Login

1

General Discussion / Re: 1st road trip

« on: October 26, 2026, 11:26:10 pm »

Impressive. I'm not sure if I would have driven through the tunnel,,, and if I did, I surely would have left a crease in the diver's seat. 


Also surprised to see so many PC's in one place. Outside of last year's rally in Natchez MS, I've only seen 3 or 4 over 6 years.


Larry

2

General Discussion / Re: Mascerator hose durability

« on: October 25, 2026, 11:30:41 pm »

In a pinch I have done the same.. I have a half bath not far from the driveway and emptied the tanks in the same manner you described. I was worried about it leaking, but all went well... At that point the hose was the original 10yo that came from the factory. I'm so sorry to hear this nightmare materialized for you. At least it wasn't terrible terrible if you know what I mean. .


Since that, I have replaced the hose... I actually bought 2 and they came with a coupler to join them end to end.. And I had a sewer dump next to my driveway added.. I was lucky that the main was about 10ft away and needed cleaning out, so I had the plumber dig his hole where it served the RV best. I covered the 4 inch cap with a sprinkler valve niche and nobody has ever noticed it.


The only thing I can think of is that I used a  25ft 3/4 inch garden hose, with the thought that a 1/2 inch and/or longer hose might constrict the flow to much. What size was your garden hose?

Larry

3

General Discussion / Re: Replacement for converter/charger for 2015 2350

« on: October 21, 2026, 05:02:05 pm »

Ah, sorry. I misinterpreted and thought you wanted a pkug and play battery for the intertec.


I also noticed that my previous reply was somehow saved in micro font. I fixed that.


There are several existing threads here in the forum that discuss the options for replacing the converter for something captaining with lithium, as well as the pro's and con's.   In the main menu bar, use SEARCH and use the keyword Lithium.

4

General Discussion / Re: Replacement for converter/charger for 2015 2350

« on: October 20, 2026, 09:08:06 pm »

The intertec 3500 is not able to fully charge lithium batteries, which only at 14.7 volts.


Here's the specs I found on it:
DC Output Voltage: 13.2 to 14.0 Volts DC (nominal ~13.85V max at no load)

Even though lithium batteries voltage peak at 13.6V, they need 14.6 (or 14.7 according to some sources) to finish charging the top 15%.  It also needs higher (than lead acid or SLA) voltage and amperage to charge in general.  Since lithium will absorb current at a high rate, it is likely to over load the intertec.

Larry

5

General Discussion / Re: Duo Therm Penguin A/C

« on: October 14, 2026, 12:48:10 pm »

Excellent reminder Ron. My AC's shroud was hanging on by only 3 screws when I bought it. I drove my PC to an old fashioned style ACE Hardware with a huge offering of screws, washers, etc and found better than originals. Let me see if I have pics somewhere.


Basically I found a size to fit the slightly worn holes (and the reason the originals fell/vibrated out), short enough to not touch the inner AC wall and with a wide flange to spread out their grip across a large amount of the plastic shroud to avoid any extra stress on that plastic.   Each time I found a screw that I thought would work I went up on the roof and tested it.   The hardware guy was quite helpful and willing to run between my RV and the parts bins when something was "almost the right size" and swap to size up or down.


Make sure you get stainless steel. One of my 3 was not and was quite rusty. Another of the 3 was too long and rubbed a dent&scratch into the AC cabinet. I sanded & sealed that before I repainted the lower half of the AC to match my green paint theme.


Larry.  (LRUCH,,, but spell chk likes to change out to lurch.    )

6

General Discussion / Re: 12 Volt fridge replacement

« on: October 09, 2026, 01:04:36 pm »

Here's a thought on how to avoid opening the fridge for often and warming it.   As an engineer I would say you need to find a parallel plane for your leveling.  This is where my mom would say, "in English Larry!"  As a fellow RV'er I'll walk thru the concept step by step.


Sometime when you are not camping and the fridge is warm, park it where you can extend the slide(s). Some might debate that loading the fridge with some weight would be beneficial just in case there is any flex in the slide under load. Open the fridge and do your normal leveling as you described.


