grandview bill

The back up monitor arrived today....35.00 for the whole system shipped.the pieces look good.The instructions are worthless,but i wasnt going to follow them anyways .next I took all the pieces outside with some alligator leads.I hooked up the system to the 12v coach battery.Pretty good image ,there is some basic adjustments on the monitor.Now on to the issue.the system layout....the camera will go on the license plate for now....the monitor comes with a goofy self adhesive stand..that mounting would last one day....the interior of this rv is just like new I dont't want to hack it up.So I sat in the front seat and tried my options...the best viewing position was where the rear view mirror is..the wiring would be one the surface for quite a ways unless i could fish it under the headliner and under the window post,ther is an open spot on the left side of the dash.all the wiring could be hiiden into the dash...next is wiring options . first.camera and monitor on separately or together....second..turned on by backup lites...running lites....or sepparate switch all alone..third ..wiring routes...I need to run from the cab to the rear..I might use a 'chase', a 1/2 in pvc pipe run along the frame to protect these frail cables,used the chase before ,worked well....I got to do some more planning ..the final idea will probably come at 3AM some morning

Ill let you know .. sofar I did basics.. plug change ..synthetic oil( actually raised output 1-2 volts) and governor adjust,got output up to 125Vac,Iwould went for around 129 ...couldn't get.before these minors changes it couldnt start the AC...now does ..barely....I already have a carb kit ...will put that in next...but im not expecting much more in output

exactly

nope...my wife isnt here..Im at my cabin ,this is my domain I spent 12 yrs.rebuilding it,the motorhome is hers.Somehow i got the maintenance contract.Yeah the nitetime peeing thing I can go right back to sleep.The 3am thing is different,Im fully alert and my mind races much more than daytime.its a good time to think about rv maintenance and repair.Set the agenda for the next day its actually quite efficient

why is it that us old guys get up so early? listen to the ham bands ,they're there all night.maybe its a throwback to tribal times ,the old guy was no good as a warrior(not rv type)but was ok as an all nite sentinel.About generators...there has been an unusual topic that keeps coming up lately on my news sources,shortwave radio.The issue is that computers and robots are going to take over our society,the latest research confirms this ,I say just unplug them that'll fix them.I like a generator In the rv,I push a button the gen roars to life and serves me,Im the master.I can microwave a Lean Cuisine or make coffee at the roadside.I notice at this site many people use portables but I wont have to run outside and yank a rope in a downpour or at 6am before dawn.Just remember Mr Kolhler generator and Mr Acer computer I m the boss,Ill jerk your cords

about 3 years ago i needed a short piece of this trim i think it was for a door ,but anyways i found some at a large home improvement store back by the paneling it was brown and came in 8 ft lengths was pretty reasonable so its still out there....

todays task...the battery box...first .its sagging and deformed under the weight of the battery...ok ,there is 4 anchorage points above,some 5/16 threaded rod couplings,threaded rod lenghts and some pieces of that 3/4 strut i found in the dumpster behind the market will fix the support issue.Lets take a look at the wiring,should be basic...4 wires,two large,two smaller ones,one set is longer to allow slack to slide the battery free.....hmmmmmm.one red goes to positive,another red goes to negative...that wont do! i have wire tags handy,identify wires as to their terminations and remove battery...further checking of the wires shows that someone,didnt have a piece of black wire handy and simply used red instead,someone could have reconnected the battery in a dead short......moral of story ...identify and tag wires before disconnecting,string tags work for temporary work

plywood thicness is always nominal,it never measures out to the actual size it varies,manufactures are different.if you find a moulding that will slide over the edge and fits well,but is to wide ,try ripping it to your width with a paneling blade on table saw dont try to cut the moulding by itself...slip it over a scrap of plywood for support and cut both at same time...

Too bad..

Those words from the sellers ad still ring in my ear. there is no such thing.After working on this perfect rv everyday for 5-6 weeks(i lost track of time,am i losing consciousness?)maybe i'll list all the work done.but its really a statistics game.when i bought,i knew there was enough right with the unit i could do some work...but who knew there would be mosquitos this year of biblical proportions.they hover around the rv waiting....for that guy carrying all those tools.My simple formula for rv ownership...WHEN TIME SPENT ON PROBLEMS EXCEEDS TIME ON ENJOYMENT.....ITS OUTTA HERE....This has been a 3AM rambling by ..grandview Bill

tongue in cheek..but i do log all my work

Today I replaced the bumper valance on the 1991 toyota .The existing one was dented on one corner .The replacement was an aftermarket part that fit fairly well.The job went well,only 6 bolts to remove all had captive nuts behind .After this job and the dashboard removal ,I'm pleased with the design of these Toyotas.Sofar the frustration level has been very low,now onto the back up monitor,item no. 37 on my list...........

