post a *PIC* of your latest purchase (can be anything as long as it is for your camper)

[billharr]

My old bolted together 2x8 leveling ramps are cracking after 7 years. Wife said buy something that will never give her a sliver. So I went on Amazon and found Anderson Rapid Jacks. Ordered two (free same day delivery!) Not cheap but tried in the drive way; they do lift very smooth.

Let us know how you like them in the real world and if they are worth the money.
Maybe take a pic when you use them and describe how long it took and etc.

I hope you enjoy them.

Will do driving to MN next month.

Have used two nights. Wish I would have got these along time a go. Light and Work great.

Will get some pictures later

 

[MarkBC]

Waking up this long-dormant topic!

I haven't put any money into my camper in a long time -- several years. And there were a few things on my list for replacement or fixing or upgrading that were at least "wants" (and which would be "needs" for a lot of people).

I bought a couple of these items several years ago...but I never installed them: the roof-vent fan and the water pump. When the original water pump died (froze in winter?) I just stopped using the water system and relied on water carboys. And the fan was not vital -- I'd never had one before... Why did these 2 items just sit in my garage? Because they refused to install themselves.

The new batteries replaced my beloved dual Trojan SCS225 -- which were at least 5 years old and not well maintained the past year; they'd lived a long and rich life -- it was time.

To expedite installation of the first items (i.e., make it actually happen) I took the camper to a local RV service place. I'd had work done there before, and I'd bought my batteries there. I bought the new batteries there, too.

SHURflo Comfortair Gold Series

SHURflo 4008-101-E65

Centennial CB6-224 6V 224Ah AGM
After years of death-defying use of flooded batteries inside my camper...I got these AGMs (and they're 6-volt). I'd asked the RV place to put in 2 new Trojan SCS225s, like I had, but they refused -- said they legally couldn't inside a rig. OK...fine...

Now that I had a working water system again I wanted to get rid of the silly little OEM faucet, replace it with one that has some clearance -- so I got this one. And it has threads on the end, so I can hook up a hose...if I need to for some reason.

Belanger 3040W Laundry Tub Faucet. Just arrived UPS today, not yet installed.

My camper came with fluorescent ceiling lights, and they were still working. But I suppose LEDs are more efficient, and these weren't expensive, so I bought a couple.

Leisure LED 2 Pack RV LED Ceiling Double Dome Light, 48X2835SMD Frosted Lens Natural White 4000-4500K. Just arrived UPS today, not yet installed.

I decided to replace my OEM Suburban stove top because one of the burner knobs no longer turned. Corroded? I don't know, but it was seized tight. And the metal of the unit was getting corroded -- looked bad even if it was superficial. So:

Flame King YSNHT600 RV Cooktop. There's a cover included, too.
Best of all, it's a Flame King!

Installation of the ceiling lights should go quick -- I've already removed the existing ones, and it only requires a couple of screws and connecting the wires to do it.

The faucet installation should be straightforward. I've replaced faucets in 3 of my home sinks, so I know how... Only challenge should be the un-handyness of reaching up to connect and tighten things in small spaces.

The stove has something a little weird about it -- but I'll post a separate topic to discuss and ask for input on that.

I also need to replace a couple of the widgets that hold the cabinet doors closed...

 

[ski3pin]

Wow! Looks great!

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Wow Mark see what happens when you let things pile up.
Some nice new features.
LEDs are nice,I just replaced the bulbs on my lights with plug in LEDs.
That stove top looks just like my OEM but I think mine is a different name.
Could be the same maker though.Sure looks identical.
Have fun with your new toys.
Frank

 

[MarkBC]

Wow! Looks great!

Thanks, Mr. 3pin.

...That stove top looks just like my OEM but I think mine is a different name.
Could be the same maker though.Sure looks identical....

On Amazon and elsewhere there's listed an identical-looking Suburban model -- but it's everywhere "no longer available". Maybe the Chinese company that made them for Suburban adopted it as their own product when Suburban discontinued them. Don't know... but it seems quality -- heavy-duty anyway.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Wow Mark-fantastic! Been putting off up grading my 05 for a long time. Let me know how easy or not the stove top is to install and how it works-getting real hard to use mine because of all the grease and grim !

