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Forum
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RE: Does damp rid have a place in rving in winter/cooler temps
"Damp rid" will indeed pull water from the air, and is most cool to watch.
The limitation is that "a pint" of damp rid will grab a pint of water- and it's done. (That's not a chemistry statement, its that the container is about 1 pint in size.)
A dehumidifier will grab a pint of water in a couple hours, and keep going for days, weeks, months (as-needed)...(assuming there's a drain hooked up).
Which one really removes moisture?
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K3WE
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06/21/21 06:44am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Coachmen "Solar Ready"- Lazy question.
After additional research- I'm thinking there's two possibilities.
1. Saw a video that suggested that solar plugs were often wired backwards to support a scam that "you must only use OUR solar systems, as others won't work".
2. Some suggestions here that the plug is not really connected to the batteries.
3. Yeah, need to get to the camper with my electric tester.
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K3WE
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06/21/21 06:40am |
General RVing Issues
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Coachmen "Solar Ready"- Lazy question.
Lazy post for quick answer:
I got the solar panel, the controller, all the right plugs and read the solar directions (BE SURE TO CONNECT THE BATTERY FIRST, AND THE PANEL SECOND).
So, I plug in the controller to a Forrest River Travel Trailer and the controller does not come on. (Yes, I pushed and held the button).
The lazy question: Are there some connections that need to be made "inside the camper" to connect the "Solar Ready" plug to the batteries.
Unfortunately I am away from the camper- I need to confirm if there is/isn't power to the port (possibly my plug isn't connecting), and I am digging on internet manuals for additional info- but didn't stumble on a quick answer.
Simple question- do you normally have to connect the solar plug "inside the camper" or is it "always" pre-wired?
Thanks.
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K3WE
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06/18/21 12:24pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Receiver Hitch for Trailer
Might look at some of these.
Curt multi fit hitches
YES- even better. Thank you!
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K3WE
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06/18/21 12:06pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Receiver Hitch for Trailer
This is how I solved the problem. An adjustable receiver welded to my TT frame. I've hauled 2 bikes to Alaska and back as well as numerous other trips without problem. It is available on etrailer.com
Curt Adjustable Trailer Hitch Receiver - 18"-51" Wide - 2" Drop - Class III - 2"
Thank you.
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K3WE
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06/18/21 12:04pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Receiver Hitch for Trailer
***Mounting the rack in multiple places on the bumper could be enough to spread out the load and be a doable solution.***
Not a good solution: The carrier gets moved around from our cars to the camper- I am insistent on a receiver for the sake of convenience.
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K3WE
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06/18/21 08:07am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Receiver Hitch for Trailer
hey there! etrailer.com has lots of good kits and you can filter by type of vehicle and what you're looking to pull. hope this helps!
Edit: Ok, so far, this is not a great source for hitches that you mount on the camper- at least not the search feature. I am not giving up on them, and will dig deeper, but the "filter" set up is more about hitches that go on the tow vehicle.
Still curious if other folks have experience with this.
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K3WE
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06/18/21 07:43am |
General RVing Issues
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Receiver Hitch for Trailer
I have a very specific question:
Is anyone aware of good receiver hitch kits to put a hitch on a travel trailer. I've seen lots of kits for adding hitches to vehicles.
I am wanting a good hitch to use a carrier- but not really interested in triple towing.
I am also a veteran of this: On our first camper I did-it-myself, first with U-bolts through a simple bolt-on receiver hitch (and discovered why that is a bad idea), and then went to a welder who sold me a nice heavy square tube for the bumper, welded the receiver too it and bolted it in place of the stock bumper.
The new trailer has a "better" bumper, but it's welded on AND I do not think the new bumper is quite strong enough (and of course, "the directions" say don't do it.
I should probably cut that bumper off (a bit of a hassle) and fabricate mounting brackets for my old "super bumper-with-receiver" (which I still have).
However if there was a good kit- it could be a time saver of drilling a couple holes and tightening some bolts and not turn a perfectly good bumper into scrap iron.
Thanks.
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K3WE
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06/18/21 07:34am |
General RVing Issues
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Wiring of parabolic heating elements.
1. I invite the mods to move this to OT; However, there are often some good wiring folks here.
2. I invite the safety police to go away, yeah, I know the rules, but sometimes I drive 5 MPH over the speed limit and happily towed our 27 ft TT for over 10 years with a 1/2 ton Suburban.
3. I have an 800/1200 watt Optimus parabolic heater. The electronics crapped out, but the elements are fine. My goal is to do away with the electronics and put the element in an antique cast iron pot belly stove...see an orange glow through the air vents AND have unique twist on a space heater.
4. Now for the technical part: The elements functioned in a manner that the whole element gets hot whether on 800 or 1200 watts- Dull red or bright orange. (Yes, there are other heaters where the 1000-watt setting uses less coil (thus less resistance, more current, but not this one).
There are connection 3 posts, but four wires.
White (14 ga): Obviously the Neutral leg
Red (14 ga):
Yellow (14 ga) Was labeled as 400W on the circuit board
THIN Red wire (Roughly 18Ga) ? The Thin red wire is co-connected with the regular red wire
My goal is to simply wire it as 1200 Watts On or Off. Not opposed to having the 800/1000 watt option, but I know that will require additional switching.
