Category Archives: equipment_issues

Heading Home

While in California, I learned that my dead MacBook battery was going to be a $750 repair so I am limping home using just the cord, which is touchy. So blogging is slow since I can’t pull off the bird photos easily. (End of whine.)

I found some loose tubing hanging down and have determined it is a break in the propane vent line which has shut down the system. No big deal at the point and we will fix it at home.

However, we were hit with a “dust devil” while parked in New Mexico with the awning out. It came out of nowhere on a hot sunny afternoon and in seconds, nearly destroyed the awning. Neighbor campers helped Sally and I removed broken supports and manually retract it so that I could tie it up for the journey home. We were too concerned to get a “before” picture but here’s the wonderful trio that worked an hour or more to sort things out.

After stops at [Seminole Canyon SP](https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/seminole-canyon) and [Falcon Lake SP](http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/falcon), we are settled at [Goose Island State Park](http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/goose-island) in Texas, seeing some good birds including some early warblers.

The game plan is to stop in Louisiana next week and start swinging north with an ETA of the 11th or so. Starting to get itchy for the Green Mountain State.

All Cracked Up

We were heading west from Laredo on a rural highway with many trucks sharing the road. Sally was driving, doing about 75 which is the speed limit, and I was editing photos on my MacBook. The road was smooth and traffic moving nicely when, wham, there was an explosive noise in front of me and I was covered with tiny shards of glass. We had taken a hit, probably from a rock from a truck in the oncoming lane – but Sally thinks it was a small meteorite. In any case, she saw a dark image fly across just before the impact.

The result was dramatic, a bullseye hole in the windshield, up in the black radio antenna section, was visible with three cracks emanating from it. We pulled over, dusted off, and were back on our way.

The small hole and long crack are dramatic but seem stable. The crack has gone from five inches long to down the whole windshield.

I called my insurance company who took down the information and told me to contact them when I was ready to replace the windshield. (We are a long ways from shops where we can wait all day for work to be done.)

The bad news is that I have $500 deductible on my glass damage but keeping things in context, it could have been a lot worse. I’m glad I was wearing sunglasses to ward off the glass particles, many very minute, that plastered my face and shirt front. We have some down time in the weeks ahead where I can get a shop approved, get the windshield ordered, and leave the van for a half-day. Hey, it’s only money – and it wasn’t a bird strike.

All Inspected and Ready to Go

The state inspection on the Airstream ran out in August but I decided to wait until September in order to gain a couple of months on the sticker — and then got busy and it slid to October. I don’t know if police check trailer stickers but my mechanic friend says that he’s seen inspectors wander around gatherings of trailers at a county fair looking for outdated rigs — so even though I really only need it for a day next January when we head out of the state, I decided to schedule the inspection at a local RV dealer that I like, M’s RV in Berlin, VT. It’s a mom and pop operation but the owners are very knowledgeable and they’ve helped me with several problems: every time I go there I learn something.

The co-owner Marcel gives me heat for owning an Airstream – alluding to the “glamping” aspect of Airstream owners – knowing all along that our rig is modest and priced less than many of the trailers and fifth-wheelers he has for sale on the lot. Plus, I found out that he is quietly restoring an old Airstream Caravel in his work space.

Last week, I took the ten mile drive down through Montpelier, outdated sticker and all, and we got started on the  inspection. Lights good, tires etc fine, but when we tested the brake controller, I got a “disconnected” signal. We tried and tried but nada. I explained that I had changed the 7-pin plug a while ago after problems and during our last trip, had a couple of “trailer disconnected” signals after a tight turn or a sharp bump. Everything seemed to work fine all the way home and since then – but we talked about how tough it is to connect each thick wire to the screws in the plug and how prone to coming loose they seem to be. We decided to try a better setup.

It's not easy connecting 18 year-old wires to screws in a replacement plug.

It’s not easy connecting 18 year-old wires to screws in a replacement plug.

