Installing the two 6v Trojan Golf Cart batteries, which are heavy as heck, is a chore at best. I had to put the battery box on the tongue, grab the strap and hook up a battery, hoist it up and over the weight bars adjustment towers and maneuver into the box. After that, do it again.
After hooking up all the loose wires from the solar set up, I flipped the switch and watched as the meter came to life and shortly started showing amps and volts going into my batteries. SUCCESS for sure.
From here it was to install the LP tanks, hookup lines, and check them out. I did find a small crack in the LP line out by the regulator, but it did not leak and when I put the connector to the tank it was on the inside of the hose bend. So I feel better about that. I will keep an eye and combustible gas detector check on it going forward and know that I have two of them in my Amazon shopping cart ready at a moment’s notice to be coming my way—that and a roll of UL-listed duct tape. 🙂
Next up was the water system. When I winterized the RV, it consisted of draining the main fresh water tank, opening the waste tank valves (they usually have been drained and flushed out at the last sewer dump location), draining the water heater tank, opening all the faucets including the shower head, and opening the two “low point” drains to allow all the water a way out of the system. I also removed the accumulator tank and water pump to take in and store in the house.
To get ready to go, I do that in reverse: Install the water pump and accumulator tank, which is located under the wardrobe area and under the storage bins—I have to pull all that up to get down in there. Hook up the water lines, screw the pump back down, hook the accumulator tank, and put electrical back together, followed by a quick check to make sure the pump runs.
Next up was to reinstall the plug in the water heater tank, make sure all the faucets are off, and add some water pressure.
Then I had to drag the water house down from the house, hook it up to the fresh water intake connection, and turn it on. I heard the water heater filling, so I went inside and saw a stream of water flowing down the floor!! It seems I forgot to close the valve on the toilet water system, so I got that clamped down and all is good.
I had installed a hot water check valve this time—when you turn the water off using the knob on the shower head to help conserve water, the fresh cold water tends to migrate into the hot side at the faucet, giving the person in the shower a quick burst of cold water when they turn the knob back on. YOWZA!
Some of the YouTubers we follow had this same issue and heard from someone else to install the check valve, and it worked. So they did a video on this and other things they had changed and on what they learned over the past 2.5 years of their full-time, mostly boondocking adventure.
I checked my new check valve, and there were no drips with pressure. So all is good. Got the water heater filled, and burped the hot and cold lines with a steady flow of water.
Next week, I will add some water in the main tank then drain it to get the old water out and get ready to do about a half fill on the water tank as we get ready to leave the house on Friday next week.
With COVID-19 issues, we have been delayed by some four weeks and have received emails about a couple of reservations being canceled. Luckily, we can adjust our travel plans as needed! So, instead of Maine, we will spend some quality time in New Hampshire!
Next up … Painting the wall in bedroom …
