We are here and safe and sound...and a new chapter begins!
And until tomorrow morning, we have no idea where this chapter is going.
Apparently, there are NO RV parking sites left, which we weren't informed of. We can park it at a friends place 12 miles away, which makes it difficult with the pups. Or camp at one of the 2 local campgrounds, at around 170 bucks a week. OR, and this is what we are hoping...they will let us stay where we are, out of the way, and let us boondock it!
So it might be another boondocking adventure! On site, no problems, pups are close...so we have to use solar and the genny and cart in water. Big deal for our rig. Cross your fingers folks! Lets hope they let us stay where we are, and we can just boondock it. It'll save us money, and put our systems through the paces some more so we can tell you all how they work, and where they are lacking.
Kev
And the verdict is...we are going to be boondocking for the next 4 weeks or so!
Its full sun and summer is coming on, so the genny is going to be running a LOT during the day. So far its running great, although it shuts down unexpectedly at times, which is probably due to how wonky the engineers of this rig tied it into the return line for fuel. I can fix that though...temporarily by just clamping off the front line to the engine. Although I might get creative and add a fuel shut off line in the genny compartment, so when parked and on genny power I can just close off the line to the engine fuel pump. We'll see. Seems to be pretty efficient at this point though. I'm running the fridge on propane, and the converter is unplugged. I'm using the solar array to charge the 12 volt system. Then at night when it cools down, we turn off the genny and the AC, plug our shore power cord into the inverter outlet, and run off the inverter and battery power. It still gets a bit humid at night for me to sleep well without a fan blowing right on me, so I think I might take Andy Baird's advice from his Eureka website and buy a 12 volt camping fan...the kind that takes 8 D cell batteries, and rewiring it to plug into my 12 volt system in the bedroom so it can blow air on me while I sleep while drawing very little battery amps by itself. They have 10 inch fans at Walmart in the camping section for 14 bucks, so I think I'll pick one up tomorrow, as well as another 9 volt battery for my CO detector. Can't be too careful running the genny!
Booth is all cleaned out and ready to hang our canvas tent sides to quadron off what we are actually going to be using. I'll be working on that tomorrow morning and finishing off setting up camp while its still cool outside.
And then I'll have to figure out how to hang our signs...gotta get creative!
Lots of stock for the 3 day opening weekend though! We are looking forward to making some money!
Kev
Opening day at the Ohio Renaissance Festival! Woohoo!!! Booth is all set up and we are ready to rock and roll! I'll be bringing my mountain bike so I can take frequent quick trips back to the RV to make sure the genny is still running. It was being really finicky until I pinched off the return line going to the engine's mechanical fuel pump (the genny fuel line is teed into it) with a pair of vice grips with the jaws padded with cardboard. It seems to have done the trick! I'll just have to remember to remove it before we head to North Carolina in 4 weeks...lol!
Kev
GREAT opening day at the Ohio Renaissance Faire! Great times were had, money was made...and the genny ran just fine. Checked on the pups every few hours with the mountain bike, and all was well. 2 more days of opening weekend, since we are open Monday with the holiday. Paladin was a VERY bad puppy and ate the passenger seat...or at least tore it up, since the pieces were still there. BAD dog! It's a good thing I love that little shite!
Kev
Rained like heck this morning, so Patti stayed home with the pups. But we got BUSY! I didn't have any breaks, but we had a great day overall and it was of course a lot of fun! The folks in Ohio are a nice bunch of folks! Even not being there, Patti made the biggest sale of the day! A couple she talked to yesterday came in and laid down around 200 bucks right at the end of the day for some catapults and a trebuchet...lol! Patti rocks!
Kev
Outstanding overall opening weekend at the Ohio Renaissance Faire in Waynesville, Ohio! I was not expecting it to be this busy, especially today! I have to build a LOT of catapults this week!
Kev
and that is a bad thing??
Sounds like the T-job is pulling air from somewhere up the line going to the engine for the motorhome, perhaps a check valve in the line so that fuel can only go one way would fix the problem?
