Re: Wyoming Trip Report (May-Jun 2025)

On Tue, 24 Jun 2025 15:44:35 -0500,
  sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:

 On 6/24/2025 2:01 PM, Ted Heise wrote:

On Tue, 24 Jun 2025 11:20:33 -0500,
   sticks <wolverine01@charter.net> wrote:

I recalled also that the power testing device I use each
time on a new campsite before plugging in the trailer had
shown an error at the suspect campsite (though it came up
all green after I shut off the 30 A and tried a second
time).

  I'm curious about this "power testing device" you use.  Do
  you just test what is coming out of the box and then put it
  away, or is it always on the line in case of surges or
  other faults?

 
It was part of a kit I bought from the dealer when I picked up
the trailer, this has info on it...

https://tinyurl.com/msyjrs3s
 
And yes, after testing I put it away.  I have no idea how
robust the surge protector is, I just use it.

 
 OK.  So you plug in the tester and if that is ok you put the
 surge module in and plug into that.  Then on, you are protected
 from low/high voltage and power surges.  That was what I was
 interested in.

Yep.

There has been a place or two (inluding the site with the
problematic power) where the plug in panel didn't have a
cover. Strikes me as suboptimal if it rains.

 
 Also it's probably illegal almost everywhere.  That's it can
 kill you power.

Oh, I didn't describe it very well.  I was talking about the metal
cover that one swings up to access the outlets, not the metal of
the pedestal itself.

  FWIW, I use a Power Watchdog and it works nicely, though I
  did have to cover up the one side as it had a ridiculous
  bright light coming off of it.

 
Is this some device that goes inside the trailer?  If it goes
on the plug in pedestal, it must be *really* bright to be a
bother.

 
 It goes in at the pedestal.  You plug it in and it can be
 connected to from your phone.  Gives a readout of current
 voltages and how much you have used.  As far as the light, it
 was ridiculous that they would think it is OK for it to be as
 bright as it was.  Now I'm very wary of not intruding on other
 people's enjoyment of things, and having this bright a light
 seemed ridiculous...

Very considerate.  One of the "features" of the camp we stayed at
in western Nebraska (Merritt Reservoir) is stargazing.  Apparently
they went after (and got) some kind of designation...

https://outdoornebraska.gov/location/merritt-reservoir/

When I was up to pee in the night (maybe 2:00 am?) I stepped out
the trailer door to have a look.  The view wasn't impressive,
partly because the next trailer had all their external LED lights
on.  <rolls eyes>

I tend to be sensitive to light *in* the trailer too, and have
resported to putting black electrical tape over the brighter
indicator lamps that I can't turn off somehow.  The "Magic Fan" on
the ceiling over the bed seems to have a nice thermostat
controlled setting, but it has a *really* bright green LED that
lights uo in that mode.  And if I put tape over it, the remote no
longer works (i.e., the IR receiver must be very near that LED). 
So I haven't used it yet during the night.

--
Ted Heise      <theise@panix.com>       West Lafayette, IN, USA