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Old 11-30-2007, 04:35 PM   #1
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I posted this on the winnebago industries thread and they said i should post it here. ive searched the forums so far and havnt been able to find much so here goes.
-
I know the thing is ancient, but i got it for a song and a prayer (read: free)
I ordered the owners manual through the local RV dealer but i need to see about obtaining a service manual or some diagrams for it. I am essentially clueless about RVs and i know basic automotive mechanics, I need to replace the water heater and figure out why the fridge only works on propane when it is supposed to also work on electricity. I also want to see if i can set it up to run off of Batteries instead of having to use the generator or external power all the time.
any help i can get on this would be greatly appreciated. thank you.
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Old 11-30-2007, 04:35 PM   #2
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I posted this on the winnebago industries thread and they said i should post it here. ive searched the forums so far and havnt been able to find much so here goes.
-
I know the thing is ancient, but i got it for a song and a prayer (read: free)
I ordered the owners manual through the local RV dealer but i need to see about obtaining a service manual or some diagrams for it. I am essentially clueless about RVs and i know basic automotive mechanics, I need to replace the water heater and figure out why the fridge only works on propane when it is supposed to also work on electricity. I also want to see if i can set it up to run off of Batteries instead of having to use the generator or external power all the time.
any help i can get on this would be greatly appreciated. thank you.
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Old 12-01-2007, 08:51 AM   #3
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I have an older rv also. The fridge runs on propane but I have never got it to run on AC120. Beware on running the fridge on batteries....batteries will run now pretty fast. I would stay with propane. Hemi
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Old 12-01-2007, 01:28 PM   #4
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I'd say that the 110Volt element is shot and needs to be replaced. As to running on the 12volt the fridge will not keep as it is for when on the road only the 12 volt system will kill a battery in short order. If it were me I'd take it to a rv shop and have it checked out and get a list of what does need fixing, Dan
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Old 12-01-2007, 02:55 PM   #5
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yeah i would but i survive on SSI currently. ive looked around and all the rv places in my area charge 150 an hour for labor if not more. and when you get 623 a month thats not really doable. so either i have to find someone who feels charitable or figure it out on my own... fun times eh?
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Old 12-01-2007, 03:09 PM   #6
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Welcome Wes! I'm in a similar condition as you (older rig that I got for free, and my primary income is SSDI), and have learned a lot about how to repair my own rig from the people here. How handy are you with tools in general? If you need someone to come by and look at things, would you happen to be in California by any chance? I can drop by anywhere within 100 miles of Sacramento if you need. Send me an email or Private Message (PM) it that would help you out.
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Old 12-01-2007, 03:46 PM   #7
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Actually i live in seattle. and i know a little bit about cars in general. if i had a service manual for my model im sure i could figure it out. i am a former computer technician and i used to watch my father work on cars. i had an old 77 caprice wagon with a 350 in it which is the same engine my rv has in it. i changed an alternator and oil and spark plugs in the old wagon. the biggest thing that has me confused so far is i cant really see the engine when i open the hood. i mean i can see the front of the engine but the rest of it is way out of arms reach from the hood. so that should make things rather interesting. i havnt had much chance to explore the rv as there isnt all that much parking close to where i live for it so right now i have it parked about 5 or 6 miles away and have to ride the bus to it. im workin gout a deal with the manager of my building to park it behind the building and that will help a bit with all of this. or so one can hope right?
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Old 12-02-2007, 11:36 AM   #8
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Most of the engine is accessed through an access hatch between the the drivers and passengers seats up front inside. If it is a van type front (Class C) then it will have a shroud that comes off. If it is a Class A then you will have either a flat or raised section of floor that will turn out to be the engine cover. I have friends in Seattle, but it is still 300 miles away from me, so I would not be likely to pop on over there unless you were having big troubles and could pay the gas (which would not be cheap). Do you have a digital camera? Google has free hosting of photos (I use them, Capn Dan uses them, others. . .) You could upload to an album there and post a link here and we would be better able to identify things/help you with problems. There is a lot of expertise here, eager to be tapped into. Again, welcome to our madness. You and your rig fit right in with us!
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Old 12-02-2007, 11:56 AM   #9
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Actually a nice present for the holidays huh!!
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Old 12-02-2007, 12:15 PM   #10
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yeah i do have a digital camera. my cat chewed through the cable.... but i should be getting a new card reader soon. As soon as i get situated ill see about uploading some of the pictures i have of it to an album i actually use Gmail myself. I appreciate any help you guys can offer. I was told by the guy who gave me the rv that the community was pretty helpfull in general so that is nice. Eventually do to my financial situation probably within the next 2 months or so i will probably be living in the rv. so im trying to get it fixed up between then and now. i might have a situation worked out where i can park it next to a house and have an extention cable ran to it for power. as for gas and stuff i should be able to fill the tank and propane once a month or so. so i will be rationing resources.
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Old 12-02-2007, 06:11 PM   #11
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Same story here Wes. I was living in my car when Felicity was given to me. I went from homeless to homeowner in less than two weeks, and that without having to sign a mortgage! I'm fixing mine up bit by bit as I live in it, but I need to find a place that will allow me to work on the exterior structure sometime. I have to replace (rebuild) all the outside walls, and I will refinish the inside when that is done. The components are not really all that hard to figure out, and you will need to learn them in order to live in it anyway. Is the house you are parking next to a rental? Is there a sewer cleanout on the side of the house you will be parked on? Is there an outside faucet on that side of the house as well? Here's why:

