Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Aug 19 - 22

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Saturday, August 19, 2017
Morning 72 Degrees, Wind E at 1 to 3 Mph, Humidity 97%, mostly cloudy.

Rain last night, after dark there was a good two tenths of an inch of rain. Everything was dripping wet this morning.

New Inverter in place 

It did not take long to switch out the inverter as everything was prepared for this job. Last thing needed doing was loosening the ground wire off the old unit. I shut down the air conditioners then turned off power. Now disconnect the wires power in and the two power out circuits. Then it is lift the two fifty pound units, one out of the compartment and one back in. Reconnect the power in and power out, attach the ground wire and the battery cables. We are ready for power on and it took about a half of an hour in time. It was now up to seventy-nine degrees with clearing skies.  


Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Sunday, August 20, 2017
Morning 79 Degrees, Wind ESE at 1 to 3 Mph, Humidity 81%, sunny.

Everything is working as expected. Most noted was the power in green light on the control panel being illuminated. That is the first time since the power surge the power in light was illuminated.

Above Setup button is the power in Green light

I reconnected the refrigerator to its receptacle coming off the extension cord for the first time since July eighth, that is important and closing the cover outside the refrigerator. The house batteries are now being charged thru the inverter (and the solar panels).


Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Monday, August 21, 2017
Morning 70egrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 97%, partly sunny with fog.
Afternoon 8 Degrees, Wind  at  to  Mph, Humidity %, .

Fogy starting the drive this morning but that cleared after an hour or so. Leaving about seven-thirty, we stayed off interstate ninety-five expecting too much traffic out there. We had picked a place for lunch and that was our drive to location. Taking the back roads over to US 1 heading south towards Columbia, South Carolina.

In the parking lot for the Eclipse viewing

After lunch we went outside to the parking lot for our viewing area, the restaurant parking lot. It was partly cloudy but it got worse to mostly cloudy at the total eclipse time. We were able to see and get pictures going to half way. After that it was only clouds and the change in daylight that was noticeable at the one hundred percent coverage, temperature cooled without the direct sunlight. After the total and decreasing there was a break in the clouds and we were able to view the moon passing the sun.

We tried to make a faster return but we ran into traffic on interstate twenty and ninety-five. We stopped in Florence, SC for gasoline and got back on ninety-five for a short way before getting off and going to the back roads for the rest of our return trip.


Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Morning 73 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 98%, overcast.

For my wife and I a rest day, that was a lot of miles in our trip to Columbia, SC and back to Buster.
 

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Tuesday, August 8 - 16

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC -  Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Morning 74egrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 99%, rain.
Afternoon 78 Degrees, Wind N at 3 to 7 Mph, Humidity 78%, rain off and on..

Right paw still has bandage

Brought Rahlee home to Buster from the Veterinary’s office both front paws were bandaged and a little groggy from the anesthesia. Trying to walk he was very unsure of himself with the bandages and was trying to remove them. Walking on his “arms and elbows not the paws. He did eat and use the litter box, with the changed absorbent (pine chips) material.

It is like he is wearing gloves or mittens and does not like them. After a while we went out to run some errands and when we returned he had one of the “mittens” off. The vet said that would be ok as long as there was only minimal bleeding, there was no bleeding. He tipped over the litter box as the pine material has no weight so I place the regular cat litter container on top of the litter box, to add weight to hold it down. Now that one of the mittens was off he calmed down at trying to get the second one off. Before we went out for errands he was almost constantly working to get one of the bandages off his paws.


Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Wednesday, August 9, 2017
Morning 67 Degrees, Wind S at 4 to 5 Mph, Humidity 95%, overcast.

Today after returning from our errands we decided to remove the second bandage. He has been good but the bandages are bothering him. Still not walking on the paws but he does get around.

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Saturday, August 12, 2017
Morning 77 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 92%, overcast.

Power went off, 1:20 am, that stopped the air on my c-pap machine I got up and started the generator. I was awake for more than two hours before feeling sleepy and going back to bed.

