sushidog

Thanks for the replies. A few years ago I saw a bus with a round metal rack up top about a foot or so off the roof, with about 1/2 of the roof covered in solar panels, so I know it can be done. I couldn't see the details of how he did it but it looked like it was all welded together. I first was thinking of building a rack out of aluminum angle. I was at Slab City about 2 weeks ago and spoke with Solar Mike, who does a lot of RV solar installations. He told me that he recently mounted 4 large panels, similar to the ones I'm looking at, about a foot off the roof of a motorhome using aluminum angle racking which was heavily cross-braced. They make rectangular aluminum rails for mounting panels, but they are typically used in fixed installations. Two inch square aluminum sounds much more sturdy. I sure don't want them blowing off the roof or causing undue handling issues in cross winds and such, so I was seeing if anyone else has racked 2,500 watts or more of solar on their roof and exactly how they accomplished it safely. Where there's a will, there's a way. I could block off the front with a piece of plywood or plastic at a 45 degree angle to prevent wind getting under and lifting the panels while going down the road. This might actually help in the MPG department too as the roof has lots of things jutting out like to disturb the airflow and cause drag. A smooth wind deflector might just be the ticket. I could even drop the front of the leading panel at an angle so as to bring it within an inch or so off the roof to deflect the wind over the other 7 panels. Now you've got me thinking - perhaps a dangerous thing. Chip

I am in the process of installing 2 solar systems on my Class A MH. The first is a small 12v system and in a couple years I will be installing a bigger 48v system. I plan on using large high voltage panels and racking them slightly above my AC shrouds from front to rear utilizing almost my entire roof. The reason I plan to go high is that I have no choice. I have 2 roof AC units, 3 covered vents, a new style disk shaped over the air TV antenna and a shower skylight, a fridge vent, air horns and a radio antenna on my roof. My current height is 11' 9" and I plan to keep it under 12 ft. Now to my question, has anyone done this before and if so, how have they done it? I am considering using 2" furniture grade (UV protected, guaranteed for 15 years of direct sun exposure) plastic pipe to build a simple rack to mount my panels right down the center of the RV, about 13" off the roof. The panels would all be perpendicular to the length of the RV. Has anyone used this material before in this application? Thanks for your replies! Chip

I am planning a trip to Florida in my MH and toad to visit family and google wanted to route me over 2 bridges with tolls totaling $26 + a $2.50 fee each for mailing us the toll bill. Thankfully it alerted us to the tolls, but not the rate, which was available online. Needless to say I rerouted my trip to one of about the same mileage but about a half hour longer, saving both tolls. Since our time in retirement is no longer worth $62 an hour for us both, the reroute was a no brainer. I wonder what would happen if one had a dirty license plate, perhaps inadvertently splashed with mud, where the camera might find it impossible to read all the numbers on the plate? How would they know who to bill? I'm just saying...that would indeed be unfortunate. Chip

Wow, that's sweet. I would have never thought of a fold-up antenna. I like the way you secured it when down. Very professional looking installation. Do you have to get up on a ladder to release the clamp when you put her up? I wonder if there is a company that makes a power antenna like the one I had on a 1980's model car I used to have. You turned the radio on and the antenna went up on its own. Turn it off and it went down. Of course it would have to be a little larger diameter than a car radio antenna for the WiFi antenna to piggy back on as it went up and down. So far mine is giving me excellent reception compared to the little linksys computer antenna I was using, enabling me to quickly and easily type and post this reply. Chip

Thanks for helping out a noob! Chip

Thanks for the info, Chuck. I thought that I was online because they had me open my web browser and either type wificamppro2.myalfasetup.com or 192.168.36.1 into the address bar. They also had me connect a short Ethernet RJ-45 cable from my PC to the router, so I guess I'm communicating to the router via a LAN cable. Good deal, it explains why the Ethernet cable is need. Do you use a directional antenna, Chuck, to pick up that 2 mile signal, or will an omni get you that kind of range? Also do you mount your antenna just above your RV like I do (attaching it to my ladder) or do you run a pole up for your antenna after you stop? I'm trying to keep my set-up as simple and easy to use as possible and still be able to pick up a sufficiently strong wifi signal at a typical campground. I hope those two parameters aren't mutually exclusive. Chip

