most people who live in the area don't even know that Jensen had big pineapple plantations.
So every place gets cold in the winter. It's just how cold is cold. I live in a "plains desert" in SE NM. We had snow flurries today. It was 39F while it was snowing big fat flakes. Too warm to lay and it turned back to sleet then rain. I have been told I moved to the "wrong" desert. But I have watched temps. AZ desert (Phoenix) gets freezing temps about as often as we do. In a few days, it will be warming back up to the 60s. And then it will get nasty for Thanksgiving. Then it will warm back up before it gets nasty for Christmas. And after that, it's really winter.
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LMHS
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11/10/23 04:14pm |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Make line on driveway for camper loading?
Have a center mark on the lower front of the camper floor and a matching mark on the tailgate side of the truck bed (the tail gateis removed. We put it there with a permanent marker and periodically remark it when it fades too much.
Bought a piece of pvc "veranda/trex" porch decking, cut in half to make two pieces, that are used as spacers between the wheel wells. These boards run from the front of the truck bed all the way back to just in front of the rear truck bed pillars. They are slick enough that the camper box will slide down one or the other with little friction. There is about 1/2 inch space on each side between the wheel well + spacer boards and the camper box sides.
I aim for matching up the center marks and the boards tend to push the camper box straight. I do have to watch the grey water tank that is mounted under the galley side so that the top edge of the truck bed doesn't get too close.
It's all a tight fit. I usually take up to 3 tries to get lined up correctly. I normally have my daughter guide me back (it's her camper) but I have loaded it by myself. It's no more difficult than it was to get the popup hitch lined up. If anything, it's easier.
There are also a couple boards laying across the front of the truck bed so the camper box will slide up and touch when it is in far enough. This is because the Stabile Lift has to line up with the saddle brackets that are underneath the truck.
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LMHS
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11/10/23 03:42pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Amarillo, TX RV Park
I believe that it's not "Dumas City Park" but Texhoma Park
https://www.campendium.com/texhoma-city-park
https://www.rvparky.com/location/texhoma-park
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LMHS
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11/07/23 11:21am |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Amarillo, TX RV Park
The last time I went thru Amarillo, I parked overnight at the Cracker Barrel (#210). We had supper and then breakfast the next morning.
For an overnight stop, I tend to stay in a parking lot (Sam's Club or Cracker Barrel usually).
You may want to check the listings on RV Parky. Where I would stay and where you would stay are most likely two totally different places.
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LMHS
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11/01/23 02:13pm |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Anyone put a truck camper on a trailer?
I've lived in campgrounds and RV parks (monthly rent) that the only way they would allow a truck camper to be off loaded from a truck was for it to have a Stable Lift for the jacks OR to be on a flatbed trailer.
I do not know their reasoning for it and I never asked. But it is something to keep in mind.
I personally see no problem with a truck camper sitting on a flatbed trailer. But then I may be considered a "redneck". I do not consider that to that to be the insult most here think it is. Most of the bumper pull trailer mounted truck campers that I have seen had the camper sitting over the tires similar to how it would sit on a truck and storage boxes were tucked under the front of the camper. Gooseneck trailers tended to have the camper pushed up to the front with the bed overhang over the gooseneck section. Both of these positions left a nice "deck" out the rear of the camper It looked like a pretty good idea to me.
Our truck camper is on a Stabile Lift. But it is rarely removed from the truck.
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LMHS
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10/27/23 10:15pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Cleaner For Plastic Sinks
I use ordinary baking soda and a bit of dishwashing liquid. For stains, I make a paste of ordinary baking soda, dishwashing liquid and cheap hydrogen peroxide (apply and let set for a few hours or even overnight if a bad stain). But I'm cheap (or frugal depending on how you view it). Most RVers opt for some expensive product that will do the same thing. Doesn't matter what you use just make sure it is VERY mildly abrasive as plastic sinks tend to scratch easily. The shiny ones really scratch easily. Don't use an abrasive sponge either. Wet cloth or sponge is all you should be using.
If it's hard water stains, use plain white vinegar. place a paper towel over the hard water stains, wet it with vinegar and keep it wet for several hours. It may take a few treatments but that is easy on a plastic sink. Then get in the habit of wiping the sink down at least once a week with vinegar.
I keep vinegar in a trigger sprayer bottle and I put a trigger sprayer top on the hydrogen peroxide bottle.
