Monday, July 13
Warning: This is a long post. You might want to hit the restroom before you start reading.
The crew and I are camped at Haystack Campground on the east side of Haystack Reservoir, about twelve miles south of Madras, Oregon.
Photo of our campsite taken as I stand near the water’s edge
I go online and find the number for “Dave’s RV Service and Repair” in Madras and place a call. I’m given an appointment for tomorrow at 2 o’clock. Finally, I’ll find out why the Best Little Trailer is having power problems!
Tuesday, July 14
I didn’t unhitch when we arrived here Sunday, so there isn’t much to do before our appointment other than tidying up the BLT. I leave early so I have time to make a few stops in Madras before the appointment at two.
In the electronics department at Bi-Mart I pick up a Cobra DC to AC inverter (400 watts continuous-800 watts peak) to replace the same model inverter that no longer works. I look for chargers to replace the two that I’ve worn out in the PTV. Bi-Mart has 25-watt ones, but not the 75-watt ones I want.
I buy an egg carrier, a little item I’ve wanted for a long time.
I could’ve used an egg carrier a few months ago when a carton of eggs crashed against the refrigerator door while we were on the road. By the time we reached our new camp and I opened the door, the yolk was hardened on the door and three shelves.
(I notice that a reader coincidentally ordered a similar egg carrier
I like extra-large eggs and later I find they do fit in this carrier.
After Bi-Mart I stop at O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Store.
I learn that my Optima AGM battery (the house battery) is still under the 3-year warranty… over one year left on it since it was purchased in September 2013 (when we were in Port Angeles, Washington). I also learn that they have yellow-top Optima batteries in stock.
Okay, I easily find Dave’s RV on Mill Street.
Of course I’m early. I’m always early even when I try to be late!
I check in at the office to let Chris know we’re here.
“Dave’s on an emergency service call in Prineville,” she reports. “He just called. He’s in town. He’ll be here soon.”
“That’s okay. I’m early anyway. I’ll wait outside with my dogs.”
I set up a place for the crew and me on the strip of thick grass at the edge of the parking area.
I haven’t had lunch and I’m hungry. I retrieve a pre-made salad I bought at Safeway on Sunday. It’s still fresh and cool from the styrofoam cooler. Reggie and Bridget, per usual, expect a few chunks of chicken out of the salad. Sheesh. . .
“Here ya’ go. Now that’s enough. The rest is mine.”
Soon a little red car zips into the parking lot.
A lean, jeaned Dave steps out. In a few minutes he’s working on the BLT’s diagnosis. A check of the house battery reveals it is dead, dead, and dead. No surprise there. He hooks it up to the shop’s electric. Then he puts one of his fully-charged batteries in place in order to continue his diagnostic work inside the BLT.
I leave Dave to his work and check on the crew.
“You two are being very good!”
The shop dog has come out to investigate the canine customers, i.e. he sniffs their pee.
I untangle Reggie’s tether and go back inside the BLT.
“Here’s your problem,” Dave states simply, holding up something electrical-looking. “Your converter is gone.” (“Gone” meaning it’s still here but it’s gone bad.)
Outside he puts a voltmeter on the house battery. I peer over his shoulder.
“You’ve got 12.9 volts. Your battery may still be good.” Dave puts my battery inside its compartment and we go into the office to order a converter. I leave with an appointment for tomorrow at 2 0’clock.
Wednesday, July 15
Again the Perfect Tow Vehicle hauls the BLT into Madras, and again I’m early, and again I stop at Bi-Mart.
I have time. Might as well take care of the propane tank that’s messed up.
I exchange the empty, bum tank for a full one at a cost of $18.99.
I know, I know, but whatcha’ gonna’ do? I hate seeing my pretty white tank being exchanged for a dull grey one. On the other hand, that’s a problem solved!
I also buy a box of Bounce fabric softener sheets.
Yesterday, when Dave lifted up the cushion to get at the converter box, lo and behold… Mold and Mildew!! Ewww!! It must have grown overnight because I had just cleaned! Dave advised me to use fabric softener sheets to absorb the odor. Embarrassing. . . .
When I return to the PTV I notice my phone squawking. Hmm . . . a message from Chris at Dave’s RV to return her call.
I hate making phone calls and I’m already in town so . . .
I pull into Dave’s RV and this time I leave the crew in the PTV. Needless to say, if you see the photo below, they are NOT happy with the arrangement.
Inside the office Chris greets me with a smile.
Then she gives me the bad news.
“Your part didn’t come in. I called about it and found out that instead of shipping it to Dave’s RV Service in Madras, it was shipped to Dave’s RV Service in Sweet Home.”
(Sweet Home is a town in Oregon on the other side of the Cascades.)
“They must have new help or something,” she continues. “We never have a problem like this with them.” Well, that’s because I’ve never been here before . . .
I leave with another 2 o’clock appointment for tomorrow.
Oh well, what’s another day when you live the good life.
Thursday, July 16
The part came in. Dave installs it. We’re good to go!
Oh, and my house battery is still holding its charge!
The bill?
The labor rate at Dave’s RV is $90 per hour. Here’s the breakdown on the bill: $45 for diagnostics, $261 for the converter, $90 for installation, which totals $396 (no sales tax in Oregon).
Relieved the work is done, I put my credit card back in my wallet, say thank you and goodbye, and away we go.
On the way through Madras I stop at Safeway.
The parking lot is crowded.
“Ouch! That’s close!”
I run in and pick up some General Tso chicken and chow mein noodles for my supper.
Back at the campground . . . .
Oh boy, now I can plug in my brand new inverter in the BLT’s 12-volt socket and blog away!
I stick the cigarette-lighter-type plug thingy into the socket and . . . .
NOTHING!
Aaaarrrgghhh!!! Wait a minute . . . What is going on here?
Then I do what I should’ve done several days ago. I take my old inverter out to the PTV and plug it in and it works. It didn’t die, after all! I also check the new inverter and it’s fine, too.
Too late to call Dave’s. Tomorrow is another day . . .
Friday, July 17
I don’t bother to call. I just go over to Dave’s early in the morning, the PTV towing the BLT. Fortunately Dave is there and he’s as surprised as I am that I’m not getting power out of the 12-volt sockets.
“I realize you have people coming in with appointments. Whenever you can take a look at it . . . .”
Soon Dave and I are in the BLT and he’s telling me, “Both your 12-volt outlets need to be replaced.”
We go into the office for Chris to place the order.
Sometime during this marathon-of-repairs week I mentioned that I don’t like not being able to see how my house battery is charging. I can read the meter in the PTV for the two AGM storage batteries which is nice. I’m in the dark about the house battery.
Dave suggested I get an item that I can put into the 12-volt socket that will tell me how much voltage is going to the socket.
Oh wow! I never knew such an item existed! I have Chris order me one while she’s ordering the two sockets. Chris says my parts won’t come in until Monday and it might be late Monday, plus Monday is tight with appointments.
“Tuesday will be fine,” I say.
Buckwheat, the official shop dog of Dave’s RV
Chris sets me up with a 9:30 a.m. appointment.
“By the way,” I begin as Chris puts down the phone and Buckwheat wanders into the office.
“I hate to tell ya’ this but your dog is u. g. l. y.”
Chris laughs.
“What?” says Dave, leaning against the door frame. “What did she say?”
“She said your dog is ugly,” Chris repeats, laughing.
Dave looks at me, shocked.
“Hey, Dave, I’m speaking honestly here.”
Dave defends Buckwheat. “People come over to see him when he’s sitting in the truck saying what a great dog he is, what kind is he, and all that! He’s NOT ugly!”
“Okay, okay. He’s handsome. So much for speaking honestly. Let’s just say he registers a FAT ZERO on the Cuteness Meter.”
Not cute.
“At least he looks like a dog!” Dave adds. I refuse to acknowledge the reference.
Kidding subsides and I leave.
“Have a good weekend!”
Tuesday, July 21
You’re still here reading! Gee, I should think you’d gone for food and water by this point. Anyway . . . .
Well, the parts didn’t go to Sweet Home! Dave installs the outlets and I get to try my new toy!
I love it! Besides a digital read-out, it has three colored lights that glow in the dark.
Additional bill?
12-volt wall plate power, $39.39, 12-volt receptacle, $6.89, one hour installation labor, $90, and my cute voltage meter, $21.39 for another total of $112.67.
Altogether the repairs total $487.28 plus the digital voltmeter, making a grand total of $508.67.
What caused this to happen?
It wasn’t the shady Pacific Northwest. It wasn’t the fault of the Optima AGM battery. It was human error! ME! At least I think so. I remember one day I forgot to plug in the PTV to the BLT and then I turned on the fan, the inverter, the laptop, the jetpack, flushed the toilet, turned on the faucet. . . . and proceeded to drain the house battery and then the converter converted for the last time.
At last, we’re done! We can go home and not come back to Dave’s RV Service and Repair!
Cute.
rvsue
NOTE: If you’re ever in the Madras area and have a problem with your RV or it’s time for your RV to have a check-up, I highly recommend Dave’s RV Service and Repair. While there, give a hug to their handsome shop dog, Buckwheat!
