Dry Camping@#$%^&*()!!!!???????

[Kurt Horvath]

I have just returned home from 4 days of dry camping in LA. Two cold days, two
warm days, I ran everything in the coach. Unfortunately to Auto Generator Start
does not work. But It will get fixed ASAP. With a little observation I ran the
generator three times a day for a couple of hours, more in the last two
afternoons, I had to run the A/C. I also had the Car Hauler hooked up running
some power tools and four 4' fluorescent lights. The coach was in close
proximity to a lot of people and not one complaint about generator noise. In
fact a normal conversation leaning against the front end proved to be no
problem. I don't believe that it would be a problem at any event.

These are just my observations on this topic.

By the way I have read all the posts on this question and I don't believe
anybody answered this mans question in any satisfactory manner. Personally, I
would like to see less B.S. and more of what this forum about.



________________________________________________________________________________​\
____
Be a better friend, newshound, and
know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.
http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR...o8Wcj9tAcJ


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[erniecarpet@...]

In a message dated 12/11/2007 10:17:46 P.M. Central Standard Time,
bumpersbird@... writes:

By the way I have read all the posts on this question and I don't believe
anybody answered this mans question in any satisfactory manner. Personally, I
would like to see less B.S. and more of what this forum about.


Excuse me--- that topic was NOT on this forum. Signing posts on this forum
is what is expected from all members.

Ernie Ekberg
83PT40
Weatherford, Tx
Wanderlodgeforum.org, owner




**************************************See AOL's top rated recipes
(http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NC...0000000004)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[erniecarpet@...]

Kurt, there is an ongoing thread about dry camping on Randy's forum. Perhaps
that is where you saw that posted.

Ernie Ekberg
83PT40
Weatherford, Tx




**************************************See AOL's top rated recipes
(http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NC...0000000004)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[erniecarpet@...]

Thanks, Don, I thought, since I just turned 60- that I was having a senior
moment. Oh, well, back to bird BIDNESS!! Wish I could dry camp, but with just
4 batteries- 2 for house and 2 for start, my voltage drops like a rock.

Ernie Ekberg
83PT40
Weatherford, Tx




**************************************See AOL's top rated recipes
(http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NC...0000000004)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[bumpersbird]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, erniecarpet@... wrote:
>
>
> In a message dated 12/11/2007 10:17:46 P.M. Central Standard Time,
> bumpersbird@... writes:
>
> By the way I have read all the posts on this question and I don't
believe
> anybody answered this mans question in any satisfactory manner.
Personally, I
> would like to see less B.S. and more of what this forum about.
>
>
> Excuse me--- that topic was NOT on this forum. Signing posts on
this forum
> is what is expected from all members.
>
> Ernie Ekberg
> 83PT40
> Weatherford, Tx
> Wanderlodgeforum.org, owner
>
Ernie,

If the question of DRY CAMPING was not posted on your website, where
did I get the idea that a person wanted to know why the dealer he
bought his coach from said he would have a problem dry camping at his
BBQ competions. I thought it was an interesting question.

I will never forget to sign a post again Ernie I promiss

KURT D. HORVATH
FAYETTEVILLE, TENNESSEE, U.S.A.
1995 WLWB 42
>
>
> **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes
> (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NC...0000000004)
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

[Don Bradner]

Ernie, because many of us find it necessary, in order to involve as many
possible answers as we can, to post in both groups, this particular one was
posted here as well as in Randy's.

As it happens, almost all of the discussion, and good answers (I disagree that
it wasn't answered well) occurred here in WanderlodgeForum. Very little except
the contention occurred in the other one.

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Eureka, CA

On 12/12/2007 at 9:39 AM erniecarpet@... wrote:

>Kurt, there is an ongoing thread about dry camping on Randy's forum.
>Perhaps
>that is where you saw that posted.
>
>Ernie Ekberg
>83PT40
>Weatherford, Tx

[Pete Masterson]

Kurt,

The original question was posted to both this list and the other
Wanderlodge list. I wrote a lengthy reply on the other list, but made
an off-hand remark on this list which apparently annoyed someone.

I also mentioned in my second post that I had replied on "the other
list."

Since I have an all-electric coach, as does the original person
making the query, I felt that I had some experience with the issue
and that I could provide some helpful information.

In my case, the 6 model 4D AGM batteries will not supply enough power
to dry camp without serious to extreme power conservation. I made
this discovery while camped in the California San Simeon State Park
in the "unimproved" camping area where no shore power was available.
It was last February and the weather was cool -- well, cold for CA.

