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RE: Walmart has new auto battery maker
Ok, doing some research, AC Delco AKA GM batteries are made by Middle East Battery Co of Saudi Arabia in which Johnson Controls owns 49%. Motorcraft Batteries are all Johnson Crontrols AKA Clarios LLC. MOPAR batteries are also made by Clarios LLC as are Auto Zone Duralast. The only other wet cell automotive battery company I can find is East Penn making Duracell and Deka, Everstart, and many more. So in real life, it’s either Clarios or East Penn. Hope I didn’t mix them up.
Delco batteries for sale in the US are made here or in Mexico. Shipping lead from overseas is insanely expensive.
Trojan, Crown, US Battery, Enersys, Superior, Rolls (Canada), and Exide all make lead-acid batteries in North America.
Still Johnson Controls. They have been buying up battery manufacturing plant and brands world wide.
All of the above are independent companies with the exception of Delco.
When JCI bought Delphi’s battery manufacturing business in 2006, they got partial rights to use the ACDelco name on batteries. But they don’t really use the name. The ACDelco batteries used in GM vehicles and the Voyager deep-cycles are made by Clarios, but GM can have anybody make ACDelco batteries because they retained full rights to the brand. They do have Exide manufacture deep-cycle ACDelco batteries under the Voyager II name. It’s easy to identify the Clarios batteries with their bevel corner vent caps.
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jkwilson
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01/24/22 06:56pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Walmart has new auto battery maker
Ok, doing some research, AC Delco AKA GM batteries are made by Middle East Battery Co of Saudi Arabia in which Johnson Controls owns 49%. Motorcraft Batteries are all Johnson Crontrols AKA Clarios LLC. MOPAR batteries are also made by Clarios LLC as are Auto Zone Duralast. The only other wet cell automotive battery company I can find is East Penn making Duracell and Deka, Everstart, and many more. So in real life, it’s either Clarios or East Penn. Hope I didn’t mix them up.
Delco batteries for sale in the US are made here or in Mexico. Shipping lead from overseas is insanely expensive.
Trojan, Crown, US Battery, Enersys, Superior, Rolls (Canada), and Exide all make lead-acid batteries in North America.
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jkwilson
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01/22/22 09:58pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Walmart has new auto battery maker
Walmart batteries are primarily supplied by East Penn and have been for a couple of years. Johnson Controls for many years before that.
The idea that a manufacturer makes different batteries for different stores is absurd to anyone familiar with battery manufacturing facilities and the business. They try to make as many identical cells as possible because any deviation requires a new production line and parts chain. They will de-rate a battery upon request of a buyer, which JCI did with their batteries for Walmart for many years, but they are not going to change anything inside the cells.
Interstate is not a battery manufacturer. They buy all of their batteries from other companies. The sum total of useful battery knowledge held by the entire company wouldn’t fill a thimble.
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jkwilson
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01/12/22 10:07pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: More efficient propane furnace
I know my camper isn’t insulated like a house, but the furnaces in RVs seem unusually inefficient, even crude. It does seem like someone would improve on what is essentially thirty year old technology. My unit is in fact 18 years old. And it was no state of the art furnace when new. Someone mentioned a two stage unit. That sounds very interesting. A better heat exchanger seems possible. I know two stage units in houses do have greater efficiency. Anyway, every time I get home from boondocking I complain to myself and just thought I’d share my complaint. Does anyone know someone who makes a two stage furnace?
I think you dismiss too readily how badly insulated most are. The space between the floor and the belly is often heated space, effectively serving as duct work, Over the years, major leaks can develop causing your furnace to pull in outside air and expel heated air back outside. A couple of hours with silicon sealer and underbelly tape can make a big difference in the performance of your furnace. Probably more than you’ll ever find by upgrading to a more efficient burner.
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jkwilson
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01/08/22 08:45pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: More efficient propane furnace
While RV furnaces are not very efficient, the big driver of propane use is the poorly sealed and poorly insulated RV. And you can do something about that.
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jkwilson
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01/07/22 07:59pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Why won’t my Champion C46540 generator run the microwave?
In addition to the output of the generator, you need to consider that microwave power ratings are output power. A 1300W microwave may use 2000W from the power source.
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jkwilson
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01/04/22 07:15pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: How to prevent Keirig from freezing??
In regards to the landfills, K-Cups are recyclable. All the ones I buy state that and tell you what to do. Peal the top off, dump the coffee, rinse, put with recyclables.
Now, do I do this? NOOOO!! When they make it easy to pull the top off I will, right now it is a PAIN.
I use a cheap no name K-Cup brewer, OK, it has a name, but nothing I have heard of before, that makes a single cup and pretty much sucks all the water out each time.
Unfortunately, being recyclable does not mean it will be recycled. Because of the drop in recycled material value, pretty much only cardboard, some paper, plastic bottles and aluminum drink containers are recycled these days. It’s not cost effective to sort the other items so everything else goes to the dump.
If you don’t believe it, check with your supposed recycler.
Even plastic bottles are a hard sell now. Steel and aluminum is the only thing with any real demand.
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jkwilson
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01/01/22 05:09pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Ins and outs of DNA testing
I'm not trying to do an in-depth search. I have had s a cousin who did some of that and found out some information and the likelihood that my fraternal grandmother was native American. As I have said, she was born in Shawnee, OK but she never answered any questions about it. I think she was embarrassed about her past. My grandfather died before I was born and when I asked her questions she would always say, "you're Scotch Irish like all good little boys.". I am sure she was derivative of Cherokee or Shawnee, but she would not talk about it. Being native American may have been something she didn't want to be a part of.
