As a Florida native and experienced landscaper the second you said something about you generator having issues I knew exactly what it was.... long story short it is the humidity mixed with the heat. the same thing happens to chainsaws and any other gas and oil machine here. Best of luck.
At least twice in the video I spotted movement in the trees that was definitely a person while you were talking. The one thing I can tell you after growing up near forests is listen to your gut, and don't get cocky thinking you know it all. Your spot was not well hidden, and it'd take one vehicle to block your exit. I know you are tough in spirit and physically, but it takes one mistake. Be overcautious and use common sense. And don't speak too loudly in the woods as you might miss noise. One more thing! If it's too quiet, and you can't hear anything including birds, get out.
Where at? Ive watched it several times lookin for it. The dog was over in the bushes once, and a car passes by on the road just beyond the trees. So....
I just recently passed up going into Ocala national forest. A local resident informed me and I also did some researching regarding the fact that there are a lot of homeless people living in that national forest and there have been some missing persons report. Always do your research first.
My friend, it sounds like you should get some tools and access to and learn how to do some basics like a very minor tune-up on a generator etc etc.... This is why there is RU-vid
Get a 150-200$ mossburg 12 gauge pump. Have the plug removed, and load it as follows: 00 Buck, slug, 00 Buck, slug, ect... If the initial racking of the action doesn't deter them, you stop em with the 00 buck, and drop em with the slug! JS Stay safe!!!
The likely issue was the humidity with the generator. The fix is to buy new spark plug wires, when it's humid, and the plug wires are aged, they'll ground out to the engine block through the insulation. New wires will fix that pretty cheaply, you can swap them out 1 by 1 yourself and only have the cost of the plug wires.
Living in an RV has some wonderful advantages, but it is also a high-maintenance type of life. You are at the mercy of repair people who ca rip you off or do bad work. I personally would not mind it it you made $10,000 a month. 1. It is none of my business, and 2. You work long hours traveling, filming and them a lot more editing videos to show us not only your life, but what is outside our homes. We do not get out as our grandparents did (or we did when we were teenagers), I would prefer Carolyn make money then Netflix. She has earned everything she has (and then some). For those of you who complain about this...What are you putting out to your fellow man (except for unwanted criticism and sarcastic remarks that do nothing for the improvement of mankind?) It would do you well to take the time to think about what you are saying BEFORE you post it. Remember that old saying, 'If you can't say anything nice, ... There is a meaning behind the words. Carolyn puts out positive energy, wise advise, shares her feeling, etc. My Gosh, how many of your friends or neighbors will do that for you? I wish her nothing but health, happiness and a hell of a lot of fun. She is such a generous friend to us all.
In regards to your Generator...as it's ran by fuel ..Diesel or petrol in other cars/vehicles. The Diesel/Petrol tanks can get some " dirty fuel". My Rav4 got very sluggish one time...my Mechanic said it just happens somtimes. Maybe Matilda's tank needed a good clean out. An older vehicle..a handy hint to know. 😊 A way of cleaning it, is to get down to very empty before re-fueling .
I live in Australia and would love to see Florida. I live in an area were it gets humid. It gets quite warm to 35degrees (not sure of the conversion but somewhere between 75 and 100 is our average). You get used to it and accimatise. I hate being cold. I find the dry heat ok but it dries out my chest.
@@Toby3610 Coming from the UK and having had a bus-mans holiday in Arizona and Nevada i loved the dry heat, i felt as though i could breath and the vast expanse of land i love. Coming back to the UK at Heathrow i realised how damp and dense UK air is. Like trying to breath treacle. I found Florida very uncomfortable, constantly damp clothes.
One of the many things I learned the hard way, was to never let a repair shop know I'm traveling straight through. Always say I'm staying a couple of weeks.
i totally agree , except one time while a young guy in the military, my car was breaking down in Montana as i was traveling coast to coast on my way overseas. A Chevron station right off the interstate fixed my car and only charged me for gas. That was like 35 years ago tho.
I was a R.V. tech for a few years and I would "never" buy one. I purchased a second hand cube van and went through everything mechanical and repaired, replaced or rebuilt when it was required. I am now after 17 months of evenings and weekends starting to build the camper. Most R.V.s are held together with staples and glue with garbage craftsmanship and they are under powered .They are a poor investment from the time a person purchases there R.V. and leaves the lot, you are out thousands of dollars. I relize people require R.V.s but I wish the company's would bring up there standards.
My biggest problem with R.V.s is the "poor" workmanship and the poor quality of the materials used in manufacturing them. People invest huge amounts of money and R. V.s are manufactured to break. I have done PDI's on brand new R.V's that have taken days to repair due to poor workmanship and the most company's don't care about the back charges. They are made to fail and the cost of parts to repair them and if your not handy the $80.00-120.00/hr labour starts to add up. I would go with a class b but watch out for the rubber roof they are bound to fail. Many units are under powered which causes mechanical issues and my advise is get dual wheels as there top heavy. I always have thought if a contractor built a home like they build R.V.s he would only build one. Glue and Staples.
I guess we have been quite fortunate. We bought a '92 Ford Four Winds Class C with 50k miles on it for $12k three years ago. We've driven it from GA to Canada and back, also out to California and back, put on 10k miles and been to 28 states. The few issues we had were our own fault. Everything works great... The a/c, the fridge and freezer, the hot water heater, the propane, the generator, the microwave, stove, engine... Everything!! We have been VERY PLEASED with ours and we love it! It's very cozy and comfortable! My only complaint is I want one with a walk around bed. Trying to make this bed that is up against the wall on all sides except for one corner is a freakin NIGHTMARE!!! Oh, and I've had boats before. They are DEFINITELY a hole in the water into which you pour money! Our RV has been nothing like the boats we've had.
Its all good, life is not perfect. Learn from it and move on. Buying a new motor home I do not think is a smart choice even though I I bought a new one myself, but buying a 2-3 year old motor home is a smart choice. Anything older than 10 years is not worth the headaches and in the long run it will cost more. Keep your head up and keep going.