THANKS, RVSUE SHOPPERS!
I appreciate your Amazon orders! Here’s a sample of items recently purchased by readers:
Red She-Hulk Figure
Ultra Light Hammock
1100 Watt 12V Power Inverter
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KEEN Women’s Targhee II Waterproof Hiking Boot
Yellow Gold Champagne and White Diamond Earrings
Aw, Buckwheat. Everyone is beautiful in their own way
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Well! That’s quite a little odyssey. I’m glad you got everything on track and got that happy picture of Reggie. I like the way Buckwheat looks. Very wolf-like.
Oh, I was just teasing about Buckwheat. CONGRATULATIONS, Calvin! You’re first!
Buckwheat is such an interesting looking pooch! I am so glad to hear your repair wasn’t as expensive as I had speculated – and since I am still looking at getting a Casita soon I really appreciate hearing the details on such maintenance and repair sagas.
Enjoy your day!
Hi, Molly,
I do believe we would’ve continued to roll along with no problems if it weren’t for me being forgetful. The solar/battery set-up I have works great and, of course, I love the BLT.
Casitas are great! I’m sure you’ll be happy with one.
Thanks! Oh and hey, what about your refrigerator? Was anything wrong or was it just the converter issue throughout?
Refrigerator is fine. All it needed was power to the electronic control panel.
Great story with a little something for everyone -shopping, food, cute dogs, tough/wolf like dogs, electronics, techie stuff, RV parking bloopers…
You please us all Sue!
Thanks, Tara,
I’m happy if everyone is pleased. Whew! This was a marathon post to write.
Wow notice came in but won’t come up on laptop. So on the tablet… 4 days and counting., hitting the road Monday. And what a time you have had. So glad all is better. Happy travels.
Hi, Carlene,
Are your two devices synced? The problem must be on your end, not here…
Only 4 more days! Good for you! Nothing quite like anticipating the freedom of the road . . . .
Also getting solar on my dodge caravan over the weekend, my sons are electricians that will do the work. Everything going on will be able to be transferred to the class c when I find one, not rushing into a purchase. Hitting the road with a tent that extends off the back side of the van which allows the back door to be open, inspector gadget extendo room….LOL!
So glad everything worked out for you and I learn from everyone everyday. Happy Travels!
Will you have a toad behind your Class C?
Yes, my sons are watching for a samurai or possible 2 wheel drive mini pickup w/ campershell. nothing firm yet. I’ve also thought of a scooter on a rack on the back. Been researching all this seriously for 23 month (or longer) and still no firm decision other than drive. Time will tell.
Keep up the great blog, you help out a lot of folks. Thanks.
Terrific tale Sue! Resilience extreme! We all have been waiting to hear the reason & resolution.
Thanks, Chey. I’m very glad the repairs are done. Thank heavens we had this beautiful campground to return to every day.
Buckwheat probably has a great personality! Grin! Glad to know you are all fixed up and ready to go exploring again! Chuck and I have one of those house battery checker thingees exactly like yours! Works great! Loved that last Reggie picture! He’s like Radar, just seeing him, you gotta smile!
Oh! Am I #1 this time?
Dang, when I started writing I was the only one! Shucks, that’s what being a hunt and peck one fingered typist does, puts me way on down the list! Grin!
You’re right! I always smile looking at Radar. What a face!
WHAT???? Doogie Bowser is chopped liver????? Cheeesh. We showed you the plugin 12v moniter in Bluff……how soon they forget! Glad you’re rolling again!!!!
Are you sure you showed the plugin to ME? I don’t remember that at all.
You probably don’t remember because at the time you didn’t need it! Grin!
Geri, at my high school, back in the day, great personality=ugly. People person=stupid! Bullying is so bad these days, that these categories seem downright kind!
I agree, that is kinda what I meant! If he is that ugly, he must have a great personality!
Hi, Sue. Another wonderful post! You lighten my day, girl!
Hey, Buckwheat is a shop dog. He’s got work to do–day in and day out. Remember when you had to do that? LOL No wonder he doesn’t care what he looks like! HAHA
Bridget and Reggie reflect your lifestyle and philosophy: under pressure? No sweat. It will work out. In the meantime, we’ll smile and eat chicken!
Thanks for the interesting and fascinating post, Sue!
You’re welcome, Diann. Interesting, eh? Thanks for using that word. I wondered if it would become tedious, being so long…. Thanks to Buckwheat for giving us a break from repair talk.
Reminds me of those British WWII posters “Keep Calm and Carry On,” except yours needs to say “Keep Calm and Eat Chicken.”
I like that!
So glad you got everything working! Electrical systems are such a mystery to me.
Reggie is so cute looking out the window of the PTV!
Hi, Laurie,
Every time I leave a store and walk across the parking lot to the PTV, there’s Reggie at the window and I have to laugh.
Buckwheat is a tough looking dog-ruggedly handsome=hot ,in my book anyway 🙂 I read the post several times to get straight in my head what exactly got replaced and why as it will all come in handy someday.Thanks for the details .So essentially it cost you thirty some cents a day since you’ve traveled as life to not have to babysit your batteries,I’d be good with that.Nice that your beautiful campsite was always there to come back to after each trip to town.And now, everything working easily,yippee!Will you relax another day or so or move?
I was going to move camp today and then woke up this morning wanting to stay. We will reach the 14-day limit on Sunday and that’s when we will go to our next camp, wherever that is.
Yeah, Buckwheat has “rugged good looks” in a tough-dog way. 🙂
Good for you!Though I made light of it in my comment,having broken equipment is very inconvenient.An extra couple days there without necessary trips ,to do as you please,will probably not only bring welcome pleasure-it may allow life to feel normal again.I know when an obstruction in my life is removed I have a deep sense of relief just to be free to function in ordinary ways.I hope you thoroughly enjoy your remaining time there.
I am, weather…. mostly reading. I also realized there would probably be questions under this post and I want to have a good connection to read and reply.
Hi Sue,now it appears that you needed the good connection in order to read,guard and possibly have to edit/block/delete unsuitable replies on the post about Timber,an unenviable task to shoulder.I’m sorry ,of course,that it happened and sorry .as well,that you had to compose,post and now spend your time on here attending to that.You have been,and are,a good friend to Rusty and take seriously your responsibility for your blog and bloggorinos.Please take a bit of time to let the light side of life lift you today and going forward,too though.It’s not only OK to smile and feel carefree during sad/rough times,it’s an admirable part of our faith walk through and toward dreams.Light and hope win,let it touch and brighten you,have a sweet and good day!
Thank you for this message, weather. I’m doing fine. It has been almost a week since Rusty emailed me with his sad news, so I’m past the shock-and-cry stage.
As for the idiotic comments regarding my kidding Chris and Dave at the shop by people with no sense of humor or who lurk in the shadows waiting for a reason to pounce, they don’t bother me. I find it cathartic to compose a rebuff, almost to the point of enjoying it. Some folks love to stir up trouble or cause hurt; that is their level of awareness. They have this compulsion and they can’t get away with it in real life without bringing trouble into their own lives, so they sling mud on the internet. Bloggers are easy targets.
There is so much good in the world! The evidence of that appears every single day on this blog in the form of kindness. You are Exhibit A! 🙂
The crew and I continue to enjoy our stay at Haystack Reservoir. Sweet of you to send me a reminder to be carefree and to smile. Thanks again, weather. You have a wonderful day. 🙂
Wonderful reaction to my reply and to everything that’s going on,thank you for letting me know that you are taking it in stride and enjoying your time there with the crew 🙂 Here’s to the wonderful day we’ll both have!”See” you later on here,I’m off to take care of and enjoy life now.
And with a See You Later and a Yippee, away she goes to enjoy life! Haha!
As tomorrow is moving day and you may not have a connection at your new camp,I just wanted to pop in and wish you happy and successful home site hunting now.I hope ,of course,that you’ll be able to stay in touch,yet if that’s not possible may you enjoy all of your time to the hilt 🙂 I guess you realize no one wants to leave regular comments on Timber’s page ,so will at least post a couple of photos and lines as a new page for blogorinos to be on should your absence follow your move.I’ll see you and/or the rest of the gang there.
Yes, I do plan to put something up before hitting the road. I want there to be plenty of time for folks to see Timber’s page and express their sympathy to Rusty before returning to “our regularly scheduled programming.”
Thanks for the wish for finding our next camp. As of yet, I haven’t a clue! I hope whatever is in your life right now, that you are “happy and successful,” too.
Thoughtful of you to plan posts in that exact way for that reason.My happy success of late has been in finding RV’s I’m seriously considering.If things go as I expect I’ll have one quite soon or by early autumn.Lots involved ,of course,including excitement as well as other feelings.The troupe is doing well,as am I,life is good,God is great,all’s well in my world 🙂
I could tell you’ve been pre-occupied or something lately. What fun news! I’m glad all of you are well. Yes, He is Great. 🙂
Yes,my being preoccupied and seemingly withdrawn in that I haven’t shared much or deeply has been rather obvious on here ,at least to ones used to my normal ways of participation.You,I hope know that’s in order to do what I need to and not because I don’t enjoy you and the gang or blog.This little window of opportunity to reconnect a bit has been a delight for me.Now,likely there’ll be a stretch of time with less easy access to be on here for you again,I’m grateful for the treat that this has been.Until I have any big news I doubt I’ll mention it as things can change on a dime before it’s all settled.OK,back to the front page and our regularly scheduled programming 🙂
I’m anxiously awaiting that “moment of deep relief” when my home fridge is fixed! Leaking ice chests on the kitchen floor, bath towels piled up, plastic containers leaking no matter what I do. Tossing out good food. Augghhhhh! RVSue is taking it much better than I am, dogs and all!
