MOTORHOME MODIFICATIONS - *P* is for Pump, Pressure Tank and our son Mike

I am going to start off the new year with posting some of our motorhome modifications, a few at a time. I will post repairs, modifications, or neato things we have found for RVing.  I have lots of pics in my files so I will do them in alphabetical order.

Underneath that stuff, I will post my regular daily stuff..... kinda sorta fun, eh?

So here it goes, we are up to the letter P now!

MOTORHOME MODIFICATIONS 

STARTING WITH THE LETTER P

Pump and Accumulator Pressure Tank:

THIS MODIFICATION WAS DONE BACK IN 2011

Steveio had been thinking of getting a bigger water pump for our motorhome, along with an accumulator (pressure) tank. 

 (our original pump has been working just fine-- but you know Guys: "Bigger is Better")   

Sooooo  he found one, a super duper one from what he said, on Ebay.  It came in the mail and it is just what he wanted!    It's a pretty expensive pump, called a Par from Jabsco.  This is a heavy marine water pump for boats that is belt driven with a bigger electric motor. 

It runs in the $250-300 range but he got it for $65 plus shipping!  Good deal----  he hooked it up temporarily to check it out-  it runs quiet and smooth.  He still needed to buy the right port kit of adapters to change it to screw-on threads instead of the barbed ends.  Threaded screw on lines are more secure than the push on barbs with clamps. That is the only reason he didn't install it immediately after it came in the mail.

Here are pics from all angles for you geeky RV guys......

He was also looking at accumulator pressure tanks (to lessen the necessity of turning pump on and off as often when only using a little water a time)  ... and I happened to stop at a rummage sale where there was a brand new one in a box!  The lady at the rummage sale said they bought it, but the repairman who came to their cottage brought a different one along to install, and they couldn't find the slip to return this one.  So it became ours for a mere $5.  On the VERY DAY that Steve gets the pump in the mail, is the same day I found the tank he needs!  Too cool----

The new tank is rated for the right pressure for our lines, so we are okay there too. 

After brainstorming his installation ideas, and measuring and figuring and gathering fittings, hoses and pieces, he was ready.  He put the tank in a cut-down 5 gallon bucket for stability, with the fittings coming out some holes he cut into it.  

If you look close, there really isn't any area to mount the tank to on the frame unless he drilled holes through the steel beam behind it.  So the bucket for stability is a great idea.  He did strap it down by the handle to something behind.  Plus, he can remove the bucket, and screw the two fittings together on a pipe nipple to winterize the rig, and store the tank in our house where it won't freeze.  He has a shroud guard to put by the moving belt part of the pump.    

After he had it all done, I got to go inside to test it out.  Works wonderfully!!!   Using an accumulator tank allows the pump to run less often, and when you use a faucet, the pump doesn't need to kick on each time until you run a large amount of water.  So filling up a pot for coffee or grabbing a glass of water does not need the pump to operate.   Steve said it will save on battery power.  LOL ... yah right.  Me thinks it's just more "justification" to his "Bigger is Better" obsession. 

Now...  I mentioned the old pump, which was manufactured date of 1995, it works just fine.  So he added two fittings to each side that can accommodate a simple garden hose.  He will use this as an auxiliary pump to add water to our tank when we are long term boondocking if we don't wanna move the rig to refill.   We can haul water in a bladder or buckets from a well pump to fill our tank.  Or have it on board if something ever happens to the other new pump?   (perish the thought after all of Steveio's installation and brainstorming!) 

Our motorhome has the type of fresh water filling port you need to fill with a hose under pressure, not just a gravity fill like they have on some travel trailers.  We can't just pour in more water from a jug or bucket if running low while boondocking.  Our type of RV needs a pressured hose to fill the tank with extra water.  Seann, our Cannuckie RV buddy had this bladder and pump setup and it worked great for boondocking!  We bought a bladder now too.  So we have our extra pump to make it work. 

