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RE: Help identifying hardware on used Class C.
Your image didn't show up. You can use this website to easily make image links for posting here...
http://photoposting.is-great.net/?i=2
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SJ-Chris
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05/20/23 06:29pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Buying a Former Rental Class C. How many of us out there?
Hi all,
Great information on this thread.
I am now also considering buying a 23A Thor Majestic from CA. I just wonder about how the pricing relates to the JD Power RV values. I understand that in this current market, CA may be able to sell their RVs for much above the average retail JD Power RV value. What I do not understand is why the 23A shows up a much lower lower value compared to a comparable Thor Four Winds unit. I understand that the two are similar. Any thoughts or ideas? Are there other sources for the RV values I should be looking at?
I've got two CA RVs and they have served me well for my purposes. You need to keep in mind that CA has these RVs custom built to their (rental fleet) specifications. They are built without all the bells and whistles that end up breaking from use/misuse. They keep their RVs very simple. Examples: No Electric steps, no slide outs, no awnings (unless you pay to have one added), solar (none), no TV/DVD, just one coach battery, no inverter, no (or limited) USB ports, no backup camera, no ladder to the roof. Because of this, I would expect them to sell for less than a standard "consumer" Class C RV.
One thing to point out... I DO believe that CA is also smart enough to know over the years the items that break most commonly and they have those items built extra strong/etc from the factory so that they last longer.
If you have any questions....fire away! If you are contemplating buying one from CA, feel free to message me for a tip.
Happy Camping!
Chris
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SJ-Chris
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05/19/23 02:50pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: What's your mileage?
I've got two 30' Class Cs with the 450 Superduty V10. I tend to drive the speed limit (so 65-70mph on most freeways around here). I always seem to get between 7.0-8.0mpg (average around 7.5mpg). I have a smaller 23' Class C that seems to get a similar mpg (...thought it would be better, but sadly no).
-Chris
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SJ-Chris
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05/16/23 11:52am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Fresh water tank taking too long to fill...any suggestions?
Screw in connection is usually the black tank rinse.
Not necessarily. I've got three screw-in connections:
1. Black flush
2. City water connection
3. Fresh tank fill
Mine fills slowly too, but my blocker is in the vent and not in the fill. If I fill mine too quickly, it will puke out the vent line. My two problems are a narrow vent and a small line to equalize between my two 60 gallon fresh tanks.
My half-baked solution has been to put a valve on the end of my garden hose and then a meter after that and before the inlet on the coach. I zero out the meter, guestimate at how much water I need for the trip, set the fill rate low, set a timer on my watch, and then let it run while I do other things while I'm packing. It's very imperfect and I hate it, but it works for me.
My RV has the same 3 screw in connections.
When filling the tank, at my home BEFORE going on a trip, it isn't a big deal that it fills slowly. Annoying, but manageable. My issue is when I'm out camping and I'm at a dump station that also has a hose for filling the fresh water tank. In that situation, it takes 30 minutes or longer which is unfair to anyone who might be behind me (...so I end up just filling as much as I can in a "reasonable" amount of time so as to not annoy people behind me).
Hopefully I can find a clogged vent/etc and fix the problem. Although I have a hard time imaging the vent getting clogged as the only thing that enters the fresh water tank is...water.
-Chris
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SJ-Chris
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05/05/23 03:15pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Fresh water tank taking too long to fill...any suggestions?
I would guess your vent hose is obstructed, kinked or crushed. As the tank fills the air is not able to get out and the fill rate slows to a crawl.
This is what it seems like. I'll investigate to see what is going on regarding venting.
-Chris
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SJ-Chris
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05/05/23 03:12pm |
General RVing Issues
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Fresh water tank taking too long to fill...any suggestions?
I have a 2013 Coachman 210qb Leprechaun 23' Class C. I believe it has a 50 gallon fresh water tank.
