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Subject |
Author |
Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Worst/most dangerous design flaw is _______
The idiot RV design engineer that thought a swing door was a great inside design.
Slide doors yes :B
Swing door NO :M
:C
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T_Bone
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11/28/09 04:30am |
Tech Issues
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RE: SS Disability and Medicare
When you become disabled at any age, the SSA looks at the disability as if you turned 65yo on your start date of disibility therefor you will receive Medicare 2yrs latter.
:C
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T_Bone
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11/28/09 04:21am |
RVing with Disabilities and General Health Issues
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RE: length limits
My last combination was 54ft overall. I never had not to go anywhere I wanted because of the length. We booddock camp 100%.
The worst area was where I had taken the wrong road and had to back the trailer up over a cliff edge, block the wheels, disconnect the trailer, go turn my truck around, then reconnect the trailer too make a 180º turn around.
So it took me 1/2hr too turn around. No big deal. I sure would have missed some pretty back country if I hadn't gone. :B
:C
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T_Bone
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11/28/09 04:11am |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: Have you got your H1N1 or seasonal flu shot yet?
No shots and I'm not getting any. I'm in the mid-high health risk.
One thing I've done: No vistors on my property that have any type of "colds" in the past month. It don't matter who shows up, We ask questions first, then visit/receive packages, etc:
We haven't seen my daughter for 3mths as she's been sick. We didn't see the grandkids for 2mths.
If I'm at the store and you cough near me or on me, you better be ready for a A$$ chewing out at the top of my lungs of why you shouldn't come too the store when your sick.
Just using plain common sense too me :B
:C
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T_Bone
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11/24/09 03:28pm |
RVing with Disabilities and General Health Issues
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RE: All you guys with ducted AC look here
The proper way to seal ducts is with the aluminum tape with the peel away back. Never use duct tape. It would never pass code if used in your home.
http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/duct-tape-HVAC.html
Well that is not entirely true:
Section M1601.3.1 Joints and seams. Joints of duct systems shall be made substantially airtight by means of tapes, mastics, gas-keting or other approved closure systems.
AND
Closure systems used with flexible air ducts and flex-ible air connectors shall comply with UL 181B and shall be marked 181B-FX for pressure-sensitive tape or 181B-M for mastic.
Duct tape has been used to seal trunk lines for the past 50yrs that I know of. Arnco was the last duct tape I bought at $8/roll(code approved tape) when the hardware store type duct tape was costing $2/roll. There was a reason why Arnco duct tape cost $6/roll more.
I've seen Arnco duct tape installed for over 30yrs without coming off the duct. But you do have to be smarter than the duct tape too use it. :B
:C
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T_Bone
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11/20/09 08:00pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Restrictions on liquid oxygen .... from Apria ..so far
Hi Dave,
After you brought up Lo2 the first time I did some research. To me Lo2 would be a PITA to use Vs refilling my own cylinders.
Med-One is my supplier. When I got my InVacare XL in May, they told me that after 10mths of Medicare payments, I would own the concentrator ($11/mth my cost) and the cylinder re-fill unit($35/mth/ my cost). The owner now says that's not true , it's 36mths before I own the equipment and he needs to retrain some employees.
As too alkaline water use, be careful here as high nitrates CAN occur along with a higher PH. We have that problem in AZ water supply's. Higher nitrates will cause miscarriages in some women plus other health problems in both men and women.
:C
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T_Bone
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11/15/09 10:12am |
RVing with Disabilities and General Health Issues
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RE: The 10% min Tongue weight rule - Why?
Wow, there's a few hundred text references written on the subject. Way too much too cover here. Check the Dexter website as they offer a free design manual that will explain a lot of info.
One consideration is the type of TV being used. One trailer design may pull great behind a TV where it pulls terrible behind another type.
Then there's center of pin to the axle center line that has a huge influence on the way a trailer pulls. The longer the center of pin too axle center line, the more stable a trailer will pull.
