NOMADICISTA

Cute as !

You have some great lookin rogs Jack

Hello All. Here are a few pics of our Thanksgiving camp out in the local mtns. Once the sun went down the temperature dropped into the thirties from the mid sixties in the day. While were snug as bugs in a rug once we went to bed, it was nice to have a small box heater to warm our toes while we watched a movie on the laptop. Were also thankful for the 2K genny with which to power the heater, frig, microwave and water pump as the camp ground power failed shortly after our arrival.

We were the only folks in our camp loop other than a huge 5 th wheel with an array of yard art that would put any Camping world store to shame--never did see anyone leave the 5er though.

We set the tent trailer up with the awning arranged as a 5' wide roof and a 5' tall single wall rather than a full 10' awning. this arrangement provides a little shielding from the breeze and requires a little less space to set up. Jack

Clarence parked next to the set-up tent trailer. [b/].

Wiffy standing next to the trailer tongue mounted frig and genny. [b/]

View of the "kitchen" with microwave and single burner propane stove. [b/]

Sink and faucet. [b/]

Snug as a bug. [b/]

Hello All. I think I figured out why the awning gave in to the wind on the Nevada trip. When the wind blows up under the awning where the awning attaches to the body, the pull on the material causes the retracting spring inside the roller tube to unwind. The more it unwinds the more sail area is created by the released awning material and the greater the lifting force becomes. At some point the force becomes so great that the entire apparatus is yanked completely off the vehicle. I designed a removable bracket that fits into/onto the end of the awning tube and bolts with a wing nut to one of the upright arms. This keeps the tube from turning and assures that there is only a tiny surface area of awning material to make a sale.

I hope I never get to test the device out, but I think it will do the trick.

Conveniently, there were drilled holes in one end of the roller tube that lent themselves to my purpose. [b/].

I made a "Z" bracket with a captive wing nut to secure the retracted awning. .[b/]

Installed view of bracket and its anti loss cable.[b/]

Clever!

I have a Zip Dee awning on my 1981 Avion 34V travel trailer.

The awning is more than 20' long and requires a center rafter to support the awning when it is extended.

When it is in the travel position there are lock downs on the end rafter arms that screw the rafter arms down tight to the body of the trailer. There is no way in which the awning can deploy or be blown off if the lock downs are screwed down tight.

It does make extending the awning a several step process since the lock is higher than I can reach while standing on the ground.

The lock downs on my Zip Dee are not all that different from the ones you fabricated for your awning.

Sweet Jack --- Home is where you park it! Glad to see you are getting lots of use out of the mini set-up. And methinks the MPG's of Clarence must be equally sweet.

Very nice trip write-ups Jack! I especially enjoyed all your pics. Glad to see you using all those great looking toys of yours.

Hello All. Happy Holidays!

As we like to do on non camping Sundays, we took off this morning for a short drive and Mickey D's take out to be enjoyed while watching the boats bob at the marina. The weather was clear and brisk and in the low 40's, but we were snug and warm inside Honeysuckle Rose. After breakfast and a through read of the local paper we headed for home. We had just hit the highway and gotten up to 50 mph when suddenly the entry door flew open admitting a cold blast of air. I don't know which was more shocking, the door opening or the cold air. Wiffy (as they are well equipped to do) began shrieking and grabbing at things while I fumbled with the switch for the compressor which operates the door and headed for the shoulder of the road. Fortunately no damage was done and wiffy remained securely strapped in her seat. As it turned out, the switch for the compressor was in the on position and the pressure regulator was signaling pump start. The battery that runs the pump and not much else just gave up the ghost in the cold air and wouldn't produce power even though the volt meter was showing 12 volts. Volts are nice but amps are better.

I spent most of the afternoon removing the hard to get at golf cart house batteries so I could reach the even harder to get at group 24 compressor battery. I'll have the battery tested tomorrow, but as it turned out to be over 5 years old, I expect to replace it.

The door is fitted with a latch that is a PITA to use and since no damage was done when the door blew open, odds are that we won't use the latch anyway. Some peoples kids!?! Jack

Note to self: Build a slide out battery box on the next bus!
[b/]

Glad all is well Jack, and that no repairs are in order. It's amazing all the things you discover that you want to do differently on the "next bus", LOL!

Well that sucks. But very glad to hear all is well though. And Roger the battery access. I am working on that as we speak. Had to construct a (large) box for my house batts that will sit just behind the driver side duallies and open to the interior. Still head scratchin' the start battery. Maybe under the hood...maybe next to the pilot's chair. We'll see how it goes.

Keep on Bussin'!

Hey Tango. The original battery box on my bus was just to the left of the pilots seat and below the floor. Luckily, the Isuzu battery box was nearly perfectly lined up with the hole in the floor though the original box wouldn't accommodate the two group 31's it takes to start the diesel--just a little cuttin' and paste'n was needed. As far as placing even one battery under the hood goes--even a 3EE (think Stude Avanti or old tractor) would be tough to find space for
Jack

Mark R. Obtinario wrote:I have a Zip Dee awning . . . When it is in the travel position there are lock downs on the end rafter arms that screw the rafter arms down tight to the body of the trailer. There is no way in which the awning can deploy or be blown off if the lock downs are screwed down tight. . . .

As I understand it, the issue is more keeping the roller from turning than keeping the arms against the vehicle. From what I've read, a cross-wind blowing across the top of the vehicle can unroll the fabric in a downwind loop, kind of like letting out a kite string. This could happen even with the arms tight to the vehicle.

Jack's pin in the roller will stop that, as would a strap installed that could be secured around the roll. I'm not sure from your description if you are securing the roll or the arms.

Happy New Year All!

What could possibly be better (for a bus nut like me) than being on the cover of "The Rolling Stones" magazine?

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Too much fun!

Way to go Jack!!!