Power was back when I got up after eight this morning. The power company put out an email saying a car ran into an electric pole causing the outage also giving estimate of time that power will be restored, they were on early. i shut down the generator.

Latter this morning the money back for the returned inverter was credited back to my account less the restocking fee. So now I can order the correct inverter single input dual output two thousand watt inverter. The dual output was where I made the wrong order and ordered the cheapest price unit and not watching that the original unit had dual output (circuit breakers on the lower left front).


Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Monday, August 14, 2017
Morning 74 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 96%, overcast.

We are making plans to travel by car to view the solar eclipse in South Carolina next Monday. That way we will be in the one hundred percent coverage area.



Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Morning 80 Degrees, Wind SSW at 4 to 5 Mph, Humidity 85%, sunny.
Afternoon 8 Degrees, Wind  at  to  Mph, Humidity %, .

Second Inverter delivered, the first was the wrong one and that was returned. I had to wait for the credit back to my account before buying the second inverter. Now I am waiting for cool Saturday morning to turn off all electric power. With the power off I will be able to safely brake and make the electric wire connections. With power off and too much sun, Buster will heat up very fast so that is why I am waiting for the cool morning. But I will also have John’s help available on Saturday morning.

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - August 7, 2017

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC -  Monday, August 7, 2017
Morning 73 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 96%, rain.

Today is the day to take Rahlee (our cat) to the vegetarians office as both front paws will have the nails removed. After that we had breakfast. When I get up in the morning Rahkee comes to my side for petting (body rub) as I am sitting on the side of the bed. Today I just picked him up and took him to the cat carrier and put him in. Yes he did try to resist that but after a couple of tries he went right in the carrier. But he turned around just as quick and was trying to come out as I was closing the door.

After being back at Buster for a while we were out again for errands. My wife had found some water on the floor behind the toilet. After investigating I found the vacuum breaker leaking and running down the sprayer hose. So it was off to Camping World to get a replacement.

Vacuum breaker (side view)

(Water comes up from the bottom and goes out the right side.)
They only had the complete kit vacuum breaker with the hose and sprayer included. It took the guy a while to find it in his computer as they take the manufactures part number and add their own part number. Buying a bigger kit cost me seventy-seven dollars for a vacuum breaker with the sprayer hose and bracket.

On our way back I wanted to get e new screen protector for my phone and my wife wanted a new case for her phone. The first Verizon Wireless store we stopped in Garner didn’t have anything for our Motorola phone, and the guy was not very helpful. We just got out of there and went to another store in Fuquay. There the guy was more helpful explaining why there was no products for our phone, they are too old and do not stock the products to support the phones anymore. We have had them three years.

He suggested maybe we would like the Samsung Galaxy 3 phones explaining the cost. The marketing of phones has changed since we last bought the Motorola phones, learning the new marketing. Now the “big learn” as we purchased the Samsung Galaxy 7 phones, they have different software that the Motorola phones we have had for five years (two years and three years). The first two years the battery was smaller on that phone and as it came to the end of the second year we were getting a low battery in four hours. The second phone had a bigger battery and we were getting a faster battery drain lately at three years use. So now it is trying to learn the functions of the Galaxy 7 phones, wear to get the spot to touch on the phone and get the response we want, it is different.

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - July 30 - Aug 6

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Sunday, July 30, 2017
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind SSW at 3 to 8 Mph, Humidity 78%, sunny.

Ordered inverter, finally made a quick decision to order from the least expensive supplier on Ebay, it will be here this week.


Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Thursday, August 3, 2017
Morning 71 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 90%, mostly cloudy.

UPS delivered the inverter I had ordered on line, showing up late afternoon. Opening the box and checking over my purchase, it is the wrong unit. I did not check close enough and ordered this incorrectly. This unit is single input single output. Buster needs dual output.

I ordered thru Ebay and contacted them immediately, but this will be a slow time operation to fix this problem.

Wrong inverter received, a single input single output received should be should be single input dual put 2000 watt. There were two things first being that there were no circuit beakers on the lower left front of the unit (black area in picture) second was in the manual they talked about optional circuits. Checking closer the part number on the left flanges were not the same on both units. Later when checking on line further I found that the part number of my unit has changed. The inverters are marketed mostly nomenclature and not part number.

