Author Topic: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...  (Read 12381 times)

Offline Branderson

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Re: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...
« Reply #45 on: November 27, 2017, 11:35:18 AM »
I know our experience may not count for much, but we’ve fulltimed for soon to be 8 years with two different buses and here’s our experience:

We initially parked at Walmart’s. We hated it. People in Walmart parking lots would accelerate through the lot with their loud obnoxious trucks and rice burners and wake us up. Besides, they can be a tight fit for a bus and toad. Plus you have to be absolutely sure they allow overnighting. A lot of Walmart’s across the US are starting to ban it because of local codes. There’s an Allstays app that can help with that but I have found it to be sketchy on its accuracy.

Our three favorite overnighting options are:

1. Rest areas. Usually quiet and safe. The downside is they fill up fast and they aren’t everywhere. We pulled in early to one here in Illinois tonight and got a spot. Other downside: if they don’t have the truck parking in the rear of the rest area, you’re stuck listening to  highway traffic all night. Our coach is insulated well (heavy pound density spray foam plus flooring felt plus 3/4” wood) so it helps.

2. Truck stops. Love them. People talk about noise, geez Walmart parking lots are stinking noisy. Truck stops quiet down usually by 9pm as they are mostly full. So all you hear is the gentle rumble of trucks idling or their reefers burbling or their tripacs humming. Has never ever bothered us. Worst thing is if a truck is backing into a spot in the middle of the night (rare) they sometimes have backup alarms. I purposely try to back into a spot between two trucks already parked to prevent this. What’s great is most of us have rear bedrooms, so we are 60 feet away from the truck engines, reefers, and tripacs. We are at the back of their trailers, the quietest place you could be. Honestly, I love staying at truck stops. I love going inside in the morning to get a fresh cup of jo or a Fresh cinnamon roll. I think I’ll buy stock in Loves come to think of it.

3. Side of the road. If it’s rural and the rest areas and truck stops are full, we exit on an off ramp, and then pull about 100 feet onto the on ramp shoulder and Park for the night. Quiet, dark, but usually not level. Never ever had issues doing this in 8 years of fulltiming. We’ve had to do this when the weather is rough. If it’s snowing hard and the roads are dicey the trucks pull off so the rest areas and truck stops are jam packed. When we park on an on ramp I always leave my parking lights and clearance lamps lit all night for visibility. It must be like a duck decoy because I always have semi trucks parked in front of and behind me when I get up in the morning. Never fails lol.


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I never heard about parking on the on-ramp.  At first I thought you meant you pulled on the side of the off ramp but then re-read and it sounds like you get to wherever the onramp is and then pull off to the side.  That seems a lot safer.  You never had any issues with police or anything?
- Brad

Offline chessie4905

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Re: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...
« Reply #46 on: November 27, 2017, 12:09:06 PM »
Probably not a lot here in Pa. Just make sure the ramp is long enough and you are off the road. Oh, and hope that some trucker didn't beat you to it. With the Fed. Rules on hours of service for commercial vehicles, you have to find a spot to get off the road now! A lot of friction with police over this when they tightened regs several years ago. But most police realize the dilema for truckers and are more lenient over this now. Except when Barney Fife is the cop.
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Pennsylvania-central

Offline buswarrior

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Re: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...
« Reply #47 on: November 27, 2017, 01:13:52 PM »
X2 for onramp/offramp parking.

The truckers are littered all up and down the highway, as noted.

Getting into a truck stop and finding parking, can be way hard later in the evening.

The shoulders will show you where to park. If there isn't evidence of other large vehicles on the shoulder, best get out and look hard at the soil conditions. There's no tire tracks for a reason...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior
Frozen North, Greater Toronto Area
new project: 1995 MCI 102D3, Cat 3176b, Eaton Autoshift

Offline Gordie Allen

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Re: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...
« Reply #48 on: November 27, 2017, 03:02:29 PM »
Hey Scott!
We're headed for California from Michigan. Stopped in West Wendover today at the KOA. Which way you going? We're headed for Winnemucca tomorrow. Should be in San Francisco in three days. Did we pass each other?
I just bought a Briggs & Stratton 6500 120/240v inverter generator. I made a short dog bone to go from a male NEMA locking plug to a female 50 amp RV plug. Pretty quiet for that many watts. Stayed at a F/J four nights ago (in Iowa) with no issues. I also park way in the back and between two trailers. My generator is not an onboard type, so I cable lock it to the coach. An interesting discovery I made about this type of generator. If it throttles back under a lighter load, my Victron switches back to batteries. That surprised me because the Victron is supposed to supplement when it senses there are insufficient amps. This may be a feedback loop that finally results in the inverter taking over. I just switched it to full throttle mode and the problem went away.
Augusta, MI
1956 4104
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Offline buswarrior

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Re: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...
« Reply #49 on: November 27, 2017, 03:21:53 PM »
Yes, my Yamaha 3000iSEB does the same trickery to an old Trace 4024.