I just purchased and installed a Camp Pro 2. I was having problems receiving a decent, reliable wifi signal at a couple CGs I frequent on my bedroom PC at the rear of my motorhome. This device has a 9b gain omnidirectional antenna that I mounted on the ladder at the rear of my RV. It connects to a small router which rebroadcasts the signal inside the rv so my DW can also access the internet via her tablet - something she could not do at all before. The provided USB cable was just long enough to reach. After installation you must go online and set up your password and what hot-spot CG signal you would like to receive and boost. You will obviously have to do this whenever you move, selecting the signal you want to use. I just installed it yesterday and it all went smoothly. The signal is much stronger than before and the throughput appears to be twice improved from before. I like the online software that gives you the signal strength from all available sources, as some campgrounds (like the one I'm currently at) have multiple wifi signals you can access depending on your location in the park. Bottom line, if you are having problems accessing campground wifi, or the speed is super slow, this will fix it on the cheap, compared to other solutions out there. I have no financial or other interests in the company that makes it other than as a new customer. For me, it was $135 well spent (they are available from multiple vendors on the internet). Your mileage may vary. BTW, you can also get it with a directional antenna with a little more gain, but I like not having to worry about finding the tower, climbing the ladder, locating the CG router antenna and pointing my antenna every time I stop. Chip

This is true to a point, but bad things happen to good people, and they can be catastrophic. Suppose you did what you felt was right and saved as much as you could afford for decades. Perhaps you had a business failure, or one of your family members had a catastrophic illness. Perhaps you lost everything in a natural disaster. These things take decades to recover from, if you ever do. Take my own case, a sick spouse can cost you everything you have, all your retirement savings and put you deeply in debt. What are you going to do, let your spouse die and be a miser? Of course not. So if you start over in your 40's or 50's, deeply in debt with no savings, or assets, having spent them all to keep your loved one alive, there's just not enough time left to dig yourself out, even if you have a decent job. This is the number one cause of bankruptcy in the USA, affecting more people than you might think. High small business failure rate is another and leaves people in similar financial straits. Do the math. Let's say you make $60,000 a year, just to use the median US income. By the time you pay your withholding and health insurance you'll be lucky to have $50,000 left. Then you've got food, housing, transportation, communication and medical expenses not covered by insurance which will probably eat up at least $30k of that. Then you need at least $5k a year for an emergency fund to fix things that break, right? So if you live a frugal lifestyle, minimizing your controllable expenses such as entertainment, clothing, utilities, fuel, camping, etc. expenses you have maybe $5k yr to invest. In truth, most people pay over $800/yr in credit card interest alone, not to mention interest on their car loan, mortgage loan, etc. But let's just say you're not typical and are a frugal money manager who avoids all this, paying for whatever you can cash and have that $5k to invest. Let's say you are 45 yrs old and want to retire at 65, giving you 20 yrs. This will mean you will have about $150,000 in a tax deferred account assuming a 4% growth (which you will have to pay taxes on after you retire.) Now $150k, 20 years from now won't buy what it does today, just like $150k, 20 yrs ago bought much more than today. At an average inflation of only 2.9% it will be worth only $85k in today's dollars - not much of a nest egg, is it? And this assumes that everything goes well for you from that point on. If a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina hits you, like it did me, it will set you back a ways too, even if you are properly insured, as insurance never covers everything, not to mention the loss of income after such a catastrophic event, impacting millions. Let me summarize: Life's a B, you marry one, then you die. 😜 Chip

