Login

1

General Discussion / Re: Still LOOKING to buy your used Phoenix Cruiser !!!

« on: March 16, 2021, 08:15:25 pm »

Where are you located?  We recently moved to central Florida, and have been kicking around the idea of selling the PC.  We have a 2008 2350 with no slideout, and tow a 2012 Smart "Passion" that would also be available,

2

General Discussion / Re: Flopping loose tire valve extension.

« on: March 01, 2021, 07:34:09 pm »

After thinking about it, I wonder if the weight of the TPMS sensors contributed to the failure.  Since I was down to 4 working TPMS sensors, anyway, I removed them all from the PC for the last trip.

By the way, I can't agree with the statement about rivets being superior to welds, just because it's common practice on planes.  I'm an amateur plane builder, so it's a subject I happen to be up on.  Airplanes are riveted because they're built out of aluminum, which is difficult to weld.  That's the only reason.  The last thing you want on an airplane is moving parts -- it leads to metal fatigue.  You certainly don't rivet wing panels because you want them to be free to move around. 

A spot weld done properly is the strongest solution possible, especially with tin parts, and should have been used in a critical application like this.  The only reason those pop rivets are there is because those valve extension mounts were an afterthought. 

As to "not inspecting tires in 1000 miles" -- that seems a little harsh.  I consider myself a very conscientious RV'r -- probably more than most.  I do a walk-around on most gas stops, but that last 900 mile trip I mentioned included only two gas stops, the last after dark.  It could have easily been missed -- I certainly wasn't looking for it. But I will be in the future, and I hope that anybody reading this does likewise.

3

General Discussion / Re: TPMS

« on: February 19, 2021, 09:18:55 pm »

I can tell you which one NOT to buy: "EEZTire" from Amazon.

I'm down to my last four operational senders.  None of the six on the PC work anymore -- I just moved the last working one from the PC to replace one on the toad.  The batteries are supposed to last years.  In reality, I have to replace them about every other trip, but the sensors themselves have just quit working completely, one by one.

But I'm definitely a believer in TPMS.  Without it, I probably would have towed my Smart to Florida with the brakes dragging, when my RVi2 brake failed.  It set off the temperature alarm on the TPMS which was the only way I would have known there was a problem.  As it was, that RVi2 brake still cost me a $700 brake job.

4

General Discussion / Flopping loose tire valve extension.

« on: February 19, 2021, 08:56:43 pm »

Has anyone else discovered this?

I was checking the air on the tires in prep for a trip this week and discovered that one of the mounts holding the tire valve extension on an inner dualy had come un-riveted from the wheel cover hub.  I about had a heart attack.  How many miles has it been like this, flopping around back there, working up to a blowout?  I don't check my tire pressure every time I stop.  It could have been like that for 900 miles, for all I know.  Wow, scary stuff!

The stupid thing is just pop-riveted on.  I never realized it wasn't welded.  Hard to believe it's legal to sell crap like that.  My car has government-mandated airbags from every direction and computers to tell me to stay in my lane.  Meanwhile, my Ford Econoline 350 is practically designed for a tire blowout, without so much as a TPMS system.  Or are those cheesy tin chrome wheel covers just an RV thing?

I didn't know what else to do but pop rivet it back on.  Anybody have a better solution?  I was tempted to get some big 4" pipe clamps, but I'm not sure they wouldn't make it worse.   I'm thinking about pulling both wheel covers and re-riveting all the valve stem mounts with solid rivets.  But they really ought to be welded.

5

General Discussion / Re: Crank battery charging

« on: February 06, 2021, 02:03:50 pm »

Ok, I’m running the ready brute tow bar(surge brake) so no extra battery connections there.  Going battery shopping this afternoon so might just look at adding some heavy gauge wires and Anderson connectors and leave exposed up under the dash somewhere.  Then attach trickle charger on those.