Once you have the fridge "level" to your satisfaction take the level out and place it on various solid surfaces in the coach (not cab). Kitchen countertop, bathroom countertop, the floor, even the bottom of the entry door frame come to mind. They need to be a surface that is fixed static, not flexing or moving in any way.. Not a drawer, lift up countertop extension, recliner table, or engine doghouse (I excluded the entire Ford cab because it can flex independent of the coach).  One or more of the spots should be very close to the fridge.


If your parking area is slightly inclined, all the better.   Repeat the entire process parked in the opposite direction, or 90 degrees off if possible. That would give a chance to observe if any ground slant affects the slide's angle of measured "Level-Ness" compared to the other surfaces.


Once you find that matching spot, you can from now on level the coach using it. And if you want to verify your final position after leveling using that spot, check the fridge ONCE at the end. It should (still) match.


BTW, I do this.  They're is a small triangle table behind the passenger seat on my 2900. It's 'Level-Ness" is identical to my fridge, and I can see a bubble level on it from the driver's seat if I tip/unrecline the passenger seat forward.


Hope that makes sense. Feel free to ask questions.


Larry

7

General Discussion / Re: Skid rollers

« on: October 07, 2026, 06:42:53 pm »

LOL. Me too. My 2900 is long enough to drag/roll at least one a month.


  Thank you Ron!

8

General Discussion / Re: Duo Therm Penguin A/C

« on: October 07, 2026, 06:41:38 pm »

I think "noise" from the AC is directly proportional to...


(A) How well was it assembled. Did the factory leave loose wires? Did they put all the insulation in place, AND in the right place? Did they tighten all of the screws, straps, brackets, etc?


And


(B) How much is the owner willing to contribute to maintain our improve this low level of noise?   My AC was really noisy when I bought my PC used (@ almost 10 years old).  I take the shroud off the roof unit every year and clean both sets of coils. The first time I also tapped, wiggled, shook every piece of it and added zip ties, straps, tape and insulation until it was far far quieter and air tight.  Now I look for tape that gave up, or zip ties that crumbled.... Anything to allow a vibration and nose. I also inserted a large sheet of insulation between the AC and the roof to reduce noise and heat transfer back into the coach. Next time you're up there take a look... There's a 3/4 gap between the roof unit and roof. Much of the compressor noise is passed into the coach thru there and 2 rubber tipped legs on the rear end of the AC, not the vents. The fan noise comes thru the air vents.  Maybe I'm too OCD, but things can have an excellent design, but it's only as good as the tech who follows the design.


So, if part (A) was done well, and you don't drive on a lot of bumpy roads, then part (B) is much simpler.   Maybe this extends the adage to never buy an RV built on Friday or Monday to include AC units as well. Who knows...


It does sound like you got one of the units built on a good day. 


Larry

9

General Discussion / Re: 12 Volt fridge replacement

« on: October 05, 2026, 11:52:48 pm »

You are quite welcome. I have learned a lot from this forum and try to contribute whenever I have something worthy.


Feel free to reach out and ask questions when you work on your fridge cabinet/baffles/insulation/fan/etc. It was a big effort, but I am quite pleased with how mine turned out.


Larry

10

General Discussion / Re: Sewer hose storage

« on: October 05, 2026, 11:57:09 am »

Agreed, I think they are all initially setup the same. All of the maceration videos from the factory shows the pump on the outside port and the cap on the rear port. I decided to swap the 2 out ports,,,, I put the maceration on the one that points to the rear (with replacement straps to support it). and the cap on the one that points to the diver's side.


This swap accomplishes 2 things
1. It makes it much easier access when you want to connect using the larger sewer hose.  It is now in plain sight when you are on you knees, but hidden when standing.
2. It moves the maceration pump out of sight. I personally didn't like seeing it stick out at the edge of the fender shirt.


Here's a pic of my rig connected to sewer using the traditional stinky slinky hose. Port Lavaca county park puts the connection right in the middle of the parking spot (no idea why!) instead of in the ground the drivers side.... Even the water and power are on the wrong side. That aside, you can see how easy it is now to connect a hose in this config.  LOL,,, looking through my photo library I must avoid taking pics of the sewer connection. This was the only one I could find. I think it took it specifically to show someone the weird setup at this beach RV Park,.

11

General Discussion / Re: 12 Volt fridge replacement

« on: October 01, 2026, 08:59:46 pm »

I waited a bit to reply, as I wanted to see what other ideas and advice was offered.  I don't have any advice contrary to what's been offered above. I can understand needing a fridge+freezer that is dependable and versatile.  With that said....


