Steve Morris

Installed, and loosely plumbed. The fittings on the end of the PEX that connect to the threaded “T” have questionable washers. So I’m getting more tomorrow. Next I’m going to run a PEX line from the diverter (top) back to the fresh water inlet, and add a SharkBite “T” to recirculate the hot until it actually gets hot. Then test the whole thing under pressure. I don’t want to get to Florida in January and find out I did something wrong!

Thanks, Bill. I don't have any PEX in our house, so I had no need to learn, nor buy a crimper. I'll get the SharkBite "T", and a couple spare straights and elbows. I appreciate the reply.

No going back now! @mossemi Did you use crimp on PEX fittings for the "T" into the fresh water fill for the return line, or a SharkBite "T"? I've never messed with PEX before, and I know some people don't trust SharBite fittings in trailers. So I'm not sure which one I'm likely to have not leak... I'd be further along if the weather was better, and if I hadn't wasted a bunch of time on other stuff. For instance, I spent an hour or so trying to figure out why my EMS wasn't working. I pulled the cover, and there was only 40V AC coming it. I figured I had a bad connection in the external port like I've seen with others, and it was fine. Couldn't be the incoming line, because the light is on on the power cord. Turns out it was getting electricity, but not much. 20 months of having the garage door shut on my 14 gauge extension cord must have cut enough wires it was barely feeding power. And I was running a space heater on that just last week! 😲 Now there is a 12 gauge extension cord going through a notch cut in the bottom of the garage door seal. No more pinching.. And while it was warm enough, I painted and installed the courtesy light deflectors that @Ollie-Haus showed me at a small fiberglass rally here in Ohio in September. I think I'll still add some amber film to tone the light down some more. And, I wasted a couple hours trying to find a flush-mount outdoor rated 110V AC outlet to insert into the panel under the side table, where the propane fridge lower vent was located on older trailers. No such thing! And I really didn't need to do that now, with other stuff needing done before winterizing and then getting ready to go to Florida in January I'm usually good about scheduling my time, but not lately.

Unfortunately, not since 2006. 🤨 They list the couplings under "Watering Tools" Fabrication & Packaging United States - Garden Hose (Reno, NV) China - Hose Reels & Watering Tools That's an interesting idea! 45° or 60° would have been great. I'm not sure coming in from straight down would be beneficial.

Thanks, David What do you use to cover them to prevent contamination and dirt while on the road?

Honestly, I just hooked it up for the photo, and didn’t look at which port I attached it to. 🤪 Usually, I fill up at home without a filter for trips under a week. I use the filter when on full hookups or when we need to refill on the road. Heading to Florida for two months this winter, any the timely release of this new FitRV 3-in-1 filter prompted this upgrade. I considered the proximity of the hanging location to the septic outlet. But we rarely use full hookups sites. The filter would be stored in my bucket at a dump station (which we also rarely use, as I use a macerator pump at home into my septic tank for trips under a week.) Hanging on the basement door would work and maybe be a more sanitary location. I’m in the basement frequently, so not ideal in full hookup settings. Both have compromises. It could be placed in a stand on the ground, too, and moved under the trailer. Lots of options. Thanks for your input!

