Re-geared and free-spinned the 3500 4x4 diesel

[slowmover]

Sucked flat. Know that feeling.

Ultragauge isn't expensive.

It's a few months out for me (maybe summer), but I'm hoping you and I can do a comparison test. Engine load percentage sort of thing. Scale weights of combined and individual vehicles, and then a flat land cruise control roundtrip to the same fuel pump. Cruise control the whole way. We could come up with data to measure. (And a solo run over the same course).

As we're the mechanically savvy types to have already countered the mechanical basis of RR problems, it would be worthwhile, IMO, to see how the other half lives.

You'd have a baseline against an Airstream type, and I'd gain a more practical understanding of 5er towing with one of ours. (With your future trailer, it'd give me a goal to shoot for).

I'm assuming we can get help on deciphering altitude and temp differences. With solo runs we can be pretty accurate about TT design advantages. I think the UG would suffice. Time to 60-mph at 80% engine load, for example. Time out of OD. That sort of thing. Number of brake and accel events. Etc.

Keep it in mind, is all I ask.

Thx

[skyking]

I hope to have a play week soon. I am truly tempted to just go drive the remaining 400 up and down I5, so I can start building data. Hard to get enthused about winter camping

[skyking]

Ultragauge isn't expensive.

unless they make some sort of passthrough OBD2 plug, my Smarty Touch already has that port tied up.
It also does my EGT so I don't want to get rid of that.

[slowmover]

Y-adaptor harness.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by skyking

I hope to have a play week soon. I am truly tempted to just go drive the remaining 400 up and down I5, so I can start building data. Hard to get enthused about winter camping

Propane consumption rate dictated by keeping water tanks from freezing. What supplemental cabin heat best complements this.

Salutary effect of foamboard skirting. Wind or sun Orientation.

Tracking condensation problems. (IIRC, humans expire 1.5-gls/day of water). Efficacy of window film and use of dehumidifier.

Appliance performance.

Etcetera

Fuel burn: Air intake temps versus ambient (preferably above 85F), thus, WAI?
Winter front versus grille block at around 40F under load.

Etcetera.

Plenty of solid reasons in planning new trailer.

[skyking]

We are going next weekend! This will take care of the 500 mile break in oil nicely.

Propane consumption rate dictated by keeping water tanks from freezing. What supplemental cabin heat best complements this.

Salutary effect of foamboard skirting. Wind or sun Orientation.

Tracking condensation problems. (IIRC, humans expire 1.5-gls/day of water). Efficacy of window film and use of dehumidifier.

1) the furnace has a single 2" hose that dumps into the belly near the freshwater tank.
The trailer is not insulated well. The furnace runs often in the cold, and I doubt the tanks will have a problem. Propane usage is not a consideration for us, as we only use the trailer for about 30~40 gallons of propane in a typical year.
2)We never sit long enough to deploy skirting. If it is below 20 at night, we are not going camping much.
3)I have a pair of big dehumidifiers and have space where I took out the dinette to easily take one along. Thank you so much for reminding me.
Dehumidifiers are the absolute bomb. They contribute heat to the cabin while removing moisture. I will use that water right in the toilet
We won't likely dry camp below about 30 degrees overnight. Furnace usage is the hardest on battery capacity. I have great new GC2 golf cart batteries, but I really rather not run my genset if possible.

On the upcoming test series:
@ 60 MPH I can't use cruise on I-5/I-405 and leave the truck in 6th while towing. We have too many hills, even on this relatively flat route. I don't think 1600 RPM and a significant load are a good idea. I figure 110 miles out and 110 miles back for testing purposes. This corresponds to visiting some friends.
I will stop and let the truck cool off at the far end, because I can't really justify the drive with stopping at my friend's house.
Other than that, I can do the drive when traffic is nil and I have a great chance of leaving the cruise on for the vast majority of the trip, barring a highway change that will get me down to ~30 MPH.
I can "pedal" 60 MPH as needed when I downshift.
The bare truck can handle the hills easily in 6th.

[skyking]

My 34" mud tires have the best tread for snow, I am putting them on for a bit tomorrow.
I hooked the trailer up Thursday and just put the break in miles on the engine so I could get it done and oil changed.
I drove it 330 more miles at 65~70, like I stole it. My guess is about 11 MPG
We had thought of going camping, but it was a little cold everywhere within reasonable range.
The performance was just fantastic with the new camshaft.
The manufacturer touted a 200 degree reduction in EGT and now I am a believer.
Even with boost as high as 32 PSI on some instances, the EGT never topped 1100 F. My smarty logs peaks and it topped out on one leg at 1099.
This was absolutely not my typical towing style, I was complying with the builder's recommendation to "hook up the trailer and go climb some hills, get some pressure on those rings".
I will change the oil and tires tomorrow, install some coroplast radiator blocking, and drive the truck solo across White Pass and see how these tires do.
The 34"s are a 10% reduction in RPM, more or less. it is a 55~60 MPH road so I will do the steep climbing in 5th, but in 6th the RPM should be just below 1500. Sweetness~
The peak torque on my engine from the factory is 1600. This cam moved it down an unknown amount.

[gumby79]

On my 33' 5er it was 14ga propane per week with temperatures at +20-neg 4°f . This was jan-feb07 in Chiloquin Oregon . We had a Northshore with the winter package (insulated and air heated all 4tanks 2gray 1 black and 1 60ga fresh) thermostat set to 65°. Only freezing problem was shore water, solved with a heat tape and a pice of fome 1/2"pipe insulation.

[skyking]

Yes, but we only travel in it. If I were stationary I'd get a big tank and delivery. Getting 7 gallons at a time gets tedious.
I set up one of our guests at the propane store that way, got them to install the valving and hose so she could hook any size tank to it. Her MH had a fixed 15 gallon tank, so it was not a good situation.
When she got to where she was going to work for 6 months, a propane contractor brought out a 100 gallon tank and delivered to her.

[gumby79]

The longest our family was able to stay in 1 spot was 3 months, chasing my seniority. Average was 2weeks ,exception was winter lay off. Layoff at Union Pacific Railroad could be hours- months depending on seniority and availability. A 250ga tank would be nice , however not practical as we had to be able to pick-up and go on a moments notice. So we carried a spair tank that got rotated through. Once a week wasn't so bad to fill the gas during the worst weather, 1-2 month in summer. We went to town for food more often than that. 3 people ÷ small RV fridge =frequent store runns.

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How long to plug-in

((W*btu)÷lbs H2O=Delta T per hr) - losses

[Not accounting for thermal loss from lorn block or cooling sys] [not accounting for effect of antifreeze]
1btu= 1°f for 1lbs water
1watt= 3.41btu
1 ga= 8.36lbs
Cummins blockheater=750wh
Late first generation Cummins=4ga coolent

((750*3.41)÷33.44=76.49°f/hr ) - losses
So 1hr will do ~ 50°f/hr

Engine Block Heater
The engine block heater is a resistance heater installed in the water jacket of the engine just above and behind the oil filter. It requires a 110- to 115-volt AC electrical outlet with a grounded, three-wire extension cord. The engine block heater is required only when ambient temperatures are below -20F (-29C), but recommended at temperatures below 0F (-18C). For full capability, once you turn on the engine block heater, it needs to run for one hour before you start your truck.
Ram Turbo Diesel Cold Weather Tips – Geno's Garage

We know its helpful at any temperature below operating °f
I'm using my plug 24/7 now (power bill is upsetting) and at 37below 0°f its a hard start. So I'm going this route http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ter-34459.html theas are also used a primary Hydronic cabin heater in RVs.