I ran the generator for a couple of hours at a stretch several during
the day -- and at meal times when it was necessary to use the
electric cook top (it is not attached to my inverters). I then would
run the generator from the time dinner was prepared until the
beginning of "quiet time" at 8PM. In the CA state park, quiet time
extends until 10 AM. However, by 8AM, the batteries were seriously
depleted. To preserve them I had to cut all power use until I could
start the generator.

Lets just say it was darn cold and we had a cold breakfast. No heat,
no lights, no nothing.

I replaced the batteries at a cost of over $2000 with 6 new AGMs.
While the old batteries weren't that old, they had been overcharged
for about 6 months while in dealer's hands between the previous owner
and my taking possession. (Another reason I'm not particularly
impressed with "dealer knowledge.") Apparently, the (non-standard for
BB of that era) Heart Link 2000-R battery controller had been reset
to the default condition, which was for wet cell batteries and was
charging the AGMs at a too-high voltage (this continued for several
months after my taking possession until I learned of the problem by
reading and studying about the systems on my coach). After the
experience I had at San Simeon State Park, I concluded that the
batteries might have been damaged.

This past summer, I was in Oregon at a cabinet maker having some
custom work done on my coach. Unfortunately, the generator fan failed
on me and I was "dry camping" (in their parking lot) without any 120
power. I turned off the inverters and shed as much load as I could --
but the batteries still dropped down to a low state of charge in a
relatively short time period. The Heart Link 2000-R does also control
charging from the engine alternator, so I was able to preserve the
batteries by running the engine (470 HP DD Series 60 to provide a
little electricity!).

I have since concluded that my coach, as it is currently equipped, is
not suitable for lengthy dry camping situations, particularly when
there are significant restrictions on operating the generator. I can
manage about a 12 hour "quiet time" (8pm-8am) without serious
consequences -- but longer quiet times present a serious challenge
and degrade the pleasure of the experience.

If my coach had LP gas powering the refrigerator (primary drain on
the batteries while off shore power), then dry camping would likely
be more manageable. However, I do like having the 24 cu ft home-style
Amana 2-door refrigerator. If I were to replace it with a new, more
efficient refrigerator, dry camping might be a more practical
possibility.

As for the salesman telling someone buying an all-electric BB that
dry camping is "no problem", that strikes me, based on my experience,
as being rather less than the full truth.

Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
aeonix1@...
On the road at


<snip>
>>
> Ernie,
>
> If the question of DRY CAMPING was not posted on your website, where
> did I get the idea that a person wanted to know why the dealer he
> bought his coach from said he would have a problem dry camping at his
> BBQ competions. I thought it was an interesting question.
>
> I will never forget to sign a post again Ernie I promiss
>
> KURT D. HORVATH
> FAYETTEVILLE, TENNESSEE, U.S.A.
> 1995 WLWB 42

[erniecarpet@...]

Hi Jurgen, I have heard about those "poop" sheets that Phred has written.
Very good info.

Ernie Ekberg
83PT40
Weatherford, Tx




**************************************See AOL's top rated recipes
(http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NC...0000000004)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[bubblerboy64]

This has got me thinking a little. I have a couple Honda EU2000
generators from my days with travel trailers and such. They are very
fuel efficient and very quiet. I have two and when tired together in
parallel they would run my roof air no problem. I don't know how
much it would take to keep the batteries charged but you can set one
of these little Honda generators off some distance from the coach and
I don't think you would even know it was running. They weigh about
40 lbs and there is even a 1000 watt which goes 25lbs. You have
plenty of storage on these big rigs would this help out enough to be
of advantage? I was thinking of selling my generators but after
reading this I have concluded that might be premature.