Zulu, I'm in pretty good health, but one never knows. What I was referring to was not being fired. I've seen people at my company fired if they get a whiff you are ready to retire. One guy in upper management gave a 6 month notice and they fired him immediately. When you're in an "at will hire" state they can term you without giving a reason, regardless how long you worked there. And if you have been there a long time and are making good money they are looking for a reason to let you go - to bring in cheaper, younger blood. They know the new hires won't do as good a job (they might even have to go through a few) but that's ok if they can pay them half what they are paying you, plus it shakes up the rest and motivates them to work harder so the same thing won't happen to them. You won't get unemployment either. They will fight you tooth and nail, making up some trivial thing, like punching in a few minutes late for work ( yes they make you punch the clock even if you're on salary) or calling a last minute meeting, the night before on your day off, making you get up at 3:30AM or so on your only day off and drive 150 miles, (it happens all the time) reimbursing only 25 cents a mile (I've only had one day off a week for the last 15 years - no holidays at all but Christmas day) If you say you can't attend or show up a little late then it goes in your file. I almost got fired once for taking my regular scheduled day off, after working 3 weeks straight without a day off, after a hurricane (to reattach my back porch to my house that had got washed away during the flood.) Now you see why I'm looking forward to retirement. It's after midnight so I only have 201 days, and counting. Chip

My dad retired at 62 but lived till 90 (cancer.) My mom died much younger at 55 (cancer.) My FIL also died young, during a minor operation. He worked hard all his life supporting his family, wanting to go to Hawaii but never made it. So who knows how long we will live? I plan on retiring the first of the year if I can make it. I turn 62 in July and my DW does in December. We will be without health insurance during the gap years, as we have no other choice. We will be living off SS. My DW has some retirement money available at 65, but I spent all my savings (and went in debt) trying to keep my former DW alive - so everyone's situation is different. We plan to make some day trips to Mexico if we need any meds or dental work during the gap years, till medicare kicks in. We'll have no choice but to roll the dice and take our chances. At least we won't be saddled with the ACA penalty during this time - paying for someone else's healthcare while we must go without it ourselves. I look at early retirement this way: Suppose you are on your deathbed (whenever that is) and someone were to offer you 4 years more of life (the difference between 62 and 66). Not at your current age and debilitation, but in the same shape you were when you were 62. How much would that be worth to you? Would it be worth the extra social security you might receive by waiting till you're 66 (if you happen live past 82)? To me I'd pay whatever I had to, to get 4 more months or even weeks of enjoyable life. Who wouldn't? When you choose to retire at 62 rather than 66 that is what you get - 4 more years of live while still young enough to enjoy it. Because if you choose to work those years at an unpleasant job then that time is lost, and regardless how much money you have you can't buy it back. Well that's what early retirement means to me. Maybe you like your job? Maybe your job is fulfilling and they don't make you work 70-75 hrs a week, being away from your loved ones, living out of a suitcase half the time, while tracking your location constantly with a GPS? If you enjoy what you do, it's rewarding work and you get to sleep home every night, kiss your wife and pet your dog, then go for it and work while you are able. But I'd like to have a few years of enjoyment out of life before I die, living the FT RV lifestyle as a real family for whatever time I have left. Fortunately my DW feels the same and we can't leave soon enough. I hope to see you guys on the road in 202 days. Wish me luck. Chip

Wow Janis, that's great. You are an inspiration. I currently have an Aliner too, a 2006 LXE model, but I don't full time in it. My DW and I will be retiring in a couple years and plan to FT in a medium size MH, as my Aliner is a little too cramped for two people and a bird on a FT basis. But If I were FTing by myself it would be my home till I die, as I don't think you could have a more economical camper. We like to boondock too, when we can, in very remote areas. I tow mine with a little 4 cylinder Chevy Cobalt. What do you tow yours with and what kind of gas mileage do you get? Even now I get low 20's mpg towing and low 30's when not. I've been very lucky with my little car and plan on taking it with me as a toad when we go FT. It just turned over 350,000 miles on the original engine. I had to replace my transmission at 300,000 miles (about 40,000 of those miles towing) but other than that, the repairs have been minor. It's amazing, since my Aliner is 1,700 lbs. loaded and I'm towing at 170% of the Cobalt's 1,000 lb tow rating (though I do have some towing mods to keep things together.) I've towed through the mountains many times with no problems overheating or stopping. When the engine finally dies (It's overdue) I'll drop another gently used engine in her and drive it for another 2-3 hundred thousand miles - if I hold up that long. Chip

