Trisha,
What year is your 26RB? We also have a 26RB, a 2004 built in late 2003. However, the control switches in our bath are not at all like the ones in the photos with your post.
In the bath we have one small black rocker switch located above the sink on the shower wall (to the right of the sink if you're facing the sink) which turns on the small light in the shower. Another identical switch, located below and to the otherside of the sink turns on the large overhead light in the bath.
Further to the left there is a rather large black rocker switch (Atwood product). When that switch is turned on, the rocker switch illuminates red until the pilot-light lights off. It then goes out and you can hear the water heater burner start up to provide a heating source for the water.
It doesn't appear that we have an electrical heating element in the water heater. That may be a new addition for years after late 2003 or an option that wasn't purchased for our BF.
The ability to heat the water electrically sure would have been a nice addition.
Blt for 2, mysterious switch
Moderator: bfadmin
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bill crommett
Trish: If you get the job, don't forget the other models of Born Free, and the fact that things have changed over the years. I am not alabying for the factory, because I think they do a lousy job of producing manuals.
It has always been so, with Fleetwood, Jayco ,Winnebago, and now Born Free. It is beyond me how a factory can spend thousands of dollars on details and the throw a bunch of non-contributing paper into a three ring binder and call it a "MANUAL" End of Saturdays rant !
Bill
It has always been so, with Fleetwood, Jayco ,Winnebago, and now Born Free. It is beyond me how a factory can spend thousands of dollars on details and the throw a bunch of non-contributing paper into a three ring binder and call it a "MANUAL" End of Saturdays rant !
Bill
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Trisha
I agree Bill. We can have that conversation another time.
Norijake,
I, too, have the black rocker switches you speak of for the lights, both of them. They weren't pictured because I didn't have an issue knowing what they were. I have the one hooked to the bath overhead light.
You are right. My 26' RB has a dual waterheater (and it's not an Atwood I don't think) that has both AC and propane heating. LP uses a pilot and heats the water that way, the AC uses a heating element as alluded to above.
I have a 2005 built in 2005. I know that the AC/LP dual water heater is a newer item. I really like having the choice. I use them both, depending. So you would not have the bottom switch.
The black smaller rocker switches are, in mine, both for lights; one for the overhead bathroom light (which can be turned on then from down by the counter, the other is the shower lights.
Newer rigs have different options, many of them. I would LOVE to change my 6 gal for a 10 gal... I'd love to have a higher gpm flow on my water pump. I was impressed with the one on the 32' president.
But you are right, both of you, that options do change, and controls and switches differ by unit and model and year. Such is the way of things. Maybe that's why they've never gone into it in the manuals.
But there are GLARING errors of fact in that manual. One such, that comes to mind, is the comment that the GVWR is the same as the GCWR. For any of you that tow, you know that is a bogus remark. On any of the 178" wheelbase models, the GVWR is 14,050 and the GCWR is effectively 20,000. Maybe 19,050. The manual states categorically that towing cannot exceed the GVWR. That would mean towing nothing more than a bicycle for most of us. I knew that the day I bought it.
Errors of such magnitude are inexcusable. They also talk about towing trailers, but they do not mention towing any kind of car. They just gloss over it. Leaves us all to go figure it out for ourselves.
Not that I mind figuring it out for myself, but c'mon...don't mention anything if you're going to leave out the #1 most commonly towed item!
Yes, I coul dhave a field day with those manuals. I really don't need to know the specs or electrical or water for anyone else's rig, but they're all in there. That's just plain lazy. There isn't a one-size-fits all rig, so why should there be a one-size-fits-all manual?
Oh, well...enough of my Saturday/Sunday rant. I got carried away editing a piece of art and totally lost track of time....
I hope I did at one point answer your question, there are differences in switches in the bath, also likely in the galley and elsewhere as we dont' all have the same equipment. the longer anyone owns a rig, the truer that gets.
Pat-trish
Norijake,
I, too, have the black rocker switches you speak of for the lights, both of them. They weren't pictured because I didn't have an issue knowing what they were. I have the one hooked to the bath overhead light.
You are right. My 26' RB has a dual waterheater (and it's not an Atwood I don't think) that has both AC and propane heating. LP uses a pilot and heats the water that way, the AC uses a heating element as alluded to above.
I have a 2005 built in 2005. I know that the AC/LP dual water heater is a newer item. I really like having the choice. I use them both, depending. So you would not have the bottom switch.
The black smaller rocker switches are, in mine, both for lights; one for the overhead bathroom light (which can be turned on then from down by the counter, the other is the shower lights.
Newer rigs have different options, many of them. I would LOVE to change my 6 gal for a 10 gal... I'd love to have a higher gpm flow on my water pump. I was impressed with the one on the 32' president.
But you are right, both of you, that options do change, and controls and switches differ by unit and model and year. Such is the way of things. Maybe that's why they've never gone into it in the manuals.
But there are GLARING errors of fact in that manual. One such, that comes to mind, is the comment that the GVWR is the same as the GCWR. For any of you that tow, you know that is a bogus remark. On any of the 178" wheelbase models, the GVWR is 14,050 and the GCWR is effectively 20,000. Maybe 19,050. The manual states categorically that towing cannot exceed the GVWR. That would mean towing nothing more than a bicycle for most of us. I knew that the day I bought it.
Errors of such magnitude are inexcusable. They also talk about towing trailers, but they do not mention towing any kind of car. They just gloss over it. Leaves us all to go figure it out for ourselves.