I'm not looking for any other great revelations in my past like being a cousin to Davy Crocket or Jessie James. I am only interested in my DNA.
Problem is the tests aren’t very good at determining Native American ancestry. Your best option is to find close matches to yourself who you can identify as relatives of hers who know their ancestry.
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jkwilson
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12/31/21 04:24pm |
Around the Campfire
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RE: Ins and outs of DNA testing
Unless you are a member of something like Ancestry.com, the information from such a test is of very little use. The biggest benefit is the matches you get to other members. The ethnicity is better than it used to be, but none a very good for Native American ancestry.
Just a heads up:
I’ve been doing genealogy for 25 years, and getting paid for 12 or 15 years. I’ve done searches for dozens of families, and at least half swear they have Native American ancestry, but not a single one did. It was often used as “cover” for ancestry that was less exotic and subject to discrimination. I’ve found Jewish, Romani, African, Turkish and Pakistani heritage in families who claimed Native American.
I also find numerous illegitimate children in almost every family. Siblings that aren’t. Parents that aren’t. Neighbors who are inexplicably close relatives etc..Virtually every family has a closet full of skeletons.
Don’t do it if you aren’t prepared to find out things like that.
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jkwilson
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12/30/21 07:57pm |
Around the Campfire
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RE: How to prevent Keirig from freezing??
How would it freeze if there's no water in it?
I'd imagine if it were a concern, I'd buy an insulated ice chest it would fit into and let it live there until I needed to use it.
It will still freeze unless there is a heat source inside the cooler.
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jkwilson
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12/30/21 07:44pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Broke down on the road, what's your insurance experience?
Just wondering what your experience has been. I have a RV rider on my policy, but they just say save your receipts and turn them in for reimbursement. I am curious as to how you even know who to call when you are broke down in the middle of no where. It can be even worse if no cell phone service and its after closing time. Not looking for horror stores, just how did you get taken care of. I know many have AAA or Good Sam, is that the best way to go?
If you don't have cell service, it doesn't matter what you have. You'll have to rely on a passerby to send help.
There are 24 hour towing places, and the police will generally help you get in touch with them. And they won't steer you to somebody willing to accept a lowball price for towing.
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jkwilson
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12/21/21 03:30pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Place for a couple of nights near Chesapeake, VA
We used to be eligible for military base campgrounds and stayed at a couple in the past when visiting, but since we retired we no longer qualify.
Not quite true. MWR (famcamps) are open to all individuals listed as "eligible" under these categories:
Active Duty
Retirees
MOH recipients
PH recipients
POW's
100% VA disabled
Veterans with VA "Service Connected" disability (new group)
Reservist and all the PH, NOAA etc. group.
Each facility sets their own entry requirements based on DOD standards so some are pretty open to eligible individuals and their family while others may limit access to only the "eligible person" as defined by DOD regulations and the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018 (spouse and/or kids may be denied access in some places if they are not listed as an "eligible" person in a category). All other base access requirements must be adhered too.
Retired DoD civilians rarely qualify. When working, we were eligible most places. We have access at the base from which we retired, but that is pretty well it.
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jkwilson
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12/09/21 07:38pm |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Place for a couple of nights near Chesapeake, VA
Those are the two closest we had seen. Chesapeake Campground is about 15 minutes away and Northwest River Park is about 25 minutes away, both reasonable for a short stay.
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jkwilson
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12/09/21 08:42am |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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Place for a couple of nights near Chesapeake, VA
We have friends there that we’d like to visit when we get in the area. We used to be eligible for military base campgrounds and stayed at a couple in the past when visiting, but since we retired we no longer qualify.
Not looking for luxury necessarily. Clean, safe, easy access with the rig and easy access to town would be priorities.
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jkwilson
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12/08/21 08:23pm |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Piney Campground
No Wi-Fi. Nice place. Cell service depends on the carrier.
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jkwilson
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11/30/21 01:29pm |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Vacuum issues
Look inside. Dust can clog the screen to the motor.
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jkwilson
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11/28/21 02:33pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Max Pressure Cold vs Hot Pressures - How Much Is Too Much
Most TPMS manufacturers recommend high pressure alerts at 125% of cold pressure. You are way under that.
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jkwilson
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11/18/21 10:59am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Alternator not charging the House after battery upgrade HELP
There is no difference between 2 6V batteries in series and a 12V battery other than the connection between the 3rd and 4th cell being external. Rule number one when a problem happens is to go look at the last thing you messed with. It’s easy for a wire to retract when disconnected and be missed upon reconnection. Also, any errors, even brief, during hookup could blow protection devices.
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jkwilson
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11/12/21 12:05pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: I want to run a microwave on an inverter
If you regularly use that kind of power and don’t have a recharging source like a generator or solar, you likely won’t get them recharged while towing. The generator is still the way to go.
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jkwilson
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10/18/21 07:54pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Amps/voltage to trailer brakes
Just curious how a person would adjust a manually adjustable drum brake unless they used the "tiny hole on the backing plate"?
Me too.
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jkwilson
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10/16/21 07:02pm |
Tech Issues
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