# advice



## lazyday

hi every one....great forum....im new to camping...have some issues that may be simple but i need help..i boutgh a really clean older 01 coachman catalina lite
my question....is, how many gallons of fresh do these hold typically....and im getting lots of air in my hot water line when trying to take hot shower??...spitting and foaming and such......and anybody can tell me...how much propane my fridge should use in a wkd trip??.... thank you


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## lazyday

well i thought this was a good forum.....i have not recieved one response from anybody.....whats up with that...???????????


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## amy0807

Sorry. You probably would have received a quicker reply if this had been in the other sub forums. There are a lot of great people here who are happy to help.

I don't know how much water it will hold. I also have a Coachman Catalina. The air in the lines is just that. Try running the water for awhile and seeing if you can get the air out. If not, you may have a busted pipe somewhere letting air in. 

About the fridge, it should not used propane when plugged to shore power. It only runs on gas when it isn't. 

Hope some of this helps!


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## lazyday

what sum forum?....thank you....yes i was shocked to get nothing...lol
thank you..for responding...i dont camp near any hook ups so thats why i was asking usage questions...how much propane to run a fridge, how many days will the water last being conservative...ect.....ill check for leaks in lines...i should hear them though i would think too....


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## amy0807

RV/Camper Discussion would do nicely. 

The tank is pretty big. I think it is around 40 or 45 gallons but I can't swear to it. Depends on how many people are using the water. I would say that with four people it should last through a weekend or so. 

The fridge doesn't use a whole lot of propane so it shouldn't be a problem. Make sure both tanks are full and, if you have a gauge, check it to see how much it uses in a day's time. I'm sure it won't be much. 

Put it this way, both our tanks were filled up last July. Since that time, we have run the fridge for a short time coming and going to our destinations. We always use the stove top and the hot water heater and take showers in the camper about half the time (5 of us.) We have also used the furnace for 8 days total during the cooler seasons. After all of this, one tank was empty on our last trip out in April. We're running on the second tank now and it is still pretty much full. So, none of it uses much propane. I would think that it wouldn't be a problem for you. 

About possible leaks...we had a small leak in a pipe right around the hot water heater under the sink. It was just a very small drip. We didn't notice it until we winterized the camper this past year. I would suspect it's just air in the lines (it's so easy to get air in the lines) but it's definitely worth looking over just to be sure. A lot of times, we will hook up to the water and turn on the faucets to get the air out but I wouldn't recommend that when you're boon docking because your grey tank will fill up quickly.


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## lazyday

THANK YOU I WILL CHECK IT ALL OUT.....we were using the fridge it started up...it was cool, then it stopped?....i checked the stove and gas was there....and i picked up the bottle of propane and it was still 1/2 full....at first i thought it used all the propane up....but it didnt....dont know why it quick working??


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## amy0807

This happened to me after we had a recall on the fridge and they had to disconnect it. It got air in the lines and we had to bleed it out. Try turning on the stove for five to ten minutes and bleeding the lines. 

It will also seem to stop cooling if you place a lot of hot aluminum cans in the fridge. Did that first trip out and it freaked me out. 

Aside from that, I don't really know. Unless...is the flame on the stove really low? My sister-in-law's did that and it was the regulator on the tanks.


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## lazyday

well i did put a case of beer in there with other food...but it wasnt "hot" per say..?????.....im just not sure how it works....if it only runs on gas?...or when u turn on ur generator doesnt it switch over to 110?..or stays on the gas always???....dont have a manual with it or the camper.....can u find a manual for specific model on line do you know??....thanks so much for the help


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## amy0807

I tried finding a manual for mine online and the only place I came close was at the Coachmen site and you have to buy it. (I passed. I'm cheap. lol) 

It probably was the cans. I keep one of those frozen popsicles in the plastic (the kind that looks like Koolaid) in the freezer. When it gets mushy or melts, I know there is a problem. We also stick cans in a cooler full of ice now to keep them cold and rarely put more than 5 or 6 in the fridge. 

My fridge has an auto button. When it is on auto it automatically swaps from gas to electric when it's available and back to gas when it isn't. 

About the generator...be careful running it on 110--even plugging it up on 110 at your house. It's bad for the air conditioning unit and it shouldn't really be run on any less than 30 amps. I'm not sure what you would need as far as a generator so you may want to ask around and see if it's safe. I'd hate for you to have to replace the AC. Very expensive. 

A lot of what you would need from the manual, I can probably help you with. I have had my 1996 Coachmen Catalina for about a year now and have had to figure out a lot of things on my own or search online for solutions. lol It can be frustrating. Anything else you need to know, I am happy to help with.


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## lazyday

thank u so much u ve been very helpful...mine is a 01 catalina lite....my fridge has a on and off button....and a button right next to it....that says gas.....i believe it has printed on it...auto...but no button?....its very confusing to be honest....so lets say ur not running ur generator and the fridge is operating on propane...does it switch to electric once u fire up the generator?....so u can start it up on gas....and as long as u push it to auto then it knows to switch back and forth?
on the ac....so what does everyone do that camps??..if.they only have a generator or a 110 hookup......i dont understand.....so u need a hookup like u would for a dryer at ur house??


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## antigua

Welcome to the forum. I have my manual for my fridge. I will scan a few pages and post it. It should work the same way. Stay tuned.....


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## amy0807

Putting it on 220 will most certainly blow it immediately. My sister-in-law rented a generator for the weekend so they could camp in our field last weekend. She talked to the guy she got it from and explained what she needed it for. I'm not sure of any specifics, though. 

Hi, antigua! Thanks for offering to scan the fridge manual!


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## lazyday

amy. im confused, sorry....i thought u said dont run it on 110....now u mentioned 220 for sure not to use.......im confused?..lol.......


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## happiestcamper

When you said a plug like a dryer, that's what got her thinking 220. Run the AC on 110, but ONLY when hooked up to 30 amps or higher.


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## lazyday

how do i know if my generator is 30 amps or higher though?.....thank you!


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## amy0807

Happiestcamper, that's exactly what I was thinking. Now I am confused. lol

Sorry I can't be any help with the generator issue. I have never used one and don't know much about them.


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## happiestcamper

What kind of generator do you have?


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## antigua

I have my fridge manual scanned into my computer. Where would you like me to e-mail it? It's a PDF file.


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## lazyday

hey anyone have any info on towing a my 23ft camper with a 2003 silverado...should i use a drop hitch or a straight..(inline with my bumper on the truck) im using stabilizer bars with this setup...but i only have a straight hitch thats hd...but my camper has a slight slope upwards using this set up....becasue of no drop hitch...will this hurt andthing to tow it like this?...i really dont want to buy another hitch thats adjustable...thanks


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## happiestcamper

If you have a double axle, then you are putting more weight to the rear axle. Also, the fridge runs better when it is level.

Basically, you're always pulling it uphill like this.


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## lazyday

okay thanks for the info......i appreciate it.....ill look for a deal on a different hitch then......


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