Dry Camping with an Airstream - Page 2

smily · 02-08-2005, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcanavera

Twink,
Well yes and no. The power for the jack still comes from the battery(ies) on the trailer. When you plug in to your tow vehicle you will be getting a charge to the trailer once the tow vehicle is running. From experience with other trailers and the Airstream, its not like you just plugged into a full power outlet. The charge in the trailer battery has to be raised to get enough the jack operating, and that in itself using the tow vehicle, can take a great deal of time.

Now I have in the past turned my car around and used jumper cables to get a lot of juice quickly but short of replacing the battery with a freshly charged one, its going to be a long treck before you bring a discharged battery back to life.

I've been there and I wish that fresh tow vehicle battery was in line. The only thing that fresh battery is operating is your exterior lights and brakes.

Jack

I beg to differ, I have used tow vehicle to jack unit with NO batteries in coach. The connection is a parrallel connection therefore you essentially have a third battery (or more) connected to the DC electrical bus.
I do recognize that the conductors are lacking but you can jack the trailer with just the tow vehicle connection.

RoadKingMoe · 02-08-2005, 08:28 AM

Having no batteries in the coach isn't the same as having two heavily discharged batteries in the coach. The trailer power wire on my F250 isn't going to be connected unless the engine is running and the alternator putting out charging voltage. There is already going to be significant current running through the 20 amp fuse and 12 gauge wiring to the trailer connector charging the heavily discharged batteries. Adding the trailer jack load to an already significant load (that wouldn't exist with no batteries in the coach) might blow the fuse in that line. I don't know for sure... just making the point that you can't compare no batteries to heavily discharged batteries.

**jcanavera** · 02-08-2005, 11:00 AM

Maurice, thanks for the clarification. I have found with multiple tow vehicles and trailers, that the current draw via the tow vehicle wiring is hard pressed to provide significant charge and power for other needs. The hitch jack draws significant amperage and for all intents its just not available if the battery recharge is drawing significant current. Operating without batteries is a complete different situation and in that case the tow vehicle charging system can direct all its power to the hitch.

Before I learned the secret of using the master disconnect switch when storing the trailer I allowed the battery on my Safari to run down. Bottom line connecting to the tow vehicle provided little solace since the small amount of power available could only make the jack groan. I ended up pulling the battery out and taking it home for a quick recharge.

Jack

Mike Lewis · 02-08-2005, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

I agree with the post that spoke of camping with no hookups being fun. Actually the doing without is not what makes it fun but where you camp without them it what makes it fun. Camping on public lands and primative campsites are nearly always less crowded cleaner and quieter, not to mention less expensive. Making your electrical supply last is just part of the conservation that's necessary. That however can be part of the fun. It can be kept very simple or very complicated.
Personally a small generator and a small automotive battery charger is all we use. We have one battery, 25gallon fresh water and 21 gallon combination gray-black tank. We have stayed out 6 days on this. No showers of course but we wash and stayed clean none the less. Some people enjoy the gadgets, solar units even wind generators and that's all fine if you enjoy it and feel you need it. Agin it can be as simple or complicted as you like.--Pieman

RoadKingMoe --just pointed out something I didn't think anyone would notice. The tank capacities I mentioned are for a 16 ft. Bambi and my owner info states we own a 25' Classic. Actually both are correct. We have traded our Bambi and are leaving tomorrow to pick up our new classic. Didn't want anyone to think I was pulling your leg. Guess I was a little premature in changing my info.----Pieman

RoadKingMoe · 02-08-2005, 03:14 PM

Those small tank capacity numbers scared me to death... I thought, "WHAT have they done to the 25 Classic?"

Silvertwinkie · 02-08-2005, 03:26 PM

You know, I'll be real honest. After two coaches with the smaller tanks (19' Bambi and 25' Safari Six Sleeper), it really isn't all that bad.

We spent a total of about 8 days where we couldn't dump the black tank and it was not full, not anywhere near full on either 18 gal black tank coaches. Maybe a bit more than half. The grey tank was also barely half as I held the tank before purging the grey tank (state forrest allows it where we were).

