Ray,

When we got off the train to check into Historic Hotel | Silverton Colorado | Grand Imperial Hotel I could barely make it up 3 steps as we had not yet acclimated.  The building was built as needed and almost resembles the Remington mansion in that respect, just weird.  There is no elevator, but the rooms are nice. The restaurant in the hotel is fabulous, and around the corner is the  Handlebars Food & Saloon.  You won't believe what goes on in there, the proprietors told me that all the stories are about the crowds from a long time ago (because they were getting too old for that nonsense). Note the chandeliers are all still hanging intact (they were well constructed to support the weight of patrons).

If camping is on the menu, try Silverton, Colorado RV Park & Jeep Rentals ~ Silver Summit RV Park conveniently located in Silverton.

There are several breweries in Silverton if needed.

http://silvertonlakes.com/ offers cabins, RV sites and caters to the ATV crowd.

The San Juan's are just beautiful, and the train ride on the narrow gauge is worth every second.  I have over 400 pictures from that trip!

It is a 15-pin D-connector, most often seen on an analog port of a video monitor.  If it is plugged into the TV or laying there from when it was upgraded, it is not being used.

Sticking it to the window is good, but on some RVs when you open the window to pay a toll it can be in the way.  RAM has an adapter for changing the size if you go that route.  I have used them for years on the MC and in my trucks, as well as RVs.  All the ideas presented have their benefits, just be careful not to block your view with bright screens while driving.

How do you like the Garmin?

On our first coach (32 ft) I backed into my garage at an angle, down hill and made contact with a window frame.  We moved.  Builder was stupid to put it there.

I wounded a bollard once on the 40 footer backing into my spot at night with no one around.  Brand new coach, $3600

A year later, let the super-slide out and pushed over a telephone pole (minor damage).

Two years later as described previously ran over a steering knuckle and incurred another repair bill.

Thankfully no one was hurt, just my wallet.  These same lessons can be learned on a large boat just as easily - take your time and look at what you are doing.

I was following a truck at 65 mph about 200 ft. back in Kansas on I-70 when I saw an object between the truck's tires on the road bed.  It was a steering knuckle just sitting there in the middle of the lane.  I could not avoid it by changing lanes as there was another vehicle passing me, but the front axle was just high enough to clear it.

However, the mud flap on the Discovery made contact and flipped the knuckle into the rear cap and chunked off a piece of the fiberglass, and that impact pulled the cap loose along both sides.  Then the object bounced off the U-Haul I was pulling and into the ditch.  No damage there.

Repairs cost $3,800.  I am also not fond of Kansas.  Sorry Bob Dole.  Sorry Dorothy.

TireMinder as they have many options (different models) and now have FLOW THRU sensors.  My first system I had to remove the sensors to access the valves and that was a pain.  https://tireminder.com 

You can use a smart phone, tablet, or they have a monitor for the dash on some models.  All good choices.  They show current temperature as well as pressure.

For good coverage a separate "relay" box is installed somewhere near the rear of the coach, especially if you pull something and want to monitor the tires.

Note:  If you have a towed with TPMS already installed, there is no reason not to add flow-through sensors that connect to the TPMS.

Batteries and O-rings are free for the asking once a year as part of their marketing program.

For the front maybe you could either bondo, or put some fiberglass over the cracks.  Then I have seen where bedliner was used to cover the front end.  

The enemy is circling, ready to pounce.  We mice can only watch the sky while our leaders

do stupid things to make it worse.

I used that Chemical Guys product last week on my pull-behind.  I have a pressure washer attachment for application of the foam and it comes out with a JET of foam.  I add surfactant (Dawn commercial) to sustain adherence for a little longer, about 5 min. to give it time to work.  Then I go over with a soft brush and rinse thoroughly.  Everything but the streaks from the rubber roof came off nicely.  I still had to use elbow grease and a cleaner to remove the marks.

Cleaner: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018GUMSPU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That sounds like the one to go with based on the availability of the sacrificial component.

Southwire makes a good one, the SurgeGuard 35550, and it is available with a remote display if you need one.  When connecting shore power it goes through diagnostics and if the power is not clean or wired correctly will throw an error and NOT CONNECT your RV.  It is also less expensive than the Progressive versions.

Surge Guard RV Power Protection | Southwire RV 

Surge Guard 35550 Hardwire Model - 50 Amp - Walmart.com - Walmart.com currently on sale at Walmart for $242.95

Installation is the same as any of the others.  Find a reasonably accessible location near the shore power supply cable, cut the shore power cable before the transfer switch and wire the device in line.

