NanMWright

Thanks - as always - to both of you. I drained the hot water tank and although I didn't see a lot of sediment, it seemed to make the difference. Now I have hot water. I'll get the flue cleaned next time I get to a town. All my best, Nan

Got it. Thanks so much. Nan

Hi Folks, I drive a 2010 Winnebago Vista 30W...Class A. My water heater...fueled with propane...no longer produces hot water. It gets lukewarm at best. I recently cleaned the connectors so that the pilot would come on...but only lukewarm water is produced. Could someone tell me how to troubleshoot the problem? Thanks...Nan Wright

Hi Carl & J, It's good to be back. I spent a long, quiet spring boondocking in a remote forest. My dogs both died, I adopted a UTV (less pain upon demise), I started up a mobile saddlery, working rodeos and repairing saddles and tack, and I upgraded to this lovely Winnebago. The saddle shop has taken over my kitchen, bed, passenger seat and all cupboards...so I think I'm ready for the enclosed trailer. I'll start with the weight calc, as Ray suggests. Beyond that, I'd prefer a 7' height, dual axle, ramp for the UTV, a V-nose, and a vent for an AC or fan. Good lighting will be important. I'll mount 100+W solar on the roof (which probably means I need a flat roof, not convex) plus some battery setup - 12v or 6v? I'm not sure about the wiring and the floor specs. The UTV is a Polaris Ranger that weighs 1,250. The Winnie does not like wind...or at least her driver (me) does not like wind. Will I have a problem with this trailer? It only takes a slight breeze to empty my bank account, so some of this work I'll do myself. But starting off with some brand suggestions...so I'm working with a good foundation, would be really helpful. Thanks for your replies. Nan

Thanks Ray - I'll start with the calculator and work from there on the buy or buildout of a trailer. I appreciate the link. Nan

Hi Folks, I'm now driving a 30' 2010 Winnebago Vista 30W. I'd like to tow a 14' tandem axle enclosed cargo trailer for my UTV and a small workshop. I have reviewed cargo trailer building specs and I'm still baffled. I can't afford to just buy the top of the line, but I don't want to end up with something that won't hold up. I am full-time on the road, mostly in the hot southwest. (I have been towing a 10' open trailer for the UTV but need to enclose it and my shop.) I would really appreciate suggestions regarding higher-end brands that meet the basic needs. Thank you so much. Nan Wright

Thanks again for your comments, I had my 2 12V batteries load tested and they are still good batteries - testing in at 14.4V. I understand from lenp's analysis that I may have limited their life, but for now they are okay. My plan is to expand to 400W monocrystalling solar panels with a 40A MPPT controller. Later on I'll upgrade my 2 12V batteries to 4 6V batteries and manage my daily load better. Thank you for these many posts. It has helped me manage my energy use more realistically...looking at the long game and not just what I need seasonally. As always, I'm glad I'm an FMCA member, and grateful for your help. Nan

Thank you for your response on the solenoid and panel comments. This RV is a 1999 Bounder that I have been considering swapping for my 2007 Sunseeker. I want to trade up (?) to a Class A and I've decided that this Bounder has too many problems for me to tackle. I won't work on the Bounder any more, but I will keep looking for a small Class A for a future purchase. Thank you for your time responding to my questions. Nancy

Got it. I have an Interstate near me. I'll start there, then figure out how to build out the solar, battery. load so I can function. Thanks, as always for FMCA help. I couldn't be on the road without you. Nan

I'm full-time on the road and I only boondock. My generator (Onan) does not really charge the batteries unless I run if for hours. I don't have shore power. I usually run my Ford 450 engine to recharge the house batteries. I'll call the dealer where I got the batteries. Interstate has a 12 mo warranty and they are less than 1 year old. So, I will need to fully charge and test, per Lenp: I'm not sure that I have not voided the warranty by my use/abuse. Any suggestions on that? Nan

Thanks, The 2-prong solenoid tests good. It has two small and two large posts. Where do I go next? Can I test the board?

Hi Folks, My house batteries will not recharge when I am driving. How do I test the isolation solenoid? Nan

Ugh. I can't say I fully understand the math behind battery use and maintenance, but your explanation certainly helps. I believe I have (mostly) destroyed my batteries which are less than a year old, Interstate 12V. I have too large a draw being supported by mis-matched and inadequate poly/mono solar panels which, when used together, are incompatible with the MPPT controller. The solution will require some education, several replacements, and better management of my load...an expensive bit of ignorance on my part. Thank you all for your input. Nancy

Thanks for your replies. I'm re-doing my needs and running some calculators to better understand the math. The first fix seems to be running in series with monos. Then determining if I need additional panels and a larger controller. I appreciate your input. Nancy

Hi Folks, I have two 100W Renogy solar panels on the roof of my Class C Sunseeker, wired in parallel and connected to a 20A Rover Controller. One of the panels is monocrystalline and the other is polycrystalline. (This was not intentional.) I'm having a lot of trouble keeping my two 12V batteries charged with the solar and I wonder if the problem is because I'm mixing different types of panels. If I need to change one of the panels out, do I stick with the poly or the mono? On a very good winter day, the panel monitor shows 18V / 9A from the panels, but my batteries rarely stay charged, frequently falling to 11.5 V. Thanks for your suggestions. Nancy Wright