I had no idea before the fridge went out what a pain it is to rely on an ice chest. You have my sympathies, Gayle. I only had to put up with it for a few days and I, too, had water on the floor, stepping on towels,.blah, blah.
I suggested to Sue in a previous post, if you add some dry ice to the regular ice, it will last a whole lot longer and since it lasts long, it will melt a lot slower, eliminating leaking ! Just remember to put the dry ice on the bottom of the cooler! Most grocery stores sell it!
Inverters, converters, di-verters …..confusing to me! By the way, Bounce dryer sheets are good in campers to keep bugs and mice away, also! Hope it’s cool there….100 degrees here today!
Hey, great tip, Penny. Thank you. I don’t care that I don’t understand all this electrical stuff. I’m beyond the point of wanting to learn it. So there. 🙂
Ha! Kind of like a computer…don’t care how it works, just want it to when I need it!
Buckwheat is now famous! I like him!
The keen hiking boots are mine-getting ready for a trip thru NM to the Canyon de Chey to visit my sister who lives on the rez right now, and then to Chaco canyon for some tent camping (which we haven’t done in fifteen years) and then on down thru NM back to TX. The boots are VERY comfortable. Also love your post, as usual.
You’re the KEEN girl! Those are some nice boots! Thanks for ordering them here. I’m pleased that they fit well and that you have wonderful plans to use them. I wish you and your sister a fantastic time together.
Terri, you will love Canyon De Chelly, we have been there several times and it never gets old! One suggestion, stay in the campground up front, I think it is called Cottonwood Campground. There you will find green grass, huge cottonwood trees for shade and good restrooms. The campground towards the back is a nightmare of twisted, unmarked dirt roads, dust blowing all the time and just plain unacceptable in my opinion! Don’t miss Spider Rock, beautiful!
Thank you for the extra long post!! This could have been a 2-part-er for sure, but I don’t think any of us could have handled the anticipation any longer! 🙂
I cracked up reading “Not cute” under the pic of Buckwheat, then as soon as I saw the one of Reggie, I was thinking it before I read it….”CUTE”!!! So funny!! Does he ever try to jump out the window? I always see his little paw-paws hanging there and wondered if he would dare try it? 🙂
So glad this all worked out for you, and that bill total is nothing of what I was expecting, and you even got some extras! Nice! Glad you are back in working order again! Happy travels!
Hi, Marla,
Under normal circumstances this post would’ve been a two-parter. It was time to get the blog caught up and end the hanging off a cliff. 🙂
Reggie doesn’t consider jumping out the window. He knows he’s not supposed to and it’s too far down for him. At camp I’ve hooked the tether on him while he stands on the passenger seat and even though he wants to jump down, he won’t. He waits for me to set him down. Of course, when the PTV is in motion the windows are partially closed, just to be safe.
Would they let you stay longer if you asked nicely?
I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to put Bob in the position of having to say no, since he answers to a “boss” which is the concessionaire company. If it were the off-season and very few campers were coming here, maybe it would be okay. I’ve had camp hosts tell me that. I wouldn’t like asking though.
Fourteen days is enough. I don’t want to stay until I’m tired of the place anyway. 🙂
Buckwheat is a Blue Heeler aka Australian Cattle Dog, probably brought in to help herd sheep and cattle in the area. Great, smart dogs! http://www.dogster.com/bolz/dog-photos-blue-heeler-australian-cattle-dog
Thanks, Liz. I don’t know much about those breeds, but I do see the cattle dog in Buckwheat. Thanks for the link. I take a look at it later today…
I had a cattle dog I knew Buckwheat had a good bit in him…our Dixie Dog was the smartest dog I’ve ever been around…she past in 2010. Glad you got ALL your electrical fixed up and you found out the cause too…I just finally had a tune up after 3 weeks trying to get it…hope it fixes the engine lull I been having.
Ha! I knew it 🙂 I know nothing about the kind of dog Buckwheat is but he LOOKED like he should have a Cowboy standing close by! Buckwheat has that
man’s-man kind of look about him, rugged and all. I think he’s handsome…in a *John Wayne* kinda way (grins now).
Note to Sue: Call Dave and tell him his dog looks like John Wayne! Be sure to hold the phone away from your ear, he will have a *belly-roar* at that one, too funny!
At last we find out the end of this saga. So glad you are in a beautiful place and once again find good honest people to help you out. Buckwheat has eyes that the color just pops at you. They look strange with that color of coat. What kind of dog did they say he was? Reggie and Bridget are glad that this is over with too I bet.
We are having a lot of rain and storms today. It has stopped raining and now it has turned into a sauna. Wish I was out your way somewhere, because even if the day is hot the nights cool down nicely. Our nights stay just as hot and humid. So glad to hear from you and stay safe
I know exactly what you mean about cool nights. Often I’ve been thankful for the sudden change from a hot day to a cool evening, starting around sunset.
Re: Buckwheat . . . See Liz’s comment above and the link.
Hello Sue, I think you have a electrical problem. The converter in a RV changes 110 shore power to 12 volt to run your water pump, lights, fans, and usually light your fridge and hot water heater and furnace. That works like this….. everything runs off the house battery and at the same time the 110 shore power goes into the converter and charges the 12 volt battery. OK that’s understood right?
Well then when you are boondocking without shore 110 volt power you run off the solar system and it’s battery bank which is charged by your solar charge controller. This is also hooked up to your inverter which takes 12 volt from the solar battery bank and changes it to 110 volt.
Now the problem here occurs when you hook the camper to the inverter when boondocking in order to have 110 volt in the camper.
If I understand your system correctly you are inverting 12 volt from the solar battery bank using the inverter to 110 volt to power the campers “converter” which then converts the 110 to 12 volt to charge the house battery. Do you see where this is a vicious circle?? The inefficiencies of all this is wasting a pile of electricity.
Your converter needs to be out of the cycle when you are boondocking. Just turn it off and let the inverter supply the 110 volt you need. Instead of using the converter to charge the battery you should put in a switch that will allow the solar system to charge the house battery instead of the battery bank in the van. When boondocking you turn the converter off. This will be very easy Amazon sells these switches. Most folks use them for boats. It has 4 positions, one for each battery system and another setting for combining both and of course off. Just run a wire from it to your house battery and switch it when it needs charging and then when it’s full switch it back to the solar bank. A converter is not very strong and will take forever to charge the house battery plus….
A converter never fully charges and tops off a battery.
Susan and I have about the same watts and batteries that you have for solar. She dries her hair, we make drip coffee, I microwave my oatmeal every morning, we pop popcorn, microwave baked potatoes, watch TV with the signal booster, use the laptop, etc. We seldom fall below 12.4 volts unless it’s a cloudy day. We do need to conserve on cloudy and or rainy days. Of course you will need a 1500 watt inverter. Krieger has s great one for $119 right now on Amazon. I think these changes would bring you great rewards.
Bill n Sadie plus Mic
I think you overlooked one fact on Sue’s set up. There is no inverter involved from the van. The only inverter being used is inside the blt using the 12 sockets. Yes there’s an inverter in the van but it’s not used anymore. So coming off the two batteries is an extension cord that was made up with Anderson connectors and that is what is plugged in. That connects to the house battery.
I’m confused about how a bad converter shut all DC volts off and caused everything to quit working. I can understand a thermal breaker tripping and not resetting itself, but how that is the cause to stop all DC should not have been the case. Except for a connection point for the converter to charge house battery the rest of the converter is bypassed when not plugged in to shore power. Hate to say it Sue, but I think your technician was a parts changer and not a trouble shooter. Like how do two 12 volt sockets quit at the same time of the converter problem. I think you had a thermal breaker quit and it happened to be on the converter. Did you keep the old one to be checked later? I’m very happy all is well now, but as a “man” and technical person I do wonder. Great post Sue and crew.
Hey phone guy if Sue is running a power cord from the batteries in the van to the house battery then there is still a electrical problem. Nber one is she should be running some awesome heavy wire from the van batteries to the camper batteries. With that much distance running 12.8 volts you are gonna lose a bunch of amps! I use #2 AWG wire to concept my batteries and its only 2 feet long. Also the wire from the batteries to the inverter should be #2 AWG and the inverter should be as close, preferably 3 feet or less. Even a dinky little 400 watt inverter should be #8 AWG wire. I know this is a lot Sue but ideal would be you put two six volts wire together to make a 12 volt battery and have it in or on the Casita. You can get AGM maintenance free 6 volts and two of them would be 260 AH.
