Category Archives: Retirement

Last projects before getting back on the road

Posted on by

With the quarantine restrictions being gradually lifted, we can plan on a time to leave! But there were a few more things to do, one of which I could only do with the trailer out on the street. The plan was to move the trailer to the street a day or two before we were to leave. We can sleep out there just as easily.

With the cabinet project, in the previous blog entry, I was given a location to put all my electronics. In my next blog entry, I will discuss the electronics that we use on the road for internet, satellite TV, and DVR capability. I was able to free up a cabinet above our chairs by moving all those electronics to the new location.

In the previous entry, I mentioned about the backup camera on the trailer. Here is a shot from the dash of the truck that shows it in operation:

I have used the backup camera numerous times already. I am very glad that I put it on. As a benefit, I will also get the tire pressures on my truck screen.

One of the things we had in our house, that I really miss in the trailer, is a remotely accessible thermostat, like a Nest. I thought I had issues with our Dometic thermostat a few months ago but it was a loose wire in the AC unit. It appears that MicroAir has a direct replacement thermostat for the Dometics and it does WiFi and Bluetooth! I got one and put it in. It is wonderful! Plus, since we have the cat with us, I can check the settings from wherever I am. I didn’t take a picture of ours but here it is:

MicroAir also makes ‘softstart’ Air Conditioner kit. I have been very interested in those for a while. The appeal is that not only does it start the compressor smoother but purportedly you can run the AC on a single Honda generator. I used to have two generators that put out 30amp in parallel but rarely did we use them, so I sold one.

We tried, once, to use our generator with just the microwave in Montana but it would not power it. I was confused. By figuring out the wattage needs of the microwave, using the old W=V*A formula, it should have worked. I have finally figured out the problem. It turns out to be the same reason we could not even use a 15amp connection in New York during courtesy parking.

It turns out that the battery charger/converter is a huge power hog when it starts up and for a bit thereafter. I now know to turn it off when we want to used the generator. We have the solar so it should work, and I DID put in a switch to turn it off a while back.

Now, armed with this knowledge, I am ready to try it out. But I have to install the kit. This is the one that worked the best on the street. Here are some shots of the AC with the shroud off:

Initially the install seems daunting and a bit dangerous (you are touching capacitors). However, you do it with the power off (110v) and just slowly follow the instructions and it is easy. The the AC did start up when I was done. That was nice. I will test the unit with our generator when we get on the road.

I didn’t film, or take pictures, of the install. Here are some other Airstreamers that have done it:

One extra minor tweak was an installation next to my side of the bed. It is a very powerful magnet that I screwed to the wall:

This part will be very useful. It is great at holding a heavy metal object that you might need quickly in the evening and don’t want to go hunting for it.

Next entry, electronics!

A month in the desert

Posted on by

Before I start this blog post, a reader (Mike), asked me if I was going to elaborate on our border crossings into Canada during our Alaska trip. Since I forgot to previously, I will do so now.

In 2018, we traveled around Canada with friends. I took a shotgun along with us for protection from animals, of all kinds. I researched the subject and knew that there was a form to fill out to allow this inside Canada. Last year, I had no issues with any of our crossings.

In 2019 I got the same form, used the same shotgun, but a different border crossing. I did the same things as before which required me to go inside their office. Once inside I encountered an agent that really had a chip on his shoulder about all of this. He asked me how long I was going to be in Canada with the weapon. We had no idea or set plans and I told him that. He stated that we should be able to make it through to Alaska in 3 days. That is almost 2000 miles! We went back and forth about what route we were taking, how long we were going to take, etc. We didn’t know!

On the form, I chose “Protection against wildlife” as the reason to bring in the gun. He decided to change it to “In transit” and give us 90 days on the permit even though we are supposed to take the most direct route through Canada. It was best not to push things and just take what he decided to give us. He stated that Canadian citizens are not allowed to take shotguns anywhere in the country and he didn’t want to give ME more rights than they have. I took the lumps and got out of there.

Later I asked a worker at the gun counter in a Canadian Tire if they are allowed to take a shotgun anywhere in their own country. He said he could and didn’t know what the border guy’s problem was.

On our return trip, the form was still active and the passage in was uneventful. However, we never got a real “Welcome to Canada” feeling from the border crossings!

Back to our regularly scheduled program: A week or two in the desert turned into over a month. The situation we had in Sacramento kept getting pushed back to the point where we were unsure if it would happen.

Luckily the RV Park (Catalina Spa and RV) was flexible enough to work with us over the 3 times we extended our stay. Even though we didn’t know it was going to be a month initially, we ended up getting the monthly rate.

While we were there, it was a good time to work on a few projects on the trailer. During our Alaska trip, we hit some pretty rough roads. We have an accordian type privacy door that lost its’ top tang that held it in the track:

Another repair was to our Air Conditioner cover in the rear as it developed a hole. FlexSeal tape:

The next change was an upgrade. Shortly after we purchased our trailer (7 years ago) I upgraded the bathroom exhaust fan to a Fantastic Fan. I had some problems a year or two with the other Fantastic Fan, I contacted Fantastic Fan and they sent me a new blade assembly, free of charge! I was having problems with this fan and it would not start. I contacted Dometic and they told me to BUY a new fan blade assembly. It did not help and I returned it. I decided to replace the entire fan with a new MaxxAir setup.

Initially:

Removed the cover to unveil the old beauty:

A little more cleaning needed:

Test fit:

Screwed down and gooped up:

All done:

Inside:

It even has a remote control!:

We also took a day trip through Joshua Tree NP:

After our month was up we headed to Bonelli Bluffs RV Park in San Dimas:

We visited our friends, the Chens, while there. We also got tickets to see Jeopardy!:

It was more fun that Wheel of Fortune as you don’t have to clap as much! We also had tickets to go to The Price is Right but that was right when Drew Carey’s ex-fiance was killed and they shut down production. Our Jeopardy episodes should air on April 20, 21 and 22.

We will be messing around in California a bit more until we can head to Nevada for research!