I highly recommend a transmission cooler too, for anyone towing with an automatic. I have towed my 1,700lb Aliner with a 1,000lb tow rated 2.4l Chevy Cobalt (with an aftermarket tranny cooler) for over 40,000 miles with no problems. I have now retired it from towing since I purchased my truck, as my Cobalt now has 308,000 miles on the original engine and transmission. Of course by now my automatic transmission is about shot, but how many 4 cyl cars have over 300,000 miles on their transmission without even towing anything, much less 40,000 miles up and down mountains at 170% of the vehicle's tow rating? (Disclaimer: please don't try this at home kids.) I always change the fluids and filters ahead of schedule, using Mobile-1 in my engine (which still doesn't burn a drop of oil between changes.) I also had my ECM and TCM (engine and transmission computers) tow tuned for less slippage, lower heat, longer life, more power and better fuel economy. No it wasn't cheap, but worth every penny. I also had it dyno tuned for a cold air intake, header and full Corsa exhaust which helps keep the engine heat down and adds a little more in the power and mileage dept. too. Chip

Is that typical for you, Kirk? Or is it atypical for your rig that you ascribe to an unusual situation, ie. did you fight a strong headwind, tow at high speed, etc.? Could it be that your V-6 SUV is underpowered for your trailer's frontal area? My low profile Aliner doesn't hardly affect my 6.4l diesel's MPG, but really makes my 4 cyl. Chevy Cobalt's mileage take a dump (from 32-34 mpg unfettered to 22-25 MPG towing) - because it is underpowered for the task at hand compared to my overpowered diesel truck. I'll bet if you towed it with one of those new Dodge 1/2 ton diesels your MPG would improve dramatically. I'll bet even towing your lightweight trailer with my truck you would still get around 14-15 MPG (as I currently get 17-18 MPG towing my Aliner). Chip

Curb guy, I would expect a little better from a 7.3 which are known for their excellent fuel economy. A lot depends on terrain, but I suspect you might have a mechanical problem with your truck, such as an injector problem to get that low of mileage from a 7.3. What do you get when not towing? Most 7.3 owners that I know brag of getting 19-20 MPG when not towing. Chip

Thanks Tumbleweed! All indications are I'm in the right ballpark (for planning purposes) then at 12mpg. If a 1 ton dually pulling a 16k lb 5er (with a larger frontal area creating more wind resistance) typically manages around 10 mpg, I think I might actually do a tad better than 12 mpg with a lighter, easier rolling 3/4 ton pulling a 60% lighter, lower drag trailer. Time will tell. Let's say I average 15k miles/yr. over 20 years (assuming I live that long) for 300,000 total miles. If diesel prices average say $5/gallon over this time, that small 2 mpg savings from 10-12 mpg =$25,000 or $1,250/yr. If my driving habits and planned aerodynamics allow me to eek out a single MPG more, then the savings jumps to over $1,700/yr. or about 5% of our annual income - not an insignificant amount on our tight budget. That will buy dinner for two at an upscale sushi restaurant each and every month for life (or 2-3 nice sushi meals/mo. at home) - just to put things in perspective for this sushidog. Chip

