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obiwan_canoli

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Everything posted by obiwan_canoli

  1. After recently having to use a small portable Honda 2K to charge my house batteries while boondocking - and ruining the generator in the process - I wondered if it made sense to pack my 60 pound monster for whatever "emergency" needs I might encounter... I have an 8K onboard generator, and nothing I have would otherwise be powered by an external power source. But it occurred to me that I lack the experience of many on this forum, and so, I'm seeking input and/or justification... Thanks!
  2. Is a Residential Fridge ALWAYS electric only, and no propane?
  3. My current rig - a 2017 Newmar Ventana LE - has a 12 c.f. 4-door refrigerator/freezer. Runs on 120 or propane, and simply does not keep the ice cream cold enough, and even at the highest setting, previously frozen foods begin to thaw, though only slightly. Temporary solution to this was the acquisition of a Dometic portable cooler (75DZ) that does a much better job of keep the ice cream in an acceptable state. The issue for me is this: I'm considering trading up to a new MH, and my research suggests most if not all new coach's come with residential all-electric fridge. Since I boondock often, and will continue to do so, I also plan to move my current Battle Born Lithiums to the new coach (100Ah each, 4 total). I currently also have about 600 total watts of solar, and have room for another 600 watts (3 panels), and it's a given that I'll probably have an equivalent wattage output for solar on the new rig. I'm attempting to learn as much as I can about the differences between Residential vs. Absorption fridge's, and why I would want one over the other. Capacity isn't a big issue for me, but I wouldn't want to go smaller than what I already have... To be sure, I'll be spending time at traditional RV parks with shore power, but again, there's the ice cream thing... I'd very much appreciate your insight and experience in guiding me toward the knowledge level I seek to make an informed decision - TIA! Michael
  4. Planning to do some boondocking in the Lee Vining - Mammoth Lakes - Bishop area, does anyone have a recommendation yay or nay? Thanks!
  5. I recently acquired a powered mobile cooler/freezer which I plan to house in one of the storage bays in my Class A. In this configuration, it can be powered by an accessible AC plug, and will sit on a slide-out tray for ease of access. The cooler measures 33 L x 20 H x 19 Deep.It can also be powered via DC, and would be an easy fit for the back of my SUV, where I have a DC lighter-type plug for access. DC rated consumption is average of 1.43 Ah/h, and includes 3-stage battery protection system, preventing deep draw, and dead battery.I'd like to install a separate battery, to power the cooler when vehicle is not running, and set it up so that this battery may be recharged via a portable solar panel (120W). The battery would be encased in a plastic case designed for such purpose, but I'm unsure how to put something like this together. Doesn't seem difficult, just need to know the right components to do so... I'm considering AGM, but open to Lithium for all the reasons one would want it, including fast recharging.Cooler manufacturer offers a LI 40Ah batter for $850, but for that, I can pick up a 100Ah and hopefully secure the components to achieve my objective...Anyone done something like this? Sure would appreciate the many voices of experience here... thanks!
  6. Seems to me that tilting in the Winter would have greater value and effect, since the sun is low in the sky, and tilt would help direct more of the sun's energy to the panels. I don't believe additional panels, flat on the roof, would do more. Summer sun is a different issue, of course, but a system that both rotates and follows the sun is for deeper pockets than mine.
  7. I've had great coverage with my Verizon MiFi... so much so that I increased my available Gigs
  8. I'd run across a post in another forum about a company called SolarVector that makes remote actuators for rooftop solar panels. Hmmmm... seemed like an interesting idea at my age... raises and lowers, via remote, up to 60 degrees, and when lowered, lock into place. Don't really wanna climb up and down (3 times at least, unless I add 3 panels to the 3 I have) to raise them for more direct sunlight, that's getting a little risky... so I did a little follow up, and discovered - whoa! - these things aren't cheap... $499 a panel for the RV version. When I posted about this, I received a response from an engineer who saw the same website, and decided to design and manufacture a similar mechanism, and stated he could design something considerably cheaper - around $250 - or, $450 for a master that would control up to 32 additional mechanisms... now THIS sounds interesting... So, they're not out yet, still working on it, but I'm keeping in touch, and I'm on the list for contact once they become available... With only one producer out there, there was bound to be competition, and this guy picked up the ball, and is running with it... I'll keep you posted as I earn more...