Smoke

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Mark, you’re going to have a like new camper before you’re done. Nice!

 

[MarkBC]

...getting real hard to use mine because of all the grease and grime !

Smoke

Yep, me, too -- that was definitely a factor in why I replaced mine!

The only part of the stove installation that has to be RIGHT is connecting a single propane line. The physical mounting of the stove in the hole is just "whatever works".
And remember that the propane inside our campers is very low pressure -- only about ½ psi, so it's not very challenging to make the connections gas-tight (though, obviously important -- since it's flammable). I'll report on what/how I do it. The connection is different that on my OEM stove. I'll be making a trip down to Ace Hardware soon to browse brass...

Mark, you’re going to have a like new camper before you’re done. Nice!

Thanks, WS.

I forgot to mention that I'm also going to replace the foam in the bed mattress/cushions. It's worn out, too soft -- need something firmer to prevent bottoming out.

 

[billharr]

Waking up this long-dormant topic!



The faucet installation should be straightforward. I've replaced faucets in 3 of my home sinks, so I know how... Only challenge should be the un-handyness of reaching up to connect and tighten things in small spaces.

The stove has something a little weird about it -- but I'll post a separate topic to discuss and ask for input on that.

I also need to replace a couple of the widgets that hold the cabinet doors closed...

Don't go under a sink without one.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Oh yes a "basin" wrench.
Remember using these when I went to work with my plumber father.
So useful.
Frank

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Thanks, Mr. 3pin.

On Amazon and elsewhere there's listed an identical-looking Suburban model -- but it's everywhere "no longer available". Maybe the Chinese company that made them for Suburban adopted it as their own product when Suburban discontinued them. Don't know... but it seems quality -- heavy-duty anyway.

I think my stove in the ATC Bobcat is an Atwood.
Anyway looks nice Mark.
Frank

 

[CraggyMan]

Looking good Mark - I wanna hear about your adventures under the sink. I'm thinking a new faucet is on my horizon also.
Now that I have an actual garage (first time in my adult life), I'm considering some upgrades also.
Cheers -

 

[billharr]

Mark add one of these to your stove top.

This is the one I used.

 

[PaulT]

Found this earlier thread using apparently the same kit.

Paul

 

[MarkBC]

New carbon monoxide (CO) detector/alarm:

Dometic 32703


This unit has a digital readout of CO concentration (ppm), replacing a previous (expired) detector that also had a digital readout of CO conc. It displays the current and maximum conc. of CO reached in the camper, thus, how close to the dangerous conc. it is/was. And, of course, it sounds an alarm if a dangerous concentration is reached.

In cold-weather camping I mostly use my Olympian Wave 6 catalytic heater, rather than the noisy old Atwood furnace. The cat heater doesn't exhaust to the outdoors, so I need to be sure to have the camper adequately vented. But how do I know what "adequate" is? That's why I like having a device that tells me the maximum level of CO -- so I have feedback data indicating if the venting is enough (or even too much?)...rather than just learning from a screaming alarm that the venting was insufficient.

......................................
But there's more to this purchase story -- in a post to follow

 

[MarkBC]

Before I bought this CO detector/alarm, I bought (and later returned) this CO detector/alarm:


I bought this Kidde model (first) because it was, at the time, $25 on Amazon, and the Dometic-branded one was about $50 on Camping World and over $60 on Amazon. The plastic cases of the two units are absolutely identical (except for printing), features and specs are identical -- the only obvious difference I could see was that the more expensive one had a mounting bracket.
I didn't see that the convenience of a mounting bracket was worth ~$30, so I got the Kidde-branded one.

