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Showing content with the highest reputation on 06/30/2026 in Posts

  1. No need to imagine. My previous tow vehicle had an engine harness wiring that ran too close to an exhaust heat shield. At precisely 1,000 miles after warranty, the heat shield wore through the wiring harness and shorted out a fuel injector. I’m just lucky it happened within easy motor club towing distance of a dealer. (“Lucky” if you call having to change camping reservations at the last moment, rent a car, and fork over $500 for the repair.) Still, I guess I should count myself lucky that it happened in a city rather than the narrow, winding mountain roads I was driving with the trailer the week before. Anyway, it seems that just as with everything else, we’re often beta testers for the things we buy. If stuff holds together for the first couple of years, you’re basically in your own.
    2 points
  2. I had to contact my US Congressman's office to get OPM to finally respond. Their recording just said go to website and hung up and website did not cover my needs. I emailed my Congressman and they next morning I had two emails from OPM wanting to know if they could help me. During my 35 years with the Treasury Dept we took Inquiries from Congressman very seriously.
    2 points
  3. I’m thinking that a hole could be drilled through the condensate pan with a “standpipe” that would allow water to collect in the trough/pan to wet the condenser fan and tubing - but drain before it could overflow and drip/run onto the roof. Whether it could be plumbed into existing tubing would be the question. As for “modifying” things that might void the warranty - aside from my vehicles (IOW - expensive stuff) I usually don’t sweat it. If I’m going to buy a piece of equipment from Amazon or Walmart and install it myself, IF there is even still a warranty at that point - I’ll navigate the CS to get whatever breaks under warranty resolved.
    1 point
  4. The OP changed his mind on this criterion. Scotty can chime in again, but I believe it's because the benefits of less noise and greater Ah efficiency of the Chill Cube over the Dometic FreshJet. For me, I would not buy a Dometic RV A/C product again on principal, so I didn't! 😎 We have no plans for summer travel to the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi Valley or anywhere else hot & humid anytime soon. However, we can assume when the cooling demands are high and high humidity is present, the Chill Cube like any A/C will produce an abundance of condensate. Yes, there is no drain for it, so if enough is produced to overfill the condensate wheel reservoir it should overflow. If there was a drain, or if one was added you would lose the efficiency in wetting/cooling the condenser by the water wheel. Why couldn't the condensate reservoir be tapped, condensate plumbed away? No condensate drip may be worth losing some efficiency, but many Forum members have expressed their unwillingness to modify new equipment. Comments like this were added to GJ’s Houghton mod posts, "I shouldn't have to!" or “I can't for warranty reasons.” @Geronimo John this would NOT be you, as you have modified your Houghton A/C years ago in ways that were not easy to design nor execute! Condensate drain plumbing in the Oliver was designed to mate with the Dometic P2 and we've heard but not confirmed the FreshJet drain would mate as well. The picture shows the A/C opening of our Oliver. We could assume all OTT Dometic P2 installations to be similar. On the far right we see the 12 AWG yellow Romex to power the A/C. The other wiring with red butt connectors is the low voltage thermostat wiring and right in the middle is the condensate plumbing. There was also tubing connected there running from the rear of the p2 to this elbow fitting. If we had a condensate drip issue, I would pull the Chill Cube off the roof, drill and screw a tap somewhere in the condensate trough and run a flexible water line to the front left corner attached to this drain. In my thinking when something is needed, it's not can I do this, but how will I get it done! 😎 It shouldn't be too difficult and running the Chill Cube vs. a FreshJet would certainly be worth the effort. Why can't condensate plumbing be added to the Atmos/Tosot that several here have installed, or the Turbro/Pioneer inverter A/C, or the Houghton? https://www.amazon.com/Joyway-Brass-Fitting-Degree-Elbow/dp/B07CMRYL16/ Yeah, that's the way of our world. Last November, I worked a full exterior cosmetic restoration of our 10-year-old hull ending with ceramic coating. We don't travel near as much as Galileo, but since then we've gone on 10 short trips, 54 overnights (43 boondocking on dirt). See picture where the pavement ends and then another 24 miles to our campsite at Walnut Creek. I pressure-wash when we return from trips like this but don't ever truly wash her. I'm not using products or buffing wheels, not me. I do use a leaf-blower after pressure-washing! 🤣 We're just going to get her dirty and bring 'er back for detailing every year or so. This reference makes sense to me, what's a little condensate drip for campers like us?
