Galileo

I don’t mind knowing there are other beings on the planet when I camp. I just don’t want to sneeze in my trailer and hear one of them say “Bless you!”. I don’t concern myself with snack bars and pools. Hot showers and the occasional washing machine are nice though. We’ve “camped” at everything from urban campgrounds - basically parking lots with hookups - to the aforementioned Harvest host - with zero hookups. (But a cool impromptu youth rodeo!) I prefer something comfortably in the middle. I admire the dedication of the tent campers. (BTDT, enjoyed waking up in 2” of water in my sleeping bag.) I scoff at the guys in the half-million dollar coaches. (I like getting more than 4MpG, thank you very much.) Friends often call what we do in our Oliver “Glamping”. That’s ok, I need some glamour in my life.

If I can’t get a cell signal on my phone or hot spot, I take that as nature’s sign that I need to disconnect and enjoy the great outdoors. I do kick and scream a bit, but sometimes I have to surrender.

Last year or so - when everything seemed to go from USB-A to USB-C, I purchased a cigarette-lighter sized USB outlet with BOTH types of outlets. I intended to replace the USB-A port with that one. Haven’t gotten around to it yet…. It looks pretty jammed in up there over the cooktop. The one under the dinette looks to be an easier target. I just wish the folks who make the USB powered toys would pick ONE standard and stick with it! I had to buy a new hardwire kit for my dash cam because GMC deleted the “cigarette lighter” port AND the USB-A power port between 2021 and 2025 models….

We don’t have a front camera. I’ve only used the backup camera once. The monitor you keep in the TV is too clunky and in the way most of the time. Our new GMC has connectors to put a backup camera display through the vehicle “infotainment” system - but you have to buy their camera. I’m still working out a multitude of bugs, er, I mean “undocumented feature” with the folks at OnStar to want to further complicate my life at the moment. For us, I think the $1,900 (at the time) “Electronics Package” was a bad investment. The only thing we use is the RVLock keyless door lock. I’ve already had to replace a faulty circuit board on that. I’d remove the booster antenna - but too lazy to patch up the hole. 😋 To be fair - maybe - I get one more “bar” of signal strength if I hold my phone tight by the indoor antenna. Then again, that might just be from being closer to the window. Honestly, I thought some instructions said you had to “register” that device with your cell provider, but I can’t find any info on it. It’s just some blinking green lights in the port aft cabinet…

Sorry if I’m using the wrong term or if my not including a picture is making it less obvious. Whatever that Thingamabob that connects the two tanks together and has a little lever that swings left and right is called. Ours has a little indicator that shows 2 green “sectors” if the tank is supplying gas. I think it shows red if no gas (but it might show black - I’m 400 miles from the trailer at the moment). Anyway, it’s the contraption that is supposed to automatically switch tanks when the primary one runs out of gas. I never use that function as I don’t wanna end up with both tanks empty because it switched and didn’t tell me. If the little indicator is dirty, or you are just viewing through the round access port of the front of the propane enclosure, you may never see the indicator. (So you may not want to deviate yourself colorblind just yet!)

I suppose if you’re the “Hitch up a go!” kinda guy, then have solar and/or a lot of battery capacity would be more important. These days, we don’t head off -anywhere- without a reservation with at least electricity. We did a “Harvest host” overnight once just for the heck of it. We survived. Yeah, “technically” we can get by without any hookups for at least a few days, but we just like the ability to watch TV - more importantly - run our espresso machine - without needing a huge ($$$) lithium battery bank and a big ($$$) inverter. I think since Covid (maybe before?) there’s a ton more RVers out there. Trying to drive to the next campground up the road without a reservation is likely to leave you driving on to the NEXT campground up the road. I think a LOT of people retired early when Covid hit and half of them bought RVs and hit the road. I know Elkhart has been cranking out cheap trailers 24/7 since Covid (and the quality shows…) I worked for a hardware store, an “essential employee” all during the worst days of Covid. The Interstate Battery guy was in and says they couldn’t even keep the RV makers supplied with batteries the demand was so great.

Definitely a thumbs-up from me! Did you pull out one of the DC “outlets” and use the hole for the switch? Kinda surprised this isn’t at least an option from the factory. I think it would be more useful than the cell phone booster. I don’t even think that thing does anything.