That’s more than your 3 batteries put together and you would always have everything in one spot. I have seen Casitas in Q with Batts in a welded on box on the rear bumper, you could bolt it. Also seen them on the hitch. The AGM can be mounted upright. Laying on their side, heck even upside down. That way all that’s coming from the van is the solar cables. While I was at it I would put the voltage controller in the camper too and that way you could see the amps generated by the controller and the state of charge volts left in your batteries.
I learned a lot stumbling thru Susans installation. Now I am putting a solar setup in my slide in camper.
We had Craig at Discount Solar in Quartzsite put ours in and it’s worth every penny. I am going to do my own. I think you have all the gear you just need to move things around a little. Then you could have drip coffee, microwave, TV, hair dryer etc. Maybe next time you are in Quartzsite you could stop in snd see the Folks at Discount Solar, they are all off grid boondockers. Estimate are free, tell them Bill the one legged cowboy sent ya!
Bill n Sadie plus Mic
Hi, Bill n Sadie and phoneguy1212,
Rather than me muddying the water here… I’m going to first see if Mick, my technical advisor, has anything to say in response to your comments. Gee, Sue, put the man on the spot. .. .
Ok, I can’t stay out of this… Most converters have a SCR across the 12V output to the house batteries… These are a clamp to short out the output side should the regulator transistors in the converter short out and put the converters full transformer output on the 12 volt circuits in the camper… This can be over 20 volts which will fry stuff rather quickly… The SCR is a safety device… With this SCR shorted out or clamped, it would run the house battery down almost immediately… I assume the PTV has some sort of a thermal fuse that put it off line.. So the correct repair would be to replace the converter… Now with that said, the converter can be repaired, if sent into the manufacturer but that would be beyond the local RV repair man’s scope… If there are further parts and pieces that need further attention, I’m certain they will show themselves in the next few days….
Is that an acronym for “Silicon Controlled Rectifier”? If so, I have to laugh, because in junior high shop we made an “evolving colors” light box that changed in time to music, and I remember it involved the very high-tech and exotic sounding “Silicon Controlled Rectifier.” I mean, we were styling! I still remember that all these years later 😀
Normally with Sue’s solar system all four batteries are hooked in parallel (+ to +, – to -) and they are charged by both the tow vehicle (PTV) engine alternator and the solar charge controller. These two charge sources play well together as witnessed by three years of operation.
When shore power is connected the connections to the tow vehicle should be disconnected, both the solar batteries extension and the trailer running lights connection. This will prevent the solar controller and the Castia charge controller from fighting with unknown results.
Sue does not need large wire connecting the PTV to the BLT because her current usage is very small and power loss is I²R. This would not be true if she was running a microwave, toaster or AC.
No Mivk is the man#! He knows solar anf eoll know ehats right out of all ee posted. He has helped me with communication problems a couple times!
Bill n Sadie plus Mic
Spellcheck…..
I enjoyed reading every word. And I especially appreciated “I hate talking in the phone.” Me too! I doubly hate getting calls. I’ll drop in to do business in person, email, text, even snail mail…but I hate talking on the phone:)
Hi, Pam N.,
With me I had jobs that required phone calling and receiving, all day long, day in and day out, for YEARS, to the point where I hate the phone. Voicemail, too. I only have a phone to make other people happy.
Buckwheat is a Australian Blue Heeler. Tough as hwang leather, quick as a cat, very territorial, descended from Australian dingos, Dalmations, and English Sheperds. They herd livestock, don’t bark hardly ever due to the dingo heritage, some yodel. Usually are either one man or one family dogs. Born snow white and get their color as the grow. Don’t know whether you have a blue or a red at first. They can ” live off the land”. I love them, used to raise them back in the day when I raised horses and trained them.
Bill n Sadie plus Mic
Very interesting, Bill. I did notice that Buckwheat is always quiet.
And I admit I included my joking around to spur interest by readers. I could tell Buckwheat isn’t your garden-variety mixed breed dog. I wasn’t surprised how proud Dave is of him!
All in all, the repair bill wasn’t too bad. So do you have two inverters now? So glad everything is fixed, now you can move around for the next 4-5 years and not have to worry about it. Glad all is repaired and mostly that you are back.
Love the pics of Bridget & Reggie, from sad to happy. Love Reggie’s smiling face. I agree Buckwheat is pretty low on the cute meter. Not like Bridget, Reggie and my Angel. She had me laughing so hard today. I had crated her while my husband and I went to get haircuts. When we pulled in the garage and were getting out, we heard her letting out happy yelps. When we got inside & I opened the door, she was jumping around like she was crazy then ran to my husband, jumped all over him, just back & forth and racing around the house like we had been gone for months in stead of 1 1/2 hours. Then she went to her bed & took a nap. She is hilarious!
Oh, Barbara, what fun! Your comment has me giggling with delight over your happy Angel. She loves her new home and she loves you!
The laughter from a dog’s antics will add time and value to your lives. I’m sure of it. I’m so glad you have her in your family. 🙂
Angel sounds like she is very well named. Couldn’t be happier for you Barbara.
HeHeHe, and your hubby didn’t know if he wanted a dog or not… Well, sounds like Angle is part Daddy’s Girl already 🙂 I, too, love it when my dog greets me with those Welcome Home yelps, and then the licks. Just says, “Mom’s home!”. My cats wait until I’m sitting down, then up they come 🙂 Lap Time and belly scratching time with the critters…
Oops, Miss Angel 🙂
Hi, Sue,
Thanks for sharing the problem and solution! I did not find your post long or tedious, just filled with lots of info. I did have a question…I did not realize that the toilet was powered in some way. I thought the flush mechanism was mechanical. Maybe I just figured it out…no 12v to work the water pump to fill will render it useless unless you manually use a bucket of water? I don’t even have an RV and am learning so much!
Enjoy the rest of your stay at this gorgeous campground! Glad that the repair is now in the rearview mirror and now you can focus on what adventures lie ahead. Sending you and the cute Crew hugs from me and my cute Gracie pup! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi, Denise and Gracie pup,
You got it… The toilet mechanism is manual (actually it’s a foot pedal), but the water pump takes care of the flushing part.
I’m glad you learn from my posts.
Oftentimes on boats there is a “manual” water pump that one operates with a foot (for the galley sink or etc.). I’ve always wondered….. “pedual”??
Hi Sue,
Glad to hear your electrical problems are behind you now. I’d be interested to know what brand converter Dave used to replace your bad one. Do you know if it was the original equipment brand Parallax/Magnetek or perhaps a Progressive Dynamics? I have a 2013 Liberty Deluxe and had to replace the original battery after 17 months after experiencing some electrical difficulties as well. Thanks so much.
You’re welcome, Jeannie,
The converter is a Progressive Dynamics. Gee, you had to replace your battery after 17 months? My battery from Casita was still going strong after two years of constant abuse by moi. Guess it was those “electrical difficulties” you mention.
Sue: Have you tried Damp Rid to control moisture levels in the BLT? We keep one in our RV when it’s in storage so we don’t get any mold/mildew. They have safety tops on them so they’re safe to use around “inquiring noses.” You can get it at Home Depot, Lowe’s, places like that. And of course, I’m sure you can get it on Amazon – lol !!
Hi, Cynthia,
No, I haven’t tried Damp Rid, primarily because I’ve never had a problem with mold or mildew. Thanks for mentioning it. I look into it.
It’s always such a relief when you find the best person to fix whatever you have broken. Your spot outside of Dave’s looks pretty nice! And last, but certainly not least, Bridget and Reggie giving you “The Stink Eye!” Can’t help it, made me laugh out loud. They sure told you what they were thinking. Glad you’re up and running.
Hi, Susan,
Once I do something nice for the crew — like let them play around in the grass at Dave’s RV — they’re mad at me if I don’t let them do it every single time. That’s not right!
Phew glad it all worked out. Repairs are expensive and a breaker for me. I never seem prepared. Course a CC works wonders til the bill arrives LOL.
What is a cc? A Coleman cooler?
I think she meant Credit Card.
Buckwheat looks like I feel–old and gray!
I do think he’s a mature dog.
Very cool. You helped me out. The hubs pick up gas a dead 12volt. It may be worth it to get it fixed!
Glad things are settled.
Hugs from the Puyallup River, going into my final week. Will head home for a few days tomorrow. Then Moosee will have some tweaking done and TBI Camp here I come. It’s been a long summer.
Barb
Hi, Barb,
I’m not sure i understand your first sentence. Safe travels tomorrow!
Oh my gosh.
SAC Stupid Auto Correct
It is supposed to read ‘ the hubs (husband) has a 12 volt in his truck which is dead’.
Excuse? Exhausted Barb on a phone and SAC ( Stupid Auto Correct )
Whew!
Sleepy hugs..
From somewhere
Barb
Quite a repair odyssey, but it’s all fixed now! Reggie can really put on the frowny, can’t he? So cute! Actually, Buckwheat is a handsome dog….just different from Bridget & Reggie. Happy trails!
I agree. It was fun teasing Dave. Chris got a kick out of it, too. 🙂
I must know this. Why does the toilet need power? If you wouldn’t mind discussing the plumbing….