The issue I am having is that it takes a VERY long time to fill up the fresh water tank. I have other RVs with similar sized fresh water tanks and they take a "normal" amount of time (5-10 minutes) to fill up the fresh water tank. But for some reason on this 23' RV it takes a very long time. 25-30 minutes or more. It is as if there is something restricting the flow into the tank. Or, could the tank be a closed system and perhaps the air in the tank has no way to escape during filling and therefore it creates a sort of back pressure to limit the amount of water that can enter? I can hear the water flowing. When the fresh water tank is nearly empty I can hear the water flowing in (splashing) when I turn on the hose. But it seems like once the fresh water tank gets to be 1/2 to 2/3rds of the way full the water flow into the fresh water tank is reduced to a trickle.
This RV uses the type of water fill connection where the water hose (when filling the fresh water tank) gets screwed into the connector on the side of the RV. (This is different from some of my other RVs that simply have a ~1.5" opening tube (with a cap) where you slide the hose into the pipe to fill it up). The connection point for the hose does have a screen, but when I have looked at it before it didn't look like it was blocked/clogged. I do have a simple water filter that connects to the end of the hose to filter the water going into the RV fresh water tank, and I have verified that the water easily flows through that filter (it isn't causing the flow restriction).
I haven't taken a close look yet or started taking things apart. Just thought I'd check here to see if anyone had any suggestions.
Thanks!
Chris
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SJ-Chris
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05/05/23 01:29am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: RV Armor Roof Experiences
Just wanted to give you a data point just in case you are interested...
I have no experience with RV Armor Roof material. At those prices, I'll just assume it is a great product (...it better be!).
I assume you are talking about an EPDM or TPO roof...
Keeping water OUT should be of utmost importance to RV/TT owners.
I have had multiple RVs and on each one I have resealed the roof and vents and joints with Dicor Roof Sealer and have been 100% satisfied. It comes in a 1 gallon can. Costs $80-90 per gallon. My 30' RVs only seem to use 2 gallons and that was 3-4 coats on all the vents/joints/edges and 2 coats on the rest of the roof surface. It has the consistency of about 2-3 times as thick as regular wall paint. I have been thrilled with the results, have never had a leak, and it only cost me (DIY) less than $200 per RV. It only takes a few hours to do. If you can paint a bedroom in your house, and you are comfortable getting on the roof of your RV, you can easily do this job. Even if you hired a handyman, I bet you could get it done for less than $1000.
Here is a link with before/after photos:
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/30201452.cfm
I check my roof a few times per year. So far, all looks perfect. It is possible that I might need to redo the job at some point in the future...perhaps it isn't as permanent as RV Armor...but if I do it will only cost me another ~$200 per RV. I suspect it will last at least 5 years but we'll see.
Good luck!
Chris
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SJ-Chris
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05/03/23 04:51pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Buying a Former Rental Class C. How many of us out there?
Took a 260 mile drive from our home in SoCal to Pismo Beach today in our 2009 Majestic 28A. Going strong at almost 177k miles.
Typically, my oil pressure gauge is always in the middle. When I was about 15 miles from Pismo, I noticed it was slightly higher. Maybe at 6 out of 10 instead of normal 5 out of 10. Any hints on what can cause a small increase in pressure. This is the first time in the 7 years I've owned it that I've noticed the gauge go slightly higher than the middle.
I use Mobil 1 Synthetic for 5W-20 for high mileage engines. To play it extra safe I change every 3,000 miles. One frustration I have is that I find it almost impossible for to check the oil level. The dipstick always comes out entirely wet in the reading zone, even when I've drained it and added new oil quart by quart. Anyone else deal with this?
At 6 out of 10, I would simply check the oil to make sure it isn't low (as best you can), and/or if it's time to change the oil go ahead and do that. Then I would just keep an eye on it.
Hope it never goes higher than 6 for ya. Good luck!
Chris
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SJ-Chris
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04/30/23 01:06pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: MPPT Volts to Current Conversion
For anyone who is asking the question (or is concerned with) about solar, batteries, charging, etc....a Battery Monitor is a MUST (...and an amazing/fun/informative tool).
