QuiGonJohn

As I said above, my next project is to replace the crank up Winegard with a Winegard Rayzar Automatic Dome. I was going to buy and have this installed at Camping World or maybe installed at my local RV Shop, as I am unsure about me actually putting the holes in the roof or worrying if I sealed the old holes good enough or if the unit is secure enough. But, I am concerned that either place will not take all the specifics of the install and setup that I want. Has anyone ever tackled a job like this and if so, can you give me a sense of how difficult it might be?

Until I just did this upgrade I had a digital converter connected to my old CRT Analog TV. Just left the TV on Ch 3 and tuned the channels with the converter. Simple install, coax from ANT in then coax to TV out. As long as you can connect the coaxes it should be simple.

When we camped at the Grand Canyon it was dry camping and we put our slide out and in several times on the house battery. We just ran the generator to charge the batteries when needed, usually each morning while fixing/having breakfast. But in the future I might either have the engine on or the generator on when I do move the slide, just so the battery charge is higher.

This post is so I can add the other pics.

Well we completed replacing our original equipment CRT TV with a Flat Panel LED on an articulated arm. We went with an INSIGNIA 720p 32" LED at a good price. I had to fabricate a bar across the front of the opening to mount the articulated arm onto. Also reinforced the opening with a 2x4 and we put a curtain to hide the rest of the open area where the old TV was. That area opens to the front, to the inside of the aerodynamic cone coming off the roof of the front of our 2006 Winnebago Aspect, so it looks bad and has a bunch of wires and such. Once I got the decorative molding off the outer wooden frame it was pretty easy to unscrew that frame and unbolt the bracket that held the old CRT in place and then, with some physical effort, remove the old CRT TV. After that, I bought a coax toner and figured out all the wiring, (there was quite a bit, including unused ones for a roof mounted satellite, portable satellite and satellite receiver...which I have none of). I also labeled all these coaxes. Then came ordering the preferred articulating arm and figuring out how to mount it. I tried to mount it on the side wall in the TV opening, but even though that was a metal box, it is pretty thin metal and flexed too much, thus the cross bar and 2x4 for additional reinforcement. The articulated arm is one that locks in the shut position, with a pin and this works where I mounted the arm. I also installed hold downs and have a nylon strap that we will use to secure the TV in place when driving. I even fashioned a hold down on the TV to pass the strap thru. I have the coax connected to the Winegard controller, composite (RCA) to the DVD Player and that is on a splitter that has another RCA cable in the cabinet I can connect to another device, like our karaoke machine, and I also have an HDMI connected and coiled up in the cabinet, in case I want to connect a laptop or something else. Pictures below include the original TV, the new one from a distance and then closer up, the mounting arm and the outside of the RV for those who could not picture the aerodynamic cone I referred to. Comments or questions are welcome. Thanks all. Next project is to replace the crank up Winegard with a Winegard Rayzar Automatic Dome, which I will have installed at an RV Shop, do not want to put holes in the roof or worry if I sealed the old holes good enough.

My RV has an inverter built-in, with an AC outlet next to the TV. So I don't see much reason to be worried about getting a DC TV vs. an AC TV.

Bill, thanks for the advice but I am not one of those that goes nuts over pic quality. Standard definition will be fine for me. Just going from CRT to LED/LCD will probably provide more pic quality improvement than I am even concerned about. I still use/own only regluar DVD's and my main TV is a 58" RPTV I bought in 2000. I am much more concerned with ensuring it has all the inputs I need, as well as a solid wall mount capability for the articulated arm I would like to use.

So from reading here it seems the consensus is you don't need a "special RV rated TV". Just find one you like with the proper connections. ROSSBOYER, does the Toshiba you mentioned have 3 screw on coax inputs, (Antenna, DirectTV, Cable). That is what it sounds like you are saying. I would like something like that, I could get by with 2 screw on coax inputs, Antenna (I plan to add a Winegard Razr) and one for cable connection if a campground has that. Don't use Dish or Direct nor do I plan to. Of course at least 1 set of Composite for DVD Player and I'd like a set of Composite accessible from the front, if I can find that. At least 1 HDMI on back and also front would be nice, in case I want to connect a laptop. A separate 3.5mm audio out would be nice, so I could tap into the speakers that are mounted on the front wall of the RV, (the dash stereo already uses them). Any model suggestions would be appreciated. Looking for 32". I plan to mount it on an articulated arm that I can pull the TV out and tilt as I'd like. When pushed back I plan to have some kind of strap to keep it in place while driving.

Yes it carries over. We just last week had to finally top up ours, our initial 3GB, (from Sept 2013 ran out). So we got just a couple months shy of 2 years. As I said, the only downside is now it is only 2GB for $45. But even if that just last us one year, it's still a good deal. Heck, even if it only lasts us 6 months, that would also still be a good deal. You can't beat the no monthly charge. Only caveat is, don't plan to use this if you intend to stream video, you'll fly thru the data. But for checking email, looking up restaurants, routes, places of interest, gas prices, campsgrounds, etc. it's a great deal with no monthly fee. I just hope they change the pricing to make it a little more favorable, as it was in the past.

UPDATE Internet On The Go has changed their pricing again. Now $45 gets you only 2gb of data (used to be 3gb). So it's not as good a deal. But, we are still on our original 3GB of data (purchased in Sept 2013...we have 500MB left). So still, even though the pricing is less attractive, when we refill soon, that 2GB will last us, most likely, at least a year. So that is still a heck of a deal. A years worth of internet for $45, and NO MONTHLY FEES.

