HALLMARK 6X12 CONVERSION

[Tommy B]

And maybe one of these one day. Better consult flboy on this! Only like $ 110.00 but I bet its not that simple

[McDave]

Hey Tommy,
Yup, a Genny changes everything. You'll enjoy having that. Curios though, why not something big enough to run that rooftop A/C? Seems like that could come in handy in Florida?... .. ...

McDave

[Tommy B]

Hey Mcdave,
Well that roof top AC when run on high trips breakers in the house and on both my generac generators. Even when I used the 30 amp outlet. I don't know why. But aside from that they are too big and way too loud for me to lug around. This little honey can fit in the truck cab and only weighs like 48-50 pounds. I almost wish I could remove and sell that roof top AC and go with a small window unit. I have discussed this with Don and he had an idea to mount the window unit in the rear ramp door part time as needed but I don't know. The roof top will run all day on medium cool high fan though with out tripping anything house or generator. I don't camp in the Florida heat. Not just the heat and humidity but the bugs, mosquitos, chiggers, no seeums, flys, SPIDERS all make it unbearable to me.

[McDave]

Ya, I'm no fan of the bugs either. That's about the only redeeming quality of the -35 f winters. It puts a real dent in the bug population the following summer. And the deer, elk, antelope and moose herds are thinned out, but a lot healthier, stronger animals. Makes for greener pastures, as well. Those dryland farmers who put in winter wheat are gonna do alright.
You got a make and model on that A/C? Maybe we can get a look at a schematic and see what gives, but if you can cool it down on med. that's some help. Seems strange you have to wait for winter the way we wait for summer, a smart man would find a way follow the sun, ya know? Like carnie folk....



just sayin'....

McDave

[flboy]

Well I just could not wait any longer on this. With our January camping trip only 12 days away or so. Will not have to pester Don for a battery charge now. Will be able to transfer that extra 35 gallons now with out using that convertor. May look into a small Mr coffee too. Maybe a TV/DVD combo come spring though I don't watch much TV it might be nice when the weather turns bad. But that can wait a bit. It will be nice to run the maxx air vent fan at night and not worry about running down the battery.

Don cant wait. My back is only now 100%. Really looking forward to some new trails.

Tommy, Nice pick on the generator. That one will be very quite and will run everything you need. If I hadn't found the super deal I got on the Honda, that would have been my next step.

I am looking forward to the ride later this month also. That Generator will run the TV fine... but you can run that from your invertor off the battery for a long time. You'd be surprised at how little power these LED backlit LED TV's draw for power..

[flboy]

Summer camping in Florida is not so bad. I do have to temper the riding some and pick a place where there is water to cool down (I like Alexander Springs for that reason) ... but I grew up here and handle it well. The key to dressing for camping in the summer (for the forest) is to wear long sleeves and long pants and continue to drink water all day).. Activities early AM and later afternoon and siesta or swimming mid day.

Believe it or not, long sleeves and long pants (very light material) helps you stay cooler and the bugs stay off... it seems backwards I know... but it works. The AC for sleeping at night is great if you have it. In the middle of the summer... most nights begin with a good rain and cool down... And the other nice thing is you have the place to yourself.. The camper is better than tents.... but tents are good if you have a fan to keep air moving. I use to use the Coleman 12VDC type that ran on the 8 "D" size batteries... they'd last all weekend.

If I lived up north further, I'd learn to snow camp also. I know folks in Canada who camp in the winter off snow mobiles... it is all in the way you prepare and your gear..

I guess I just like to camp.

[flboy]

And maybe one of these one day. Better consult flboy on this! Only like $ 110.00 but I bet its not that simple

Tommy, the setup on those portable dishes is not too hard... my understanding is that given the way that the Satellite TV's use dedicated spot beams for local channels and services, if you go outside that area (200 mile radius).... the receiver may not recognize the transponder and work for local channels... You can get around that for additional fees.. I believe the non-local channels like HBO, Discovery, etc.. may work given they work off of regional beams..

I only know these things as I use to manage a Satellite TV product line for Business Jets and we developed phased array antennas on apertures that go under radomes on the jet fuselage to track the satellite while turning, banking and moving along at 500+ mph.. Not easy stuff given the environment and control needed. Additionally, we had to negotiate with Direct TV for CAM cards to activate the receivers and to get programming.