Its not just your RV. I have a 2007 with 30,000 miles on it and it seems like I am always putting money into it. I also work as a workcamper from time to time and I see half million dollar rigs come thru here that have issues. I had a person the other day say they bought a NEW WINNEBAGO VISTA, 2016 model, and on its maiden voyage its been nothing but problems. They were so mad they were ready to take it back to the factory and stop making payments on it. The RVs today are made cheap. They just dont hold up. SO I dont think it would matter what year it was or how much you spent, there will be problems.
+Larry Marco Thanks for the public service announcement (I'm not trying to be sarcastic here). I've heard much of the same of what you are saying and that is why I'm getting a school bus and fixing it up. School buses can get up to 500,000 miles and are built like tanks.
Since an RV is private property, not Real Estate, it's easier to walk away and leave the keys. Unlike a permanent home on land where as you walk away, the banks will take the property and sell it, which leaves the IRS to come after you for "Mortgage Relief" debt. If I had the money, I'd buy a used RV and live on my own.
So true. My parents used to own a campground, and in reality, situations like this are not unusual. And like other have said, we had half million dollar (and more)rigs come in with issues and looked pretty much like crap for the price. On our own family camper, when I was a teenager, dad took the motorhome in for a check before we left for vacation. We got to Watkins Glen..just a few hours from home, and going down the steep hill into town, a set of our dual wheels fell off. A wonderful garage in town towed us in, plugged the camper into his electric at the garage and let us stay right there, free, while he waited for a part. Seems as though the place back home who supposedly "checked it over"- didn't put something on correctly. We could have all been killed but dad really had it under control. I think the poor cop who saw it all happen probably had to go back home to change his pants!
Larry Marco It’s all part of our disposable society... Nothing is built to last any longer. It’s made to last just until you finally have it either paid off or close to it and then it wears out so you have to replace it because trying to get it repaired will cost you more than something new’s payments and you get to start all over again... Got to love it...lol...!
I was wondering what you meant so I looked it up. I found the event you are talking about Martha. I got shivers up my spine. I actually camped near that exact spot just over two years later. I was wondering why on earth the place was so empty. The funny thing is I went on the camp ground website and could of picked any one in the state. I choose that one! That’s spooky! I wouldn’t of been able to sleep if I had known then.
"A landlord evicted someone and dumped their belongings out here rather than paying a $20 dump fee" LOL I'd like to see the last date on those tax returns left behind, could it have been 2007-2008 maybe? Ever heard the word foreclosure? Thousands of families lost their HOMES and JOBS left with anything they could pack up in a truck and look for a place they could safely sleep. I didn't happen to me but if it did I'm sure my tax returns and what I thought to be important documents or even weird pictures my kids made for me would be packed up. Let us not assume all who camp out in the "FREE ZONES" are doing it by choice.
I don't know if this makes you feel any better. I bought my 2003 BT Cruiser this past January. I did not have it inspected *before* I bought it. But, I did have it inspected after. Since then I have done everything the Truck/RV shop said needed to be done. six brand new tires, U-joint, radiator serviced, serpentine belt, brake flush, front shocks, scraped and resealed the roof and side seams. Yet... it seems there is always something. Most recently the arm to my canopy somehow got dislodged! Luckily my ex-husband was able to fix it. I have put in over $7000 now. My hope is that it will be pretty much 'new' by the time I go full time.
Hate to say it BUT this is where some real life mechanical experience comes to the fore.......anyone on a budget needs to know how to do their own fault finding and maintenance because having "repairers' do work will break you and cant help you out in the middle of nowhere.......... it may have been as simple as a bit of dirt in the fuel line or a blocked filter that cleared itself over the rough roads??? People with little or no aptitude in mechanical repair die in the outback of Australia because they cant get themselves out of trouble when they break down and have no idea how to fix something or even Gerry rig it to get them out...... time for a crash course in vehicle maintenance and repair, save you money and maybe even your life!
@@jennifermoreland5933 This my third attempt at this and im fr frustrated my pc is doing some crazy tricks ,and i get to the point where i send and lose everything that being said Ill skip details and just give you my 2 cents in condensed form . An Rv especially those based on a particular van or truck style cab or van with the living quarters as an addon , they are usually based on o1 or 11/2 ton factory truck chassis with engine in the largest cubic inches made by either Ford (460 Ci 0 , if Chevy usually a(454 ci I) if dodge a (440ci ) find you a Chiltons repair manual for whatever engine size related to what ever van or truck model made by it's particular make and model , it will cover everything from trouble shooting a particular problem to the steps it takes to figure ouit the problem and the repair of that problem , If you have an RV made by sech ex. Winnebago , Pace , Allegro etc , in other words there is no hood on thev thing , It is still based on a particular truck frame and Engine find or know the engine size which will leadvyou to the model for that particular frame engine combination and buy the manual for that model they are basically all the same but theres more knowledge in that one single manual than you' ll likely ever need and problem by problem you get your hands dirty fixing ,the more vthings will become familiar to you and you'll become more handy at figuring out what causes what to do what or not do something , there's information on everything from tires and wheels ,brakes and running gears to trans . and everything engine related including doing complete overhauls but im just saying Id start there and videos are cool but you cant take a video underneath a truck frame or in the dirt like you can a book and you can keep coming back to the page in the book ,keep that book with you in your Rv all the time . As for generator engines they are all basically your average lawn mower engine some might have a fuel pump or twin cylinder or other more road proof type variations of a lawn mowers basic design but they are all the same . and a quick reference if an engine doesnt start go to the simp0lest of problems first , fuel delivery getting fuel from the tank to the engine or carb check that there is fuel flow past iuts filter simply pull the line off at the carb turn the fuel on at its shut off valve or in case of a big engine do the same except point the fuel line away from the enginev or spark mplugs and with in your sightb from insdide the cab spin the motor and if fuel shoots out the open end eliminate filter and pump as your