Before I purchased the Kidde I did some background reading and saw that both of the units listed an operating range of 40° - 100°F. OK, that's the operating range, and when I have the catalytic heater on (when I care about CO monitoring) the temperature will be >40°F, so it will "operate" fine.
But what about when I'm not running the heater, and it's winter, and it's maybe below freezing in the camper -- whether because I'm driving or away from the camper or when the camper is parked at my house in winter.
Do I need to keep the unit above 40F all the time?

These photos of the back of the Kidde and the Dometic packages show the differences (few) and similarities (many) of the two units.
Kidde:

Dometic:

There are 2 or 3 different designations on each package that are called "model", so it's a bit confusing, but note that the Model that begins with "KN-..." is the same on both. And the Dometic unit says "Manufactured... by Kidde".

So...if these two units seem to be the same (except for the mounting bracket and labeling) why did I return the less-expensive Kidde unit and buy the more-expensive Dometic-branded unit?
Well, I'm still not 100% certain that they are different...but I based my decision on what customer service representatives told me in emails when I asked about storage in frigid temperatures, when not in use, and because the Dometic unit actually says OK for RV use.

Kidde: "The sensor has a slight amount of water in it that will be in danger of freezing. As well the battery will not last the full 10 years as the temperature is too cold and the charge will deplete. The warranty will also be voided."

Well, I'm not worried about the batteries. I figured I'd use lithium batteries, which are much more cold-tolerant than alkaline. (that was before I saw the anti-lithium warning on the Dometic package). But I get that freezing water could screw up something inside...

I asked Dometic a similar question about affect of cold temperatures on the unit when not in use.

Dometic: "Our recommendation is that you should remove the battery for the winter. You would not have to remove the entire unit, just the battery, keep in a temperate area during the winter."

That sounds good, I guess.
I asked Dometic a follow-up question, sent a picture of the Kidde package and asked if these are really the same unit?

Dometic: "It more than likely is the same thing. This is what we call a traded product. Meaning we buy it from another company and just slap our name on it. So Kidde probably does the same thing."

Hmmm....well, that doesn't seem to be true -- since both packages say "Manufactured by Kidde". And if they are the same thing then why different answers from different CS departments?

So, to get another opinion, I sent a the same "cold temperatures" question to customer service at etrailer.com -- an online RV product dealer which sells the Dometic unit.

etrailer: You asked a great question, so I made an answer page for you with additional information. You can see it here:
http://www.etrailer.com/question-345112.html?fb=yes

and that online answer was:
I spoke with my contact at Atwood to get clarification on the temperature range of the Atwood RV Carbon Monoxide Detector part # AT32703 and they told me that The alarm will ONLY work between 40 degrees and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It can, however, be stored to a maximum of ten below to higher without harm.

OK, I was convinced. Whether they really are different...I don't really know. But because the Dometic/Atwood model actually says it's for RV use on the package, that's the one I kept.
I really should have bought it from etrailer, since they decided me (and immortalized my question on their website! ) , but it was about $10 cheaper at Camping World, so I went for the bargain.

Hmmm... still not sure about a couple of things, however:
1) When the etrailer CS guy says "..a maximum of ten below .." does he mean OK to 10 below zero °F, i.e., -10°F... or does he mean 10° below the operating range -- i.e., down to 30°F...?

2) Hmmm...the product that etrailer sells is branded "Atwood", but I bought "Dometic", and the Dometic product has the same "32703" model number on it (among others). Isn't Dometic the same as Atwood now?

3) And why does the Dometic package say "Do not use lithium batteries in this unit"...? Lithium batteries retain their power in cold temperatures much better than alkaline batteries. That's why I use them in the outdoor sensor unit of my little weather station.

4) And what chemistry, technology, do the OEM-mounted CO-alarm units use -- like the unit that came flush-mounted into the wall of my FWC camper when I bought it (and so, obviously, is not meant to be removed)...? Apparently they're not affected by cold-temperature storage.

It's a puzzler... maybe I need to send another question to CS.

I'm usually not a big worrier about camper safety -- and I think my judgement is sound. But since I've convinced myself that I should have a CO detector (because of the catalytic heater, primarily), then it should be one that actually works in the conditions I plan to use it!