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Forum
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RE: Wolf Creek 840 Goes Lithium
My 2014 Wolf Creek 850 also came with a WFCO power center. I used to hear people bash WFCO as a ticking time bomb, but in the 11 seasons of use, mine has been perfect. I've also not seen a single person say they have had a modern WFCO failure, maybe they stepped up their game and fixed their past issues?
I had a 2000 wfco fail, a 2008 wfco fail, and in My 2016 I never gave it a chance and replaced it with a PD before it even left the lot. most people won't even know they fail because they get stuck in boost, or others find they won't go into boost. in my case they both stuck in boost and killed the batteries.
if I camped with plugins most of the time I never would have known, but I mostly camp without hookups so when all of a sudden, my batteries were losing charge in 1/2 the time that they normally lasted I started wondering what's up.
WFCO is the most widely used converter in the rv business for one reason. They work ok and their cheap. (ok two reasons) you are not getting a high-end converter in a normal rv
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StirCrazy
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06/06/23 06:22pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Feedback on 12V water heater element as solar diversion load
Question: what would happen if it was a 500 watt element for 24V DC?
500 watt 24V DC cartridge heater 1/2 inch NPT
If that fits it would still be worth it. wouldn't blow it up at any point because of too much voltage. If they are all the same thread even a bit bigger like the 800 or 1000 watt one might be worth a try.
I need to take readings still to confirm, but my hunch is that the element receives full panel wattage at the full potential array voltage (18V?) when it is getting diversion current. Does that change the math?
ya it's not as easy as going if you halve the voltage, you 1/4 the power from the rated input. so if it gets 18V you would end up around 1/2 the power rating (just guessing off the top of my head after just waking up and getting ready for a night shift ;) )
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StirCrazy
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06/05/23 06:31pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Better/brighter interior bulbs?
Wow. 1000 lumens per 1.5" board is really bright. 2000 lumens per fixture could be more than I need, but at $1 per board might as well try it. Thanks joedeb720.
I would be skeptical of the Lumen rating as a 40 watt incandescent bulb is not 1000 Lumen in fact the average 40 wat bulb is less than half that. it takes up to a 70 watt bulb to hit the 1000 lumen range
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StirCrazy
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06/04/23 06:30am |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: Is replacing the furnace worth it?
I have a 1991 camper with a hydro flame in it and I just replaced the motor for the furnace last year. pretty It's a pretty easy job but there are two different style motors listed, and they have different shaft lengths, so you have to watch out for that.
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StirCrazy
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06/04/23 06:25am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Feedback on 12V water heater element as solar diversion load
Question: what would happen if it was a 500 watt element for 24V DC?
500 watt 24V DC cartridge heater 1/2 inch NPT
If that fits it would still be worth it. wouldn't blow it up at any point because of too much voltage. If they are all the same thread even a bit bigger like the 800 or 1000 watt one might be worth a try.
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StirCrazy
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06/04/23 06:20am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Tree Fell onto My Fifth Wheel
Update shows that a fairly large tree limb pierced the roof and through the ceiling. It is sticking into the trailer about 4 feet. Missed the AC unit, however the cover for that up top is broken. Hopefully that still works. I am afraid now that a 2007 unit will be a total loss. I could buy it back after I pay it off but for how much will determine if I want to do that at all. I have someone interested in buying it to just house guests on his property. I owe a little over 17K so I hope there is enough in there to use as a down for a smaller trailer.
you don't want to buy it back unless you are capable of replacing an entire roof and possibly a wall by yourself, it will cost you way more to do it than it is worth. best bet is hope for a total write off and buy a new one.
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StirCrazy
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06/01/23 09:04am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: New to RVing and In Need Of Advice! :)
your probably looking at a truck unless you are planning on a tent trailer or something under 2500 lbs.
If I was doing it again, I would decide what I want for a rv, then buy the truck or what not required to pull it. I started out with a bigger tent trailer behind a 91 ford ranger, then got a 98 F150 and found it towed so much better. Then I traded that in on a 28 foot trailer and again had to upgrade to a 99 F250 Deisel so I could get up big hills decently. then we bought the 5th wheel and I was over the weight capacity of my rear end of the F250 so I had to buy a 2014 F350 diesel and that is fine. the problem I run into now is we also bought a older truck camper to see how we liked it, and we love it but because I didn't buy a dually truck we have to be careful one what camper we get as I really don't want to buy another truck right now.. maybe in 9 years when I retire but not now haha
so I always tell people now if they are planing on buying both.. get the rv first, then find a truck to tow it. unless you are going to go out and buy a 1 tone dually diesel.. then you arn't limited to much.