The water pump needs to power the water to the toilet from the water supply. The toilet itself does not require power.
The water pump needs 12 volts to pump water into the toilet to flush. This normally happens when you step on the pedal. But… no 12 volts, no water pump, no “automatic” water/flush.
You can still “flush” by just pouring water into the toilet though.
Thank you for that! I had forgotten about the water pump part of it. We’re almost always on shore power, so we use the water pump infrequently.
Actually, it’s because we’re on city water that causes us to not use the water pump. I should think first, then comment.
Oh well, it looks like I said the same thing Sue did ten minutes after she did, duh! (Although that’s not how it looked on my screen.)
Well that’s quite a story. I think you were lucky, though, to be in a spot with such a good RV repair establishment. The best pictures were, of course, the dogs! Glad things are fixed and you can resume your previously scheduled adventuring!
Hi, Dawn,
Nothing like some “dog relief” when talking about dull topics like electricity, eh? I do hope this is the end of that sort of thing for a long while.
Sue,
I got all twisted up with your ,strong>converter and inverter talk. Perhaps I should have devoted more time to reading about Buckwheat?
Here’s your problem,” Dave states simply, holding up something electrical-looking. “Your converter is gone.”
OK, this converts 110v to 12 v when your plugged into shore power. You bought a new one and had it installed.
But, you go on to say:
I remember one day I forgot to plug in the PTV to the BLT and then I turned on the fan, the inverter, the laptop, the jetpack, flushed the toilet, turned on the faucet. . . . and proceeded to drain the house battery and then the converter converted for the last time.
Plugging the PTV to the BLT allows 12v power to flow from the PTV to the BLT – I thought. There is no converter involved ie no converting 110v shore power to 12v.
Then there is this where you say: Oh boy, now I can plug in my brand new converter in the BLT’s 12-volt socket and blog away! I stick the cigarette-lighter-type plug thingy into the socket and . . . .NOTHING!
You had the new converter ‘installed’ but you can plug it into the BLT’s 12v socket? This I do not understand at all!
Then you say: I take my old inverter out to the PTV and plug it in and it works. It didn’t die, after all! I also check the new inverter and it’s fine, too.
But the next day: Fortunately Dave is there and he’s as surprised as I am that I’m not getting power out of the 12-volt sockets.
You just said that that you had plugged the old/new inverters into the 12v sockets and they worked and then ‘he’s as surprised as I am” there is no power out of the 12v sockets. This I do not understand at all!
Reggie is cute Buckwheat is all dog!
If I don’t answer you soon, I won’t understand it either… Haha!
Okay, I get the words mixed up all the time. I made an error when I wrote “now I can plug in my brand new converter in the BLT’s 12-volt socket and blog away.” That should read inverter. I’ll change it.
Now about the old and new inverters working. When “I take my old inverter out to the PTV and plug it in and it works. It didn’t die, after all! I also check the new inverter and it’s fine, too.”, I’m using the power stored in the AGM batteries in the PTV.
When the inverters will not work in the 12 volt sockets in the BLT, I’m surprised because they should work off the power stored in the house battery. They don’t because the outlets in the BLT have gone bad. In fact, a piece of one of the outlets where contact is made had fallen out of it.
So to summarize and I hope to clarify…. You wrote “You just said that you had plugged the old/new inverters into the 12v sockets and they worked and then ‘he’s as surprised as I am” there is no power out of the 12v sockets.”
Maybe this is what is confusing… The 12-volt sockets that don’t work are in the BLT. The 12-volt sockets in the PTV work fine.
Does that help any? This topic makes me ill. Sorry for the confusion. Ain’t Buckwheat grand?
Yes, my error. I misread “I take my old inverter out to the PTV and plug it in and it works.
I’m slightly confused as to how your converter (which I believe is a 110 charger that operates on shore power…?) could have caused this.
On my rig, the original converter box includes a few things (brown metal box)
1) 100 charger, which charges the house bank when plugged into DC or when running generator.
2) Automatic transfer switch (chooses between generator and shore power)
3) AC breakers (shore power)
4) DC breakers (12 volt wiring).
Not that it matters to your daily joy, but I’d still love to understand this.
On that voltage meter that you plug in: It will always read a voltage, but I want to say that when the batteries are being charged or have recently been charged, it’s not that accurate. What you want to do is read “resting voltage.” A good time to do this is if you get up in the night, or early in the morning before the sun comes up and the panels start working.
Sorry, make that “110 charger” – don’t know where I got “100”
“when plugged into DC or when running generator.”
Should that not be “when plugged into AC or when running generator”?
yes, of course. Sheesh!
Hi, Pen,
I can’t explain what occurred. My understanding is the draining of the battery happened before the converter went kaput because I cut off its supply of power from the batteries/solar input in the PTV. I don’t have any way of knowing, of course.
Maybe better minds than mine can sort all this out. I believe I have #1 – #4 and I agree with Ed… I think you meant AC?
Yes, I did.
I guess I don’t completely understand how the converter (I wish they would just say “charger”) comes into play when you haven’t been plugged in at all. I mean, unless the DC fuse block “broke” somehow (but it’s mostly just a hunk of metal). That doesn’t mean its not possible, but just that I can’t work it out in my mind.
As others have alluded to above (and I mentioned a few days ago when you were gone), you might want to calculate (or, give me the figures and I’ll happily do it!) what sort of voltage drop you have on the connector wire from PTV to BLT. If the wire is too thin (or too long for it’s thickness is another way to say it) then you can be giving up power all the time.
Is the solar charge controller in the PTV? And then two of the house batteries, with a third house battery in the BLT? Does the solar charger charge all three as one “bank”? If so, you may have a lot of voltage drop. This could cause the charging to not work so well, which could kill the batteries. And it’d be a shame, because if that’s happening, then you HAVE the power but are then losing it, like filling up a 1 gallon bucket at a well but then it has a hole in it so after you lug it all the way home you only have half a gallon. Precious power!
I know you hate this stuff, so I’m sorry to mention it at all. On the other hand, since I (mostly) get it, why not help if possible? But I can also just butt out if you would prefer. No problem 🙂
I’m not going to attempt to explain it because I know when I’m in over my head. I’m sorry, Pen, I’m sure that is frustrating to hear!
I can say this… Regardless of the gauge of the wire or any other things that may seem “wrong” to people about the way my solar/battery system is set up… I’ve enjoyed years of good power without any problems and I’ve been very happy with it.
No worries, Sue. You are happy and up and running, so that’s the main thing.
I have to laugh at your last comment. You sound like you’re talking to someone with diminished mental capacity, which is appropriate, actually.
“As long as you’re happy, sweetie” . . . pat on head.
Well shoot, I didn’t mean it that way at all! Geez, foot in mouth :blush: Of course if you are laughing at it, perhaps you are not too offended.
Or you’re off your rocker now… 😉 😉
It struck me funny! Don’t worry. I don’t get offended when I perceive the person’s intentions are good, which yours have always been. 🙂
buckwheat looks like a cattle dog (imho: ugliest dogs around – except for those chinese crested dogs that always win the ‘ugly dog’ contests).
Personally, i have a sweet spot for greyhounds – sweetest (but dumbest) dogs I’ve ever met (or owned).
I remember a saying about horses “no good horse has a bad color” – no good dog is ugly to their people.
Glad you got all your electrical problems fixed!!! What a journey.
Hi Anne,
Greyhounds are very sweet. I wish they had a longer life span.
Buckwheat isn’t ugly. He’s actually quite distinctive. I was teasing. 🙂
Buckwheat is definitely cute to his loving owner. (I think he is cute too – there are no ugly dogs (or cats !) You may have been kidding, but many people are offended when someone says their beloved furry companion is ugly…..it is all in the eye (and the heart) of the beholder…..many of us humans could never be said to be “cute” either….
Hi, Gail,
Yes . . . Cute is in the eye of the beholder. If I had picked up any indication that Dave or Chris were the kind of folks who get offended over a little kidding, I wouldn’t have said a word about Buckwheat. No need to scold… It’s all in fun!
Ha, ha. So much fun. Glad you are up and running again. I’ll spare you my recent litany of electrical and fridge repairs. $$$. And I have only the crappy 1.9 cu ft fridge with no freezer. Now into the thousands for that.
On another note, I have, er had, the little volt meter. Doesn’t show you amps, but it’s something and you can also tell if your DC outlets are dead or not. However mine died after about a year. Need to get another. Maybe when I pick up my not so BLT from Centennial RV in Grand Junction tomorrow. They have been great, but 4 hours from here in Ridgway. Luckily I’ve had a place to stay for the past week while they worked on it. I love summer when every RV repair place is backed up at least three weeks! You done good!
Hi, Kerry,
Well, I have to give you credit… You started your comment with laughter. 🙂
I wouldn’t be surprised if my little digital toy died after a few months, so many digital things do. Since I don’t do anything involving electricity, all I need is something to indicate to me that all is not right with my house battery. If I had any indication, maybe I wouldn’t have sucked all the power out of the battery and ended up at Dave’s RV!
