trailertraveler

13 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

RV TV's are standard TV's, the same kind you can buy at Walmart, Amazon, etc. 

There are 12 Volt DC powered TVs marketed for RVs, trucks and autos. They are available from Amazon and Walmart.

10 hours ago, FrankM said:

I figured 10k for the initial purchase and repairs, modifications and additions. And 10k for everything else, including reserves. 

Thank you for bringing up medical care, I think I'm pretty  well  covered here, with Medicare plus Medicaid. I just have to find out how portable Medicaid is between states.

I am not an expert on Medicaid having only dealt with it in helping aging parents over a decade ago, but I would do serious research on the impact retaining $10k (or other amount) would have on the assets determination. If the RV is your home, it seems it should be exempt from the asset test as would be the tow vehicle if you chose a trailer as your RV. If you decide on a motorhome and some other type of motor vehicle for local transportation, I would do some serious research on whether both would be exempt from the assets test.

If your Medicaid coverage includes a Medicare Advantage Plan, you will need to research the extent of their network(s) and out of network coverage. If you change your state of domicile/residence the rules may be different depending on which state you choose.

3 hours ago, Bigthinkers said:

So my question is: can you use a regular flatscreen TV (say, a 49-50inch) in an RV? Do you have to do anything special to make it work?

I do not claim to be an expert on the subject as I am struggling to evaluate streaming versus satellite versus over the air options going forward. But this is some of what I have learned. Not all TVs have the full range of input options such as HDMI, coax, RCA component and ethernet cable. There are adapters available to convert the three connector RCA component to single audio visual component connector and others to convert the three connector RCA to HDMI.

Some TVs have the casting software built in so that anything viewed using Google Chrome can be cast to the TV (displayed on the TV) if the computer and TV are on the same network. There are other systems like Roku which I have not researched how they work.

If you are streaming on a computer, tablet or phone that has an HMDI or mini HDMI output, you can connect a TV with an HDMI input and display whatever is on the device's screen on the TV. This  would let you view streamed content on the TV without being connected to a network.

Satellite TV signals will not pass through most of the over the air TV amplifiers used on RVs that are inline with the cable TV connection. Most newer RVs will have separate connections for satellite and cable signals. Older RVs may not so if you want to receive satellite TV you will have to run additional cable or make modifications to bypass the amplifier when using satellite TV.

3 hours ago, chirakawa said:

I agree with your post completely.  However, it is true whether they are living in an rv, in a house or apartment, or under a bridge.

Not exactly, in my experience. If you are living in an RV and actually traveling around the country, there may not be as many choices depending on the state of domicile/residency. HMOs and Medicare Advantage plans which are often the most economical often have networks that are relatively small geographicly. They may impose additional costs for out of network services. Medicaid, for those eligible, is administered by the states and I am not current on how portable it is these days. Thus my suggestion to do research.

19 hours ago, FrankM said:

...I've got $20k to work with, plus $1300/mo income. This needs to cover everything, from initial purchase to living on the road...

One thing I have not seen mentioned is healthcare/health insurance. If the $1300/month has to include healthcare/health insurance, I suggest you do a lot of research on the issue. While the individual mandate has been eliminated, depending on your age, not having any health insurance or healthcare coverage may not be a wise decision. 

On edit: Zulu posted the same time I did.

On 3/18/2019 at 8:06 PM, vangophotos said:

Health insurance & expenses  $     3,000.00 Yearly

Health insurance costs are extremely variable and depend on each individual's or couple's circumstances. Our Medicare Part B premiums are a little more than $3200/yr. Because of our age, amount of travel and residence location; We choose to have a supplemental plan that includes prescription coverage and just about everything that Medicare does not cover. Our yearly cost including the prescription copays is over 3X what vangophotos lists as their medical expenses.

1 hour ago, Darryl&Rita said:

Since the OP hasn't responded, we're all throwing dust into the wind, anyways.

I didn't respond because 1) I was not interested in experimenting, I just wanted to get power to my trailer, 2) I have been busy and not checked back into the forum until just now,  3) the TRC tech said the device would work for all the other functions and pass power without the blue wire connected to anything, 4) since the thermal disconnect did not prevent damage to the plug, I am not really concerned with restoring that feature. 5) there is so little wire available from the existing pigtail that I did not replace the plug but instead added a waterproof junction box to the bottom of the surge guard and connected the output wire directly to the cord for the trailer that has a 90 degree marine grade twist socket to attach to the trailer input thus eliminating one set of male/female connectors, and 6) since no one knew anything about what the blue wire was for, I expected the thread to die after posting that my problem was solved TRC tech specialist and was no longer following the thread. 

1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

I wonder when that feature was added? ...There is supposed to be a lifetime warranty, for what that may be worth...