We scrubbed our planned trip to Alaska two seasons ago mainly because we couldn’t reserve a camp site West of Yellowstone at the time. Not keen on driving through Canada any time soon anyway - they didn’t like me having pepper spray in the camper when we went to PEI and I’m on their s___ list now…

I’m afraid I have to agree with you here. Im often tempted to leave my car doors unlocked. Though I try not to leave valuable (looking) stuff in the car, I don’t want some clown breaking a window just to steal my knockoff sunglasses, or hack my $50 cd player out of the dash with a hatchet. (When I worked at the Buick dealer - I saw some pretty expensive damage just to steal a radio or break into a trunk to steal a spare tire!)

I admit that my go/no-go decision making as to whether I DIY it or take it to the dealer are a bit arbitrary. I think most it’s the “Are you f-ing kidding me!?” When they quote me the price. $900 to replace the blank tank dump valve triggered my DIY mode (my cost - ~$250) Pretty sure OTT quoted me about $4k to replace the noisy Penguin with the somewhat less noisy Truma A/C. Since you can buy a new unit from Amazon for under $1,500 delivered, that was a no-go. Last major automotive job I took on was inner tie rod ends in my old 2000 Ranger (with 300,000 miles) - they wanted $900. I could buy a whole rebuilt power rack & Pinion for $150. All I used the shop for was an alignment when I was done. Sometimes is strictly the $$$ amount. Sometimes it’s the temerity of the quote.

Not one to enjoy TOO much adventure, I may just travel the path more heavily travelled.

If you will be good enough to forward the membership requirements, application, and schedule my entrance interview - I’d be obliged. (That is to say that I likely already have the experience and qualifications for membership - you’re just lucky enough not to have known me for very long. 😋 )

They may well be LP fueled now, but I’d wager that there are at least a few 70’s-80’s vintage Onan-equipped RVs out there that were gasoline powered. I suppose on a trailer, LP would be the obvious fuel. Motorhomes - the gas tank is -right- there….

While a marine “watermaker” certainly IS an R/O system, it’s more of a specialized system for making drinking water out of sea water. They’re quite expensive and overkill for most of our purposes. (We also have a sailboat and briefly considered a watermaker.) I just like bottled-water quality without the waste of all those plastic bottles going into the waste stream (then into the ocean, landfill, or into our bodies via microplastics) a conventional R/O system as one would install under their sink at home can be had for $150 or so these days. Conventional water filters (like Camco sells) are basically for particulates and maybe taste via a carbon filter. They won’t remove dissolved stuff in the water. These days, with industrial waste in the ground and agricultural runoff, you really have no idea what’s in your water supply and I prefer to ingest as little of the unknown chemicals as possible.

I half-wondered why there wasn’t an easily accessed switch that would let the owner disable the front jack so that goofy people couldn’t come by our trailer and hack with it (ha ha) or turn that light if it whatever. Taking the fuse out would do that, but kind of a primitive “switch”. Probably a good mod for one of our owners who like to improve things. A simple toggle or rocker switch would do the trick.

I think JD and I have to agree to disagree on this point. IMHO there’s no reason to put grease anywhere except where it’s going to actually be doing anything. Where gear teeth mesh, on shafts and bores of bearing surfaces, and a film on gear faces that might be exposed to thrust loads. As JD says - grease does not “fling”. For that matter, unless it gets TOO hot, it’s unlikely to even flow. So “packing” grease on top of or between gears is unlikely to do anything for you. That’s why you see caked and solidified grease when you open the gearbox. I suppose that preventing air from contacting the gears -may- do something, but I side of a sealed (gasketed) gearbox, I doubt it’s a factor. I too spent more than a few years in automotive service and industrial maintenance. Getting the lube to exactly where it’s doing a job is important. Adding a bunch more grease is just good for the grease vendor….

Stihl 026 - the old numbering system. I wasn’t using chain saws back then. Bought the farm in 2008. (And sold it in 2021). My saws were all the “MS” numbering. The MS362C-M was my “big” saw. A pair of MS250’s and an older MS180CB were the everyday saws. Sure, when you open them up they scream. At idle, they purr. (That’s when the Dometic A/C would be louder!)

