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Forum
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RE: GFCI not cooperating with me
At the moment, I'm boondocking in N AZ... and yes, GFI outlets did work before. Never had this issue, so was a bit baffled... Don't know the brand Inverter I have,
it came with the MH (2017 Ventana LE)... I'll keep working on it.
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obiwancanoli
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11/23/20 06:51am |
Tech Issues
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GFCI not cooperating with me
I can't seem to get my outlets working that have the set and test buttons for GFCI... there's a red light that continues to blink very fast, and Inverter is on. I press the set button, nothing happens... and, the outlet seems to make a noise as if it IS being set, and does so occasionally throughout the night... what am I missing here?
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obiwancanoli
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11/22/20 02:35pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Which Way from Napa to Quartzite?
If you take 395 I would drop into Death Valley NP for a few days.
Although the grade in/out of DVNP will make Grapevine look like an overpass.
Problem is snow at those high elevations... Have no experience driving MH w/toad in snow, and don't want to begin here, despite the attraction of driving 395... Takes longer, which I don't mind, given the scenic route, but think 99S to Bakersfield, 58 to I-40, then 95S will do OK... weather over Tehachapi looks good, little chance of rain, no snow in the forecast...
Thanks everyone for your suggestions... really helpful...
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obiwancanoli
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11/18/20 11:46am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Which Way from Napa to Quartzite?
Why not take I-80 across and then get on US 395 south? Much more scenic and the last time I was on it the road surface was in excellent condition for Cali.
Yeah, have considered that, too... 395 IS a very scenic route, particularly along the backbone of the Sierra... I'm going to look at that again... thanks!
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obiwancanoli
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11/18/20 09:35am |
Roads and Routes
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Which Way from Napa to Quartzite?
I've a 35' MH and will be towing my car via tow dolly. Live in North Bay (Napa, CA) and headed to Quartzsite.
I was hoping for an alternative route, and considered Hwy 58 Bakersfield to Barstow, then on to I-40, after which I'll head South on 95...
Didn't really want to go the Grapevine route, but weather forecast shows little chance of rain (or snow) either way I go...
Help!
EDIT: I fixed your topic title to give some detail.
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obiwancanoli
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11/17/20 07:57pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: What's a good battery level monitor?
Amazon
That is not a good enough answer for someone who doesn't know what is what.
LeRoy
Go to www.amazon.com, type "Victron 712" in the search box at the top of the page....
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obiwancanoli
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11/17/20 06:24pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: What's a good battery level monitor?
Amazon
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obiwancanoli
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11/17/20 05:40pm |
Tech Issues
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Getting My Mail on the Road
Planning to do some travelling in 2021, a few days here, a week or two there, and technology affords me the opportunity to receive and pay bills online for the most part... but, when I will receive physical mail, using a service such as Escapees, or Good Sam, would seem to require me to be settled in for a longer period, to make sure I get the mail I'm expecting, since forwarding mail is a typically longer process...
Do RV parks accommodate such services when, for example, your stay is an extended one, say, a month? Can one have mail sent "General Delivery" to and be held by a local Post Office for pick-up? If so, how long will they hold it? I can imagine that when one knows where one is headed, and when, one can arrange for mail to sent ahead of time, for retrieval when I arrive, but for those of us who travel on the fly, fluidity is key when a specific date one would arrive isn't yet known...
Is such a dilemma easily handled? Or will I encounter a challenging issue here?
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obiwancanoli
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11/13/20 10:28am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Thoughts on the Cost of RVing
Lifestyle. Passion. Convenience. Adventure. Joy.
I could come up with more, but I'd be boring you.
I remember the first time I visited Yellowstone, Arches and Zion, the Canyonlands of Southern Utah, the Grand Canyon... Not only was I in awe of the magnificent examples of Mother Nature's power, I felt like I was the first person to see it. It was one of the most powerful moments in my life, and for a while, I felt out of time... It was as if I were an explorer on the adventure of a lifetime, and I wanted more. Much more.
Each of us adjusts our lifestyle to do and have the things we want that make our lives worth living. For me, it's also about sharing that experience, an almost religious perspective on the power of my God, and his agent, Mother Nature, to provide me with experiences, in some ways, too magnificent for words to describe. But I knew in my heart, each time, that this was where I wanted - needed - to be. It felt like it was something I HAD to do. Thus, we find ways to make the lifestyle fit our budgets, that we may satisfy the passion in our lives to explore, to find peace, solitude, and joy in the time we have left.
Fuel cost? RV park cost? Maintenance? Everything else? Not especially important takeaways, compared to the benefits... saved a long time to reach a comfortable retirement, and, lucky for me, I reached that goal. And while Covid has limited my travels, this first year of retirement is but a peek into a future ripe with adventure, and the exploration of a land I've spent too little time getting to know better...
I can only hope my contemporaries find their RV lifestyles as fulfilling for them as it is for me...
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obiwancanoli
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11/08/20 08:42am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Turning off the Charging Process
What is the exact scenario?
If you disconnect the batteries from the charger when it gets cold, you still need 12v from somewhere. That would be the converter if you have shore power.