Quoteerhaps a check valve in the line so that fuel can only go one way would fix the problem?
I was thinking the same thing then thought the suction would be pulling in the same direction as the fuel flow. Not sure it would work.
Dave
Maybe a 12 volt fuel tank selector valve hooked up so that it is closed when the ignition is off but allows fuel to flow to the generator and opens when the ignition is on to allow gas to flow to the engine. You would simply have to block the port to the "main" tank and use the "auxiliary" side of the valve. Never have to remember to change anything. Rick
Quote from: DaveVA78Chieftain on September 02, 2014, 09:11 PM
I was thinking the same thing then thought the suction would be pulling in the same direction as the fuel flow. Not sure it would work.
Dave
If you put the check valve after the T so that it only allows fuel to go towards the engine's mechanical fuel pump, the draw at the T from the generator's fuel pump would simply pull the check valve closed if there was no draw from the engine.
Personally, I'd also want to enlarge the fuel line and pickup coming from the tank to accommodate the fuel needs of both engines that splits down to the two stock size fuel lines.
QuoteIf you put the check valve after the T so that it only allows fuel to go towards the engine's mechanical fuel pump, the draw at the T from the generator's fuel pump would simply pull the check valve closed if there was no draw from the engine.
Unfortunately his tap point is in the fuel return line, not the fuel supply line. Thats why I am not sure a check valve will work.
Dave
I'm thinking an electronic fuel selector solenoid type switch, like what folks use to select between fuel tanks. Otherwise, I have to shuffle under there like I recently did and either pinch it off, or throw a mechanical switch. I suppose I could extend the fuel line to the genny bay though for a mechanical switch. I just don't want to add so much extra line that it will disrupt the return fuel flow on its way back to the fuel tank.
BAD design by Holiday Rambler, and about the only thing I can say about the engineering that is bad. But its a whopper!
Kev
Was almost done with the catapults, and the drive belt for the sander pooped the bed. Crap! Ah well. Good thing we have plenty of other catapults! Should be a great weekend!
Kev
Exciting news! After a crazy high bill from Verizon, Patti contacted Hughes Network to find out what they are now charging for internet access. About 60 bucks a month, and 300 for your choice of equipment...installed! All the equipment is self tracking, and for RV applications you get your choice of a roof mount dome, or a setup similar to the Tailgater, which is what we are opting for. WAY faster than 4G, unlimited internet access, and even using a Vonage type phone, the bill will be about 60 bucks a month. Plus whatever pay as you go smart phone we get for taking credit cards...probably Verizon, so figure another 30 bucks a month. 90 bucks a month instead of our last Verizon bill of 500!!! Hughes Network has come WAY down in price! They are installing and setting everything up for us on Monday, so I'll let you all know how it works and all the details!. I'm creating another thread for this as well.
Kev
Another great weekend at the Ohio Renaissance Festival down, and 2 more to go before we have to scramble our butts off to get to the Carolina Renaissance Faire. We have a LOT of catapults to build in the next 2 weeks, so we hired Crystal again for the workshop. Today I have to run out and get more wood and another sander and a router table, then get back to the workshop. I have to get all my parts tablesawed, planed, and cut out today so that Crystal can get to work on them tomorrow. I'll be taking tomorrow off with Patti...its our 12 year anniversary! Busy busy busy! Winter vacation is getting here, but Thanksgiving seems so far away!
Kev
(https://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphics99.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F01%2Fhappy_anniversary_2.gif&hash=a214041785c85664b45969b7f7dff62f31ec7eeb)
Ditto :)ThmbUp :)ThmbUp :)ThmbUp :)ThmbUp :)ThmbUp :)ThmbUp :)ThmbUp :)
Salesman lied to us and is probably going to get fired, since this is his third infraction trying to get a commission. Tech came out to install a HUGE stationary dish, yadayadayada...and I'm sure you can guess the rest of the story. Bottom line is it didn't cost us a thing, and NO, there are still no self tracking internet satellite dishes, not even for the Military. Ah well.