Oh, my, what a PITA for you. Yes, Dave said they would be swamped with customers in a few weeks. The place is already busy.
Thanks for telling me I “done good.”
I’m with ya on the electricity. About the only thing I use are lights one at a time (replaced with LEDs) and the water pump. After one of the factory warranty fridge services where they again found nothing wrong, I got talked into installing a cooling exhaust fan in the fridge vent ($200) and was guaranteed that it would not drain the battery. It instantly drained the battery so I had to buy a new battery ($265) and a solar suitcase ($130) to keep the battery charged to run the fan to cool the fridge that still didn’t work. Nice. Within days the fan failed, the fridge failed on ac, and a week later failed on propane as well. Now that is was finally all the way broke, I was hoping they’d give me a new one, but the folks at Centenial RV in Grand Junction found that the switch had failed (ac) and the propane pressure was double what it should be so that’s why I couldn’t get it lit. So this am it was finally nice an cold in there until I came home in the afternoon and the wind had blown it out and it was 80 degrees in the fridge. The fun with this fridge just never stops. Do you have a way to keep the wind from blowing your propane burner out?
Gosh, it’s amazing what bad service can cost… No, Kerry, I don’t have a way to keep the wind from blowing my propane burner out. It doesn’t happen. It sounds like the igniter needs to be adjusted. Mine was out of adjustment for a while and I could often hear clicking as the igniter worked to reignite the propane. One thing you can do that’s free… Open up the refrigerator compartment (outside your rig) and blow or brush out dust. Dust is the enemy of fridges. My fridge died once and when I cleaned out the dust, it worked again. Good luck.
Hi Sue,
Love that chair with the built in tray. Glad everything is back up and running.
Norman 🙂
Hi, Norman,
That chair is a good one. I bought it from a booth in Quartzsite and I’ve never seen a better one of that type, before or since. It’s made by EEZ RV. Cost a little over $50 if I remember correctly.
I am another one who is challenged in the workings of electrical parts! Gives me a headache because my brain gets scrambled ! I have zero mechanical and analytical reasoning. It is what it is. I’m screwed if anything happens to my husband. BTW Buckwheat is beautiful. Glad your rig is fixed.
Hi, Karen,
Without a husband you’d do what single people do with problems they don’t have the skill or ability to solve… hire somebody or find someone you know who will take care of it for free.
“Buckwheat is beautiful.” I think we have a fan club started . . . Haha!
another great post, Sue….
sounds like a lot of my luck that your having!
you cant be honest with dog owners….I had a lady
friend that has 2 pit bulls and I told her one day
that those dogs are killers and she hasnt spoken
to me since! HA! and I was only being honest….
chuck
Hi, Chuck,
I’m not going to touch the topic of pit bulls. I’m sure you can understand why. 🙂 Thanks re the post!
Ack! All this electrical talk just confuses me so much! I seriously look at this stuff and think I will never be able to live full-time in a RV–there is no way I could learn all this stuff. Back to school next week for teachers…
DeAnne,
On the one hand, unless you are driving from electrical hookup to electrical hookup, then there may be some learning curve (or at least things that would be good to know). Reason is that if you are boondocking at all, then you sort of “are your own power company” and you have to produce and manage your power. There is a bit of a learning curve (or a wallet curve, or a mixture of both).
On the other hand, you likely live in a house with many systems you don’t understand (or WANT to understand), so it’s not impossible.
I’m the type who likes to know for the most part, so for many things I’ll study my way up the learning curve. But then there are other things I have no interest in (such as computer stuff beyond what I need to know for the basics). So, we all have our things we just want to work (darnit!), and don’t want to know about!
I hope you do try full time RV-ing if that’s your goal. I bet you will surprise yourself 🙂
Don’t be bothered by all this stuff. We live with many things we are unable to fix… plumbing, electrical, heat pumps, air conditioners, computers, etc…. Heck, if we had to know how to fix everything we used, most of us would be living like we were in the 15th century. Even then I’d have trouble because I wouldn’t be able to bend metal to make a wheel or build a loom, let alone use one … Ha!
I don’t know how to repair or replace the transmission in my car and I use the dang thing with confidence. Same with RVs….
School in a week. Where did summer break go?
You said it exactly. (And ha ha on the wheel – cracked me up.)
I remember a blogger was criticized because he didn’t know how to fix all the systems on his RV. I gave that criticizer something to think about . . .
If we have to know everything about something in order to use it, how many of us could take a field of grain and end up with bread?
And I guess then if you are going to have a brain, you have to know how to do brain surgery. Umm, no.
I love a good analogy 😀
Thanks to both of you. I appreciate your help.
Boy, electrical is uber-confusing but it’s such good news that Dave–and you–got everything figured out. We just updated one of the S & b bathrooms & Jim says he’d rather work on electrical than plumbing ANY day!
Boy, wouldn’t you know you would get mold & mildew for the first time here in the Northwet. Even with the very dry summer we’re having you just can’t avoid it!
Buckwheat reminds me of the quote “still waters run deep”. Reg & Bridge look content & happy. Cute & smart…
Hi, Dawn,
You’re probably right. Buckwheat looks like he’s engaged in some serious contemplatin.’ 🙂
Wow!!!
I’m so glad you were able to get it all done …. Albeit in “stages”!!!
Glad you’re all back on the road & ready for new adventures!!!
Me, too, Lynn…. All that’s left to do is answer the questions on this blog!
Oh my! It would appear that little Reggie has learned the art of the stink eye from a true master. Well done, Miss Bridget you should be proud!
I know you were joking, but I too think that Buckwheat is beautiful. My last dog was Australian Cattle Dog / German Shepard. Smarter than 80% of the people I know and more loyal than any of them.
Regarding your electrical issues I have to pat myself on the back. It turned out JUST like I predicted last week. “The thingamajig somehow came in contact with the whatchamacallit and caused the whatthehellisdisthing to short out.” I know it seems obvious now, but let the record show it was I who diagnosed it first. 🙂
Now I’ll wait for the discussion above to play out and go back to see if I can learn something.
Oh and I just have to mention. “A lean, jeaned Dave steps out.”
GREAT LINE!!! Your story telling skills are improving every day.
Thank you.
That was a very evocative line. I could just picture it!
Hi, Rick,
I’m waiting for the discussion to play out, too. I don’t dare get into that.
Yes, you were the one who first figured out the problem, although the technical language you used to explain it was beyond my understanding!
I had a Queensland healer cattle dog named Spencer. You are correct…that breed is smarter than most folks.
She was a love!
Glad you are up and running again! A couple of months ago we bought the same battery tester that you got. When I test it from inside with it and compare it to a meter reading right at the batteries it is only .1 lower than at the batteries…the loss being the distance from the battery to the tester I think. Anyway, it could have been worse. –Dave
Hi, Dave,
I wondered about that. I’m happy to have something telling me when I’m drawing the battery’s charge too low. If I’d had it before, I wouldn’t have been so hard on my house battery. It would have alerted me to check to see if I remembered to plug in the cord from the PTV.
Yes, it could’ve been worse. I don’t feel badly about it. Stuff is gonna’ happen . . .
Gotta stick my nose in here in an effort to be your electrical situation to death. Please forgive me if you already know this stuff. I went back and re-read your posts to the point that you first detected that things were amiss. You listed certain items that were not working. ALL of what you listed were 12-volt (DC). This would suggest a dead battery, which you found out ultimately. However, the only dead battery was the “coach” (Casita) battery. From what I can glean, you have 4 batteries: 1 under the hood of the van, 2 in the battery box, and 1 in the Casita.
You are a boondocker. That means you seldom “plug in” to shore power. The converter is only used when plugged in to shore power, or when using a generator in which your shore power cord is connected to it. No other time. During this saga, you plugged into shore power at Grass Valley RV Park. However, this was after discovering that you had no 12-volt power. This MAY be consistent with a “bum” converter, meaning that while you were plugged in at Grass Valley, the converter did not charge the Casita battery. This may be a bad converter OR the battery was so discharged that it did not receive enough charge while plugged in at Grass Valley.
I know your solar is on the roof of the van. And, I presume that AT LEAST it replenishes the two AGM (Optima) batteries located in the battery box. However, it SHOULD also be set up to recharge the Casita battery. The fact that your Casita battery turned out to be good and capable of holding a charge, tells me two things. One, something is draining it, which could be normal usage and, two, this battery is not getting recharged.
Remember, the CONVERTER only runs and charges when plugged in to shore power. Since you have a long history of NOT being plugged in, AND you also have had a trouble-free history of the Casita battery being charged up all the time, this tells me that there is a draw on the battery AND the battery is not being replenished. If you are not plugged in, the battery HAS to get recharged from either the van’s alternator or from solar…or both.
Your converter may or may NOT have gone bad. But it would have on been “on” when plugged in. If you were not plugged in, it should not be a draw on the battery. Your use of 12-volt “things” WOULD be a draw. So, why isn’t the Casita battery getting recharged by a means other than plugging in? THAT is the real question. I think it is solar or solar connection related. Is there a fuse/circuit breaker in the line/cable between the charge controller and Casita battery?
Great comment, Ed. You explain things very clearly and I’m amazed to think that I actually understand what you’re saying.