A boat trailer is a excellent example. Due too the long pin to axle center, the trailer pulls very stable as the majority of the load weight is placed just before the trailer axle center line, thus creating a short heavy tongue weight. The rest of the length then is nothing more than a first class lever to the hitch ball resulting is a very low tongue weight ratio.
A semi trailer is about the same as a boat trailer.
That's also why the HA has such a good reputation for making a trailer pull stable as it first increases the pin to axle center length. The hitching also preforms other benefits but increasing that distance is the most important part of the design.
As too the TV, a good example is my F350 DRW. Wednesday, I loaded a 3300# pallet of portland cement in the bed 16" behind the axle center line, as I left my 5th wheel hitch installed. I didn't have a problem one driving home 70 miles at 60mph. I didn't notice any difference in handling when compared pulling with my GN flatbed or 5th RV trailers. Why ? Because of the DRW axle adds more stability than a SRW and I have a CC therefor a longer axle spread.
Ron Gratz would need too answer this one as he has a way with words that I do not have :B
:C
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T_Bone
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11/14/09 02:35am |
Towing
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RE: What's the difference in a Heat Pump and an A/C?
Deleted by T_Bone
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T_Bone
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11/03/09 10:17pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Dexter self adjusting brakes
Dexter says they are available in 10x2 that I would be looking for but I do not see them for sale on Dexter or the other sites. I guess I need to wait until Spring.
Dexter Nev-R-Adjust flier
Hi smkettner,
My flatbed is a 2005 and the mfg stated they had came out the year before. Maybe have too look harder as they may not be too popular yet.
southwestwheel.com ?
All I know is that I like them :B
:C
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T_Bone
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11/03/09 01:45pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Dexter self adjusting brakes
Hi CB,
I bought my 40ft flatbed with Dexter 24kGVW forward self-adjusting electirc brake axles. 12"x4" :B
Very nice!
:C
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T_Bone
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11/01/09 02:46pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: 10 toughest tows in America..
... Worse for the Diesels without and EB brake on the way down...
Hi Ken,
Not true Ken. My fishing hole has a 18% grade and I have no problem controlling 18kGCW. In 1st-low and 2nd-low, I have too add fuel too descend the 18% grade. In 3rd-low, I run about 3000rpm without adding fuel or just right.
On a diesel, you need too use redline rpm's for compression braking. On my PSD, thats' 3400rpm, so I use 3400rpm tops then brake until I hit 3000rpm then let the rpm climb back too 3400rpm, then repeat until I'm off the grade.
This driving style works well for controlling 31kGCW on my F350 with my 40ft flatbed on 7% grades.
Although my PSD is Ford redline marked at 3400rpm, the PSD drag racers continually use 4000rpm without any short term problems on the 7.3 PSD.
I'm Ford stock, no mods :B
:C
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T_Bone
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11/01/09 01:54pm |
Towing
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RE: How Level should 5th wheel be towed
Hi Lou,
Depends on what type of structure your 5'er design is. If your top roof design is flat or fairly flat, front too back, then you will save a small amount of fuel with the nose being 3" high. That will not effect your suspension at all on most RV trailers.
The aerodynamics are slightly lower with a tapered roof from the front too the back.
If your roof line has a built in slope, then tow being level.
If your RV bottom is not smooth skinned flat, you will loose approx 15% of aerodynamics or gain 15% fuel mileage with a skinned bottom.
:C
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T_Bone
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11/01/09 01:33pm |
Towing
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RE: Cause for increased 454 exhaust noise?
Hi Gale,
I read a past article where collage students ran a test on a non-fuel injection engine. There was enough unburned fuel left over in the exhaust of engine No1 to run engine No2.
Hi Bill,
When I was a kid, one night we bought a case of beer quarts then headed off too the Co mountains. Coming back down the grade in Clear Creek canyon, in the tunnels we were shutting off the engine then firing it back up while inside the tunnels. What a huge bang that was.
We finally timed it right so another car was inside the tunnel as we fired off the big bang. Dang did we ever laugh so hard.
On our second tunnel try, wouldn't you know the car was a Hi-way patrolman. He flipped a U-ee when he got out of the tunnel and we tossed a case of beer out the window as we were all under age. He pulled us over and really chewed us out as he thought maybe we had fired a shot at him.