Well, that's the beauty of a trickle charger.  You don't need heavy gauge wires.  The 18 gauge wires that come with an after-market cigarette lighter receptacle are plenty for a 2 amp trickle charger, and you get another 12v outlet in the deal. Just be sure it also comes with an inline fuse. My trickle charger even came with a cigarette lighter plug.The biggest problem is figuring out a place to mount it the receptacle.  I put it in the side of the center post, and wrapped the back with rubber from an old bicycle inner tube and electrical tape, to prevent it from shorting on the metal.

Wish I'd gone with a surge brake.  Last time out, the plug on the RVi vibrated out, and the RVi's response to loss of power was to apply the brakes.  Fortunately, my TPMS detected the overheated brakes, but I was in Houston traffic at the time and it was a couple of miles before I could find a place to pull over.  The Smart's in the shop this week for new rotors and pads -- a $600 repair to a $3000 vehicle.  I won't be using the RVi in the future.

   
BlueBlaze

I have the RVi brake system and I love it, and the RVi 10 tire TPMS system. I think your RVi must have malfunctioned, because when you unplug the device it releases altogether, something you must do every time you run the toad's engine. It should not have applied braking. Have you contacted RVi?  I've found them to have exceptional customer service.

Mine's a 2nd hand RVi2, and the Smart's so light it really doesn't need it, anyway.  No reason to bother the factory with it.  But the way, the repair bill came to over $750.  Smart's are cheap to buy, but really expensive to fix.  But, hey!  On the bright side, new brakes were only $250 more than a spare ignition key!  What a bargain, right?

6

General Discussion / Re: Crank battery charging

« on: February 03, 2021, 09:04:39 pm »

Ok, I’m running the ready brute tow bar(surge brake) so no extra battery connections there.  Going battery shopping this afternoon so might just look at adding some heavy gauge wires and Anderson connectors and leave exposed up under the dash somewhere.  Then attach trickle charger on those.

Well, that's the beauty of a trickle charger.  You don't need heavy gauge wires.  The 18 gauge wires that come with an after-market cigarette lighter receptacle are plenty for a 2 amp trickle charger, and you get another 12v outlet in the deal. Just be sure it also comes with an inline fuse. My trickle charger even came with a cigarette lighter plug.The biggest problem is figuring out a place to mount it the receptacle.  I put it in the side of the center post, and wrapped the back with rubber from an old bicycle inner tube and electrical tape, to prevent it from shorting on the metal.

Wish I'd gone with a surge brake.  Last time out, the plug on the RVi vibrated out, and the RVi's response to loss of power was to apply the brakes.  Fortunately, my TPMS detected the overheated brakes, but I was in Houston traffic at the time and it was a couple of miles before I could find a place to pull over.  The Smart's in the shop this week for new rotors and pads -- a $600 repair to a $3000 vehicle.  I won't be using the RVi in the future.

7

General Discussion / Re: Crank battery charging

« on: February 02, 2021, 08:02:46 pm »

Blue blaze, what’s your procedure for the trickle charger on the smartcar?  My MB branded start battery is dead and will not hold a charge.  It was a whole new language involved trying to get that battery out of the hole it rides in.  No built in handle on my battery.  Had to take a/c cover off to tilt enough to get out.  Do you just keep the battery compartment exposed till you want to drive off. (For those that don’t know, the smart battery is buried under the passenger side foot well, remove floor mat, peel back carpet, remove foam board that holds your tire pump to get to the battery.  A smart doesn’t have a spare tire, so they give you a can of fix a flat and a 12volt air pump that is molded in the foam board).

When I installed the battery cutoff for towing, I also installed an unswitched 12V plug that I use to supply power for my RVI brake.  I use the unswitched plug for my trickle charger.

8

General Discussion / Re: Crank battery charging

« on: January 18, 2021, 03:24:16 pm »

The disadvantage of both these options is that you have to leave the crank battery connected to get the advantage of charging the crank battery when you plug in the house.

The first year I had my (used) RV, it never occurred to me to disconnect the chassis battery when in storage.  The parasitic draw from the radio or something drained the battery and ruined it, which I discovered the next time I wanted to use the RV.  I didn't make the connection at the time -- I just thought the battery was probably due.   So, after replacing that battery, my PC gave me a clearer lesson -- the computer or switch or whatever controls the courtesy lights under the doors chose the moment I put it back into storage to fail "on", which destroyed my new battery.  I discovered this a week later, when I tried to take the RV to get it inspected.

