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BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
Set up the weight distribution hitch for the pickup this weekend. Now that I've done it, I realize just how wrong, and unsafe, the RV dealer's installation was on my wife's SUV. I barely notice the trailer behind me now.

eric strt6 said:
seems like a shitload of space wasted with that framing unless they intend to yank it all out after forming and riveting the aluminum skin. Fucking lot of work for what?
Click to expand...
I'd imagine all that framing comes out once the shape is locked in. Kind of like building a cedar strip canoe.
 
Blown240

Blown240

Monkey
Nov 19, 2013
443
290
BikeGeek said:
Set up the weight distribution hitch for the pickup this weekend. Now that I've done it, I realize just how wrong, and unsafe, the RV dealer's installation was on my wife's SUV. I barely notice the trailer behind me now.
Click to expand...
This is interesting. I just had to lower the ball on my weight distribution hitch. The dealer installed it, but whenever we got to the campground, the nose of the trailer was pretty high. I lowered the ball down one hole, and will see how it is this weekend.
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
Blown240 said:
This is interesting. I just had to lower the ball on my weight distribution hitch. The dealer installed it, but whenever we got to the campground, the nose of the trailer was pretty high. I lowered the ball down one hole, and will see how it is this weekend.
Click to expand...
In our case, the dealer had the top of the ball at 28.5" so that the trailer was level when coupled. The coupler height on the trailer when level and not connected to the the SUV is at 23". The front wheel-well when towing was sitting 3" higher than without the trailer. Very little weight was being distributed to the front axle of the SUV and we were constantly losing traction.
 
rideit

rideit

Bob the Builder
Aug 24, 2004
23,309
11,487
In the cleavage of the Tetons
Think I am going to pick up one of these for next summer (planning on some bigger road trips). AC/heat anywhere, anytime, with no noise or fumes. Yes, please. Can also be used for a power outage at home, that’s the ‘sell’ to wifey.
www.goalzero.com

Yeti 3000X

Discover the Goal Zero Yeti 3000X Portable Power Station. With an impressive 3,032Wh capacity, versatile charging options, and advanced features, this powerhouse ensures reliable and limitless portable power. Stay connected and power up on all your devices at home, work, and on the road!
www.goalzero.com www.goalzero.com
 
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StiHacka

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,505
In hell. Welcome!
rideit said:
Think I am going to pick up one of these for next summer (planning on some bigger road trips). AC/heat anywhere, anytime, with no noise or fumes. Yes, please. Can also be used for a power outage at home, that the ‘sell’ to wifey.
www.goalzero.com

Yeti 3000X

Discover the Goal Zero Yeti 3000X Portable Power Station. With an impressive 3,032Wh capacity, versatile charging options, and advanced features, this powerhouse ensures reliable and limitless portable power. Stay connected and power up on all your devices at home, work, and on the road!
www.goalzero.com www.goalzero.com
Click to expand...
How many hours of heat/AC out of 3kWh?
 
rideit

rideit

Bob the Builder
Aug 24, 2004
23,309
11,487
In the cleavage of the Tetons
Well, I’m not sure. But the heat is really just a fan for the propane, (which I only use for a 1/2 hour at night before bed, and then a 1/2 hour in the morning). and my AC is like the smallest unit available. Would probably only need to be on for a couple hours a day, with even those hours controlled by a timer. I would imagine no problem at all if it can run a refrigerator at home for a decently long time. It would get charged every day, obviously.
My needs are fairly small.
 
johnbryanpeters

johnbryanpeters

Hero
Sep 27, 2001
36,077
16,509
Making moss sad in New Haven, Vermont
rideit said:
Think I am going to pick up one of these for next summer (planning on some bigger road trips). AC/heat anywhere, anytime, with no noise or fumes. Yes, please. Can also be used for a power outage at home, that’s the ‘sell’ to wifey.
www.goalzero.com

Yeti 3000X

Discover the Goal Zero Yeti 3000X Portable Power Station. With an impressive 3,032Wh capacity, versatile charging options, and advanced features, this powerhouse ensures reliable and limitless portable power. Stay connected and power up on all your devices at home, work, and on the road!
www.goalzero.com www.goalzero.com
Click to expand...
$45.86/lb
 
rideit

rideit

Bob the Builder
Aug 24, 2004
23,309
11,487
In the cleavage of the Tetons
So, yeah, 3kwh is a little light for what I was hoping, maybe the bigger one. But they are stupid expensive, and one thing in this world that gets cheaper as technology advances is batteries. And computer storage.
 
maxyedor

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,141
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
@rideit Aren’t you in the market for a new truck anyway?

F150 hybrid with the built in 7.8kw generator seems like the bees knees if you’ve got a smallish trailer. Still makes some fumes if you run out of battery and it has to fire up the gas engine, but seems like good enough compromise. Thinking about replacing my Taco with one soonish, if nothing else it gets 50% better mpg, and can power my house when we have our bi-monthly flex alerts

Those Goal Zero “generators” are cool, just don’t see how I’d really make one useful camping. For a whole lot less I can just add batteries to the trailer, but there’s still the issue of charging. Something like a 3kw pack is going to require a shitload of solar to recharge it, especially if you’re using it during the day since it’s discharging during prime solar hours. Went back and fourth on my set up and I think ultimately I’m not going to be able to get away from some sort of gas generator, 2 100a/hr batteries snd 200w of solar panels seems like it’s as far as I should push the electrical side of things, after that it just gets crazy expensive.
 