I have done some internet searching, and have so far come up blank on a diagram.
I'm fully versed in household wiring and almost made some popcorn while reading the recent thread on the guy with the 20A/120/240V plug and 30A/120V plug- Yes, a 50A RV plugged into a proper 50A plug has ~11,000 watts available and 240V "available" whether it uses it or not...If adapted into a 30A RV plug it has 3,600 watts and only 120V is available, so the occasional 220V appliance won't work.
Anyway- if anyone is interested in discussing this- I look forward.
A few years ago, I tried to jury rig a "milk house" heater and discovered that those are wired in series through the fan motor...A quick, very bright orange glow and then the element melted. Note to Safety Police: all of this was done out doors and 3 feet away from me and with circuit breakers in place.
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K3WE
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04/29/21 04:28pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Ford 7.3L & 10 speed...
Replying to my own thread :-)
https://forums.goodsamclub.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/30204281/srt/pa/pging/1/page/1
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K3WE
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03/19/21 03:13pm |
Tow Vehicles
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Ford 7.3L & 10 speed...
Hey, looking for discussion from folks who have this combo...
What are your likes, what are your dislikes?
What kind of mileage do you get when you are not towing? (This will spend most of it's time as a grocery hauler, but I have joined the 3/4 ton police given that 1/2 ton trucks seem sooo short on weight capacity these days. Camper is 30 ft, 7000 lb gross)
FWIW- I have not liked GM's 6 speed transmissions. When the went from 5 to 6 speeds, It seems like they added a much lower gear and much higher gear, and "the elusive ideal towing gear" is still missing. We spend LOTS AND LOTS of time in 4th gear with the engine wound up...3rd for any hill climbing, and occasionally second. 5th gear is rare (I'm ok that it never sees 6th).
I know that's not bad, but conversely, it seems like it has always been missing a slightly higher gear for towing.
And, any rumors on reliability?
I'm considering an F-250 SRW truck with this combo.
Thanks.
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K3WE
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03/19/21 03:02pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: % bleach to sanitize fresh water tanks
Wow, alot of people spending alot of time/effort/worry. I live in the US, which has arguably among the best quality domestic water supplies in the world. If you are using well water, then I can see the use of bleach for an occasional sanitizing, but otherwise?
I've owned 3 RVs, over the course of 32 years. Never sanitized any of the 3. Drink/cook/bathe using the onboard tank. Store with the water (remaining after a trip) for a month or more between trips, simply top off for the next trip. In fact, I only drained the tank once, after the RV had sat for about 2 years during the time when gas was $5+/gallon, since there was a bit of "plastic" taste. Otherwise no bad taste, no sickness, no issues. Of course, we also grew up drinking water out of the green plastic garden hose as well, so...
Yeah there’s a lot of over thinking here, but doing an annual bleach treatment doesn’t make one a germophobe...
Some folks also enjoy optimizing things...can’t fault them either.
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K3WE
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09/10/20 07:25am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: External shower ==> Garden Hose
I slapped together a quick 1/2" NPT to garden hose adapter using some CPVC parts I had in my spares stock. I mostly use it to feed the black tank flushing wand from the shower hose from time to time.
^^^***Like***^^^
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K3WE
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09/10/20 07:12am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: External shower ==> Garden Hose
If you're that lazy about it, forget the connectors; just use duct tape! :D
Awesome suggestion! Now I can fill my water tank and not have to have hook ups ;-)
Thanks for adding some fun!
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K3WE
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09/09/20 04:05pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: External shower ==> Garden Hose
Usually shower heads (both handheld and wall mount) have 1/2" NPT threads. You probably need a 1/2" NPT to garden hose adapter, which should be available at a home center, plumbing supply place, etc. At worst, you may have to combine a couple of fittings/adapters.
Wall-mount shower heads have female threads; handheld units have male threads, and the hose between them and the wall has female threads at either end. These are the standard attachments; I suppose it's possible your RV is different, but that would be somewhat unexpected.
Thank you! I was too chicken (and lazy) to believe it was just 0.5”
NPT...but now that I think about it...duh & LOL.
That’s my one stupid lazy question for the year! :-)
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K3WE
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09/09/20 01:42pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: How often and how to clean black tank
“then there is an inadequate amount to drive biodecomposition.”
RVs have holding tanks. While breaking up “chunks” for easy dumping is a good thing RV tanks are not made for decomposing.
I have always wondered, are there signs in there that tell the ever-present microbes to NOT do what they normally do?
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K3WE
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09/09/20 12:56pm |
Beginning RVing
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External shower ==> Garden Hose
Apologies for an uber-lazy post; however, I can't quite picture the part I need.
I'd like to remove the shower head, and screw in something that would convert to a male garden hose fitting...
Just not quite sure what magical part will "imitate" the shower head and have pipe threads on the other end.
Would love to hear a story or two from folks who have done the same.
Thanks.
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K3WE
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09/09/20 12:51pm |
General RVing Issues
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