 
Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Sunday, August 6, 2017
Morning 75 Degrees, Wind W at 4 to 5 Mph, Humidity 72%, sunny.

 Black area are the circuit breakers

RMA (return material authorization) receiver today to return the inverter. I got that prepacked and the box closed ready to ship and c copy of the packing list on the outside. Printed and applied the shipping label, ready to go tomorrow morning.


Thought For The Day –
      When two egotists meet, it’s an I for an I.

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Sunday, July 23 - 27

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Sunday, July 23 - 27

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Sunday, July 23, 2017
Morning 77 Degrees, Wind N at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 88%, sunny.


   
Well I started with the current model number, they do not make that anymore. Now try and find the current number of a microwave convection oven that will fit, staying with General Electric products. Found the one on the Home Depot website. But I want to touch a microwave convection oven that will fit before I buy one.

     

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Monday, July 24, 2017

Morning 74 Degrees, Wind NE at 3 to 5 Mph, Humidity 88%, mostly cloudy.

Went to the Home Depot in Apex finding a unit on display. The current model I order that and they will deliver on Thursday. 

      

    

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Thursday, July 27, 2017

Morning 71 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 92%, partly cloudy.

Microwave oven is delivered between three and four o’clock today. I get it unpacked and ready to install. The vent fan has to be rotated for recirculated air operation as it is shipped in the top vent position. That is all outside work and I am planning to use the original wall bracket, same manufacturer although the new bracket is a little different looking.  

Sitting on cart waiting

John came home late from work and helped me “hang” the Microwave oven but it is not lining up it seems to drop in the wall bracket ok and the front bolts at difficult to get started. It is difficult reaching over the stove holding the sixty plus pound unit while starting the bolts.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Microwave Bolt

One nice thing the bolts are extra long making it easier to start them. It seams like the Microwave oven does not “sit” down in the bracket as it should, take it back down and change the bracket and put it up again. Still having problem with one front bolt. Needs to be a little wider hole to get that started. One more time down and up with the Microwave oven. Made the hole a little wider, by the way there were large washers on the original bolt installation compensating for the large hole.

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - July 15 - 16

   

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Saturday, July 15, 2017

Morning 71 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 81%, mostly sunny.

John helped me (again) replace Busters electric cord plug. With that done taking a closer look at the receptacle on Buster’s side we decided to replace that also. Off to Camping World again for the receptacle. Now both are changed we are good there. 

At the inverter we did some troubleshooting and wire tracing resulting in bypassing the inverter connecting the shore power going to the inverter to the inverter output that goes to the right side receptacles, that worked now a trip to Home Depot for fuses and holders. We need circuit protection as we are now bypassing the circuit breakers that the inverter has protecting these circuits. So until the inverter is replaced that is how we are operating.  

At the inverter we did some troubleshooting and wire tracing resulting in bypassing the inverter connecting the shore power going to the inverter to the inverter output that goes to the right side receptacles, that worked now a trip to Home Depot for fuses and holders. We need circuit protection as we are now bypassing the circuit breakers that the inverter has protecting these circuits. So until the inverter is replaced that is how we are operating.  

Inverter

 
Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Sunday, July 16, 2017
Morning 71 Degrees, Wind SW at 2 to 3 Mph, Humidity 98%, partly sunny.

Now with the circuits working and double checking microwave convection oven, it is fried inside somewhere in the internal circuits. I even tried plugging it into an extension cord, it still is not working.


Today in 1969 the Lunar Module was launched from Kennedy Space Center and I was a part of the launch team for Grumman Aerospace Co. We were there in Florida from October 1966 to January 1973 working for Grumman Aerospace Co.


Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Monday, July 17, 2017
Morning 69 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 97%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 8 Degrees, Wind  at  to  Mph, Humidity %, .

John and I took apart the microwave convection oven trying to find the cause but no luck. Now to research the General Electric microwave convection ovens to find a replacement.

