Moving Along

Another month is coming to an end, along with relatively low temps at night and northwest winds that kept daytime temps down as well.  The garden has started to produce some food, lettuce, that is coming along nicely and the first patio tomato of the season.  The cherry tomatoes are still all green as are the Rutgers and Beefsteak tomatoes. 

Spanish onions, from seed, have grown , up about 3-4 inches.  I also have a German Johnson tomato plant looking good.  The limited space and poor soil down here in Florida makes it a challenge to have good production, but I am learning patience and good housekeeping skills, as I keep the raised beds nice and tidy.  

I almost burned down our Winnebago Trend as I replaced the 4 year old battery, but connected some accessory wires up wrong, putting a wire on the negative post when it should have been on the positive.  After driving up to Vero Beach for gas, smoke started coming up inside the van, resulting in the fan coming on automatically and then the entire van shutting down. I quickly took off the carpeting and plastic cover over the battery, which is located right next to the gas pedal inside the van.  

No phone didn't help and I couldn't remember my wife's phone number, since I just rely on hitting the phone icon to call her.  So, I sat for a while, trying to figure out how to get out of this mess. 

Eventually, the wires cooled down.  I still had my tools with me, so I disconnected the wire that was put on wrong.  I then was able to move the ground wire that had burned off the metal ground post, back on the post, turned the key and the RV started up.  Boy was I relieved.  

I held down the ground wire with a screwdriver in my right hand and held the steering wheel in my left hand as I made my way back to Fort Pierce.  Eventually, the wire disconnected, but I was still able to keep driving without stalling out.  The battery light was on, but I continued on.  

I finally made it back to the our site and checked to make sure I didn't destroy anything other than the ground wire.  I went on Amazon and ordered a new wire.  

Next time I will make sure I take a before photo of the item I am taking apart.  

The next project on the burner is using some Endobond tape to tape up the roof joints where the rubber roof meets the fiberglass front and back of the 5th wheel.  This will be a new adventure, both in terms of using this very sticky tape and sealing all joints areas that have cut ins for ducts, AC's and exhausts.  Lots of work to make sure I get this right.