My wife and I began our 6 week camping trip this morning. We drive a 42' motorhome
that looks shiny new, but has some issues. I had a mobile repair come out yesterday to
do a few things, but it turns out that my house batteries charge only when plugged into
shore power and when the generator is running.

I ran the generator while driving just to ensure the batteries stayed charged. All went
well today. Tomorrow we reach our destination in north Georgia to visit my daughter
and her husband. We also will be attending a one week sanctioned pickleball tournament to see the pros compete.

Really looking forward to this journey.

Mike Dippel
HobbyNet Hub



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On 16 May 2023, Mike Dippel said the following...

My wife and I began our 6 week camping trip this morning. We drive a 42' motorhome
that looks shiny new, but has some issues. I had a mobile repair come

Sounds like a great vacation Mike!! Wish I could do something like that!! I am going to try to hit Lake George this year for a week just to unwind and relax. Wish it was 6 weeks though!! LOL

Al

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On 5/16/2023 7:00 PM, Bucko wrote to Mike Dippel:

On 16 May 2023, Mike Dippel said the following...

My wife and I began our 6 week camping trip this morning. We drive a 42'
motorhome
that looks shiny new, but has some issues. I had a mobile repair come

Sounds like a great vacation Mike!! Wish I could do something like that!! I am
going to try to hit Lake George this year for a week just to unwind and relax.
Wish it was 6 weeks though!! LOL

Al

If the coach does act up too bad, it sold be a great trip. Your one week getaway sounds
awesome. Enjoy.

Mike Dippel

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Re: Camping Trip
By: Mike Dippel to All on Tue May 16 2023 03:42 pm

Enjoy. My wife and I have a 23 foot Airstream trailer (brand new 2023) and we love it. This is our fifth trailer we've owned in the last 20 years and hopefully our last one. It wasn't cheap but it's quality. We plan on three trips this year with it.

*** Diamond Dave ***

My wife and I began our 6 week camping trip this morning. We drive a 42' mo that looks shiny new, but has some issues. I had a mobile repair come out y do a few things, but it turns out that my house batteries charge only when p shore power and when the generator is running.

I ran the generator while driving just to ensure the batteries stayed charge well today. Tomorrow we reach our destination in north Georgia to visit my and her husband. We also will be attending a one week sanctioned pickleball tournament to see the pros compete.

Really looking forward to this journey.

Mike Dippel
HobbyNet Hub

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On 5/17/2023 5:25 AM, Diamond Dave wrote to Mike Dippel:

Re: Camping Trip
By: Mike Dippel to All on Tue May 16 2023 03:42 pm

Enjoy. My wife and I have a 23 foot Airstream trailer (brand new 2023) and we
love it. This is our fifth trailer we've owned in the last 20 years and hopefully our last one. It wasn't cheap but it's quality. We plan on three trips this year with it.

*** Diamond Dave ***

An Airstream is the definition of Lifestyle. Enjoy!

Mike Dippel

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On 17 May 2023, poindexter FORTRAN said the following...

watching youtube videos on camper mods. Saw a great series on setting
up an additional deep-cycle battery (I think that's what you're calling
a house battery?) and how to run it in series so the alternator can
charge both.

i'm not sure the deep-cycle batteries (aka marine batteries) are "the" thing anymore. LiFePO4 is where it's at. they sprouted up a whole ecosystem of chargers, solar panels, etc that was quite mediocre just 10 years or so ago.

i have one i use for my ham radio and i can dang-near neglect the thing vs the type of stuff from back in the day.. trickle charging and time consuming battery maintenance and all that.

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Re: Camping Trip
By: Mike Dippel to All on Tue May 16 2023 03:42 pm

My wife and I began our 6 week camping trip this morning. We drive a 42' motorhome
that looks shiny new, but has some issues. I had a mobile repair come out yesterday to ...

Sounds awesome.

We bought a Flagstaff popup last Spring, and got to take it out 4 times last Summer to some nearby spots we like. It's about that time to get it set up and de-winterized :) Can't wait to take it out again this year. First trip is in about one month.

|01<|09co|03d|11e|15�|11e|03n|09ix|01>|07|08

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Mike Dippel wrote to All <=-

My wife and I began our 6 week camping trip this morning. We drive a
42' motorhome that looks shiny new, but has some issues. I had a
mobile repair come out yesterday to do a few things, but it turns out
that my house batteries charge only when plugged into shore power and
when the generator is running.