proble ..Thers other little follow ups from there like stuck needle valve if carb equipped or stuck float sometimes a few pops with the plastic end of screw driver at the base of the carb will free up ,or a spray of carb cleaner combined with a few raps against the carb will help too, if that butterfly thing in the mouth of the carb is closed then your choke is stucksimply push down on the other side to open it or if it doesnt want to move dont bforce it just look on the side of the carb forv a black plastic cup loosen the 3 screws until you can twist that cup simply twist it until that butterfly thinjg opens about 1/3 open and tighten the screws back . Two riuules of thumb if the engine runs but is stalling or not taking throttle or missing thats a sifgn of fuel depravation or carb related vissues , if you smell a strong oder of gasoline when around the engine ,thats a sign of flooding the engine getting too much fuel ,. sometimes that is caused my driver error ,patting pumping the accelerator too much trying to start it , if you smell gas either give it a few minutes to drain from the carbs throat , or just put the accelerator to the floor holding down and spin the motor over until it begins to start and keep spinning until it wants tyo run on its own do this with the air cleaner on the carb just in case you get a back backfire thru the carb and a flash of fire , if that does happen at anytime dont freak out ,keep a towel or othe cloth big enough to put over the carb it will smother out any flame that isnt out of control ,just dont spray a fire extinguisher especially a dry type into that curb or your screwed . Theres more but thats the basics ,if your engine runs but is back firing and missing then that a sign oif ingnition problems , start by checking for crossed plug wires ,or spark emitting from the boots over the plugs or plug wires if old and bad touching each other jumping and killing each others spark to its designated plug . if ac dead cylinder its usually a fouled plug or bad plug wire in the best scenarios or aq burnt or stuck valve in thev worst scenarios ,Im not a mechanic per se Im just someone who's never had a vehicle in the shop since 1974 into some pretty easy to understand simple troubleshooting tips on various fuel related issues but Ive reached my point ofv aggravation with my machine but I'll get back to you on this with some hopeful helpful information
@@jennifermoreland5933 btw forgive the typos im a one finger type and never look at a screen until i'm finished , I didnt feel like editing , but i hope its legible enough to understand whatever i was intending to get across, just trying to help
I was worried about you being in that forest by yourself Carolyn..i know that area a bit and I never felt good about being out there without a group of people..maybe it is a higher power watching out for you..i love your honesty and determination. I plan to do what you're doing this winter so keep up the great information with these videos! Love and peace to you!
Jedidiah, unless I already know the wooded area is safe I'll take the Wal-Mart parking lot every time. You have security at the lot and can get help quickly if needed. In the woods she's not only exposed to wild animals, but to wild Fl assholes. That garbage dump is a bad sign too - evidence that people that don't care about others or the law use the spot.
Nicole Prosser I'm a Native Floridian and I wouldn't camp there if someone paid me to! Too many druggies in the area. The huge pile of garbage should've been a red flag for her. Better off, considering she's alone, to just pay for the night at a campground where there are other people around.
BBeen there, done that, as far as the generator is concerned. I faithfully started mine every two weeks, and let it run for 1/2 hours for almost five years. We never had to use it, but I changed the oil, fuel filter, and spark plug every spring, none-the-less. But I never knew, until I REALLY needed it, that you're supposed to run it with a "load." So, there we sat, no power, with the generator humming away as if it actually worked! Just bought a new "dual fuel", 7500W a couple of month's ago. I haven't run it with gasoline yet, just propane, but I let it run while powering two 1500W heaters every two weeks! This was all on me though, not some "professional repairman."
I’ve had a man block my car in once at a beach when I was alone on a snowy day. In my non 4x4 car I did drive onto the beach and get out. Be safe! God bless you!
Another solo FT RV woman, Pippi Peterson, recently did a YT video on how she maintained her generator, changed the oil and put in a new filter by herself, probably saved $100. It looked easy. She does a lot of work herself and likes teaching others. Including cool remodels inside. Check out how she re did her counter space and table, she's very creative and resourceful. I enjoy both your YT channels as FT RV female nomads. Hang in there!
N Smith : That is what I would do! Learn how to do it myself! $150 for some basic maintenance is too much! I have learned how to do lots of things by watching Utube videos! Funny that Carolyn isn't watching other people to figure out some things. Oh, thanks for the name! I am going to go over and watch her channel now! She sounds smart and independent!
N Smith, yes, Pippi has made a job out of DIY RV Repairs and maintenance. It IS a full time job and I already have two of those. I neither have the time nor the interest in doing it myself. I believe in paying professionals to do what they do best and saving my valuable time for either work or fun. I value my time too much to try to learn how to do everything myself.
N Smith umm I don't think she's doing it by herself . On time when she acted like she was by herself I saw a flash of an hairy arm doing the work or right their showing her how .
++slim in da hood sunshine++ As you say, ppl in the usa waste... Yes generally speaking the average american certainly is the biggest polluter and the biggest waster of resources in the universe. All to do with his biggest ego, biggest level of ignorance and biggest mouth no doubt
What gets my balls in a bunch is when I am in a pristine Aspen forest in the mountains and a nice fire pit. Only to find the surrounding area I want to pitch my tent is full of broken beer bottles or ruts of mud dug out by 4x4's. The scariest thing I encountered was someone deliberately buried face up a full canister of Coleman Propane in the center of a fire pit. I was clearing it out when I spotted the valve attachment end poking a little out of the dirt. Some sick folks..
How much gas did you have? Your generator usually runs off of your gas tank and once the gas is at 1/4 of a tank, your generator won't work because they want to make sure you have enough gas to drive to the next gas station.
Also check the oil level. There is a low oil shutoff. I bought a generator and they gave me a quart of oil. It would do the same, start and die. Read the manual and it said it takes 1.1 quarts. Added the .1 quart and it ran fine.
Carolyn. Please check your fuel level. Gen will not work under 1/4 tank as safety feature. Also you should check your oil level. Gens use a lot of oil. 15-40 is what I use but any oil will do in a pinch. Hope you get it running but I would go back to that RV repair place and threaten them with a law suit and RU-vid blacklist if they don't show you that every thing is running right. 37k Subs gives you some clout!
