SJ-Chris
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Re: Progressive RV Insurance requires you to have another car?
jeffc2023 wrote: Hi there, I'm new to the forum and would really appreciate your advice. I have a 2000 Freightliner MT45 step van that I converted myself and I'm shopping around for RV insurance. I came across a good deal from Progressive for full time RV insurance and I meet all the requirements EXCEPT for one statement: I confirm that any motorhome listed on this quote: Is not the only registered motor vehicle in the household. I talked to an agent and he said that I basically have to own another vehicle, but I don't have to provide any further details to start the quote. Does anyone have experience with this requirement by Progressive? Basically what I'm concerned about is if I have this policy without a second vehicle that I own and I make a claim, will Progressive ask about my second vehicle and potentially deny my entire claim? Thanks for any advice, Jeff If you LIE on your application, you should EXPECT that your policy isn't going to cover you in the event of any claim. Which is kind of like not having insurance at all. Lying on your application IS insurance fraud. End of discussion. Whether or not you get caught for it, well that's a different question. You want insurance mostly to cover you in the event something BIG (aka expensive) happens. Unfortunately, if something BIG happens that is when the insurance company will absolutely look for ways to not pay you. That is their right, if their findings (ie. lied on an application) are justified. Imagine for a minute YOU buy stock and invest YOUR money in an insurance company. YOU benefit (increased stock price) based partially on the company's profitability. Would YOU want that insurance company to pay out claims for accidents to customers who LIED on their application (committed insurance fraud) and were stealing from the insurance company (...because the amount they were paying for insurance was less than the risk the insurance company was exposed to because, in this instance, the RV was used as a daily driver)? I wouldn't. (side note: I don't have a love for insurance companies, but they are in business to make money) How about this...perhaps look for a LEGAL workaround that still gets you what you want/need. If the question is about whether or not you have another REGISTERED vehicle in the household, then what would be the LEAST expensive way to answer that truthfully? Would a motorcycle or even an old motorized scooter count as a "vehicle"? If so, can you buy a VERY inexpensive (...I'm not even sure if it would need to be functional) motorcycle and register it with the DMV? (Note: From what you provided us, it doesn't even ask if you have this extra "vehicle" insured or not...just "registered"). I believe registering a motorcycle is much less than a car. Maybe you could buy a pile of parts motorcycle for $100 and register it for very little and then you can answer the question from Progressive truthfully. Then, make sure you keep it registered. Just a thought. Even this is a bit "off" in my mind, but at least you would be able to honestly say that you answered their application question truthfully. Do not lie on your application...it could turn out very badly for you and your family. Good luck! Chris2.3KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Which is the better battery configiration
Blaster Man wrote: One often forgot about fact is that the 12v are very much lighter than the 6 volts. I went from 8 six volts to three 12 volts (all AGM) and my total weight went down a bit over 300 lbs. 12v AGM battery weighs ~63lbs (google) 6v GC battery weights ~60lbs (google) Two 12v AGM batteries (~100AH + ~100AH = ~200AH) weigh ~126lbs Two 6v GC batteries (~210-220AH) weigh ~120lbs Eight 6v GC batteries provides ~840AHs capacity and weighs ~480lbs. Three 12v AGM batteries provide ~300AHs capacity and weighs ~189lbs. Yes, your weight dropped ~300lbs, but your battery bank capacity dropped ~540AHs. Your weight didn't go down because you switched from 6v batteries to 12v AGMs, it went down because you cut your battery bank capacity down ~540AHs (which is certainly the right thing to do if you don't need that much battery bank). -Chris1.5KViews0likes0CommentsRe: New to Solar. Conect directly to battery ????
An excellent component to add to your RV/TT is a battery monitor. There are very suitable ones for $20-50 that will give you some indication as to HOW your power gets used, what each device in your RV uses for power, and a whole host of other great things. There are also more expensive battery monitors that interface through your phone. Just depends how fancy you want to be. Here's a link to a newbie solar install I did about 3 years ago. Lots of info, pics, steps. Was very inexpensive and it still is working great! https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/30217540.cfm WARNING: Solar is addictive... Stay charged! Chris2.7KViews0likes0CommentsRe: New to Solar. Conect directly to battery ????