Joanne, spouse and co-owner, took me into their parts department and showed me the setup that Marcel could install to fix the problem. (I could do it but it seemed smart to let a pro handle it.) It involves using a new plug already molded into a long lead and a junction box to hold all the wires, getting away from the “rat’s nest” of wires in the plug. I left the rig and while they had a lot of winterization of trailers to do (It got down into the 20’s this weekend), they called the other day to say that it was ready to go.

The molded plug comes with a long cord whose wires are connected in a terminal box.

The molded plug comes with a long cord whose wires are connected in a terminal box.

I wish I could say that I did this wiring but after seeing the quality, am glad that I left it to Marcel.

I wish I could say that I did this wiring but after seeing the quality, am glad that I left it to Marcel.

So I don't mind if he slapped a sticker on the waterproof cover.

So I don’t mind if he slapped a sticker on the waterproof cover.

Yesterday everything checked out great, Joanne slapped on a new inspection sticker, I paid the bill and was on the way. But first, Marcel gave me a lesson in using the brake controller to change settings as we travelled.

Wouldn’t you know, I went by three police cars waiting beside the road in the first three miles back to Montpelier. While no one seemed interested, it was nice to know that the Airstream was legal. More importantly, it was nice to know that the trailer brake system is working as it should as we face an 8,000 mile trip with some challenging climbs and descents. (Mendon Mountain, you’ll be the first.)

New Battery System

As I noted last week, I have been looking at options to strengthen our electrical system for those times where we are not hooked up. I decided to install two AGM batteries and a new controller under our couch which would double our capacity and also give us room for further expansion.

So I went down to my friends at Vintage Trailer Supply and talked to them about converters. Steve, the owner, thought that my existing converter would probably work ok but I opted to buy a new INTEL-POWER 9200 which “monitors the battery voltage then automatically adjusts the converter output voltage to provide the proper charging voltage for fast recharge and long-term maintenance.”

I felt that the expensive AGM batteries needed a state-of-the-art converter.

I felt that the expensive AGM batteries needed a state-of-the-art converter.

I had pretty much narrowed my battery choices down to 105 AH units from Fullriver or Lifeline which sell for over $300 per unit. I went with Lifeline because they are American-made and I got a good price from Powerstride Battery who got them here in four days with free shipping.

The installation of the converter was relatively smooth with just two leads to change – but of course it wasn’t that easy – the grounding wire was almost too short because it attaches on the far end of the unit. I got it going and soon was testing it on my existing battery, which it brought up to full charge over a day or so.

The major project while I awaited the new batteries was to move all the wires into the trailer. First, from inside the trailer, I labeled all the wires since some stay as is (the solar lines) and others (the wire for the tongue jack) have to be extended to come inside.

I reluctantly the terminal clamps off (the new units don’t use posts) and used my torch and solder to attach two new leads. Since I did it outside right near the tongue, I disconnected and moved the two propane tanks far away. I pulled all the lines inside, brought my old battery inside, and hooked it up to test the new setup. I got it done on a sunny day just before a front brought an all-day rainstorm.

Testing out the new wiring with my old battery. The container will be under the couch - it's there for spacing. We are sacrificing the middle storage unit for the batteries.

Testing out the new wiring with my old battery. The container will be under the couch – it’s there for spacing. We are sacrificing the middle storage unit for the batteries.

The Lifeline batteries came UPS yesterday afternoon and soon I was moving them into place. They have a 6mm terminal and a positive 8mm one. I knew that but it turned into a hassle as all my positive fittings had holes that were too small. I reamed and drilled out a couple, with some colorful language but I wired them up in parallel and while several leads are too long, the system seems to be in good shape. The converter started polishing off their charge right away.

The two Lifelines in parallel with a wiring setup that could use some cleanup - although no one will see it under the couch.

The two Lifelines in parallel with a wiring setup that could use some cleanup – although no one will see it under the couch.

