# Trailer Troubles



## Glowart (Jul 10, 2006)

This is my 1st time to "chat" anywhere, please excuse my ignorance!  We are full-timers in a  2005 Doubletree Mobile Suite 5th wheel 36' TK3.  Its 22 mths old and we have had MANY serious problems with our rig.  We're disappointed, it isn't our 1st time to live in a 5th so we thought we would buy one of the "top of the line" since its our only home now.  What I'm wondering is that there might be others out there who have run into problems with their Mobile Suite, too!  We faxed a list of 13 problems we have dealt with since taking delivery, to Doubletree today.  Hope we hear REAL SOON since we have both our ACs down in the heat and humidity, one of them for the THIRD time.


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## C Nash (Jul 10, 2006)

Re: Trailer Troubles

Sorry to hear of your problems Glowart  .  A list would help to determin if you just have the normal problems we see with new units.  Have you checked voltage where you are hook up.  Low voltage is rough on ACs.


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## DL Rupper (Jul 11, 2006)

RE: Trailer Troubles

Hey Glowart, sorry to hear you are having trouble.  I concur with C Nash.  Check your voltage while the A/C's are running.  If the voltage is below 105V's you Will need a Voltage booster.  I use an Autoformer and it works great.  It keeps the voltage up around 120V's.  It plugs into the campground 30/50 amp plug and your RV plugs into the Autoformer.  Its basically a step-up transformer.  If the campground voltage drops too low it causes your A/C units to draw  more current which causes your A/C compressors to heat up and wear out prematurly.  What you need to get is a plug-in voltage monitor at your RV supply store and monitor your voltage at all times.  The Autoformer runs about $340 for 30 AMP and roughly $450 for 50 AMP.  Good luck.


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## hertig (Jul 11, 2006)

Re: Trailer Troubles

An alternative would be the SurgeGuard.  It is supposed to cut power when the voltage drops too low.  Not as conveniant as the autoformer, but smaller and cheaper, I think.  Also protects against miswired sites, over voltage and line surges.  Best might be both


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## Shadow (Jul 11, 2006)

Re: Trailer Troubles

Not relevant to the topic, but Chelse what happen to your stars? look like ole DL and hertig may have borrowed some.


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## C Nash (Jul 11, 2006)

Re: Trailer Troubles

Guess I lost them for spelling :laugh: .  Got different colors.  Tried to install the spellchecker but, think my spelling tore it up   :laugh:


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## Glowart (Jul 12, 2006)

RE: Trailer Troubles

Hey there, thank you so much for the response!  I like this, I think I might enjoy participating in these "chats".  Your advise matches other responses and we already have a $500 surge protector on order, hope it gets here soon!  We have done enough "roasting" on several occasions!  Yes, the park we are in, (Navy Rec Center, Solomons, Maryland) does have serious electrical and water problems and we now know just how bad they are.  We have friends who lost most of their major appliances here last year!  Wish we had obtained protection earlier than this but at least our appliances are still working.  There are no other RV parks in the area so we just have to live with this stuff.  We have had several serious plumbing problems which began when we had just had the trailer delivered.  Doubletree has covered all work that has been done on our rig which is now 22 months old.  The bad thing is that we have to pay a $80 trip fee to the repair service each time they come to service us.  We are now up to at least $400 in those, alone.  They don't pay those!  Being full-timers we can't just detach and run up the road 150 miles to the dealer where we bought the 5W and wait in line until they are able to repair us.  So Doubletree understands our situation and does give needed authorization to the only repair outfit in the whole area.  We paid too much to have so many troubles so soon and that disappoints us.  But we still LOVE the RV lifestyle and look forward to eventually hitting the road to the west where I was raised long ago!  Enough of the EAST COAST for me!  THANK YOU for the good advise and I'll be chattin with y'all

GW   Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD Duramax Diesel, CrewCab, Long Box, 37' 5W Doubletree Mobile Suite


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## DL Rupper (Jul 12, 2006)

Re: Trailer Troubles

A word to the wise.  The surge protector generally only protects you against high voltage surges.  On the other hand the Autoformer protects and keeps your voltage in the proper operating range.  Low voltage is death on appliances.  Most RV'ers never suspect they are having low voltage problems.  It causes the appliances to heat up due to higher current rates.  As I said before, the Autoformer keeps the RV parks voltage to your unit at the proper operating voltage.  It actually reduces the RV parks electrical bill or yours for that matter if you are on a meter.


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## Grandview Trailer Sa (Jul 12, 2006)

Re: Trailer Troubles

Hey guys, If you run your cursor over the stars, you will see the red now stands for a thousand and blue is five hundered.  New way of counting, I guess.


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## Shadow (Jul 12, 2006)

Re: Trailer Troubles

Thanks GTS, Liked Chelse explanation better. I about fell out of my chair. 
 :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:


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## Grandview Trailer Sa (Jul 12, 2006)

Re: Trailer Troubles

Lot to figure out on this new setup but I guess I am about to get a blue star myself.  Many nights I would like to have a spell checker here myself.


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## C Nash (Jul 12, 2006)

Re: Trailer Troubles

Hang in there glowart. Expect problems and you wont be dissapointed. Heck, I just finished installing a shut off valve on the hot water heater in my house and now the shut off valve on the sink in the bathroom is leaking.    :angry:   So, just like our stick built homes the rvs are going to give problems also.  Quality control could be better though.  Some of these problems are just shoddy work and it's not limited to entry level units


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## nfrihart (Jul 14, 2006)

Re: Trailer Troubles

We encountered problems with a new popup air conditioner last year in Colorado, the campground was not new and we arrived on a Thursday afternoon and it worked just fine then. Saturday morning we turned on the AC and it wouldn't come on, also our neighbors were having problems with theirs also. Being a retired electrician I got out my VOM and checked the voltage to the trailer, it was only 96 volts and dropped even lower when we tried to run the AC. I informed the people who ran the RV Park and was told that her husband had also checked it and she said it was OK. Needless to say we won't be staying at that Park anymore. This may not be your problem but it is somthing to check into as WalMart sell a VOM for under $25.00.


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## DL Rupper (Jul 14, 2006)

RE: Trailer Troubles

Hey everybody, the solution is to get an Autoformer.  It keeps the lousy RV Park voltage up in the proper operating range and allows you to run your A/C without damaging it.  If you don't hook-up an Autoformer your only course of action is to not run your A/C or other appliances i.e. TV, Refrigerator on ac, Microwave etc.  The Autoformer really works and is worth every penny of cost.  All it does is step-up the shore power by about 10/15 volts.  On the other hand a surge protector shuts off your ac voltage if it gets out of tolerence.  That doesn't do you much good if you need an. A/C in 100+ degree temps. :dead:


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