Moonwink

I figure a couple of links would be helpful: https://www.amazon.com/Kohree-Recessed-Replacement-Equivalent-Motorhome/dp/B07BF4SLGT https://kohree.com/products/kohree-led-replacement-g4-led-bulb-12v-ceiling-recessed-puck-light-bulb-for-rv-camper-trailer-motorhome-5th-wheel-and-marine-boat-2-watt-natural-white

During our attempts to travel from St Louis to Quartzsite after Christmas, a couple of times we had to alter our plans due to weather. One time, as we were headed across NM with sever crosswinds, our crank-up Winegard TV antenna started banging up and down on the roof. Sagebrush was lining the sides of the roads blown up against the fences. I wasn't having any problems keeping it under control but the headwinds were preventing the transmission on my gas MH from staying in overdrive. That was enough. I had the wife look up the next campground which happened to be the Escapees in Deming. The next morning with the front past, the weather was calm and the sunrise was beautiful. On another occasion, we'd gotten as far as Abilene, TX with the weather closing in. I thought I could out run it and spend the night in Van Horn. I was wrong, the weather was already closed in. We were cautiously heading west on I-20 when we came up on a traffic jam. As I came to a complete stop, the front tires went sideways on the black ice. Thankfully, we were at an exit and there as a campground sign right there. We pulled in the campground only to find out it was completely full of oil well workers. The owners knew we were in a jam and let us stay between a couple of sites on the already sleet covered ground. All the regulars had gone home between Christmas and New Years so we weren't inconveniencing anyone. For the next 3 days, we sat there and watched another inch of sleet accumulate. Overnight on the last night, it rained melting all the ice we were sitting on. The next morning, when I started forward, I felt the MH sink into the mud. See the picture for how we were able to get out of our space and back on the road.

Rich, I'd trace back from the switch to figure out why there's no power getting to it. After you know what caused the loss of power, it will be easier to work on the lights. If the lights turn out to be the cause of a blown fuse you'll know where it stops and can try doing something different with the lights. All the LED replacement tubes I've seen say to leave the ballasts in place and just swap the bulbs. I did as many have said - I bought a roll of the LED lights on a strip and took out all the guts of my fixtures when I glued them in place. I like the brighter fixtures after making the change.

Going back to the original problem of no power, Rich, do you have power at the switch? No sense in doing anything else until you can measure power at the switch. If there is no power at the switch, the most likely problem is a blown fuse. You can make sure the switch isn't the problem by measuring the feed to the switch. I've found the most pleasing light I get is in the 3500-4000 Kelvin range. http://www.recessedlightinglayout.com/2017/04/led-color-temperature-chart-scale.html

The driver's seat is still there. The driver was ejected because he wasn't using his seatbelt. If he had been using it, things may have turned out differently. No guarantee but, seatbelts save lives and there's no getting around that fact. Be safe (safer) and buckle up!

I wear my seatbelt all the time while traveling. Too bad this couple chose not to. It may have saved a life. Their chairs made it.

I just tried the ebay link shared above and that listing has been removed = "This listing was ended by the seller because there was an error in the listing." I replaced all my high heat output halogen fixtures (both the puck lights and bullet lights) with these from Command Electronics a couple of years ago.https://www.amazon.com/Command-Electronics-Camper-Trailer-Utility/dp/B07X9C3L7T/ I've been very happy with the additional light I get from these and when they're too much, I can turn off one or two of them by pressing the switch button in the center. 10 fixtures for $37 and free delivery. You can't hardly find the bulbs for that.

Take the washer and plug to any good auto parts store (I recommend NAPA) and they will give you a new copper washer of the appropriate size.

The common name for this is "king valve" and it's purpose is to stop the flow of refrigerant allowing the system to be "pumped down" and stored in the receiver/condenser for service purposes. Not very common these days. I found this cutaway view of a similar valve that would bolt on to the compressor. Yours don't look like it has a "packing nut" on it like the one in the picture. Yes, the cap should seal it and yes, the oil is a sign of a leak. This one has a "gauge port" which I don't think yours has. Anyway, "backseat" the valve - meaning back the stem all the way out against the upper seat for use. That should help seal any leak. "Frontseating" the valve would stop the flow of refrigerant.

