24/7 Chat About Anything

[jacqueg]

Does anyone else have problems getting things from Amazon because they won't send things to a PO Box? Like... I need a new portable power station. Was thinking about getting a Jackery this time although I wonder if Goal Zero would last longer and be therefore worth the extra price. Anyhow, these things are not sold at Home Depot and I have to order online, but Amazon can't send to my PO Box and I don't really have a firm physical address. Does anyone have a solution?

Search for an Amazon Drop Box near you. It's a little hard to find on the Amazon site, but ti's there.

Also, many Postal Annex and similar businesses will accept packages for you for a fee - $5 or so. You don't have to have a regular box. Call around and ask. Make sure you get the exact address they want you to use.

 

[bullfrog]

Can you use your families rental lot?

 

[travelaround]

Bullfrog - I tried using the RV space address and they wouldn't let me input the space number. I put the space number in delivery instructions, but those were not printed on the label so Mr. UPS never saw them. Instead he delivered the packages to a nearby home that is part of the property. If I get something as expensive as a power station, I don't want it to get delivered there and lost.

Jacqueg - thanks for reminding me of the Amazon Drop Box! There's a place in Yreka that does that... I used it while I was in the hotel. It is 70 miles from Happy Camp, but since I come out here weekly anyhow they would keep the box for me in the back of the store until I get there. Good idea.

 

[maki2]

TTravelaround you just might need to change the way you enter the space number in the field. On a new line following the street number sometimes the word "unit" with the number after it is an acceptable variation for such situations. People who live in apartments have to use variations of addresses.

But personally I would have it sent to a place that has a counter person to accept it. Also if that place is not open on the weekend put that in the instructions. As well as a note saying do not leave this package outside. In the last year I have had 3 Amazon packages go missing that they claimed were delivered. Fortunately they refunded me every time. One was supposed to be in one of their lockers but when I opened it there was nothing in the locker. The other two yimes it was to my private mailbox service. One was on a Sunday but that company is not open that day. Dont know what happened to the last one, they said they handed it to someone but I suspect it was at the wrong address.

 

[maki2]

I just took a look on Amazon at the Jackery and noticed while it does include shipping this is not an Amazon Prime item. Therefore can not have it sent to an Amazon  drop location. They only do that for their Prime  Shipping items. You will have to use a private service to receive it for you if you can' t figure out how things  get delivered  directly to your RV space.

My new carburetor was not a prime item on Amazon so I had to pay a private business in Quartzsite to receive it for me. Just part of the everyday lifestyle quirks when being a nomad. I am just glad there are places that offer that service.

Speaking of orders and shipping I had better get to doing exactly that, shipping out orders. One is heading off to Australia.

 

[travelaround]

I just took a look on Amazon at the Jackery and noticed while it does include shipping this is not an Amazon Prime item. Therefore  can not have it sent to an Amazon  drop location. They only do that for their Prime  Shipping items. You will have to use a private service to receive it for you if you can' t figure out how things  get delivered  directly to your RV space.

Foiled again! However, great idea to have a local business owner receive it for me. This might be easily done!

 

[highdesertranger]

yes I have had stuff shipped to small business's twice. gave them a few bucks for their trouble.

also where I was in Oregon this summer the USPS(United States Postal Service) did not deliver to the address I was at. so I went to the post office and asked they told me to use the address and write the PO Box number after the street address but do not put PO box. so the address looked like this,

John Doe
1234 Granite Hill Hwy 25
BS, Oregon 12345

the 25 was the PO box. so Amazon would ship it and the USPS office knew who it was for. what I am saying is go in person to the post office and ask them, they were very helpful and understanding as they had run into this a lot.

highdesertranger

 

[maki2]

Experiments running my cutting machin via 110 powered by the generator meant even a small srge from the generator shut off my vinyl cutter. So instead I am now running it through my 400 watt inverter so that there is no power fluctuation. It does not seem to care that it is not a pure sine inverter.  That is fortunate as it saves me having to buy more equipment.

This morning despite it being partly coudy I had enough solar from the 150 watt panel to keep the battry at 100% at 14 volts, more amps coming in than going out.  Nice to know I can work off grid during the day time between 9am and 3 pm or so when the sun gets low behind the mountains. That is with my solar panel down flat.

I am so far enjoying my time in Quartzsite. But plan on taking a whole day off to head south and scout ahead for later in December when I want to get closer to Algodones so I can do some dentist visits. But I wont take a day off until I catch up on making more inventory. Work comes first before playtime, have to keep the dollars flowing.

 

[Gypsyjoe#1]

I may have missed it someplace, but what exactly is it you make and what is the web address so I can take a look for Christmas gift giving.

 

[travelaround]

Hello.. back in the Camp.. got sutures out at dental office. So not fun when there's a knot in the cord they're trying to pull through what's left of your gums. Glad that tooth is gone forever.. done with the pain.