There Is a relay that senses voltage from the generator that then holds the run relay in once voltage stabilizes. 15 or 20 minutes then died? If you fuel gauge for the rv s main engine is down to a 1/4 of a tank you need to fill the fuel tank before you park for the night or a few days. My rv 1976 35 footer the generator died just like yours and I immediately thought oh great! I was at a campground when it died and the couple in the next spot came over when they heard me mumbling under my breath. He asked me to turn the key on and it was just under a 1/4 of a tank, walked back to his rv and came back and poured in 5 gallons of gas and the fourth time we tried to start it it stumbled grumbled and coughed then smoothed out and ran fine. That's how I learned like someone said before me all RV's the fuel pickup off the main tank stops about 2 to 3 inches above the bottom so you don't go to leave where your parked only to find out your outa gas. After that I always filled the tank that feeds the rv and the generator so the generator didn't run out of gas. Second item the relays that onan used on my 1978 generator I discovered were prone to burning out and at $35 a piece I found out one night when the third relay died from another rv owner who I found out was full timing it. He and I replaced the original Onan relay with a standard Ford starter relay. The Ford relay was still doing working fine when I sold the rv 12 years after replacing the relay. I also bought an surplus military Jerry can to carry gas in as it holds 5 gallons is made of real steel and has a detachable spout. The US military switched over to plastic gas cans years ago but you can still find them. First time fill with water and set on a dry space after capping it to check for leaks. I've got three of the metal US Army cans I still use today, they use a threaded about a 2 1/2 inch opening and generally don't come with the spout. That's a separate purchase but well worth it. Have a rack built by a welders shop so you can carry 2 or 3 cans. Just make sure the rubber gasket isn't dried out and tighten the cap and it will be fine. Of the three I still use one is date stamped 10/44 meaning it was manufactured in October 1944. It was in unissued condition when I bought it in 1980 and the owner of the surplus store I bought it at told me he had 2500 more identical to its condition out of a military warehouse the Army was closing. I paid one dollar for it and the other two cans. I kinda doubt you'll find such a deal today but they have been rock solid since I bought them. Best of luck.
gOOD ONE i FORGOT VTO MENTION MYSELF AFTER DOING A LONG DESCRIPTION OF OTHER FUEL DERLIVERY POSSIBILITIES AND I MENTIONED THAT SOME WILL TRY AND RUN AS LONG AS YOU HELD THE STARTER ENGAGED BUT LOSE VOLTAGE WHEN YOU RELEASE THE SWITCH, mY ONLY OTHER oNAN EXP. WAS on a much bigger unit i ran on my big rig back in the 90's .sorry about the typos too tired to correct
Very true about the min 1/4 tank fuel level. There's also an electric fuel pump that can fail creating a similar symptom. I had an Onan that would keep up for 10-15 minutes then the engine would run lean and stall. Eventually would just start/stall such as this one. A new pump fixed it.
@@ven1483 there is a free transfer station near 0220, where all of the trash and furniture could be dumped free of charge. I know this for a fact. Its just lazyness
Don't be so hard on yourself about the problems you are having with a used motorhome. If you do a little looking online about people who bought new ones you will find many nightmare stories there too. The amount that you have spent in maintenance is tiny compared to the enormous depreciation on new ones. Count your blessings. You have done well and are way ahead financially.
Summer in Florida is no joke. Too hot to be out there and good thing you left. With the torrential downpours multiple times a day, your camper could have gotten seriously stuck in the sand.
never know, tell us Carolyn, did the generator decide to behave after you got the heck out of there? you never know about these things, even if she didnt decide to stay kicked in, there could very well be a darn good reason.......
I am on my second motor home, before that we always towed our trailer, I think we numbered 4 or 5 before we moved up. Every one of them required some maintenance, but the motor homes require constant maintenance, a fellow told me that his bother worked building these things, he explained that at the factory they figure they did about 90 percent of making it right, that last 10 percent is up to the owner. Generators are the nasty little gremlin in motor homes. What they need is to be run for about 10 to 15 minutes about twice a month to keep fresh fuel in the system so they will start and run when you need them. Also insure that you have no heavy duty electrical things turned on when you start them as they need to get up to speed before you can ask them for full power to run air-conditioners and such. Both my rigs have had fairly big generators, and both were capable of running the two overhead generators in my class A rigs. We use ours extensively when traveling, every night we run the thing for about 2 hours before bedtime beginning at supper then a movie after eating and before bed time. Ya campers are money pits, but when you live in them, you have to think of it this way. Not only are you maintaining your vehicle, but you are also maintaining your house. When you think of it that way, it really is not all that bad. We spend our winters in our motor home, then drive her 1500 miles back to South Dakota for the warm months. Were it not for my family being up there, I would not return that far north but you gotta see the family as well, all part of of life. Enjoy the good life, i know I sure do.
Carolyn make sure you keep at least a 1/2 tank of gas in Mitilda or it ( generator)won't start . Sounds like the same thing that happened with mine until I learned that lol . Safe travels youngster !
Billy Badbutt mine did the exact same thing , as long as you held the switch it stayed running somewhat . Yes it could be the oil pressure too or loose wire . But Carolyn said she just got the generator looked at by a shop which means it might be getting low on fuel , as Lu's Travellars suggested. I've always kept my RV with at least 1/2 a tank if I was going to use my Generator . It will be interesting to see what the problem was as I hope it's as simple as low gas and not something major, Carolyn is such a giving and beautiful person. Hang in there hon ! ( and Capone :) !
One of the things I've always liked about your vids is that you demonstrate the fact that a healthy portion of learning about RV/camping is experiential. One cannot possibly anticipate everything and sometimes experiential learning steps in. Gah! It kind of reminds me of learning about car mechanics via problems I've had with older vehicles. I probably wouldn't have learned anything about radiators or engine blocks [or whatever] had I not been faced with needed repairs. As to buying new or used RVs, I don't think there is a panacea. Further, figuring out that line of diminishing returns with a used vehicle of any kind is always something to be wrestled with...the question is complex and the answer could vary based on the circumstances. I laugh to myself thinking "nothing is ever easy, is it?" Ah well. As you always do, carry on Carolyn, carry on (and continue to be well)!
