EstorilM
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Re: Electric awning slow, now dead - '16 Summerland 2570RL
myredracer wrote: I'd suspect a poor connection somewhere right off the top. You *could* measure the voltage as you suggest and it may show okay but with the motor running with full load amps, a poor connection may have enough resistance to prevent the motor from running properly, it at all. Improperly done factory crimp connections are not uncommon. Testing with 12 volts directly at the motor or at the switch is a good diagnostic check and is probably what I'd be doing. Pulling the switch out is easy so probably a good place to start. Okay thanks for the reply - I guess I need to get my hands on a wiring diagram for this thing, there seems to be a receiver box somewhere (guessing that's what controls extension/retraction and switching polarity for the motor?) If I wanted to check the motor directly like you said, I can just pick a polarity and give it a shot? I don't recall if it's two wires going into the side of the TT wall, but I believe so. Bad/loose/corroded crimp connector wouldn't surprise me one bit. :M281Views0likes0CommentsElectric awning slow, now dead - '16 Summerland 2570RL
Hey everyone - ready for "the season" but the only thing that's really on the squawk list this spring is the awning. It had only worked "fast" (loud motor noise, in and out very quickly) a few times when I got it. It started working about half speed from then on. This unit has the touch-screen remote or the wall mounted switch - occasionally the wall switch or touch screen would work at full speed. Last fall I went to retract the awning, and the motor barely moved it in - then it stopped working completely. Had to use a ratchet (didn't have an electric drill!!!) which took foreverrrrrrr. I can see the control board at the front pass-thru storage area, with a bunch of relays on it. I believe this is only for the remote, as the relay clicks when I activate the awning. I have a pretty extensive electrical diagnostic and repair / mfg background - I've just got large inaccessible gaps in the wiring that I'm not sure about here - figured I'd ask the board before I dive in. For now my approach is going to be getting a power source (jump box etc) and applying power at the awning motor itself. If that works, I'll do the same at the wall switch and the remote relay board. If those work fine, then I've got a power supply problem to both circuits. Since neither work, I'd put my money on this as being a source of the problem anyways (or the motor itself, but that's unlikely for a new unit with hardly any use). What do you all think?889Views0likes4CommentsRe: Using TT in sub-freezing temps/elect. What's required?
troubledwaters wrote: So how much in propane is it worth to you to risk freezing the pipes? If it was me, I'd be running the furnace and hoping to high heaven that that is sufficient enough to keep the pipes from freezing. After that depending on how bad it gets, it may be straw bales around the perimeter and a heater or two underneath. YOMV Eh it just seems wasteful to be plugged in an be burning propane - no one will be inside during the day either. It's completely sealed up underneath so I wouldn't need to put bales around it or anything.. I've never actually accessed anything under there yet, so I really don't know what it looks like to be honest. Again though, this is probably going to be in the late fall - maybe mid 20s worst case scenario for a night or two.641Views0likes0CommentsRe: Using TT in sub-freezing temps/elect. What's required?
time2roll wrote: How cold is cold? 25F at sunrise and most RVs are just fine running the furnace. Much below that you will need to start adding electric heaters to any exposed tanks and pipes. At some point pipes in the walls and floor may start to have freeze ups with additional measures needed or you can winterize and use bottled water. Your furnace could be running close to continuous so an extra cylinder or two of propane may help along with an electric space heater. That sounds about right - I don't think it would be in the middle of winter or anything. Those wireless thermometers are super cheap on amazon these days. Maybe my first step should just be to put 3 or 4 sensors in the basement around critical areas and label the displays so I know what's going on. Most of the time no one will be inside during the day, so I'd like to leave the main area off - suppose that implies I should separate the systems and have something independent underneath. I don't even know how to access the area or where I could find an open space for a heater, it's sealed up really well. I guess I could call Keystone and see if they have a rough layout for everything under the floor.642Views0likes0CommentsRe: Using TT in sub-freezing temps/elect. What's required?
Second Chance wrote: If you want to go all-electric with your main furnace and keep the basement thawed, this is the way to go: Cheap Heat The installation is pricey, but lots of full-timers swear by them. We have weathered stretches of single-digit lows and sub-freezing highs for a week or two at a time (often with 40 MPH winds) on propane heat. We supplement with the electric fireplace and put a ceramic heater on a thermostat in the basement to help, but always make sure the main furnace is cycling. At the worst, we've gone through 30 lbs. of propane in about 3 days. We use a heated water hose but fill up the fresh tank, disconnect the water and use the pump on the coldest of nights. I wait until sunny afternoons to drain the waste tanks so the stinky slinky doesn't freeze up, too. Reflectix cut to fit in the windows helps if you don't have dual pane windows. Rob Wow thanks, for that price I might as well go that route - I have a decent background in electrical work so it doesn't sound too scary, though tearing everything apart and pulling the wires is always the worst part. It was unclear if you used that system or just the propane w/ ceramic underneath? Sounds like either way, the key is to have the ducting in the basement carrying heat in some capacity. edit: Ouch I was looking at the wrong one, not the add-on unit I need haha. downtheroad wrote: Not sure why you don't use your furnace also...but if you are going to only use a stand alone electric heater inside....could you get another one and place it underneath blowing heat to help keep your plumbing from freezing.. Yeah it just might be an extended period of time, and was thinking about avoiding the propane cost / lugging the cylinders around is all.641Views0likes0CommentsUsing TT in sub-freezing temps/elect. What's required?
