Forum Discussion

NinerBikes's avatar
NinerBikes
Explorer
Feb 19, 2016

MVP Awards

A few years back, I joined Woodalls Open Road Forum. I'd just bought a travel trailer new, and quickly came to the conclusion that I had a lot to learn.

Which lead me to the Tech section here. I've posted more than my fair share of newbie questions in the beginning, and received many different answers from many different POV's, thoughts, from various locations around North America, from many different posters with different experiences.

So, what I am asking is this: I'd like to put together a Who's who, or MVP list of valuable contributors together, and their area of expertise.

Folks are free to post the contributors name, and what technical problems they helped you solve.

I'll start with Wizard the moderator... he pointed me in the right direction for an AGM battery that has made my camping experiences since getting it wonderful... I am no longer burning acid holes in Levi 501's and T-shirts, playing with fancy chicken baster hydrometers.
  • NinerBikes wrote:
    Which lead me to the Tech section here. I've posted more than my fair share of newbie questions in the beginning, and received many different answers from many different POV's, thoughts, from various locations around North America, from many different posters with different experiences.


    Hmmmm ... you could have fooled me ... I've never thought of you as a newbie. I have read many of your posts and you have always impressed me as someone who pretty much knows what they're talking about.

    Keep up the good postings!
  • When I was a kid with a question, answers were not a keyboard away. Asking adults usually revealed a I don't know? why don't you go look it up?

    Sure, I'll just go bike down to the library 15 miles away on those bikelaneless roads without even a clue as to how to find what I am looking for, or perhaps that antique encyclopedia set in the corner might have more than 15 words 100 years outdated on the subject to delve into.

    Obviously my curiosity was never sated, and soon I just quit asking questions, disgusted with the whole system and humanity as a whole. Learned that before reaching double digit ages.

    When internet forums came along, it was what I was seeking as a child, somebody who had an answer and could point you in a direction to find the answer if they could not outright give you an answer. The duty was then to sort through the self important fluff and find the gems in between.

    This forum and with Mex as the Obtuse and usually indirect reference library has greatly helped me to understand the things I wish to know while still provoking some thought in the matter.

    I could never have bypassed my vehicles voltage regulator and installed an adjustable one without his input. Without the adjustable voltage switching power supplies he brought to light, I would not have the ability to truly fully charge a battery or see how the relationship between voltage and amperage works on a charging battery.

    My next house battery will likely be Lifepo4, and there is no way that I would be thinking along those lines without the knowledge gained from his input, and no way to have used my alternator to recharge those without being able to change the voltage with the Voltage regulator modification he helped me with.

    It would have remained a mystery. I'm considering getting an ABYC accreditation and getting out of finish carpentry. I like precision woodworking an all, but the hyper sharp chisels and planer blades have been resting while my other workshop table is filled electrical tools, and has taken a front seat in my pursuits.

    So I try to return the knowledge, with Data from my results/experiments and general observations from the many measuring tools I have employed. The screwy31, the cheapowatt, the MeanWell, and now the Adjustable Vehicle Voltage regulator and alternator temperature data at varying loads and vehicle speeds/ underhood airflow. Experiments to see the results of changing parameters and the desire to know why.

    Those that do not care to know 'WHY', are useless to me, and are ignored with prejudice and contempt, though contempt is wasted energy they do not deserve. Working on that too.

    So thanks Mex, Glad my experiment with Cheapowatt, heatsinking and hyper ventilating the Meanwell, and the 'trick the mopar ECM voltage regulator' have been useful to you.

    Now mail me one of those old school, Old stock, Made in the USA Transpo 540HD's :)
  • I think RJ may have touched on a new award or at least new categories---MVSNK (most valuable snot-nosed kid) and MVWB (most valuable wanna be).
    I take help from anywhere I can get it and steal ideas that I make my own all the time. :B
  • pnichols wrote:
    NinerBikes wrote:
    Which lead me to the Tech section here. I've posted more than my fair share of newbie questions in the beginning, and received many different answers from many different POV's, thoughts, from various locations around North America, from many different posters with different experiences.


