Rick_Jay
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Joined 23 years ago
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Re: A/c unit
No, I haven't done that, but I guess my first question is, do you now what's wrong with your current A/C unit? I usually opt to repair than replace, if economically sound. Sometimes all they need is a new relay or cleaning to become functional again. I had to replace a relay on our front A/C around the 10 year old mark, and it's been working for 9 years since. I know there are members here who have more experience with the A/Cs, so I'm sure they can give you more opinions about changing out the unit, if that's what needs to be done. Good Luck, ~Rick631Views0likes0CommentsRe: do fluids do any harm when left in too long?
anon125, Put me in the camp that thinks the mechanicals will be OK. I'd schedule the fluid change maintenance before the next time you take it out, but like Grit Dog said, I doubt there would be any trouble. To be honest, I'd be more concerned with the "house" systems. The furnace, stove, water heater, water pump, refrigerator. Anything operated with gas has had ample opportunity for little buggies to make their nests in the gas delivery tubes for the burner. Motors might seize up if exposed to condensing moisture that hasn't have the opportunity to be burned off every once in a while. The carburetor on the generator could likely be gummed up with the fuel after all of these years. I'd be giving these systems a test, as able, to minimize surprises come Spring. Oh, and give the inside a good once over looking for leaks. If there's any sign of leakage, be sure to get that taken care of before the winter sets in. Good Luck, ~Rick1.5KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Winter travel
rk911 wrote: if you do that be sure to place a 60 or 100-watt incandescent light bulb in the wet bay. many RVs, even basement models, don't heat that area. cheap insurance. Amazon still has incandescent bulbs available. I ended up purchasing & using a couple of low wattage "personal heaters", which put out about 200W. I prefer these to the light bulbs as those filaments can be fragile, especially in a 100W incandescent bulb. One of those heaters with an inline thermostat electric cord do a good job of keep everything above freezing. Most days, if the day forecast is mid-30's or higher, I unplug them until evening sets in. But when I DO winterize, I use air to blow out each line, individually. Just make sure to keep each faucet open until all of the water is out. Make sure to blow out the toilet, sprayer, washer/dryer hookup (if equipped), outdoor shower and the black tank rinse (if equipped). Putting RV antifreeze in the drains is a good protection, as well. Right before you leave for your trip, fill your freshwater tank and head south! Enjoy the trip! ~Rick1.2KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Suggestions when looking at used Class A motor homes
Thermoguy, If you want to tow upwards of 10,000 lbs., you can forget about the new gasser. I'd recommend an older diesel unit before the DEF was required, which I think means 2008 and before, but not sure on that. Even then, make sure the rig can tow what you want. There are DPs that have relatively modest tow ratings, and others with much greater tow capacity. Do you have any preference for floorplan? It's often said that is one of the most important things once you've decided on the mechanical aspects. Good Luck in your search. I'm sure you're ideal rig is out there somewhere. ~Rick3.4KViews1like0CommentsRe: Doris is Dead!
DKLilly67, Glad to hear all is well. Kudos to you for your persistence and for posting your solution. There have been many posters who never post the solution and that just leaves everyone hanging, without us being able to learn of the problem. Posting your solution can potentially be helpful for others in the future who have similar issues. I would recommend that if there are any other screws on junction boxes or breaker panels, that at some time someone go around and make sure they're all tight. This includes ground wires for the DC side of things as well. It's possible that the screws can loosen up over time, even on house wiring. In an RV that's bouncing down the road, it's even more likely for the fasteners to loosen with age. A loose connection will generate heat and ultimately create electrical problems. Again, thanks for following up with your post! :) ~Rick819Views0likes0CommentsRe: thinking of buying a Motorhome....looking for tips/hints
Hi, I guess the first questions would be along the lines of: Approximately how much are you planning to spend on the motorhome? New or Used? How long of an RV do you think you need (compared with the trailers)? Same number of people as in the past? Fewer? More? Any preference for diesel or gas? Are you planning on driving it a lot, or driving into an area and staying put for weeks, or longer, at a time? Which floorplans worked best for you in the past? That should get you started. :) Good Luck on your search. Take your time and be patient. These forums have a WEALTH of information, especially about Class A motorhomes. If you can figure out the quirky search options, it helps. But don't hesistate to ask us any questions you might have directly. ~Rick1.2KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Doris is Dead!
DKLilly67 wrote: This morning we got plain outlets ( just trying to close circuit and go from there) my husband very carefully hooked them up ground to ground, white to gold, black to silver. We can now read power to the outlet but nothing to the outlet works . I hope you have a typo there. It should be ground to ground (usually a green screw), black to gold screw, and white to silver screw. The black is the hot line, the white is the neutral line. If wired the way you described, things connected to the outlet should work, but they are a shock hazard. Outlets have a "load" and a "line" side. The "line" side received the black, white & ground wires from the breaker panel. The "load" side is used to feed the power and protect the other outlets downstream. The fact that they don't works suggests that either they are wired incorrectly (more so than you mentioned) or that the breaker which feeds the those outlet(s) is tripped. ON EDIT: Reading your next reply, I see that you figured out the hot & neutral reversal. That's a step in the right direction. I might also suggest, if you don't have one already, that you purchase a GFCI receptacle tester similar to this one. There are many variations, all do about the same thing, and any hardware store should have them. Personally, I recommend the ones with the GFCI test button. Oh, and the yellow sticker is there mostly to indicate the "load" terminals on the GFCI. Where it's placed has no bearing on the circuit operation. I have no idea what "hopelessly locked up" means. If they were tripped, hitting the "Reset" button should fix it. And you really should reinstall the GFCI outlets. Without them, you have a serious shock hazard. I don't really think the GFCI outlets had anything to do with your original issues. I don't like to say this, but it sounds like the people you have working on the electrical issues don't really understand what they are doing. Understand that electricity can be lethal and it's important to have a good understanding and respect for it. You might want to consider hiring someone who is skilled in electrical work to straighten this out. Good Luck, ~Rick316Views0likes0CommentsRe: Seat belts
Hi, If the dinette is not on a slide, it should be a bit easier to accomplish. Our rig came with plenty (12) of seatbelts up front (driver, passenger, 3 on each of the two sofas & 4 on the dinette) but I did install some on the bed to secure the kids when we were travelling at night. I used an online store, seatbeltpros.com or something like that. That was over 15 years ago. They had many options: lengths, attachments, colors, etc. Ideally, you should bolt them through the floor if you can access the underneath of the dinette floor. Keep in mind that seatbelts in an RV should be considered as aids to keep the butts in the seats for emergency maneuvers, but are probably of limited help in a major collision where the structure of the RV is being ripped apart. Due to liability issues, it is doubtful you'll find any company willing to install them aftermarket. ~Rick212Views0likes0CommentsRe: Battery Power for My CPAP
Bordercollie wrote: I know I could connect the same two batteries in series, and eliminate using the converter, but the capacity would be 18 ah. That is correct, the AH capacity would be 18AH. BUT...the current draw from a 24V source would be 1/2 of what the converter has to draw from a 12V source, so the net effect on how long the batteries would last would be the same. (The power going into the converter (I*V = I * 12V) has to be equal (technically, a bit greater, but we'll simpify here) to the power going into the CPAP (I * 24V).) Anyway, battery longevity should be the same, and possibly a smidgen greater, without the converter in play. Good Luck as you search for options. :) ~Rick871Views0likes0Comments
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