The Norcold line has been around for decades and will be for more, for good reason.  When RV'ing you may have electricity at your destination, but you need a power source when traveling. Sometimes that needs to be a power source that is fiumeless (no propane in tunnels or on ferries) ... And you may be boondocking and reserving your electrical power for lights and AC.  And that's where the 3 way Norcold excels.   TBH, I find my 2way to be as good it better than a 3 way after I upgraded to L-ion batteries.  At least I didn't spend additional money for the 3way... If the 2way quits one day, then I would consider it.


I also took the time to make some improvements to the installation of the Norcold.  Cleaned it up. Added insulation. Added positive air flow on the back side. Improved the air baffles.  It made a huge improvement.  Full details here [size=78%]https://forum.phoenixusarv.com/index.php?topic=4820.0[/size]


This was a high return investment.




I would caution that just replacing a fridge could put you in the same place you are now, just less some cash paid for a new fridge because the problem more likely to be the cabinetry/air flow/insulation. 


The entire purpose of the fridge is to take heat out of the fridge and freezer and keep your cold food cold and your frozen food frozen.  On the really hot days if the  fridge is not able to get the heat OUT OF THE RV, a newer fridge is likely to not do it much better. 


I live in Texas and vacation often in Texas and the gulf coast Mexico to Florida on days over 100F and nights in the upper 80s. - - much hotter than California. (I used to live in Sacramento in the 90s)  I travel with rock solid ice cream in the freezer and a fridge full of produce, meats, dairy and beverages.  After these improvements I've never tossed food because it spoiled from being held at the wrong temp. And, maybe once a year I end up freezing some lettuce in the fridge because it works too well.  I just learned to not put the lettuce in the top shelf near the fins.


If you haven't read my fridge improvements writeup yet, please give it a chance. I think it is better money spent... And whatever fridge you end up with will not work as hard and consume as much energy.  I didn't record propane consumption so I can't provide evidence, but I now fill up the LP tank only once a year. I used to fill it up twice a summer and again in the winter. And I know for certain the interior of my PC is cooler since the fridge is not heating up the inside walls... I very pleased with the results.


Just my 20 cents (including inflation).


Larry

12

Photos / Re: Upgrading roof air conditioners

« on: September 25, 2026, 01:58:00 pm »

Speaking of knocking down blockers. Seems like every day something new is announced in AC technology. Today I see that Trane has found a way for heart pumps to produce heat in extreme cold (approx - 20F).  This has always been a compelling reason for heart strips since they work at any outside temp.


This announcement is for residential installations, but mobile solutions are likely to follow, sooner or later.


https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/09/25/trane-unveils-cold-climate-heat-pump-operating-down-to-29-c/


Larry

13

Photos / Re: Upgrading roof air conditioners

« on: September 23, 2026, 03:31:54 pm »

Hey Kirk, I suspected that was you,,, it just didn't know your form name "Desert Dave".


Agreed, our workshop last year was a pleasure. The few minutes we had flew by, and the group interaction was excellent.


Sorry if I sounded like the 12v AC was a bad idea.... I'm all for it. I'm personally struggling with so many options it's truly rough to narrow down the best one for me.  I will add that I trust a heat stripp for those times I need to leave the heat on and step away from the RV.  I never do that with a portable heater.


Your usage pattern mirrors what many people do in a bricks and sticks home.  Cool the whole house during the day, and then switch to a smaller unit for the bedroom at night... for good reason.


I'm impressed you can run the 12 volt unit all night and still have 2/3rd to 3/4th battery remaining. I don't get that good of consumption rate with a 120V unit... But I'm also cooling the entire coach. The victron multiplus II generates a lot of heat inverting from 12v to 120v and that heat is wasted battery power.  After a sunny day on padre island, batteries full, and then AC thru the night, I had about 15 to 35% of battery left.   One day was very cloudy & muggy. My batteries were only 80% full at sunset and I ran out of juice before sunrise.   This past July my solar installers made some tweaks and so far I've been charging faster and using/moving power more efficiently... Not moving power from one battery pack to another as much reduces waste.  I'm eager to go boondocking for week again and see what the results are.