In our water compartment, this area is called a "manifold".  It has various levers and knobs to control the flow of water to various parts of the motorhome.  Also levers to pull to empty the black and grey holding tanks.  Steve added a household water filter unit to the fill area, so all water is run through it before going into our tank.   He added a 12 volt outlet to power either that auxiliary pump or our portable mascerator (poop pumper)    There is also a faucet for an outdoor shower to screw onto, or a hose for washing the rig.  It is also GREAT for washing dirty muddy doggers------  

 Soooo that is it for the motorhome modifications today.

~~~~~~~~~~~

And last of all, 

I would like to end up this blog saying 

Happy Birthday 

to our son, Mike, 

who is in Heaven.

He would be 34 today and we miss him. Each family gathering and holiday, I feel the loss of one more adult child with a spouse and maybe more grandchildren to love. 

• I think of his smile and his silly cowboy boots and his willingness to help Steve with whatever he wanted to work on. 
• I think of the sports games he and his brother Dan would play in, while we all sat in the stands to cheer them on. 
• I smile and think of taking him shopping for his first aftershave, or sewing up the rips in his corduroy pants. For the longest time he hated wearing blue jeans.  
• I think of the special bond he had with our youngest daughter Heather and how she proudly drove his old beater car around for a whole year after he passed away.   
• I think of how all four teens would argue and pester each other, but Mike loved it when Erin would bring along friends of hers camping so he could hang out with some really cool chicks from the Big City of Green Bay!
• I think of the time he bought me a Kit Kat from the gas station on his way home for an Xmas present, not having a lot of cash, but knowing it was my favorite. 

We miss you Mike. 

Yes, we do. 

Everybody's Leaving ---- 'Cept US!

Geee whiz.... everybody's leaving us! 

Seann left 3 days ago.

Debbie and Steve left 2 days ago.

Glenda and Kurt left 2 days ago.

Cathy and Pat with the the 2 shelties left yesterday.

John and Sharon left this morning.

Dawn and Jim left this morning.

Then Tom and Margo left this morning.

Paula and Mel are going to leave tomorrow morning.

The only ones left are Hazel and Patti and us! 

Guess that means the season is over and it's gonna get HOT HOT HOT in the desert.  So I guess that is a good reason to leave?  The only problem is that we need to get our Tracker back before we can leave!  Unless we can pack it up and have it shipped to us in a box? LOL


Yesterday the camp park volunteer Josephine led her craft projects in the Exhibit Hall at the park. Patti and I went over to make desert sunset (or moonrise?) cards.   Here is mine:

Here is Patti's card making efforts... what fun! 

Two adorable kids were learning how to make birds from Josephine. I have permission from their parents to post their pics here.  Josephine first had them pick a bird from the guide book to learn the name, the colors and the beak. She even showed them how to make realistic eyes on their birds.

The state park's volunteers are a great resource of creative arts to learn and enjoy the natural wonders as well as the recreational opportunities around us.  I know in Wisconsin, we are so lucky to have a great team of volunteers and the Friends of the Park organization. I am glad to see so many folks volunteering in the New Mexico State Parks as well.

Last night Seann called us from Deming where he is staying at the LowHi ranch.  He came down to our park and took us up to Deming for dinner.  While we were gone, little Finney showed his frustration at our absence.  He took the most recent thing I had touched, and showed me just what he thinks of me leaving him too long!   Yup, that is my camera strap!

I think Duke, our old sheltie, taught Finney how to do this.  Duke would do the same thing any time we left him too long.  He would find something, no matter what it was, it had to be MINE and had to be something I had recently touched. He would haul it out in front of the hallway and gnaw on the corner to show me just what he thought of me.  He would also rumple the rug in front of the door so it was in the way when we got home.  Now Finney is doing exactly the same thing that Duke did.  I am sure he taught him that !!!!   

When we came home from dinner, he was hiding up front, obviously guilty of what he had done, and feeling very bad.  We scolded him, of course, but not too much. I think he made himself feel just as bad, knowing he was a "Bad Dog".  He crawled up to us and crept into our laps and begged forgiveness.  He got it. So he could sleep with a clear conscience.

I had a very bad night and was the one who couldn't sleep.  By mid-morning I was doing much better and back on track before noon. Whew... thank goodness. 

Steve was working on a little project this morning, and I found him so intent on his task.  He was messing with an LED light fixture that was missing a few little lights.  He didn't fix it, but he didn't break it either, so I guess that is a good thing! 

This evening we had a nice dinner with Mel and Paula before they head out tomorrow to go further east and wind up their winter snow birding excursion by April.  Steve lit up a campfire, and we hauled out some wine and had a nice chat around the flames. 

Steve is looking pretty relaxed now in vacation mode.

it will be a shame to go back to work, 

dontcha think?

And a final note... to family and friends,

today our son Mike would be 31 years old...

RIP Mike....