You mention you have 2 deep cycle batteries for your boondocking. Depending if their size, and whether they are 12v batteries or two 6v batteries in series, you likely have ~200-220AHs of battery capacity. The first question is: Are those batteries still good? Or are they at their end of life? If they are old and at their end of life, then getting new batteries is your first step. You can have them tested at a local auto parts store for free (usually). Regarding solar panels...On a good, sunny day, a decent 100w panel can provide ~20-35AH back into your battery bank. An inexpensive, foldable Harbor Freight solar panel may produce a fair amount LESS than this. It is a good idea for you to first figure out approximately what your actual battery needs are before starting to add solar. For example, do you find that you can boondock with your existing batteries (starting fully charged) for 3-4 days before they are getting low? If that is the case, then maybe you only need 100-200w of solar to help you extend that time to 4-6 days. Or, do you wake up every morning and your batteries are close to empty? In that case, you might need 400-600w of solar panels to get them charged back up the next day. Here is a good tip to save a LOT on adding solar...Buy used solar panels. As long as you test them with a volt/amp meter before buying, you will be able to buy 5-10yr old solar panels for $0 to $50 each, saving you 60-90% on your panels. Solar panels have no moving parts and can last a long time. For example, I bought/installed several 250w residential panels that only cost me $35 each and they work great. Depending on what part of the country you are in, solar panels can be found easily on craigslist or facebook marketplace. To answer your specific question.... There are some "toy/junk" solar panels that are very low power that you could probably hook up directly to your battery terminals. I've seen some 10-20w panels for this. They could possibly be useful for putting a very small trickle charge on your batteries for when in storage. That 100w Harbor Freight panel might be similar (it will show you on the packaging). But if that is the case, the entire setup will be very low power (basically junk) especially if you are thinking about using it for boondocking. The proper way to add/use solar is to get proper solar panels (new or used) and then hook them up to a solar charge controller (there are different types depending on the voltage of the solar panels) and then the output of that solar charge controller hooks up to your batteries. The solar charge controller will properly adjust its output voltage and charge your battery correctly (as opposed to a flimsy solar panel with alligator clips to go to your battery). If you hook up a solar panel's output directly to your batteries you could damage your batteries. Good luck! Chris2.7KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Which is the better battery configiration
Campinfan wrote: So Pianotuna, are you basically telling me that I could get a DC to DC charger and then that would take the starting (chassis) batteries and use them to charge the house batteries? And of course the alternator would recharge the starting batteries. The chassis batteries do not charge the house batteries. It is the chassis's alternator that charges everything (chassis battery, and house batteries if you have a DC to DC charger). -Chris1.5KViews0likes0CommentsRe: an article about RV'ing
What do you think about my new green RV? The engine is small (only 4 horsepower), but it gets me to where I'm going... I'll be installing solar next week. I am having one problem though....My black waste tank sensors aren't working properly. Does anyone know where I can find some ice to put in the tank so that I can drive around and clean those sensors?? :)872Views0likes0CommentsRe: an article about RV'ing
LOL.... People RV for a lot of great reasons. Mostly (90%?), people RV for short, fun vacations and getaways with family/friends (and their RVs sit in storage 340 days per year) Some people use their RVs more often for fun (...these are the lucky ones!) Some people use RVs for temporary housing during home remodels/etc. Some people use RVs to live in because they cannot afford renting an apartment/home. Some people live in RVs full time because they want the freedom to travel anywhere in the country. I'm guessing 0.0001% of people RV "to use less electricity" and to "save the planet". Do you think the author of that article knows this? Probable. Fun to read anyways. -Chris870Views0likes0CommentsRe: Which is the better battery configiration
Campinfan wrote: I am trying to learn more about 6 volts batteries versus 12 volts. I know the 6 volts can be drained further and recharged more (better lifetime). At least that is what I think is true. But it seems 12 volts have more amp hours (or minutes) (I think). So if I got 4 batteries, would you get 4 12 volts and put them parallel or 4 6 volts and wire them in series to get 12 volts and then in parallel to double the amp time? And why? I may be venturing into the Motorhome world and I have many questions. Thank you. For just about all intents and purposes, using two 6v GC lead batteries in your RV house is better than using two 12v lead batteries. As long as they fit (6v batteries are typically an inch or so taller). If you were thinking about using four 12v batteries, four 6v GC batteries will be better. The 6v GC battery is better designed for deeper and more frequent discharges. If you are not boondocking more than 40-50 days PER YEAR, and you have a way of charging your lead batteries soon after each discharge (ie. solar, generator, etc), there is absolutely no problem discharging them 80% each time. The "don't let them discharge below 50%" mantra is incorrect and a myth for 99% of casual RVers. If the above sentences describe how you will use your batteries, you will never "use up" all of your batteries potential total lifetime number of cycles and you don't need to worry about your batteries getting down to 20%. One caveat I would mention: If you use your inverter a lot and/or have heavy draws on it, then lead batteries WILL give you a problem as their State of Charge gets lower and lower. This is one area where more expensive Lithium battery solutions excel. Lithium batteries are better than lead batteries for many reasons...And if those reasons are important to you in practice (not just in theory), then Lithium batteries are an amazing solution. BUT many many many RV users don't need Lithium batteries to enjoy their RVs/TTs to their particular requirements (ie. most casual RV users). One last thing....If you are asking about batteries, I assume it is because you are interested in boondocking (not just being plugged in at a campsite). If that is the case, you will definitely want to consider some solar on your RV as that does amazing things for your RV experience as it pertains to batteries. It effectively extends your battery AHs...It means less generator running/noise...It means no dead batteries while in storage...It extends your battery life by never having your batteries sit drained...(all of this of course depends on sunlight availability). Good luck! Chris584Views0likes0CommentsRe: I can’t be the only one with a poorly designed black tank.
One other thing that could be helpful... Maybe if every time before you do a #2 in the toilet you first do a quick 3 second flush to send water down into your black tank and therefore onto the shelf. Then, maybe when you flush your business shortly afterwards it will drop down into the main part of your waste tank because maybe that shelf will already be wet and a little slipperier. Just a thought. -Chris1.3KViews0likes0CommentsRe: I can’t be the only one with a poorly designed black tank.
Something that could help... If possible, install a flush (or Tornado flush) such that it runs along that shelf blasting everything away. Or if that's not possible, a Tornado flush that is pointed right towards the shelf to hopefully do some blasting of that shelf area. This would be useful only when you dump, but at least it gets "the shelf" clean/empty (hopefully) each time you dump so that you are starting from scratch rather than having it build up. Here is a link to an easy, and inexpensive, install: https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/30315748.cfm Note: This is different than simply "filling" your black waste tank (with perhaps your built in flush connection) and doing another flush. The Tornado flush actually sprays the water in the direction of your choosing (in this case, along the shelf or at the shelf). If nothing else, it also takes the place of having to stick "the wand" down the toilet (...which requires running a hose into your RV and playing around with the wand in the toilet inside the RV, and then having to carefully get it all back out of the RV which is all very painful). Good luck! Chris1.3KViews0likes0Comments
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