heres my chinese generator story....big nation wide chinese tool retailer had a special on this small generator plus I had a coupon ,so i wasnt expecting much,i wasnt disappointed.The manual said to break it in for so many hours.well i did.I I even increased the load in increments(my idea) first one hundred watt lamp ,then a 500w coffee maker and so on, I could see the gen from my kitchen table as i stopped for cups of coffee as i watched parts were falling off thru the break in period with the muffler coming so loose it became loud,also this unit gas percolates out of the cap and pools on top even with a tight cap and lower fuel .The last time i ran it iwas on a sand beach with a realllly long cord

I would buy a generator specifically designed for an rv installation.The unit will be remote start,it will take its fuel from the rv unit,gasoline or propane and it will be designed to operate in the rv's enclosure for proper cooling.This cost more than a portable unit but will be more convenient.Only you know how much load you will be supplying but a startin point is usually 3-4kw.Iv'e owned 4 Onans in the past they were excellent,since Cummins bought them out ,don 't know how they compare...Bill

I use 75 am also,just recently had to part out a Collins 20V bc xmtr,i also enjoy 10M am ,but it just isnt opening.i thought about a mobile in the rv ,but we'll have to see.There was only one time in my life i ran a mobile,back in high school i put an Eico 753 kit in my 57 Pontiac...Bill

the call here is KF0IE

My two dogs are shih tzus.Excellent companions.have two Onans on the property now ,one is for backup power.its an 1800 rpm model single cyl.built in the sixties the former owner said it weighed over 300 lbs.its super reliable.it was for an rv.the owners manual shows drawings of the rv s of that vintage,kinda funny looking.retired here also.only operate ham station in the winter months(75m phone) there is too much to do here in summer,not enough to do in winter.Im never bored..as for radios i like the old tube stuff,always something to repair 73 Bill

Thanks ,I guessed the molded glass elimates seams flexing and opening up.Many an rv and camper in the snow belt have been ruined by the owner leaving the rv out in the winter,letting 2-4 feet of snow build up on the roof ,the weight pushes down on the roof opening up seams letting in water during a thaw,its everywhere....smart people ....with more money..store indoors in winter...i would like that type of construction in an rv.When we were looking I saw one Sunrader in so.Minn. about 18 feet,but never had a chance to check it out.I have seen many rv with water damage,the owner thinking the damage was minor but with "chicken coop construction" flimsy 1x3 wood and staples,stillused today the rv was trashed...the Sunrader makes sense....Bill

I see a lot of interest in Sunrader on this site.What are the adavantages? Here in Minn and Wis see more Winnebago,made in Iowa Bill

Karin ,I have an Oregon Wx station,it works good ,has remote rain gauge which all i really wanted ,but does it ever go thru batteries even the rechargable ,not so ez to change ,so I wired in a 6 vdc supply remote sensor to one of those little wall wart ones ,maybe yout unit is improved Bill

Here's the best advice I can give.....when purchasing or looking at Rvs...if you haven't owned before..take along or hire someone to look the unit...this person should have knowledge and experience in Rvs. When people buy expensive boats they hire a surveyor...having said all this making it happen isn't easy.....Bill

That mechanic at the least was a fool.Anyone with training or experience would know enough to have a proper fire extinguisher near.Maybe the project was too hazardous to be welded and another way to fasten should have been used.Fortunately no person was harmed ,can you imagine if this happened inside a building?Sorry about your rv

Thanks ,I read your bio ,Im also a Ham ,on and off since Iwas 14 ..was a Minnesota Master electician..now live In NW Wis.on a small clearwater lake in a log sided cabin,in the middle of the Chequaumegon National Forest.. i dont usually descibe myself except in this case where our backgrounds are similar.Some people will catch the referenceto the lawn mower the gen sits vertical and the engine was made by Tecumseh .My preferance is for Onan.But this will work, I said to my wife,I have to have a generator we can pull off the road make coffee and heat some lunch....73 Bill

On purchase of our used mh ,one of the items on a long to-do list ,was to clean the upholstery and carpet.They were not really stained or filthy,but one had the sense of other peoples use.So my wife and I each took our own research to find the best method.Needless to say we came up with different ideas.There were some heated discussions,especially over my plan to use ammonia and water.I did research on the net.Everyone seemed to like this method,everyone but Martha Steward,I guess its too generic and she cant put her label on it.So I the biggest sucking vacuum i could find and a 3 gal garden sprayer .total cost about 85 bucks.I did 3 passes ,on the first two the rinse water came out almost black.Im really pleased with the results,next time i clean the cost will be about 2 bucks, the cost of cheapo ammonia,sorry Martha...........

Here's my wood carving story...my good friend (deceased) was a wood carver.Years ago he talked me into stopping at a wood carving museum in Spooner,Wis. on one of our fishing trips to NW Wis.All the work was done by one man,the center piece of the collection was alife size carving of the last supper,but that was a small part .As for woods Wally was always trying to get more basswood free...rather than buying.Now just outside my door at my cabin stands a huge basswood tree that should be taken down.It reminds me of Wally....Bill