John Heckman
central Pa
1973 FC



>
> Kurt,
>
> The original question was posted to both this list and the other
> Wanderlodge list. I wrote a lengthy reply on the other list, but
made
> an off-hand remark on this list which apparently annoyed someone.
>
> I also mentioned in my second post that I had replied on "the
other
> list."
>
> Since I have an all-electric coach, as does the original person
> making the query, I felt that I had some experience with the issue
> and that I could provide some helpful information.
>
> In my case, the 6 model 4D AGM batteries will not supply enough
power
> to dry camp without serious to extreme power conservation. I made
> this discovery while camped in the California San Simeon State
Park
> in the "unimproved" camping area where no shore power was
available.
> It was last February and the weather was cool -- well, cold for CA.
>
> I ran the generator for a couple of hours at a stretch several
during
> the day -- and at meal times when it was necessary to use the
> electric cook top (it is not attached to my inverters). I then
would
> run the generator from the time dinner was prepared until the
> beginning of "quiet time" at 8PM. In the CA state park, quiet time
> extends until 10 AM. However, by 8AM, the batteries were seriously
> depleted. To preserve them I had to cut all power use until I
could
> start the generator.
>
> Lets just say it was darn cold and we had a cold breakfast. No
heat,
> no lights, no nothing.
>
> I replaced the batteries at a cost of over $2000 with 6 new AGMs.
> While the old batteries weren't that old, they had been
overcharged
> for about 6 months while in dealer's hands between the previous
owner
> and my taking possession. (Another reason I'm not particularly
> impressed with "dealer knowledge.") Apparently, the (non-standard
for
> BB of that era) Heart Link 2000-R battery controller had been
reset
> to the default condition, which was for wet cell batteries and was
> charging the AGMs at a too-high voltage (this continued for
several
> months after my taking possession until I learned of the problem
by
> reading and studying about the systems on my coach). After the
> experience I had at San Simeon State Park, I concluded that the
> batteries might have been damaged.
>
> This past summer, I was in Oregon at a cabinet maker having some
> custom work done on my coach. Unfortunately, the generator fan
failed
> on me and I was "dry camping" (in their parking lot) without any
120
> power. I turned off the inverters and shed as much load as I could -
-
> but the batteries still dropped down to a low state of charge in a
> relatively short time period. The Heart Link 2000-R does also
control
> charging from the engine alternator, so I was able to preserve the
> batteries by running the engine (470 HP DD Series 60 to provide a
> little electricity!).
>
> I have since concluded that my coach, as it is currently equipped,
is
> not suitable for lengthy dry camping situations, particularly when
> there are significant restrictions on operating the generator. I
can
> manage about a 12 hour "quiet time" (8pm-8am) without serious
> consequences -- but longer quiet times present a serious challenge
> and degrade the pleasure of the experience.
>
> If my coach had LP gas powering the refrigerator (primary drain on
> the batteries while off shore power), then dry camping would
likely
> be more manageable. However, I do like having the 24 cu ft home-
style
> Amana 2-door refrigerator. If I were to replace it with a new,
more
> efficient refrigerator, dry camping might be a more practical
> possibility.
>
> As for the salesman telling someone buying an all-electric BB that
> dry camping is "no problem", that strikes me, based on my
experience,
> as being rather less than the full truth.
>
> Pete Masterson
> '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
> aeonix1@...
> On the road at
>
>
> <snip>
> >>
> > Ernie,
> >
> > If the question of DRY CAMPING was not posted on your website,
where
> > did I get the idea that a person wanted to know why the dealer he
> > bought his coach from said he would have a problem dry camping at
his
> > BBQ competions. I thought it was an interesting question.
> >
> > I will never forget to sign a post again Ernie I promiss
> >
> > KURT D. HORVATH
> > FAYETTEVILLE, TENNESSEE, U.S.A.
> > 1995 WLWB 42
>

[Pete Masterson]

Since my coach has a 15kw generator, I don't really need additional
generators. In the state park, the "quiet time" requirement applies
to all generators (regardless of their relative silence), so the
external Honda units wouldn't do me much good in those circumstances.
(Several of my neighbors at the park with travel trailers had Honda
generators to charge their batteries of for other power needs.) The
rule required _all_ generators to be turned off during the quiet time.

The problem I had with the generator fan was simply unfortunate
timing. While the electrical powered fans do wear out and fail from
time to time, the new replacement motor should, with good luck and a
little preventative maintenance, last another 10-12 years. I doubt
that carrying a 'spare' generator would be a reasonable thing for me
to do...

Also, if you don't have an all-electric coach, as I do, then the dry
camping/power situation may not be as much an issue for you.

Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
aeonix1@...
On the road at Golden CO



On Dec 12, 2007, at 12:05 PM, bubblerboy64 wrote:

> This has got me thinking a little. I have a couple Honda EU2000
> generators from my days with travel trailers and such. They are very
> fuel efficient and very quiet. I have two and when tired together in
> parallel they would run my roof air no problem. I don't know how
> much it would take to keep the batteries charged but you can set one
> of these little Honda generators off some distance from the coach and
> I don't think you would even know it was running. They weigh about
> 40 lbs and there is even a 1000 watt which goes 25lbs. You have
> plenty of storage on these big rigs would this help out enough to be
> of advantage? I was thinking of selling my generators but after
> reading this I have concluded that might be premature.
>
> John Heckman
> central Pa
> 1973 FC