RoadHogg
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House Battery Charging/MagneTek Model 6332 Power Converter
When we picked up our 1997 GWV Class B in early October, we drove home over the next week or so and although the camper is in near perfect condition, we noticed that the house battery doesn't seem to charge properly...or maybe just doesn't hold a charge. During our trip home it seemed that the house battery would easily go dead as we travelled and would then charge up at night when we plugged into shore power. (I really would like to add a second house battery...having too much battery power can't be a bad thing) Recently I changed out the chassis battery, the PO had installed a n Interstate HD24-DP deep cycle 505 MCA battery under the hood and IMO, that's an incorrect application for that battery. The engine always started well but we do intend to drive this van all winter and we need a very strong battery in order to handle cold starts without issue. During my chassis battery change over, I decided to do some testing of the house battery and related charging system. I found that the isolator device under the hood seems to be operating properly. The isolator does not connect the chassis and house batteries together until the engine's alternator is charging. I confirmed that the isolator disconnects the house battery from the engine battery when the engine is stopped and then connects the two when the engine is started...thus allowing the charging of the house battery. I took the house battery out and gave it a full charge with a good quality automatic charger then I gave it a load test. This battery is an Interstate SRM-27 deep cycle battery rated at 750 MCA. My load test showed that the battery is down a little on CA but not too bad...about 500 Amps. So, this is all fine, I will replace that house battery some time but there is some life left in it...for the way we camp...usually plugged into at least a 15A supply overnight. My concern at this point is, the house charger. I didn't test the charger, I'm not sure how in fact. I'd like to be confident that the house charger is both charging up to full potential and that it stops charging when the battery is full. The house charger is a MagneTek 32 Amp "Power Converter" Series 6300 A Model Number 6332. Any tips on how to best test the power converter charging system?4.4KViews0likes6CommentsRe: Atwood 7916-II 16,000 BTU Furnace Motor
Follow-up: New blower motor arrived yesterday. Installed motor in furnace, installed furnace in motorhome, tested for a good 20 minutes...runs good, blows heat, what more can a guy ask for? Put the used, still operational, motor in the box and labeled it. I usually hold onto stuff like this as spare parts.256Views0likes0CommentsRe: What do you tow with your B?
Sebtown wrote: If you already have a Class A and a Class B, you are there! We met a couple in Death Valley last year who's toad was their Class B. They were from Michigan and told us they tow the B with the A. Their A was parked in Arizona for the winter and they used the B for short and medium lenght side trips and as their every day driver. So I contacted both Roadmaster and Blue-Ox and neither make brackets for a 1997 Dodge B3500. Any suggestions on where I can get brackets? I already have a Blue-Ox Aventa LX (10,000 lb) tow bar.523Views0likes0CommentsRe: What do you tow with your B?
Sebtown wrote: If you already have a Class A and a Class B, you are there! We met a couple in Death Valley last year who's toad was their Class B. They were from Michigan and told us they tow the B with the A. Their A was parked in Arizona for the winter and they used the B for short and medium lenght side trips and as their every day driver. Yes, I was thinking the same thing! I just don't have the tow-bar setup for it at the moment and when I looked for the base plates, I didn't see them listed for the 1997 B3500. I have two tow-bars now but they are 5000 lb and 7500 lb ratings...not enough for the B3500 (8500 lbs...I weighed it) Of course I'd have to deal with the "flat towing a vehicle with an automatic transmission" issues then too.522Views0likes0CommentsRe: What do you tow with your B?
Snowman9000 wrote: RoadHogg, another possibility for living space is a screen room at the site. The problem is carrying it in a B. Unless you have surplus storage space now. HAHAHAHAHAA.... OK, sorry... so then you could haul a small enclosed cargo trailer with all sorts of comfortable goodies. Assuming you would be staying in one place long enough to do that. Based on my towing experiences, you will not enjoy towing a 7500 lb TT. Can it be done? Sure! Yes, we want to add a screen room like a "Add-a-room". We would have to install an awning first. Do those fold up pretty flat? Thankfully, our GWV has some storage space up front where the overhead bed is...which we don't use. We do have a cargo trailer we can tow for hauling anything more. The trailer is a bit bigger so it would hit our MPG a good bit...its a 14' inside, tandem unit. I did just install a nice class V hitch on the van so I can tow that, and my other trailer if I need to...also carry bikes or a cargo rack at the back.523Views0likes0CommentsRe: What do you tow with your B?