Here is an inexpensive one for less than $50:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FGFFHC6
If you want to get fancier, there are some with bluetooth that connect to your phone apps, etc.
Once you install a battery monitor, go out for a weekend trip and live life as you normally would when RVing. Write down data points from your battery monitor...Start the batteries fully charged (100%). How low do your batteries go after 24hrs? 48hrs? This will give you an idea as to how many total AHs you "usually" consume each day. From there, you can calculate how large your battery bank should be. It is reasonable to double that amount of AHs (...this will give you some buffer in your overall AHs). If your reliance on batteries is CRITICAL (ie. If you MUST have batteries for work, etc) then add more. And then from there you can calculate how much solar you need to get your batteries charged near full everyday. If you have a generator, you always have a backup. If your batteries charge from your chassis alternator then you have another backup.
If you live fulltime (or more than 50-100 nights per year) then battery cycles/lifetime becomes an issue and you might want to look at the DOD vs lifecycle charts for your specific battery and design your system accordingly. BUT if you are spending less than 30 nights per year BOONDOCKING in your RV then you can pretty much ignore the "don't discharge your batteries more than 50%" mantra that you read online (...you will never "use" all your battery cycles even if you discharge down to ~75-80% every time you camp...as long as you charge the batteries back up the next day). I'm not saying you should assume 75-80% discharge when designing your system (...I like to be conservative and don't mind if I have more batteries than I need), but I'm saying you should never worry if your batteries go that low during use if you are like most non-fulltime RV users.
If you have four 6v GC batteries, then your current battery bank AHs is 400-450AHs. If this were me, I would try to design my solar so that it could replenish ~250AHs per day. One 100w panel on average during summer with good sun overhead will generate ~30AHs/day. So 900w could probably generate ~270AHs per day. Because I like to overdesign everything, I'd probably put up 4 of those 300w panels and that would be plenty.
One thing you need to keep in mind that many people don't account for... When your batteries are discharged 40-75% they will accept a LOT of amps from your charge controller. BUT once your batteries get to about 80% full the charge rate from your charge controller starts to slow down SIGNIFICANTLY. Even if your 1200w of solar panels are generating 60 amps that *could* be flowing into your batteries, you might only see 2-10 amps actually flowing into your batteries. That's because that is all the batteries want (or can handle) during that stage of the charge.
One other good news/bad news thing to consider....
Bad news: IF you are using tons of power at night, then all of it is coming from your batteries as there is no solar production at night.
Good news:
1) Generally we sleep at night, so power draw is usually not crazy while we are sleeping (...the furnace on cold nights likely being among the largest power draw).
2) If you are using lots of power during the day (ie. Your Starlink, working computers, etc), your over-designed solar system will not only charge your batteries at the quickest rate that the batteries will allow, but the EXTRA power coming from your solar panels will power everything in your RV/trailer that is using power during the day. So the reality is that you will have "fully charged" (~98% full as the last 2-3% take a long time) batteries at dusk. So your battery bank really only needs to get you from dusk to ~8am when the sun comes back up (and the solar starts to kick in again)!
With solar, the reality is you need a smaller battery bank than you think to get you from dusk to dawn. BUT, since you can't always count on sunshine, calculating your actual typical daily AHs needed and then doubling it seems to be a good technique for calculating how big your battery bank should be. And, if you have a generator and alternator as backup, then you are completely covered anyways.
Other random points:
If you are camping in the heat and you run your generator during the day so that you can run your AC, then solar isn't needed as much since your generator will be charging your batteries.
If you mostly camp with electrical hookups, then you don't really need solar.
I like having at least SOME solar so that my coach and chassis batteries (via AMP-L-Start) are always kept fully charged especially when in storage for weeks/months.
I like using used solar panels on my RVs. I have bought many 250w (working/tested) solar panels for $35 per panel. No moving parts means they last a very long time. At that price, throw up an extra panel (overdesign your system) and call it done.
