Our Thanksgiving trip

[bobfowler]

Well, we made it. Just under the wire, but the Argosy WAS ready to go to Massachusetts for Thanksgiving. We hitched her up on Wednesday morning and headed off to Mom's place in Billerica, MA - about a 300 mile tow door to door. We took the Arg North to show her off to the family - she got rave reviews, even if she's not finished yet.

The Arg tows great (we expected that), but more important, the Suburban PULLS like a champ! No more of the "I think I can, I think I can" we had going up hills with the van. Gas mileage was about 12 - not too terrible and better than the 10 we got with the old truck.

We still haven't replaced the furnace, so we used a small electric space heater that we procured for the Basecamp. Unfortunately, the space heater died Friday night (and it was pretty dang cold). Luckily, we hadn't left the heater on while we were out and it croaked as soon as we plugged it in. Funny thing, when you let the smoke out of an electric appliance, it doesn't work anymore... I bought a new heater Saturday morning at the local hardware store (a trip to O'Conner Hardware in Billerica is a "must" every time we're in town).

Aside from the space heater, we had one other issue on her maiden voyage. The charge line from the TV to the Univolt must have shorted as the 30A fuse for that line was blown when we got home and the trailer stank like cooked wire. I haven't had a chance to dig very deep into it just yet, but I'm pretty sure I'll be replacing some wire soon. I'm thinking about ditching the Univolt and putting in a modern converter/charger and a new fuse panel, but that's going to wait for Spring. If I do go that route, the shore power line will use a detachable cord like the newer units.

All in all, it was a great trip. The traffic across the Tappan Zee bridge was a nightmare on the homeward bound leg, but the cats (all 11 of them) were behaving themselves, and with Antsy in the CD player, all was well with the world!

I should mention... We stayed in the trailer, the cats were in the house with Mom! (she has a bunch too).

[Zeppelinium]

Originally Posted by bobfowler

...Luckily, we hadn't left the heater on while we were out and it croaked as soon as we plugged it in. Funny thing, when you let the smoke out of an electric appliance, it doesn't work anymore...

This is the kind of insight I needed when I was doing the orals for my degree! They just don't teach this stuff like they ought to.

Zep

[nilesrob]

The smell of burning electrical wires can be a great antidote to pesky odors from cooking.

[myboyburt]

Wow, 11 cats. We have 4. They are wonderful and beloved family members. We don't travel with them though...

[bobfowler]

I had a chance last night to look into the fuse problem with the trailer. Seems that when I wired up the electric jack, I neglected to put tape over the wirenut connecting the wire from the Univolt to the jack. The wire heading back to the Univolt popped out of the wirenut and shorted to the frame blowing the Univolt's 30A TV power fuse. I checked the wire to frame with an Ohm meter and it shows a short, so the insulation must have melted somewhere downrange. Looks like I'll be replacing the whole run of the wire...

Like I said, I'm an idiot...

[87MH]

Originally Posted by bobfowler

... Looks like I'll be replacing the whole run of the wire...
Like I said, I'm an idiot...

My "Senior Moments" are being separated by less and less time.

IF your panel is is mounted to the wall or in front of another grounded device be careful of how the fuses are fastened to the panel.

I was suffering a series of blown fuses - upon examination one of the PO's has "riveted" a fuse holder in place - the back of the rivet would sometimes make contact with the outer shell of the '78 Sovereign.

Unfortunately, it's a little late to purchase Buss Fuse stock.

[LJH]

Hi Bob, Sounds like a fun trip. One suggestion though, we learned in the USAF that the occasional blood offering (usually knuckles) to the Smoke Gods made for safer flights.