  9. Bought mine in Oregon, titled to LLC in Montana, I'm a California resident. Was informed the coach should be stored in Montana, and not brought in to California (permanently) for one year. No sales tax, minimal annual registration fees. Also, there's an increased registration fee for rigs over $300K.
  10. My propensity for preparing foods in advance, and freezing them, fit hand in hand with my relatively new RV lifestyle, but the freezer space available to me is limited, as most well know. So, when I noted a sale on Dometic portable cooling appliances, I pulled the trigger, and purchased a Dual-Zone fridge/freezer combo so I would have more available space to store frozen goods, such as the chili's, soups, and cabbage rolls I like to make in bulk. So far, the positive reviews on this outweigh the negative by a good margin, so I'm hopeful I will have considered this one of my wiser buys... I'm certain there are others out there who do the same, and I was wondering what your choices might be - I'm looking to instill some variety in my menu above, and hope y'all have a few ideas to share. What do you prepare in advance for your trips and adventures? I won't have kids with me, only my Golden Retriever, and he's pretty easy to please, as am I. Whadya got?
  11. Seems like it might be good idea to get two shorter trays for the pass through - one open to each side - rather than one long one, thus, accessible at greater length from each side...
  12. It might also make sense for me to install a sliding tray in the pass-through - the darn thing weighs 60 pounds
  13. I recently picked up (on sale!) a Dometic Dual Zone fridge/freezer to add to the potential comforts afforded by additional storage space, particularly when boondocking. After posting on a different forum and getting only one response, I was curious if anyone else had acquired one of these, and what your opinion might be on its usefulness and efficiency. I bought the 75DZ model, Dual Zone, but won't actually get a chance to check it out for another 3 weeks, as I'm out of the country. Nevertheless, I was hoping for input from anyone that has one, or something similar, as to its effectiveness. Thanks for your input!
  14. That's a lot to solve a GFCI problem... OK, been having a problem resetting my two GFCI plugs (on Inverter, no shore power); my initial problem occurred while on the Inverter. When the generator is fired up, one of the GFCI's resets, the other does not (my tech has 40 years in the business, BTW)... also having an issue - while on the inverter - with the dome light underneath the microwave - it blinks on and off continuously when on the inverter... tech suggests trying to plug into shore power to see if that solves the problem... but if it does, how do I resolve the MW light blinking on and off? It was his feeling that changing my MSW Inverter to a PSW would likely solve the problem, and the cost is due to what he refers to as "the right Inverter". This was his reply to my comment about searching Amazon for said inverters, and those I found weren't anywhere close to a price that would justify a total of $2,500... he thought Newmar might have simply gone on the cheap when choosing the current inverter for my coach, but the fact is, it oughta work correctly, yet it doesn't. I'd appreciate some insight... it's a long ride to a Newmar certified facility...
  15. An observation on 10-year-old MH's... many RV parks will not rent to those with MH's more than 10 years old, regardless of condition. Others will allow some wiggle room... You can probably save up to 50% on the cost of buying an MH that's less than 5 years old, so consider something a bit newer if you can...
  16. Yes, a brief one... I left on a 45-day boondocking adventure, and the battery system worked just fine. Due to the angle of the sun, my solar panels didn't charge as much as I'd hoped, although I never fell below 40% SOC. I did run the generator a few times, but more for my own peace of mind than any actual need to recharge the batteries. I have portable solar panel I also used, but same performance limitations as those on the roof. The solar did charge, of course, but without the generator, probably would have ended up at 70-80% SOC. Overall, I was pleased with the system, and I'm sure it will perform better as the season changes.