Good luck!
Chris
PS: Solar is addictive
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SJ-Chris
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04/16/23 01:52pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Stuck in yard, ruts. Install driveway? Ideas please.
I park in a field and years ago got stuck in much the same way as you. I also needed a tow truck to get me out! After that, I had a truck load of base rock dropped off and I spread it in 2 strips (where the wheels drove). Haven't had a problem since. Did this for 3 RVs that I have and it required two $250 truckloads of base rock.
Good luck!
Chris
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SJ-Chris
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04/15/23 01:29am |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: hwy 140 from Merced to Yosemite...any advice?
In tow/haul mode, the engine downshifts and slows you down with minimal braking. I suppose if you didn't have tow/haul mode on your rig you could manually downshift. I have yet to find a downhill I had a problem with.
-Chris
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SJ-Chris
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02/22/23 07:23pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: hwy 140 from Merced to Yosemite...any advice?
I actually went back with my son and his girlfriend and got back yesterday (left because we knew the storm was coming).
While we were there, there was a pretty big rock slide that closed all outbound traffic for about 6 hours (people just stuck in their cars). Thankfully, we were camping there that night and weren't affected.
Yesterday, they actually closed the campground (and kicked everyone out) because it would be too dangerous with the storm.
While we were there (20th) it was beautiful and we got to visit all the usual places. What a great place!
-Chris
https://i.imgur.com/vSh9zfQl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Rhlzowzl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6mvhQn7l.jpg
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SJ-Chris
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02/22/23 12:05pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: hwy 140 from Merced to Yosemite...any advice?
Just got back from my trip to Yosemite via hwy 140. The roads were dry and it wasn't as bad as I remember. The last 20 miles before getting to the park entrance is a bit narrower and mostly along the Merced river. But it wasn't particularly difficult. Got to see some nice things in Yosemite without the crowds...
Not as much snow as I thought there would be...
https://i.imgur.com/FmAXqwal.jpg
But I did get to see this which is what I was really hoping to see...
https://i.imgur.com/SB8V9Mpl.jpg
Happy camping!
Chris
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SJ-Chris
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02/18/23 12:51am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: hwy 140 from Merced to Yosemite...any advice?
I'm pretty familiar with hwy120...driven it many times. Pretty sure it is closed in the winter time. I've also driven the Old Priest Grade and the New Priest Grade ~50 times. RVs only use New Priest Grade. Neither bother me.
I'll be coming hwy140 direction. Sounds like it is the lowest elevation path into the valley, so that's good.
Anyone know how treacherous hwy 140 is, and if a little snow would make it much of an issue? White knuckles? Or just a pretty normal road?
Thanks!
Chris
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SJ-Chris
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02/12/23 07:22pm |
Roads and Routes
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hwy 140 from Merced to Yosemite...any advice?
I've got a few nights booked in Yosemite coming up. Looks like about 1" of snow the afternoon before I'm driving up, and then the temps being below freezing while I'm driving up the next morning (doesn't give the snow time to melt, and I'm concerned a bit about ice too).
I've driven this road (hwy140) once before, but it was years ago and I just remember it's through a pretty tight canyon. Cliff face on one side, drop off into the Merced river on the other side of the road.
I'm mostly worried about the drive to Yosemite. While I'm there, it isn't supposed to rain or snow before I leave and get home. I will be driving in my 23' Class C RV. I will have 1 set of chains for the outer dually if needed.
Anyone have some experience on this road (especially during the winter/snow)? Any advice?
Thanks!
Chris
PS: I'm wanting to see THIS with a blanket of snow...
https://i.imgur.com/6cYSiZol.jpg
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SJ-Chris
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02/12/23 01:42pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Can you name that sound (squeaking)?
