Carla's Camper

[bullfrog !]

Be careful about getting brake fluid on painted surfaces it will make the paint come right off! You will probably find you have little braking and no brakes as soon as the fluid is finished leaking out. The big black thing behind the master cylinder is the vacuum booster which means you have power brakes. Vacuum from the engine sucks a big rubber diaphragm in the black can assisting you push the brake petal. It is common to have the rear seal go bad in the master cylinder and leak out there and sometimes into the booster ruining it as well.

 

[eDJ_]

For the shore power electrical needs in my rig, I've purchased a 15 amp 125 volt thru the wall plug from Amazon. It has two 18 inch extensions cords and I'll run power strips from each of the two. These will have GFCI with a lit on off switch and USB ports where one will run towards the front and one aft. I won't be running anything that needs to be on more than a 15 amp circuit. But it's my solution for a simple build to serve my needs.

There are all kinds of Power Strips with various features/prices, so do shop around. If your using a laptop/tablet for a computer, the battery will serve as a buffer (like an uninterrupted power supply) should the shore power source be less than steady)

The forward supply will mount on the side of my kitchenette, and the aft supply on a vertical wall support close by the bed.

This may work for other rigs as well.

 

[user 22017]

For the shore power electrical needs in my rig, I've purchased a 15 amp 125 volt thru the wall plug from Amazon. It has two 18 inch extensions cords and I'll run power strips from each of the two. These will have GFCI with a lit on off switch and USB ports where one will run towards the front and one aft. I won't be running anything that needs to be on more than a 15 amp circuit. But it's my solution for a simple build to serve my needs.

There are all kinds of Power Strips with various features/prices, so do shop around. If your using a laptop/tablet for a computer, the battery will serve as a buffer (like an uninterrupted power supply) should the shore power source be less than steady)

The forward supply will mount on the side of my kitchenette, and the aft supply on a vertical wall support close by the bed.

This may work for other rigs as well.

View attachment 34589

I don't think I need that in-wall thing. I bought a trailer that is already somewhat set up. Then again, I didn't quite understand the 125 volt through wall plug. I have a plug through my wall

I did order a big RV surge protector.

Do you know much about minisplits? I like how this guy explains them in relation to rv's and trailers. They heat, as well as cool. I'm hoping I can afford one, but so far that is not clear to me.

https://aircondlounge.com/rv-mini-split-air-conditioning-guide/

 

[user 22017]

I want to remove my toilet from my trailer. Is that a pretty straightforward task? I believe the floor is soft under it, but that isn't why I want to remove it. My bathroom is pretty useless with it in there. It leaves no room to even turn around or use the vanity, mirror and sink. But my fancy 7 gallon bucket toilet will fit perfectly in the corner and I'll have a normal size tiny bathroom.

Here is what I think has to be done:

1) remove the toilet
2) use a sawzall to remove a section of floor that is soft
3) remove the black tank
4) cap the water line that supplied the toilet
5) put down new plywood and tile

I'm guessing at this, of course. What am I forgetting?

I should go to Quartzsite, I know. Pirate Camp.

Problem is, I have things to take care of here still. My truck, doctor appointments... and I'm still looking at budget houses for sale.

I'll put the trailer improvements on hold for Quartszite.

 

[bullfrog !]

You really need to keep the black tank in my opinion. Many places require at least a 10 gallon black tank to stay there. The floor can be repaired just make sure the toilet can be reinstalled. Use a separating toilet if you like but keep the trailer legally equipped to give you more options and maintain your resale value. I doubt anyone would want to come in and check but the presence of a black tank and dump valve is easy to check from outside.

 

[RonDean]

Yep… that has brake fluid written all over it!!! Brake lines are very common.
My mechanic used to complain about fords. I told him we keep you in business. He’s like yeah, but they also keep me from fishing!!!

I think it's good that 1. you were paying attention and 2. I don't think it's serious since you caught it now and not when you discovered no brakes at highway speed. Yes, it certainly looks like brake fluid to me as well.

On black tank... In my trailer, I used a gray tank and had a standard dump station drain visible from the outside. It looked like I was compliant with RV park rules and I was never questioned beyond that. But, I do use a composting toilet because I hate dump stations.

 

[abnorm]

I'm guessing at this, of course. What am I forgetting?

Excuse me but WHAT are you going to do with your PEE ?................

.Installing our undermount black tank for liquids only was THE biggest improvement in VanLife for US..............

 

[bullfrog !]

^^^Be wary of any Christmas presents you get filled with yellow liquids! Lol!!!

 

[eDJ_]

Carla wrote:

Do you know much about minisplits? I like how this guy explains them in relation to rv's and trailers. They heat, as well as cool. I'm hoping I can afford one, but so far that is not clear to me.

A couple of my neighbors are HVAC contractors. Known both of them since they were kids. They install a lot of minisplits these days. Most of theirs have been "heatpump" minisplits in residential installs. But lately, as they both have RV camper trailers now, they are getting into installing minisplits with solar panels on the roofs. Trying to power the minisplits with solar in the daytime.

Some minisplits only provide A/C.

Here are some smaller ones for RV's if you want to look at them. These heat & cool. The 9000 btu runs on 120 volts 720 watts 6.26 amps. The SEER2 (current efficiency standard 2023) rating is 21.5.

Senville LETO

 

[tx2sturgis]

I will go against the grain and state that I (personally) would avoid the mini-splits for an RV because RVs move, shake, bounce, rattle, and roll, and the mini-splits I am familiar with were all designed for a stationary building or home.