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StirCrazy
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05/30/23 05:57pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Fresh Water Tank Location
Thank you for your reply. No, we don't have a park model. The only things that we have a T handle on are the drains to empty the black and gray water. We are looking for a way to drain the remaining water out of the fresh water tank so it does not stay in the tank for too long once we get home, especially if we are not going back out again for awhile.
find your fill cap, then look under the rv at around that point and there should be a hose with a cap or valve on it hanging down (might look like a 3rd low point drain) that should be your way of emptying the freshwater tank.
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StirCrazy
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05/30/23 05:43pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Priming the water pump
What I don't understand is how you can disconnect the input line and not have water flowing everywhere. That line should be full of water and supply lots more water to your pump than a funnel could provide. Is the pump above the tank?
Most RV's have the tanks under the floor and the pump on the floor. so most rv water pumps are above the tank. Truck campers would be a large exception for the most part though.
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StirCrazy
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05/29/23 06:10pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: MGVWR and problems titling trailer
and have to worry about traveling to other states and provinces where they actually enforce GVW
I don't know anything about provinces, but please name a few states where one would have to worry about that BS.
You would have to tell me. I have seen a couple posts where people say they can increase their GVWR in the US by paying more money, but I have seen a couple who said they can't. not going to go back and search the last 8 years to find them right now haha. as for up here I think all of the provinces go by GVWR, but the enforcement of it is different. In BC the chances of getting stopped is slim, unless you look grossly overloaded but if you do and are over the GVWR you can get a fine and have your unit towed somewhere, throw stuff out to get under your GVWR or call a friend who can legally tow your unit. I am under my GVWR so I don't worry about it
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StirCrazy
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05/28/23 06:40pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: F250 upgrades
AXLE rating is all that matters!!! GVWR is only there for licensing and insurance purposes plain and simple.
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you can say that all you want, and it may be true where you live, but up here they will fine you and make you disconnect if you are over your GVWR. now the chances of getting pulled over are slim unless CVSE is doing a blitz and you just happened to get caught up in it. I only know one person personally who has been weighed roadside and I had to come town his 5th wheel home as they gave him an option of getting the ticket or getting someone else to come tow his trailer home (they can do both).
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StirCrazy
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05/28/23 06:24pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Better/brighter interior bulbs?
in my camper, I got rid of the old 1991 brake light fixtures and installed these nice color temp and 0.3 amps per working side. so, the doubles you could be pulling 0.6watts if both sides are on. The old fixtures with big bulbs would pull 1.5 amps and while the color temperature was close they were half as bright.
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StirCrazy
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05/28/23 06:18pm |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: MGVWR and problems titling trailer
This is a case of obviously not thinking about your needs and buying a rv with enough payload to stay legal with the stuff you want to take.
Wow ... make assumptions much?
Not really, no assumptions made. The OP stated he added options and installed several extras and with no clothing or food was within 150lbs of the GVW. I would say even food for 2 people will be more than the 150lbs if you count canned goods and such depending on the length of time you're packing for then you have clothing. Mind you the dealership would have known how much the options would add to the weight and should have said something, so maybe the blame should go to the dealership if they specified those add-ons at the time of purchase.
when you think about it what good is a rv you can't pack anything in and have to worry about traveling to other states and provinces where they actually enforce GVW
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StirCrazy
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05/28/23 06:04pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: How do you measure the ambient temperature?
I look at my phone to see what the forecast and current temp is. If I don't have service, I don't really care that much to worry about it.
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StirCrazy
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05/28/23 10:05am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Heated mat?
I like the idea of the mat, but it would be better if you could put a rheostat on it to control the power going to it. that way you could adjust it to say 85 degrees which would be perfect for a floor temp.
Looks like heated mat is a no-go. 5 ft long snow-melting mats are too powerful and those with less power are 3 ft long or shorter. Many complaints on horrible smell of indoor heated mats. Snow-melting 5ft mat looks like made from the same rubber-ish material, should smell too.