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LMHS
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10/20/23 08:40am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: The Loneliest Road in Every State in America
Nice article. Funny, I didn't have "nothing but ads".
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LMHS
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10/14/23 10:32pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Leaky Plumbing & Winter Living Prep Questions
Use a siliconized latex caulk in the shower NOT pure silicone.
Use pipe heat tape on all your plumbing pipe. You can buy it in the big box hardware stores. Most of mine are Frost King or Easy Heat brand. Be careful on sizing. For example a "13ft" heat tape has 11'6" of actual heat tape. The missing 1-1/2 foot is electrical connection. Never "spiral wrap" pipe with the heat tape. And you want to use either electrical tape or Gorilla Tape to secure the tape.
Make an insulated water hose or spend the bucks and buy a Pirit heated hose and insulate it the thing. All the Pirits in our park ended up in the dumpsters after a hard freeze last winter. Sorry but I did think it was funny after so many RVers have said that the Pirits are so much better than a homemade heated hose. You need a POTABLE WATER GARDEN HOSE to make a good heated hose. You need it to be only the length needed to go from your RV to the pipe stand.
Hang thick blankets over your doors and windows. Open the cabinet doors where you have water pipes. You may want to add a piece of Reflectix between the back of the cabinets and camper floor to protect the water piping from freezing temps seeping past the measly 2" of insulation in the walls and floor.
Get a second source of heat that does not rely on electricity for the power outage that will happen. Keep a jug of RV anti freeze (buy it NOW before they are gone) to pour down the shower p-trap. Keep a gallon of water in the bathroom for flushing the toilet in case the water freezes.
In other words, treat your camper like a poorly insulated house.
Check out the energy conservation projects on Builditsolar.com as most can be adapted to use in campers.
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LMHS
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10/14/23 09:42am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Concerns about buying from a distant dealer?
Everything and everywhere is a 2 hour (or more) for me. My perception of driving distance has changed dramatically since moving to here.
Contact the manufacturer before buying and find out who can do warranty work. That would be a good thing to do for ANY new RV that you intend to buy. Things rarely break while the RV is sitting at home. While some things can be ignored until you get "home", there may be times when you have to have a repair done without going very far. It would also be good to have an option to the dealer repair shop in case they aren't very good or they are backed up.
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LMHS
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10/11/23 09:48am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: How to keep gray water from coming up into tub?
A simple suggestion: Call a "honey wagon" aka septic tank pumper. The campground probably has the number for one that does it. There may even be one that performs the service once a week. Apparently the OP hasn't bothered to ask the campground management.
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LMHS
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10/11/23 09:38am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: I have a disgusting problem… HELP!!!
Get a little transfer pump and pump one barrel at a time into your septic system over time. If worse comes to worse, You can have a septic pump service come and pump out your septic system.
I wouldn't do the "dig a hole" on my land. I also wouldn't let them step foot on my property ever again, I don't care whose relatives they are or who I insulted, spouse or not. And yes, I told that same exact comment to my husband about both mine and his relatives.
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LMHS
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09/24/23 09:19pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Hard sided campers under 1500lbs with 6' int ht spreadsheet.
Loved my '74 Apache Roamer (1987-2005). Pulled it with various vehicles, last one was my '95 Jeep Grand Cherokee (4WD Quadra-trac trans). I still have the Jeep. Had a transmission cooler on the Jeep. It overheated pulling the camper up Monteagle Mtn on I-24 in TN so the radiator cap was replaced and it never overheated again.
The problem with Apaches is that the "living hinge" on the bed ends and lift parts are the thing that goes out. I solved the lift problem by replacing the pin in the gear box with a sturdier pin and flipped the plastic lift chain end to end so the damaged chain links were never used. The hinges was replaced with cut down sections of pipe heat tape (slides right into the grooves with a bit of pure silicone lubrication). There should still be a webpage/forum for them. They have quite a fan base. I remodeled and "upgraded" my camper beyond their comfort level. I thought too far outside the box in their opinion. I also used my camper far more than any of them as well. We normally did week long trips at least once per month and most weekends... fulltimed in it for 3 months (summer in SC foothills while house hunting) and then 18 months (over a winter in Chattanooga before buying yet another house).
