Electrical Problem during Oregon Coast summer trip

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The problem started after we moved from Brookings which we had 110 volt from the campground, to the Mill Casino in Coos Bay, which we used our Honda generator to generate electricity.

The problem is that the generator did not charge the battery when we turned on the generator. We solved this problem temporary by starting the microwave to bring up the current to shock the circuit in the trailer. It usually took a few try of few second each, but sometime took one try. We usually knew it is charging by noticing the 12 volt dome light suddenly brightened up or by looking at the volt meter went to around 14 volts. Sometime it went on charging only a few minutes and quit, sometime it continued until the voltage went back to steady stage of 12.6 volts. After that, it seemed that it sloped down slowly from it and did not go back to charging again.

We went to Porter’s RV supplies here in Coos Bay to get the breaker circuit block just to eliminate one possibility of the problem. And it proved that was not the problem.

When we connected to shore power in Bulloch Beach State Park, it seemed the problem went away. But it happened again in the casino in Hopeland when we use our generator.

The problem went away when we got home and connected back to shore power.

Months later:

The problem is the charger/inverter. We bought a new one PD9260C 60 amp from Best RV Supply, Idaho. After some modification of the electrical box, Tom hold it down with one screw near the front of the box so it would not slide out of it. It barely fit in there.

Oregon Coast summer trip - (last day )- Santa Rosa & Oakland

7/22/12 (Sunday)

We woke up with the hot air inside our trailer at 10am; we could not found any tree for a shade.  We only had our French bread for breakfast because it would be little too hot to cook. Tom let BJ the cat to roam around the parking lot but he went under the chain link fence to disappear for a little while. There was a steep slope behind the fence. After we stowed away everything we drove back to the other side near the casino.  We opened all the window for our cats before going inside the casino to play our last three dollars. I ended up the same amount I put it in the Black Jack machine. So my total winning is 5 dollars.  We walked out and took some pictures, we continued our way to Santa Rosa.  

On the way south, just a few miles south of Hopland next to a cliff, we remembered the old day when we were younger we hiked down the Russian River and played the water. 

 It was still early for the day, so we searched GPS for Santa Rosa Costco. We were just ahead of Exit Yolander and found it was not too far from the exit.  Before we went inside the Costco, we found a shade in the middle of a big parking lot to park our trailer so the cats would not be too hot under the sun (the temp was feel like over 80). We had a hot dog and ice creme for lunch. There were also a lot of good grazing opportunity than we normally saw. 

   After Costco, Tom told me this is Snoopy home town.  I checked with Tom GPS to locate the Charles M. Schulz Museum.  It is only few miles from the Costco.  We decided to go check it out.  It was about 3 exits back north of 101 at guernville road . We were driving around the place and looked for a shade area, so our cats will not be too hot. We end up parked along one edge of the parking lot partially covered by tree knowing that we would not be in there too long. 

While we were walking to the museum.  Tom took the 1st picture of me with the tiny yellow bird name Woodstock. My 2nd picture with Charile Brown, 3rd with "Doctor" in stand, 4th with my favorite character Snoopy.  When I walked through the door, I saw a coining machine.  I make myself two character pennies.  We noticed that the fee for the museum was $10 per person.  I want to use my money for the souvenir instead of going inside since we do not want to spent too long here because of the cats.  I bought myself two souvenirs peanuts playing cards and factoids, and the license plate with Charile Brown and Snoopy character.  Then I had Tom took several more pictures before we left the place. 

After the museum, we continued on 101 south little more until we hit Novato. This is the first time we use this way home after we visited Oregon(we had been using interstate 5). We turned east on 37 passing through the swampland of the San Francisco bay area until we hit Vallejo, then turned into Interstate 80 south, crossing the Carquinez Bridge (free on our direction). 

After we passed Berkeley, we turn into 880. Tom exit onto Oakland for Chinatown, but got lost after we exit 880.