You mentioned that my system should be set up not only for the solar to charge the PTV batteries but also to charge the BLT batteries. It is, when I remember to plug the PTV and BLT together. 🙂 All four batteries are connected.
“So, why isn’t the Casita battery getting recharged by a means other than plugging in (to shore power)?” Answer: Because I didn’t remember to plug in the cord between the PTV and BLT so the house battery charge could equalize with the PTV’s batteries.
The “draw on the battery and the battery is not being replenished” is me using power from the house battery without it being replenished by the batteries in the PTV . . . .
I’m quite sure the answer to your last question is yes.
I think Sue probably is tired of us “beating it to death” (sorry Sue!), but I am thinking along your lines. Why would the converter (110 charger) be involved with a failure that occurs after extensive boondocking and no plugging in?
I make this comment not to “bug” you any more, Sue; but more in the spirit of noodling with another blogorino. I hope that’s okay?
Sure, it’s okay! Your question at the end of your first paragraph makes a load of sense. I screwed up.
I think I made two errors.
1) When returning to camp, I forgot to plug in the PTV to the BLT, leaving the house battery to drain dead as I used power.
2) When hooking up to shore power, I didn’t unplug the PTV from the BLT. I kept both the solar system cord and the trailer brake lights cord plugged in, which, if I understand it, made the converter mad so it went on strike which really pissed off the batteries who refused to pay their union dues and when the media got a hold of it, well, all hell broke loose and there I sit with no power. Something like that.
I’m going to bed. Have a good night! Love ya’, Pen!
The getting mad, going on strike, getting pissed off, and all hell breaking loose is the only part of this gargantuan electrical discussion I understand. I got a headache trying to understand all the detailed comments. It’s all I can do to put a bulb in a socket correctly!!
🙂
Well, Sue…good you seem to have that problem figured out…no doubt you will be more careful after this…most of us learn from experience…heh, and we all have stuff happen…I think you are smart to have been able to keep things going so far really!!
As to Buckwheat…ah, I so love Blue Heelers…my favorite dogs…but some of them do not get perfect markings. I would like his looks more if he has black around both eyes. He does have a much better coat than most…looks quite a bit like our first one when I was 17…she had that silver looking hair all over evenly. And very thick…looked more like a wolf. It is hard to beat their intelligence and loyalty. Oh and how many dogs can you leave food in front of…your food on a plate that is, and they not touch it?? Ours were like that…we could get up to answer the phone or door…completely leave the room and no matter how much they loved what we had…nope, never touched it!! I LIKE that kind of dog!! 🙂
Hope that is the end of the troubles with the BLT!!!
Hi, Elizabeth,
Your comment brought back a funny memory of Spike. I stepped outside the BLT for a minute, leaving chicken on the kitchen counter. When I came back inside, Spike was on the bed which put his chin level with the countertop. He was slowly opening his jaws to grab the chicken… slowly because he was torn between being a good guy and getting some of that chicken. The expression on his face when I walked in and caught him with jaws open was priceless. He froze. His eyes said, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I couldn’t help myself!”
I’ve learned a lot about Blue Heelers with this post. I didn’t realize how popular they are and well loved. “intelligence and loyalty”…. Great combination!
Wishing you and your husband a wonderful day.
Glad it brought back a funny memory of Spike…sounds like he was pretty reliable too. You mentioned elsewhere that these cattle dogs are not very sociable…and it is true. Our last one however had that 1/8th Border Collie and she was social moreso. One trait the blue heelers tend to have however, is extreme loyalty to one person for sure, and an acceptance of other family members and maybe the close friends who often drop in…but not a lot else. Our last one loved to jump up and look people in the eyes…and that left most not knowing what to do and sometimes feeling fearful…as most dogs do not like you to look into their eyes. She was trying to figure out what each person wanted, with her jumping up that way. She never bit anyone…but the jumping could be intimidating. She was way more clownish too than the 100% blue heelers we had too…
Hope you are having a good day too…tis cool and rainy here today…and I need to bake today…nice of the weather to cooperate!!
Thanks for the giggle, Sue! Spike could be crafty at times, eh? 🙂
It was like he had an addiction to sneakiness, while all the time wanting to be a good boy.
OMG! Converters, Inverters, Amps, volts, AWG, I am getting a headache. I think Buckwheat is a cute ole fella, but no other doggie can match little Reggie. I love how Bridget has adopted the frisky little pooch….Glad you are all setup again Missy. Keep those wheels a rollin……
Hi, Jim,
How’s it goin’ in Arizona these days? Are you having a normal amount of rain for this time of year? I want those lakes and reservoirs filled up by the time we return! 🙂
Haystack Reservoir has been shrinking the past few days. Now there’s a 30 foot beach where none was before. Mosquitoes come around at dusk. I don’t know if the low level reservoir (and the pools and shallows it left as it shrunk) is related to the skeeters. They don’t bother us because when one shows up, we go inside and stay inside.
Almost no rain here in the valley but the high country has had flooding. I have lived in Arizona for almost 10 years but never had a mosquito bite. Too dry around here I guess unless you are right by a body of water. 96.8 right now with high thin clouds.
Still too hot for you guys but it won’t be too long till we’ll have the best weather of all….Have fun Missy and crew too…
Arizona has a lot going for it!
I think buckwheat is a debonair handsome old guy, could just imagine cuddling him on a cold winter evening with that lovely coat he has. Of course Reggie is the cutest sexiest man on the block:)
Hi, shelley,
Good point about Buckwheat. He would be a bundle of warmth on a cold winter’s night. . . “debonair”… That’s a word one doesn’t hear that often. Are there any debonair men left? 🙂
Excuse me Madam, but all you have to do is look around. There are lots of us here. 🙂
I stand corrected! Except for one thing — The male debonair is exceedingly rare… 🙂
Well I thank God for all the people that figure all that stuff out. Too much for my brain. You have received a lot of responses to your problem not sure if this was included. For dampness Damp Rid does work (saw that response) you also can use charcoal. If it’s a small area if you can get some silica packages that would help. If you do get mold growing Hydrogen peroxide will clean it. Spray on and leave for like 10 min or so and it should be gone. Love the posts. Learning alot and getting ready to go, soon I hope. The pictures are beautiful !!
Hi, Alice,
Hydrogen pyroxide! That is something I have already… After I cleaned the under side of the cushion, which is vinyl, I put the cushion outside in the sun for a few hours. That was a couple days ago. No sign of mold/mildew since then. Thanks for the tip.
I hope you are on the road soon!
Thank you Sue, for this very informative post, and to all the people who knew about electronics to put in their comments. This might need to be earmarked or whatever for future reference as a very valuable source of info. To me, anyone who understands this conversion/inversion/battery/charger thing is a genius.
Buckwheat is what I call a DAWG as opposed to a dog. He’s the perfect guy to have around to guard the property and just give a strong impression in general. I’ve always had protective, rather solemn DAWGS and I’ve never had a little yipper nor lap cuddler. The older I get, the more I can see a small dog that I can pick up if need be.
I’m the same way, Nancy. I never thought I’d care for a small dog. How wrong I was! 🙂
Sorry for the lateness of my reply… Somehow I missed your comment earlier.
Well you sure know how to get to Dave’s repair shop! Glad they were so great to work with and that naturally everything got solved in its own time. I’ve not known Blue Healers to be very social, usually they’re all about the work, so Buckwheat is an interesting choice for a shop dog. Of course he may understand that’s his job and takes it seriously, they’re pretty smart! Love the “look” you’re getting from the crew – no question at all what they’re thinking.
Hi, Jodee,
Now that you mention it, Buckwheat wasn’t very interested in hanging around me or any of the other customers, not like, say, a lab would be.
Enjoy Hoodsport…. safe travels getting there!
I have that same problem with being early. I thought it might become less now that I am retired but that doesn’t seem to be happening. So, like you I try to use it to my advantage…make other stops, etc… And then I’m still early. 🙂
The electrical stuff, oh my gosh. I’m so glad you posted about it but Badger Ricks early assessment about the thingamajig and the whatchamacallit with the whatthehellisdis was clearer to me than all the rest of these explanations because that is the same way I would state it!
Hi, Micky,
There are people who are naturally early and there are people who are naturally late. Kind of like morning people and “night owls.” I’m such an early person that when I forget about having to be somewhere and then I remember and I’m going to be late, I still end up being early! I don’t know how that can happen. It’s like a time inversion or something! Sheesh. I’ve spent more time waiting for things to start, other people to show up, etc. What’s their secret?
You have a lovely day, Micky…. Oh, the Alsea River! That’s where we were! So pretty there…
Why I do think….Reg man is giving you the ole stink eye! Hah. What a funny photo!
Wow! Glad you got the problem fixed. Glad you also discovered the mold/mildew! Flip up your cushions during the day.
Buckwheat is a cutie….blue Merle cattle dog.
BIG smile on Reg man’s face says it all!
Hi, Cinandjules,
Good advice about flipping up the cushions during the day. Now to get the crew off the cushions . . ..