Yes, I know its the 'latest thing' for RVers, but will they withstand the dynamic mobile environment year after year?

Especially considering the rigid copper refrigerant lines...that would be a concern for me. Will they fatigue and crack? Will the fittings loosen up?

I'm gonna let others experiment with these units, I'll stick with the technology that was designed for vehicles.

 

[user 22017]

Use a separating toilet if you like but keep the trailer legally equipped to give you more options and maintain your resale value. I doubt anyone would want to come in and check but the presence of a black tank and dump valve is easy to check from outside.

Thanks Bullfrog. That is a good point.

BTW, I don't use a separating toilet. Just a 7 gallon bucket.

 

[user 22017]

Excuse me but WHAT are you going to do with your PEE ?................

.Installing our undermount black tank for liquids only was THE biggest improvement in VanLife for US..............

The pee goes into whatever medium I am using (wood shavings, tofu pellets, pine pellets, hamster bedding, etc.)

I love the trailer, but hate the bathroom, because there is a toilet in the middle of the room. You can't move over an inch to position yourself in front of the sink and mirror.

Plus, I've discovered bucket toilets work great for pee and poop. No smell, no mess, no fuss.

 

[user 22017]

I will go against the grain and state that I (personally) would avoid the mini-splits for an RV because RVs move, shake, bounce, rattle, and roll, and the mini-splits I am familiar with were all designed for a stationary building or home.

Yes, I know its the 'latest thing' for RVers, but will they withstand the dynamic mobile environment year after year?

Especially considering the rigid copper refrigerant lines...that would be a concern for me. Will they fatigue and crack? Will the fittings loosen up?

I'm gonna let others experiment with these units, I'll stick with the technology that was designed for vehicles.

There are youtubers doing followup videos of their minisplits after 3-5 years on their RV's. All are holding up perfectly... of the vids I have seen.

Is that long enough to feel confident about their durability? Idk. My trailer is 20 years old and the roof air conditioner still works. Maybe you are right and we should give it few more years. Then again, maybe we should be looking outside the U.S., since minisplits have been used around the world much longer.

 

[NctryBen]

I’d hold off on the mini split unless you have real good reason to do it now. I’d go after your electrical system first. Get as much solar and battery storage as you can afford. Even if you need help installing. Your mini split if I understand is only good on the heating part to a certain outside temperature. Where your located I’m guessing your in a bit to cold of climate for that if you are choosing that for your main heat source. If you don’t want to depend on propane... I’d go after a good diesel heater... and find an above average installer on this.

 

[Happy Camper]

Some of you will have actual experience with this. Some big rigs I see have mini splits on the back.

I do think it'll be a large power draw regardless and there might be better ways to heat more efficiently. Unless you're plugged into 120v, then you can do what you want lol.

 

[user 22017]

I’d hold off on the mini split unless you have real good reason to do it now. I’d go after your electrical system first. Get as much solar and battery storage as you can afford. Even if you need help installing. Your mini split if I understand is only good on the heating part to a certain outside temperature. Where your located I’m guessing your in a bit to cold of climate for that if you are choosing that for your main heat source. If you don’t want to depend on propane... I’d go after a good diesel heater... and find an above average installer on this.

Minisplits are good to 5 degrees. If it got that cold couldn't I use my trailer furnace? At what temp does propane stop working?

 

[eDJ_]

Propane will stay at a gaseous state to about 40 below 0. That is just the propane. If the gas regulator doesn't freeze before that. I don't think you'll want to be in that trailer in sub zero weather though.

 

[bullfrog !]

As someone that has done it I don’t recommend it! Lol!!! RV living is much cheaper and easier if you follow good weather. Your emergency fund needs to allow for that. There will be times you need to shelter in something besides the RV.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Some of you will have actual experience with this. Some big rigs I see have mini splits on the back.

I think what you have seen are not mini-splits, but what are called an APU in the transportation industry. I'm assuming by 'big rig' you are referring to OTR, Class 8 semi truck tractors.

The outside unit can look very similar to a residential mini-split, but its actually the condenser unit for the sleeper climate control system, along with the frame mount diesel-powered A/C compressor and genset, and the under-the-bunk heater, usually an espar or webasto diesel-fired heater.

They do the same job (heat and cool) and they are technically a 'split' system, but the entire APU system on a class 8 OTR truck-tractor is in the neighborhood of about $8000 dollars, last time I checked.

And obviously those units are designed and intended for commercial over-the-road use on a vehicle, including the use of flexible refrigerant lines.

Comparing those units to a residential mini-split mounted on an RV really can't tell us much as far as long term reliability is concerned.

 

[user 22017]

I’d hold off on the mini split unless you have real good reason to do it now. I’d go after your electrical system first. Get as much solar and battery storage as you can afford. Even if you need help installing. Your mini split if I understand is only good on the heating part to a certain outside temperature. Where your located I’m guessing your in a bit to cold of climate for that if you are choosing that for your main heat source. If you don’t want to depend on propane... I’d go after a good diesel heater... and find an above average installer on this.

Why is that preferable to a minisplit? Seems to me that a minisplit, powered by a small solar powered system, is the best option. I'm reading about it now and most sites are saying 2-5 300WH panels for a 12000btu minisplit. But a small trailer like mine would only need 9000btu.

I'm not buying a minisplit right now, but I want to learn more about using them in RV's. Lithium batteries are not sustainable for a greener future, so I want to avoid buying more of them. The 600 watts I have will have to do.

There are many benefits to using solar power to run your mini split systems. While the most obvious is the better environmental impact, you can also increase your energy efficiency with solar power.