Per NEC Ampacity chart 16 gauge copper wire rated 90 deg. is rated for up to 13 Amps continuous current.  This is for an enclosed conductor, such as inside a conduit.

If the conductor is Romex and has enough air around it to cool, then 16 gauge will support up to 22 Amp.  I would venture to say all copper conductors used in a coach to conduct current is rated @ 90 deg.  Just clean the corrosion off the ends and re-terminate, you are fine.

If you have a macerator, then I assume you have bath-1/2 floor plan?  You could restrict your use the the facilities over the black tank, right?

Just curious, as that's what I have seen in the coaches I have looked at.

We experienced the odor when underway.  By keeping all openings closed and running the A/C or heat it dissipates after about 30 minutes.

After about 5 years the original mechanical vents (sink, toilet, shower, washer) had to be replaced.  We upgraded to HepvO traps where we could (replaces P-trap) so water is no longer required to isolate the smells.  Couldn't get to the shower drain or the washer.  One way to fix the washer is to run a vent pipe to the outside if not already done.  The shower is another story and of course is usually the one that has the problem.  Ours is right in the bedroom of course.  We removed the electrical panel which is in front of the vent and installed a vent on the outside wall (don't hit the frame!).  Fixed it.

My Grandpa used to say "if you want something done right, you do it yourself".  In modern times we sometimes have to deal with having the proper tools and knowledge that is difficult to acquire, but the saying still holds true.  At best, if you can't perform the job yourself, at least be there as witness to what is being done.

So Chris, you would agree with one of my standard recommendations:

If you don't know what you are doing, don't do it.

And in the context of the paragraph about RV technicians who haven't a clue:

What is an Expert?              Someone who says they know more than you do.

What is a Professional:       Someone who charges you for that.

Contact the Power Conversion Solutions Team

I watched Thursday as a Guatemalan drywall crew fried their new LED floor light.  They were running on the generator.

First the light started to flicker, then Pssszzzd! No more light.

These here are a good example of inverter chargers typically used on RVs:  Results for inverter charger (rvupgradestore.com)

Check the size in your rig and stay with that size to keep it simple.

Every 8 hours in continuous duty, or for the average homeowner with less than 1/2 AC to mow - twice a year.

I have had to change the S-belt twice.  Once when the water pump bearings froze up, and once when the alternator bearings froze up.  You are lucky to be able to pick your time to replace it.  I was on the side of the road both times on a Sunday night!

I was unable to find any information with that part number.  It doesn't look like it is formatted properly.  However, you can email trimarkparts@trimarkcorp.com and they might be able to help you.  Maybe a picture would help?

With the cold we find moisture condenses in the engine over the winter.  Changing it out hopefully removes the condesation and we have fresh oil.

Just a theory.  It is only money.

Hey John,

Us boaters are famous for over-maintaining our craft.  Never want to get stuck adrift somewhere where there is no help.

My uncle was a chemical engineer for Standard Oil and told me point blank that the claims made as far as how long you can go between oil changes was based on ideal conditions.  Back then the interval was 5,000 miles and he said 3,000 was safer.  Then synthetics came out and intervals started creeping up to the 10,000 mark.

My boat mechanic advised I change once in the spring and once in the fall (up north).  The idea was to put into storage with fresh oil, and then start fresh at the beginning of the season.

Now I feel it depends on how you use the rig.  If you can start and run the engine(s) for a couple hours each month, once per year is sufficient as long as you are using synthetic.

I just redid lighting in our Arctic Fox and used the items below.  A little expensive, but you would think you were in a TV studio if all the lights are on; they really brightened up the whole inside.  And the power required to run these lights is half of what the incandescent lamps used with twice (or more) the brightness.  We could get by with one 8 watt light while on solar, and still see quite well.

When I did the Discovery I just replaced the bulbs with LEDs to retain the factory look.  I used 6000k everywhere but the bedroom (3200k).  They still work on the dimmers, but LEDs are a little wonky when you try to go too low on the brightness (flicker or go out altogether).  Even though I used Chyneez parts they are still OK after 7 years.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0892C38J1/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A67FFQ1POP4BF&psc=1  to replace the pancake fixtures.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DQMVSRL/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=AXEJX2LGR9968&psc=1 to replace the fluorescent fixture in the kitchen.  Here I put 2 side-by-side.  Yes, that is way overkill.