Under-carpet heated mats in hardware stores are not made to be walked on, they are to be laid under carpet or tiles. Too bad, I like the idea of heat coming up from the floor, lived once in apartment with heated floor, loved it.
ya thats what I was concerned with for the snow melter heated mats. I have been looking into what it would take to retrofit a Alde type system into an older camper. right now I have to put the camper on a 3" platform so it has enough roof clearance so I was thinking of making that a false bottom and attaching it to the camper then running radiant lines all under the floor and then 2" or more for foam insulation under that. would be nice to not have a loud furnace fan blowing all night
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StirCrazy
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05/28/23 10:03am |
Tech Issues
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RE: MGVWR and problems titling trailer
UPDATE!!
Great news for us! The DMV scales were incorrect.
Went to CAT scale and the total truck and trailer weighed 17100.
Steer Axle 3920
Drive Axle 4480
Trailer Axle 8700
Truck weighed 7320 alone
Trailer weighs 9780 so we are under the 9905 max weight. Nothing left to put in it but clothing & food so we should be good once actually loaded.
Heading to DMV on Tuesday so hopefully our CAT certificates will be accepted. Not taking the trailer again so the which scale is correct debate can't begin.
Thanks for all the advice
I sure hope your trailer was loaded ready to camp, as you only have 125# of payload left.
Right, don't go over that number, not so much as a loaf of bread, ya might get jacked up by the weight police, lol.
Glad you seem to have it worked out.
it's not even that, if you're putting three tv's and all that extra stuff in the rv do you think it's just going to be a weekend set of cloths (that would eat up the rest alone) but how much food. I could easily see them being 500lbs or more overloaded as they drive down the road. This is a case of obviously not thinking about your needs and buying a rv with enough payload to stay legal with the stuff you want to take.
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StirCrazy
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05/28/23 09:22am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Heated mat?
I like the idea of the mat, but it would be better if you could put a rheostat on it to control the power going to it. that way you could adjust it to say 85 degrees which would be perfect for a floor temp.
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StirCrazy
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05/26/23 06:36am |
Tech Issues
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RE: LFP life cycle link:
Very Interesting - looks like the battery will outlast me - ugg, lol! :E
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/news/a-closer-look-at-lithium-iron-phosphate-batteries-teslas-new-choice-of-battery/
3 tons
yup, you can pass them down to your kids ;)
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StirCrazy
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05/25/23 09:02am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Sway Bars
Snip...
However your trailer is SO small compared to your TV that you may actually get others to tell you you don’t need it…..if they can stay on topic.
(Like the post above mine explaining hitch types….lol)
Snip...
Why don't you read the post before you shoot off your mouth. I was responding to his last comment in the post above mine. Here is what he said.
"Maybe a discussion of the difference between sway bars and weight distribution systems."
Barney
No shooting off…I don’t and he don’t need either or with a dinky trailer behind a big truck.
But rather than get bogged down in being “right” about the OPs terminology and showing him how (y’all know the difference…good for you), I cut to the chase.
Next caller please…..
PS I wasn’t trying to single you out. But only to cut the BS out.
but it's always those small trailers that go snaky the fastest as they are easier to load improperly. I used to have one of those little chalet "a frame" trailers when I first started RVing when I was 16. took a while to figure out how to lad it properly so it wouldn't act like a snake tail behind the Camaro :B when you don't have a lot of space it's hard to get that proper weight up front.
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StirCrazy
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05/24/23 08:11am |
Towing
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RE: What happens when you overfill tanks.....
The last flush I do before we leave a campground takes me 20 minutes or so...I’ll bet you’re a real popular guy in the line at the dump station
20 min is average from what I see here. All the people that rent rv's then try to figure it out at the dump. I don't get excited if someone wants to do a respectable job of cleaning out their tanks, I usually do also if I am not just moving to another site. if your leaving and 20 to 25 min will ruin your day, don't camp in any national parks in BC or Alberta :B
Myself I will usually try get water and sewer for that last trip so I can take as much time as I like dumping my tank and cleaning it before going home.
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StirCrazy
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05/24/23 08:00am |
Tech Issues
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