GeorgiaHybrid

Not everyone can be brought into greatness... At least Rick saw the light and got rid of the Volvo

Go to almost ANY automotive paints store and ask them for help. They have been painting flexible parts for years now that are partially primed with some original paint left without any issues. They should be more than able to help with the paint and any additives that need to be put into the paint as well as the speed and type of reducer to use.

Yep, looks like you used the "moron" theory and made a right nice, very stout sliding extension. For those not familiar with technical terms, in steel we use the "when in doubt, make it stout" a lot and the other axiom that gets used is the "moron theory". When in doubt, add more on. In this case, Rick is NOT a little guy so he needed to add a LOT more on.

Don't worry about it. We have a few folks from Tennessee on here so this is not uncommon...

Carl, Someone filled out the contact form on the ECR Rally site and sent you the email or anyone else that is copied from that contact form. It was nothing but a junk email so just ignore it and practice your shooting skills. After seeing you shoot, I would be a LOT more worried about that... just saying...

I don't have a problem paying someone with two years experience or schooling a good wage. I do have a problem paying someone that wage for two years TEACHING them how to do the job. And before you put your foot further into your mouth, my cost in Manilla is $17.50 for an average. the less experienced people are under that and the more experienced are paid more than that. I can't find anyone in this country that that can add 2+2 and give you the correct answer that will flip on a light switch for less than $25 and that is NOT acceptable for a "training" wage. If you want to help the US economy, try getting the government to REQUIRE that jobs having government funding must have all labor done in the USA. Yeah, good luck with that, guess where they get their paychecks and marching orders from...

I hate to tell you this but I have to compete with those other countries for work. The US worker can be a LOT more efficient at a job and get a higher price but parity will come in when competing with Indian and Chinese companies. My other office is in the Philippines and they have been with me for a while but they still have to compete with lower priced firms As far as minimum wage jobs going to people other than kids, yes you are correct. Like I said in my post above, if you are an adult with ZERO skill sets and no education, what makes that MY problem as a business owner? Anyone can get an education or learn a trade in this country if they want to and have the desire. The fact that someone doesn't do either is not society's problem to fix. It is THEIR problem to fix. As far as my business is concerned, we make shop drawings for steel fabricators using 3D solids modeling on computers. It is a specialized version of a drafting job and yes, it has and is being taught in several community colleges across the country but guess what? You have to PAY the community college to learn while I PAY the employee to learn. After two years, you are making the same money and, if you desire, can go somewhere else and get a job. You will have a skill set that is valuable to an employer and will be able to make your way in the world. If you don't have that desire, and are happy with lower paying jobs because they are easy, then accept the pay scale that having no education or skills comes with.

OK, I have stayed put of this debate but it has gotten to the point that some things need to be said. Everyone talks about a "living wage". Who are the people that get these jobs? Most of them are entry level jobs for kids who have no skill sets. If you are a grown adult that didn't learn any skill growing up nor have an education, why do you think you deserve more money? If you are currently making $8 an hour more than minimum wage and your state increases the minimum wage by $8 an hour, are you going to want you wages increased? Yeah, I thought so. As a business owner that has to train an employee for at least two years before I can start getting a return on them, what do you think I look for in an employee? Someone young, starting out and wanting to learn a trade. Do you know WHAT I have apply for a job? A good percentage don't have a high school diploma or a GED. They can't add 1/2 and 1/4 without a calculator and even then screw up that simple problem. They can't read a tape or a scale, have very little if ANY math ability. They show up for a job interview wearing flip flops, pajama bottoms and a T shirt. They don't want to take a drug test because that is against their "rights". They want to work from home to learn a trade (that works really well....). Do I really need to get into their use of a cell phone? I have lost as much as 40% of a workers day because they are off hiding in the bathroom, taking a smoke break or some other excuse to be on their phone. I have even had them texting during a damn interview! Bottom line? I have a few people left here from our original crew and have an office off shore that I will be expanding. They want jobs, are willing to work, have great attitudes, and love the pay we offer as it is the same as what I would pay here. We have raised a generation of ungrateful, spoiled brats that want everything given to them without any effort. Our local McDonalds is paying $15 an hour for a kid to flip burgers. If you want to help the people that really need it, try looking at the wages earned by our service members. Check out what a new E5 makes a month. That $15 an hour kid with a grand total skill set of being able to flip a burger and taking out the trash makes more per month than that E5 with his butt on the line for the public he swore an oath to defend. Cry me a river people but don't use Covid as a crutch for all the problems this country is facing.

Did your fan ever come on while going up the longer grades? If you did hear it come on, everything is running normal with the ambient temps above 100. On long grades running 70 or better, our Cummins will often hit 215 or a little higher before the fan kicks in and cools it off. What you are seeing is completely normal.

Also use plenty of oil or those annular cutters aren't going to last long and they will be slower cutting the holes.

Rick, Shouldn't be a problem to rotate the valve 90 degrees and bolt it to the front frame on the hitch. The bottom plate on the hitch plus the hitch stiffening the bottom plate will more than make up for the removal of the two cross members. That plate acts like a diaphragm bracing plate. if you locate everything Correctly, you might not need to even modify the rod.

Either one will work but the ones I installed were all SoftStart's. They also don't mind coming up with a custom wiring diagram or to give them a call if you get stuck. Seems like a nice company to work with.

Installed 5 soft starts at the ECR this year. The 13,500 BTU starts easy on a Honda 2000. The Dometic 15,000 BTU Penguin units will start and run with a Honda 2000 but that is about all you can have on. That unit runs right at 12.5 amps when the compressor is running making it possible with a single 2,000 or 2,200 gen set but with a generator larger than that, it would not be a problem to have some other loads as well.

Kirk, Using Victron inverters, you can parallel up to 4 inverters for 120V, two sets of 4 inverters in a split phase, 120/240 array and up to 3 sets of 4 inverters for 3 phase 240

Just about any competent truck frame shop can weld the extensions that you need to the rear of the frame, install the hitch and run the airlines you need.