Tribe offered me a travel trailer! Long term loan, no ending date. Hope this will be set up in RV park space tomorrow. Later, hope to move it to my property after the cleanup of fire debris and land scraping. Heard I might have to pay for telephone pole replacement for power company!? Both poles near or on my property are burned halfway up. Hmmm.

Might build just a tiny home structure for seasonal use as I'd still like to travel.... but a pole barn sounds nice too. So many decisions!

Thanks for all package mailing advice and ideas. I want to get the Jackary 1000 this time... could even run a coffee pot on that. My Rockpals 300 could not. Also solar panels. My other portable solar panel burned in the fire.

So much burned in the fire...

 

[crofter]

Glad to hear your hood news, TA. Hope the new TT is in good shape.  -crofter

 

[maki2]

Travelaround, a new home base for you, wow is that great news.

Paying for a power pole will be expensive but I suspect there will be one or more funding programs  to help offset the cost. You should check first with the power co about what financial assistance progrsms are availanlrpe to help the senior, over 62,  fire victims for helping to pay that cost as well as other utility reinstallation expenses so that you can once again have a home.

I feel for you, this situation must be generating a nightmare of paperwork to keep track of.

 

[maki2]

I may have missed it someplace, but what exactly is it you make and what is the web address so I can take a look for Christmas gift giving.

I design very small cardstock sets of buildings and I sell pre cut-kits for them on the website Etsy under my name. This link is to a youtube video of the castle I designed in 2017. I don't  sell them as assembled buildings., just as unassembled kits. The one in the video in the following link was a Christmas gift for a family member, I set it on a turntable that has a color changing Led light in it. It a short, one minute long video, that shows all sides of project..   Castle by Karin Corbin

 

[travelaround]

Lovely castle, Karin!!

 

[maki2]

Quartzsite is a barren desert when it comes to finding certain supplies. Amazon prime to the rescue, but only somewhat so as there is no Amazon locker or hub counter close by. Oh well, I have been wanting to do some exploration around the town of Lake Havasu where there is a locker and visit the Home Depot to buy a few things for my build.

The Amazon hub counters in Blythe, CA are currently not accepting Amazon Prime packages.

What I haf to order thsat was not availzble in Quartzsite was a new sparkplug for my Honda generator. It runs smooth for a while but then wants to start dying and then does shut off. I know it is not the carburetor, so I did a search on youtube for the symptoms. I found a video from a repair shop wherebthey fixed the exact problem I am having. Turns out the spark plug Hodsa sells is known for bad quality. So I have ordered the one recommended in the video plus a spark plug socket to fit it. The four pack of spark plugs should see me through for several DIY maintance cycles.

 

[Ravella and X]

Maki, Quiet Times in Q accepts packages for for people and just charge you a little for it when you pick it up. I received two large and heavy boxes and was charged 3 bucks each. The lady who owns the place is very nice AND she and her employee both mask. She has an amazing Christmas ornaments room.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I know it is not the carburetor, so I did a search on youtube for the symptoms. I found a video from a repair shop wherebthey fixed the exact problem I am having. Turns out the spark plug  Hodsa sells  is known for bad quality. So I have ordered the one recommended in the video plus a spark plug socket to fit it.  

Hate to say we told ya so....way back in post number 2051 I mentioned spark plugs as something that can cause problems....so the 'tech' that said it needed a new carb....yeah, he was probably planning to screw in a new $2 spark plug and charge you for a new $9 spark plug AND a new $39 (or $99!) carburetor...

Ironically that same week I was working on two of my older gensets....got em both running...

If you have any more problems with it after installing a new plug, let us know...sometimes they have more than one issue.

 

[maki2]

Maki, Quiet Times in Q accepts packages for for people and just charge you a little for it when you pick it up. I received two large and heavy boxes and was charged 3 bucks each. The lady who owns the place is very nice AND she and her employee both m4igtask. She has an amazing Christmas ornaments room.

Thanks Ravella. I have indeed used quiet tomes to receive packages. The owner seenms to be a very nice person. She does have a lot of Christmas ornaments.

 

[maki2]

The new carbureor made a vast difference in performence. It was worth every penney I spent on it. This is of course a different issue and not one that was fully revealed until after the carburetor was replaced. It is entirely possible to have more than one issue on a piece of older equipment. 

I feel very sorry for people who seem to continually have business people screwing them over. Fortunaetly I am not one of those unlucky individuals.

 

[travelaround]

Hello, I'm enjoying the new trailer ... loan from the tribe, open ended.. no end date, no cost, brand new... 2 recliners and I can only use one at a time. I could get used to this. Very grateful. The tribe got these to keep fire survivors in the Camp safe from Covid. They went first to Tribal elders, members, and employees. I am still considered an elder though not a tribal member. They have people living in these trailers all over town. I can live in it until I build something on my land to live in. Then they will probably sell them or put them in their RV park and rent them out.