Thanks. Mixed reviews on whether it is true plug & play. I wish this TRUSTiGO, mentioned in the ad, had an actual website so I could see other models.

My RV is a 2006 Winnebago Aspect on a Ford E450 Chassis. I would like to replace the in-dash stereo. The current one, many of the buttons do not work. I have to do most functions using the remote (and it does not allow setting the time ... so the only way to accurately get the time is to have the chassis battery disconnected and then, exactly at midnight, connect the battery). Or it can be done at noon but the AM & PM on the screen will be opposite. Anyway, it is a full height (Double-Din) unit. Current one has support for Sirius, (which I do not use or need). Current one has a CD slot, but that does not read MP3 disks (a feature I would like). I would also like a front panel aux jack. I connected a patch cord to the RCA's in back, run to the front of the dash and has a female aux jack. I would like to find a unit designed for Ford, my year and model. So I could literally use the removal prongs, disconnect all the wires in the back. Then connect the new stereo to the same existing connectors and then slide the unit back into the dash. Can anyone point me as to where I could purchase such a unit?

We have used it quite a bit since buying it last September. We do not full-time and most of our RV trips are weekends, with occasional 1-2 week trips. This has been a God send. Obviously, most of our internet is at home on our wifi, with our ISP (AT&T). But when we travel in the RV, and even on car road trips, we bring this handy device and pretty much can have internet whenever/wherever we are, even cruising down the highway. We are still on the original 3GB we bought when we bought the device, no monthly fees is the best part. We still have about 1.6GB left. Total cost in almost 1 year, ~$125. (~$80 for the device, plus $45 for our first 3GB). We use it pretty much without limitations, when we feel we need it (except I will not try to watch any streaming TV show). Only additional cost will be when we use up the rest of this 3GB, $45 to buy another 3GB. When my wife wanted internet access available when we travel, I looked at a lot of options. I was loathe to spend $50 a month just for a plan, and this has really fit the bill for our needs. We do not have smartphones and are not paying for any data plan with our voice only cell phones. Even on a recent visit to my daughter's house in Tampa, her internet was down for a day, so we were able to use it in the house to look up some things, check email, etc.

Well I am definitely looking for a piece of metal that can be the cook surface. For eggs, pancakes, hash browns, maybe even steaks, etc. Like at a Japanese Steakhouse, how they cook on the flat surface right in front of you. I also want it to be thin enough that I can leave it on top of the stove, with the wood board I bought at Camping World on it, when the stove is not in use. Most of the links here seem too thick or heavy, except maybe the aluminum griddle, http://www.ebay.com/itm/Non-Stick-Aluminum-Griddle-Coated-15-X-19-/231036099919?pt=BI_Grills_Griddles_Broilers&hash=item35cad31d4f.%C2'> Otherwise, I will have to try the Metal Mart idea.

That's possible. Still would like something larger, I'll have to make a template and see how that would lay on the stove. From the review it sounds pretty heavy, might be cast iron vs. cast aluminum.

I have a typical 3 burner propane stove in my RV. What I would like to do is find a piece of metal that could cover the entire surface and when I cook there, I could heat the whole surface, using the 3 burners, and use the whole surface for cooking. Much as the cooking surface in many restaurant kitchens. I've just gotten back from looking for something like this in the stores. No luck. They have one that will cover 2 burners. And I even thought of using some kind of baking pan, but can't find anything the right size. Ideally it would be 19" x 17". Does anyone have an idea where I could get something like this? Even the right type of metal, cut to that size would work. A small lip on the edges would be nice to keep things clean easier, but isn't absolutely necessary.

I checked for that. It is the water hose and faucets in my dump bay, that I mentioned, can also be an outside, hand held shower. No indication of any leakage or dripping from the faucets, the hose or the "showerhead end".

Thanks, anytime I've been hooked to city water I have always used a regulator. I'll look into changing the check valve.

Thanks. I'm thinking most likely the check valve, as I have not been able to find a leak. As Clay said, doesn't bother me much, and we seldom run like that. Usually we're either on city water or just using the water pump on when we need it, off the rest of the time.

We spent Christmas week parked at my daughter's house in Tampa. We were on electric, but using onboard water with the water pump, I believe it is a ShurFlow. Anyway, this time camping we had the water pump switched on most of the time. So we didn't have to switch it every time we needed water for anything. I noticed that about 45 mins to an hour after no use, the water pump would kick on, for just an instant, then go right back off. I checked all faucets for any dripping, as well as under the sinks, the toilet sprayer and any hoses I could see under our bed, where our water pump and most of the water lines go to) and could not find any leak or even droplets. I even checked the water hose and faucets in my dump bay, nothing there either. I also did not notice any water dripping from under the motorhome or into any of the storage bays. Is it normal for pressure to just drop a little over time. Or, is there some kind of backflow/check valve at or near the pump that may be allowing pressure to drop, just enough to trigger the pump to come back on for a moment?

I have a BatteryMINDer 12248. I put it on the house batteries and the chassis battery for a week at a time, usually at least once between each time we take the RV out. One week on the house batteries, then move it to the chassis battery for a week. I also put it on the cars when I can and my riding mower's battery. For the rest of the time, for the house battery I replaced my converter with a Converter that has 3 charging levels. http://www.bestconverter.com/MagnetekParallax-63007300-Upgrade-Kit_c_64.html