Community Forums

Nasdaqsam · 03-13-2019, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FL420

Thanks to all of you who have responded.[emoji122]
I'm thinking I'm on the same page as y'all who are recommending pulling the jacks and dumping the air. Good points about making the widest track, lowest profile and not being able to move with a damaged jack. Not to mention the unbudgeted expense.[emoji43]
The wind seems to be abating a little but still some healthy gusts.

Keep us posted on how you're making out your in our thoughts. Take care.

FL420 · 03-13-2019, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatChance

Pointing the front of the coach into the wind will subject your windshield to severe damage. Wind at that strength will pick up rocks, branches, and debris and propel it at speeds that can pit, crack or shatter the windshield. Put the back to the wind.

Good point. I have less than 100 miles on my brand new windshields. They sure are purty.

FL420 · 03-13-2019, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nasdaqsam

Keep us posted on how you're making out your in our thoughts. Take care.

Thanks for your kind thoughts.
I tried to dump the air bags but nothing happened on the gauge. Maybe they leaked down on their own or some valves froze.
We lost power in our camping loop an hour ago. I doubt telling any Park staff will help as they don't have power either. I'm guessing trees or tree limbs have downed some power lines. It's possible a vehicle slid into a power pole.
I wish our coach had some kind of way to let us know the inverter and batteries had picked up the load when the shore power goes away. My batteries were down to 10.77 volts before I realized what happened.
A Colorado State Patrol corporal was killed on I-76 this morning by a sliding car as he was helping another driver who had slid off the road. He, his family and all the other brave people out working for us in these very dangerous conditions deserve our thoughts, our prayers and our thanks.

Triangle Drifter · 03-13-2019, 07:27 PM

How you doing? I had no idea such a lively storm was going on out there until a couple hours ago. By now the worst has gone east & if you still have rubber on the ground you should be good now.

I lost my 1st trailer 9 years ago on Elk Mtn Pass WY. Big gust hit me broadside, tore the kingpin out of the hitch & the trailer barrel rolled down a 50' embankment. The truck, a dually, stayed upright but inches from also going down the embankment also.

I have been to CO many times & have experienced the wind also. Tropical storm speed winds at sea level could very well roll you over getting them broadside. Those same speed winds at near 6000' elevation do not have anywhere near the force as at sea level. The air is much thinner up there.

So, enjoy the rockin & rollin. I'll bet that you regularly get more heel going around corners. The difference is that you are not noticing it while driving & not getting the wind noise, which is a terrifying thing.

I live in Bermuda & have experienced more tropical storms & hurricanes than I care to try & count. Rode out half of one in my car. Stupid thing to do. It did its dance but was never in any danger of blowing over.

In our younger days with children we would be about ready to come to CO for the annual ski trip this week or next. By tomorrow or the next day this storm won't be anything but a good story to remember.

Triangle Drifter · 03-13-2019, 07:38 PM

Just saw the most recent post. 10.77V! The inverter has probably taken the battery bank below required minimum voltage.

Disconnect yourself from shorepower, to prevent a surge when the power comes back on.
Turn your water heater off at its circuit breaker. That is what has killed your battery bank so fast. You must have a 2000W or larger inverter. If using electric heaters, turn them off & use the furnace.
Get your generator going to charge your battery bank & get the voltage up. It is going to take awhile. I assume that you can select shore, genny or inverter for 110VAC.

That should get you comfy again.

Keep an eye out for when the power comes back on. Don't plug in shore power again right away. Sometimes the power goes out again before it comes on to stay on.

Enough of one day for me. 3hrs time difference ahead of you. 60deg & calm winds outside.

FL420 · 03-13-2019, 09:09 PM

Thanks for the tips. We have been operating in unstable wx conditions and have been living in the winterized coach for several weeks. No need for the water heater. Fortunately I filled the propane and fuel tanks a few days ago so the heaters will work as will the generator and all it provides for the duration.
The power just came back on and my Progressive surge protector was there to do its job as I didn't get out there in time to shut off the CBs at the pedestal.
BTW, that raises a question in my electrically challenged mind. Will turning off both 50 amp CBs on the inside AC distribution panel protect my coach as well as if I had gone outside in a blizzard and turned off both 50 amp CBs on the pedestal? The wind chill is well below zero out there.🤥

yzfyoung · 03-14-2019, 07:14 AM

I know I’m responding late to your post. Rode out a hurricane in Florida a year or so ago. Winds in our area was gusting to 87. Forty foot coach. Not horrible and no damage but won’t do that ever again. Just my thoughts.

Triangle Drifter · 03-14-2019, 08:04 AM

Morning. Depends where your genny feeds the coach. I would think the genny feed is before the coach CB panel so to be absolutely sure that the genny does not try to backfeed the entire town turn the CB off at the post. I don't really trust automatic switching. If my hands have been on it I know it has been done.

We have a routine whereby if we are about to dry camp the DW turns the water heater, the fridge & microwave CBs off before doing anything else setting up. We only have a Honda 2000 but our inverter feeds the entire AC CB panel so the big draws get turned off manually. The inverter is a 2000w Magnum pure sine wave inverter charger. It can produce enough AC to feed almost everything. The weakest link is the 220ah battery bank.

Nasdaqsam · 03-14-2019, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FL420

The power just came back on and my Progressive surge protector was there to do its job as I didn't get out there in time to shut off the CBs at the pedestal.
BTW, that raises a question in my electrically challenged mind. Will turning off both 50 amp CBs on the inside AC distribution panel protect my coach as well as if I had gone outside

You will probably not have any issues.

With that said, the CB's in the coach and on the pedestal for that matter cut the hot side only, not the ground. This is where an issue can occur. If a power wire on the pole crosses with the ground it could still back feed power through the ground in the system. I would think your surge protector would kick in and not allow this as long as it is working up to par. The best bet is to unplug from the pedestal all together if possible that way nothing gets to the coach.

rvethereyet · 03-14-2019, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatChance

Pointing the front of the coach into the wind will subject your windshield to severe damage. Wind at that strength will pick up rocks, branches, and debris and propel it at speeds that can pit, crack or shatter the windshield. Put the back to the wind.

I never seen rocks being blown around.

So which is easier to replace? A broken windshield or the backend fiberglass? Never the less these wind are dangerous no matter which way you point the MH

MapleKing · 03-14-2019, 09:05 AM

There's dozens of videos of incidents like this but check out this semi being flipped by the wind yesterday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPiyrQTqSNk

RiverBurt · 03-14-2019, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rvethereyet

I never seen rocks being blown around.

I have. Every spring, for weeks at a time. The southwesterlies in south-central Colorado are legendary. Great Sand Dunes and all.

FL420 · 03-18-2019, 12:31 PM

A young family expecting a new baby went into Colorado Springs for a pre-natal appointment. When they went back home the mobile home they were almost finished remodeling was totally destroyed. It looked like a Texas tornado had ripped through an Oklahoma trailer park.
Ironically, two RVs parked on the property suffered no damage.

https://gazette-com.cdn.ampproject.o...48110592b.html