I've seen similar filter and water softener additions. Here's mine. I recently saw that James at FitRV released a single 2.5" X 10" water filter element to replace the standard 3-stage system. I've considered one of the smaller 3-stage systems as an upgrade, so I thought I'd give this a try as a less expensive alternative. Of course using one 3-stage filter instead of three separate filters is going to mean a shorter interval between replacement. But the cost difference should be negligible, and I won't have to find a place to store a 3-stage system. Here's the FitRV video and article: YouTube: https://youtu.be/t_SQNVapBEw?si=FfufAl7n4p_80Eys Web article: https://www.thefitrv.com/rv-tech/our-new-rv-water-filter-the-fit-rv-3-in-1-filter/ I bought a cheap filter canister from Amazon, that arrived with horribly oversized 3/4" NPT pipe threads, and enough slop that the filter moved over 1/8" up and down. That's not going to work at all, so back it went and a GE housing was ordered. Much better! I assembled with a 3/4" NPT to 3/4" GHT (garden hose thread) on each end; one male-to-male, and the other male-to-female. Then I gave it a test fit on Curiosity's rear bumper. Dummy! The hoses would interfere with the trailer body and the drop down sewers cover. :facepalm: Back to Amazon for a pair of 90° 3/4" GHT male-to-female connectors. In hindsight, I should have used a 90° 3/4 NPT to 3/4 GHT set, but looking today, I couldn't find that combination. This also allowed me some flexibility in the angle of the input and output. Back when I ordered the Oliver, and spent those agonizing months waiting for delivery day, I accumulated a bunch of bits and pieces to get ready to go. (Didn't we all?) One was an adjustable water pressure regulator. I didn't realize that Oliver would supply a fixed 40 PSI inline regulator, and the inline unit was convenient to store with the Camco inline water filters I've been using. So now's the opportunity to get it off the garage shelf and put it to use! I drilled and tapped two threads into the side of the bumper support, and screwed and LocTited in two stainless screws. These are used to hang the whole contraption while in use. It'll be stored in my bucket during transport. I hope this is helpful for anyone wanting to upgrade from an inline water filter. List of components: GE Filter Housing: https://a.co/d/7cbaS28 FitRV 3-in-one filter: https://a.co/d/b0NzDt8 Camco 4' Potable Water Hose: https://a.co/d/eVeV4BJ 3/4" NPT to 3/4" GHT fitting: male-to-male (2-pack): https://a.co/d/5MopLFL 3/4" NPT to 3/4" GHT fitting: male-to-female 2-pack): https://a.co/d/dE1gWDC 90° 3/4" GHT Elbow: male-to-female (2-pack): https://a.co/d/24kw8xO Teflon tape for NPT threads Total cost: $133 plus tax Question: The fixed pressure regulator that came with the Oliver is 40 PSI. I've set the adjustable water pressure regulator to the same 40 PSI. What pressure do those of you with adjustable regulators use?

Generally, I'd agree, especially as I'm cargo capacity limited. However, we're spending two months in Florida this winter, and will be plugged in most places we stay. So saving propane by using free electricity for seven weeks is appealing to me.

We picked up the Costco-special model of the Vornado TAVH10 which is 750/1500 Watts. To make sure it worked, I stuck it in Curiosity yesterday, mid afternoon. Inside was 58 degrees and outside 55 and sunny, with no wind. On high, the temperature only raised 5 degrees the first hour, 6 more the second, and 3 the third, ending at 72. Seems like it wouldn’t get any warmer, even though I had the setting at 85 degrees. Kill-A-Watt showed it wasn’t using more than 1250W at the 1500W setting. That might work in the 30s or 40s if I use the Truma furnace to get up to temperature, but I’m not really confident in its ability for such a highly rated product.

That was my plan last January, when I went to Florida for a rally. I was going to stop in Murfreesboro on the way back to Ohio. But they were at the same rally I was, and then on to the Tampa RV show. Their plan was to schedule a bunch of jobs in Friday and Alabama to keep them someplace warm during the winter. We ended up meeting them at the Retro Reno shop in Jacksonville early February, where we stayed at a hotel on the beach while the guys did our trailer. Only you can decide if it is worth it. It certainly looks great, and makes washing so much easier. And as Bill said, these are some of the nicest, hardest working young men I've ever met!

They seem to have forgotten to put any reference on the web site that it’s a Volkswagen sub-brand. 🤷‍♂️

Maybe a case of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Just in case it would brick the inverter. Oh! I should install the firmware upgrades over and over until I *do* brick it. Then I'll have an excuse to swap in the Victron unit. 😉

Only after trying something the way I think it should function, three or four times over, and it still doesn't work! 😜 Mike did all the hard work. I'm just copying his.

I'm seeing several familiar faces! Keep those photos coming, so those of us not there can experience the gathering vicariously. And have a blast!

A huge thanks to Mike for letting me photograph his bathroom plumbing upgrade back during the rally in May, and for sending details on the connections and hardware. I’ve had the Scandvik and High Sierra components for months, but just now getting to that project. I’ve mocked up the system for location, and I just need to collect the fittings to tie it all together. And drill those big holes! Have I read that a diamond grit tipped saw is best for fiberglass? Or is a fine toothed carbide tip a better choice? Thanks @mossemi!!