Oh, No!

It is a good thing I don't fly off the handle easily! The motorhome must have sensed we were close to getting home and that we had not spent enough on repairs this season so this is what happened:

1) We have noticed a small change in the way the water pump works and sounds over the past week. Two days ago we noticed a puddle of water under the motorhome after it was parked overnight. A taste test told me it was fresh water, not antifreeze or sewer. I then noticed the water level in the fresh water tank had gone down more than expected. Further investigation found a very wet area under and around the water pump. We had replaced the original pump in Chetumal, Mexico with a new one I carried as a spare. We stopped at Camping World today to see if they had a new one and they did not. We will try the next Camping world and if they do not have one, I will order one on eBay from home. Either way it will be around $80 US. Problem #1 solved!

2) As we were driving today we could hear a periodic "beep" from the living area but could not figure out what it was. We parked and shut off the truck engine. As I walked past the inverter I noticed it read 11.9 volts. Oh, oh! the two six volt batteries that I installed in 2012 are shot! The "beep" we heard was every time the extra fridge switched on, demanded power and caused the voltage to drop and alarm. I called the nearest Sam's Club in Tacoma, WA and they have the batteries in stock. It means a slight detour but not bad, we will still easily make it to Port Angeles via the Tacoma Bridge tomorrow. The batteries are $85 US each and I need two. Not the end of the world. Not even close. It's only money.

3) Oh, Yes. Meineke checked the fault codes associated with the 'check engine' light and the code reported a vacuum problem in the left cylinder bank. This was the same thing I had repaired in Palm Springs last year. Then, as now, it was set off by a steep climb. I just had him reset the alarm and we shall see what happens. It is a cheap fix (new vacuum line) so I am not worried.

4) Both Shaw Direct (StarChoice) receivers need replacing when we get home. One will not record and only one of the two built in receivers works. It started acting up as soon as we left home in November. The second one in the bedroom constantly re-boots and sometimes has problems playing back a recorded program. This just started a few weeks ago. Norma is buying a new one with her casino winnings and I will send the two broken ones in for warranty replacement, Not a problem.

But please, no more problems this trip, OK?