So we bumped our plan up on Verizon to 10 gigs a month. The bill will be around 190 a month, but that includes 2 phones and the tablet, and enough gigs that we won't have any overages.
Kev
SCORE!!! While running errands yesterday, I stopped in a junkyard and they had a crashed late model conversion van that just came in. The captains chairs in the back, made by Atwood I believe, were in remarkable condition, and real plush tan leather!!! 100 bucks for the pair! They look like they'll bolt right on our pedestals, but I'll check it out with a tape measure here shortly.
Paladin ate Patti's chair...the passenger side...the other day, so we really needed to replace it. And these seats are WAY nicer than the shabby ones that were in the rig.
SWEET!!!
Kev
Okay. So the bolt spacing on the new captains chairs isn't the same. On the ones in the RV, they are 8 wide by 11 deep. On the new chairs they are 11 deep, but 14 wide. Since the depth is the same, it'll be easy! I'll just have to fabricate 2 crossbars per chair that are 14 wide! Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Kev
And more good news. For some reason I thought we had to scramble after the 4th weekend here to get in North Carolina, because I didn't think we had any time in between shows aside from the 5 days between weekends. Thankfully, I was wrong in my calculations! There is actually a weekend in between. SWEET!!!
Kev
Get overwhelmed sometimes Kev? Lol
Don't tell me those chairs are power chairs.....that would be too much.....good score :)ThmbUp
Well, the one I bolt to the driver's side will end up being power. Its built into the pedestal, not the chair...lol!
Kev
Kevin, you know that Millenicom resells verizon hotspot service for $89.99 a month for 20gbs, right?
http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/resources/millenicomverizon/
I'll check it out Redneck!
Spent all day building catapults for tomorrow, then had to go out for marshmallows and drinking water, etc. Hopefully we have another busy and profitable weekend!
Only one more weekend here after this, then its back to North Carolina until Thanksgiving.
Kev
OUTSTANDING weekend at the Ohio Renaissance Festival! We'll have to build a HECK of a lot of catapults this coming week!
I ordered 2 more sets (4 total) of the T-18 LED bulbs from Starlight Revolution, so they should be here this week as well. That's enough to replace the lights in 2 more fixtures, so we'll only have 2 more to go, the ones in the bedroom. These are to replace the florescent bulbs in the Thin Lite fixtures, of which this rig has MANY.
Should cut power usage a tad, and these lights are BRIGHT! I love the ones we already have. 31 bucks a bulb though makes it the kind of thing I buy a little here, and a little there. But getting there!
Lots to do this coming week, then one more weekend, then its off to North Carolina!
Kev
hey kev got a got a link to starlight for them bulbs???
Yep! And sorry about the typo...its 38 bucks a bulb, but its free shipping.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171006497581?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Kev
Got all my materials today, so tomorrow its going to be a LOT of table sawing and planing and cutting. Then a trip to the local gun shop for lead shot (or a long trip to the Dayton, Ohio Gander Mountain) for the trebuchets...and just a busy mess of a whole lot of work for the rest of the week as well.
I figured out what I'll need to mount the new captain's chairs in the RV, so hopefully I'll have some time before the end of the week to skate out and get the parts at Lowes. I want to install the chairs AFTER the coming weekend so the pups don't mess them up while we are at work.
Kev
HUGE run of catapults well on their way! We'll be finished no problem by the weekend. I got the parts to install the captain's chairs, so I'll do that on Monday. The new LED T18 bulbs will be delivered tomorrow, so I'll try to squeeze in installing them before the weekend so I'll have less to do next week...since we have to pack it all down, load it all up, and head to North Carolina by Thursday of next week. I want to arrive in the Carolina Renaissance Festival parking lot by Friday evening, and roll into our campsite bright and early Saturday morning. I hope they didn't get too much rain in Carolina like we've been having in Ohio!
