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Old 03-12-2005, 03:34 PM   #1
Montana_2821
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M.O.C. #2821
First Trip

Sorry about our absence from the board. It's been some busy times for us with our first weekend trip, company and it's a very busy semester for me teaching my 7 math courses at the local Community College.

But several weekends ago we took our first weekend in our Montana. To Juniper Springs in the Ocala National Forest. A very cold weekend.

We arrived after dark on Friday night and found our site while a pull though had a large Oak tree that it was very difficult to pull around. We ended up getting situated so that we could run out the three slides and left the rig hooked up to the truck. It stayed that way for the weekend.

Things went pretty well as we learned how to use most of the systems. We didn't get the heat going until Sat morning so it was pretty cold that first night. We did what I had read so much about and that is run down our battery. There were no hookups but I did have an auxilary battery and we made out fine.

We were also near the toilet facilities and used them most of the weekend instead of our built in facilities. As it turned out that was a good thing because when I went to hookup to use the dump facility as I started to take off the cap fluid started coming out. So I closed it and the rig ended up at the dealer. The valve does not close completly. They were not able to change out the valve because of where it is located, but put an additional valve right near the outlet so that is now fine and it was covered.

One thing that we did was to buy a Honda 2000i on e-bay so that now we will have power when needed.

I don't mean to make things sound negative because it was as we expected things to be, a learning experience. Besides, two of our kids and 6/8 of our grandchildren were with us. Our daughters have poptops and camp all the time so it was all in all a great weekend.

After this week I am on spring break so we will be leaving Friday for Franklin NC where we spend the summer to try out the place where we think we will be staying this summer so the learning will continue. This place has full hookups so the battery will not be a problem.

Sorry we took so long to report back.

 
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Old 03-12-2005, 08:27 PM   #2
stiles watson
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Great report. It didn't sound negative to me. I thought you were just beng factual about your adventure. We, too, use available camp ground facilities during the day even when we are completely hooked up. We even use their showers if they are nice. It keeps the moisture down in the unit.
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Old 03-12-2005, 10:29 PM   #3
BillyRay
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no major problems! not bad for the first one!
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Old 03-13-2005, 12:59 AM   #4
Joyce H
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Bill & Jeanne, Thanks for sharing your first trip experience with us. Sounds like it was a great adventure and was so nice you could share it with some of your family. Soon you will be an old pro at all those things on your new unit. Have a safe trip to Franklin. We'll be looking forward to hearing about your summer plans.
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Old 03-13-2005, 01:12 AM   #5
Montana_2821
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Thanks, our summer plans are already pretty well set. If we like the campground in Franklin we will stay there for the summer. We will leave at one time for a weeks stay in Virginia for the annual family camping trip. But we will be much more comfortable this summer!

I did find out one other thing as we talked to some other people in the campground the next day. Several said, oh you are the people in the Montana! Several also commented about the big Oak tree we had to maneuver around. But they were arware of the Montana!

I was amazed at the number of people at Juniper Springs who had been there several months with no hookups. Some of them didn't even have generators.




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Old 03-13-2005, 02:08 AM   #6
Montana_70
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Bill and Jeanne,

Thanks for the trip report.

As far as fluid coming out of the sewer hose connection. This is a common problem with many RV's. The first time it happened to me, well lets just say I was not a happy camper. I have since solved the problem by investing in a Waste Gate Valve. It's an easy install, $10 part.

Since I have put it on I have never been "dumped" on again.
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Old 03-13-2005, 03:40 AM   #7
Bill and Ann
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One good reason for the rubber gloves I keep handy to use when dumping. R&R you are one up on me. I can't imagine having all those grandkids at one time. It wouldn't want to be raining as Granny likes to play games with the kids.
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Old 03-13-2005, 05:45 AM   #8
Montana_2821
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I believe the dump gate valve is what they installed. It's a valve right where I have to attach to dump.

I may have mislead on the grandchildren. Our two oldest did stay in the Montana with us, however the other four were there with their partents. It was a family weekend but not all in our Montana. In fact our two daughters and their families are experienced campers and having their help there that weekend while we learned about our Montana was actually very helpful.

We frequently have a large number or family members around. When we go to North Carolina for the two months this summer we will have all eight and probably the two daughters there full time. The one daughter will bring their poptop which will sleep 6-8 so we think that works pretty well. Then we will meet at a campground again in July.

The family being here while we are traveling is what is going to be tough if we do hit the road for a year or so.


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Old 03-13-2005, 08:27 AM   #9
Montana_2821
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I believe the dump gate valve is what they installed. It's a valve right where I have to attach to dump.

I may have mislead on the grandchildren. Our two oldest did stay in the Montana with us, however the other four were there with their partents. It was a family weekend but not all in our Montana. In fact our two daughters and their families are experienced campers and having their help there that weekend while we learned about our Montana was actually very helpful.

We frequetly have a large number or family members around. When we go to North Carolina for the two months this summer we will have all eight and probably the two daughters there full time. The one daughter will bring their poptop which will sleep 6-8 so we think that works pretty well. Then we will meet at a campground again in July.

The family being here while we are traveling is what is going to be tough if we do hit the road for a year or so.

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Old 03-13-2005, 03:03 PM   #10
faeb and genb
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We have had our Montana for over 2 years now & I just found out from Ontmont that if you turn the little rocker switch in the top ledge of refrigerator off when not hooked up to shore3 power that your battery will last longer.
Gene
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Old 03-14-2005, 02:03 AM   #11
Montana_2821
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Thanks, I'll check into that switch also.
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Old 03-18-2005, 03:59 AM   #12
Sunshine
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Thanks for sharing your first adventure with the Montana. Sounds like everything worked out okay, despite the valve problem.
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Old 04-01-2005, 04:42 PM   #13
Montana_2821
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Yes the trip went fine considering our inexperience and that it was a learning trip. In fact we have now taken a second trip that I will report under a different topic. We may have a major life change due to that trip.
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Old 04-08-2005, 01:16 PM   #14
sreigle
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Bill, how much fluid was coming out of the valve? We used to get a cup or so on ours but it was because the pipe from the galley tank had a low spot that didn't fully drain. Drive down the road and that water worked its way to the dump cap. One of our members just put a dump cap with the hose connection on there. He leaves the cap for the hose connection loose and lets the water drain on the road.

I added the extra drain valve like you have but for a different reason. Since you do some boondocking, you'll find it handy. You can close that new valve and open both grey valves and the two tanks will share. Since we rarely fill the galley tank but do fill the bath tank, this gives us more capacity for showers than we had before.

If you winter in subfreezing weather in your Montana, be sure to leave that new valve open. It's exposed to the weather and it will freeze in whatever position. You sure don't want to have a full black tank and not be able to dump!

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