AAAARRRRGH! I HATE when that happens! Oh, Carolyn, I'm so sorry that you're having this trouble! I'm far from an expert, but from what I read, saw on RU-vid, the Onan 4000 Microquiet generators seem to have problems with their carburetors, as in they gum up easily. Since yours wouldn't start until you bounced it along on the road out, I wonder if maybe the float got jiggled loose or something. Either that, or there was an intermittent electrical condition that reestablished itself. I do know that "time wounds all heels". Things age over time, and things begin to go wrong just from age alone. That's a sad fact in this universe ruled by entropy. And BOY! do I NOT blame you for being so frustrated and angry! I would've been yelling my head off, swearing and cursing and doing the "hopping mad" dance. You showed incredible self-control while explaining the situation! (POOR Mr. Capone! Bet he was completely Miserable too!) We love you, and want to see the best for you, a'wanderin' around the country out there. I hope that things work out for the best for you! As always, stay safe, travel well, and stay Friendly (in spite of stupid generators!) --Dave (Hug)
If you plan to be out there for years just guessing, and it seems to make you very happy I think a newer rig is in order. Just to keep money pouring into an old one I don't think it's a great idea why don't you do it while you can enjoy it. Enjoy the rest of your trip and stay near the ocean, maybe you guys would like to play in the surf
daveogarf yes I Third that suggestion.. ..time for a newer smaller rig....something van like...easier to park.. .better on gas...less problems...matilda is old...too big for your needs.. and outdated on its last legs...and hard to park..you said it many times...girl time for a change....
I agree with Billy I have worked on lots of generators it is most likely a safety shut down not letting it run when you hold the switch it overrides safety's it could be low coolant level, low oil level, over temp, low oil pressure all these things will cause safety shut down. Safety's keep generator from destroying it's self. New gens will give you a fault code so you know what is wrong.
I have to agree as I lived in Astor for 15 years after moving there from Ocala to enjoy the sleepy little river town. If I had a little heads up she could of parked her to home on our 10 acres where she would of been safe and comfortable. We had more problems on holiday weekends when Orlando, and other out of towners would party too much. I loved our home in Astor but my husband bought us a new home with less land, only three years old as an anniversary gift for me.
Chose not to stay in either of the dispersed camping areas earlier this year after being told to expect a crowd and that a gun was needed to provide personal security!
😩I'm sorry the generator didn't work but I really didn't like that camping location for some strange reason so I'm kinda glad you left that spot. I hope the generator gets fixed and everything works out.
Welcome to Ocala! I have spent a ton of money on my home and it has not been a happy experience. I really try to go with small companies to help out the little people but I have had more "bad" work done by pretty much all of them. They say they have repaired and then I find out they didn't or they did a half "A" job. Then I have had to hirer a person to come in behind them to fix and still not done right. I'll be so happy to get out of this place.......Stay cool and ((hugs))
I’m in Land O Lakes and the exact same thing is happening to me. I’m going to try to see if they’ll be honest when I ask them if they’ve ever done this before I have to get better at reading these people. I guess I’ve paid for a lot of work and it’s not done.
lmao I live in the forest and drive a 4x4 but when going deep in the woods the humidity and heat with no wind tends to make to truck run hotter and the moisture makes the alternator fail or give low power readings.
Sorry to hear of your troubles, understand your frustration.That said, your a smart and capable gal, you should really study up on mechanics, so you can assess and do some of this work yourself. Changing the air filter and oil in your generator is definitely something you should be able to do, and getting your hands dirty will help you understand how some of these systems work, so you can get ahead of some of these problems. $159 is excessive for an oil and air filter change, the oil and parts would probably run you just $30 if you did it yourself. If you want to be independent, you cannot be so dependent on others. You are not likely to get anywhere with the shop, unless they have a good heart. You asked them to do basic maintenance, which they did. Just listening to the generator, its definitely a fuel problem, either you didn't have much in your tank and the angle at which you were parked didn't allow enough fuel to flow to the generator (which is why when you were parked later it did work), or its likely a problem with the carburetor (a stuck bowl or needle or clogged fuel filter.) There is no way the shop could know the carburetor had problems, when they were just doing basic maintenance. You didn't ask them to do an overhaul. Lastly, as a retired law enforcement officer, (I don't mean to sound paternal or sexist, but facts are facts) and my experience makes me worry about some of the remote, areas you choose to camp in alone. Most people are good, but there are some truly evil men--and women--in this world. And such men will see a woman alone, in the middle of nowhere, with no witnesses, as a very easy target. Being aware of your surroundings is great, but it doesn't necessarily mean your safe. Obviously, you make your own decisions, but I would hate to see you get hurt.
I live in Ocala and the Forrest is a strange place, should be safe, but sometimes isn’t. Come back in the winter and stay somewhere close to highway 40, out near Astor. Juniper springs/Salt Springs are great safe areas, just make sure someone normal is near. God bless.
A lot of generators will not run if the oil is low in the generator. It is to protect your generator from burning up. Have fixed several friends by just adding oil. It's worth a try and cheap and quick.
Carolyn, It was fate! For some odd reason, you weren't supposed to be there! Glad you're safe! We all have a guardian angel ! Please if finacis is feasible, please get yourself a different R.V.! I'll be praying! ~ Esther from N.Y.
It sounded like gas, if your tank was below 1/4 the generator can't get any fuel. I can't see you running it that low so the pick-up might be higher in your tank. If it happens again mark where the gauge is.
I post again as this is different than the video subject. Did you know that their is a National Forest Parks Program and States Forest programs where you can do volunteer work at a Forest Park and get free camping for up to 6 months with water and sometimes electric? Once you are into their system, some will even email you to recruit you to their park, if you are reliable and go through many of their certifications. If they agree and you agree to do it, they have lessons on how to do things, work the gate entrance, cut weeds, trim trees, cut down trees or assist in cutting down trees, clearing brush and fire lanes, picking up trash, giving tours, doing basic park and camp side maintenance, get First Aid Certification and Advanced First Aid Certification. The more things they train you in, the more of the different parks will try to recruit you. Sometimes parks in the north or central north, will shut down for months and they want someone to park sit and do basic clean up and file condition reports. Like if a tree falls and blocks a road or path or a roof start leaking. We had a couple of the volunteers tell us it is a great way to stay at parks for free, that cost to stay at. Not all Forest Parks have it, as some are privately run for the Park Service, but most do use that type of program.
