Questions: satellite TV, batteries, plumbing, tyres

[Kistler]

We just returned from a short trip to CO....had several problems

#1...we "need" better TV in some remote locations....is our Airstream (2002 Classic) wired for dish? I do not wish to have dish (it's easier than typing satellite) at home. Is there some service that allows pay-as-you-use? We are never on-the-road for more than six weeks. I don't wish to pay for yearly plans

#2... in the middle of the night I flushed a wash rag down the toilet. Now the black tank drains slow.....what you suggest?

#3...had a low tire in Show Low, AZ....20 lbs. pumped it up to 65 lbs. and continued trip....same day here, very near home, the tire started smoking and has a hole in the sidewall.....luck I guess, didn't have a blowout. The tire has a missing piece on the inner sidewall, however....

An aside is that it is interesting because of the tandem wheels the tire just looked low. The question is where should I go for my best price?

#4...the batteries were suddenly dead after 6 weeks of storage and registered in the 0-9 range on the panel....they were low on water...I added distilled water and we left town....for now....one day later they are registering "highest" on the panel. Do I need new batteries?

Another aside....after adding the water and being charged on this trip I see that the aluminium doors are "stained" at the bottom....should I be concerned? Okay, I have given up on keeping this thing perfect.

[Gunnyusmc]

Originally Posted by Kistler

We just returned from a short trip to CO....had several problems

#1...we "need" better TV in some remote locations....is our Airstream (2002 Classic) wired for dish? I do not wish to have dish (it's easier than typing satellite) at home. Is there some service that allows pay-as-you-use? We are never on-the-road for more than six weeks. I don't wish to pay for yearly plans

Hi Kistler

If you have satellite at home, just take your reciever with you and buy a tri pod and dish for the Airstream.
If your trailer is not set up for the satellite/cable, then you can drill a hole big enough for an inline connector in the rap below the air intake of the refegirator and ran a cable from there to the TV. This will give you a place too hook up to cable or satellite.
You can't beat salellite for price and reception in remote locations.

Don

[Kistler]

Gunny of USMC...thank you for replying. I was sorta hoping I could just plug the dish into the TV thing in the electric compartment. That won't work????

I guess you didn't want to get into plumbing, batteries, and tyres

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by Kistler

Gunny of USMC...thank you for replying. I was sorta hoping I could just plug the dish into the TV thing in the electric compartment. That won't work????

Plug the dish in where you would plug cable (in with the electric cable). Remove the jumper between the two jacks inside the trailer and plug your dish receiver in there, between the jacks. Turn off the booster (light off) where you plug in the TV; that bypasses the amplifier. You then will be ready to receive satellite.

I find that Sams will order trailer tires at a good price.

For the black tank, best I can recommend is a wire (coat hanger?) with a hook on the end. Remove the cover, open the valve, and go fishing. That should be real fun!

Running the batteries down once may reduce their subsequent capacity a bit, but you shouldn't need new batteries. I'm surprised that they were low on water; mine are a year old and still full of water. Have you had it plugged into AC for long periods? That is usually what cooks the water away.

[Kistler]

Aaah, John, thank you. I think you wrote something (TV-satellite) about this before to someone else....

Yeah, I was going to go fishing....seems the sewer line takes a turn up to the tank. We are now hanging the wash rag in the shower at night.

Now where is this loop? for the TV? is it in the same receptacle as the booster, etc?

Kistler

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by Kistler

Now where is this loop? for the TV? is it in the same receptacle as the booster, etc?
Kistler

It may be inside a cabinet. On my International, it was on a plate right beside the booster-outlet above the refrigerator.

My Classic is in the storage yard, so I can't check it, but I think it is either behind the curtain near the TV outlet or inside the corner cabinet that the TV suits on. It is a white plate with two outlet jacks and a jumper about 3" long between the jacks. I think it may be inside the cabinet and the receiver is meant to sit on the shelf inside the cabinet.

At any rate, it should be somewhere close to the main TV outlet.