    Hmmmm ... you could have fooled me ... I've never thought of you as a newbie. I have read many of your posts and you have always impressed me as someone who pretty much knows what they're talking about.

    Keep up the good postings!


    Not true... the school of hard knocks with the WFCO 8955 and a POS Wal Mart Group 24 battery in Breckenridge, CO, summer of 2013, and 3 hours in the morning, and 3 hours in the evening, incandescent bulbs, with the EU1000 that I had before the trailer, had to borrow an Eu2000i to run the microwave one night for 6 minute baked potatos, instead of oven for 45 minutes.

    Finding out that 120 W portable solar was great... at the time, for spring, summer and fall use, but inadequate for winter down at Quartzsite with short days and low sun angle. Sold it to Profdant, and it's perfect for his 16 foot Funfinder. Upgraded to 150 Amp hours of battery FLA, upgraded to a 150 Watt 21V 8.5 amp Poly crystalline panel. World of difference. Got an adjustable charge controller.

    Got a PD 9245 on smkettners recommendation, good unit, but mex talked about an adjustable voltage Power Supply Unit instead. It was a cheap $55 investment, tried it, reported back here.

    Still have the Eu1000i, bought a new Eu2000i to run the Microwave. Built a pairing cable, have paired the EU2000i to the Eu1000i, and it will start and run the 13.5k BTU Dometic AC on top, no problem, at 6000 feet elevation.

    Got a low power consumption Samsung 22" TV, that runs on 18 to 19 watts, almost all the time, not even 2 amps.

    I have read... a LOT, here in the tech section. I try to share what I know works for me, on a solid, regular basis. I don't enjoy failure in the field. Electricity fascinates me, what can be done with it, but... I'm a slow learner at times, in the field...

    I know I've sent PM's out to at least 10 or 15 of you, from time to time, for exceptionally good posts that helped me learn the theory. For me, it's pointless at times to just do it, if you don't know the theory behind why it works. If you know why it works, you remember.

    I feel that sending MexicoWanderer an old smart phone of mine was just compensation for all the time he's spent here posting for all to learn, and not charging me a cent for reading a lot of his posts, most of which, to me, certainly added value, and enriched my battery construction and understanding of chemistry, profiles, top charging, Equalize charging, and on, and on and on. It's the people in the professional industries, electronics, engineering, or otherwise that are most valuable.

    There's a Doug, can't remember his last name, from TX... that is a Goldmine of information on RV's, refrigerators, AC's, all the poop that breaks on them. Key words... Gold Mine... it's up to you to try to use "Search" function and mine up the data.

    Met up with SCVjeff, after he'd built the best **** crimped cables he could, himself for his 4 batteries in his diesel pusher. He steered me to a great Digital TV station finder App for my smart phone. Was camped on Plomosa Road a month ago, had 4 different campers in their RV's come up to me and ask me why my Bat Wing was pointed west south west. They were all pointing their due North, to Havasu, where the signal was spotty. I was pulling 4 different channels in from a mountain range in California, that serves Yuma AZ, and all the southern Colorado River Valley, from 55.4 miles away... on a Bat Wing!

    I gave them the app, I don't want or need satellite dish if I can use a bat wing to get me the news.

    So I thank you all, I've made a few friends here along the way, associates, people waaaayy smarter than me... just wish to acknowledge and express some appreciation. We should reward excellence.

    Moderators, I wish the search function went back more than a year's worth for data, there's some very, very valuable posts from 2 or 3 years back that are gone now, perhaps the data base was scrubbed or lost. Wish we still had it.
  • I'd say people like BFL13 and CA that not only test and report the results but do it on a regular basis. You don't have the paper on the wall to say I pushed the button and this is what happened.
  • JiminDenver wrote:
    I'd say people like BFL13 and CA that not only test and report the results but do it on a regular basis. You don't have the paper on the wall to say I pushed the button and this is what happened.


    Who is CA?

About Technical Issues

Having RV issues? Connect with others who have been in your shoes.24,189 PostsLatest Activity: Jan 19, 2025