First real trip!

[Deb Mac]

We are getting ready to head out next week on the first real trip in the TM. I don't count the trip bringing it home, since that was just drive, set-up, eat, sleep, close up, repeat...
I say "we", meaning "I"... dogs haven't been much help beyond some moral support when I get back to the house.

Didn't get a chance to do anything to her after I got her home last summer, so all of my renos/repairs have been going on the last 2 months...

1. 2 new horizontal LP tanks & hoses;
2. new water pump & relocating pump to top of fresh water tank;
3. also installed a water tank by-pass valve last fall for winterizing - I like using the pink stuff to winterize.
4. poor man's Sealand install (with 1" vent), which lead to a repair of a leak at the grey water tank outlet, followed by a leak at the P-trap of the tub;
5. replaced the old POS car starter battery the PO had in there (that wouldn't hold a charge anyway!) with 2 x 76 Ah SiO2 batteries, an mppt solar charge controller and two SAE connectors - one to the battery for the portable macerator and one to the mppt for the portable solar panel;
6. pulled out the old Sharp microwave/convection oven & put new feet on it and reinforced the shelf it sits on;
7. got the stove top working reliably (electrodes were slightly out of alignment at the burner on 2 of the 3) and replaced the original "clunky" ignitor with a battery operated push button one from Amazon ($30)
8. New tires, brakes (self-adjusting) and drums - tested and working, but still need to take her out and burnish the shoes - later in the week.
9. spare tire rack modification
10. And - adjusted the shell height. Can't believe how much easier it is to open and close the thing now!! They all needed to go up about an inch, but now that is done, and all 4 struts of each shell are the same height, HUGE difference. And the gap is gone at the upper corners between the rear and front shell. AND the door is properly lined up now - doesn't keep popping apart.. AND the door of the bathroom now opens and closes smoothly. Who knew?!
11. One thing left to do and that is get up there and get the soft starter in the a/c. And it looks like the weather is going to cooperate this week!

a couple of little things I have added to make my life as a solo traveller a bit easier - a BAL Light Trailer Leveler and a Levelmate Pro. Both of these allow me to get her leveled up before I have to open it. Just back her in to a spot that is more or less level(ish), put the leveler under the low tire, and ratchet it up till we are level. Easier for me than leveling blocks or Andersen levelers (have both, don't care for them).

At least half of these things couldn't have been done without the help and support from this forum. I can do a lot, but you have to know how to attack things first. My thanks to all!!

[Shane826]

Nice job! For the stove igniter did you just use a grill push button igniter? Do you have a link to what you used?

[Deb Mac]

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A generic BBQ sparker. Not an exact plug n play swap. Have to do some fiddling on the stove top we have - I have a set of step drills so I could make the hole large enough. When I get around to it, I will make a little cover plate to cover up the holes for the screws from the original. But it sure is nice compared to the "bang" from the original. This one is a nice little "tick tick tick" as it sparks. Runs on 2 AA batteries, which are easy to remove when you aren't traveling, to keep them from leaching when in storage.

[Shane826]

Nice. I’ve seen a write up on how do that for a stove/oven. I’m probably gonna do it when I swap in the stove/oven.

[Deb Mac]

I saw it on someones rv youtube channel last fall. I needed to replace my old one since it was a hit and miss on lighting. Turns out it was just misaligned electrodes, but I’m happy I did it anyway. So much less aggravating than the “clunk/bang”