christopherglen
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Re: Generator / Invertor
We have an inverter/charger on out 5er. All the electrical - except the water heater and AC's are run off it. I have power for (almost) everything all the time (off the batteries). I find a 2000 watt generator works well for charging the batteries, and I can program with a few buttons the input of my I/C to 10 or 15 amps, if the load is more then that, it will switch to inverter off the generator and run the load, switching back to the generator when it is done. I run the coffee pot, microwave, toaster, and lighting all off an old Costco 2000 generator. Within the limits of my battery bank, I can do all of that without the generator as well, but the batteries don't last long with a 200-300 amp load. The 2000 will burn less fuel then the 3500 at very small loads, run it close to rated power, and the larger generator at 1/2 load usually burns less fuel.430Views0likes0CommentsRe: Double towing, which 5th wheel hitch?
Legal issues aside, get a hitch rated for at or above the max your truck is rated for. A 2200 lb boat on the back won't have more then 200-300 lbs on the back of the RV, (make sure the RV can do that). It will transfer 100-200 lbs off the 5er hitch, your RV has a longer pin to axle length then axle to bumper. I would put a backup camera on the back of the RV up high to watch the boat going down the road. Don't plan on backing up more then 1-2 boat lengths without ALOT of practice.371Views0likes0CommentsRe: How do replace my AC unit with a Maxxair fan?
And make sure you flag the wires as 12 volt only - so the next guy doesn't set something on fire by putting them back into the 120 volt breaker. Ac wiring black is hot, white is neutral (ground). DC wiring black is ground red is hot (+12). In this case I would use the white as a +12.285Views0likes0CommentsRe: CA Non Commercial Class A License Question
Incorrect driver's license info..[emoticon] ol Bombero-JC wrote: ....... but almost everyone thinks towing a trailer over 10k with a non class A license is legal - just because it is legal in their home state. Both are illegal by federal law, and some state laws. In California it is driving out of class. Incorrect driver's license info..:( 1. Federal law does *not* apply to non-commercial. 2. Reciprocity. If you are legally licensed in your home state, you are legal in the other 49. (That does not apply to overall length.) You are *not* "driving out of class in CA"!..:( Example: South Dakota Driver's License. No special license required for private RVs inc'l towing trailers. Was in CA often when I was licensed in SD (inc'l stopped by CHP). No problem with the out-of-state (SD) DL. (CA *residents* req'd to have a Non-Commercial Class A DL for same). I always carried a copy of the SD Drivers License regs with me - for any un-informed LEOs (but, never needed to show them). ~ 1. Federal law does *not* apply to non-commercial. Federal law applies to all. There is a reason all headlights and license plate lights are white, tail lights are red, all other lights are amber. There is a reason all vehicles over 8.5 feet wide, 13.5 feet tall, and 65 feet long are oversize (height and length are longer in a few states, but try to pull 75 feet long in a 65 foot state and get a ticket. 2. Reciprocity. If you are legally licensed in your home state, you are legal in the other 49. I assume you are referring to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver_License_Agreement Please site legislation, not internet rumors. One state cannot regulate what is or is not legal in another. Just because you don't need a permit to carry a gun in Alaska, doesn't mean it isn't a felony in California. I will give you another example. A few years ago I was in NY, apparently all front seat occupants need a seatbelt. Back seat over a certain age do not. Out here in CA everyone needs a seatbelt. No matter the age, or seating position (baring some kind of medical excuse). "Click it or ticket" says the billboards. In reality the vast majority of non motor carrier CHP in CA don't know or care about trailer weights and license classes. But California vehicle code requires a class A for over 10k (special endorsement for rv 5th wheels up to 15k). Ca Veh C 12500(d) A person may not drive a motor vehicle or combination of vehicles that is not of a type for which the person is licensed. Since California requires a class A, you need a Class A - from any state. Remember, you read it on the internet, so it must be true.565Views0likes0CommentsRe: CA Non Commercial Class A License Question
I got pulled over on I5 north, just past the Flying J on the grapevine coming home from Disneyland a few years ago. The only toys in the toyhauler were Thomas the tank engine and mickey mouse and friends.. I was in a dually pulling a 3 axle toyhauler no where near anywhere interesting. I was stopped just to check my paperwork (license class). Once he say my class A, he lost all interest. Never even took it back to his cruiser. I was running 54 in a 55, in the right lane with the cruise on. Don't think avoiding Pismo and the like means you will never get stopped. It is quite literally insurance. Something you pay for, and hope you never have to use (or in this case show a cop). I still find it funny that very few people think you can take recreational pot across state lines, but almost everyone thinks towing a trailer over 10k with a non class A license is legal - just because it is legal in their home state. Both are illegal by federal law, and some state laws. In California it is driving out of class.566Views0likes0CommentsRe: Trucks 12 volt power lead to trailer battery
Charging is controlled by voltage and current (amps). Think of voltage like water pressure in a pipe, and amps (amp hours) live the volume of water you move from point A to point B. To float the trailer batteries you want somewhere near 13.7 volts, to charge it in a hurry you need closer to 14.4 volts. Imagine 2 55 gallon barrels 100 yards apart, connected by a good garden hose, lets put the full one at the top of a hill and the empty one at the bottom. you will move a lot of water in a hurry and fill the second one fast. Not imagine them on opposite ends of a football field, connected with 1/4 inch drip line. It is going to take all day to fill the empty one. Say we have a hose keeping the first one full (alternator) and the little drip line moving water to the second one. At first the second battle will seem to fill ok, but as the water level rises there is less and less difference between the height of the water in the two barrels. Same issue with charging the trailer batteries. The alternator keeps the trucks battery at 14.x volts, but the long, small wire between it and the trailers battery limits the amount of power that can be transferred. As the trailer battery charges, the (driving) voltage difference between the two batteries shrinks, and the amount of current (amps) that passes drops as well. A severely drained battery (8 or 10 volts) may pop a 30 amp fuse, a mostly charged battery (13+ volts) an amp or two may be all you get. I have a 20 amp buck/boost converter on my trailer, set at 13.5 volts. No matter what the oncoming voltage from the truck is, it pumps it to 13.5 volts and a max of 20 amps into the trailer. When I was dry camping I set it to 14.2 volts, faster charge but higher possibility of overcharging the trailer batteries.514Views0likes0CommentsRe: TH for a family of 4 and NO off road toys - Yes - No?
We have a 40' TH, and no toys. We started with Mickey mouse and Thomas, and are currently stuck on Ipads. My 8 & 10 year old love the garage / bedroom to play in, and my DW & DD love the door to the garage being able to close. At some point we will have toys to put in there, it will probably be a moving van for DD first.. keeping in mind I am almost 60' long, and don't act stupid, I have fit into every campground and resort I have gone to - from Pismo beach to Ft Wilderness..681Views0likes0Comments
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