Another vote for the Protect-a-Tow here. I've been using one for years because it's easy and quick to put it on and take it off. It stores in a bag about 6 inches in diameter and 30 inches long. I'm on my second one because I've got a tail dragger that worn holes in the first one which I put under the towbar. I put the new one over the top of the towbar to prevent ruining the new one. It protects just as well either over or under but there's more chance of dragging a hole in it when it's under the towbar. https://protectatow.tripod.com/

Unfortunately, there's a lot of misunderstanding of exactly what "soft-starters" are, what they do and how they work in this topic. I won't take the time to go over each and every error but - Please, everyone, read these webpages to clear this up: https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/machinery-tools-supplies/motor-soft-starters/ https://www.plantengineering.com/articles/soft-starter-101-how-do-they-work/ https://camperreport.com/softstartrv-questions/

I never had any luck drawing more than 24 amps (80% of 30 amps) at a campground without burning up the cord plug and the socket in the power pedestal. The contact points in the socket just aren't big enough to carry any heavier load and will heat up. When they heat up, they'll turn black with oxidation. The oxidation is a poor conductor and causes more and more heat to build up. That's when the plug melts and socket looses its tension. You can sometimes get by with scraping the oxidation off the plug and use it again but the next poor sap trying to use the power pedestal won't have much luck trying to get his plug to make good connection. The only remedy is to replace the socket and I'm sure the campgrounds can't afford to do that for every stay.

The basic Fantastic Fans are all alike and can be modified / upgraded to any controls. Call the folks at eTrailer and ask how to adapt your fans to the new wireless remote controls. Tearing your old fans off the roof to replace them is a lot of unnecessary work to go through just because the remotes failed. https://www.etrailer.com/accessories-and-parts/Fantastic-Vent/FV9068-09.html

I had Wheelmaster SS braided extensions (I bought the "best" or so I thought) on my inner dual tires and they both failed. Before I noticed it the tires deflated and came loose on the rims. I had a heck of time getting them reseated so they'd hold air - it's a good thing I've got 19.5" diameter wheels. With the tires, they only weigh about 100 lbs apiece. I will never use the braided extensions again. The braid is only decorative. The tube inside is fragile and can break without seeing it. I replaced my with Wheelmaster's 2 ply rubber hoses. I think they'll work much better and last a lot longer. If it was me, I'd throw away all of those braided extensions before they have a chance to leak.

My tale of woe -> A few years ago without doing any research, I purchased Camco's Power Defender. It worked great for a couple of years but it rained almost everyday while camped in Dessert Hot Springs about 3 years ago and the unit's seals failed miserably allowing almost a 1/2 cup of water inside. The next time I went to use it, it sounded like a buzz saw. I opened it up and all that water poured out! The electronics are fried. I email Camco asking where to send the thing to be serviced and was told there was no service available. I'm sorry but something this expensive (over $250) should be serviceable in my opinion. The unit was never submersed in water but hung on the MH out in the rain. The seals should have prevented this. You live and learn and sometimes get to pass on your knowledge to help other avoid the same mistake. Steer clear of this boat anchor and go with one from a company that will stand behind it's products.

My previous MH which I had for 16 years had vinyl graphics on it and they still looked great when I sold it without a sign of cracking or crazing. Compare that with a friend living in Las Vegas who had the same MH but used a different product (and swore by it) than I did. Both of out units sat outside year around. I know it gets a lot hotter in LV than StL but doesn't really explain the difference in the way our MHs looked. He used 303 Protectorant. I've always used Protect-All. It kept the gelcoat looking nice as well as the graphics. The rubber trim around the windows still looked great. I used it to keep the windows clean because it made removing bugs a lot easier. My recommendation to preserve your graphics would be to use on them and everything else.

“Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world. ” ― Archimedes

The lugs on my Ford f53 chassis only need to go to 150-165 ft lbs so I haven't tried at "torque multiplier" but I've heard others talk about them. Check them out on Amazon and eBay. Maybe someone on here will recommend their favorite. They come with different ratios and I can't find their capabilities listed in the offerings. I don't talk "nm" (newton-meters) https://www.ebay.com/itm/Heavy-Duty-Torque-Multiplier-Set-Wrench-Lug-Nut-Labor-Saving-Lugnut-Remover-Case/353145874077?hash=item523922669d:g:6LQAAOSwnDJe2con