I need to build a containment system around the batteries to keep them from moving. I have the materials and then it’s just moving the couch back, fastening it down, and cleaning it up. I think that this is going to be a good project to give us more flexibility in camping sites – and it is nice to have it done.

Replacing the Airstream’s gas range

Several years ago, a metal brace in the Airstream’s oven snapped, probably from the fatigue of a decade of travel over bumpy roads. I got it welded but then found that the collapse had also damaged parts of the propane dispenser — and ended up disabling the oven completely. It turned into a great storage space for pots and pans and the range continued to work fine. And since lighting the oven was always a scary proposition — nothing, nothing, then woosh — Mary certainly didn’t miss it.

We lived with that for the last couple of years, using a small toaster oven to “bake.” Of course, it only worked when we were plugged in to a power supply and even then, left a lot to be desired. (Sawing a frozen pizza into sizes that fit was fun as was cutting cornbread recipes in half and then still having them ooze all over the place.)

I considered a lot of options — replacing just the stove top and putting a microwave underneath (again, you need power to use it), continuing as we have been (it detracts from selling the rig), or replacing it. That’s the option we chose and I found a replacement unit which came by Fedex yesterday.

Even though it’s not a difficult job, there were challenges. Pulling the old stove out was easy – just a matter of unhooking the propane line and four wood screws. It’s not heavy, about 70 pounds, and so I got it out the door and up into the pickup without problems.

The opening was a bit too large for the new unit but shims solved that.

The opening was a bit too large for the new unit but shims solved that.

We are fortunate to have a metal recycling operation just a few miles away so since I was going to town yesterday, I swung up there early. I drove on to the truck scales for a “before” weight, tossed the oven in the big pile of light metal objects, and got weighed going out. The attendant said, as I walked into the office, “Well, maybe you can get a cup of coffee.” The payoff was $1.95 but he rounded it up to two dollars. Just about what I expected but the stove is on its way to reuse – perhaps I’ll be shaving with it next year.

The opening for the old stove was a bit too large for this one so last night, I cut some shims to tighten things up, slid it in, hooked up the propane and tested for a leak, and lit her off.  The burners worked fine – the oven, which should be easier to light than the old one, will get tested soon.

The new Atwood gas range ready to go.

The new Atwood gas range ready to go.

It will be nice, wherever we are, to have the capability of baking or even broiling — and we can still use the oven for storing our cookware. Off to new maintenance/repair ventures.

Leaving Goose Island

I saw my first fireflies of the year early Monday morning before dawn. Like the predawn birdsong and seventy-degree temperatures, it will all will soon be put aside for the realities of April in New England. We have launched on our 2200 mile journey home.

One of the challenges each year is Houston; this year I decided to do a wide circumnavigation to the west and north. But first, we needed a bit of Airstream drama. First, after I hooked up I got an alert that there was a wiring issue with the trailer. I ignored that since everything seemed to be working but then noticed some loose trim hanging off the trailer’s side. That loosened more as we got up to speed and soon I stopped and removed it until later.

We were counting Scissor-tailed Flycatchers perched or feeding along our route – the last time we’ll see those beauties for a while. After a few hours, we stopped at our favorite gas stop, [Buc-ees in Wharton](http://www.vtbirder.com/beef-jerky-one-of-the-five-basic-food-groups/), Texas.

Soon, we were truckin’ through coton fields, then cattle country, whipping along at 70 much of the way. Each small town has a 75-55-45-30 speed zone that comes at you quickly, with nearly hidden school zone lights that drop it to 25. With the polished trailer and Vermont plates, we sort of stand out so I keep it legal.

The high humidity and temps call for air-conditioning but we can’t do that when hauling the trailer so it’s windows down and cruising. Much of Texas, even secondary highways, have 75 mph limits. In one stretch, with trees lining both sides and dips and climbs, I said to Mary, ‘This is like the Elmore road with a 75 speed limit.” I tend to keep it more at 68 or so, still a little dicey to a Vermonter.