Sewer cleanout: this opening to the sewer system is used by plumbers to clear large clogs between the house and the main sewer system. In most cases, it is also the same size as the sewer hookup that camsites use for RVs. It will also be past the plumbing inside the house, so it can be used without interfering with the inside plumbing. You can likely use it and have full sewer hookup.

Outside faucet: City water inlet, so you can have running water. (hot water is provided by a propane/electric water heater inside the rig. Ration this as you will run out of hot water fast.)

The house being a rental: Two reasons for this one. The first is that they may not have a choice in letting you stay there. If they do not own, and the landlord says you have to go. . .

The second is that your rig takes 30A of 120VAC. An extension cord only carries 15A of 120VAC, and that not well (cord will overheat if operated at capacity, unless you get a really expensive one). If they own, and are willing to have an electrician put in a 30A circuit for you (perhaps you could pay them back in installments?) then you would have full use of your coach electrical power.

Do not take any of these things as naysaying. By no means at all. I'm just offering considerations to help make this a nicer experience for you. Consider it "giving you more options to consider".
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Old 12-02-2007, 06:27 PM   #12
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I Dont know the full details yet. i didnt know about the extention cord thanks for the info. right now the deal is i will be renting a room inside the house for like 350 a month. thats pretty good in Seattle. with that ill have full utilities and what not then eventually once i get the RV thing figured out we will see about hooking it up outside the house. in that insance id still have full access to the house but id have my stuff in the RV and pay alot less rent. I dont know if they own or Rent i think they own it but im not sure i will have to confirm with them on that. the plan was to have the RV parked in the driveway and i wouldnt need the sewage as id still have access to the house.
If the sewage hook ups are pretty common in appearance could you send me a picture of one? send it as a pm on here or something or put it on google and give me a link that would be cool.
and as for the power i dont know. hmm ill have to figure that out i was led to beleave that i would just need an adapter for the extention cord. all i really plan on using the power for was to run my PC and monitor and the lights. maybe that would work within the constraints of the extention cord i dont know.
-Wes-
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Old 12-03-2007, 07:32 AM   #13
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For the chassis, it is a standard Ford or Chevy van base, so you can get a generic CHilton's manual or from the library and it will pretty much cover the brakes, suspemsion, engine and driver train. The original Winnebago manual will be the hard thing to get. The manuals for the appiances are pretty standard.


Best of luck and glad you found us.
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Old 12-03-2007, 04:17 PM   #14
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Here is an example of a cleanout for a building. That plug with the square fitting in the middle screws off and your sewer line fits into the threaded area. Your sewer line will (need to) consist of a flexible hose (3" in dia) with a bayonet fitting on one end and a threaded fitting on the other (there may be a bayonet fitting on the threaded adapter to make things easy). Put the threads into the fitting pictured above and connect the other end to the sewer line in your RV. All of this should be explained in the owner's manual you ordered from the dealer. If not, there are several aftermarket books that will help you to get started.

The reason I'm going on about this is that, at 3:00 in the morning, it is a real pain in the ^%^&#& to have to get dressed to go out to the house so you can use the bathroom. . .

Trust me, you will WANT your own plumbing. . .
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