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cclarkego · 10-04-2010, 08:13 PM

Guess who just surfaced?
Had a nice visit from dougandmaggie a week or so ago and I am getting ready to live in my Airstream full time pretty soon now.
No new bear stories..........

Carol

sempi2 · 10-04-2010, 08:24 PM

Good news, no bear stories. And you are back. Susan

funkill · 10-05-2010, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cclarkego

Guess who just surfaced?
Had a nice visit from dougandmaggie a week or so ago and I am getting ready to live in my Airstream full time pretty soon now.
No new bear stories..........

Carol

Cool --- wish I was ready for full timing!

Laura

Lily&Me · 10-05-2010, 06:47 AM

So good to see you, Carol, and to know you are well.

Remember that you have friends here, and stay in touch!

Maggie

sharbours · 10-05-2010, 07:23 AM

Glad to see you're back, Carol! I've really enjoyed your posts, and was just wondering the other day where you'd gotten to. Good luck with your transition to full timing!

Sharon

cclarkego · 10-09-2010, 03:46 PM

Well the latest news is I have decided to let my house go and am moving my Airstream to a small RV park here in Ojai. I lucked out and went by there the other day just as their best site opened up. Had to make up my mind on the spot and plan to move it over there tomorrow. I am in the back, in the corner with a grass yard and flowers to boot. The good part is that my two black labs are allowed there and Lake Casitas is only a mile away where I take them to walk everyday.
The bad part is that I just found out my Dometic frig quit on me and my oven still burns with too much soot on the inside. At least I'll have the house for a few months so I can iron those problems out.

Carol

Lily&Me · 10-09-2010, 04:41 PM

Carol,

Good to hear you found a site for your Airstream--sounds like the perfect place for you and your pups.

Take care and stay in touch,

Maggie

Airslide · 10-09-2010, 07:45 PM

Carol.. sooo happy for you. Keep in touch!

Vinnie

Aage · 10-09-2010, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cclarkego

Well the latest news is I have decided to let my house go and am moving my Airstream to a small RV park here in Ojai. I lucked out and went by there the other day just as their best site opened up. Had to make up my mind on the spot and plan to move it over there tomorrow. I am in the back, in the corner with a grass yard and flowers to boot. The good part is that my two black labs are allowed there and Lake Casitas is only a mile away where I take them to walk everyday.
The bad part is that I just found out my Dometic frig quit on me and my oven still burns with too much soot on the inside. At least I'll have the house for a few months so I can iron those problems out.

Carol

That's wonderful news, Carol. I hope that you will find happiness there.

Don't forget our hunger for photos. When you get a chance be sure to send us a few of your trailer in it's new home!

ArtStream · 10-09-2010, 10:34 PM

Great news Carol!
Sounds like your new home will be wonderful.

Stay well and post some fotos

cclarkego · 10-11-2010, 05:25 PM

I promise to take some pictures soon... I spent all day there getting set up, at least I am doing this slowly. I still have the house for a few more months. I am so miffed the refrigerator quit. It is the original frig from 1966. Any chance it might be just a fuse? It was all plugged in to the house current and running fine, then one day poof, it quit.

Carol

Aage · 10-11-2010, 09:02 PM

Carol,
I wouldn't be too upset at the refer, it gave its all, don't you think? Forty-four years for a refrigerator is a long time in my book.

You could get it upgraded/rebuilt, but I'm willing to bet that doing it that way could well cost more than a new one, and the new ones are sooo fresh inside...

Diesel1 · 10-11-2010, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cclarkego

I am so miffed the refrigerator quit. It is the original frig from 1966. Any chance it might be just a fuse? It was all plugged in to the house current and running fine, then one day poof, it quit.