Just turn off the eco-throttle device and all is well. Not a lot of difference fuel economy wise, no load, is no load.

Still nice and quiet, and there's no change in engine note to wake you if the load cycles during the night. I'd likely leave it run flat out for that reason alone.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

Frozen North, Greater Toronto Area
new project: 1995 MCI 102D3, Cat 3176b, Eaton Autoshift

Offline Scott & Heather

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Re: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...
« Reply #50 on: November 27, 2017, 06:30:30 PM »
Gordy, we sure did pass you!!! Here’s a pic to prove it! If I had known it was you I would
Have stopped!



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Scott & Heather
1984 MCI 9 6V92-turbo with 9 inch roof raise (SOLD)
1992 MCI 102C3 8v92-turbo with 8 inch roof raise CURRENT HOME
Click link for 900 photos of our 1st bus conversion:
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Offline windtrader

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Re: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...
« Reply #51 on: November 27, 2017, 11:35:51 PM »
that's crazy! Seriously, you really did pass each other and you took a picture?
Don F
1976 MCI/TMC MC-8 #1286
Fully converted
Bought 2017

Offline oltrunt

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Re: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...
« Reply #52 on: November 29, 2017, 09:12:41 AM »
Buswarrior, I just installed a new  Yamaha 3000iSEB in my little bus.  On eco mode it seems to surge a little under very low or no load conditions--does yours?  Thanks, Jack

Offline buswarrior

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Re: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...
« Reply #53 on: November 30, 2017, 06:41:15 PM »
Yes, if there are tiny loads close to the eco-throttle threshold, it will do a little dance, like a kid having to go to the bathroom...

Nature of the beast, that feature isn't really intended to deal with "household" gadgetry, it's for big stuff loads on and off.

On a construction site, using a circular saw, I can see the eco-throttle saving a few bucks of fuel over time, as it idles down while the carpenter sets the saw down and nails the offending lumber into the house.

For the busnut? As noted, I just leave it run full speed, and turn the whole works off once it isn't needed.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

Frozen North, Greater Toronto Area
new project: 1995 MCI 102D3, Cat 3176b, Eaton Autoshift

Offline Scott & Heather

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Re: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...
« Reply #54 on: December 01, 2017, 05:41:26 AM »
Don, sure enough. Didn’t know it was him when we passed tho. I always take pics of older buses when we pass because often it’s someone on here. We passed Russ (RJ Long) last year in his green turtle. We’ve met up many times with Sean Shanks in his Eagle, and stopped at a rest area to chat with Sammy and look over his MCI.


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Scott & Heather
1984 MCI 9 6V92-turbo with 9 inch roof raise (SOLD)
1992 MCI 102C3 8v92-turbo with 8 inch roof raise CURRENT HOME
Click link for 900 photos of our 1st bus conversion:
https://goo.gl/photos/GVtNRniG2RBXPuXW9

Offline Gordie Allen

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Re: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...
« Reply #55 on: December 01, 2017, 09:56:43 AM »
Yeah, we live in the same state and pass each other on I-80 out west. Crazy.
Augusta, MI
1956 4104
DD 671

Offline RJ

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Re: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...
« Reply #56 on: December 01, 2017, 10:12:50 AM »
Yeah, we live in the same state and pass each other on I-80 out west. Crazy.

Gordie -

We live in WA now.  Heading S to AZ for the winter at the end of next week. 

How long are you going to be in CA?  We'll be heading back to WA the first week of April, with stops in Fresno, San Jose and Roseville, other than that, our return trip is unscheduled.

RJ
1992 Prevost XL Vantaré Conversion M1001907 8V92T/HT-755 (DDEC/ATEC)
2003 VW Jetta TDI Sportwagon "Towed"
Cheney WA (when home)

Offline Scott & Heather

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Re: Just got kicked out of a T/A. Generator rules...
« Reply #57 on: December 02, 2017, 02:38:31 PM »
Funny how that works lol.


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Scott & Heather
1984 MCI 9 6V92-turbo with 9 inch roof raise (SOLD)
1992 MCI 102C3 8v92-turbo with 8 inch roof raise CURRENT HOME
Click link for 900 photos of our 1st bus conversion:
https://goo.gl/photos/GVtNRniG2RBXPuXW9

 

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