  17. Thanks, Kay, just what I was looking for
  18. Not s much help as I'd hoped for... doesn't matter what was "on"... was just hoping to better understand what each measure was telling me
  19. I need some guidance in how to read the attached Victron 712 pic, and associated Solar... thanks!
  20. Planning to do some travelling in 2021, a few days here, a week or two there, and technology affords me the opportunity to receive and pay bills online for the most part... but, when I will receive physical mail, using a service such as Escapees, or Good Sam, would seem to require me to be settled in for a longer period, to make sure I get the mail I'm expecting... Do RV parks accommodate such services when, for example, your stay is an extended one, say, a month? Can one have mail sent "General Delivery" to and be held by a local Post Office for pick-up? If so, how long will they hold it? I can imagine that when one knows where one is headed, and when, one can arrange for mail to sent ahead of time, for retrieval when I arrive, but for those of us who travel on the fly, fluidity is key when a specific date one would arrive isn't yet known... Is such a dilemma easily handled? Or will I encounter a challenging issue here?
  21. Perhaps this would be helpful, Joe... In my OP, I noted that I was considering replacing my flooded batteries with Lithiums, and I was deep into the research process, attempting to glean ideas and knowledge from this, and one other forum's members... I decided a month ago to pull the trigger, and my service tech suggested removing the factory battery tray to make more room, as the Lithiums were just a bit too long for the existing tray. That worked beautifully, for he built a tray that would accommodate the Li's, and in addition, he also installed a Victron 712 Voltmeter, AND a Solar Controller with sufficient capacity to meet and well exceed any additional panel requirements. My setup meter inside the cabin did not have a Lithium battery option, so, after calling Newmar (I have a 2017 Ventana LE), the tech had me hold while he called Magnum, and then brought that tech online, who was more than helpful in advising the setup... and for the edification of those with similar systems, here's the recommendation... The Magnum rep recommended setting the battery type to "CC/CV" at 14.4 volts, with a max charge time of 2 hours (30 min. per battery). He then recommended unplugging the battery temperature sensor and simply let it hang loose. That's it. No need to replace the charger with a "Lithium-capable" unit. So, I followed his instructions, and will monitor the status for a while to assure his recommendations were valid, and effective. Since doing so, it's been cloudy, a bit overcast, and with the sun low in the sky after making these changes, it hasn't charged but in the fractions, so, gotta wait for more sun. I have it plugged into a 50A outlet, and after 30 minutes, SOC went from 50% to 62% at 97 amps, and 1300 watts. It's forecast to rain today, and the skies are gray, and getting ready for an excursion in a few days, I wanted to be sure the bank was fully charged, while monitoring the process on the way up... I'll keep you posted... got some boondocking in my immediate future...
  22. Considering the geography, Quartzsite doesn't appear to have the most scenic views, but snowbirds flock there regardless... Never been there, but soon will be heading to Bourse to meet up with a friend who HAS been there a few times... maybe he has poor taste? Will find out soon!
  23. No, it seemed more like and "off-the-cuff" discussion, and was short... they're coming... but what, when, how much weren't offered...
  24. Given the amount of time I've had on my hands this year - as have so many others of us - I've spent a lot of time thinking about ways I can improve my RV experience. As a result, one of my goals is to improve satellite reception... Being relatively new to the lifestyle, when I bought my Class A, I wanted to extend my Dish at home to the RV, and so, it seemed the Winegard Trav'ler Satellite Dish was a great option... put it on the roof, always there, lots of good features, including the capture of 3 different satellites... But a few times I've been in an RV park, it's been at a site with trees that block my ability to get a signal... and in hindsight, I wonder if I didn't make a mistake with the Trav'ler, instead of something portable, to make it easier to place it where I CAN get a signal... Do RV'rs prefer the portable approach, or, for those with a Sat dish on top, do they also have a portable version for those times the Trav'ler can't get a signal? And if so, how and where do you connect it to your system? I have an external cable port, but am sure that wouldn't work for a satellite dish... so what are people doing to address this?
  25. Hmmm... I thought there would be a lot of response to this...
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