Posts from the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

It’s Fall

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

Pictures BEFORE today’s rain . . .

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.

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.

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 . . .

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

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

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 . . .

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

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

Day 3 – Thursday, October 7

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

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.

Operation Sea View

No, not the 60s Richard Basehart TV show. I’m talking about our newfound interest in a 2001 National RV Sea View after Operation Sea Breeze failed . . .

But first, Operation Sea Breeze failed pretty much from the get-go. For example, let’s start with our drive to the Sacramento RV dealership to see the 2001 Sea Breeze . . .

PART I – THE DRIVE THERE

We had several routes to chose from, and since we were in no hurry, we decided to take the “scenic” route – Highway 49 / 120. I mean, according to the Google map below, the scenic route was only 20 minutes longer.

What a mistake.

The Good News about the Highway 49 / 120 route is that we drove it for the first time. So we’re now familiar with another fire evacuation route. Also, great mountain scenery, especially if you like STEEP DROP OFFS & HAIRPIN TURNS. (Check the map insert below.)

The Bad News about Highway 49 / 120 – besides some white knuckles – is that the route added more than an HOUR (not 20 minutes) to our drive. C’est la vie.

So after 3 1/2 hours of driving, we arrive at our hotel room near the RV dealership. We eat lunch, freshen up, and walk the dog (oh yeah, Flirt is with us).

After lunch we drive over to the RV dealership to check out the 2001 Sea Breeze.

PART II – IT’S DEFINITELY A SELLER’S MARKET

As soon as I walked into the RV dealership, I knew buying an RV here was going to be difficult.

The Guy at the Front Desk just kept talking on the phone when I came in. Would not turn around even after I dropped a large RV catalog on the desk behind him.

Then, after finishing his phone call, he walked away without looking at me and got some kid to help me.

Zow!

PART III – THE 2001 SEA BREEZE WAS A POS

It reminded me of RVs returning from the Burning Man Desert Festival – Dust Mobiles that looked like they had served in Erwin Rommel’s Africa Corps or in Breaking Bad. Let one picture tell the story . . .

PART IV – THE OFFER

Definitely a fixer-upper, so I thought I’d offer less than asking price when I met with the RV dealership’s finance officer.

Our short meeting was classic Failure to Communicate. When I told Mr. Finance my offer, he asked “You mean the ‘Out the Door’ price?” I didn’t know what that meant. However, I said yes. What a mistake. I was talking about just the RV price and he was talking about the total cost (RV + tax + fees).

After he turned down our offer, Jan and I went back to the hotel, checked out, and drove back to Mariposa – the fast way this time.

PART V – WHERE’S MY HOTSPOT?

A few minutes after returning home, we realized that we had left out Internet hotspot in the hotel room. Long story short, the hotel staff found it and will mail it back to us.

Lovely.