MAX Burner
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Posts posted by MAX Burner
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4 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:
We stayed at Monte Bello during our last visit to Taos, what a great area to visit.
@Mike and Carol - pretty tough to beat that view, eh, Mike? Spectacular in our book…,
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Where's Ollie?
Well, the short story is D and her sister are enrolled for a weaving class in Taos today through Sunday. So we came up yesterday afternoon and are staying at Monte Bello park just north of Taos near the base of Wheeler Peak (13,161") NM's highest:
Since the 2 "Knuckleheads" and I will be backcountry skiing to Williams Lake at some point, we decided to bring an extra POV for the 2-hour trip here from home which will give the girls flexibility in their to/from commute.
We're the only party in the park - imbibing on some random adult beverages at sunset (above) and a Husky "Donut" (below):
Yet the same room but different view - Wheeler Pk at sunrise:
Morning coffee with 3 humans and 2 canines - cozy, but it doesn't feel crowded:
26F last night the furnace kept OTT occupants at a cozy 66F - screenshot of the Easy Touch App:
Cheers, All - from Taos, NM!
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9 hours ago, jd1923 said:
Or just head west and visit our amazing High Country of Arizona for a few days. 😊
We'll definitely take you up on that one, John - wish we could've made it work as part of our "Q" trip in JAN!
But a TX OTT mini-rally sounds awesome - we're in the DFW area regularly from NM while visiting our grandson there... Maybe after the Annual OTT Rally?
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9 hours ago, jd1923 said:
Love working on this stuff!
Same here! Nicely done, Brother!
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Purdy is good - we like purdy! Ha!
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That’s possible - keep us posted on your whereabouts…
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FYI- the rubber “Halo Rings” allow the bottles to sit a bit higher in the rack giving the sensors a bit more space. Makes a tight fit - and keeps the rust from taking over on the bottom of the tank rack.
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9 hours ago, Coastal Aggie said:
I'll throw another vote in for mopeka sensors
Same here - casting a vote for Mopeka sensors. We've yet to experience any issues with the Mopeka kit and "halo rings" for the bottom of the LPG bottles...
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11 hours ago, Geronimo John said:
our trailers look just fine with the eight center hub caps and their supporting "Cones ???" removed.
Hey, GJ: Concur 100%, but we've only found 4 hub caps on the Casablanca....🤪
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9 hours ago, Jason Foster said:
Looks like I am going to have to cancel my trip this year.
Hey, Jason: That's too bad... We were looking forward to meeting y'all! Will you be going to the Total Eclipse in Fredericksburg?
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10 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:
If you have the 3 way Dometic it runs the most efficiently on propane. When we’re boondocking it goes on propane and stays there, never had any issues.
Same here - LPG mode is our boon docking configuration as well. We've yet to experience any issues with either keeping items frozen or freezing thawed items in any of the 3 modes of our Dometic fridge. We normally travel with the fridge in the DC mode and a bag of ice in the freezer to accommodate the occasional adult beverage at the end of those long tow-days.
FYI: We had a 3-way Norcold with separate/dedicated freezer compartment in a previous TT and it was awesome for freezing items fairly quickly in any of the 3 modes of operation.
Cheers!
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On 6/19/2023 at 6:06 PM, RoadKingsofGA said:
7. We current put the cord thru the basement door and plug into the router via the trap door at the bottom of the bedside table (we have twins. The basement door has a notch in the rubber seal where the cord fits and allows us to close and lock the door without pinching the cord. Eventually we plan to convert the satellite port.
It's our understanding that the "proprietary" Starlink cord is labeled as such due to their unique cable end connectors (one for the Dishy end and the one for the router end). But the cord itself is just a regular "4 twisted pair" ethernet cable which makes it easy to cut/splice, add RJ45s, and through-hull connectors.
@RoadKingsofGA - If you're interested in converting your Starlink to a 12vDC powered kit, shoot me a PM and I'll get the particulars to how we converted ours. It really makes set-up/take-down and operational usage simple and easy when boon docking. OBTW: We're using the same red Husky Box for stowage - perfect fit!
Cheers!
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Very cool Overland TV, @snakeriveridaho! Looks like you've got some of that "Backcountry Pin Striping" too! Your Nuthouse pull-out rack is sweet! Just curious, are you running a DC/DC charger in the TV or the OTT?
We've been to the Overland Expo in Flagstaff a few times - very cool rigs there to drool over!
Cheers!
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On 2/25/2024 at 11:08 AM, dewdev said:
and sometimes just holding the button in.
FYI: This is how we get our fridge back online after being turned off between trip - maybe a 3 to 5 second hold, then the default lights illuminate... Good luck, @Toby!
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On 2/25/2024 at 11:48 AM, Chukarhunter said:
I you upgrade to lithium batteries, then you have two choices. You can replace your existing PD converter/charger with a more up to date version of the same model that has a lithium ion charging profile option built in. This is the lowest cost option, but you will be limited to a maximum charging current of 60 amps split among all your batteries .
Last summer, we did almost exactly what @Chukarhunter describes above for our "Casablanca", a 2017 Hull #226. One of the attractive options our OTT had was that the PO had recently installed 3 Battle Borns and the Victron SmartShunt - the unit came from Oliver with the Xantrax PRO2000 inverter + solar.
However, after examining the install, we learned (actually with @Geronimo John's knowledgable input) that the PD 4045 Converter/Charger main circuit board did not have the Lithium micro-switch option - either the PO didn't realized this or just omitted it during his upgrade. So this is why we never saw charging voltages above 13.6DC on our monitor.