Not that I mind figuring it out for myself, but c'mon...don't mention anything if you're going to leave out the #1 most commonly towed item!
Yes, I coul dhave a field day with those manuals. I really don't need to know the specs or electrical or water for anyone else's rig, but they're all in there. That's just plain lazy. There isn't a one-size-fits all rig, so why should there be a one-size-fits-all manual?
Oh, well...enough of my Saturday/Sunday rant. I got carried away editing a piece of art and totally lost track of time....
I hope I did at one point answer your question, there are differences in switches in the bath, also likely in the galley and elsewhere as we dont' all have the same equipment. the longer anyone owns a rig, the truer that gets.
Pat-trish
Trisha,Trisha wrote: I'd love to have a higher gpm flow on my water pump.
Pat-trish
That was the first item we upgraded. When we flushed the head, water flow was just a trickle from the rim and the washdown hose was useless, nil flow from it.
I totally dismantled the existing pump as well as the head and its components searching for a suspected restriction. Finding nothing wrong I surmised the pump just wasn't developing enough pressure to support the needed waterflow when the head foot-valve was actuated; much less the hose since the foot valve also had to be opened for it to work. I called the factory to ascertain if the plumbing system was sufficiently strong to withstand a higher pressure pump and was told that if we had the metal (brass) fittings indeed it was. The pump I wanted is set at 60 psi.
With that I installed one of the late model variable speed water pumps (Extreme model) which ramps up as necessary to supply the needed pressure sensed depending upon how many outlets are open at the time. The amperage draw can be as high as 10a requiring a minimum 14ga wire; our pump circuit was wired with 12ga
so I didn't have to pull another wire. With the short plumbing runs in the 26BF, I doubt that the pump will ever run at a speed that draws that many amps and I imagine the amp draw will generally be in the 4a-6a level.The Extreme comes with its own inline fuse and mountings, so the install requires only connecting the existing wires and screwing the pump in place of the existing one. An offset power driver makes that fairly easy although it is pretty tight working under the water tank shelf. I also installed a filter in the supply line at the tank out fitting (easier to get to for cleaning) in place of the one on the side of the existing pump.
Took about an hour and now we have water flow galore at all outlets including the washdown hose
.2004 26' RB
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Trisha
Trisha,
To answer the first of your two-part question – my wife and I are new to land-based RVing so, no, we have not boondocked as yet. However, we have lived aboard several sailboats since around 1978 and we have spent a great deal of time gunkholing, which, I believe, in boating parlance, is analogous to boondocking in “landâ€
To answer the first of your two-part question – my wife and I are new to land-based RVing so, no, we have not boondocked as yet. However, we have lived aboard several sailboats since around 1978 and we have spent a great deal of time gunkholing, which, I believe, in boating parlance, is analogous to boondocking in “landâ€
2004 26' RB
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Dave&JanPotter
Good question. You generally have two ways you use water: (1) When you use a specific quantity, like a cupful or a sinkful, this type of usage probably won't change as you'll still need/use the same amount only you'll get it quicker with a higher flow rate on the pump and (2) When you use a faucet for a given time, such as the shower, this amount could increase if it takes you about the same amount of time to do the task ie rinse off. Flow limiting devices are available which will mitigate this type of usage. Your total change then is likely to be to increase usage. From my experience as a chief engineer on large oceangoing ships, I'd say that unless you made a point of being extra careful, your usage could easily increase.Trisha wrote:my only concern would be; do you do any boondocking and if so, does having a higher water flow mean you run out of water faster?
Pat-trish
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Trisha
These things make perfect sense, actually. If I know I will have a source, I'm more free with things.
If I have better water pressure, though, Im more likely to 'feel' rinsed earlier than if I don't. So I might not have the water on as long, becasue a shorter burst is doing the job.
My biggest issue is one I will have to conquer. I have to cut my hair short because I can't stand when it gets ...ummm....oily (I AM thankful that I have all that youthful-looking oil in hair and skin but) and it only stays clean about a day...long hair that oils quickly is a nightmare when boondocking unless you can find a way not to care. I can't seem to get over that threshhold. It's my biggest water waster, the hair. Mine is ummm..longer than shoulder length and it does take some rinsing. If it were dryer..... but I dont' want that. All these oils make me able to cheat age so I won't complain. Out come the scissors!
Then, higher water pressure in the shower, with an ongoing cognisance of conversation pressures....will allow me to feel rinsed more quickly and I might actually not spend any extra water. Less if I cut this mop.
It does get too hot in summer anyway.
Thanks for the marvy answers.
Trish
If I have better water pressure, though, Im more likely to 'feel' rinsed earlier than if I don't. So I might not have the water on as long, becasue a shorter burst is doing the job.
My biggest issue is one I will have to conquer. I have to cut my hair short because I can't stand when it gets ...ummm....oily (I AM thankful that I have all that youthful-looking oil in hair and skin but) and it only stays clean about a day...long hair that oils quickly is a nightmare when boondocking unless you can find a way not to care. I can't seem to get over that threshhold. It's my biggest water waster, the hair. Mine is ummm..longer than shoulder length and it does take some rinsing. If it were dryer..... but I dont' want that. All these oils make me able to cheat age so I won't complain. Out come the scissors!
Then, higher water pressure in the shower, with an ongoing cognisance of conversation pressures....will allow me to feel rinsed more quickly and I might actually not spend any extra water. Less if I cut this mop.
It does get too hot in summer anyway.
Thanks for the marvy answers.
Trish