Don't Be Like Me

Cyclonic

Yeah, we are do stupid stuff, and I am posting about the stupid stuff I did last night so you don't make the same mistakes I did.

So, a few weeks ago I joined a program called Harvest Hosts.  Basically, for about $40 a year you can camp for free at wineries, brewerys, farms, some museums, and a few other types of places across the country.  It is a step up from Wal-Mart camping, as they are in great locations, and if you like these kinds of places like we do, then they are places you are stopping at anyway.  It is mostly dry camping, but some places do have electric hook-ups.

Last night was to be our first experience doing this.  We had not been camping yet this month, and while it was a Sunday night, this is a local winery and we could just head home early in the morning and go off to work.  That is, all in theory.

We pulled in at about three in the afternoon and the winery could not have been more wonderful.  The manager walked up to where we would be parking for the night and recommended a few level spots in a nice field on a knoll above much of the surrounding countryside.  We had some good wine, great brick oven pizza, listened to a very entertaining guitarist, and as the afternoon wound down we headed back the the T@Bpole and relaxed in the shade for a while.

The sun was starting to set and I decided I needed to plug my phone in the tow vehicle (TV) to charge it a while as it would be our 4am alarm.  This was fateful as when I opened the TV I find it had no power.  This is not good.  Then I figured out what happened, I had put the car in accessory mode to put the windows down before going into the winery and forgot the turn the ignition back out of it.  Yes, the stupid things we do when we are sober.

Now it is dark, the winery is closed, everyone is gone, and we are in the middle of a field with a dead TV.  I could have called AAA, but no, I had a solution.  I pulled the battery out of the T@Bpole and connect it to the TV battery.  I knew it would not be able to jump the TV, but I left it on there for about 15 minutes and it gave enough of a charge to turn the car over.  Good news, I now have a running TV, but for how long?  We decided it might be prudent to pack it put and head home, if the TV didn't start back up at home, at least we had another and an auto parts store just a few blocks away.

We leave it running and break camp.  We were minimalist, so it took all of five minutes.  I load the T@Bpole's battery back in the box and hook it up.  I plug the T@Bpole into the TV, and no lights!  Now I am really confused.  I look a the battery again and find the problem, and second mistake of the evening, I reversed the polarity when I put it back in.  That can be a big problem, I quickly disconnected it and corrected the polarity.  Still no lights, no power.  I check the fuses, and nothing.

At this point I give up.  It is pitch black out and I am not about to start taking everything apart in the dark.  We decide to unhitch and head home, leaving the T@Bpole at the winery.

I headed back at o'dark this morning (yes, the TV seems to be starting fine now), extra tools in hand.  It was still dark when I arrived, so I waited for the sun to rise.  Once I can see, I pull everything out of the tongue box and check the wiring going into the battery box.  When it was sold to me by Miller Trailer it already had a battery cut-off switch installed.  What I did not realize was that Preston also installed a 30amp fuse between the battery and the switch to protect it.  Sure enough, this fuse was totally burned out, a bit melted even.  Good news, it probably saved the converter, so a nice couple dollar investment there.  I actually had one with me, replaced it, and was back in business.

So, I guess the moral here is don't play with the battery in the dark.  Lesson learned the hard way.

Oh, I did at least take a few photos of the place, such a great location:

Verna

All's well that ends well, Nathan!  Thank goodness Preston installed that in-line fuse. 

I carry my PoweAll in my truck for such occasions, and I have jumped so many vehicles since I got it. It's a life saver because a dead battery never comes at an opportune time or place. 

ChanW

Looks gorgeous!

Shoulda stayed ennyway! Looks as though sunrise would have been the cure for anything.

ChanW

A couple of thoughts...

• The converter has a fuse for just that, reversed polarity (must be a pretty common mistake to make!) I'm surprised that didn't blow.
• Our Tacoma, as well as the last Ford we had (92?) had a feature that would shut down the power if the door was left open, etc, when the engine wasn't running, saving the battery. It would reconnect when the door was closed. Maybe you never did discharge the TV battery?

Photomom

Overall, are you pleased with Harvest Hosts? I'm thinking of joining. We like wine!

ericnliz

Good endings, and lessons learned. Glad it ended well for you. Great photos by the way!

Cyclonic

ChanW said:

A couple of thoughts...

• The converter has a fuse for just that, reversed polarity (must be a pretty common mistake to make!) I'm surprised that didn't blow.

And that is what I initially thought the issue was, but it checked out, and thus left me scratching my head.  I actually kinda like that it was just an isolated fuse, even if I didn't know it was there, that ended up protecting the rest of the system from harm.

ChanW said:

• Our Tacoma, as well as the last Ford we had (92?) had a feature that would shut down the power if the door was left open, etc, when the engine wasn't running, saving the battery. It would reconnect when the door was closed. Maybe you never did discharge the TV battery?

That was my hope, so I had at first disconnected the battery in hopes of resetting it with no luck.  It could still have been the case, and I just didn't disconnect it long enough.  Either way, the good thing is, it seems to be back to normal, though I don't have a battery tester to check it and make sure.  I guess that is now on the shopping list.  Going to do more dry camping this year, so I guess I need to do a little more prep.