I had a similar squeak on a previous RV. It droves us crazy and like yours it would start when driving at a slow speed and eventualy stop after things got warmed up. I swore it had to be in the suspension/drive works of the rig but it was not. After sitting overnight or even when we were stopped at a restaurant if it was cool outside, the tires develop a flat spot where it meets the ground. As you start driving it starts a bit of shaking in the motorhome. As the tire warms a bit from driving it warms and the flexing of the tire limbers up the tire and the flat spot goes away and so does the minor tremors traveling through the coach. One morning we headed out on another trip and that damned squeak started up. For some reason a thought occurred to me. We were still near home and on a slow speed road,right in the "squeak zone". I ask my wife to go to the entry door and open it up. Upon opening the door the squeak stopped instantly. It turned out the slight tremor caused by the stiff tire flat spots was causing the
door to move ever so slightly in its' opening and the aluminum of the door was rubbing against the aluminum of the door frame, causing the squeak. End of story and end of squeak.
Thanks for the feedback. Wow...that would be a very hard squeak (the one you figured out)! It's the on again, off again issues that are sometimes very hard to pinpoint (...especially for us weekend mechanics). For now, my squeak has suddenly stopped. Could have something to do with the wet weather. I'll take it out again for a drive next week and see if it squeaks or not. I'll post an update if I discover anything new.
-Chris
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SJ-Chris
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02/05/23 03:02pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Can you name that sound (squeaking)?
Interesting update.....OP here....
Well, it's been raining so much here in California that I haven't bothered to investigate this squeak any further yet. I was planning on checking the brakes to continue looking for the issue. It has been sitting now for about 2 months. I decided today I would take it out for a drive just to make sure it is still squeaking. I was surprised to discover that there was no longer any squeaking! I was able to get up to 40-45mph without any squeak. Stopped. Started. Accelerated. Coasted. Couldn't hear any squeak...it was gone.
I guess I will have to wait for a few more days and then try it again. Hasn't rained in about 5 days. I know problems don't usually cure themselves, so I'll be planning/expecting it to show up again sometime...
-Chris
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SJ-Chris
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01/24/23 10:47pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: cheap solar panels
If anyone tries it (with caution) please let us know. Seems like a scam to me.
An alternative for getting "cheap solar panels" is to buy quality USED solar panels. Just test them before you buy (voltage and current) and you should be good to go. On my RVs, I installed multiple 250w used panels that I got for $35 each and they are producing great. No moving parts on solar panels, so they should last for years and years. If you worry about max efficiency issues with these used panels, buy one extra and put it up and you'll have more solar than you originally intended (...assuming you have the space).
Good luck!
Chris
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SJ-Chris
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01/07/23 05:51pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Buying a Former Rental Class C. How many of us out there?
This is a somewhat off the wall request but ...
Does anyone know of an extending lift/hoist that would fit in the rear storage compartment of a 28a? I need to lift a 75lb folding power chair in and out of the RV and I'm reaching the age where a dead lift of that size (especially given the less than optimal shape) is getting to be problematic.
I was envisioning something like an extending arm with a hoist so that I could pull it out, hook up the chair, lift it and push it into the storage bay and lower it onto the floor.
Thanks
Derek
Would something like this be helpful?
https://discovermymobility.com/store/scooter-lifts/planet/vulcan/index.html
-Chris
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SJ-Chris
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12/29/22 08:54pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: 12 volt fridges and boondocking?
12v refrigerators will likely use 30-60AH/day.
Your propane refrigerator does use some 12v power, but let's assume it is small enough compared to the amount the 12v refrigerator uses and you can ignore it.
Your two 100AH lithium batteries gives you probably 20-30 extra useable AHs compared to your two 6V batteries.
The 600w of solar gives you 120w more than you have now. In a sunny environment that will give you 25-35AH/day more than you had.
From the above, it seems like it is about a wash and if you were okay before with your battery life/use you will probably be ok with this new rig.
If the new rig has a generator, then you've always got that as a backup. My suggestion would be to try it out and see if you are satisfied. If needed, you can always add one more 100AH lithium down the road and another solar panel or two.
Good luck!
Chris
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SJ-Chris
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12/23/22 12:21pm |
Tech Issues
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