RV power is interesting. I've been tempted to pick up a westy and
watching youtube videos on camper mods. Saw a great series on setting
up an additional deep-cycle battery (I think that's what you're calling
a house battery?) and how to run it in series so the alternator can
charge both.

How is your house battery wired? In parallel with the engine battery
with a switch, connecting the batteries with a charge controller, or an
external regulator?



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On 17 May 2023, Mike Dippel said the following...

An Airstream is the definition of Lifestyle. Enjoy!

Mike Dippel

This all sounds wonderful. I have one of those portable pop-up tents you place on the box of my pick-up truck. A bottle of red wine and were laughing.


Mickey

... "No comment" is a comment.

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Re: Re: Camping Trip
By: fusion to poindexter FORTRAN on Wed May 17 2023 04:25 pm

i'm not sure the deep-cycle batteries (aka marine batteries) are "the" thing

LiFePO4 are the thing around here. I have a bunch as support for my solar generation. You can get the pictures from Linux Magazine XD

They weight a freaking lot. 15 kw*h in LiFePO4 batteries might weight 120 to 130 kg.

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On 17 May 2023, Arelor said the following...

LiFePO4 are the thing around here. I have a bunch as support for my solar generation. You can get the pictures from Linux Magazine XD

They weight a freaking lot. 15 kw*h in LiFePO4 batteries might weight
120 to 130 kg.

Are these the ones they use in electric cars?
Inquiring minds want to know.


Mickey
http://centralontarioremote.com

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On 5/17/2023 7:31 PM, Mickey wrote to Mike Dippel:

On 17 May 2023, Mike Dippel said the following...

An Airstream is the definition of Lifestyle. Enjoy!

Mike Dippel

This all sounds wonderful. I have one of those portable pop-up tents you place
on the box of my pick-up truck. A bottle of red wine and were laughing.

Mickey

What more can one ask for :) Life is good.

Mike Dippel

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On 5/17/2023 8:36 AM, Poindexter Fortran wrote to Mike Dippel:

Mike Dippel wrote to All <=-

My wife and I began our 6 week camping trip this morning. We drive a 42' motorhome that looks shiny new, but has some issues. I had a mobile repair come out yesterday to do a few things, but it turns out that my house batteries charge only when plugged into shore power and when the generator is running.

RV power is interesting. I've been tempted to pick up a westy and
watching youtube videos on camper mods. Saw a great series on setting
up an additional deep-cycle battery (I think that's what you're calling
a house battery?) and how to run it in series so the alternator can
charge both.

How is your house battery wired? In parallel with the engine battery
with a switch, connecting the batteries with a charge controller, or an
external regulator?

Not an expert at how it is wired. I know that it involves a transfer switch that senses
where charge goes to. Once it senses that the house batteries are fully charged, I guess
it sends the current to the chassis batteries? Who knows.

Today was the second day of travel. I can run the generator to keep the batteries
charged while driving, but cannot run the roof air which apparently draws too much
current and kicks the generator off. So I make sure the air doesn't run and all is well.

I know I need new chassis batteries. Just a matter of when in our travels we do it, and
when we feel we can afford to do it.

Mike Dippel

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On 5/17/2023 10:42 AM, Codefenix wrote to Mike Dippel:

Re: Camping Trip
By: Mike Dippel to All on Tue May 16 2023 03:42 pm

My wife and I began our 6 week camping trip this morning. We drive a 42'
motorhome
that looks shiny new, but has some issues. I had a mobile repair come out
yesterday to ...

Sounds awesome.

We bought a Flagstaff popup last Spring, and got to take it out 4 times last Summer to some nearby spots we like. It's about that time to get it set up and
de-winterized :) Can't wait to take it out again this year. First trip is in about one month.

One thing we found out is: you have to use it to justify the expense. If you don't, sell
it. While you own it, take advantage of the fact that it allows you to sleep in your own
bed every night, eat in your own place, see the sights.

Enjoy!

Mike Dippel

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i'm not sure the deep-cycle batteries (aka marine batteries) are "the"
thing anymore. LiFePO4 is where it's at. they sprouted up a whole
ecosystem of chargers, solar panels, etc that was quite mediocre just
10 years or so ago.

