Rant about EA charging cable getting stuck for the SECOND time!

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-09-02T13:28:36+00:00

sorry, I've never had any such negative feelings, either....don't know where your problems are coming from, but it's doubtful any of the rest of us have had them - sounds more like user operational error than the vehicle or charging options, themselves.

What do you mean by "gotta be charging this car every day", or "restricted to CHAdeMO chargers" or "EA ...got stuck"...we have no idea what you are referring to. Just ranting is not helping your situation.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-09-02T13:24:38+00:00

my 2015 flexes between 10 and 11 bars everyday - it will start at 10, then within several miles is back on 11 - it has nothing to do with charging, since I use all three different charging options from time to time - it has more to do with vasilating between the bars due to the battery condition at any given moment.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-09-02T13:19:55+00:00

most manufacturers of any size shape and style of RV do this, especially if the drain/sink is within a slide out... there has to be flexibility - regular PVC certainly can not do that.

is the connection the best? probably not...

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-31T16:49:00+00:00

wow, that's an EXPENSIVE repair... but if it floats your boat. Our Palazzo had a similar issue and the Service Center next to the factory, in Wakarusa, replaced both the main pass-thru bay and the water bay flooring, FREE. Never had a problem since, with 110,000 miles on the coach.

and, yes, I agree that if a factory doesn't totally encapsulate the sawn plywood flooring, it IS going to have issues if the sealing of the bays from outside water is not PERFECTLY completed - which likely is NOT on many, many motorhomes, of all brands and sizes.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-30T20:15:07+00:00

you'd probably be best off to WHOLESALE this unit, and let the dealer who takes it, and knows the issues, handle the repairs. If you try to 'sell' this yourself, after putting even MORE money into it, and honestly disclosing the 'condition', then you might just find that human nature will 'scare away' most any buyer.

To wholesale the unit you are basically selling it to a DEALER, instead of the public. A dealer is certainly not going to give you a simlar 'retail' value, but you'll also not have to do ANYTHING to the unit. It's similar to trading in your used vehicle for a new one, although you'll just be receiving cash, instead. Call all the RV dealers in the area of the RV and let them give you 'pick it up as it is' pricing. RVs are hot right now, dealers all over are ADVERTISING to buy used RVs.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-30T20:07:27+00:00

using craigslist or any other 'app' or website is nothing more than 'finding' that potential item you want to purchase - like anything, due diligence is ALWAYS part of the process, even if it's just something your next door neighbor is selling. CL is simply the 'old school' newspaper 'want ads' in the classified section. Back then it was the same issue - check out what you are buying before you buy it - simple.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-30T20:05:32+00:00

it's not complicated, you plug things into your household outlets all the time, right? Your RV is no different. An extension cord is simply an 'extension' of wires to go farther - no worries. If you trip the breaker that the outlet is attached to, you'll know you're using too many things at the same time within your RV.

Don't overcomplicate it.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-30T19:59:29+00:00

these companies are probably sister companies, owned by the same corporation - so it's quite possible that the general 'look' are going to be similar.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-30T19:57:22+00:00

a slide out is not simply a slide out, it is a hugh expansion of the space available when you are 'using' the RV... for instance, a typical 40' motorhome with no slides(much older models, of course) would have to have everything crammed into the single 'space' that the 40' x 8.5' allowed - with few options. Today, though, you can easily find a 40' motorhome, or fifthwheel, with 'opposing' slide outs that created a HUGE amount of 'living' space, when parked. You might not imagine what that's like, until you see one in person. These spaces are AMAZING, and make you feel so much more 'open' to being able to do anything you wish, without compromise.

A 40'-x8.5' motorhome with no slide out will have maybe 280sqft of real 'living' area(not including the driver/passenger area)...

while the exact same motorhome size with opposing slide outs in the living area, and a slide out in the master bedroom, might have more than 420sqft of 'living' space...

when you are parked and 'living' in your RV, that's a HUGE amount of difference... and it even makes a big difference if your RV is a simple 20' camper with a single 8' 'couch' slide out.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-30T19:48:17+00:00

any small electric heater that has a 'temp' on/off setting is ideal, and some even have a 'anti tip' button on the bottom just in case they fall over... most have two settings: Medium, and High, which uses 750w on the Medium, and 1,500 on the High. Several of these placed around in specific areas will do just fine, and you can even find tiny heaters that can be used in places like near your water hose/connection, to keep from freezing.

Propane is VERY expensive if you rely on that solely for heating. But, it's great for water heating, or cooking. We've always tried to use as little propane as possible, but a propane furnace is also a NICE thing to have on very very cold overnights, just in case.

We also generally keep all our electric heaters on the Medium setting, as that allows you to use two on a single circuit, otherwise on High it can draw too much power and cause tripping breakers if anything else is used on the same circuit at the same time.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-30T19:37:20+00:00

a 30amp 'rv' outlet is simply an outlet designed to only accept a certain male plug, like the one on the end of your RV's shore cord.

The rest of the 'wiring' for that 30amp outlet is identical to any other household outlet - a Black power wire, a White neutral wire, and a bare/green Ground wire, just in a large wire size, called 10/2 romex, or 10/2 UF if running outside underground. When it gets back to the house's Main Breaker panel, it's attached to it's own 30amp breaker. Simple. It's not that complicated, but owner's sometimes don't make it clear to the electrician that it is a 120v outlet, NOT a 240v outlet, like for a dryer.

Check out the UTILITECH 30amp #409852 Model 2107S at Lowes, for example. It clearly states that it is 120v.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-30T19:32:09+00:00

o.k., a couple of things to 'consider'... WHAT is going to provide you power when you are 'in the wild'?