Since my daughter bought an old Lance slide-in truck camper and put it on a F250 truck, I find it more and more appealing. We take it into town for any shopping or when we take the dog to the dog park. That is several times a week. It got 6mpg on the interstate but puttering around town, it gets about 14mpg (similar to one of the Jeeps). IF I were to buy another camper (I live in a bus), I would go with a slide in truck camper (NOT wood framed as I have been the one who has repaired all water damaged framing) on a flatbed 350/450 truck with an enclosed car hauler for my jeep, upright freezer and washer/dryer. That would haul everything and I could occasionally tow my old Jeep 4 down. And get rid of the bus. The truck camper would be my fulltime home. The truck camper would not be removed from the truck.
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LMHS
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09/24/23 08:23am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Radiator style radiant heaters
I don't like the one I got. The only good thing about it is the dog can touch it and not get burnt. I much prefer my LP fireplace. I heat the whole 40ft bus with it. Also the fireplace still works when the electric inevitably goes out.
For winter, I have an electric dual control heated mattress pad (sleep on top of the pad) and my top cover is a 0F sleeping bag, opened flat (slipped inside a "full" sized duvet cover to keep it free of muddy paw prints).
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LMHS
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09/23/23 02:15pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Propane Refills
I pay by the gallon. I rarely have a completely empty tank to fill. The company that fills my 20# tanks will weigh them and fill them by the metered gallon. More than once I have had 3 tanks filled and they have all been on the same ticket (NM law prohibit transporting more than 3 LP tanks in a passenger vehicle at one time).
My choice of where to fill is dictated by the fact that I know the steps taken to correctly fill a tank. I've walked away from a fill station, with my empty tank, when a step is skipped.
I carry two 20# tank on the truck camper that I refill. One is "mine" (painted light turquoise) and the other is painted white. The white one is my "swap" tank. I always carry a tank dedicated for swapping. As that tank nears it's exp date, I replace it. I do not replace my other tanks. I take very good care of my tanks. They are rust free, dent free and clean. I repaint them every few years as they get skint up from use. When I refill, the tanks are inspected, particularly the foot ring, before refilling.
The people who fill my little tanks work for and are trained by the same company who fills my big horizontal tank.
You have to be careful when swapping tanks. More than once I have gotten an out of date/recertified tank. My last 4 tanks, I ended up buying new. It was just easier to do it that way. It has gotten hard to get a newish tank from the swaps in my area. I have rejected several "swaps" due to condition too.
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LMHS
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09/16/23 04:54pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: TN 60 from Cleveland to SR 30 to Fall Creek Falls State Park
You may be more comfortable running 60 over to Dayton and down US27 to Corridor J/111 across the mountain to Dunlap and straight on up to Fall Creek Falls.
I used to run Corridor J in order to get into Hixon and then back home. Much faster than I24 and a fairly decent road.
For roads I'm unfamiliar with, I like to open up Google maps and drop the little "dude" onto the road and "drive" it to get a better look at the roads and intersections.
If you are accustomed to driving the roads around Ellijay, then you should have no problem with Corridor J/111. It's like US 76 west of Ellijay
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LMHS
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09/13/23 09:19am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Ghost Towns
Might want to check out onlyinyourstate.com and atlasobscura.com
I do suggest that you be careful visiting some of the places on atlasobscura. They are not adverse to a bit of trespassing.
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LMHS
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09/11/23 03:36pm |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Hard sided campers under 1500lbs with 6' int ht spreadsheet.
https://trailmanor.com
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LMHS
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09/09/23 09:28pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Replacing water pump... which one?
I normally buy Shurflo 2088 pumps. My current water pump is not a shurflo. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P8BE6S8
The 3.5gpm/45psi Shurflo head started leaking (bought 11/2019). I had been wanting to try a different brand and I didn't want to rebuild the pump. I've been using this one since the beginning of July. I like it. It's quieter. For me, it has plenty of pumping power at 3gpm. I have a dishwasher and it requires 45psi. I pump all my water from my holding tank. The 0.5 micron filter drops the water pressure too much to use.
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LMHS
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09/03/23 08:05pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Best way to tow with mobility issue
I flat tow my Jeep with a Stowmaster 6000. It's one of the ones that a single person can easily hook up. Just get close enough and the bars extend as needed. I don't have to be perfectly aligned or on a perfectly flat surface to hookup. I believe that all the other tow bar companies make a similar type.
I suggest that you find the tow brackets that fit your car and then find the tow bar you need.
While my tow bar is on "hidden" brackets, it is left on the Jeep 24/7. Just easier for me to store it that way.
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LMHS
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09/03/23 11:23am |
RVing with Disabilities and General Health Issues
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