On my Ford chassis with WheelMaster wheel covers, I wanted the best extensions available and bought the WheelMaster SS braided extensions. Both the longer ones for the inner duals failed! Inside the decorative SS braids is a plastic tube that can go bad without any notice. After forcing my hand through the handhole to check the pressures and install my TPMS sensors for awhile, I looked around and ended up going with WheelMaster's #8006 2 ply Goodyear rubber hose extensions. In my opinion, they are a much more reliable solution to extending the valve stems for the inner tire than anything else available except full length metal stems but they have their drawbacks to - like not being able to swap tires around. On my outer tires I use the 135° metal extenders and nothing on my front tires. Works for me. https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Wheel-Master-2-Ply-Rubber-Hose-Kit-p/92-9167.htm

There used to be a fellow I'd see at Quartzsite and other RV shows/rallies I think went by the name of "The Water Filter Man" (or Store). I don't believe he's around anymore. He made hoses in custom lengths (on the spot) or had standard lengths premade. He crimped on real brass connectors. It turned out the original hose he used contained some harmful compounds and the manufacturer reformulated it to meet today's NSF standards for potable water. I liked it his hoses so much, I bought a roll (It comes in 300ft lengths) and after using 100ft for my purposes shared the rest with friends. One tip I have to keep your hose neat - all hose has a natural "lay" to it. Work with that lay and don't try to fight it when you recoil it after use. Same for extension cords. They'll look great for years. This is the hose he used: https://hosewarehouse.com/products/K6155-08X300-Kuriyama-Kuri-Tec-K6155-Series-High-Purity-Non-Toxic-PVC-Potable-White-Water-Hose-1-2-ID-750-OD-300ft Clear PVC compound, formulated in compliance with FDA(03) and NSF(11)(13) criteria. Kuriyama Kuri Tec® Series K6155 High Purity Non-Toxic PVC Potable Water Hose - White A flexible, non-contaminating food grade hose that is ideal for use in food, beverage and water applications. K6155-08X300 Kuriyama Kuri Tec K6155 Series High Purity Non-Toxic PVC Potable White Water Hose - 1/2" ID - .750" OD - 300ft

I've been using one of these antennas for years. A suction cup held it on the window all this time. I used it with my Verizon "JetPack" for a couple of years before switching to FMCA TechConnect plan through Sprint that is a truly unlimited hotspot for $50/month (can be interrupted to reduce the costs when not being used). The only reason it slows down is if the tower is overloaded and that hasn't been a problem for me. I'm much happier with it than I was with the Verizon service. I routinely maxed out the allotted 15Gb in less than a week with Verizon's so called "Unlimited" plan. So far I haven't been anywhere without Sprint's service but I've still got my phone with Verizon that could be used for a hotspot if I get somewhere one carrier doesn't offer service and the other does. I did find a spot outside of Clarksville, MO that had neither requiring a trip to Louisianan, MO to get online. There was roaming cell service but no data service at all at that campground. https://www.amazon.com/Antenna-Connector-Amplifier-Directional-Broadband/dp/B07RL6RBW6/

You can't put all the blame on the user either. Because I've had my Avanta II for many years, I took it to the Blue Ox service center at Quartzsite and few years ago to have them "tune it up". All they did was replace the plastic/nylon washers and tighten the bolts. For that, they charged $35. I was extremely disappointed in the service but never complained - just paid the bill, grabbed my towbar and left. They never mentioned a word about sending it back to the factory for the proper maintenance it needed. The bolts wear as do the holes they go through leaving a lot of "play" after a few years. I have never heard or seen their offer to send my towbar back to them for refurbishment in all the years I've owned it. In fact, your post is the first time I've ever seen it mentioned and thank you for enlightening me.

I don't know how many of the Avail style towbars have failed similarly to the one in these images (it appears at least these two that ended up on IRV2) but if I owned one of these older style bars, I'd be upgrading it to the newer style ASAP. You can buy the hitch connector assembly ($322.39 but hey, you get free shipping) from eTrailer.com that replaces the point of failure shown in these images. At what point should Blue Ox stand up and issue a recall? https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Blue-Ox/84-0186.html

It's been a few years now but when I saw the propane truck in the street filling a neighbor's residential tank in a residential neighborhood, I asked the driver to top off the tank in my MH. The tank connection is the same. I was told he couldn't do it. He said he was not permitted to fill tanks on RVs. I called the office seeking a waiver - no dice. It sounded like a different license was required or some legal reason why I was turned down. I live in St Louis County, Missouri. To me, it looks like the same truck filling tanks around the campgrounds I visit. As long as I've got electrical hook-ups, I only need to top off the tank once a year so it's no big deal.