Thanks for the replies, guys! Kirk, I agree that rear drag is more important than front aerodynamics, but while you're at it, why not do both? Like you say, the big trucks do, so there must be some savings to be gained by the combo. The biggest problem to front aerodynamics is the gap between the truck and the trailer. The more you shrink this gap the more effective it will be. My Coroplast wind deflector flaps mounted behind the topper will do just that, as will the addition of Air Tabs mounted on the wind deflectors to help keep the airflow laminar (inducing small stabilizing vortices) to keep the air flowing over and around the trailer rather than swirling into the gap in front of the trailer. Most deflectors I've seen only focus on airflow over the top and not on the sides, limiting their effectiveness. I intend to do both, and may even fill in the bottom of the trailer's A-frame tongue to block air flow from swirling up on the bottom (similar in function to an air-dam on a car). It will be an experiment for sure, but the worse that can happen is that these changes have little to no beneficial effect and I'm out the cost of a few sheets of plastic, some hinges and a little time. On paper it should work. Time will tell if it works in practice. 12 mpg it is then (for planning purposes only). If my aerodynamics eek out another 1-2 mpg then all the better, but I'm not counting on it. I think good defensive driving and hypermiling techniques, speed reduction and such will have more effect in fuel saving than aerodynamics ever could, but both combined will yield the best possible results. I'm very happy with my purchase decision for these 2 little bikes. Here's a pic of the pair after I first got them. I've had them for a little over a year now. Unfortunately I don't get to ride them much, but they have proven very reliable and have exceeded my expectations so far. I replaced the stock 19mm carbs and air cleaner with 22 mm carbs that are used on Honda TRX 125s. The stock, EPA complaint carbs had fixed jetting and were jetted too lean for sea level (where I live.) They start and run much better now and have more torque too. My latest mod was to put a hand operated rear brake cable on them like the vintage Honda CT70s had to make them easier to unload from my truck. I also added a 2t bigger front sprocket to improve their top speed (from around 50 mph to 60 mph) this improved their fuel economy too (in the 95-100 mpg range) by lowering their operational rpm. I had to replace the mirrors too, with bar end mirrors that allow me to see around my fat body as the handlebars are too narrow for the stock mirrors, just like the original CT70's were. There are many upgrades on these 125cc clones, like a center stand and luggage rack that were missing on the original CT-70 Hondas. I love the 12v, electric start and electronic ignition system that eliminates maintaining mechanical ignition points. I like the hydraulic disk brake up front and the real hydraulic telescopic front suspension - my old CT70's had grabby drum brakes and simple bouncy springs up front. The rear shock springs are stiffer and hold quite a bit more weight too. I guess they are designed for adults (or fat American kids) . On the down side, like the old Japanese bikes from the 60's, neutral is very hard to find unless you are rolling. The chrome plating is a little thin too - again like the old 60s and 70s era Japanese motorcycles as the chrome tends to rust more easily than todays Japanese motorcycles, so I must keep the fenders, handlebars and such well waxed. Their overall quality is much better than I expected, especially based upon what I paid them (only about $1,100 each shipped my door). So far nothing has broke or worn out (as I expected it would by now.) I'm impressed. I would definitely buy them again or recommend their purchase. They are lots of fun for the money spent. They are a great value and very economical transportation too - a lot cheaper than firing up the diesel. I bought them for around town use, mundane errands and cheap, fun sightseeing when we go FT. And if my truck breaks down a couple hundred miles from nowhere, I've got a couple spares to go for help, getting us out of an otherwise sticky situation. Think of them like a couple of 100 mpg fair weather toads. Registration was pretty cheap, and insurance costs only $99/year for the pair (through GEICO), so I'm saving there as well. Chip

What mileage I can expect towing a 10,000 lb. (loaded) TT with a 6.4l F-250 at slower speeds? There is a similar thread in the 5er section. The consensus was that one could expect around 10 mpg pulling a 16,000 lb. 5er with a 6.7l F-350 dually. Though I haven't yet purchased my TT, on a couple trips (mostly flat lands and rolling hills, but some mountains) towing a 1,700 lb. Aliner low-profile camper with 2 motorbikes, large loading ramp, generator, etc. (about 600lbs in the bed) it averaged 17-18 mpg (about 1mpg less than an empty, unfettered truck.) I plan on keeping my speed as low as practical (50-55 mph), traveling during low traffic times, minimizing starts and stops, slowing on the up-hills (without tying up traffic and getting stupid about it) and letting it accelerate naturally on down-hills when practical (to conserve momentum). I also plan on building an aerodynamic bed topper to divert the wind over the top and sides of the TT and adding a lightweight tail cone (like seen on some 18 wheelers these days) to also help reduce it's aerodynamic drag (reduce sway and improve stability overall). I know 6.4s have a reputation for poor fuel economy, but mine doesn't do so bad on the highway, though around town it does suck (14-15 mpg). Here's a pic of my current set-up: Is a 12 mpg avg. realistic towing a 10k TT, considering I'm anticipating a conservative driving style? Is anyone doing materially better than this with a similar rig? If so, what's your secret? Thanks, Chip

Sure they can read. Just like deer can read the deer crossing signs on the highway to know where to cross. Chip

