Recent content by davido

You should have a CO detector in good working order. The heater itself has a low-oxygen sensor and will shut off if too much oxygen is displaced. But the CO detector is extra peace of mind to prevent resting in peace. Crack a window and possibly roof-top vent. Popup campers have enough air-gaps...

While I would prefer two Group 27 batteries, the way the 2015 Rockwood Premier 2516G is designed in front (convex curvature to the front of the box), I am limited to two Group 24 batteries up front. So that's what I have. I also have a 100w suitcase solar panel from Renology. So really the...

For your configuration I would look at having the existing L-brackets where the battery is sitting removed and replaced with a longer set of L-brackets to house two battery boxes of appropriate size for the two golf-cart batteries. Another alternative is to see if you can fit a Group 27, 29, or...

I used disposable plates, bowls, cups, and utensils for a number of years, and this year reconsidered that. I got two sets of eight utensils from Ikea and keep them in a cylinder that looks like a large pencil holder. Whenever we eat, we just grab the utensil holder and put it on the table. I...

Get a roof mounted RV air conditioner. That is optimally suited for the job. A window air conditioner is not an optimal solution in a popup. Many are less than the 13.5kbtu of a rooftop RV air conditioner. Installation will be inferior. The cold air will blow near the floor where convection...

Adding AC yourself would cost $1k. Adding a water heater and outdoor shower would be $500. Adding an anti sway hitch (assuming that's just a sway control bar) is $50. If it's a full weight distribution hitch, you'll need to have it reconfigured for your tow vehicle, but those cost $300 and up...

This is more important when connected in serial. In parallel voltage dictates the flow of current. Because more current can be drawn from the larger capacity battery before voltage dips, the actual discharge percentage of the larger and smaller battery will happen in unity. So at 100% charge...

The CampChef pizza oven works great for baking small things like biscuits, breadsticks, cinnamon rolls. You should use a small cookie sheet with it to make the process less messy, and the rolls easier to remove. We cook pizza and flatbreads right on the stone, but biscuits and rolls go on a...

Here's energy budget: Loads per day: Furnace (assume cooler season; run 33% of the time for 10 hours): 10AH Water heater solenoid: 1.2A at 5% duty cycle: 1.44AH Water pump: 10A for 20 minutes: 3.3AH Lights: 1A for 5h: 5AH Cell phone charging: 1.5A for 3h: 4.5AH Roof lift: 20A for 2 minutes...

Can you describe why it's necessary to get on the roof? I installed crossbars on my popup without getting on the roof. It sounds like you already have the crossbars in place and just need to mount a bike rack onto those crossbars. I've put four bike racks onto the cross bars, plus a 10x10...

Power you will be using in four days: Roof lift winch: 20A for 2 minutes total: 0.67AH. Water pump: 5A for 45 minutes total: 3.75AH Water heater solenoid: 1.5AH Propane fridge: 0AH Propane fridge vent fan: 0.25A, 18h/day: 18AH Furnace: 3A at 33% duty cycle for 9h per day for four days: 36AH...

This is precisely what you should expect. Let's say you have one 80AH battery. You can use 40AH of that capacity before you dip to 50% charge, at which point the battery starts to degrade. Furnace: 2h/day at 3A = 6AH. Lights: 3h/day at 2A = 6AH Cell phone charging: 3h/day at 1A = 3AH Water...

Got an 8qt stock pot with basket for easier handling of pasta, and for boiling things like corn on the cob. The 6qt pot that I've kept on the trailer for several years is a little under-sized for the burner size of my Camp Chef stove. Got a burner deffuser and leg levelers for the stove...

The Sport has the 3.5L EcoBoost engine. I live in Utah. In my area, the elevation is between 4200 and 5200 feet. The regular unleaded is 85 octane here. 87 is an upgrade. Also note for that engine it says, "Premium fuel will provide improved performance and is recommended for severe duty usage...

This is really dependent on the vehicle. With a 2015 Ford Explorer Sport, premium is recommended anytime, and required for towing. With my 1995 Ford Bronco 5.8L XLT regular is recommended. Premium isn't even discussed in its manual. However, I find that the vehicle is prone to knocking under...