[Bill]

We want to thank all of you for your thoughts, prayers and kind offers. Phil is improving rapidly and is moving out of ICU to a step down unit today. He still needs a couple of surgeries and a very long recovery/rehab. Sophie is moving slower but we are encouraged that she also will recover.

[Bill]

Thanks again Jeff be in Nashville this spring so will come to your facility will call for booking have a good one!

[Bill]

Thanks Tom,

I thought I read that you shut those two valves above the water heaters to avoid scalding water. Is there any other reason why you would shut off those valves? If you had a hose leak you could shut the valves.

Where is the coolant loop for the dash air? I think I read that you shut those off in the summer to help your A/C blow colder? One valve on mine is low driver side of engine in the rear under the fan assembly and the other is in the webasto compartment.

Finally, why would you shut off the engine/webasto loop? If a leak is found in a line.

[Bill]

Shittake mushrooms?

[Bill]

Thanks for the reminder, I will post the contact data.

Ray

[Bill]

Apples and oranges. Cruise control is not a safety device, but a means of making driving easier like power steering, power windows, power door locks etc.

The use of Cruise control may actually be a contributor to accidents because if a driver is not “driving” it will take you to the scene of the accident. Maybe the bus accident being discussed was in part caused by an inattentive driver whose cruise control was set at a high speed. There is no problem with doing that, but there is if as a driver he was not monitoring his closing speed.

[Bill]

Hey Jon,

I hate to tell you but they already have. Any diesel over over 25 hp (I think itis 25hp) and overmust meet emission standards. Farm tractors, pumps, generators, heavy equipment, etc, etc.

As far as a generator smoking, what seems to work a lot of the time is run it under a heavy load for several hours. Generatoirs are constant speed engines and under a light loadthey tend to glaze the rings. Try running it under a 75% load for several hours.

[Bill]

I dont use synthetic oil. What does the engine manufacture say?

[Bill]

Tim,

I have been a fan of synthetics for years. I switched to synthetic in my generator the first time I serviced it after purchase. I only have seat of the pants data with the generator but my conclusions are definitely starts easier, runs quieter, cooler and sounds much better. Like Pres I have continued to follow the recommended schedule for changes even with the synthetic. Overkill ? who knows but better too much service than not enough. If circumstances prevented an on time service I would be much more comfortable with the synthetic.

[Bill]

Does a pretty mean job on that backhoe also. Geo.

[Bill]

Thanks Jon,

Both S & T Hubs are dry.

Guess I’ll be checking my Hub Temps as well in the future. BTW, I’m checking the mid-sidewalls for the Temps, which I assume is the best location.

[Bill]

I would think that given the average age of PC members we would not have to be reminded of gravity or its effects or benefits. Gravity has caused the hair that used to be on my head to drift down to my ears. Likewise the muscles that used to be on my chest have travelled down to my belly. At least I think my belly is muscular.

[Bill]

A pre-trip brake check is something that can be done by rote, or it can be a diagnostic tool.

We all know we rely on air pressure for stopping, but the pre-trip brake check if done correctly not only verifies the system functions correctly, but can be used to verify the system condition beyond making sure you will have brakes.

Here is a step by step and what information is available to assist you in maintaining a coach.

When you build air pressure and the emergency brake is applied you should have no leaks because the air is not going into the brake chambers that actually apply the braking force. If you have to build brake system pressure after the coach has been sitting something is leaking and it should be checked.

When the coach pressures are up to the max and the air dryer makes the huffing sound you should be very close to 120 PSI. Up to 130 is acceptable, and a little lower than 120 is OK, but your system should show both primary and secondary close to 120. It is adjustable on some coaches.

Before you turn off the engine, put it in gear and see if it will move with the parking brake on. If it doesn’t the parking brake is OK. Note that if you give it enough power you can overcome the parking brake.

When you turn off the engine and release the parking brake (making sure the coach will not move) you will see the pressure drop on both gauges and then there should be no further drop in pressure. DOT rules allow a loss of 2 or 3 PSI per minute. That is not acceptable and if you have an air loss find the leak and correct it. Leaks never fix themselves, and they are sure to get worse. It could be a hose ready to fail or a brake chamber diaphragm starting to tear or something else, but for sure that minor problem can turn into a bigger one quickly.

Continued in the next post.

[Bill]

Chip, I worked traffic with the NCSHP at North Carolina Motor Speedway from 1990 until Feburary 2004. One of the events I saw Benny walk up through the stands at the start/finish line. What a gentleman he was with the fans. The fans started a Benny, Benny, … chat as he climbed the stairs. He waved at those fans that he could not reach and shook hands wth those he could. He was a former driver for L. G. DeWitt who built the track, opening it for the 1965 season. Shame the track got tied up in the Bruton Smith cry baby that wanted a second date for Texas. The track sits unused and forelorn, with lots of solar panels taking up what space was used for parking and camping.

Sad.

[Bill]

Jeff,

Inverters are great devices and if you understand their basic operating characteristics you may be able to sort some stuff out.

As long as the inverters have 120 volt power to them, they will do two things. They will pass that power to the inverter 120 volt output so it is just passing through, and they will function as three stage battery chargers. When 120 volt power is removed from the inverter input, the inverters stop functioning as a battery charger and use the 12 or 24 volt battery power now coming into the inverter to creat 120 volt power.

As they got newer and technology improved inverters gained capabilities, but their basics have remained.

If you have any questions about your inverters all you need to do is measure output with 120 volts for input, and with only battery power for input.