PS: good grief….ya think the trailer was just a bit close? Rear wheel cheat….very inconsiderate being that the owner of the Flair has NO access to get back into his rig!
I’d have lost my cool on that one!
Amazon.com is our friend on a rainy day.
Aero pak mat
48 cans of Hawaiian Sun Pineapple Orange drink….a must try for those who want a treat! (I used to bring this back in a suitcase from CA. ) $15 a case..and $70 for shipping…sale now is free shipping. Oh boy!
Lexol leather cleaning kit
Hey, thanks a lot! 🙂
I’m glad you found that special drink you like… and with free shipping. The Aero pak mat sounds interesting. I’ll have to find that in the orders and check it out.
We bought the aero pak mat last year also. It is so comfy, easy to blow up with the pump aka container it’s packed in. Doesn’t lose air….but stretches and conforms to your body. Very thick…dog paw friendly!
Jules has monopolized the one we have…so I gave up and ordered another one.
I remember it now. Here’s a link for anyone interested: Aerobed Pakmat Airbed and Pump
Well this discussion provoked a lively bedtime discussion betwixt me and my spouse last night! He knows lots about electronics and so I learned a thing or two! He hadn’t even read your post yet! And Sue, Buckwheat didn’t hang around you cause you said he was ugly! Ha!! 🙂 I am a big dog person myself so think he is lovely and love the wolfish look. How I got stuck with a 22 pound corgi/german shepherd cross is beyond me!! Oh yeah, he was abandoned on one of our county roads and our county has no pound or shelters. Very primitive. Anyway, if your camp is being descended upon by mosquitos I guess you are better off leaving! Happy Trails to you!
Hi, Terri,
How good of you to take in a dog someone thought was disposable. Yes, the mosquitoes are here! We can make it ’til we leave Sunday morning.
Sometimes I wonder what conversations occur because of something in my blog.
Love Reggie’s ready smile. Even Miss Grumpy can work up a smile when chicken is on the menu, I see. 😛
With our 640 watts of solar on the rooftop of our motor home I have turned off the “converter” over the last three months and let the panels and the Midnite Solar Classic 150 – and the two 8D batteries – take care of what little we have going on while the rig is parked behind the shop.
One of the reasons I have the shop is that repairs and maintenance cost so much more on the road than when you’re “at home”. But when there is no “at home” the issue becomes moot. On the road is all you’ve got along with whatever guesses the RV repair guy can make. Some are good and some not so much. No way to know for sure in advance.
We’re moving to Lithium batteries (LiFePo or equivalent) in two years when my Sue retires (finally). With any luck at all they’ll be a lot cheaper than they are now. Elon Musk is bound to shake up the industry. Right now our RVing is spring/fall and one winter trip south. Summer camping I prefer a tent, actually. And a lot of kids around riding bikes and swimming in the lake til dinner and then an early bedtime. 😛
I think you’re right to leave it all alone and the way Mick set it up. Something weird happened to cause the converter/charger to go toes-up but since it all worked for years then it’s not worth messing with (unless you go to LiFePo batteries in which case you’ll probably need new solar charge controller and converter/charger). I’m wondering what in the world caused those two cigarette-lighter sockets to go bad. I’ve never seen that before.
You’ve been parking too much in the shade lately, I think. Better to stay in the desert. (grin).
Glad you’re out of the woods, electricity wise.
WDR
Hi, WDR,
Interesting comment with lots of details. I’m not familiar with lithium batteries. Sounds like you have your RV well-equipped for power.
As for parking in the shade… I can’t blame the forest for our recent problem. The PTV hasn’t had much shade this summer. The 12-foot extension cord has helped a lot.
Yeah, it’s good to have this behind us. Whatever the problem was, I’m trusting it won’t come back soon! Nice hearing from you again. . .
Hi, Sue. Long time follower here. I need a new camera. I know you bought one that you really like, but I have no way to find where you talked about it. Help, please??
Have decided that buying a good camera makes better sense than upgrading my phone JUST for the better camera! Sure wish you had a “search” on the blog. Thanks!
Nan,
Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ70 16.1 MP Digital Camera
When no Search is available on a blog or web site go to google.com then type in the Search box ????:websiteaddress??
????=the search terms
??=.com, .net
Example: “new camera”:rvsueandcrew.net
Thanks, Ed, for jumping in here.
Another way is …
RVSue + new camera
Thank you! For info re search, also for camera info. This blog is the best for quick answers!
Hi, Nan… There is a search box at the bottom of the blog, buried in a lot of other stuff. It doesn’t always work well.
Thanks a bunch! Can’t believe such a quick response. Now I will look for a camera!
Hi Sue, I wish all of your posts were this long! I would read them all! I loved the picture where you have set up your salad and your chair at the car repair shop and Bridget and Reggie are on the grass. Miss Bridget is really checking out that salad, I suppose she knows there is chicken in it!
Thanks, Patricia, for the cheerful comment.
You counter-acted another comment from a person who has never appeared here before, but is quick to show up with criticism. Sheesh, some people have absolutely NO sense of humor! Anyway… Thanks again . . .
WHEW! Glad it’s all figured out and you are back on the road. Fewer bucks lining your wallet, but I bet the crew’s happy. And the Sue. Happy trails!
Thanks, Shawna! I miss having power more than I miss the money! 🙂
Sue, I know you must be grieving along with Rusty over the loss of Timber and it undoubtedly brought back the deep feelings of loss over losing Spike. I just wanted to say how sorry I am about Spike’s passing as well as Timber’s. We love our pets so much it and it is so painful to lose them. We move on in life but never ever forget.
I didn’t feel this note belonged on Rusty’s page so I hope you find it here.
Kitt
Thank you, Kitt. You’re kind to write that. 🙂
The picture of the two of them looking out the window is a riot! They look like cartoon characters. That one could be a poster with a funny caption. The imagination could go wild.
I’m just catching up after a couple of days and read the sad news about Timber in the next post. So glad they had the time together that they did. They really have an amazing story.
Buckwheat is worth ten grand on a cattle drive, I’ve been on two, and all the dogs are ugly. Just a whistle and a point, and the cows are back in place. I understand inverter, that’s what caused our fiver to burn, and our shop too! I will replace it with a Casita,easier for our Ram to pull. I didn’t try to give my condolences to Rusty, I couldn’t say anything,when you type with your thumb, it’s hard to express yourself. My daughter. Who heard Rusty’s story, cried too. Off the roaed dogs are the best dogs!
Hi, Jean,
I tried to fix all the mess made by auto-correct. I do that all the time with comments! A Casita will be a lot easier to park, and your Ram will pull it like it’s not even there!
addition;The Ozzies call it a 3dognite.Bill helped me understand why our fiver burned. the Fire Marshall said it was the INverter.we were plugged into shore power at the time. my girls are Aisyralian Shepherd,s. I think Bucky is handsome, but I’ve seen him work, pure quicksilver!!
I try to catch the ytos, Fail!
At the risk of being banned for bringing up the electrical subject again…
My camper converter failed a while back. I read somewhere that shore power at campgrounds can, on occasion, droop to low levels, or the outlet can be miswired. Also, a nearby lightning strike can surge the shore power and fry your camper circuits. So, I invested in a surge+power protector. I have an EMS-PT30C, which is one of many options.
Interesting possibility, Kitt. The pole had a crazy bunch of power boxes on it at the RV Park. I don’t know if that was the cause, of course.
You are not banned. 🙂
Poor ol’ Buckwheat! It’s crazy how expressive both your crew are; you can tell if they’re happy or unhappy just by looking at their eyes! I too am having battery problems and I hope mine is not permanently dead too; it’s an AGM that’s only 2 mos. old. I think I know what I did wrong, at least I hope it’s that because it’s an easy fix. Up til now the solar panel has been amazing! So sad to hear about Timber; how horrible for Rusty!! Thanks for letting us all know.
p.s I just HAD to look up the “Red She-Hulk Figure” that someone bought from Amazon. Had no idea Red She-Hulk even existed….and isn’t she a hottie!
I know! Does this mean little girls toss their Barbies and instead they dream of becoming Hulkish with a sunburn?
Gee, Janis… dead after only 2 months? Surely it’s under warranty if you can’t revive it. I’m glad you like your solar.
This my first time reading your blog n it’s great,love everything u do.My daughter wants us to do what u do.Any way yes Buckwheat is a different looking dog.I thought u would me paying a lot for your problem,but 500.00 not bad.
hi,roxann-Sue is currently out of internet range,so I thought I’d welcome you to the comments section of her blog in her absence 🙂 I’m glad you love what you’ve seen here and hope you will comment again soon.If you scroll to the top of this page and look on the right ,you’ll see a list of posts.The one at the top of the list is the newest one.If you click on it’s title you’ll find the new page where your comments are much likelier to be seen.Say hello to your daughter,she sounds like a person with good ideas,again,welcome to a nice place,weather
my mind works faster tha my thumb
. So here’s more. we bought the Ram for the fiver, so itulld it like nothing was thereThe other blog I enjoy is onelonelyfarmer, that guy can fix anything. And he’s easy on the eyes , on lean jeans and muscle shirt.Very entertaining, Not was good as Sue!