Yeah, in addition to the 'real' solar we have on the roof (8 kW) we have 400w of panels on a seperate system that I built in our garden shed. It charges
two deep-cycle marine batteries. When they go, my *plan* is to replace them with LiFePO4 batteries, but they're much more expensive, so we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

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Re: Re: Camping Trip
By: Mickey to Arelor on Wed May 17 2023 09:22 pm

On 17 May 2023, Arelor said the following...

LiFePO4 are the thing around here. I have a bunch as support for my sol generation. You can get the pictures from Linux Magazine XD

They weight a freaking lot. 15 kw*h in LiFePO4 batteries might weight 120 to 130 kg.

Are these the ones they use in electric cars?
Inquiring minds want to know.

Mickey

I d have to look it up since I am not following electric cars very closely, but it sounds likely to me.

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Mickey wrote to Arelor <=-

They weight a freaking lot. 15 kw*h in LiFePO4 batteries might weight
120 to 130 kg.

Are these the ones they use in electric cars?
Inquiring minds want to know.

Newer ones, maybe. Older Priuses used NiMH, and there are Lithium-Ion
battery conversions on the market now. They market them as being lighter
than NiMH, though.



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One thing we found out is: you have to use it to justify the expense.
you don't, sell
it. While you own it, take advantage of the fact that it allows you to
in your own
bed every night, eat in your own place, see the sights.

I cannot agree more. Every year since we bought ours (back in 2017), we
have used it at least once per month during camping season. In fact, most
of the time we used it at least 2-3 times per month. As I mentioned in a previous post, this year is going to be the least use it has gotten in
quite some time. But, we are alright with that - this year. We base the "acceptance" of not using it that much this year to the life changes that happened - moved from Michigan to Virginia, bought a house, new job for
my wife, 2 big trips (cruise to Alaska in 8/2023 and cruise around Hawaii
in 2/2024), etc.
Point I am making, is that while we are limiting its use this season, we
will pick that back up in 2024. Life will have gotten "more normal"
(LOL), and it will be time to adventure around Virginia.
--Matt

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On 6/1/2023 6:25 AM, Mhansel739 wrote to Mike Dippel:

One thing we found out is: you have to use it to justify the expense. you don't, sell
it. While you own it, take advantage of the fact that it allows you to in your own
bed every night, eat in your own place, see the sights.

I cannot agree more. Every year since we bought ours (back in 2017), we
have used it at least once per month during camping season. In fact, most
of the time we used it at least 2-3 times per month. As I mentioned in a previous post, this year is going to be the least use it has gotten in
quite some time. But, we are alright with that - this year. We base the "acceptance" of not using it that much this year to the life changes that happened - moved from Michigan to Virginia, bought a house, new job for
my wife, 2 big trips (cruise to Alaska in 8/2023 and cruise around Hawaii
in 2/2024), etc.
Point I am making, is that while we are limiting its use this season, we will pick that back up in 2024. Life will have gotten "more normal"
(LOL), and it will be time to adventure around Virginia.
--Matt

After travelling from Florida to Georgia, to Michigan and then to NY in our RV, we made
it to the NY side of Niagara Falls yesterday. Today we did the Maid of the Mist, Cave of
the Winds, saw the Whirlpool, Horseshoe Falls, Goat Island and Terrapin Point.

It's our first time doing the USA side of the falls. Just got back to the camper after
viewing the falls lit up at night.

Where in Michigan are you from? We moved from Detroit to Fort Lauderdale in 1981.

Mike Dippel

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Where in Michigan are you from? We moved from Detroit to Fort Lauderda 1981.

Mike Dippel

We were from Lapeer, MI (Flint area). My wife and I were in the house in
Lapeer for 20 years (it was our first house). She got a GREAT job
opportunity down here in Virginia, so here we are now. In our new home.
--Matt

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On 6/2/2023 5:43 AM, Mhansel739 wrote to Mike Dippel:

We were from Lapeer, MI (Flint area). My wife and I were in the house in Lapeer for 20 years (it was our first house). She got a GREAT job opportunity down here in Virginia, so here we are now. In our new home. --Matt

We know Lapeer very well. Had some college chums that live there. My brother lives in
nearby Lake Orion.

Mike Dippel

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We know Lapeer very well. Had some college chums that live there. My brother lives in
nearby Lake Orion.

How very interesting! We had a Lapeer mailing address, but lived in
Oregon Township (about 10 miles outside of Lapeer). We were between
Davison and Lapeer if you were on I69. My best friend lives in Grand
Blanc.
--Matt

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