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by Kistler

Yeah, I was going to go fishing....seems the sewer line takes a turn up to the tank. We are now hanging the wash rag in the shower at night. Kistler

I put a loop for the wash cloth and an extra towel bar in my shower for pretty much that reason. I often found wash cloths and small hand towels on the floor behind the toiler after travelling. Fortunately, the lid was always down. Bath towels seem to stay in place pretty well on any rack.

[Kistler]

Brenda (whom is in charge of laundry) has suggested 5 gallons pm bleach (Clorox) and it will eat the problem. I am a little reticient....might eat the seals around the valve...but then again, do I care ?

I/we are very grateful that there is an Airstream Forum. It is really horrible to be alone.

Kistler

[Tarheel]

Originally Posted by Kistler

We just returned from a short trip to CO....had several problems
Another aside....after adding the water and being charged on this trip I see that the aluminium doors are "stained" at the bottom....should I be concerned? Okay, I have given up on keeping this thing perfect.

Just wipe down the door with baking soda and water then rinse clean. If there is any acid on the door this will take care of it.

[Kistler]

I guess that other brands of tt's do not have this reference/help available Thank you Tarheel.

Kistler

[Tarheel]

I would think that some other brands don't stay with similar configurations long enough to make help available across the different lines. When was the last time you saw an S.O.B. that was 25 years old and it looked as good or better than new?

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by Kistler

Brenda (whom is in charge of laundry) has suggested 5 gallons pm bleach (Clorox) and it will eat the problem. I am a little reticient....might eat the seals around the valve...but then again, do I care ?
Kistler

You should care! If the valves are damaged, the repair process is expensive. In the Classic, the valves are above the belly pan and not easy to get to.

I would be very concerned that anything strong enough to dissolve the washcloth would be damaging to the valve seals.

Since you have a 25, you can also go fishing through the toilet opening since it is directly above the tank. Block the flush valve open with something that can't fall through (they sell such items at RV stores). Better yet, remove the toilet temporarily for better access. The dump valve is not a long way from the toilet opening.

[Minnie's Mate]

RE: the satellite TV. One of the guys in my office has an AS set up permanently on a lake. He takes his satellite dish and box with him when he goes for the week end and for longer trips. One of his in-laws told him that the card for the box is for certain parts of the country and wouldn't work in other parts. He thought you had to have a special card from Direct-TV or Dish Network that would work in all areas of the country. If you have Direct-TV, an RV dish runs an extra $5/month. If you don't have Direct-TV for your home, the RV price is $39.95/month. You could always get the RV unit to use on trips and use it in your home when not on the road if you just wanted a single tv unit. I think you can also get a dual RV unit as well for the additional $5 for the second RV unit. This of course does not include the cost of equipment.

[Kistler]

Thank you everybody, again, for your advice. Since yesterday, I have ordered satellite service for home through www.AllAmericanDish.com

Supposedly this will cost $51.96 plus AZ/Tucson tax(es).....the lady salesperson said that I should ask the installer about taking the one receiver--am getting (4)--and buying a portable dish for use with the RV

I am paying $75 +/- a month now for Comcast so this seems ?????? like a good deal.

The bleach is out fishing for the washcloth is in. My gosh a new Goodyear Marathon 225 75 R15 cost me $137.03 at Discount Tires......Costco did/does not sell trailer tires.

Glad to hear that I do most likely not need new batteries.

[Pick]

I had brought our second, "bedroom" receiver down to Florida from Ohio. I thought I would still be able to get the local Cleveland channels down here, but could not.

Another cheap way to mount a sat dish, is to get a piece of steel electrical conduit the same diameter as the dish mount. Just stick or pound the conduit into the ground and mount the dish. I use a signal meter at the dish for aiming. Bring 50 to 100 feet of coax, as you may need it to get around obstructions.

[takenitez]

I have to echo Pahaska's reply about using Sam's Club for ordering trailer tires. Last month I ordered a set of Marathon ST225 75/R15 from them for < $90 per tire. Had to join their Club to get the price, but it was worth it, after finding out also that Costco doesn't stock trailer tires.

I know that Tucson has a Costco (been there), not sure if there's a Sam's Club there or not.

Bob