Welcome to the real world of any rv . You are living in a vehicle relying on a lot of mechanical things. I do it but am a retired person with the skills to repair all of these systems. I spent an entire life time learning how to . Good luck but it is what it is.
I live in Jacksonville Florida not far from that camp site and the humidity here in North East Florida is ridiculous. Whoever wants to move to Florida prepare to stink after stepping outside for just five minutes. You will start sweating as soon as you step outside. The only reason why I'm still in Florida is because of my parents but when they pass I'm getting the hell out of this shit hole state. Good luck with your trailer.
arkansas isnt much better its humid hot ,i moved here to take care of my parents mom passed dads got himself a new lady i can move on now too but dont know where to go!
One thing us permanent RV denizens must eventually realize is these trailers or motor homes are NOT BUILT TO BE LIVED IN! They are for holidays, three weeks max maybe twice a year. They aren't even built up to old style mobile home quality. Kitchen drawers built for 500 slides on 5000 now. kitchen faucets built to be light weight can't take the pressure. I live in a 1989 Class C Tioga on a Ford Econoline chassis (like old UPS trucks), that I paid $4500 for with 150,000 miles on it. So it's 31 years old and I've lived in it full time for 7 years. I don't let anybody else touch any of the appliances or fixtures, many of them would crumble to dust without my gentle touch and whispered prayer!
I overhauled my van and replaced $5000 in moving parts, (parts cost, did it all myself). Literally every moving part, spring, roller, bushing, pulley, etc etc etc etc from ground up. I've broken down twice due to the TWO things I did not replace!!!! LOL (fuel pump, rear drum brakes lost a spring). Good luck! It is always fixable though, no worries there's always a way.
Two things for you: 1) Beware of rustic camping in Ocala NF. Lots of tweakers living in those woods who wouldn't think twice about doing you harm. 2) www.freecampsites.net Happy Trails
Yeah, John, that's what I was thinking as well. With all the drug users and homeless people in this country, I'd stay the hell out of the forests of Florida.
Carolyn, I hate to say this, but maybe it's time to say goodbye to Matilda. With all the money you are putting into it for repairs could buy you something a little bit newer. There's so much stress in this world that sometimes it's just not worth it anymore.
I have heard that motor homes are built to fall apart after five years. That is not true, a new motor home can fall apart after one day, there are no guarantees that it will last five years.
Shady Pine I have a 98 Terry 5th wheel it's 'fiberglass and it's still very solid aluminum rigs fall apart .we received 100 inches of rain last year with no problems
My Dad and I lived as Carnies so we had to live in our RV 24/7. My Dad would never buy an RV but instead always said that a travel trailer was better because you had more room to live in and you did not end up pulling a car behind you.
You can buy small lots and camping lots in that area very cheep. We picked up 5 acres for $12,500, but I seen 1/4 acre lots in that area for $2,000 to $3,500 each. Of course if you like moving around you may not want to buy land. We are buying 5 to 7 locations around the USA and maybe in Mexico and Canada. We also have a 1979 Venture 25 trailer-able sailboat. We like to pull it around and use it like a camper. If we can not find a place to camp, we find a local public boat ramp and park for free, put in and camp on the water. It has an 18 inch draft and puts in just like a bass boat. About that dumped stuff, you can call a forest number and report that junk and they will come out and clean it up. It would be the Ocala National Forest number, not the local county trash pickup. About the generator, I only run Marine Grade Gas in my generator. It has no Ethanol. Ethanol is not good for generators. You should get where you can watch videos on RU-vid to do some of your maintenance yourself. That oil change and air filter change for you to do it, is about $9 to $14. You appear to be a very smart and able person. I have 6 sisters and would say you could hang with them easy. They know how to do most things guys know, so I am pretty sure you are able to learn to do most things you would need to do for.
It was a fuel draw problem. Possibly dirt in fuel line and was pushed out while running and now its ok..Mechanic had NOTHING to do with it at all....Good luck
Thanks for describing the realities of boon docking. The problems you describe is something campers have to do every day: Find a spot to set up camp IF everything goes well getting there. Campground memberships sound like the answer enticing campers with "camp at one of our affiliated campgrounds' Most of these ACG's don't want you there if you're not a member of their CG. ACG's in popular places are usually full and will not let you in. The nearby CG left at 10PM is a dive. ( Just try and get rid of your LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP.) The fact of life is that in Winter a migration of campers start heading South ( Few RV's are equipped to handle any freezing weather or the prolonged use of the built in propane heater) This does not include homeowners that want to leave zero degree weather in Pa. and head to AZ or TX. They MUST get to warmer weather or the plumbing will freeze and split. On the warmer side; full time Campers get tired of chasing spots and campgrounds EVERYDAY so they end up finding a compromise and staying there! Campers soon realize they are a slave to the Camper and the CG. I have met many that sold their house and blew their life savings on an RV only to find they need to spend more to keep it running. ( tires repairs,etc) Ina few years 'on the road' they soon find their 'trade in' value is a fraction of what they paid for it! That is reality!!!
I won’t pretend to know what was wrong with your generator, but something I do is run premium grade fuel, preferably from one of the big oil companies. I use Shell V power, and have zero issues.
I bought a new Winnebago Class A motor home in 2004. Had really good luck with it for the first 13 years. Then the gremlins starting showing up. Micro wave quit, 1 AC died, Back up camera died all on one trip. This year pulled it out of the shop and had a huge puddle of antifreeze on the floor and found the lower hose clamp broke in half, the right out side dual flat, filled it up and there was a huge bubble in the tire and the generator wouldn't work. I finally got the generator started but it ran rough for 2 hours, couple days later decided to tear the carburetor apart and to my surprise it started and ran fine. Old gas I guess, new gas cleaned it up. Guess I will keep fixing things as I can't afford to buy a new one now! There is only one thing that breaks down more than an RV and that is a boat!