Hi everyone, There's a possibility that I may need to use my TT for a month or two this fall when temps may fall below freezing (and for future reference, I'm curious about this in general). The 2570RL has the arctic package and is fully enclosed, but I'm not sure exactly how much that helps in the real world. My main issue is that I'll probably be running electric heat, which obviously bypasses all of the heat ducts underneath that likely keep everything well above freezing. Has anyone just modified an electric ceramic-type heater into the existing floor ducting so that you can heat the interior while still bleeding enough heat off to keep the pipes from freezing? It's an RL so has 2 grey tanks, one for galley and one for the bathroom - the plumbing is rather spread out for its size.1.8KViews0likes16CommentsPower outage, moving into TT - tractor to charge 12v?
Power is probably going to be out for a few days. Generator is at my parents a few hundred miles away (yeah, not convenient) so I'm on my own with 12v. I have a second marine deep cycle, but that's only going to get me so far with the propane furnace blower, etc. Two questions - one, I have an 800w inverter but I'm not sure how to hook this up in this case. I would just plug the RV into it and keep my power usage down, but I would need some way of bypassing and disconnecting the power supply/battery charger. I'm guessing the most efficient way to do this would be to run large gauge 12v wires inside the TT and run the inverter off of batt directly/separately, then only plug in the few 120v things I need (ie not use any of the TT's 120v systems). As far as keeping the battery charged, I have a diesel tractor - do you think the alternator generates enough current at idle to charge up the batteries? I'm thinking I'd just run the two deep cycles in parallel then run the tractor every now and then to charge them back up. I should be fine at night as it's just the furnace blower that would be running. I could always use the LR3 as it has a 160A alternator and a huge battery, but nowhere near as efficient. I could run the diesel deere on a couple gallons forever (and it's obviously made for idling anyways).3.9KViews0likes14CommentsRe: tv antenna boosters
I got this thing when I first got my RV, which of course didn't have the TV in it anymore (unused 2016!) - but I have two 28" computer monitors sitting around. The monitor fit perfectly, and that box took over all the TV / channel functions, gave me a remote control, and even lets me DVR stuff to a USB stick so I can pause and fast forward! Aux out to the RV head unit for sound, and HDMI out to the computer monitor. For $35 I was kinda shocked at the capabilities. It also has an amplifier function, but disables itself when I use amp built in to the antenna / coax plate. The thing also has a signal meter / % indicator for each channel, auto-program etc etc. This could be a really easy and cheap way to amp the antenna, give yourself a nice signal meter, and throw in some other features as well.612Views0likes0CommentsRe: 30-32' TT - Are they too long, difficult to park, etc?
This thread has been a real eye-opener for me! We drove back from Tryon NC last year (our last tent camping journey, and we were working for the event no less!) We must have passed hundreds of 5th wheels on I-81, all of them MASSIVE units like you'd see on MTV cribs or something - 4+ slides, etc. Not to mention the ridiculous RVs at the horse parks (competitors and such, I guess). I figured size-wise the unit we ended up getting was pretty much middle-of-the-road, again the places we've been are usually large horse park campgrounds so maybe the pad size and access threw me off? Anyways I definitely didn't think it was considered large, and NEVER would have though it would be at-or-near the limit for well-known campgrounds. So that's kinda a bummer, but at least I won't just assume where it'll fit if I ever take an actual recreational trip somewhere new!546Views0likes0CommentsRe: New high (or low?) in overloading
Sprink-Fitter wrote: DinTulsa wrote: I'm not the weight police for sure, but that is plain ridiculous with the Tacoma. Some of the fault is on the dealership as well. They should be more responsible and tell people no. Why should it be the dealers responsibility? How does the dealer know if you have a dusky at home or not? Funny you mention that - my dealer wouldn't let me touch it till the saleswoman drove my rig around the local streets a few times. It seemed like more of a common liability procedure, but clearly she (and the old-school scruffy techs that prepped the trailer) had to idea that LRs are good TVs. I finally got her to admit how effortless the rig was, and I went on my way. :) Anyways that's insane, I didn't see a bump up in ratings for the tow package, just the all-around 3500lb rating. Tundra is one thing, taco is another! :o I must admit though, my girlfriend had a 2008 Frontier w/ tow package that hauled my ~4800lb (loaded w horse and gear) large featherlite 2h like there was nothing at all behind it. I think we got it on an interstate once for a show and it felt a little more loose than my TV, but for local roads and stuff it did fine. Clearly this is a totally different situation, just the thought of towing a TT like the one above with her truck makes me want to puke. I mean that's so over-loaded I'd be shocked if things literally didn't start to break! edit: wrote this yesterday at work and forgot to send, just read the update... can't say I'm surprised at all - ouch! In 1st or 2nd I feel like you should be able to tow a house (albeit slowly). Usually power is the least of your problems, this was probably the safest failure of that particular rig that I can envision. Sounds like he's learned a lot, so that's good.413Views0likes0Comments
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