 We drove around but couldn’t found the place.  Tom stopped on a side street and used GPS to locate the place.  We arrived and parked our trailer on 9th and Clay Street. Since it was a Sunday and little way from center of China town, there were quite a few empty parking spaces along the street and it it free. We walked 3 to 4 blocks to Chinatown. I bought a lot of cakes for breakfast.  Then we chose the 8th Street Cafe (Men Kee). We ordered $19.99 dinner includes soup, rice, and three dishes.  Tom was very hungry he ate a lot of rice. He told me he was very full, he ate too much.  After we finished the dinner, it was passed 6:00p.m., most shops were closed.  I only find one market still open. I bought the Chinese style water On Choi, like the type we ate in Hong Kong.  Before we left Oakland, Tom filled put in $10 cash for gas.(3.99 per gallon) in case we need it.  By the time we arrived in KTC, it was already passed 9:00 p.m. 

Oregon Coast summer trip - (Day 15) - Lucky7 Casino to Hopland

7/21/12  Saturday

I woke up and walked to the casino to get some coffee before I started cooking for breakfast.  While I was outside our trailer, I saw a Class A parked on the other side of the parking lot not too far from us.  The man name Ron from state Washington came over to talk to me.  He asked me does he need to register for the night?  I told him you don’t have to.  He added that he called before he came to this casino, the lady on the phone said “you are not staying more than two weeks right?” Ron told me he only wants to stay for three days here, he has a friend live in Bookings and invited him to see the kite Festival. Then he asked me, "isn't it you could park your trailer whereever you want?"  I told him you better park along the wooden post on the ground.  He thanked me and I started walking to the casino and got Tom and me some free coffee. 

 Mel continued our driving on 101 towards the South.

 
 We passed Crescent city without stopping instead we stopped to revisit the beach near Orick where we camped on the sand in 2003 for the trip to Redwood National Park.

   We supposed to get the gas at Eureka, because Tom forgot which side of the street the gas station was on. He didn't slow down enough and missed the gas station entrance.  So we filled up our gas in Fortuna 15 miles away for $3.97/gallon(same price).  We continued to Ukiah's Food Maxx to look for my lost brown hat which I left on the shopping cart 2 week ago.  I asked one of the lady workers inside the store, she looked at the lost and found box, but she couldn’t see my hat.  Next thing Tom drove to Quick Stop(same one we had 2 weeks ago) gas station to fill up his truck, the gas price was lower than Fortuna, it was only $3.59/gallon. After that we supposed to look for Sherwood Casino in the city of Willits, but we could not find it. (need to drive further into the dead end street). Our next casino would be Sho-Ka-Wah Casino in Hopland which is about 20 more miles away. 

After we reached the town, we had to drive 4 more miles branched from Highway 101.  On the way to the casino, you only saw few signs on the road to show you the way.  Some of the signs was hard to see, and we almost missed.  By the time we got there, we found out the parking lot was in bad condition. There were a lot of crack concrete surface on the lot. The parking lot had a lot of cars but we were the only RV on the lot. We went inside to talk to the security(he was at the door waiting for us). He had us filled and signed the Waive of Liberty paper and told us that the space we already parked on was okay. After I got my club card, the lady told me I could play the Wheel of Fortune to win some cash to put in my card.  I only got $5.  Then I looked for the free drink. I saw the drink station was inside the cafe.  I was not sure they are free or not, until I saw a man and a lady got their drink without paying for it.  Then I found out they are free.  

 I chose to start playing with $2 on Black Jack in the slot machine, I only lost 40 cent on that round of game. When we walked out of the casino we both were holding a drink and the security guy stopped us and told us we can’t bring our drink outside the casino.  So we put our drink into the trash can. After we went back to our trailer, Tom wanted more privacy and drove the trailer over the wooden bridge to the other side of the parking lot. 
  It was a big parking lot completely surrounded by chain link fence with no tree with a few security cameras on top of the lamp posts. We were the only trailer in this parking lot.  While we were having our dinner Tom searched for TV reception and there were none.  So I read a book before I went to bed.