Anyone near Johnston RI will to help?

[Sweetfarm1]

Hi everyone,
I recently bought 2 inexpensive 35 ft travel trailers and have them parked on my land. I've been trying to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible but I am feeling overwhelmed! I need to winterize one of them and the propane system is absolutely beyond my understanding. I'm trying to figure things out by watching youtube videos, etc... and it's helping, but still am feeling a bit lost and under pressure with the cold weather approaching. Is there any one in the area who would be willing to come by and give me some advice? I can compensate with beer, lunch, and if need be $
Thanks, Erica

 

[SpencerPJ]

I don't live close by, but what about the propane?  You only need to turn it off.
The water system is what you need to worry about.
Be more specific with what type of trailers you bought, and we'll help you. 

 

[Sweetfarm1]

Thanks! I guess I feel like I have so many questions that it would be so much easier just to talk to someone for a half an hour or so but I am willing to try and explain some of them. Firstly I want to replace the 30 amp plug and wondering do I need to shut anything off in order not to get electrocuted. I?m thinking not but I feel like I should doublecheck! Also when I went to look at the propane I have a line coming out of the camper to what I?m assuming is a regulator and one coming out of the propane tanks but they do not match up at all. Very confused by that. My camper is a 1999 forest river sierra. Not sure I could truly understand the whole winterizing of the pipes through a message board. So far I have only emptied the holding tanks and opened up all of the faucets.

 

[SpencerPJ]

Thanks! I guess I feel like I have so many questions that it would be so much easier just to talk to someone for a half an hour or so but I am willing to try and explain some of them. Firstly I want to replace the 30 amp plug and wondering do I need to shut anything off in order not to get electrocuted. Nope, as long as you are not plugged in, no shock. I?m thinking not but I feel like I should doublecheck! Also when I went to look at the propane I have a line coming out of the camper to what I?m assuming is a regulator and one coming out of the propane tanks but they do not match up at all. Very confused by that. No idea, maybe someone had it connected to a different tank where it was located. The hose in your hand looks like it might connect to something like an outdoor portable grill?  The large one looks like it connects to the propane tank  My camper is a 1999 forest river sierra. Not sure I could truly understand the whole winterizing of the pipes through a message board. So far I have only emptied the holding tanks and opened up all of the faucets. This is your # 1 proirity, if your lines freeze, you will add a whole lot of fixin to your 'to do' list.  Have you ever had water pump through the faucets?  At the back of the camper, do you see 2 lines that say, low port?  You need to drain those.

 

[Sweetfarm1]

Ok. Great about replacing the plug. I'll do that tonight so I have power to run the pump. I looked for those two lines underneath, but I have yet to find them. In the videos I watched they were very easy to spot. Either I have a different set up or they're hiding. I will keep looking. As far as the propane, yes, it looks like I need some adapters or need to change the set up in some way. Not a big priority like winterizing the pipes but would like to see if I can get some heat in there on occasion over the winter so I can do some work. I'll watch some more vids about the winterizing process and maybe something will click.

 

[SpencerPJ]

That older style might not have low port drains. 
Does it have a battery in it?  The water pump would work off that.  No Battery, can you borrow one from somewhere?  Not that this is safe, but you could even run jumper cables from your car to the trailer battery connections.  Make sure they don't touch together or else bad news for your car battery.  If you do that, and things work, start your car so the battery dosen't go dead while you test things out.  Find someone to be there with you   

Heat in the winter to work on it, you might be better off running an extension cord, and getting an electric heater.  Don't get me wrong, you want your propane to work, just sayin. electricity is cheaper than propane

 

[Sweetfarm1]

Great suggestions. Thanks you! I am planning on dogboning down from my 30 amp plug to 15 into the house so worried an electric heater might be pushing it. But maybe not...? I just ran into another glitch. When I went to replace the old plug which is clearly marked 30 amps I found 4 wires inside. I'm guessing this is a 50 amp that some one hacked?