It was interesting learning how the microwave convection oven is installed, two screws near each side from the top front and a bracket installed on the wall that the bottom inside edge captures the unit against the wall.

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - July 9 - 11

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Sunday, July 9, 2017
Morning 72 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 97%, sunny.

More extension cords, got the satellite box and television working extension cords on the left side, solar panels are charging the house batteries. The only power to the right side outlets is from the batteries thru the inverter that’s how I am getting the rear television and Joey box working. Front roof air conditioner is working. Our portable air conditioner is also working on a extension cord. Sorry no pictures, I never thought about the camera on the phone. The rear or bedroom air conditioner I have not even tried to turn on again.


Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Monday, July 10, 2017
Morning 71 Degrees, Wind W at 1 to 3 Mph, Humidity 96%, mostly cloudy.

This evening we got some help from an electrician, he went behind (rechecking) what we had checked he started at the shore power breaker the cable plug into buster is burned (we did not check that) and should be replaced. Opened up the inverter (there is no information on this just trying to find something) and found a small fuse inside burned (open, no continuity) as we suspect that is stopping shore power from coming out. We only get battery power out (thru the inverter connections) of the inverter.

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Morning 71 Degrees, Wind WNW at 2 to 3 Mph, Humidity 98%, overcast.

Went to Home Depot for fuses, taking the one that was found inside with me getting a replacement. Installed that no change. Still can not get 120 volt shore power to pass thru the inverter to the right side receptacles.

   

Went to Camping World purchasing the cable plug for the shore power cable that connects into Buster’s side. I have a battery charger for over night charging the house batteries, daytime there is enough sun form the solar panels. The bedroom television and satellite box I have working off the batteries (12 volt) thru the inverter. The inverter will make 120 volts from the batteries but will not pass shore power thru to the outlets.

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Saturday, July 8, 2017

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - Saturday, July 8, 2017
Morning 77 Degrees, Wind WSW at 4 to 8 Mph, Humidity 90%, sunny.
Afternoon 93 Degrees, Wind SW at 4 to 7 Mph, Humidity 37%, Rain Late.

Electric Problem, It was a hot afternoon my wife was making dinner (microwave oven on) I had just stepped outside Buster and it happened, an over current draw, probably had everything in Buster was drawing power. I had turned on the rear air conditioner, we had been keeping it off because it makes a funy sound after a number of minutes of operation. So there was microwave oven, rear air conditioner, front air conditioner, portable air conditioner, four fans (not much draw), refrigerator (maybe on or not) and maybe electric hot water heater if using hot water cleaning dished.

Recovery, check breakers and all we had no shore power coming to the right side outlets, and the house batteries were in a high discharge. Microwave oven not working, all (four) fans no longer work. After a while I realized the refrigerator was drawing down the batteries thru the inverter. One of the ground faults also was popped so that was reset. Losing daylight, so I got out extension cords and got the refrigerator running on that so now the batteries do not have a high discharge. The roof air conditioner is working. We do have some 120 volt lights and they are working of the left side receptacles. Our 12 volt lights haveonly battery as the inverter is also the battery charger.

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - June, 2017

Buster’s Spot Duncan, NC - June, 2017

 

Zane

                   

Man I have been lazy, to me there has been nothing exciting to write about so I have had no motivation to write. Just attending softball and baseball games the grand children are playing in. I even almost stopped taking pictures just sitting back enjoying the playing of the game and not worrying about capturing pictures. It is boring writing about almost nothing happening. 

Ariana at the state high school tournament

                 

Ariana did get picked for the region high school softball team at the state tournament (eight regions playing over two days) and we went day one taking her and seeing the team win both games in Greensboro, NC. She played shortstop and in the second game catcher

Ariana and the team were back again the next day for two more games one with her mother for the first game and her father for the second game at UNC Greensboro field. They lost that game but a good experience for her. These games were played on a Tuesday and Wednesday thus the parents had to squeeze the ball games in while also getting to work.

        
We are also playing with our new cat Rahlee he is very entertaining as a young cat learning his new RV life. The front paws will have the nails removed soon.