It was a long first day but we got to our campground, Martin Dies State Park, in plenty of time for walks and relaxation. There were hardly any campers (after having a thousand there for Easter) and the birds were busy. Unlike the Gulf Coast where they were silent, here many were calling. I heard and then saw a gorgeous male Scarlet Tanager. Other highlights were a Little Blue Heron, my first American Crow in three months, also my first Blue Jay. The downside was that the bugs were really tough, seeming to laugh at Off and Cutter’s. Here’s a shot of the Cypress adorned slough beside our site.

We leave Texas Tuesday after a long visit during which time I saw 235 different species and left ranked 55th in the state. It was all-in-all a good stay. Bays con food, amigos

Power Drain Fixed

I replaced the dead refrigerator in our Airstream in May. The new unit cooled like a charm but turned out to be an energy hog. So this post is about the problem and the fix: if you are more into birding than Airstream repair, go ahead and move on. The post after this will outline our Florida birding plans.

We camped this summer at Stillwater State Park, which has no electricity, and later at our daughter’s which is in the woods in Massachusetts. I noticed that the battery was being drained rather fast in both places but with no solar recharge at Jen’s due to the trees, it was very noticeable. I would use the generator and get everything charge but only using LED lights, noticed that the voltage went from 12.5 or so to 11.8 each night.

It took me a while to sort it out — I read the manuals, visited a number of forums, and finally determined that the Dometic folks, for some reason, omitted a critical climate control switch on many of their new models, like ours. In high temps and humidity, the climate control evaporates water droplets that form and draws 12 VDC power continuously. Since we no longer can turn it off, what now?

Several folks reported that there are two wires, one to the refrigerator light and one to the climate control.  “Just cut the climate control wire” said one guy, “but make sure you get the right one.”  In another post, someone noted that it was the fatter wire.

If I cut the correct wire, the light will still work.

If I cut the correct wire, the light will still work.

Well, as you can see below, I cut the heavier wire (and the light still worked.

Light2W

I then put a couple of disconnect terminals on the line and now can connect it when we have power and leave it open when we are boondocking.

Light3W

Here’s the final result — a relatively easy job after a lot of searching for answers.

Light4W

Some great customer service

I’ve had two situations this summer that sort of restored my faith in the integrity of RV equipment manufacturers.

The first involved the replacement of my trailer hitch. I have been using the ball and hitch that the previous owner used and I knew that the trailer was riding a bit nose high but there was no way to adjust things.  So I did some searching and purchased an adjustable hitch (Eaz-lift Bolt-Together Ball Mount Kit 48110) from a vendor (Makarios) to replace a fixed hitch.  The product I received looked fine and went together ok.

Eaz_Lift_48110_Ball_Mount_Kit__36351.1405460125.1280.1280

I was planning to use the weight bars (1000 pound) from my original unit were about 15 years old but in good shape.  As soon as I tried to hitch up the bars — even though the shaft opening looked the same size, the depth apparently wass not and the clips would not settle into the grooves of the bar. The bars just fell to the ground.

Screen Shot 2014-10-11 at 10.23.19 AMAfter some study, I figured that the depth of that opening had been shortened just a bit (probably a quarter-inch or less) with the new unit — so it looked like I was facing an additional $150 or so for a pair of bars.

I wrote to the folks at Makarios, who were great, and they had me email the manufacturer, Camco.  Within a couple of days, I got a call from Mike at Camco saying that he would ship a couple of new bars that would work.  Sure enough, within a week or two, the bars arrived and I put the chains on them, tried them out, and everything worked fine. I know Camco is an immense operation but this attention to detail really made me a fan of their products and their customer service.

My second experience involved the tongue jack whose difficult installation I chronicled last year. It worked fine, when it worked, but almost from the start, it would quit for a bit, and then decide to operate again. We took it across country to California last winter but it was always a little tense to see whether we’d have issues. Most of the time it was great but more than once, I had the truck and trailer jacked way up to install the bars and it died. A little rap on the head seemed to get it back running.

