[jbeech]

Hi Don,

Good morning. I just had a late breakfast and am now enjoying a cup of java and because I'm bored with Sunday AM news spending so much time on the Weiner race for NY City mayor, I turned to my computer to check my email, instead. Anyway, I hope you too are having a pleasant morning.

I'm 'not' unsure how we'll use the truck and frankly, camping somewhere for a week 'other' than for work, e.g. the fun flies in support of my business, is a rather unlikely scenario. If we wanted to camp, i.e. vacation and spend time seeing America, we'd be more likely to rent a coach, a real coach with all the ammenities. They're available reasonably inexpensively here in central Florida ($1000/week plus variable costs), and I wouldn't be surprised if they're available at many other places across the country.

However, if I want to avoid the tedium of long distance driving (I usually do) this means we'll fly where we're going and rent the unit. If I did this twice a year for 20 years it amounts to $40,000 and in the meantime I'd not have to worry about maintaining it and more importantly, I'd not have to contend with the cost of money, e.g. the rate at which I rent it, but the opportunity cost (e.g. where I could better deploy a few hundred thousand dollars, etc.). As you know, these are real costs associated with an asset, which is very illiquid 'and' depreciating. Obviously, I make exceptions to what follows (hence my 35 year marriage and the fact we own a Bonanza), but as a respected old boss once said . . . if it floats, flys, or fucks, it's better to rent.

Thus, if the goal is to go see something like Arches National Park, or Mammoth Caves, or Isla Morada Key, we're far more likely to fly our Bonanza there and subsequently rent a car to poke around. This, because there's nothing quite like seeing America from the skies to let you appreciate the grandeur of where we live. Plus, we can get there quickly, do it, and move on (or come home). This is especially important to me because I am not yet retired (when my use of a coach may well change). However, for now, I am tethered to work considerations and thus, getting back is important.

Alternatively, if the drive were a big part of the experience for us, maybe we'd rent a real coach for a week or three, e.g. for that express purpose. However, that's not really why we're building Moby. Moby is for me to attend fun flies in style and comfort.

Also, and FWIW, while I like the outdoors as much as the next guy, I'm not a 'camp' type person because I had my fill of that as a kid. Both my Father and Stepfather liked camping in a tent, making a fire before we could cook, rising early to fish, etc. which has never really been my cup of tea. Me? I prefer to have my dose of outdoors in short concentrated bouts like, for example, trail riding on an enduro bike in the woods. And I love to go fire roading all day with friends. Or maybe enjoy the day in the company of friends while at the field flying models.

However, after this, I want to come home because I look forward to a hot shower, maybe a soak in the Jacuzzi, plus a toddy, and an early night (or maybe a Netflix movie). This versus fetching firewood and battling mosquitos. Speaking of a hot shower, I briefly toyed with the idea of a small Jacuzzi in the truck and desisted in favor off small-ish shower stall instead (48" x 34"). What I am thinking of is an instant-on type gas water heater plus a 20# propane bottle for the purpose. This should easily last a week and I can exchange the bottle nearly anywhere in the country, or refill if needs be for <20 bucks.

Anyway, I haven't really fleshed out the idea of 12V power in Moby, which is why I am asking you guys. E.g. yes, I did plan to let the APU run all the time so as to have 110V AC . . . just like at home. My only use for 12V at present is in terms of a source for power to recharge the batteries in the models. This is because we fly in the summer, when it's hot as Hell and thus, I am going to want the AC 100% of the time. This implies the APU is going to be running all the time too and thus, why would I want to complicate my life with 12VDC?

Believe me, I am not being facetious, or a smart ass, when I ask this question, I really want information. For example, I had first thought to buy an RV type refrigerator, which could run on 12VDC (and propane) as well as 110VAC However, a dorm-room size 110V unit is $60 while an RV type is many hundreds of dollars. Ditto a microwave, especially because all of these things seem to run on 110VAC. Thus, folks run pricey inverters expressly to create 110VAC from 12VDC, which seems like an unneccesary complication for my purposes. Why not run 110VAC all the time, instead?

Of course, if I am wrong and an interest develops in us for camping or being in in the company of others with RV (unlikely as I am somewhat solitary by nature), I can always deploy a 12VDC lighting system, later.

by the way, your comments sparked the realization I'll gain a 110V circuit because the potable water pump will be part of the a 12VDC system. I guess I need to investigate this 12V business further.

Anyway, please continue to explain about 12VDC because now is the time when I am spending the money outfitting Moby. For example, last night we purchased LED lighting for the bathroom (we've already purchased the LED lighting for the main workshop area). Speaking of the bathroom, I think I'd better dedicate a separate circuit for the wall outlets in there because a hair drier can be 1000W easily.