Carol

Does it work on gas? Adios, John

VIKING · 10-12-2010, 01:23 AM

Great to hear from you again Carol! Fulltiming, hey? You are making alot of people jealous. I have the same idea, eventually, but I have two adult children I'm trying to launch first. That's another story though. How's Ojai? How's the Airstream? How's the bear & dogs getting along? Why did you want a bear when you already had two dogs? More questions later, let's get onto the refer! or, on, to the refer...
The refer runs on 110 when you are plugged into shore power and have the shore power switch on, but if it's been working you already have that figured out. It may be a tripped breaker in you trailer. It might be that the old heating element has finally given up the ghost, or your plug may have come loose and lost its connection. The plug should be accessed from the lower, outside refer hatch, but you may not be able to actually SEE it. It will probably be on the wall above the hatch. Just follow the cord up to the plug and make sure it's plugged in well. If the heating element has burned out it may be hard to find a replacement for, but any electrician can check it for you to see if it's burned out or not. First check the obvious, the 110 volt power supply to the refer outlet can be tested by you with an inexpensive electrical outlet tester that just plugs into the outlet where the refer is now plugged in. check at Ace or Lowes or whatever is closest to you. You just plug it into the outlet and it lights up if there is power. In the meantime, if it runs on propane, and you have had it checked out, just switch it over for the time being and run on propane. If you are unsure of the gas operation of the refer you should have it checked out and the operation shown to you by a technician, so you will be able to deal with it easier if you have problems and need to switch it over yourself. Most are easy to deal with once you are familiar with them. Switching out the tanks then becomes your biggest issue with keeping food fresh.
If you didn't get a bad smell of ammonia out of it, then it will probably be fixable pretty inexpensively.
If you have money to throw at it, a new one would be nice, no doubt, but my 46 year old refer works pretty damn good and doesn't require a constant 12 volt power source like some new ones do, and I can run on propane even if I don't have battery power. With the new ones if you have a full tank of propane, but no battery power, you are out of luck.
Happy landings at your new pad. It sounds fantastic!

Rich the Viking

cclarkego · 10-12-2010, 11:55 AM

It did run on propane when I had it up on the ranch, but it sure seemed to use up the gas quickly plus each time the tank went empty, it was a real hard time getting it lit again solo. The striker does not work either.

I will go and check that the plug is in tight from the outside. I think that is probably not the problem, the trailer was parked for some time when it quit. Is there a fuse that goes to the frig? A friend wants to come take all my fuses out to check them, but I don't want to do it unless it is necessary. Murphy's law.

I don't think I have the tool for checking power, but I got the number for a mobile RV service that might help me. I would love to put in a new frig, but it is like a $1000 including installation.......

VIKING · 10-12-2010, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cclarkego

It did run on propane when I had it up on the ranch, but it sure seemed to use up the gas quickly plus each time the tank went empty, it was a real hard time getting it lit again solo. The striker does not work either.

I will go and check that the plug is in tight from the outside. I think that is probably not the problem, the trailer was parked for some time when it quit. Is there a fuse that goes to the frig? A friend wants to come take all my fuses out to check them, but I don't want to do it unless it is necessary. Murphy's law.

I don't think I have the tool for checking power, but I got the number for a mobile RV service that might help me. I would love to put in a new frig, but it is like a $1000 including installation.......

If you can afford to have an RV tech look at it you should. It shouldn't cost much to determine if this one is worth repairing or not. If they can repair it, they should also fix the lighter. Mine was repairable with parts from a Bic lighter.
The electrical tester I'm thinking of is just a little block with a light on one side and prongs on the other side, to plug into any outlet. I wouldn't even call it a tool. It's just a "thingy that plugs into the wall socket to see if there's power or not".
Threaten to re-wire your friends house, before they come and pull out all of your fuses. It wouldn't be a fuse. It will be a breaker.

Rich the Viking

cclarkego · 10-12-2010, 04:45 PM

OK, I checked from the outside to see if the plug was in tight. It was. Then I took the small table top frig that I brought with me and plugged it into the same outlet. That frig turned on so at least I know it is not a power issue. The repair guy has not called me back yet. Will he have to pull the whole frig to try and repair it? Or can the most likely repairs be done from the outside?

Carol

VIKING · 10-12-2010, 05:10 PM

The heating element is mounted to the bottom of the refer. They will probably have to remove it to get to the element, unless it's a bad connection in the cord or cord-to-element connection. Those can be checked and fixed without removing the refer.
These old appliances should have the connections checked out anyway. they can get corroded and loose.
Your oven should be checked by a professional as well. It sounds like it just needs an adjustment to the burner, which should be easy and inexpensive, and as a bonus, your food will taste better!

Rich the Viking

cclarkego · 10-12-2010, 05:15 PM

Thanks! I think I am just worried that this guy will pull it all apart only to find out I need a new frig after all....... I'll need every cent I have if that is the direction I am heading in.

Carol

VIKING · 10-12-2010, 05:30 PM

I know how you feel.
Ask them to check the heating element first, without removing the refer. It's an electrical device that can be checked in-place with a volt/ohm meter, which your tech will have (if not, send them away, never to return). If the element is bad, and they cannot replace it, it should be obvious to them. If that's the case, have them leave it in place until the new one is ready to be installed. That way there will be no questions about how the old one was installed, etc.
Another approach is to locate another old refer with a good element and switch them out.

Best to you Carol!

Rich the Viking