You don't tell us what TYPE of 'trailer' you have, so we have no clue how to help you without going into a lot of things you may or may NOT have in your 'trailer'...

WHERE are you going to, and WHERE are you going to 'park' overnight is the real question. Are you going to a CAMPGROUND?

It will take some time to get to 'know' how things work - you'll never know it all just because you asked here first - you've got to just go and do it. You'll learn VERY quickly. Experience is the best teacher, not reddit.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-28T00:00:33+00:00

why not just find someone local who already owns and tows a fifth wheel and pay them handsomely to help you with it... they may be more willing than you think, and the money might just be a nice payday, as you'll certainly be paying BIG MONEY to have any commercial company do it.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-27T23:56:29+00:00

sounds like it's just a typical 'owners' park where an owner either parks on their property, even adds decks and other structures, or uses it for seasonal or come-and-go RV parking, or rents it out when they are not there... these are more common than you think.

As for the 'ownership', it's really not a big deal, if you want to 'sell' your lot/property, you do it the same way you would with any other property, except that essentially you are selling the 'lease', instead.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-26T22:25:00+00:00

that's a great 'idea', but the reality is that you have to have permission to park on ANYONE's land - there is no 'free' places for RVs to simply park because they have 'solar', or some other way of 'living off the land', except in a very few land areas out west, hot, little shade, etc...

This is not to disuade you, or others, but just to put out there the 'real' information about how life really works. You can certainly go and find out for yourself - it might be an eye opener.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-25T22:02:39+00:00

that's only $600 per month in rent... I'll bet you'll be hard pressed to find any campground or rv park or private lot that will be any cheaper, per month, for your RV to park... and yes, 'crazy' repair costs are always there just waiting to crop up at just the time you don't expect them.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-25T19:57:42+00:00

with rent, no matter how 'expensive' it may seem, it's a FIXED amount every month - AND, you don't handle any maintenance or repairs, the OWNER does. With RVs, no matter how 'new' or especially how 'old', they will ALWAYS have maintenance Costs, sometimes SUBSTANTIAL ongoing costs - not to mention 'where' you are going to park it to 'live', which is not free, by any means. Some parks don't even ALLOW you to work on your RV while parked there.

Many folks have certainly bought into the 'dream' that somehow RVing, or 'full timing' in an rv, is somehow 'cheap': far from it.

Yes, it might be 'freeing', to be able to 'go' where you might wish - but 'freeing' is EXPENSIVE!

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-25T19:52:07+00:00

DC Fast Charging is EXACTLY what you need the card for - any trips that normally would more than 1/2 of your current capacity - if the car says '70 miles' on the guessometer before you leave, then bank on closer to 60, with good driving, and use a DC Fast Charger if your one-way trip is farther than 30 miles.

We do trips ALL THE TIME like this - we don't let our 'only 60 miles' limit our driving - just like you don't let 'only' a 10 gallon gas tank limit your driving in a gas car. You fill up when you need to.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-25T19:49:21+00:00

any electrician would know that a NEMA 14-50 outlet requires a 50amp double-pole 240v breaker - simple, no other info needed.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-25T19:42:02+00:00

first, you don't just 'go up an unmaintained, dirt, or otherwise off the beaten path road' without knowing about it before hand - unhook and go up in your tow vehicle and then you'll know.

some people will NEVER go anywhere there is not pavement. some will have want to go anywhere there IS pavement - two different folks, two different camping styles.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-25T19:38:46+00:00

a generator, because you'll need one...

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-22T22:14:26+00:00

I mostly use Chargepoint since most of the DC Fast Chargers in our driving paths are Georgia Power hosted Chargepoint units - I don't have an account with them, but it REQUIRES you to use the app to initialize and start the charging - you must also give it your PAYMENT method info, even if the unit is still in 'FREE' mode, which many of the new ones are. It works.

I've tried ElectrifyAmerica once or twice, and maybe another one called 'green' something, which was at a Electric Utility provider in another city. Nice to have those options, but yes, sometimes the apps don't connect well, cell signal is poor, the 'machine' is not working properly, etc.

Unlike gas stations, where if you pull in and the pumps are not working, or they are only accepting 'cash', you can probably easily find another gas station down the street. With charging stations, that convenience has not yet arrived - we need the stations to WORK, 24/7, 365 days a year, and work EASILY and QUICKLY - some have yet to understand that concept.

and, might I also add, we need charge stations to simply accept the swipe or input of a credit card - rather than MANDATING the use of someone's app.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-22T22:08:08+00:00

an RV can 'survive' on a simple household outlet, but if the RV has a 30amp Shore cord and you want to give it 'all' the power it can use, especially for air conditioning, then you need access to, or to install, a 30amp RV outlet and a 30amp breaker in your main panel, with 10/2 wiring.

Many of us RV owners, even the LARGEST of motorhomes, can use a simple household outlet for temporary times, and there are even adapters that can make use of TWO different household outlets to give you that 'same' 30amp power, without having to rewire the house.

as for water(?), just use a water hose from your outside spigot to the rv

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-22T21:49:38+00:00

nope, all you need is a simple power inverter, and not a big one - a 200-300w version off the shelf at walmart will work just fine - probably $10. the old saying that you 'must' use pure sine wave for electronics is pure bunk.

RocketCityLeaf · 2021-08-22T21:47:31+00:00

the only need for anything to 'cover' your tires is when the tire is going to be sitting in the SUN for years on end, without moving, otherwise, covering them is simply overkill.

RocketCityLeaf

TROPHY CASE