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Oct 25

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It’s Fall

We were all set to post a bunch of Fall color pictures, but then the rain came . . .

The Most Rain We’re Had in Months

That Rain Helped a Lot of Leaves to Drop

Pictures BEFORE today’s rain . . .

Oct 24

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Transfer Switch & Surge Guard Installation

Sunday & Monday, October 10 & 11 – Transfer Switch Install

We bought a Lyght 50A Automatic Transfer Switch from Amazon.

It’s the same switch we installed on our 2001 Newmar so we felt comfortable installing it. This transfer switch uses DC relays to reduce hum. It works.

The plug is the generator outlet. Now there’s no need to manually move it.

However, the new power cord we installed was now too big to fit through the existing hole in the compartment.

So, used a 5″ hole saw to cut out a big enough (barely) opening for the new power cord.

Ta da!

Tuesday thru Friday, October 12 thru 15 – Surge Guard Install

This was a PITA.

The RV electrical compartment is very small, so there were limited (ie, one) options . . .

The Southwire 35550 Surge Guard had to be mounted ON the transfer switch itself.
Not an ideal solution

But it worked

The wiring into and out of the Model 35550 surge guard leaves a lot to be desired. For example, while the screw-down wiring posts secure the wire well enough, there is no protection for the wires into and out of the unit. The surge guard installation instructions tell you to secure the wires within 7″ of the unit, that didn’t seem enough for us, especially in this cramped electrical compartment.

So we installed a plywood faceplate over the entire Model 35550 . . .

Klunky, but effective & the 25′ power cord still fits inside

Friday thru Sunday, October 15 thru 17 – Surge Guard Monitor Install

This was especially tricky. Here’s the finished product . . .

The Problem: How to Run Wire from the Surge Guard Monitor to the Surge Guard itself?

First, take everything apart

Next, pull one end of the cable up to the monitor without damaging the cable or anything else

Then pull the other end of the cable under the RV, through a couple of compartments to the Surge Guard

Next, we have to give a shoutout to the no-longer-existing National RV company for their workmanship.

One of the biggest PITA when running wire under an RV is getting it from compartment to compartment without drilling through walls. In this case, our thick steel Sea View walls.

But National RV provided a VERY CONVENIENT solution: Knockouts. You know, those circular tabs on metal electrical boxes that you can “knock out” to run wire.

National RV put knockouts on our Sea View’s compartment walls . . .

Eureka!

Just a few hits with a hammer does the trick

Nevertheless, pulling cable was a job

Oct 23

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First 3 Days with Our Sea View RV

Ok, we brought our new-to-us 2001 National RV Sea View RV home to Mariposa on Tuesday, October 5th.

We’ve been very busy getting it ready for next year as we plan to travel back to Wisconsin in Spring.

Though winters in Mariposa are nowhere as bad as Wisconsin winters, it still gets cold here which making working outside problematic. So we’re rushing to get as much done as we can.

Here’s what we’ve been up to . . .

Day 1 – Wednesday, October 6

Inspected the major systems: water, electrical, and HVAC as much as possible. For example, tested both AC to see how much they cooled. Very much in fact. Then tested the propane heater. Fine also. Turned the refrigerator on and tracked the freezer and fridge temperatures. Both were very much in spec – freezer < 10 degrees F and fridge < 40 degrees F.

The hot water heater works, but the relief valve leaks so ordered a replacement. Found out that our water heater runs only on propane, not electricity.

Discovered that our Sea View does not have a transfer switch that switched between external (“shore”) power and our RV generator. To use the generator, you have to physically attach the shore power cable the generator’s outlet. Since both our other RVs had an automatic transfer switch, we’ll be installing one on the Sea View (more on that later).

Day 1 Photos

Found out that ALL the inside and outside cabinet support struts needed replacing

Removed Both TVs (living room & bedroom) – Very Heavy Cathode Tube TVs from Long Ago

Removed Both the Carbon Monoxide & Propane Gas Detectors – Both Units Long Expired. Replaced with a Single Dual Detector.

Behind a Plumbing Panel Noticed Large Gaps in Flooring – Mouse Highways that We’ll Fill with Expanding Foam

Day 2 – Thursday, October 7

Because the couch was not long enough to lay on comfortably, we decided to remove it and eventually replace it with one to two recliner chairs.

The bedroom mattress went the way of the dumpster too.

Day 2 Photos

Just 6 Bolts Held the Couch to the Floor

Sans Couch – That’s a Furnace Vent that was On the Front of the Couch

Installed a Floor Heating Register a Few Days Later

Sans Mattress

Parked the Sea View in Our Park’s RV Storage Area (VERY handy)

Day 3 – Thursday, October 7

Just one item on the agenda . . . Dumping the RV’s waste tanks at the nearby Mariposa Fairgrounds . . .

This is the Only Picture You Really Need to See of This Event

Oct 10

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We Bought Another RV

On Monday, October 4th we inspected and then purchased our new-to-us 2001 National RV Sea View at DeMartini RV in Grass Valley, CA.

DeMartini did a PDI (Pre-Delivery Inspection) on Tuesday, fixing the generator and water pump, and we drove it home that day.

For more info, see Our RVs above.

Look Familiar?