Day: November 22, 2010

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Too Many Watts for my Amperage

Electrical management has been difficult the last few days. I have both heaters on medium, pulling about 750 watts or 6.25 amps each. That means that together they are using half my available amperage. I’ve discovered that if I add the furnace and one light, I’m okay, but if I add a second light, I blow a breaker. It took me a while to figure out what was going on, that is why do my heaters die but I still have lights? The answer is, of course, that the blown breaker cuts off 120 volt power to the outlets and the battery takes over my 12 volt appliances. Which further explains why the lights get dim; the furnace is drawing a lot of juice.

I’m pretty sure I have a 15 amp exterior plug available to me; I just haven’t found it yet. If that’s the case, I’ll snake a cord in through a window and hook the heaters up to it. It’s quite trying having to remember to shut off the heat to run the printer or the microwave!

Thankfully, I rarely run the lights when I’m home in the evening. I don’t need a light in the study for working at the computer, so I just leave the range light on in the kitchen so I don’t trip on anything. I only like it bright when I’m doing the washing up and preparing dinner. So, I’ll switch over to my L.E.D. puck lights for the time being.

In some ways, I find having to manage my power usage a pain, but in another way I’m grateful for it because it makes me aware of what I’m doing and how I’m spending my time.

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Being 'Canadian'

On Mondays, I write about personal issues related to full-time RVing life, from philosophical debates to homemaking topics.

Unless they have traveled extensively throughout their country, Canadians tend to be unaware of the profound differences between provinces. These differences run deep; they are linguistic, social, cultural, legal, financial, and administrative. It is enough to make you wonder ‘what makes me Canadian?’

For example, a BC RVer spending a summer in any other province or territory might question why they have to pay a health care premium every month or high vehicle insurance rates. Quebecers have the highest tax burden in North America and don’t know to question it, even with health care shortages and terrible roads, unless they step outside and suddenly see their tax burden drop by 10% or more, and this without giving up their culture thanks to the pockets of ex-pat Quebecers all over Canada.

Canadians also have negative preconceptions about other regions and cities. East thinks the west is uptight. West thinks the east too buttoned down. It’s freezing in Winnipeg, Toronto has nothing to offer, and the Transcanada would be better without the section between Thunder Bay and Calgary.

As RVers travel around Canada, they have the opportunity envision many different lives for themselves and to break through those hurtful stereotypes. Is it any wonder, then, that so many cannot envision themselves ever settling down again? Canadian full-timers become much too aware of the compromises they must make, such as giving up a lower cost of living for a better climate.

Something else is gained through these travels, a tangible, yet inexplicable feeling, of being Canadian over being an Albertan, a Martimer, a Torontonian… Part of this feeling comes from interacting with foreigners and seeing our country through their eyes and the rest from little things that are province-independent… like Tim Hortons and Canadian Tire money. 🙂

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Going To Be a Long Week

The forecast for this week keeps changing and worsening, with the only stable thing being that we keep getting promised temps above freezing on Saturday. We’re going well below minus ten, which means that I no longer have indoor plumbing. I checked out the park facilities yesterday and was not impressed; for one thing they appear to include pay showers. Considering the amount of rent I pay here and that I’m paying for power and heating, paying for a shower too is out of the question! For now, I’ll just stick with the hauling water and heating it on the stove method of plumbing management.

When we get back up above freezing and everything is working, I have to decide what I’m willing to put up with this winter and for how long. If I knew for sure that I’m staying till the end of April, I’d get a heat tape for the water hose and materials to enclose and heat my holding tanks. But there is a chance I will be pulling out in January, which would make buying more warmth proofing materials pointless.

The upshot of this weather is that we finally have sun! And I have to admit to being rather partial a sunny, dry, just below freezing afternoon.