Kev
Our last weekend at the Ohio Renaissance Festival coming right up! Then we are on our way to Huntersville, NC for the Carolina Renaissance Festival. We'll be leaving here on Thursday and arriving in their parking lot sometime Friday afternoon.
This has been a profitable show! The last 4 weeks here will be taken over by our franchisees.
On Monday I'll be installing the "new" captain's chairs and the 4 new Starlight T-18 LED bulbs. Then doing some catapult prep work on Tuesday, packing down everything and getting the rig ready on Wednesday, and hitting the road on Thursday. Busy busy!
Kev
What route will you be heading south on Kev?
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
--------------------------------------------------
A) 317 Brimstone Rd, Wilmington, OH 45177-8531 US
--------------------------------------------------
1. Start out going south on Brimstone Rd/County Hwy-52 toward OH-73/E State
Route 73. (go 0.4 miles)
2. Turn left onto W State Route 73/OH-73. (go 2.48 miles)
3. Merge onto I-71 N via the ramp on the left toward Columbus.
- If you are on W State Route 73 and reach Denny Rd you've gone a little too far
(go 19.89 miles)
4. Take EXIT 65 toward US-35/Washington C H. (go 0.31 miles)
5. Turn right onto US Highway 35 NW/OH-435.
- Hardee's is on the right
- If you reach I-71 N you've gone about 0.3 miles too far
(go 0.51 miles)
6. Merge onto US-35 E toward Washington C H. (go 42.48 miles)
7. Keep left to take US-35 E toward Athens/Jackson (Crossing into West
Virginia). (go 95.12 miles)
8. Merge onto I-64 E toward Charleston (Portions toll). (go 78.7 miles)
9. Keep right to take I-77 S toward Princeton/Bluefield (Portions toll)
(Crossing into Virginia). (go 75.4 miles)
10. Merge onto I-77 S via EXIT 81 toward Charlotte NC (Crossing into North
Carolina). (go 112.36 miles)
11. Take EXIT 25 toward Concord. (go 0.32 miles)
12. Turn left onto NC-73/Sam Furr Rd. Continue to follow NC-73. (go 6.64 miles)
13. Turn right onto Poplar Tent Rd.
- Poplar Tent Rd is 0.2 miles past Stanley McElrath Rd
- Fifth Third Bank is on the corner
- If you reach Davinci Dr you've gone a little too far
(go 0.14 miles)
14. 16445 POPLAR TENT RD is on the right.
- If you reach Middlecrest Dr NW you've gone about 0.7 miles too far
(go 0 miles)
--------------------------------------------------
B) 16445 Poplar Tent Rd, Huntersville, NC 28078-4620 US
--------------------------------------------------
>> TOTAL ESTIMATED TIME: 7 hours 6 minutes | DISTANCE: 434.74 miles
FYI. There's been some road work on Hwy 73 in NC. I'll check middle of next week before you head down. Also, early morning and late evening is the WORST traffic ever for I-77 and Hwy 73.
If we aren't traveling on weekends, we time our approach into and out of cities for around noon...lol! Its all about planning if you don't want to get stuck in traffic.
Kev
Captains chairs are installed! Took all day...had to get VERY creative with converting the driver's chair to power...but it works, they look great, and are super comfortable. SWEET! Not bad for a hundred bucks for the pair! Pictures coming soon!
Tomorrow morning early I'll install the LED T-18 bulbs, then back to work building catapults! Gotta get a lot done before we leave here on Thursday!
Kev
Keep rubbing it in about those $@!#@! chairs..... W%....cant wait to see the pics.....don't mind me just jealous.
LOL! If you don't mind driving all the way to Xenia, Ohio, there are still 2 more sitting in that conversion van!
Now, on to the LED bulbs!
Kev
The cost of getting there and back from south Florida would make the great purchase price moot someone else go get em so I can be jealous of you too :-[
Got the LEDs installed in no time...then added 10 gallons of gas to the RV fuel tank and 35 gallons of water to the freshwater tank. Then got my employee started on catapults. Then dropped the laundry off at the laundromat...for a dollar a pound, I'd rather drop it off and have them do it then sit there all day! (We don't use our washer/dryer when boondocking, although we'll use the washer and a clothesline once in a while out in the desert).
