Questions from a Newb!

[Nikkidaddy]

I've got a 95 Bounder, that the Fam and I are headed to the Southwest. That said, we are gonna hit the dryness of the desert and heat of Vegas. I am experienced with T/Ts but this will be our first time in the Southwest with a Class A. Our Bounder is in fairly decent shape. All maintenance done regularly and all the "supporting" equipment is either brand new or in good working condition. But I have some questions, which some will automatically think are basics but here ya go..

1) Is it ok to run the rooftops "all day"?
2) Can my 7000k Onan handle the heat when running during the day?
3) Anything that i need to pay extra attention to, because of the "high heat conditions" until we make our transition in to Cali?
4) Engine temp? Do i need to pull the thermostat? The Bounder has a Ford 460.

Im pretty much looking for the do's and dont's that I would probably know if i have more long distance road time in the Bounder.

Thank you and safe travels to all!

N.

[wingnuts]

I live in so cal desert and the temps here get to 110-115 at times,

I try not to run generator or ac's all day , Alot of times I will switch ac's , run the front for awhile give it a break and run the rear awhile. ..... do I need to do this, probably not but it gives me peace of mind for longevity. ..

If I'm not in the coach during the day boondocking, I won't run generator, but if on shore power I will run the ac on a higher setting just so it's not super hot inside when we come back

Also out here you need a good windshield sunshade, keeps your coach much cooler inside...I use the camco vent insulators also

[Crasher]

The generator is made to run and so are the AC's. Use them to keep yourself and your family as comfortable as possible. Start cooling early in the day to get a jump on the heat. It takes awhile to get everything in the coach cooled down. If you let everything warm up when you're gone, it's takes longer to get it comfortable again. When we are dry camping in the heat, we run the generator and all three AC's as needed to keep comfortable 24 hours a day. Do not pull the thermostat from the engine. If your cooling system is in good condition, the engine will be fine.

[Old Scout]

…..lots of opinions on this sort of thing....I tend to believe in using the things I own when I need them, and I try not to worry about whether I am wearing them out. Based on owning an older coach, only you can decide if your equipment is in shape for the rigors of operating in extreme weather. Rigs vary by design but the water cooled Onan is pretty durable with lots of safeguards to protect itself. Lots us run our gensets and roof air for long periods in very hot weather--the dash air just cant handle the whole coach. In really extreme temps, hot or cold, we place a shower curtain on a flex rod behind the drive/pass seats, dash air can keep cabin area cool. You can also close off bedroom area. Rv or residential, yr fridge will work pretty hard if you don't control temps in the inside kitchen area a little bit.

[MSHappyCampers]

Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!

I agree with Crasher's advice!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

[wingnuts]

Be careful running generator overnight while sleeping. ....make sure you have a good carbon monoxide detector.....

Better yet route your exhaust away from the motorhome or up thru a genturi

[A Traveler]

It’s a motor HOME, right? Would you sit around your sticks and bricks home in the summer and sweat if you had AC available?

In the hot summer days we run the generator and ALL the AC’s all the time when on the road. The name of the game is comfort, not worrying about wearing out an AC or generator, which isn’t going to happen anyway.

[ThePowells]

Run it.... I would rather develop an issue during a nice to have session that a failure during gotta have time.

[DryCreek]

How come nobodies asked about the condition of his tires?

Heavily loaded, Southwestern heat, prolonged high speed driving.

You get my drift.

Plus, one fact many have noted is that the generator may overheat on very hot days. Limiting the load it carries can prevent the overtemperature shutdown.


My recommendations are:

Tires. How old are they, and are they filled to the recommended pressure?

Coolant flush and fill if not already done

Check the engine exhaust manifold for loose/cracked bolts

Fresh oil & filter (genset too!)

What does the transmission fluid look like? Red and clear?

[wingnuts]

Originally Posted by DryCreek

How come nobodies asked about the condition of his tires?

Heavily loaded, Southwestern heat, prolonged high speed driving.

You get my drift.

Plus, one fact many have noted is that the generator may overheat on very hot days. Limiting the load it carries can prevent the overtemperature shutdown.


My recommendations are:

Tires. How old are they, and are they filled to the recommended pressure?

Coolant flush and fill if not already done

Check the engine exhaust manifold for loose/cracked bolts

Fresh oil & filter (genset too!)

What does the transmission fluid look like? Red and clear?

Because he said. ...All maintenance done regularly and all the "supporting" equipment is either brand new or in good working condition.

Plus that wasn't the question. ..

[Nikkidaddy]

Thank you all for your input! Its nice to see that there are kind people that will supply advice and assistance where needed. You have all help set my mind at ease. I ask these questions because living in the Pacific Northwest, we rarely have to worry about fulltime A/C & genset usage. Though we do have extensive travel time with our coach, this is the first travel to the Southwest in the dead of summer, and the last thing I/We need, is to lose a unit along the road to Bryce/Zion or Four Corners. Rest assured, I have had the coach in for a complete tuneup and fluids change, tires have less than 3000 miles on them and psi verified just last week. The answers supplied by the Service Department were the "standard out of the OEM book", do not run at temps above, or for longer than such.

Thank you again to all of you! Happy and Safe travels!

N.

[Nikkidaddy]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!

I agree with Crasher's advice!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

Thank you for the "Welcome to" and the advice! Safe travels!

N.

[blang311]

We had an older class A with the Ford engine which we took on a 2 week trip in the heat of the summer a few years ago.. The engine never seemed to be bothered by the heat even when crossing the desert at 118 degrees. The generator ran flawlessly and we ran both ac's for a solid two weeks without an issue. The biggest concern for us was the tires and we fortunately did not have any issues on this trip. We did blow a RR tire six months later in the winter, which ripped out a bunch of wires. So ya never know. The most important thing is to have a good roadside assistance plan in case you do blow a tire. Have fun we sure did.

[Crasher]

Just so you know, the more important aspects of tire safety is the correct pressure for the load, but also their age. In most cases, mileage is unimportant as they will deteriorate from age before they wear out.