I had talked to Steve at Vintage Trailer Supply who sold me the unit — he talked to the company and told me that there was a two year warrantee. Well, I kept putting it off until a few months ago when it seemed to act up even more.  I called Ultra-Fab, explained the situation, and they said that they would send out a new one with return postage for the old one. Again, the new unit came shortly thereafter and the replacement was a snap (since I had done all the grunt work with rusty bolts last year.)

TJack

The new jack is great and has operated without incident.  It’s great not to have to hassle folks in situations like this — and I highly recommend the product (Ulta 3502 Electric Tongue Jack) and the company.

Installing the Refrigerator – Cool job

I ordered a replacement refrigerator from PPL, an outfit from Houston, and tracked its shipment to the Mid-west, then Manchester, NH, then to just across the river in Lebanon.  The delivery guy had a tractor-trailer and there’s no way he could make it to our house so I met him with my truck down by the highway and we looked the unit over.  It had some road rash from its journey all the way from China but nothing appeared serious so I accepted it and brought it home.

Reefer2AW

I got the packing off, used the moving dolly to get it over to the Airstream, and asked Mary to grab one end while I got it up through the door.  It was about 140 pounds and between the weight and the stonewall she had to maneuver against, we stopped that process.  I just slid it up, with her guidance, and after some maneuvering, got it into the recess — snug.

Reefer2BWI decided to test it before locking it in with bolts and screws and did so, hitching up the electrical and the gas line.  I opened the door and the light came on — a good sign.  After some purging of the gas line, that system lit off and I could hear the gas unit running.  We left it for a couple of hours and checked it later — cooler and still running.

The next day, I decided to load the old unit into to truck and dispose of it.  As I drove the back roads to the transfer station, I passed several old appliances out by the roadside — their owners hoping that someone would grab them for parts.  They’ll be there in July.

I told the woman at the entrance that my unit was dead, no fluids, but she said that “Our tech still has to certify it so that it would be $40.”  I didn’t hassle her but did say that I could see why folks dump them on back roads.  She agreed.   The tired 15-year-old reefer ended up with a host of old air conditioners, televisions, and refrigerators and hopefully will be recycled.

Reefer2CW

All in all, the installation was much easier than I expected — which is very unusual with my projects.  I’m really glad that we limped home with our dead unit, took our time to replace it, and did it ourselves.  No bruised knuckles or egos — a successful Mansfield event.

Replacing the Reefer — Episode 1

Our 15-year-old refrigerator died on us in Texas and we limped home tripping over coolers in the Airstream.  We also started with ice at $.99 for 20 pounds and saw the price increase to $3.75 for 10 pounds as we headed north, where banks of ice awaited us along our driveway.

Reefer1WAfter some research and reading, I decided not to screw around with repairs but instead replace the unit with a factory-new one.  And in the Mansfield tradition of never hiring someone when you can mess up the project yourself, I ordered a refrigerator and removed the old one yesterday.  It’s probably not a tough job — famous last words — but I read the manual, took some photos of wiring and fasteners, and went for it.  The unit weighs a little over 100 pounds but it fit through the door and I have a hand truck with which I could move it.  So we now have a refrigerator in our garage.

Reefer3WI am hoping that the new unit, when it arrives, will fit into the opening ok.  It should (and I should check the measurements as we prepare.)  I’ll likely need some help getting it into the Airstream and into place but then, the connections should (emphasis added) be rather easy. (I slid the old one out since it is toast.)

I have a go-to guy, my brother Barry, who has installed two refrigerators in his Airstreams so if I get into trouble, he’ll get a call.  He’s coming by today so I plan to pick his brain about finishing this task.  We’ll miss stumbling over the coolers as we move about the rig.  Stay tuned for the next, and hopefully final, installation episode.