richard5933

Please explain how you managed to fund the TCS card in about 30 seconds. The last time I tried it the process involved multiple emails and quite a bit of time maneuvering through the process for the bank to send the money. Have they finally streamlined things?

First, welcome to the FMCA forum. Glad to have you here. Be careful doing this - it's possible to successfully do what you want, but it's also possible to fry your coach's electrical system. A 30-amp RV is running a 120v system. As you said, one hot, one neutral, and a ground. Your hot tub receptacle has two hots, a neutral, and a ground. Their typically wired for 240v, and it's not always just plug-n-play to plug an RV adapter into it. It's possible to pull 240v out of that box if you're not careful. My suggestion would be to first replace the receptacle in the hot tub wall box with a properly wired RV receptacle box with both 30-amp and 50-amp receptacles. You can buy them at HD and Lowes. Once you have that, then you can just plug in your 30-amp cord. Should not cost all that much to get the supplies, and even if you have an electrician do the work it should take only an hour or so. It's also possible to just replace the hot tub receptacle with a properly wired 50-amp RV receptacle and then plug in your 30-amp cord using an adapter. The danger of using an adapter to plug the 30-amp cord into the 50-amp receptacle is that you have a breaker with a higher rating than the 30-amp cord can carry. That means that if you overload the circuit, the cord can overheat and have a catastrophic failure before the 50-amp breaker ever knows there's a problem.

Might not work everywhere, but one thing I've noticed with private campgrounds is the advantage to developing a relationship with the owner/management. There are a couple of places we've been to numerous times, and if I call on short notice they will do their best to accommodate. There often seems to be a way to find space - for example, one time they put us in a seasonal site for a weekend. (Sounded like they checked with the seasonal renter to know it was okay.) Things like this are not always possible, but having a relationship sometimes opens up a few doors which are otherwise closed.

I also carry a spare latching relay. Seems like a possible weak link.

We had a leak a few years ago which caused our pump to be on for hours. Got very hot, like yours. Repaired the leak and the pump magically still worked. I ordered a new one which I planned to install, keeping the old as a spare. As it happens, I didn't have time to r & r the pump. It's still pumping, almost three years later. I still carry the new one for when it quits. Did you figure out what is causing it to stay turned on?

If you have a Cummins engine, then I assume you have air brakes. If so, your initial post is still confusing. Even with no air in the tank, the e-brake should be able to hold your rig from rolling. Air brake systems set the e-brake any time the tank loses air - it's the default setting. Air is used to release the e-brakes. So, if you have air brakes and the rig rolls when it shouldn't, then you have a problem with your brakes. Most likely they are out of adjustment. Since they should self-adjust, it would be ideal to have the system inspected. Important side note: The self adjusting slack adjusters work do their adjusting when you do the pump-down air brake test. Just another reason that the brakes should be pumped down and test daily.

If you have multiple switches connecting to the relay, it's possible one of them has failed. I'd start by turning the pump off and unplugging all the switches, then check the status. If the pump doesn't turn back on by itself, plug the switches in one by one till you isolate which is the problem (if any). Good to eliminate this as a cause before moving forward.

Chocks should be 1/4 the height of the tire to be most effective. But that's not the important part of your question, from what I see. The bigger question is why your parking brake is not holding. Not sure what you mean about air in the tank for the e-brake. Most modern air brake systems set the parking brake by removing the air - the air in the tank is what keeps the brakes in the 'off' position. If your tank is empty, the parking brakes should be applied. Of course, if your parking brake is not on an air system this does not apply. If your parking brakes are not holding the rear wheels from spinning, then they need attention. Likely the brakes are out of adjustment if they won't keep the vehicle from moving. Even air brakes with auto slack adjusters will need periodic maintenance. Auto adjusters can stick, and other problems can crop up which keep them from fully engaging.

Getting the reservation is only part of the deal - knowing if there is anything open when you get there is another. Here at home most restaurants are open for dine-in service. We went an hour away north of Madison WI and found that many restaurants there were take-out only. Varies greatly from town to town. Travel in general seems to be safe if appropriate protocols are followed. Whether there is a purpose which makes the travel worthwhile is another question. In general, it seems to me that many people are somewhat skittish of being around others of unknown infection status, making for some very awkward interactions. Everyone is on edge to some degree. Not a deal breaker, but something to keep in mind. As a truck driver I have been to most states between MN and NY, and I have seen little to no affects from any protests. Again, common sense should keep you away from any problem areas. Watching the local news would probably help in this regard as well. When we travel, we mostly enjoy visiting little-known small towns. Their 'downtown' areas are generally cute and a great place to spend an afternoon. Unfortunately, covid-19 has meant that many of the places we'd normally visit are closed or have altered hours/business models. Many of the small-town festivals are cancelled, as are the small-town art fairs and craft fairs. However, if seeing the country without crowds is your thing, then this is the year to hit the road.