Oh, and we would have stayed, the night was gorgeous up on that knoll, perfectly clear skies.  We may give it another go next week.

Tommy

Tagging on to Photomom's question... 

I had roughly a dozen other questions but I found most of the answers on the Harvest Hosts FAQ page.

Cyclonic

Photomom said:

Overall, are you pleased with Harvest Hosts? I'm thinking of joining. We like wine!

Then you might like this program.  This was our first go at it, and I couldn't have been happier about how it worked, I mean, besides my own silliness.  There is another local winery that I would like to try next week if @schizokeet is agreeable to it.

I have two more planned for a trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway in November, and already found several along the planned route for our trip to Texas next year.

Funny, even the one winery I visited on my June trip is a member.  I wonder if the lady running the winery at first thought I was pulling in to stay the night, as it was a weekday and I was the only one there.

They do ask that you call the host at least 24 hours in advance to make sure they can accommodate you.  It was very easy, and the folks at this winery were very outgoing and friendly.

Tommy

It's a neat idea and we have a house in the heart of wine country (Napa). However, twice in the FAQ's page they mention the vehicle must have "interior cooking facilities" but don't come right out and say if outdoor grill cooking is banned. If it is this practically excludes us from participation because we don't cook anything more than water for coffee and occasionally boiled veggies on our interior range-top.

Photomom

We would likely have sandwiches or a salad, or eat locally, if we overnighted at a farm or winery. We normally cook outdoors but if we were staying one night and leaving early we wouldn't want to set up the awning, campstove, etc. anyway.

To be honest, this sort of travel is one of the reasons we got a self contained TT rather than something that had to be popped up, slid out, or otherwise assembled.

Sharon_is_SAM

I wonder if they just want to avoid camp fires for cooking?

Photomom

SAM said:

I wonder if they just want to avoid camp fires for cooking?

I think it's supposed to be overnight parking, not camping. Like Walmart is supposed to be.

Photomom

@Cyclonic, if you ever make it up here, we have tons of wineries around our Finger Lakes, and I believe a few of them participate in HH. You need to get NY on your map anyway.

ChanW

Yeah, I'd like a more definite answer to that question too. We do all our cooking outdoors (other than coffee), even if only on the Coleman stove.

Tommy said:

.... However, twice in the FAQ's page they mention the vehicle must have "interior cooking facilities" but don't come right out and say if outdoor grill cooking is banned. If it is this practically excludes us from participation because we don't cook anything more than water for coffee and occasionally boiled veggies on our interior range-top.

mash2

I actually carry a long battery cable to run from the T@B to the TV (that I've used to have the T@B start the car).  Accessory mode was long my bane of existence.  Switched vehicles and things have gotten better with the protections on new vehicle.

IrishCamper74

At least you weren't waist deep in snow when this all went down!
Great pictures & I really like the idea of Harvest Hosts.

irvingj

Great story, and glad you were able to get things patched up!

I did the same thing to our T@B when I got it out this spring and hooked it up for the first time. I had installed a cut-off switch last year and hadn't labeled the wires sufficiently clearly when I did that. (Maybe I should have installed a hammer to hit my head if the polarity was about to be botched….)

I initially hooked it up backward --both wires were red-- and it blew a fuse. In my case, it took out the main 30A one on the converter, however, so no huge problem, but I realize I was darned lucky.

Yes, now the wires are VERY clearly marked!

Nomad

Found my TV battery dead one morning for no apparaent reason out in the boonies - luckily I had bought the charging cable for the Honda generator - fifteen minute charge and good to go - just hate it when you climb in and get nothing but a click.
Got stuck out in the boonies once, called AAA. Of course they ask for and address. Uuuuummmmm, can you take gps coordinates? They could but had to get on a different computer.

Cyclonic

Tommy said:

It's a neat idea and we have a house in the heart of wine country (Napa). However, twice in the FAQ's page they mention the vehicle must have "interior cooking facilities" but don't come right out and say if outdoor grill cooking is banned. If it is this practically excludes us from participation because we don't cook anything more than water for coffee and occasionally boiled veggies on our interior range-top.

Like anything, this program is not for everyone.  We tend to cook outside as well, carry an old Coleman stove, and that is how we do it normally. 

Specifically, you are not permitted to use a charcoal grill or fire, but may use a gas grill at the host's leisure.

Also, your unit must be self contained, though the toilet may be a port-a-pot.  So, CS model T@B's are out, but all other models are fine.

We didn't cook that evening, as they had food on site (excellent pizza), though we are going to visit a different winery this coming Sunday that does not have food on site, so will come prepared to cook in the T@B, which is fine.

Cyclonic

Speaking of pizza, a few more photos:

mickietucs

I joined Harvest Hosts before I left Tucson and have been able to stay at some wineries, a dinosaur museum (!) and a brewery. All the hosts have been wonderful. Hoping to stay at a farm when I leave Pinnacles NP (where I am presently). 

Nomad

Saw this above the door to a vacant building...



Of course that only applies to the first glass - after that it's pseudo wisdom and freedom from rational thought - but hey, we've all been there ;-)