Maintenance & Restoration

Steve Hammel · 02-15-2013, 09:07 PM

Roger now I remember that was you guys parked by the road for a quick escape. I was looking for Lorraine and thought her rig was your rig as she had the Trillium Outback pulled by a Subaru. That was her and her fella playing the Ukuleles and singing with you. Must be a trillium thing LOL!

Roger C H · 02-15-2013, 11:29 PM

Yep

Wearing my avatar.

BAMA & Pachyderm Posse · 02-18-2013, 05:02 PM

Thanks every one we had a blast , we also met 2 crazy ok 1 crazy and his keeper cnuks Tom & Cindy witch will come to visit soon we hope . we got home today , just in time to get ready for Green eggs in sweet home Alabama .

KamperBob · 02-19-2013, 12:17 PM

FYI, my last blog post (Q-munity) covers this year's gathering.

Carol H · 02-19-2013, 01:11 PM

Bob, thanks for sharing your blog! Glad to see the ukulele gang made it!
What can you tell us about the suite case solar system that the traveling salesmen sold the crowd on. System specs? or cost?

Steve Hammel · 02-19-2013, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KamperBob

FYI, my last blog post (Q-munity) covers this year's gathering.

Great read Bob, read it yesterday. You always have a very interesting take on things, I love reading your blog. Great pictures of the rally especially Lorraine, her beau, and Ukulele Mark.

KamperBob · 02-20-2013, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

Great read Bob, read it yesterday. You always have a very interesting take on things, I love reading your blog. Great pictures of the rally especially Lorraine, her beau, and Ukulele Mark.

Thanks, Steve. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

KamperBob · 02-20-2013, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carol H

Bob, thanks for sharing your blog! Glad to see the ukulele gang made it!
What can you tell us about the suite case solar system that the traveling salesmen sold the crowd on. System specs? or cost?

Thanks, Carol.

(Perhaps the suitcase solar topic should be it's own thread. Moderators, please feel free to split if you agree.) I suspect most people were satisfied. They'd be best able to share specs and cost based on first hand experience. For reference I did my own custom solar installation. My experience with these units was limited to helping a few attendees who were having technical difficulties at the gathering. From measurements I took I understood some performance limitations. Depending on usage I can see where satisfaction could vary greatly from one user to the next. It's difficult to compare apples and oranges. Most people probably don't know their real usage. (How many actually measure?) If one isn't satisfied, I can see some room for improvement. I don't want folks to get the wrong idea and take my input as bashing.

Philip & Catherine · 02-20-2013, 10:55 AM

We bought the 130 watt suitcase model, the first one after trouble shoot with KB, the controlor was bad the company rush the next day and new one with a return paid for UPS label.
The new one is doing better they spec. 8.24 amps out
P & C

Carol H · 02-20-2013, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philip & Catherine

We bought the 130 watt suitcase model, the first one after trouble shoot with KB, the controlor was bad the company rush the next day and new one with a return paid for UPS label.
The new one is doing better they spec. 8.24 amps out
P & C

Thanks was yours picked up at Quartzsite?
I ask as when I was in Quartzsite last winter (not for the rally) I spent some time at poking around a couple of Solar shops (thinking of upgrade my system) but didnt see the suitcase style system. Was just curious as to the watts on the label specs & cost of such a system.

Thanks Bob, hear you! To be honest cant say that I can say with any certainty my actual usage is either - even though I should know as I have had a panel for 5 years and a monitor. Just know what I have is good most of the time providing the panel gets lots of sun, not much sun not so good thus the reason for looking at an upgrade of watts.

Steve Hammel · 02-20-2013, 03:58 PM

My neighbor in Quartzite said he paid $375. The big draw for him was the ability to plug it into a 12v cigarette lighter style outlet within 5 minutes of purchase. He was happy and in all honesty for most of the folks who purchased them they probably couldn't have installed their own systems.

Philip & Catherine · 02-20-2013, 07:18 PM

The $375 was for the 90 watt system, $575 for the 130 watt,
delivered out of the back of his truck.
Portable Solar Panels : RV Solar Battery Charger : RV Solar Power : RV Solar Panel Kits : RVSolarNow.com
P & C

Steve Hammel · 02-20-2013, 07:22 PM

As someone who paid $120 for my entire 100 watt system I had to bite my tongue. However, once again, if you had to pay an electrician to install and hook it up for you it could be in that ball park.

KamperBob · 02-21-2013, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philip & Catherine

The $375 was for the 90 watt system, $575 for the 130 watt,
delivered out of the back of his truck.
Portable Solar Panels : RV Solar Battery Charger : RV Solar Power : RV Solar Panel Kits : RVSolarNow.com
P & C

Bad control modules might explain why some suitcase kits were not doing well at the gathering. Of the four systems I checked three were 90W and one was 130W size. Aside from component specs the basic design was the same. The second panel could be unplugged at its connector. Open circuit voltage and short circuit current were measured. In all four cases the second panel was very healthy. Juice just wasn't getting from the controller output to the battery. On that side everything was hard wired. That panel could not be checked without invasive surgery. Hopefully others who had problems can get the same product support as P&C and be happy campers again.

Steve Hammel · 02-22-2013, 09:04 PM

Hey Bob have you hit Yuma yet? I hope it's warmer down there then it has been up here. How's Mexico?

KamperBob · 02-23-2013, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

Hey Bob have you hit Yuma yet? I hope it's warmer down there then it has been up here. How's Mexico?

This morning's update lacked weather info. Before leaving Q yesterday AM there was frost! (shiver) Is Yuma enough souther to be much different?

Steve Hammel · 02-23-2013, 09:06 AM

Just talked with my parents in Yuma and they said 70's but still cooler at night. At least we don't have snow like most of the country. This has been the coldest year by far that I can remember down here. Just getting spoiled when I expect 70's and sunshine in February. LOL!

Roger Kimble · 02-23-2013, 10:03 AM

Quartzsite, was fun and worm, we are from Michigan, met a lot of wounderful people, nice to be able to put faces with names, had a good time, little windy though

KamperBob · 02-24-2013, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

Just talked with my parents in Yuma and they said 70's but still cooler at night. At least we don't have snow like most of the country. This has been the coldest year by far that I can remember down here. Just getting spoiled when I expect 70's and sunshine in February. LOL!

Thanks for nominal expectation setting. North of Yuma today it's windy but warm.