I purchased mine April 4, 2016 so the feature is at least that old. The Warranty link states: 

Quote

The new warranty applies to all Surge Guard products purchased on and after November 27, 2017.

So mine would not be covered.

20 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

Did you ask them if you could buy a replacement cord?

The Tech said you can not.

21 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

And did you happen to tell the TRC guy what happened to yours?

Yes, along with mentioning that I was not concerned about the loss of the feature since it did not prevent damage to the plug.

14 hours ago, Kirk W said:

I have worked on several models of Surge Guard and have never seen the wire you mention. I'd be very interested to know what it is for. 

I finally got in touch with TRC Technical Services. The blue wire is for a thermocouple to detect high heat in the plug. It is molded into their custom made plugs. The tech representative said that the unit will function properly without it other than shutting down for high heat at that connection. Since the plug got hot enough to be damaged without shutting down, I am not that concerned about loosing that feature.

1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

Which model do you have? I was thinking of the 34830 or 34850

As stated in the Topic's title and my first post, it is a Model 34830. The four wires are visible in this photo as is the Model #:

1 hour ago, oldjohnt said:

can you cut away more insulation or molding and get into the "blue wire" in question to ohm out to which, if any, terminals its connected to as I described in my post above ??

One of the problems with replacing the female plug on these units is that they do not leave much of a pigtail between the box and the plug. Unfortunately in my attempt to have as much wire as possible, I unknowingly cut/ground through the back of the ground terminal destroying the connections. I was able to access the ends of the other terminals and it appears that there is only one wire attached to each. The remains of the blue wire were closest to the ground terminal.

I do have the male input pigtail from a previous unit that sacrificed itself in a severe lighting storm. Not sure that it means anything but that pigtail also has a small blue wire which according to the Ohm meter is connected to the ground prong of the plug.

With the frequency with which plugs get damaged, I am a little surprised no one else has encountered this.

Quote

I have worked on several models of Surge Guard and have never seen the wire you mention. I'd be very interested to know what it is for.

Having had several Surge Guards over the years, I think it appeared with the generation of models that would not pass power rather than just identifying faults with a blinking light. As mentioned above, this is the second unit I have had that had this configuration.   

1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

Since you have already cut the plug off I would think you need to open it anyway just to make sure where it goes.

I really do not want to break the seal on the unit. I did that on a previous one of the old style and it did not last long afterward due to moisture getting into the unit despite the use of lots of sealant. I do not understand how seeing where the wire is connected inside the unit will tell me which plug terminal it should connect to. Using the Ohm meter, I get a reading when connecting the blue wire to the green ground on the output side. No reading on the black or white. When I connect the blue wire to the input side, I get readings on all three prongs of the plug.

11 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

I have done exactly what you are planning but mine did have the blue wire and the same was true for the plug that I replaced it with.

Kirk,

I am confused by your post. Did your Surge Guard have a fourth wire or not? Mine definitely does as I have already removed the old molded plug. I have used the premade pigtails before and none of them had four wires just the typical Black, White and Green. The product that you link to does not indicate that it has four wires?

I need to replace the female 30 amp plug on my surge guard 34830. There are four wires in the cord exiting the 34830; the standard Black, White, Green and a small blue wire (about 16 gauge). The factory plug is a molded plug and I have not been able to access it to view the connections.  My question is which terminal does the blue wire get attached to?

18 hours ago, Kirk W said:

...if you don't feel like traveling, you just sit until you do feel like traveling. If you get up to go and it is raining, you just stay another day and so travel in the sunshine...

We follow this plan, but it is not always possible. In recent years, just as it has been harder to get spots in some areas without reservations, it is also harder to extend stays on the spur of the moment in a park that takes reservations. We have been in Florida and Georgia since February. On two occasions (one county and one state park), every site was booked after the date of our originally scheduled departure. First come first served parks are generally no issue unless you run up against a stay limit such as those in many federal parks.

On 4/14/2019 at 8:06 AM, ewacowboy said:

With plenty of solar and battery we are considering joining Harvest Host as an alternative to boondocking at Walmarts and Cabelas.  Does anyone have experience with this group?  Our travel style is to leave by 9:00am for our next destination and I'm not sure we could give the host the necessary gratuity in a short 18 to 20 hour stay.

While we have not joined or stayed at a Harvest Host location, we have visited some wineries that participate in the program. The available overnight parking varied from dirt to paved parking lot. This is what their website says about arrivals. 

Quote

 

Can I arrive after business hours?

Not only do you need to call ahead to arrange your visit, you must arrive during business hours, unless the Host says otherwise. Interacting with the Hosts and supporting them with a purchase is an integral part of the Harvest Hosts program. Make your stop your destination, arrive early enough to enjoy your visit and make new friends.

 

20 hours ago, Roadtrek 1 said:

What do you think... majority of people are full or part-time in the Escapees Club?