No shore power? No battery because it is too cold? Now you need another battery that does work in the cold. (SiO2 says PT :) )
Is the battery able to discharge (run loads) in the cold but just can't be recharged in the cold? (I am unclear how that is with Li)
So what is the scenario? Some have avoided this whole thing with various types of heating for their Lis to keep them in their operational zones. Not sure how you power those heater things off-grid when the batts can't be run without them. Kind of confusing!
Up to you to better describe the worrisome scenario here.
No problem DIS-charging, as in supplying AC via converter... the issue is in RE-charging. The tank warmers were initially meant to be attached, via adhesive, to water and gray water tanks, but are easily adapted to the battery bay. Further, my research suggests minimal amp needs to keep them going, and these have an on/off switch. Of course, the batteries would remain connected, for they're needed to power not just the tank warmers, but everything else inside.... and I'm thinking there will be times I'm not connected to shore power.
Reality is, I was exploring possible solutions, and looking for experience. I chose Li's for a number of reasons, and recognized early on that charging in colder temps would be problematic, but y'all are more experienced than this rookie (3 years in), and my hope was to find options I hadn't considered...
Installing the batteries inside would be ideal but for the fact there's no place to hide them except the ward in the bedroom, or, the drawers under the dining bench seats - valuable storage to sacrifice...
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obiwancanoli
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11/07/20 07:28pm |
Tech Issues
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Turning off the Charging Process
After accepting the Limitation that I can't - and shouldn't attempt - charging my new BB Lithium batteries, it occurred to me that a few of the places I might like to go could get to freezing, or below, and gee, I could just turn off, switch off, or otherwise disengage the charging system so that I don't fry my batteries (no pun intended) if they somehow found themselves trying to recharge (I have Solar, and a generator).
Is there a way I can easily disengage the charging process at will, and reinstate when temps rise?
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obiwancanoli
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11/07/20 06:01pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: First visit to Quartzite
Howdy Ralph - re: stuck in sand - I’m thinking of buying a set of Maxtrax recovery boards for just such an occasion.
Someone else I told about my episode suggested them. I might be too old and stiff to dig and place them, though. I think I'll just be more careful. :)
Ya the genuine Maxtrax have handles molded in and the tips form a bit of a shobbel so you can tip them in to the tires - once a tire gets a holda them out you go...
I wonder... would these work with a Class A?
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obiwancanoli
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11/07/20 08:46am |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: Heading to Quartzsite, AZ from Sacramento, CA
58 East seems to make the most sense to me... by the way, 35' MH w/toad...Diesel 340
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obiwancanoli
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11/07/20 07:56am |
Roads and Routes
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Heading to Quartzsite, AZ from Sacramento, CA
Heading to AZ mid-November, and I'd very much like to avoid going over the Grapevine near Lebec, CA both for weather risk and ease of driving. Is anyone familiar with a less wintery route that might make the trip a bit easier? Travel time isn't really an issue...
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obiwancanoli
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11/06/20 07:28pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Thoughts on the Cost of RVing
Ok, in keeping with not being political, I don't know why gas prices would be "much higher" after the election. You can save a ton of money equipping your rig to boondock instead of expensive and likely crowded campgrounds.
I have zero concerns about higher costs. I'm well-funded in retirement.
Ditto that... been doing just that, having recently added 4 Lithium batteries, a new higher capacity Solar Controller, and next come adding to the Solar bank with a few more panels...
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obiwancanoli
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11/05/20 10:23am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Options to Winegard Trav'ler
Thanks, Bill, I hadn't considered storage space needed...
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obiwancanoli
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11/05/20 07:42am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Propane Coffee Pot
We drink a lot of coffee and take a 12 cup drip coffee maker. Years ago when we tent camped we took a stainless perk pot and used it on the open fire. Very good coffee if your not in a hurry, but hey your camping so who’s in a hurry.
Depends on whether or not you're talking about that FIRST cuppa coffee in the morning... a crisp morning, dewey, a bit misty, a little foggy... gimme gimme gimme!
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obiwancanoli
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10/20/20 10:12am |
Camp Cooks and Connoisseurs
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Propane Coffee Pot
Always looking for ways to economize, get more efficient, etc., and wondered about others' experience with using a propane-based coffee pot... I think Coleman makes one... you use a burner on the propane stove to heat it up, and I'm given to understand it makes a pretty decent cup of coffee...
Anyone have experience with this, or another method?
I've been taking the Keurig from home and using that, but it's big and bulky, runs on 110, requires safe storage while in motion, and, when boondocking, would probably eat up more juice than propane... besides, I only have a cup or two in the mornings, and have some teabag-type coffee singles from, I think, Folgers, and that's not bad either...
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obiwancanoli
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10/18/20 05:20pm |
Camp Cooks and Connoisseurs
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RE: Batteries
I'd investigate the Lithium option, too... pricey, but long term savings and benefits now to then are impressive... some will disagree, but that's your option... freedom of choice
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obiwancanoli
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10/16/20 08:44pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: My Newmar 3436 Fridge - 120 Vs. Propane
IMO propane makes a fridge cooler. Do you use a small battery fan inside the fridge?
Yes, and it's quiet as a church mouse;)
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obiwancanoli
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10/14/20 06:36pm |
Tech Issues
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