Happy Summer!!

Happy Summer!!

Wherever Home is Parked?

Wherever Home is Parked?

Saturday, January 12, 2013

California and installing batteries and inverter

We got up and started getting around once the sun came out and started warming things up nicely.  First on the list was to attend the 10 AM GTG with the group.  Today was best tips for the full-timing and boon docking lifestyle .. learned some great things.  Next on the list tado is purchase a couple more batteries and the wire to meet our electrical needs without running the generator all the time.

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After going into Q and checking out Solar Bills and Discount solar about our battery needs it was decided that with the inverter we purchased staying with 12 volt deep cell setup would be the best.  So that meant heading to CA to get the same battery we have already since it’s fairly new it wouldn’t be a problem using it.

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We came upon the inspection station

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We had no problems crossing inspection, we were waved on through.

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I had forgotten my camera and used my phone so the quality is not that great but I have a picture of my first CA sign!

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we got our batteries and decided to check out some of the local stores.  We got oranges for .39 cents a lb!  We bought almost 5 lbs and they cost $1.84! 

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we drove around and did some looking and then decided we better get home on a beautiful afternoon so hubby could go to work

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I was able to get a picture of the Arizona sign! 

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back home we had to do some cleaning out to make room for our new batteries.  The sun has warmed things up nicely and hubby is sporting a t-shirt, I’m in a light weight long sleeve shirt. 

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hubby doing some cleaning and measuring

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once hubby figured out how he was going to install the batteries and inverter we did the measuring and wrote everything down and it was back to town to purchase the wire and things we were going to need. 

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Finally the batteries and inverter are installed and working great!

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We still had some daylight time and while hubby was working I put some potatoes on the grill for baked tators and then we had hamburgers.  It was an easy dinner meal.  I love the griddle that I purchased to use on our grill.  I hated to grill as everything always caught on fire with the new grill I do not have that problem.  Hubby is going to cut the handles off for me so that our lid will close all the way.  Right now it doesn’t close shut but still cooks great. 

After dinner was done we headed over with the rest of the group and enjoyed a camp fire until we got to cold.  We retired to the warmth of our home and watching some TV while our batteries are being charged up with the generator.  It’s going to be a real test to our boon docking setup tonight with temps being predicted to go down to a low of 24!  So glad that we got more batteries installed so we can run the furnace all night long.  Stay tuned to see how we survive the coldest night we’ve ever been in our home now.  Our motorhome was no problem as all our plumbing was inside .. the 5th wheel it’s in that basement so running the furnace is a must.