It Feels Good to be Back in the 'Hood.

We have lights in our trailer.

Just before Memorial Day I asked my neighbor (who had just gotten his own power back) to allow us to install a trailer outlet on his house to power our trailer. He agreed. I think that he appreciated that I let them "borrow power" from the trailer while they were under construction, at least as long as the power lasted. We decided to defer installation until after the Memorial Day holiday weekend since I had plans of the abduction.

As soon as I returned I called an electrician who was able to come out right away and install the outlet within days. I hope the bill isn't too bad.



I was going to need a couple of 30 amp RV Extension cords.



In our absence the trailer held up pretty well. There were no serious problems except for the plastic vent hatch covers.

The trailer has two skylight vent hatches. One in the bathroom and one over our bed. When I returned after Memorial Day we discovered that the one in the bath room was missing. I called Smith Research the FEMA maintenance contractor for our zip code. They sent out a very nice very conscientious competent man to correct all of our problems.



He replaced the missing vent and a light fixture one of his predecessors had removed but not replaced, due to a roof leak.

Unfortunately we apparently have a "Travel Trailer", not a "FEMA Spec Trailer", something I sort of knew. Apparently the "FEMA Spec Trailer"s use a different kind of hatch cover which doesn't fit our trailer. They also have standard residential toilets but lack the holding tanks and 12 volt power system of a Travel Trailer. A FEMA trailer may be a little more familiar but it seems to be less flexible.

In any event he solved the problem of rain getting in. It only cost me a morning.

I found the remains of the hatch cover in the yard the morning the cover was replaced. The plastic was so deteriorated it literally crumbled in my hand. It had the structural integrity of a stale saltine cracker.
Ever since I became Trailer Obsessive I have frequented Bent's RV Rendezvous. I spend time cruising the aisles to see what is available. Bent's had the correct hatch cover. One thing I was surprised they didn't have was sink cover cutting boards.

This interesting accessory is pictured in a lot of RC literature but seems as elusive to find as Sasquatch.


I decided to buy two covers and replace both of them, since one was the wrong kind and the other one was likely to go soon. They cost a little more that $15 each.


Saturday I went back to The Trailer to put it back in commission. I had my tools, my hatch covers, my Trailer Extension cords and my garden hoses. I got there just in time, the second hatch had failed and left the opening over the mattress wide open. Rain would have been disastrous.

Replacing the hatch covers took only a few minutes. The design is ingenious. They are held in place by two sheet metal screws. I kept the wrong cover as an emergency replacement.

In any event I now have power and water through the good graces of my neighbor.

It feels good to be back in the 'hood.