So yes, the smaller black tanks can pose a problem for folks that must fill the bowl for each use, but the average camper should have no problem for about 10 days. Grey tank, about the same or longer.

The 25' Classic has center black tanks and as such has larger capacity--should last even longer, but again, if you are filling the bowl each use, you're gonna fill the larger black tank too, just might take a bit longer to do-- and you have more fresh water in which to fill the bowl.

Bottom line is that we found the smaller tanks on the 19' and 25' to be good for a 10 day boondock for 3 people. More than that, you'd want to conserve a bit, but by no means take away from the actual needs.

Cracker · 02-08-2005, 07:57 PM

Jack has me scratching my head and wondering if I had my bases covered. I have an auxillary crank handle that's suppose to operate the power jack when the batteries are too low. Granted - the ratio is low enough to take a lot of cranking - but that's probably easier than pulling the battery and recharging. Since I've never tried this procedure with the handle, what am I missing???

RoadKingMoe · 02-08-2005, 08:09 PM

If the trailer batteries are heavily discharged, just disconnect the cables from their negative sides and use the tow vehicle's charging system to operate the jack and get hooked up.

**jcanavera** · 02-08-2005, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cracker

Jack has me scratching my head and wondering if I had my bases covered. I have an auxillary crank handle that's suppose to operate the power jack when the batteries are too low. Granted - the ratio is low enough to take a lot of cranking - but that's probably easier than pulling the battery and recharging. Since I've never tried this procedure with the handle, what am I missing???

The biggest problem with this procedure is the need to resyncronize the head of the jack with the gears. If you don't do this, you ruin the gears. I used the manual crank on my Safari when I had a short in the wiring. I didn't resync the head and ended up messing up the gears. According to the dealer the gear repair is not covered under warranty.

Jack

Cracker · 02-10-2005, 06:34 PM

Thanks for the "heads up" Jack! I never would have thought that manually cranking the jack would take it out of syncronization. I know how to "re-syncronize" it - but I would have probably blown it by the time I realized I was doing something wrong! Somehow that impresses me as being a built-in design flaw.

alvinator · 02-10-2005, 06:46 PM

Jack is correct in synchronizing the gears. Our gears blew up on our way home from the dealer with our new 2005 Classic last fall. I found out that the manual cranking was not strenuous. Airstream also replaced the power jack head under warranty at no charge. Not being near a dealer, they shipped it to me and I installed it myself following the synchronization instructions very carefully.

alan · 02-10-2005, 07:10 PM

Is there a published procedure on synchronizing the gears?

maxandgeorgia · 02-10-2005, 07:10 PM

Max just came home with our anniversary present. Our anniversary was last October, mind you, but "good stuff" takes time to find. Ever since primitive camping in Many Glacier last summer and finding our batteries dead-rendering our electric jack useless on the morning we planned to leave and having to be rescued by another Airstreamer and his Honda generator--we promised we'd have a generator of our own before traveling this year. This became our anniversary quest-a power accessory for our Gypsy. Planning is easier than finding, so at last today, on a trip to a neighboring town for court, Max found the Honda2000 we had decided on and toted it home. Mission accomplished. Gypsy accessorized. Anniversary celebrated, if a bit late! We'll feel a little more secure in those "back in the boonies" camps we love to find. And, if in time we want to add the second 2000 with linkage as some of you have done so we can run the A/C and keep cool, we'll be able to.

RoadKingMoe · 02-10-2005, 07:44 PM

Replacing Jack Powerhead (from Airstream Owner's Manual)

1. With 12 volts connected, ground the powerhead to trailer A frame. Operate main switch in "post-retracting direction" until motor stops automatically.

2. Using emergency handle, crank post clockwise by hand until fully retracted, then turn crank one turn counter-clockwise.

3. Replace head on post and make sure that drive pin is engaged with post coupler. Tighten allen set screws.