That ended our tunnel back firing :B
Thanks for the memories!
:C
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T_Bone
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10/31/09 02:54pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: first winter solar report
The Delta(the difference between the outside and indoor temperature) is about 11ºf(-11ºc) or about what I would expect on a typical RV at your temperatures while using 7000btu of heat.
A typical 4" insulated wall on a stick house should hold approx 10ºf delta without any additional heat being added.
A typical 6" insulated wall on a stick house should hold approx 15ºf delta without any additional heat being supplied.
I would expect about a 5°f delta on a typical RV and maybe lower on older units. I've never measured one nor looked up the spec's so I'm taking a educated guess here.
:C
Without additional heat added, the delta will eventually be zero. The time will be determined by the quality and thickness of the insulation.
Hi Bill,
That would be true only if the structure was not sun exposed as the sun is now our heat source. If sun exposed and typical air tight, the structure should average the delta's stated.
If the structure was covered with snow or ice then our outside ambient would now be calculated at 32ºf as ice and snow is a great insulator.
A good example of this air chamber would be to pour boiling water inside of a foam egg carton, then close the lid. A typical foam cell holds approx 90% air content.
Using a IR thermometer, if we measured the water before closing the lid we would see about 190ºf water in the cell container and approx 77ºf on the outside of the carton cell wall. Now if we continue to take measurements on the hour, we would see about 155ºf inside the cell container and 77ºf outside. The second hour we would see 122º/77º and the third hour 77º/77º. The above experimint was performed last winter.
That's right, after 3hrs we have lost all insulating quality of the foam cell as convection took over and equalized the temperatures BECAUSE our test cell was exposed too ambient convection air currents on both sides of our insulating chamber.
T_Bone
:C
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T_Bone
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10/31/09 02:15pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: first winter solar report
Hi all,
It was my first chance to see how my solar panels fared with snow this morning. Time was 10 a.m.
There was less than one centimeter of snow and output is zero.
Batteries were at 12.4 volts as I forgot to turn off the inverter over night--it was 12.5 last night.
I'm doing a load test by running two heaters with a total wattage of 2127 watts for 30 minutes. Voltage dropped immediately to 12.0 measured at the charge controller. I have deliberately plugged them into the same outlet--I want to know what those 15 amp breakers will do. (i.e. it should have tripped immediately and it did not). I did not think to plug in my kill-o-watt meter--oh well!
I'm combining this with a heat rise test--RV was at 0.9 C. The outside temperature was -0.9 C
Results:
The breaker failed to trip under a load of 2127 watts. I feared that would be the case.
Battery voltage after 30 minutes under load displayed as 12.0. When the load was removed the display immediately bounced up to 12.2 volts
Battery voltage at charge controller after 5 minutes of "rest" was 12.3 volts
Temperature in the RV was 6.5 C. Outdoor temperature was -0.4 C.
Please feel free to interpret the results--and to post your own results to this thread.
Hi Don,
2127w is equal too 7227btu or about 4 times smaller than your LP furnace.
The Delta(the difference between the outside and indoor temperature) is about 11ºf(-11ºc) or about what I would expect on a typical RV at your temperatures while using 7000btu of heat.
A typical 4" insulated wall on a stick house should hold approx 10ºf delta without any additional heat being added.
A typical 6" insulated wall on a stick house should hold approx 15ºf delta without any additional heat being supplied.
I would expect about a 5°f delta on a typical RV and maybe lower on older units. I've never measured one nor looked up the spec's so I'm taking a educated guess here.
If your heat load requires 30000btu/hr to maintain comfort(human or building), it doesn't matter what source supplies that heat as all heat sources would have to be able too out put 30000btu/hr.
I don't know where your heading with your project, so I was just supplying some general engineering info too think about.
:C
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T_Bone
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10/31/09 12:39am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Cause for increased 454 exhaust noise?
Hi Gale,
I would think you probably blew out the guts out of your muffler. That's when a muffler would most likely too fail, under compression braking.
