Fixing Your Portable Generator

So, you've brought your generator out of storage, filled the tank, pulled the cord, and nothing.  Hopefully, you are finding this out BEFORE the power outage or camping trip.  This article will help you fix some common problems you may encounter.  Before attempting any repair, remove the spark plug to prevent accidental starting while you are working on the unit.

If the generator will not start or won't stay started, check the muffler exhaust for an foreign debris.  Once that is clean, check the gas and oil to make sure you have appropriate levels of both.  Finally, make sure the spark plug has a good connection.

If the alternator fails to excite, it may be running at too low of a speed.  Adjust the rpm.  This can also result from a faulty capacitor or windings, which must be replaced and tightened.

If the voltage is running high with no load on the generator, you may need to adjust the rpms to a lower speed or replace the capacitor.  Conversely, if the voltage is running low under no load, you may need to adjust the rpms to a higher speed or replace the capacitor with one with a higher rating.  In addition, for low voltage, you should check your winding resistance and replace your rotary diodes, if needed.

If your voltage is ok with no load, but drops when you add a small load, you may need to increase your rpms or remove some of the load.  You could also need to replace your rotary diodes.

If the voltage drops when you add a high load, you probably need to adjust the rpms or remove some of the load.

Finally, if the voltage fluctuates, it may be the result of loose or dirty connections.  You may also need to regulate the rpms to solve this problem.

Whitewater Rafting Family Vacation

Now this is something everyone can enjoy together: whitewater rafting! Planning a whitewater rafting family vacation will not only make you the coolest parents to ever exist, it will also provide a powerful bonding experience for your family as a unit.

This type of cooperative adventure experience is second to none in terms of building family trust, proper dependence skills, and overall self-reliance combined with teamwork. There is no better combination to develop great skills in your children than an exciting whitewater rafting family vacation.

The idealism behind a whitewater rafting family vacation is that your family will end up in the raft learning from each other and cooperating as a team for the great, noble cause of adventure.

The reality behind a rafting family vacation is that the family has a great amount of fun and ends up laughing and screaming their way to jubilation as they cruise up and down the raging waters together. Either result, of course, makes for an explosively exhilarating family vacation and will make you a hit among parents for years to come because of your unforgettable vacation idea.

Take the Plunge

Booking your whitewater rafting family vacation is literally just a phone call away. There are a variety of travel agents and support staff available at a large number of rafting facilities that can book and furnish your entire vacation plan within minutes and have your family on their way to the greatest vacation experience of their lives. This type of thing doesn't have to happen just once in a lifetime either, as many people take whitewater rafting family vacations several times a year and end up making it a regular part of their lives.

It has been said that “the family that rafts together, stays together” and it couldn't be truer. The notion that families experiencing adventure and skilled turmoil together are closer is certainly supported by nature and biological evidence.

Clutching tightly to your parents as your plunge into the river is a great bonding experience, as is yelling at your children to “paddle faster” before hitting the swirling currents. All of these experiences add up to the wonderful reality of excitement behind a whitewater rafting family vacation.

Of course, you could just take your kids to Disneyland and only partly experience adventure this summer. You could even go on an amusement ride to attempt to capture some of the fun of whitewater rafting. It might work.

Truck Camper - Camping Freedom

Each year millions of campers leave the confines of their homes and neighborhoods and set off on a quest for the fresh air and open spaces of the great outdoors. But campers are no different than other vacationers, and the degree to which they escape the comforts of home can vary greatly. Some campers like to travel in their RV (recreational vehicle) in which they can enjoy all the comforts of home and then some! Some RVs have more amenities than many homes or hotels!

In contrast to the RV camper, some people truly like to rough it and live off the land as their ancestors did. For them a tent and fire provide their basic necessities, and the fun lies in getting away from modern creature comforts. However, not all campers are interested in staying in one place. Sportsman - like hunters or fisherman - or those who simply like to explore, need something different that will provide them with shelter, comfort, and mobility, and nothing fills that role like a truck camper.

A truck camper is a camper that rests securely in the flatbed portion of a pickup truck. Unlike an RV or pop up camper (a camper that is towed behind a truck or car), a truck camper allows you to bring a solid shelter with you in the smallest possible footprint.

Because it rests in a pickup truck, it can go just about anywhere a pickup truck can go. Back roads or the boulevard, parkways or national parks, a truck camper can go anywhere your heart desires. That is why these campers are the choice for the sportsman who seeks remote hunting or fishing grounds, or the campers who want to find their own campsite far away from the convention of the hardwired campgrounds.

Truck campers offer obvious advantages in their mobility, as well as lower gas mileage and lower profile than RVs or pop up campers. However, do not let their smaller size fool you, they can be incredibly well appointed and more spacious than one would imagine. Like all recreational vehicles, they range in size, features, and price.

Starting with a smaller and more basic model, one would typically find a truck camper that offers floor space that is roughly eight feet in length. While that may sound small, a well designed truck camper can pack a lot in that little space. You can expect to find that even the more basic, lower priced truck campers will have features like an ice box, a sink with hot and cold water, a stove top, Porta-Potti storage area, an outdoor shower with privacy curtain, a sitting area, and a generously sized bed. When combined with propane gas and water storage ability, even a basic truck camper can allow you to venture far from the beaten path without sacrificing comfort or ignoring any of your basic needs.

If you have a taste for things that are anything but basic there are truck campers for you as well. Deluxe campers can stretch to as much as twelve feet of floor length and have a list of features that you would expect to find on a full sized RV. How about a bathroom and shower, flat screen television with surround sound system, refrigerator and freezer, multiple burner stove top and oven, heating and air conditioning, and a queen sized bed? Yes, all of those things and more can comfortably fit in a first rate truck camper.

The truck camper that is best for you depends on several things. Your wants and needs, your budget, and most important, your truck; all of those factors will drive your ultimate decision. Some campers can not fit in the bed of smaller trucks, and some smaller trucks can not handle the weight of the largest truck campers (which can exceed three thousand pounds). Once you find a combination that meets your criteria then your destination is up to you! A truck camper is your key to anywhere you want to go, and you can go with as much style as your heart desires!