At that point, it finally dawned on me that leaving the battery connected in a vehicle that isn't driven for months at a time might be a bad idea. So after another $150 for another new battery, I invested $10 in a battery cutoff switch, and another $40 for a trickle charger.    I now check on my RV more often and I rotate the trickle charger between the RV and the Smart Car toad, which also has a battery cutoff switch.   And, to make sure the courtesy lights can't get stuck on again and leave me stranded in Timbuktu some day, I unscrewed the courtesy light bulbs, for good measure.

By the way, the other thing I learned in that first year was that it's a very bad idea to leave the house plugged in all the time while in storage.  That dumb Parallax converter the PC came with cooked $300 worth of house batteries.  After replacing the house batteries with AGM's, I replaced the Parallax with a smart converter (Progressive Dynamics PD9245CV Inteli-Power 9200).  But I still don't leave it plugged in all the time.

9

General Discussion / Re: House power from RV generator as back-up

« on: December 17, 2020, 08:08:50 pm »

Well, I think everything that can be said on this subject has been except one:

The quickest way to ruin a $2,000 fridge is to run it on a small generator that barely makes enough amperage to handle the load.  I learned this the hard way years ago, on my first hurricane after we moved to Houston.  I had previously picked up a small generator at Northern Tool that I calculated should have been capable of keeping my fridge and freezer running, plus a fan, a TV, and a lamp.  Every time the fridge or freezer would kick on, the generator would bog down, obviously working hard to keep up with the load.  In order to stretch our gasoline supply, we'd shut everything off every four hours, and over night.  About a week in, the fridge just quit coming on.  At that point, we threw in the towel, gave all the meat to the neighbors, and moved in with our San Antonio kids for the duration.  The repair bill was about $500 -- more than I paid for the generator.

After that experience, about the only thing I'd try to run off that cranky ONAN in the RV would be the stuff in the RV.  If all I had to keep my house from freezing was that generator, I think I'd drain the water lines in the house and move into the RV.

10

General Discussion / Re: Maintenance to prevent leaks

« on: October 05, 2020, 10:04:55 am »

I recall many years ago, a few PC's had their B+ caps come loose from broken screws that hold it down, the base of the cap to the van roof.  A rough ride would be influential, hence the smaller models with light weight fronts being more prone.

I was aware of that problem.  Mine PC doesn't have it, I've checked.  But I guess its possible that it did once and was fixed.  Either way, it gets back to my point -- why would something like that ever happen in the first place?  I bought a PC because of the reputation for quality -- and it still has stupid problems like the B-cap coming loose.  We have friends who just bought a new Thor class A, and its been back to the dealer for serious repairs more in the last year than second-hand Yugo.  It leaked on their first outing!

It's no wonder a $90,000 2008 2350 is only worth $13,000 in 2020.  That's probably about what my 2008 Ford Ranger is worth today!  Of course, the Ranger's roof has never been in danger of coming off, it doesn't have to be stored indoors to keep the graphics from cracking, and doesn't have to be resealed every five years to prevent leaks!  It's amazing when you think about it.  Somehow, Ford was able to create such an amazing marvel of leakproof reliability for only $28K in 2008!

11

General Discussion / Re: Maintenance to prevent leaks

« on: October 05, 2020, 09:29:56 am »

BlueBlaze's Comment - My 2008 has had lots of resealing jobs over the years (I just paid $1000 to have the entire roof redone).  Mine has been stored indoors most of its life and only used for vacations.  Personally, I find it a little outrageous that I have to reseal the roof every five years on a vehicle that lives in a garage 11 months of the year!
----------------------------------

Wow, that is unfortunate.  I surely understand your feelings.  I wonder why your rig chronically leaks.  Nobody else writes anything that resembled your comments.