Side note:
I know the feeling on the furnace noise. I ended up putting a fireplace insulation blanket (faced ceramic wool rated for 2000F) around it and it blocks much of the noise, and stops the heat from heating the closet above. The coach stays warmer and more evenly now too.  Now I just hear the air from the vents, not the motor & fan in the furnace. I did a write up on this here in the forum a couple years ago.


The 12v split units I have found are not being marketed for RVs, instead they are very popular for the trucking and marine (think small yachts & large house boats) industries and offered as 12v and 24v units.  They are usually rated for 24x7 usage, ranging in btu sizes to cool a small cab to as big as a delivery box truck. I think the biggest single compressor unit I've seen was 20k btu,, but they also make double composite units.  I first found them watching a YouTube video on a semi cab that had a luxury RV coach instead of just a bed behind the driver's seat    I did see that Brinkley announced a new top of the line 5th wheel at Hershey this month with a double split units. The reviews are impressive and the "AC noise" is now outdoors and under the RV.


I forecast a big shift in AC technology in the RV industry as they scramble to keep up with innovation that is knocking down decades old barriers.  Specifically, 12v inverter compressors, high power brushless fan motors, huge battery capacities, larger solar power sources (plus maybe mobile wind power very soon), and modular split units.   ... Hence my hesitation to make a choice yet. If my penguin quits, I'm ready to replace. If it holds out a few more years I hope to benefit from an enlightened RV industry.


Good to hear from you again. Great topic!
Larry

14

Photos / Re: Upgrading roof air conditioners

« on: September 20, 2026, 11:58:49 pm »

Kirk, I'm interested in this as well and I've done some research...


I have the original 15K btu Penguin in the middle of my 2900 that is now 16 years old and I worry how long it will last.  It draws 18 amps on high while cooling, 14.5 amps is just the compressor.   When it quits the next AC must be a lot more efficient, quiet, and if possible 18K or 20K btu.   


I've thought about switching to a 12V AC since I have 800AH of battery and almost 3KW of solar, which would work very well when boondocking with no power lost (and heat generated) to inversion.   When on shore power I would then pay the cost of converting to 12V for the AC.


However you touch upon a middle choice: Installing a 2nd AC and keeping the 120V AC.  The 12V could supplement the Ford AC on the road on the hottest days (with healthy solar collection) and while boondocking. I fear the rear AC would not cool the front of the coach well when parked no matter how many fans you place in the hallway, so the 120AC would need to run occasionally.


I admit I've looked at 12V AC units and what caught my eye are the split units. The inside unit would fit between the bedroom closets against the ceiling (I have a useless cabinet with a TV mounted on it there now), and the outside unit would fit under the coach beside the fuel tank.. Where it is nice and shady. It might also be easier to run the heavy duty 12V wires under the coach.


Here are a few reasons why I haven't pulled the trigger yet...


1  The Penguin hasn't died yet.
2. The invertor AC products that I've seen seen to have the thermostat inside the roof unit (Furrion is a good example of this). That's why they must continuously run. The airflow is needed so it can sense the room temp.  I do like the quiet when my Penguin auto shuts off between cooling cycles.
3.  My Penguin has a heat strip which is silent (except for the fan). It also work at any outside temp. I like that much better than a heat pump. Before August of this year, I've never seen a 12V AC with a heat strip, it's always a heat pump.   A couple weeks ago I read a sneak peak new product announcement for a 12V AC to be unveiled at the Hershey RV show (this week), and it mentionred a heat strip. Maybe they are listening to the RV community.
4.  Weight.... I'm always watching how much weight I add to my rig. I can add another AC, BUT, when I pull the specs on the units the weights really vary from 75lbs to almost 180lbs.  I'm not sure if I trust them, or if it is a case of quality is heavier, or sloppy marketing, or ???
5.  The split unit puts half of the weight below the floor, which appeals to the engineer in me, but it would require some shielding to block the dirty&mud from the tires. Not a blocker, but an additional consideration.


So... Sorry I don't have answers,,, but I got plenty of worries and questions  LOL


Keep us informed. Tell us how the new 12V works in summer and winter.


.Larry

15

General Discussion / Re: Request to post unit for sale not answered

« on: September 14, 2026, 01:06:12 am »

They might be really busy right now. The annual Hershey PA RV show is this coming weekend... Their biggest sales event of the year and they drive at least 2 brand new units there.  If I had to guess.


Larry