This state is no place to be without A/C. I'm building a small Vardo style camper trailer and had considered using Ocala National Forest as a place to try it out. Your video reminded me what it's like away from an A/C here. I'll wait until December.
sucks to hear you bought a lemon... my solution to that exact problem when I was younger was to learn AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY COULD about anything mechanical and anything with an engine or anything with wheels... and it turned out that I really enjoyed it and ended up making a career out of it.... and I no longer get ripped off
you could be making payment on a new RV with what you spend fixing your old one. That's my rule for knowing when to move up to something new. Its going to cost the same, with far less problems.
a few thousand in repairs does not equate to $50,000+ for a new rv. people tend to give up on things too fast. but that benefits me because I always buy used stuff that "needs work" I properly repair them and get to have years of reliable service from things people thought weren't worth putting money into. so I have owned and enjoyed using a few differant motorcycles, off road vehicles,a camper van, a couple different trucks and a boat all for less than it would have cost me to buy one new truck or one new boat and thats including what I paid for them and what it cost to get them up to par and reliable. only once did I run into a vehicle that once I got it I decided it would cost more to fix than was worth doing. People need to learn to repair there own stuff and understand how things work rather than run out and buy something on payments because they think somehow thats going to cost less than to just fix something.Making payments is no good unless you just absolutely have to do it.
If your gas tank is below I think it is a quarter of a tank, your generator will not run. This is a safety feature so that you don't run your gas tank dry and end up stranded. If you we're at or below a quarter of a tank and got gas on your way to your friend's house, then that would explain why it started working again.
Bass Tournament cheaters to homeless camps in Anaheim then Walmart watch dogs and now to Carolyn's RV life. Luv it. Never a dull moment on random RU-vid.
Carolyn, why not go solar? Generators create horrible noise and distract from the song of the forest. They run on dirty fuel and as you experienced repairs are a crap shoot. I say with only Love and best wishes for your journey
Just reading a few comments here and there's some stuff to learn. :) But my 2cents- often we're served what seemed to be a difficult hand only to find that we were saved from much larger problems... I had an 88 Xplorer that moved me from CA to Austin- no gen. few windows and just a few nights with my dogs in August in Austin motivated me to find a place to live- as it turned out, I got a place to park- with hook ups, then bought a box fan and survived. Soon I moved into the back half of my patron's house, got a job, sold the Xplorer for exactly what I paid for her (after 16xxx more miles) and got my life going here. Now I'm ready to build out a skoolie- why? Because it's not filled with all the crap that comes with those vehicles- I can do it my way- and completely know the vehicle. *And when I sell her? I'll do much better than just braking even. See you out there! Best, *A.
My generator will not run once the fuel tank goes below a certain level. It is a feature so that a person doesn't run out of gas while running the generator all night. If that happens you may really be "stuck". Since you vehicle didn't look leveled. This may have been the problem even though you "technically" had enough gas to run the generator. Good travels!
Hey, Carolyn...you are keeping an eye on Capone, and he is keeping an eye on you..you can't read his mind, but he is probably thinking "she is so daring and fearless, I have to keep her safe...this is not an easy job...no time for a nap."
Carolyn --- I think it is time to respectfully put Matilda out to "pasture" . she is showing aging pains , and future problems may cause you too much grief . Look around for a new home that's not more than 5. to. 10 years old . There's a lot out there , so. do your research and keep enjoying the open road .
How much gas did you have when you were parked in the park? A lot of people don't know that the generator sucks from - usually - about the 25% level in the gas tank. This is to stop you being able to run the gas tank down to where you can't drive to a gas station. If the gas gauge is reading somewhere around a 1/4 tank, the generator will be getting fuel starvation - it'll likely start, but won't stay running.
Not enough gas in your tank. (Safety shut off so you still have gas to drive) Take this with a grain of salt but if your going to be in such remote areas and do all the research on areas and what not it would be wise to start researching how the mechanics of engines and vehicles work. This will give you a better understanding of what makes them function properly and when they dont work right its much easier to diagnose the issue and correct it. 9 times out of 10 problems are easy to fix. Hope you stay safe on your journeys and have minimal if no problems at all. Best of luck.
Have your fuel filter changed, it sounds like it is not getting enough gas and stalls out. You may have shaken things up on the back roads. Good luck!! Watch the video below...
it is definitely a fuel problem, it starts to run then just dies out. if it was electrical the starter would not be working to start the thing to begin with dude. it is probably low fuel or petcock turned off and she is gonna realize that and feel like a dummie.
you just proved you dont know what you are talking about. She let go of the start switch when the motor started to run but then it stalled shortly after. you would not just continue to press the start button after you hear the motor start to fire. the motor started to run then shit out within a second or two that is without a doubt a problem of not getting fuel flow. I have been working on cars and generators and lawn equipment for my entire life I am not some idiot that is talking out my ass. her problem was a fuel issue and I can guarantee there is indeed a fuel shut off for the generator somewhere, it would be nuts to not have the ability to cut the fuel to the generator for repairs or long term storage without use.in this case it sounds like it did start working on its own later on so that lends even more to the believe there was a fuel flow issue, if it was electrical it would not have fired at all but it clearly did. You are the one who is making yourself look like a fucking fool.It is a fuel flow issue without any doubt anyone who knows anything would spot that in a second flat.
the ignition switch would have nothing to do with anything once the engine fires,the ignition switch only runs the starter motor, it had clearly fired up and she let go of the stater switch but it didnt continue to run because it wasn't getting fuel for some reason.has nothing to do with the fucking starter button you fucking moron.
