I took a dose of my prescribed pain killer about an hour before bedtime last night. I can't say that I notice enough of a difference to waste a pill on it, so I'm not going to take any more right now. I will probably need whatever I can get if and when my eyes are operated on, so I might as well not get used to it right now when I don't really need it.
For some reason, and although it has been cold and foggy most of the day, I feel terrific and the sun is shining on me! Things are looking up and I'm hopeful about what the future holds. Can't do much better than that, can ya?
I've been thinking a lot about what I can do to alleviate the most serious problems with the Lance, and the most critical is, of course, the propane tank and its placement on the camper. I've been wondering about attaching a "porch" to the truck/camper - I've seen photos of them carrying propane tanks, coolers, what not - but I suppose a lot depends on the type of camper and the configuration of systems. I'd also like to have two batteries instead of just one, but rewiring is probably more trouble than it's worth. And now that I finally have a rig that I can back up I don't need to mess with extending it, especially since my depth perception isn't 100%.
You can see that my future holds travel plans, and I just can hope that they will work out. I'm sure tired of being stationery, but I will just bide my time.
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I suspect that most propane places would pull the tank out and fill it for you.
ReplyDeleteGarry
I agree with GMF! It's not something I'd worry about. Just tell them you have difficulty lifting it, and move on. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat type of eye surgery are you planning to have?
ReplyDeleteI vote for letting the propane places take it out and fill it for you. That takes care of that issue for you.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Ask them to fill it, and if they say "bring here" say "I'm sorry, I'll go someplace where I can get service." I've seen places where they have a hose to fill a fixed tank. Let them use it!
ReplyDeleteDiz, I will be having a transplant of the lower part of the cornea. It contains the cells that draw moisture off the eyes, and mine have an accelerated loss, so my vision gets blurry.
ReplyDeletePhil, my propane tank lies horizontally in the bay, but a sticker on the tank says it must be filled vertically. I guess that means it has to come out.
ReplyDeleteThere is really no reason why a propane supplier, ie. an actual gas company, would be unwilling to extract your tank for filling and replacing same to be sure it is installed properly so it won't leak, can vent to the outdoors if it has to (changes in temperature and pressure as one climbs in the mountains, for instance). By the way, if you are camping in a campground in the SW, having a propane delivery from a bobtail truck isn't difficult and they should be able to handle the entire refueling process without you having to do much more than unlock the hatch.
ReplyDeleteAs an alternative, talk with someone handy, a welder, for instance, to see if a little boom could be constructed that would allow raising and lowering the tank by a ratcheting winch, much like that used on a small boat trailer, for instance. That might be just the ticket to prevent another painful occurrence of the "booty bounce" you experienced.
Adding a second house battery shouldn't be that difficult or expensive. Provided there is room and sufficient charging capacity available by either the truck's alternator, an electrical hookup in a campground or solar, if justifiable by the amount of boondocking to be undertaken. One can go to most large to moderate sized auto parts stores and purchase heavy wire with the lugs already attached -- all you need to know is the wire gauge, color, and length needed. A couple of cable clamps to keep the wiring organized, a few cable ties and you'd be in business.
No rig is perfect. They all have their quirks and all require (more or less) constant maintenance. If you are serious about a Class C, rent one or two for a week's camping trip once you can drive again and put them through the wringer before you decide to ditch the truck camper. You'll be deciding from a position of knowledge, rather than from a position of wishful thinking. Almost always the preferable method of decision-making, no?
Again, I think you got some good advice. I know how unwieldly those propane tanks can be from when we had two of them in our fiver a few years ago. Never did like having to haul those heavy bulky things in & out all the time.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you are having a good day. Pain meds always make me feel worse, but I guess you have to take them sometimes.
ReplyDeleteSo good to hear your upbeat post today!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the others to make the propane filling place heft it.
But as an alternative if you are parked somewhere and just want to fill the tank separately:
We watched an older guy heft up the 5 gallon water full water containers to fill his gravity fill on his trailer.
What he used was a one legged 2x4 stump with a platform with a lip edge on top and he would pull it up while balancing the 40pound jug on the top at the same time, with his foot braced on the bottom of the 2x4. He held it in place while he was filling his tank. Might work for you in a pinch?
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Karen and Steve
(Our Blog) RVing: Small House... BIG Backyard
http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com/
I've found most UHaul locations to be very helpful when purchasing propane. They usually have their fill station so it's convenient to pull up next to.
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