DrewE
Explorer II
Joined 11 years ago
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Re: Best generator
Decibels are not a linear measure of power, nor is our perception of loudness/volume linear. (For that matter, the amount of acoustic energy does not fall of linearly as one gets further from the source, either, but is proportional to the square of the distance.) As a rough rule of thumb, somewhere around 10 dB or so difference is generally perceived as "twice as loud." A 3 dB difference is a little louder (despite being about twice the acoustic energy), 1 dB difference not very noticeable unless you're paying quite close attention.581Views0likes0CommentsRe: 20# propane tank
I do not, partly because I don't have a hitch-mount cargo carrier (aside from a bicycle rack), and partly because my RV has a built-in permanent tank. However, I think it a not very wise idea to carry propane outside of the limits of the structural framework of the vehicle. If I'm not mistaken, DOT regulations prohibit mounting propane tanks such that they extend over the bumper or under the frame, though I don't know if that applies to portable cylinders or only to permanent tanks that are "part" of the vehicle proper. In any case, the potential for bad things in a collision should be pretty obvious, even for an otherwise comparatively minor one, and it's not a chance I care to take.331Views0likes0CommentsRe: Does Anyone See A Need For a Portable Generator?
obiwancanoli wrote: In fact, this was one reason I was considering it... When I boondock, I search the area for downed wood I can use for a campfire, and usually, that wood would have to be cut with a saw. Absent a battery operated model, unless I were close enough to the coach to plug in, a small portable generator would come in handy... but if that's the only reason to have it along, methinks a quality battery operated reciprocating saw (or something similar) would be perfectly fine... In my experience, power reciprocating saws don't work too well for firewood over maybe 1 1/2" to 2" in diameter; the stroke isn't long enough to let the blade clear sawdust from the middle part of the cut, and it collects and bogs things down. A decent battery-powered chain saw would be a far better option. A Corona Razortooth saw is remarkably good, too, and requires no batteries or gasoline or electricity--just some elbow grease, but not as much as a typical bowsaw.791Views0likes0CommentsRe: The wandering coach
I have no idea how much experience you have with driving large vehicles. If you have a reasonable amount of prior experience, then please feel free to disregard these suggestions and please don't take it as any sort of an insult. It's certainly true that many motorhomes have less than ideal alignment and suspension setups from the factory, and getting these dialed in can produce a significant improvement in handling. (For the F53 chassis, also check out the "cheap handling fix" or CHF; search here for details.) That said, it's also true that large, long-wheelbase vehicles by nature handle and behave differently than cars or pickup trucks. They take longer to respond to steering inputs, longer to accelerate, longer to slow down, and being wider one needs greater precision to stay in a proper lane position. It's easy to overcorrect if you're not careful. I find it helps a lot to intentionally keep my focus farther down the road, and only glance momentarily at the road just in front if needed. If you're focusing on the lane to close to the vehicle, you'll be chasing yourself to try to keep on track. I also found it helped a lot to think not so much of staying centered in the lane, but rather to imagine putting the driver's seat over the left third of the lane where it should be when the vehicle is centered. Since you're nowhere near the middle of the vehicle, side to side, you won't end up in the middle of the lane. A good bit of it comes down to getting some practice.492Views0likes0CommentsRe: Electrical issue on 50amp service
I suspect you have an open hot wire, or a very nearly open hot wire, and are measuring the voltage with a high-impedance voltmeter (such as a typical digital multimeter) that is showing you the "phantom" voltage in the wire due to capacitive and/or inductive coupling. "Open hot wire" could mean something as simple as a blown fuse or tripped breaker on one leg of the circuit. For breakers, they are supposed to be controlled with a two-pole breaker such that both legs are disconnected when either is overloaded, but it's not beyond the realm of believability that your friend's place is improperly set up with two single pole breakers. For fuses, the legs are independent of each other.357Views0likes0CommentsRe: Class C basement washer and dryer
I personally don't think it's a great use of the limited space in an RV to carry laundry machinery around. I know others here wouldn't consider an RV without a washer and dryer, and that's fine too; different strokes for different folks and all that. If you're traveling around, it's not that big of a deal to stop at a laundromat while en route between destinations. It's often even possible to time it up with lunch or something else where you'd be stopping anyhow. If you're going to be staying in one campground for weeks at a time and said campground does not have laundry facilities--and especially if you don't have a toad or similar local transportation readily available--then getting to a laundromat is a bit more troublesome. However, in my fairly limited experience, a substantial portion of campgrounds which feature full hookup sites also have coin laundry facilities available on-site.485Views0likes0CommentsRe: Taking B+/C Offroad Experiences
I took my (32' 1998 Coachmen) class C over many Alaskan roads, some of which were comparatively rough and rutted. These things are of course somewhat subject to personal interpretation, as far as what makes a really bad or rough road. I did drive to Eagle, Deadhorse, and McCarthy, which means not sticking to merely the paved roads. The structure survived without any significant problems directly related to the hard use, though I definitely do think it is rather worse for the wear. There do seem to be the start to a few little buckles, etc. in some of the sheet metal I-beams under the floor, which I've been thinking maybe ought to be reinforced; I don't know if that's directly attributable to the Alaska trip or just typical for the age and construction and whatnot. In any case, while I have absolutely no regrets about taking the trip--it was a wonderful experience overall--I also doubt I'd repeat it with this motorhome, nor do I think it would survive many more such rough trips very well. The actual ground clearance of my motorhome is pretty decent. The departure angle is not very good, due to the long overhang, but for those roads that was not much of a concern as there are not many sudden changes in ground angles. The only places I've scraped have been things like gas station entrances or driveways or railroad crossings that slope suddenly up from the road surface. The plumbing in my unit is pretty well protected within the structure; it doesn't really hang down loose underneath. Nowhere have I had particular trouble with steep inclines. I suppose a steep enough incline could be a problem, but anything remotely like ordinary hills, even steep ones, are fine if taken slowly with appropriate caution and care. The motorhome most certainly does not come anywhere near the off-road capabilities of a Jeep or even a typical pickup truck, but it's more capable than it might at first appear despite the limitations. At least around here, the overall physical dimensions--the height and width and poor turning radius associated with the legth--are probably the biggest limiting factors for where I can go. Many back roads have overhanging tree branches well below the 11' clearance I'd require. Of course, in other parts of the country there may not be many encroaching trees at all.745Views0likes0CommentsRe: Replacement for broken cover
If you know someone with a 3D printer (and a bit of design skill), they could make something functional that at least looks more or less similar pretty easily. For that matter, it looks pretty straightforward to fabricate using fiberglass over a plug or in a mold, though that can be a bit messy and irksome work.123Views0likes0Comments
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