    1 point
  5. Thanks for all the suggestions. I think that I'll use the "run it long to the TV bumper" approach - at least for now - to avoid adding any holes to the shiny new trailer.
    1 point
  6. I was lulled by an OTT owner that condensate over the side of our hull was no issue. I went with the Houghton (no internal drain or evaporative solution such as a water wheel). My hull is now stained by the condensate. SO, I fully agree that an internal drain or a water wheel what works in humid conditions is a must. GJ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CORRECTION: The quote above was not from RonBlink. Not sure why it was attrituted incorretly. Here is a copy of it: Sorry Ron! GJ
    1 point
  7. Bought skein of paracord today and confirm @DavePhelps suggestion this stuff works, way better than the pipe cleaners. Immediately it was obvious the cord was wicking water out of the weep holes. Very Effective solution. Thanks
    1 point
  8. My father was covered by RRB and never had an issue with them. Though they are still a bit of a “monopoly” as far as who administers benefits (much like TRS and others) they seem a lot more responsive to member needs than SSA. Certainly more competent and they don’t (apparently) “lose” your paperwork with the impunity that SSA does. It’s pretty hard not to picture some resentful civil service employee just dumping his or her inbox into the trash on a Friday afternoon out of spite. Anybody can screw up once - but not being able to find a record of a request -twice- when sent with tracking? That takes effort.
    1 point
  9. I have actually done that when I had to deal with the railroad retirement board. My elected reps took very little time in contacting the 'board' and my problem was solved quite quickly thereafter. However, I must say, that the RRB is a bit more on top of things and the board certainly doesn't deal with many millions of retirees
    1 point
  10. I like the OEM equipped sliders! Though until I added the fan, we had not used the rear slider and it’s very difficult to slide. Laying in bed, it’s a simple one-handed slide to open and to close when it gets colder late at night. Can’t do that with an awning, lock bolts on each side, requiring you to stand up, lean over using both hands. I’ll keep our sliders and with new external rubber they are in great shape considering 10 years of age. Now we could wish for blinds 3/4” thick vs. these clumsy things that stick out 3” into our living space, my big body or arms hitting them every night, and you can't fully lean back sideways at the dinette table. We don’t, though some have issues with them falling off on bumpy roads.
    1 point
  11. I just received my new Starlink Gen 3. I mostly boondocks and thought it would be a waste of power to convert DC to AC to DC to power the Starlink. I found a device that will convert DC 9-36V 15A to DC 46V 3A through POE. It also has a built in switch to deliver the internet signal to the router of your choice. (XLTTYWL Starlink V3 Poe Injector, 150W 2 in 1 GigE Passive & ESD Protection Starlink 12v Conversion Kit with Starlink DC Step UP Converter DC 9-36V/150W for Starlink Gen 3 Dishy) I am using a mini travel router (GL.iNet GL-AXT1800 (Slate AX) Pocket-Sized Wi-Fi 6 Gigabit Travel Router, Extender/Repeater for Hotel&Public Network Storage, VPN Client&Server, OpenWrt, Adguard Home, USB 3.0, TF Card Slot) uses a USB C power source DC 5V 3A. I wired a PlusRoc Waterproof 12V/24V to 5V Converter DC-DC Step Down Module Power Adapter Compatible with Raspberry Pi 4, Cellphone, Car (USB Type-C Connector) to power the router. I mounted everything on a board and powered it from the DC fuse box under the dinette. I will add a waterproof Ethernet port as shown in many other Starlink threads. It powered up and so far is working great. Even the Starlink mobile app recognizes the signal from the mini router and allows all the Starlink utilities to be used. I had a Victron Solar Panel Charge controller for a suitcase panel in the spot where I mounted the board so I just moved that to the board as well. I love not having to turn on my inverter to run the Starlink dishy.
    1 point
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