| |
Subject |
Author |
Date Posted |
Forum
|
 |
RE: Wisconsin Fall Rally October 9th - 11th 2009
Anyone going on any more camping trips before the weather sets in:@ We're almost done puting our trailer to bed for the season, a few more items to bring in the house and a little TLC then we're done till spring :(
All done with maintence, repairs, and winterizing here :) Every thing has been emptied and cleaned, just have to vacuum and remake the beds. Then off to hibernation :( Not tucking it away too tight though as we may use it over the winter.
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/20/09 09:17pm |
Rallies, Shows and Gatherings
|
|
RE: winter camping question about fresh water tank
Under the right conditions a sample of warmer water can freeze faster than a sample of cooler water. To say, “hot water freezes faster than cold water” implies that it always works that way.
For the most part it does work that way. Hot water molecules are essentially in faster motion because they contain more energy (heat). This allows the molecules to regroup and form into ice faster than cold water.
I'm no physicist but hot water freezes faster than cold.
I'm open to opposing views.
You got it!
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/19/09 05:26pm |
Toy Haulers
|
|
RE: winter camping question about fresh water tank
Ya right. I guess boiling water would almost freeze instantly then.
Google it. Those of us that paid attention in grade school already know this.
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/19/09 05:25pm |
Toy Haulers
|
|
RE: winter camping question about fresh water tank
Get a two gallon bucket, and a funnel and . . .
See if they keep the water on in the laundry room, and if you can hook up a water hose in there. Then consider filling the RV with hot water, it will keep warm much longer. You might want to refill when about 1/3 full, with 120 F water it will stay above freezing for a while. Then quickly drain the water hose and put it away when done filling.
You should also have a couple of 1 gallon water jugs to have drinking water and flush water in the event the fresh water pump is not running one night.
I had to put a small electric heater near my water tank, set it to about 50F, and on low heat setting, then plug it into the power post 20 amp circuit breaker.
I also ran a #12 gauge power cord from my bedroom through a hole in the floor (factory installed one that is under the nightstand) and into the area near the fresh water tank, outside through the closed door, and to the power post. I plugged in one heater to this power cord.
Then I plugged two more heaters into the RV power system, I am limited to only 30 amps. With the refrigerator running on 120 volts - 3.5 amps, and other small draws, say 3 amps for the TV, battery charger and other light loads, then there is another 24 amps available for running electric heaters and microwave, (12 amps) 10 amps for a coffee maker, and the remainder can be used for the portable heaters.
I could set them on low - 8 amps or high 13 amps. I got the heaters at Wal Mart. I paid 9 cents per KW for electric, and would need to burn 22 KW to get the same heat (80,000 Btu's) as burning one gallon of propane. So electric heaters only cost $1.98 per 80,000 Btu's.
You will probably still need to run the furnace a little bit, because the three heaters will not really keep up with 20F weather.
I also installed 48" wide aluminum insulation over all the windows. For the windshield, I had to cut it down to about 30" high, to fit tightly between the curtains and the windshield. I have exterior screens, so you can not see the insulation from the outside. I did not suffer from much snow, only a sprinkling last winter. No freezing rain. I was very comfortable inside.
You can buy the aluminum insulation at Home Depot, and I think I used a total of 50' long, to cover each window, the door, and windshield. I had enough left over to put some under my mattress, and over a couple of the doors nearest the tanks. It looks like bubble wrap with shiny aluminum on each side. It is semi-rigid, so it will stand up by itself. The insulation is R-4, while only being 1/4" thick.
Good Luck,
Fred.
Your theory is not quite correct. Hot water will freeze FASTER than cold water.
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/18/09 09:25pm |
Toy Haulers
|
|
RE: Is it the right time to UNwinterize?
You can recover and re-use the pink stuff, if it has not been mixed with to much water.
You can do this by using compressed air set to about 30 PSI, to blow the pink stuff into some bottles, and then rinse the water into the tanks, or pour out on the lawn.
If the pink stuff looks a little weak, then don't re-use it, or use it for the P traps only.
I only used compressed air to winterize my RV last winter, as I was in a area that I only expected a low of about 20F on a night where I would be sleeping inside, so the RV was going to stay fairly warm. The advantage is I could un-winterize without rinsing out the hoses. I only needed to plug in the water heater and fill it with water.
When winterizing, I always unplug the water heater DSI power plug, so it does not get turned on when it is empty.
Good Luck!
Fred.
RV antifreeze is way to cheap to risk reusing. The amount of damage a freezeup WILL cause is not worth it. JMHO
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/18/09 09:21pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Adding tank level sensors
Save your money, those sensors are very innacurate. Check out the Vena sensors
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/16/09 08:55pm |
Folding Trailers
|
|
RE: Can we afford it?
$50 per day for a campground site, $100 per week for food, $5 per week for paperbacks...
1500/month for a campsite?
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/15/09 04:54pm |
Snowbirds
|
 |
RE: Swine Flu Vaccine?