the switch has nothing to do with spark.that starter switch only initiates the starter motor which cranks the engine it has nothing to do at all with the rest of the process. all it does it turn the motor and give it push start until it fires and runs itself, after that the starter and starter switch have ZERO to do with the running of the engine. how are you guys so clueless yet you want to argue with me.if it was an electrical problem, as in there was no spark at the plug it would not have turned over at all it would just have cranked. but it did turn over, which means there WAS spark at the spark plug and there was combustion, the combustion did not continue...so why would that be? because there was not enough fuel to keep the internal combustion going. Come on guys this is elementary mechanics here.I have decades of experience troubleshooting mechanical problems, there is nothing here to indicate an electrical problem at all and all the evidence points to a lack of fuel to continue the combustion that DID start. if there was no spark it could not have turned over at all, all you would hear would be the starter cranking, it would not have fired at all.
billy .... lets break this down. what does the starter button do? answer: supplies power to the starter motor..... what else does the starter button do? answer:nothing. it only supplies power to the starter motor.... what does the starter motor do? answer: starter motor cranks the engine,it physically moves the engine a few revolutions until it fires and runs .... what do you do when you hear the engine fire up? answer: let go of the fucking button. at this point the movement of the engine is generating a spark at the spark plug which is igniting the fuel which propels the piston(s) and keeps the cycle going. the starter button is not what provides spark for the engine to fire. the mechanical motion of the engine is what creates the spark. an engine can not fire AT ALL if there is no spark. so if the starter was cranking the engine and there was no spark it would not turn over. it DID turn over it just didn't continue to run. so the problem is not that it isn't generating spark for internal combustion it is that is does not have enough fuel to continue the internal combustion. which is why it died right away. if you have 20 years of experience working on onan generations and dont understand these fundamental basics you are a total fucking moron.I have over 30 years of working on engines large and small and I have a very good understanding of how they work and im telling you this is a fuel supply issue. either there ,a clog/restriction in the fuel filter, closed petcock, not enough fuel ect, something was preventing fuel from reaching the combustion chamber. period end of story, not even a doubt in my mind.
I just now found this channel. Carolyn is really cute/pretty and easy to listen to, and I really like her personality; even when she's upset. And this show/series gives good insights into RV life; which I still want to be into, even despite all the problems I see happening. I plan to buy an RV after the season is over, for a better deal. From what I read, manufactures can barely meet the demands this year.
I appreciate your adventurous spirit! In my experience after a few years of full timing, I’ve learned to adjust my expectations on the quality of rigs out there. I’ve also learn how to fix just about everything on my 5th wheel, out of necessity . If you’re going to be boondocking by yourself and don’t have years of mechanical experience, then use the skills you do have, such as logistical planning, organization, networking with campers in the area, learning about mobile mechanics in the areas you’re going to be visiting, etc. In this video it looks like you’re 2 issues away for suffering a horrible death. Always have a plan B and a Emergency plan, be safe out there and have fun.
Carolyn, Thank you for doing these videos. I'm learning alot from you & your experiences. Also love the Great tips. Just an oberservation, seems to be a common thread , from a slightly uncommon viewpoint. Like when you were having repair issues REPEATEDLY! Perhaps it should be viewed as an opportunity to step back & let our Lord guide you. Remember he has a grand plan for each of us ! Perhaps he wanted you at specific places AT SPECIFIC times,,,? Anyway that's just IMHO 💖
The new ones are garbage lemons as well...the only difference is you spend days and even weeks getting repairs done on warranty. Not only that but you are living in it full time, RV's were never intended to be year round lived in vehicles.
Hi Carolyn,I worked as a small engine repairman a long long time and over the years i've seen so called repairmen never really clean the carb, they slap on an airfilter, sparkplug and change the oil and call it a tuneup with a high price , make sure you get a real carb clean , never store the gen with out draining the carb bowl, in fact a little wd40 in the bowl would be great
"Waltzing Matilda" is a money pit. Time for you to move on to a new smaller model. Matilda is running on empty, she has served you and now she is falling apart.
absolutely correct. too many people just give up on a vehicle because they never take care of it until something breaks then when it breaks they are shocked that more things go wrong in short time , this just how it goes, you have to understand how things relate to each other and do preventative maintenance, sometimes repairs do often come in waves it doesn't mean the machine is "falling apart" it just means it has been neglected or its just time to replace some of the parts that tend to wear out around the same mileage. like for instance if my water pump goes out, you can bet your butt ill go to the store , buy a new water pump but also buy new radiator hoses if they are lookin old and crispy and check the radiator for good flow as well. a clogged radiator can cause a water pump to fail or a failing water pump can allow a radiator to clog up. if you dont know this you might replace the pump them end up blowing a hose a few weeks later then find that your radiator is bad a month after that. you have to understand how things work and the different "systems" in your vehicle so that when its time to maintain a system you can do it properly and anticipate what might arise or what might need attention.
I looked up the cost of a new rv that is the same size as hers and it cost $75,000 on up.So,if you're going to buy one of those,you minaswell buy a small house.Also,new rv's are nice,but they're probably more likely to get broken into.
Clorox Bleach: Where can you find a small house that is more than a tear down for $75K? A mobile home park? Or ten miles from your nearest neighbor? Most rural areas anywhere near me are way more than that.
Onan's are garbage. Dealing with a dealer is like volunteering to be robbed. You can buy a new generator for less than they charge for parts and service.
Age does not necessarily mean anything. I bought a 2019 Class C in 2020 and it has been a constant money pit. The refrigerator went down, the furnace had to have work and I had to spend $1100 on my generator. Isn't life fun? P.S. Even though the RV service center said it was dead and the cooler would have to be replaced it started working again after three months of messing with the incompetent service center and receiving a damaged cooler in the mess. You keep going girl, you are awesome.
I learned years ago to never say "what next"-because there can always be something else. Sorry for your troubles, but at least you are still mobile and could leave-hope you found the answer you seek.
And here's my two cents. Modern gas goes bad when left sitting for a year or two .Turns to shellac like , and stinks deal bad . I think it coats the inside of a gas tank with a film which flakes off when new gas is added . The generator has a smaller fuel line which would clog up with all the bouncing around on those rough roads . We'll see , huh?
I wouldn't have ever stopped there in that spot! Sometimes it's annoying but, it's best to camp near where other people are camping. Specially if you think you may have problems with your rig. As far as that generator it acts like there's no fuel going to it.