My Sunny used to like to perch on the steering wheel at times. My DW said she wanted to drive. She would squawk whenever she saw a large soaring bird. Look out near airports as she would go nuts at the size of the "birds" flying around there. I plan on buying a TT to FT in that has with a super slide with sofa and dining area. I will remove the sofa and build wall there to make a small bird room. I might make the wall movable so it slides out into the living area a foot or so. I plan on mounting a large screen TV/multi-media center with my surround sound system on that wall with opposing recliners/theater seating on the opposite wall. Chip

"If you bring your parrot with you to live in a state where quaker parrots have been banned and you are caught with it, “the authorities could possibly euthanize it, they could fine you, or they could do both,” said Brosell. Exactly what the authorities would do depends on the laws of the state, but at the very least, your bird will be confiscated, Brosell said. Quaker parrots are illegal to own or to sell in California, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Hawaii, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wyoming. In Connecticut, quakers are legal to own, but you can’t sell or breed them. New York and Virginia residents are allowed to own quakers, but they must register with the state. " “Some states may allow an ‘outlawed parrot’ to be transported through the state as long as it remains in transit and is out of the state with in a short time frame — something like 48 hours. Other states prohibit any entrance of the parrots they feel can create a nuisance and travelers must circumnavigate the state if they are traveling with the suspect parrots,” Brosell said. Research ahead of time what states are and aren’t “safe” to pass through with your quaker (contact the state veterinarian for each state on your planned route to find out what their policies are regarding quaker parrots), so that you will know if you need to make a detour to another state along the way. To locate a particular state veterinarian office, call 1-800-545-USDA and press option “2,” or visit the USDA Web site at www.aphis.usda.gov, and click on the appropriate state." http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-news/bird-legal-issues/birds-and-law.aspx Chip

Wow, that sucks. Mr. Kirk had just about convinced me to declare Texas as my domicle, (I always wanted to be a Texan.) in spite of the extra costs involved, however with this bill, it's completely out of the question. I guess it's SD for sure now. Full-timer reguistration revenues will surely drop as people flee. The number of registered voters will dip too - a classic case of the law of unintended consequences. After reading the law it looks like they will be emission testing everyone now - and denying registration if your vehicle fails. I'm no lawyer, but that's the way I read it. Chip

We have recently adopted another sun conure - a 20 yr old named "baby". She loves my DW and hate's me, as she had obviously pair-bonded to a woman before being abandoned, and chose my DW as a substitute mommy/mate. Chip

As promissed, here's our new baby Skittles: She was born on 8/16 and has turned out to be a very affectionate baby bird that would rather snuggle on us than eat or drink. Chip

Though not a full timer yet, I traveled with my sun conure all over the usa over the 28 years I had her. Sadly, she passed aay last week. This species usually lives for 20-25 yrs, so a 28 yr old one is exceptionally long lived. Conures are known to be very noisy, but if you show them plenty of attention they quiet down. Plus they sleep when dark and awake when it's daylight, so you can control the noise by controlling the light entering their cage. As a rule Sunny is much quieter than many dogs I've come across while camping. I never had a problem with fumes in our Styrofoam walled Aliner, but watch what you cook with because burning teflon fumes are almost instantly toxic to birds. She was a great traveling companion and always rode on either my DW or I while traveling, never in her travel cage - which was available with the door open if she wanted to go inside. Here's a pic of my dear departed Sunny: To help ease our grief, we decided to get another hand raised baby sun to complete the circle of life. Though nothing can replace Sunny, who was truly a member of our family, we decided to to share our love with another bird. We will be picking him up from a breeder in Ga, on Oct 23rd on our way home from our vacation in the Smokies. He will just have been weaned (off formula) and eating on his own by then. Here's a photo of the clutch: http://www.hoobly.com/HG7u/hand-fed-sun-conure-babies-taking-deposits-now.htm At $250 each they are very reasonable. I paid $750 for Sunny back in 1985 - but they were much rarer then. Petco currently sells them for $600. We fully intend to full-time with our new bird "Skittles" in 5 years. We can only hope that Skittles gives us a small fraction of the joy that our loving Sunny did. Parrot owners understand that bird that lives with you most of your adult life is a true companion, with a fully-developed personality, making them much more than a pet. Chip