Snowman9000 wrote: This is a thread that goes to a daydream I have every year. I see it as having a two-part RV. Part One is used for driving around, and Part Two stays at the camp site. And Part One has some minimal RV facilities. This is where the dream becomes fuzzy. Trying to decide which functions to duplicate in both parts, and which functions are exclusive to just one. This has been exactly my thinking. We have a class A and we like that for camping. We don't like its appetite and it's not convenient to drive around and park just anywhere...the B is very convenient that way...and better MPG. Although we've not yet been "camping" in the B...staying in one campground/site for more than a day...we have been trying to imagine how that goes and we aren't convinced the B alone is the ideal unit. With the A, we pull a towed...no problem. The A stays put the whole time and we tool around in the towed. With the B, how do we get around? Do we break camp every time we want to so somewhere that's out of cycling range? (we don't cycle far) Do we pull a towed? CAN we pull a towed? I have two options for towed vehicles...a 1998 Dodge half ton (about 5000 lbs) and a 1996 VW Jetta, (about 2800 lbs). I could probably tow either, the van has a 8500 lb towing capacity, but I'm not sure I want to flat tow something that weighs 60% as much as my B. The Jetta might be a decent alternative...we don't usually license the Jetta though, the half ton is always licensed. Not only this but, we want to use the B for driving around, having all our facilities with us so a towed is not really a total solution either. So, the option left is, a TT behind the B. I have an old TT here, it's rather long but the GVWR is in the 7500 lb range so the B should be able to pull that ok. The biggest obstacle to that option is, the TT needs a good renovation...it's old and not in good repair. The trailer part is decent, the inside is just not nice...not something I'd eat or sleep in. So, $$ there too. One of my quandaries is, if I renovate and update the 1980's TT I have, will I be spending as much or more than just buying a used TT that would suit our needs/wants? Of course, there are so many more things that would affect that decision but in essence, that's what we're looking at.521Views0likes0CommentsRe: What do you tow with your B?
mkguitar wrote: RoadHogg wrote: In general, OD is a marketing scam that has only negative effects on vehicles and consumers. You can;t be serious. a driver should be smarter than the vehicle and know how to match gearing to conditions and engine load. Some vehicles will have a tow/haul mode to change transmission shift points. Know thy vehicle Mike "should be" I agree. What should be has never translated into what drivers actually are. However, I don't follow how my comment relates to your comment about what a driver should be. Help me out? Thanks.521Views0likes0CommentsRe: Atwood 7916-II 16,000 BTU Furnace Motor
PSW wrote: RoadHogg wrote: I did not order the motor, partly because I didn't care for his argumentative demeanor, which I've experienced before. I have had that experience more than one time. I always seem to get a guy that is offended that I ask questions about something, even though I do it very politely. Candidly, I very seldom buy anything for my RV locally. With Amazon and other sources around who needs rudeness from people that don't know what they are talking about? Try calling PPL Motorhomes in Houston. I have always found them helpful and polite. They are a consignment dealer, I think the biggest in North America. They sell more than 200 units a month and are consignment only along with parts. I sold my Roadtrek 210P through them year before last and they were about as professional a bunch as I have dealt with on anything in a long time. I have bought parts and other stuff from them by phone and internet for years. Paul Thanks for the tip, Paul. I'll keep them in mind. The Dollar difference + international shipping etc only add to my costs so it's rarely an option. I did call the "other" major RV place in Winnipeg and I found the parts person FAR more pleasant to deal with. His price was a bit better than the rude guy and he gave me a delivery time of "tomorrow" which was nice. Still not happy with $150 or so (when I know motors of this type should sell for well under $50) I searched with the information I had. I found a motor on Amazon.com..it's specifically for my furnace, not a knock-off. This is still USD and international shipping but, I had previously been given a $100 Amazon gift card so, that paid for my new furnace motor. It should be here in a week or two.256Views0likes0CommentsRe: Atwood 7916-II 16,000 BTU Furnace Motor
So I ran that motor, in the furnace with the fans attached, for a couple hours yesterday and it was fine. I'm not confident this is a long term fix and I'd still like to replace the motor. I called a local RV service place and the parts guy quoted me $165 for a new motor. I felt that was a bit stiff. I did not order the motor, partly because I didn't care for his argumentative demeanor, which I've experienced before.256Views0likes0Comments
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