Escapees does a periodic survey. Seeing the results was not always a simple task for members or forum participants. There was a fairly recent post announcing a survey, but I don't recall the survey asking if the responder was an Escapees member or even requiring the responder to be logged into the forum to access it.

13 hours ago, Kirk W said:

To a great degree, this is also true for the wheelbase of a vehicle that tows a trailer RV. While I have never seen a formula for determining the proper ratio between tow vehicle wheelbase and trailer length, there really should be one.

The RV Consumers Group developed a guideline years ago for the relationship between tow vehicle wheelbase and trailer length. It is discussed in this article which I have linked to a number of times on this forum. The article also discusses a second guideline,  

Quote

The distance from the coupler to the rear trailer axle should be no more than twice the wheelbase of the tow vehicle.

18 minutes ago, Pieere said:

  TrY FreeCampsites.com; Free Campsites.org; or Free Campsites.net  

It could be  FreeCampgrounds. com; org or net. It has been about 10+ years since I used them.

 

The Free Campsites website is a very good one. The Free Campgrounds website no longer lists camping locations.

Another good website for public lands including county and local facilities is the Ultimate Public Campgrounds Project.

It does not appear that the OP has revisited the forum since the initial post, so this will be my last response until their is some indication whether the information already provided has been helpful.          

16 hours ago, adventure mom said:

...Kentucky...primitive campsites... 

Kentucky allows camping on some of its Wildlife Management areas. You will have to do some research to find out which ones and what rules apply. 

1. "Camping is permitted only in designated areas. Check WMA maps by clicking here or call the WMA office for camping availability through Kentucky Fish and Wildlife or other campgrounds. Parking must be confined to designated parking areas if such areas exist. If no parking area is designated, parking is generally allowed alongside maintained roads in such a manner that does not block a road or gate or prevent access to a portion of the area. Unless otherwise authorized by the department, mechanized vehicles (excluding wheelchairs) are permitted only on maintained roads open to public use. It is unlawful to cut trees or fences, dump trash or litter, or damage any property or habitat in any fashion."

Here is a link. 

9 hours ago, adventure mom said:

My husband and I are going to take our first ever van camping trip on Memorial Day weekend. We are going to Kentucky and North Carolina. I'm worried, however, that we're going to arrive and all the spots will be taken. Since we've never done this, I have no idea how many people use primitive campsites.or if this is likely to be a problem. Is a holiday a bad time to do this? 

Welcome to the Escapees Forum!!!

Since you mention primitive camping, I am guessing that you mean no hookups and possibly no designated campsites and no facilities such as pit toilets. There are two National Forests in Kentucky, Daniel Boon NF  and Land Between the Lakes NRA. There are four National Forests in North Carolina, Croatan, Nantahala, Pisgah, and Uwharrie. The links provide information about the designated campgrounds such as number of sites, size of sites, amenities provided and whether reservations are available. For information on where dispersed vehicle camping  is permitted and information on how far you can park from the designated roads, you will have to consult the Motor Vehicle Use Map  (MVUM) for each Forest. Here is a link to a website with links to many of the MVUMs. You can also search each Forest's website for "MVUM". 

Hope this helps. Again, Welcome to the Escapees Forum.

5 hours ago, Val_alo said:

I am pulling a 2016 Dutchman Kodiak 291 resl about 6500 dry weight , I never load it up with the tanks , just basic cargo . I am looking to pull with a 2015 Chevy Tahoe 3.4 axle 5.3 V8 or a 2016 GMC Yukon 5.3v8 3.4 axle ratio ?? Thought in which is better?! Or even a good idea???

Welcome to the Escapees Forum!!!

This calculator will help you figure out what trailers you can safely tow with a proposed tow vehicle. Unless you know the actual loaded weight of the trailer, it is best to use the trailer's GVWR un the calculations.

Another issue that is not discussed as often as weight is the relationship between tow vehicle wheelbase and trailer length. This website gives a good overview of this important consideration. According to online specs, the Kodiak 291 is 32'4" in length.

Again, welcome to the Escapees Forum!!

Welcome to the Escapees Forum!!!

This calculator will help you figure out what trailers you can safely tow. If you already have the Pathfinder, load it with a full tank of fuel and all the passengers and gear that you will carry and get it weighed. Use this weight in the calculator to determine what trailer you can tow. If you do not own the pathfinder yet, select the trailer first and then match a tow vehicle to the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the trailer. 

Another issue that is not discussed as often as weight is the relationship between tow vehicle wheelbase and trailer length. This website gives a good overview of this important consideration.

Again, welcome to the Escapees Forum!!

21 minutes ago, Twotoes said:

Wow. I didn’t know that KOA membership had accumulated points, business partners and RV road service. I will have to look into that. 

The road service is through Allstate. We have used it a couple of times for both the RV and the car and had good results.