I put on a set of glasspacks on a 400ci Dodge Power Wagon and with-in 15000 miles I blew out the glasspacks and had too change them. It happen under compression braking on a long 10% grade. I thought one side had come loose, but it didn't :B
:C
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T_Bone
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10/31/09 12:06am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Can sewer hose be heat taped?
Thanks for all of the input! We did know about keeping the drains closed until ready to dump... want it to build up and not be running all the time. Of course, black water (or should we say the "solids") WON'T drain! Thanks for all of the great ideas, T_Bone! We have our water line insulated, and we are going to insulate/plywood a skirting to go around it. It is cold, and very windy here! So, looks like the consensus is.... shouldn't need it. But I do like the idea that T_Bone had of using the 4" flexible, insulated duct for the sewer line. I think we will do that. Our tanks are enclosed, heated. All that should be OK>.. as long as the furnace runs! Will keep all informed. From "Crazy 5th Wheelers in North Dakota" That's what they are all saying about us :)
Hi Judy,
Add one cup of vinegar per 25gals black will dissolve all TP and solids with-in 48hrs. This turns all solids and TP into a brown liquid. This is the first stage of composting.
I haven't used commercial chemicals in over 20yrs.
A member here bought a used RV where the tanks were full of solids & TP and had sit for awhile, a year if I remember correct. I suggested he add 2gal of vinegar and fill with water then let sit a few days.
In four days he dumped his tanks like you normally would :B
T_Bone
:C
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T_Bone
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10/30/09 09:01pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Black & Decker 40amp, full auto battery chargers...
Hi Dave,
B&D for the past 40yrs has always made junk products. Period!
I use Schumacher products for battery recharging. I get several years out of there products.
Besure and get a charger rated for AGM battery's with using PWM.
My 2amp charger will recharge a 75ahr battery in less than 24hrs from being total dead state. That's 48ahr in 24hrs.
A 10amp charger will put out 240amps in less than 24hrs.
Battery recharging has greatly improved in the past 5yrs.
:C
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T_Bone
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10/30/09 10:28am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Can sewer hose be heat taped?
Hi Judy,
I spent my last 5yrs before retiring work booming in cold weather. I didn't freeze up one time after uing the below method.
First no no, don't leave the black or grey water tank drains open, fill 1/2 then dump. If your traveling then add 2gal winterized windshield washer fluid to each tank as this keeps them from freezing. Replenish after each tank dump.
While traveling run the HW heater on, cabinet doors open to tanks and piping, furnace set to 60º, and stop every 2hrs to let the furnace heat to 75º if traveling in 0º weather.
Fill your fresh water tank then pump from there. If your tanks are under the bed, open the doors so some heat can get under the bed.
I went to HD and bought 4" heating flexible duct, the insulated kind. I ran a heat tape on the bottom side of the sewer hose attached with plastic wire ties then slipped on the 4" flex duct.
The fresh water, I ran a heat tape attached with plastic wire ties then covered with a piece of 1" closed cell pipe insulation with plastic ties, again HD.
I then bought a roll of R19 fiberglass insulation, width would be from the bottom of RV to the ground plus 2" or so, then jammed that in the space around your black and grey water tanks making a circle around both tanks. This keeps the tanks from freezing.
Spring comes I just gave away the R19 or threw it away and bought a new next year. Not worth messing with.
This will with stand -20 for a few days and 20 to 30mph winds. Any more than 30mph winds then add 1/2"plywood to the R19 or the wind will blow it down.
About 12gal/week propane usage above zero, and about 15gal/week below zero. A 25gal tank works much better and you can rent them from the propane supplier.
:C
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T_Bone
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10/30/09 10:02am |
Tech Issues
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RE: 110 vt. Freezer While Boondocking?
T_Bone said: buy a solar 130w PV, about $257
This is a pretty good price, where is this available?
Rick
Hi Rick,
That would be sunelec.com. I've never used them so your on your own :B
T_Bone
:C
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T_Bone
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10/29/09 07:59pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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