Looking at Jayco camper - couple of Qs

[nab]

You people are awesome! I try searching but it comes up with 8237462862387 threads as I am unsure of which search words will get the info I want...

Thanks for the links, will do some reading before I ask any more questions!

[chester ver2.0]

CAMEC also do LED Globes

[rags]

Here she is in my driveway!



First mod was to get rid of this sticker haha!!!!!

[/quote]

Looks like a well planned carport there ,with room to wind the Jayco up, it is exactly how I built mine ,with enough room to raise the roof on a camper or a future offroad pop top.

[prodigyrf]

While those T10 plugin LEDs are easy to fit I found 48 panel 5050 LEDs much better for your general overhead lights (assuming you have 2 single lights instead of the later double lights) here-
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Car-Interior-48-SMD-5050-LED-Light-Lamp-Panel-T10-Festoon-Dome-BA9S-DC-12V-White-/321289633832?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4ace5ac028
Forget the peel off stickon and remove it as it won't last and fix the panel on with dobs of silicon (4 corners and a couple to fix the fine wires so they can't vibrate away from the soldered connection at the back. The 24 panel ones are ideal for plugin bed lights if you have them.

As for the winch system it's well explained here-
http://www.hairfysh.com/index.php/our-travels/our-camper.html
and there are some posts with pics and videos around if you net search

As far as the Setec unit is concerned it is designed to run the 12V lights and any added 12V accessories while plugged into 240V as well as trickle charge any onboard battery when laid up. It is designed locally to handle quite variable 240V power supply such as you may find with diesel gennys, etc in remote areas.

PS: Here's a video which will give you an idea what those winch layout diagrams show-

Replaceing a broken cable on my Popup Camper

Notice he says he was expecting a slave cable to break and that's because one had been chafing on the track pulley holder because in turn that compression spring guide is distorted and allowing it to happen. The guide should be replaced and fixed securely back in its right place.
Now bear in mind you can buy a slave cable set complete for $57 already swaged with adjuster eyebolts and nuts, etc so there's no need to chance your arm with handyman swaging and bulldog grips. Neither do you need heavier eyebolts as Jayco engineers know exactly what's needed. Yes if you should snap a cable it may overload the others but there's no excuse whatsoever for snapping a cable, as annual inspection would forewarn you if any were fraying and for whatever reason. Cable lifts are always designed with a Safe Working Load which is multiples below any cable's breaking strain, so you need a significant proportion of broken wires before a cable 'suddenly' breaks. Basically there aint no sudden about it.

[nab]

Another one, does anyone just run the fridge on battery? I read about using battery when travelling then changing over to gas but I reckon just keeping it on battery with a solar panel would be better for a few days?

[Vitara_JaycoSwift_Outback]

Not sure how your year model is set up but if it's like mine the 12v option only maintains whatever temperature the fridge is at prior to switching to 12v. It chews the juice pretty quickly and will only work when connected to the car. A few people have changed the 3way fridge to a Waeco compressor model if they want to run them on 12v. Seems like a great mod. I have found our 3way to be great but it did struggle to keep things really cold running on gas in 35 degree temperatures we had over Christmas.

[prodigyrf]

Another one, does anyone just run the fridge on battery? I read about using battery when travelling then changing over to gas but I reckon just keeping it on battery with a solar panel would be better for a few days?

The Dometic 90L, 3 ways (like our RM350) pull 10.5Amps and will run flat out all the time on 12V. ie unlike gas or 240V adjusting the temp control doesn't affect the current draw. That's where you have to decide whether it's worth investing in a large solar/battery setup or wear the gas cost free camping, bearing in mind an 8.5kg will run the fridge only for a couple of weeks depending on ambient temp. To keep the cost and weight penalty of a solar/battery setup down in order to save on gas, effectively means changing to a compressor fridge when you realise you'll need 10.5Amps at night and cloudy days with an absorption 12V.

In any case we find water capacity is the dominant factor with free camping stays so a modest 120W folding panel and extra car battery runs the LED lighting and the usual gadgets like the added 12V water pump- http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=22949.msg354124#msg354124

[prodigyrf]

And although from SA we're not the only ones noticing that water is the critical factor but how far do you want to go with that as well?
http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=35440.0
decisions..decisions..

[nab]

OK, the fridge doesn't really work on gas. It took me a while to get the thing to light and the red marker on the gauge only went to half way. How far it is supposed to go?

I took off the outside vents and noticed that there was only a very small flame, possible just the pilot light. Adjusting the thermostat made to difference. I left it overnight like that and the fridge didn't get cold at all, even though the themostat was set on 7. The seller did say the fridge was a bit dicky on gas...

The hotplate seems to be getting enough gas, maybe there is a blockage in the fridge gas line. Hmmm.

Fridge works perfect on 240V, yet to try it on 12V.

Any ideas?

[darrenh]

Pull the fridge out. Clean the flue with a compressor and a wire brush to remove all the ok'd soot.then tip the fridge upside down for a day, rollit around a hit and leave sit for another day. Turn back upright and reinstall. Turn back on to gas and test. If still no good then the fridge is stuffed.


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