I don’t think it’s so much “tight” as it is some kind of galvanic corrosion from dissimilar metals. They basically “weld” themselves into place. Very true! In my stint in maintenance management, I learned a new term: “maintenance induced failure”. Whether that’s from improper maintenance procedures that cause damage (think AA191) or a situation like JD mentions above. If you’re not going to clean out ALL the dirt - including the dirt opening the gearbox likely introduces into the unit - then you’re mostly just going through the motions.

Pretty sure I’ve measured the Dometic Penguin A/C at 70+ dB on LOW fan. To watch television, you have to have it at 90+ volume. Not good for one’s ears. For comparison, Honda 2200EUi generator is 58 Db…. Anyway, I think this horse is -thoroughly- dead. ”Dis-MOUNT!” (oh, and I think my Stihl MS362C-M is quieter FYI 😋 )

Unfortunately, I see these puppies are going for $549.00 these days. Ouch! Pretty sure we paid under $200 for ours. I don’t think I’d buy one for $550. That said, it’s still a very simple and clever device. With a few improvements, it could be even more versatile. I’ve had to do some repairs on ours. The wood frame didn’t appreciate being left out in the rain a couple of times. So I made a new one up out of birch plywood and finished it with marine varnish. Better than new!

The reflectors fold down against the glass. It’s about the same size as a clunky suitcase or French Horn case when folded. Has its own carry handle. Back in the bad old Facebook days, whenever Sun Oven International (the manufacturer) did a post, some wise-ass would say “Ha! You can build one of those with an old cardboard box and aluminum foil!”. Well, I guess you could - if you wanted a 7th grader’s science fair project to cook dinner with. Granted, this particular mfg and model are “no frills” - but that’s half the point. It’s designed to be something that people in developing countries can easily build. No custom castings or exotic materials. No complicate assembly procedures. Id actually like a nicer one - better reflectors, insulation, more robust leveling/aiming mechanism. So far, I’ve not found one. Still looking. Back on the farm, I also had a “solar Burner”. Basically a 6’ diameter, mylar-lined parabolic dish with a support for a frypan. It wasn’t terribly practical because of its size, but it was cool. Once aimed, you could light something on fire (or really burn your hand) just by holding it in the focus of that big reflector. Fun times!

Maybe a political protest? Though NO mechanical device is completely foolproof and inherently safe, I’d tend to trust Honda before some of the Harbor Freight fly-by-night brands out there. I had a no-name discount store open-frame generator for a season. It kept my freezers going during a week-long power outage, but I wouldn’t trust it as far as I could throw it. I suppose if one were gonna design and install a ventilation/cooling system in an enclosed box on the front of the Ollie, they may as well go whole-hawg and design a system that monitors CO, temperature, etc and shuts down the gen and triggers the fire suppression system if parameters were exceeded. I wonder if folks in motor homes with built-in Onan or Generac generators running -inside- the body of their RVs give it so much thought….

The three set screws on our tongue jack removed themselves the first time. An entertaining experience if you’re not expecting it. (Head spins around.) I tightened them up after that. I suppose I’d better go back and apply the Never-Seize so that they ARE removable when the time comes.

I didn’t know that the “recent” change to LP tanks (whatever you call that overfill prevention device - when the shape of the valve knobs changed, and propane places stopped rifling the I’d ones) did anything except prevent it from being filled to more that XX percent of full by volume to allow for expansion. I think the POL (“Press-to-lite”) coupler/valve is what did the shutoff if there’s too much flow. I could easily be wrong, but I remember even “old” tanks would shut off with high-flow devices. (I have a 140,000 BTU “King Kooker” burner that was good at this.)

I agree with you on steroids regarding the original Dometic “Penguin” A/C as far as noise and just plain silly operation. (On “auto” it’s positively schizophrenic with fan turning on and off.) As for the fridge - we have the “Norcold” - which aside from the fatally weak freezer door hinges - is a marvelous piece of equipment. We run it primarily in A/C, propane while on the road. Nothing ever thaws. It makes ice fast and is one of the better RV fridges I’ve known. The defrost drip tray is a joke. Some engineer needs to be spanked for that design. I think I’ll just pull it out and mop up the bottom of the fridge every couple of days.