Different coach, but our camera has sound and it's useless. We use our cell phones with headsets if we need to communicate while parking. We also have a hard rule - if I can't see my spotter in my mirrors or in my direct view the coach stops moving. I never use the camera as the only way I can see my spotter - just too easy to suddenly lose sight that way.

The stuff from soundproofcow is commonly seen in bus conversions and high-end coaches. I've never seen the rigid board from HD used in anything other than DIY conversions or homebuilt rigs. Given the prices for shipping from down under, the stuff from soundproofcow is looking cheaper and cheaper.

I don't know what others are trying to say, but what I'm trying to say is that if someone wants to order the molded FMCA plates they should contact FMCA membership, NOT Kiley since they are no longer the supplier. Not trying to start an argument, just don't want to send people to the wrong place for them.

True - but they no longer have the FMCA contract.

Find a Maker Space (or a neighborhood tinkerer) with a 3D printer and make your own. Pretty basic stuff to do that way. At the time FMCA switched from Kiley to the new supplier, I was told by membership that it was still possible to order the molded plates. Not sure if it is still true today, but it's worth a call.

Unless things have changed back again, I believe that FMCA no longer uses Kiley for the plates.

I used the variety with the self-adhesive on the back. It won't hold it permanently, but it does hold things long enough for installation of fasteners. To hold things long term, mine has two types of fasteners. On the side walls there are large fender washers screwed to the walls - no enough to flatten the material, just tight enough to compress it slightly. On the ceiling of the bay, there is a piece of expanded aluminum sheet metal which is held on with the fender washers/screws. This is the same type of stuff you see used on the bottom of old screen doors. The concept here is to prevent any possibility of it sagging on the horizontal surface. I also think that the material itself also adds some additional sound insulation since it's an irregular surface.

You can get a molded plastic plate that looks just like the old aluminum ones. They can be ordered (I believe) through the FMCA website. Contact membership for details.

This is the stuff Custom Coach used in our generator bay. I replaced it recently since after 45+ years it tends to break down. It works great. Not cheap, but works great. https://www.soundproofcow.com/product/quiet-barrier-specialty-composite-2/ The stuff from Summit designed for under the hood will not hold up the same or work nearly as well. I've tried that in the past.

Probably worth having the system checked out. Sounds like you may have a leak in the air system somewhere - could be in the braking system or it could be in the suspension system. Pressure shouldn't drop that quickly. Also, check your manual for the correct cutout pressure on your compressor. Many modern systems will go to about 120-125 before cutting out, so unless yours is an older system designed for a lower pressure you may need a new compressor governor as well. BIG WARNING!!! Before you get under the coach to check for leaks, you need to make certain that the coach is properly supported. One wrong move, one single component failure, or one airline bumped loose and the coach can fall on you. There is not room to live under a coach that falls. The leveling jacks are not intended to support the coach while you're under it. Check the manual for the proper support spots on your coach's chassis and do your homework on proper blocking so you stay safe. Remember - you're not supporting the axles here - you need to support the body so that it doesn't fall on you.

You have to self-certify your status with regard to a medical certificate (med card), and it is possible under some circumstances to do so in an exempt classification which does not require a med card. That said, there must be some mechanism in place for people in this situation who require an upgrade to a non-commercial class-b license to drive their new motor home. The answer can't be simply to tell everyone to leave their vehicles parked, but what exactly the answer is I don't know. One other option might be to inquire about 3rd-party testing. Here in Wisconsin nearly all CDL driving tests are conducted by 3rd-party examiners. They are linked to the official system, and the results of their testing is reported nearly instantly (before I could drive to the DMV for a new license the next day). If your state has that type of system, perhaps it would be an option for the non-commercial test.

If your state is like some others, they are probably still issuing commercial drivers licenses. Not sure if there are that many differences, but if you have access to a commercial vehicle (straight truck) you might be able to get the full commercial version right now.

Thanks. The one I made is still working well, so I'm inclined to leave it be for now. If I decide to redo this with something more substantial, I'll keep your suggestion in mind.

Check the ground connections.

There is a rather lengthy thread about this from when I set mine up last year. Much more work to set up than it was worth. In the end, this is a pre-paid card which cannot be automatically refilled. Unless they've upgraded their procedures, putting money on the card is not easy and involves multiple steps. I'd suggest the TSD card as a better option.

There used to be a seriously narrow bridge over the Red River between TX and OK. Only one large vehicle could cross at a time. Had to wait at one end for oncoming trucks to finish crossing, then go for it. I drove a school bus across that for camping trips back in the 80s, and every time prayed that other drivers knew the dance and didn't try crossing while I was on the bridge.