That is not my experience.  Our 2007 2350 is stored indoors for 11 months per year and as far as I know, it remains fully sealed.  Our garage includes heat during the winter, and does not get hot during the summer.  The only time our rig sees freezing temperatures has been just a few times at high altitude camping during the summer.  We avoid hot summers, camping primarily in spring and fall when the parks are less crowded.  Maybe our timely usage is influential.

I wouldn't say it "chronically" leaks.  I've only had the one, and it was probably caused by my breaking the lights on the front cap when I forgot to prop the garage door open enough to clear the roof.  But I agreed with the mechanic that the roof sealant needed to be replaced.  He's the one who said it needs to be replaced ever five years.  So you've never needed it on your 2007?

I've always thought that the all-over paint like yours might have protected the aging sealant that caused previous owners to patch the seams on mine.  But not after reading the O.P.'s experience with his 2017.

My gripe is that I don't understand why any RV owner would ever had to worry about leaks -- especially on a $100K vehicle that spends its life in a garage.  People have been building RV's for 50 years.  Seems like someone would have figured out how to make them leakproof by now.

12

General Discussion / Re: Maintenance to prevent leaks

« on: October 05, 2020, 09:13:50 am »

What prompted the resealing jobs? Leaks, or preventative maintenance?

Both.  All of the seams around the front cap on mine have clear caulk spots that previous owners must have done at different times for leaks.    On my last trip, I developed a leak during a heavy downburst, that had me driving with a towel on my left leg until the rain let up.  When I took it in this year to the RV mechanic to get that stupid generator fixed (again!) , I had them inspect it, and the guy said it was leaking around one of the lights.  He then showed me cracking sealant around all the stuff on the roof and suggested I do a reseal job on it while he had it in the shop.  He said it ought to be done every five years.

13

General Discussion / Re: Maintenance to prevent leaks

« on: October 04, 2020, 09:46:28 am »

I guess I don't understand.  How would you find these tiny leaks unless they've already done enough damage to prompt you to tear off the paneling to look for them?

I wonder how such a tiny leak could do so much damage in three years unless the vehicle was stored outside or used constantly.  My 2008 has had lots of resealing jobs over the years (I just paid $1000 to have the entire roof redone), but it doesn't seem to have any damage -- at least nothing that would prompt me to start removing paneling. 

Mine has been stored indoors most of its life and only used for vacations.  Maybe that's the difference, but it sure seems dumb that a vehicle meant to be lived in has to be stored indoors in order for the house to last as long as the chassis.  Personally, I find it a little outrageous that I have to reseal the roof every five years on a vehicle that lives in a garage 11 months of the year!

14

General Discussion / Insurance time again

« on: October 04, 2020, 09:19:58 am »

Insurance time again.  This time, National General demanded a 38.7% increase -- on top of last year's 20% increase.  Meanwhile, the value of my motorhome, like any other motorhome, continues to drop like a rock.  I paid $31K for my PC, back when my insurance was only $380.  Now they want over $600 for a $13K vehicle that's only used 4 weeks a year!

Progressive was a little better -- $433.  Probably just a bait and switch.  I guess I'll know in a year.  But even $433 is absurd, when the insurance on my three other vehicles is only $980/year!  They're all newer than the PC, and two of them are actually driven regularly!

What a racket!

15

General Discussion / Re: AC not working in shore power

« on: September 19, 2020, 07:59:36 pm »

Hard to believe the A/C cares where the juice is coming from.  Are you sure the fridge isn't running on gas?  Do you have an inverter?  Surely, it's not running off the inverter.  I don't have one, so I don't know what all it powers.

I think the fuses are only for the 12v circuits, but it's easy enough to pull them and look to see if one is blown. 

If your 2004 is anything like my 2008, there is a metal box inside one of the dinette benches that has a relay in it.  I'm just guessing, but I'm pretty sure its purpose is to switch between shore and generator power, to keep the generator from back-flowing to the power pole.  If that's the problem, it'll probably have to be replaced, but sometimes you can bang on a relay to get it working, if it's just stuck.  Bang on the box, not the relay (unless the power's unplugged and the generator is off).