Today, its catapult prep work, pick up the laundry, and start packing everything down!
Kev
Safe journey... we are all with ya every mile.
I asked some guys who live on your route here on I-77 and Hwy 73. No construction but just the usual traffic mess that you're aware of. The weather will be NICE here this weekend. Becareful
Up early (thank the gods for furry alarm clocks!), and about to go to the shop to start the great packdown and cleanup. Shouldn't take too long! My employee Crystal is coming in at 9am to finish the last run of catapults while I clean and pack down. I'm expecting out friends Andy and Brian to be there around 11am, and they'll be setting up their stuff while I finish packing out our stuff.
I really hope the weather has been fairly dry in the Huntersville, NC area for the last few weeks! It makes getting into our campsite a LOT easier if it isn't wet and muddy.
Kev
All packed up and mostly ready to go first thing in the morning! RV fuel tank is full, shop is packed down and everything is loaded in the RV and the Blazer, more water added to the freshwater tank, showers taken, dinner cooked, and man are we tired...lol!
Not much to do tomorrow morning before we get out of here. Take the Tailgater satellite dish off the roof, load the bicycles on the ladder rack, make sure all is battoned down, then drive down to the main parking lot, hook up the K5, disco its driveshaft, and off we go! We should get through Cincinnati after rush hour traffic, Louisville area too, and shouldn't be in any metropolitan area during the rush hours. Its 435 miles, so we are estimating a 9+ hour drive, which will bring us to the Huntersville area and all those roads after rush hour as well.
Oh yeah...I also have to remember to remove the clamp I put on the return line to keep the generator running all nice and well like it has been. So I won't forget, I made a big sign with a Sharpee that says "REMOVE GENNY CLAMP!" and tucked it over the tambor door over the driver's seat so I can't possibly miss it and forget...lol!
Next stop, Huntersville, North Carolina! I'll be posting another post here tomorrow morning, and then this chapter will end. The next chapter? North Carolina 2014 of course!
Kev
Safe travel and blue skies.
We just had 2 days of drizzle rain and things are damp. Should be fine by tomorrow evening. Becareful.
We made it all the way to the Flying J in Wytheville, VA...only 123 miles to go tomorrow morning! Was getting way to dark to drive these twisty mountain roads at the speed I like to travel...45mph...lol! 7.2mpg so far, even in the mountains! Got takeout dinner from Denny's so we wouldn't have to cook tonight. Potroast for Patti, and 2 meat lover's omelets (no bread or taters) for me. We'll get to site pretty early tomorrow, then sign the overnight release in the office (they'll probably be hellaciously busy for anything else), then I'll prepare our campsite while we boondock out in the parking lot. First thing Sunday morning we'll pull into our campsite, and the great setup begins! Its going to be a busy week!
Thus endeth this chapter. Look for the new one I'll create tomorrow, North Carolina, 2014.
Kev
By the way, the new captains chairs are amazingly comfy, and my back doesn't hurt at all! Great lumbar support! LOVE the new seats!
Kev
Super foggy this morning, so we are hanging around at the Flying J until it lifts. Almost lifted, so we'll be back on the road soon!
Kev
Oops! That last post was a double post, so I edited it with this morning's post...but it still reads last night's time stamp. Ah well. I'm sure you all will get it.
Kev
Safe touchdown at the Carolina Renaissance Festival! We'll be moving the RV from the parking lot to our campsite in the morning. The Faire changed and improved the access road back where our campsite is and also leveled and gravelled everything, so I don't have to clear or clean anything out this year or have to level the rig! SWEET! We'll be facing a different way, but will still have plenty of room for the workshop area and whatnot. Awesome!
Thus endeth this chapter! I'll be starting the new one, North Carolina 2014, right after posting this.
Kev