rideit

rideit

Bob the Builder
Aug 24, 2004
23,309
11,487
In the cleavage of the Tetons
I am sorta interested in the lightning f150. We are hundreds and hundreds of miles away from where we like to camp, that truck just won’t cut it (yet) range wise, either towing or not. There simply is no charging infrastructure, either. Besides, I generally never buy first generation anything. I will watch and wait.
I am not really a fan of the last gen 150, and I am not buying a new model, we prefer someone else drives it off the lot and takes the hit.

as to the battery, where I typically camp, running a generator is considered rude and selfish…and that’s among my friends.
 
maxyedor

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,141
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
rideit said:
I am sorta interested in the lightning f150. We are hundreds and hundreds of miles away from where we like to camp, that truck just won’t cut it (yet) range wise, either towing or not. There simply is no charging infrastructure, either. Besides, I generally never buy first generation anything. I will watch and wait.
I am not really a fan of the last gen 150, and I am not buying a new model, we prefer someone else drives it off the lot and takes the hit.

as to the battery, where I typically camp, running a generator is considered rude and selfish…and that’s among my friends.
Click to expand...
In the same boat on the Lightning, was super excited, then the 300 mile range was announce. Tesla guys are reporting as much as 80% range reduction towing smaller trailers than mine, 60 miles of range isn’t going to get me very far.

We scrapped our Co trip this xmas, so that took the pressure off replacing the Taco. Waiting for the 22s to start shipping then I think I’m comfortable enough that o won’t be a beta tester on the F150 hybrids.


Changleen said:
optimised for death.
Click to expand...
That’s a poor strategy for a supply chain, but an awesome band name!
 
TreeSaw

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,670
1,855
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
BikeGeek said:
Set up the weight distribution hitch for the pickup this weekend. Now that I've done it, I realize just how wrong, and unsafe, the RV dealer's installation was on my wife's SUV. I barely notice the trailer behind me now.



I'd imagine all that framing comes out once the shape is locked in. Kind of like building a cedar strip canoe.
Click to expand...
What camper did you get? I think I missed that :)
 
eric strt6

eric strt6

Resident Curmudgeon
Sep 8, 2001
23,284
13,564
directly above the center of the earth
Installed the new cooling unit to the refrigerator tonight. Trimming the foam to fit the insert section of the main box was simple. Getting the unit centered so that the inside screws on the cooling plates matched up to the cooling unit is a royal bitch. You need an Awl to center the screw holes two extra long screws (not included) and a second person for two tasks. Task one: helping you lower the cooling unit into its cavity so that you don't smear the mastic or the expanding insulation foam all over. Task two: pushing lifting and shoving the cooling unit mounting holes into a spot where you can use an awl to center them then get the two extra long screws into place in the freezer so that you can pull the cooling unit tight enough to install the real screws ( then pull out the long ones and add the final two)

Then you get to do four more in between the cooling fins in the refrigerator compartment.

The rest of the stuff is easy just reconnecting gas lines (2) and electrical wires (10) after I slide it back into the cabinet and reset the mounting screws.
IMG_20210809_201120438.jpg
 
Changleen

Changleen

Paranoid Member
Jan 9, 2004
14,351
2,462
Pōneke
eric strt6 said:
You need an Awl to center the screw holes two extra long screws (not included) and a second person for two tasks.
Click to expand...
What did you do with the second person when you were done? How expensive was this kit? How do you ship a person? I have so many questions.
 
eric strt6

eric strt6

Resident Curmudgeon
Sep 8, 2001
23,284
13,564
directly above the center of the earth
And the Norcold 641 is back in it's cabinet. Funny thing, Previously it had a tilt to it (bottom stuck out a bit. now its a perfect flush fit. I took my time to set it into place then screwed it down securely.
All that is left to do is reinstall the propane lines and plug the electrical connections back in.
It was a tight fit lifting the fridge off the dinette over counter. I had a big plastic ice chest that we set the base of the fridge upon so that we could rock it back and forth to get the ammonia in to the right place in the tubing. The ice chest also mad a good surface to rotate the refrigerator 90* so that I could lift it into the cabinet opening and slide it into place. Ruth was outside looking through the access hatch giving me centering instructions.
It really helps to be able to lift over a hundred pounds on your own to get the fridge into the cabinet as there is not room for two people at that point

IMG_20210811_161003514.jpg
IMG_20210811_162641649.jpg
IMG_20210811_162702087.jpg
 
eric strt6

eric strt6

Resident Curmudgeon
Sep 8, 2001
23,284
13,564
directly above the center of the earth
Well I have my Norcold 641.3 fridge with the refurbished Amish cooling unit reinstalled and up and running. When I first powered it up I got the Li Op error code and the unit would not operate. It took me an hour plus of internet searching to find the hiding in plain sight reset . The error is a safety overheat relay to prevent fires from the cooling unit. Mine tripped when I lost ammonia. Most of the stuff on the net shows a separate box with a red light. That does not exist on my unit Instead its a button between two red wires on the exhaust stack you have to hold it for 5 seconds
so to save anyone else the trouble this is what it looks like
IMG_20210812_204025135.jpg
 
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Changleen

Changleen

Paranoid Member
Jan 9, 2004
14,351
2,462
Pōneke
150 miles rated I understand, so yeah once you add all the shit on. But just chuck another layer of batteries on. It has a ludicrously low floor already.
 
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