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Also when I went to look at the propane I have a line coming out of the camper to what I?m assuming is a regulator and one coming out of the propane tanks but they do not match up at all. Very confused by that.

Standard propane systems are often modified for two reasons.  A lot of people like to run a propane powered BBQ grill when they camp.  There is a conversion kit sold to allow these to be run off the RV's propane tank, so that you don't need to carry a separate propane tank.

Secondly, people who spend the winter in an RV in one spot - say they spend 3 or 4 months in the same campground - will often arrange for a LARGE propane tank to be placed at their campsite and hooked up to their rig.  This saves them from having to constantly unhook everything - water, electric, and sewer - and take their rig to a propane place to get the tank refilled.

Sounds like your rig might have one or both of these modifications.

 

[Sweetfarm1]

That makes sense. Fortunately the gentleman who gave me the trailer said he?s willing to come by and give me a rundown of how everything works which would be great!

 

[SpencerPJ]

That makes sense. Fortunately the gentleman who gave me the trailer said he?s willing to come by and give me a rundown of how everything works which would be great!

Now that is worth a lunch and beer. 

 

[SpencerPJ]

When I went to replace the old plug which is clearly marked 30 amps I found 4 wires inside. I'm guessing this is a 50 amp that some one hacked?

Does your inside Fuse Panel / circuit breakers have any indication if it is 30A or 50A.  Why do you feel your plug needs replaced?  How many A/C units are on top? 

Hopefully the previous guy can show you a bunch, take notes, how to winterize the water system and everything.

 

[Sweetfarm1]

It looked bad from the outside but I had no idea how bad it was until I got inside! Here?s a shot of the  Power converter information. Looks like 30 amp. Good idea! I noticed a splice in the wire so the previous owner probably used to 50 amp wire but only hooked up three.

 

[SpencerPJ]

One step at a time  )

So, you got the power cord figured out, progress  )  Up at the splice, do you see any signs of cord damage?  I'm curious as into why that 30A plug melted like that. 

So, maybe when you replace plug, and adapt to your 15A house plug in, you can determine if the water pump works.  You really need to winterize if the water is subject to freezing

 

[alan6051964]

It looked bad from the outside but I had no idea how bad it was until I got inside! Here?s a shot of the  Power converter information. Looks like 30 amp. Good idea! I noticed a splice in the wire so the previous owner probably used to 50 amp wire but only hooked up three.

wow !..that plug is a mess !!. how did that melt, and not blow fuses at the power converter ?. it almost looks like the PO tried plugging in the 30 amp plug into a 50 amp outlet, and ..well..now you got a bad plug for sure !. i'd be really concerned if your power converter did not get fried as well ?. as for the wire count ?, there is 4 wires on a 30 amp plug, red= 120 volts, black=120 volts, white=neutral ( no volts ), green=ground. I see a lot of rv folks confuses 30 amp plugs with 50 amp plugs, simply because the way they wire the '' hot '' leads to the lugs, and thing everything will be fine ?..ummmm. no ...it wont be fine !..lol. there is a write up in the library about 30 amp plugs , and 50 amp plugs, each is very different !!. if you get the plug replaced, MAKE SURE YOU WIRE THE LUGS CORRECTLY !. then you can get a adapter to plug into the 30 amp plug, hook a heavy duty cord to it, then plug it into your standard house 120 volts outlet, BUT !!!, YOU CAN NOT PULL MUCH POWER THIS WAY !!, or you will start to trip breakers ( if they work that is ?..lol ), in other words, you can run the bare minimum for appliances. no hair dryer and coffer pot at the same time your operating the microwave !..lol. a small heater, and coffee pot..most likely ?, but not all at the same time !. once your plugged into a 30 amp outlet for rv's ?, then your good to use just about everything. microwave, coffee pots, hair dryer all use 120 volts to work, were is fridge ( rv fridge ) water pump, heater use mostly 12 volt dc current and propane to operate. too bad your so far away ?, or i'd lend a hand