Rather than buying a newer Converter/Charger or upgrading to the Victron MultiPlex 3000 inverter/charger - we simply bought a replacement 45amp PD main circuit board with the Lithium option, $125 Amazon. Swapping them out was straightforward. The PD 4045 now charges the BBs with the proper Lithium charge profile. The set-up operates perfectly for our style of camping/boon docking.
As mentioned in a previous threat, when our Xantrax 2000 goes Tango Uniform, we'll replace it with the larger Victron inverter/charger and take the PD converter/charger out of the charging circuit. Until then, we're totally confident with the existing set-up.
OBTW: Our original PD main circuit board is up for grabs if anyone needs a spare - it would be fine with any non-Lithium set up. Just cover shipping costs and it yours!
Just my $0.02...
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4 hours ago, mossemi said:
Did y'all have the rubber cap inserted?
The rubber cap was not inserted when doing the leak test - figuring if the QD was leaky, the cap might have plugged the leak. But the test can be redone with the cap inserted...
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2 minutes ago, mossemi said:
But your recent issue caused me to rethink the issue and I think I’m going to try putting a quick connect plug together and see if it would stop a leak with the valve partially open.
That's a good question @mossemi - As a safety feature, the ball valve on the QD can only be opened if the spring-loaded collar is in its extended (normal) position. If the collar is pushed "back", it allows the user to insert the male connection of the LPG hose. When the connection is correct, the collar springs to its normal position allowing the user to open the ball valve. When disconnecting, the valve must be closed in order to push the collar "back" and pull out the male end of the LPG hose, therefore, not allowing a disconnect with the valve open.
But since you ask... I'm curious.... I'm going to go check right now.
STANDBY
10 min. later:
....OK, I'm back. After opening the ball valve and squirting soapy water into the female QD there wasn't any bubbles observed from a leaky QD fitting. But, now that you've brought this up, we're going to add it to our periodic maintenance procedure! We've always checked the QD with the LPG hose connected and gas valve open, but never without a hose connected. Good Call!
Cheers!
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On 2/25/2024 at 6:44 AM, Mike and Carol said:
I don’t know if everyone gets lines run whether you opt for the connection or not, but it might be good to double check.
We have a LPG line run all the way back to the curbside behind the bumper - we added a Quick Disconnect to it a few months ago. It's been coming in real handy when cooking at night under the awning because of the proximity to the rear LED light just above...
....YUM!
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FYI: We bring our Honda EU2000i w/grounding plug if we expect several days of cloudy weather on a given trip. However, with our 340watts/roof-mounted panels, 200w Renogy portable modules, and 300amp-hrs of BBs in the bank, the Honda hasn't seen the light of day since we've had our OTT (purchased used in MAR23).
@Wandering Sagebrush - Definitely don't think you're missing anything at all. We now tow in with the fridge in the DC mode since we've installed the Victron DC/DC charger - prior to that we ran it in the LPG mode. It's nice now being able to tow with the LPG valves closed. The DC/DC charger is dumping 27 -29amps into the BBs plus whatever the roof modules are generating while towing, so whenever we decide to stop for the day, we've got high SOC (usually 100%).
You'll find, like us, that when boon docking in colder WX, your furnace will consume the majority of your stored Amp-hrs. If your AGMs are type 27s. Just noticed you've got 640amp-hrs of storage! You're GENSET will likely stay in the TV during the majority of your trips no matter the weather conditions.
300amp-hrs seems like the sweet spot for our style of camping off grid.
Cheers,
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On 2/21/2024 at 8:02 PM, Geronimo John said:
Also roger on higher vs closer and 5' of cable. If it works from under the dinette seat that's all I really am needing.
Hey, @Geronimo John - as I recall, your Victron DC/DC charger is under your FWD Dinette Seat... That may be close enough to monitor your Victron APP from the TV Cab.
Our's is under the AFT Seat - and the BT signal is weak at best. Testing the range last month while on a trip to AZ, we learned that the BT signal registered a couple bars (using the Victron APP) at 15 feet from the street side and at about a 45-degree angle. Not enough to make it to the TV cab. Our model of Victron Orion Smart DC/DC charger only has BT and not a VE Direct connection for a Dongle.
That's why we're looking at a possible BT transmitter/booster to connect to the Cerbo S GX unit's USB. We're hoping to get the Cerbo signal with charging data into the cab that way.
@mossemi - Just wondering... Are you able to monitor your Victron charging data while towing with your current configuration?
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On 2/17/2024 at 9:51 AM, Mike and Carol said:
We always use a pressure regulator. I carry the simple brass non-adjustable as a back up, but use an adjustable regulator. Why a backup?
The easy answer: Because 1 is none, and 2 is ONE!
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FYI: Our Viair kit sits next to the spare SureFlo in the "pump section" of the Casablanca "garage". The Viair was handy in adjusting tire pressures at the end of our stay at The Q last month - but the SureFlo hasn't seen the light of day since it was stowed. Hope it never does....
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4 minutes ago, mountainoliver said:
Congratulations Oliver!
Hear! Hear!
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1 minute ago, topgun2 said:
Can I assume that you (nor anyone else is going to give us a hint as to what to expect at this place? 😬
Of course you can, Bill! HA! 😆
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Where’s Ollie?
in Campgrounds & Parks
Posted
Keep us posted if you do go back to Taos - we've got a remote cabin in CO about an hour north of here which is usually part of our Taos run... Durango is awesome this time of year - another one of our favs!