I'd personally go with an omni directional amplified digital antenna for HDTV off the air. For Florida with its concentrated population centers all over the place...you will always get a handful of channels (and twice as many if you speak Spanish ) ... and then bring DVD's for movies in case of bad weather and you're stuck inside.. I have found when I am camping, I rarely watch TV except for news and weather which I can also get off my Cell Phone... I can watch TV at home... Of course, this would not work so well in most places in the midwest given the dispersed population centers.


BTW.. that is the way my CTC is set up for TV and it seems to work well for me... In South Carolina over the Holidays... I had 24 channels at the camp... but we only watched a little Sienfeld and News as we got in bed... could have done without it. If I had to pick between the TV and the Stereo... I'd get rid of the TV. I use the Stereo much more for music and it can stream stored music off my phone and it runs off of 12VDC... gotta love that.

[hankaye]

flboy & Tommy B. Howdy;

I have one of the portable dishes for my home (RV), when I moved from Utah to N.M.
I just needed to switch the zip code and call to let the sat. folks know where I wasto
switch from Ut programming to N.M. programming.
Out here where the open spaces contain far, far fewer folks then back East, they have what
are referred to as translators to carry the signals for the antenna folks (OTA), So, were I to
used the antenna on top of my RV I'd get the signal from Albuquerque even though I live
over 150 miles away. Same in Ut. single source but relayed (translated), all over the State.
Unless, ... there's always a unless isn't there(?), there's an obstruction in the way (read mountain).
When I need to move I just find a spot, make sure the base for the dish is level get the screen
up that gives me aiming directions, use compass to get close then (I keep it close enough to be
able to hear the beeping), after I've complied with the azimuth and tilt listen for the best signal.

hank

[Tommy B]

wow the knowledge and expertise here... mind blowing. Thank you all. Must digest this some. Every thing Don said. I only need weather reports at this point but a movie or music to drown out loud campers near by or to fall a sleep by might be nice.

The new grill! So much less hassle and seems to produce major flame. Carry bag awesome. 20 lb. tank hose accessory work fine. Had that fold up table already.

Check out those cat/dog pet pillows. Serta makes them and they where supposed to be $26.00 a piece! They rang up $2.66 a piece on sale! They are awesome for my purpose. A couch like bed to sit up and read or TV one day.

Table will be stored there when not in use. A free bee some how.

[Tommy B]

The carry bag for grill.

[flboy]

I really like that grill. If you like the way it works,I may get one also. The one I have doesn't have a burner and sometimes it is nice when grilling a steak to cook something in a pan also. Typically I'll be running in an out of the camper to do both.


I'll probably go with the 1lb propane bottles I refill for the grill as I do for the Buddy Heater.. At some point I may plumb a propane quick disconnect fitting over the wheel well on the side of the trailer that connects to the main propane tank... just for grilling and etc. Will do the same for inside for the heater.. but those are all future projects.

Ready to go camping already!!

[McDave]

You guys are killin' me with the nice weather and camping and motorcycles......
Killin' me.

McDave

[Tommy B]

Mcdave,

The roof top AC is a Brisk Air Duo-Therm. I will remove the panel and get a model #. I f you can help me figure out why this kicks breakers I would be much obliged sir.


as this has been an issue since the first hour of usage. At camp grounds, at home, and with 30 amp generator hook up. I will provide pics if needed.

Thank you.
Stay warm brother.

[Tommy B]

AC Is a Duo- Therm

Model# 57915-541

label says this: Compressor = 11.3

RLA = 62 LRA

Fan Motor =2.5

Minimum Circulation Amps = 20 Amps.

Blows 15-30 amp circuit breaker when run on max cool/ max fan.

At home, at salt springs recreation camp ground, and with 30 amp generac generator hook up.

Will my new Champion small generator run the roof top fan only at least. Why does this AC unit pop breakers every where when run on high?

[flboy]

AC Is a Duo- Therm

Model# 57915-541

label says this: Compressor = 11.3

RLA = 62 LRA

Fan Motor =2.5

Minimum Circulation Amps = 20 Amps.

Blows 15-30 amp circuit breaker when run on max cool/ max fan.

At home, at salt springs recreation camp ground, and with 30 amp generac generator hook up.

Will my new Champion small generator run the roof top fan only at least. Why does this AC unit pop breakers every where when run on high?

I bet you could fix it with a hard start capacitor. There is a lot of rotational torque and a large current inrush when you turn those babies on. It will pop the breaker because of a momentary current spike... after the motors spin up... the current will reduce significantly. Some inductive motors will take 3 to 5 times their running amps to start up... if you are interested, let me know and we will fix that for about $11 with a hard start cap you can get on Amazon called a Supco SPP6, Relay Start Capacitor 120-288V.