So, my kids are able to get a FREE swine flu vaccine at school. I'm torn. They are normal, healthy kids, so I'm not really concerned about the flu itself.
I'm a bit more concerned about the vaccine itself. It seems that it's been rushed through to have something available. There's been no studies done on it, and no one knows what the long-term effects of this vaccine are.
I have not had my girls get the Gardasil vaccine for the same reasons, and it turns out, from the numerous media reports I'm hearing, that I was right in not having them get the series of Gardasil vaccines.
What are your thoughts about the swine flu vaccine?
If they are doing the shot, I would say go for it. If it's the Nasal spray vaccine, RUN. This is the advice I have also heard from many doctors in our area. Shot has no live cultures, spray does.
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/14/09 01:52pm |
Around the Campfire
|
|
RE: Wisconsin Fall Rally October 9th - 11th 2009
.
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/14/09 01:07pm |
Rallies, Shows and Gatherings
|
|
RE: Double Towing.
I double tow too and have for years. The problem is it is more dangerous and requires extra precautions and safety checks and more attention to your driving. While many of us can handle this, there are many that can't and try anyways. When you see a semi towing double, you KNOW that he had to go through training and has a commercial license (not that this guarantees he knows what he is doing, but it helps) In some states any moron can double tow with a camper without any special training or license.
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/13/09 10:07pm |
Towing
|
|
RE: Self-contained HTT
It's pertaining to Hilton Head Harbor RV Resort & Marina. I emailed about the HTT, because they don't allow pop-up campers. They said "Your hybrid has to be fully self contained(including external sewer hook-up)"
I figured HTTs wouldn't be allowed because they have canvas, but I would email anyway to see what they say.
John
Popups are not usually self contained as they don't usually have a shower/toliet or holding tank. Without a holding tank, there cannot be an external sewer hook-up. I don't think it has anything to do with the canvas but probably more to do with the fact that they don't want all the grey water from a bunch of popups being dumped on the ground. It may even be a local ordinance seeing they are so close to the water being a marina.
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/13/09 04:03pm |
Hybrid Travel Trailers
|
|
RE: Self-contained HTT
Self contained means you can do everything you need to do IN you camper without the use of campground facilities (cook, shower, sleep, bathroom)
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/13/09 02:41pm |
Hybrid Travel Trailers
|
|
RE: Electronic equipment OK to freeze?
The only items that might be at risk of damage would be those with LCDs. Not all LCDs are equal in tolerating and surviving really cold temperatures. Most should be just fine down to about 0 to -10 deg C. For temperatures much colder than that I would check the environmental specs of the device or just play it safe and store in a warmer area.
Jim
Not quite true. How do you think they get LCD tv's to the store in the winter? They don't stop shipping cause it's cold out. Mine has been in my 5er for 4 years and is just fine.
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/13/09 11:48am |
Truck Campers
|
|
RE: Electronic equipment OK to freeze?
How do you think electronics get to the store in the winter? Semi trailers are not heated. No need to remove anything, just don't turn it on below operating temps.
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/13/09 08:17am |
Truck Campers
|
|
RE: New owner of Rockwood 8293SS-Can't find water filter
How do you know there is one? Not many campers come with one built in.
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/12/09 05:13pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Wisconsin Fall Rally October 9th - 11th 2009
http://www.barrysbeaniescatalog.com/catalog/captain-spongebob.jpg
IT'S CAPTAIN SPONGE TODD NO PANTS!!! Arrrr
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/12/09 07:54am |
Rallies, Shows and Gatherings
|
|
RE: Inverter/Shore Power shared ground wire
The neutral needs to be switched.
The ONLY place a neutral should be bonded to ground is at the service panel. Anywhere else it should be treated as a live conductor.
No, you are wrong, the grounded conductor (Neutral) does NOT need to be switched. The neutral from the inverter (or generator) and the main grounded conductor can be permanently tied together. You are correct about the grounding conductor though, the only place it should be bonded to the grounded conductor is at the first point of disconnect in the service. This will never be in the camper.
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/07/09 06:42am |
Truck Campers
|
|
RE: Inverter/Shore Power shared ground wire
All grounding wires (green or bare wires) need to ALWAYS remain bonded together. You don't really even need to switch the neutral. In a residential system, the neutrals (grounded conductor) do not need to be isolated either.
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/06/09 08:17pm |
Truck Campers
|
|
RE: Tripping GFI breaker
If you blew your element, then the neutral side of it is now bonded to the frame of the water heater (ground side) and this WILL cause the GFCI to trip even with the breaker off. Remove the Neutral wire to the heating element until you can get it replaced and everything will work fine.
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/04/09 09:42pm |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: decorate your 5th wheels
For weight issues we keep it to a minimum. No point to drag extra weight down the road
Joe
|
kottfam6wi
|
10/04/09 09:12pm |
Fifth-Wheels
|
