January 10, 2022 - Dumster Diving and Securing Floor Vents

The dumpster here in the park is on the way to the mailbox from our lot. As I ride my bike to get the mail I always check out the dumpster area for stuff people leave that is usable. There are always things like microwave ovens, chairs, etc. Most items are in good working order. The other day I found an "Everstart Maxx" car jumper-starter sitting there. It looked fine so I brought it back to our site to check it out. I plugged it in and over a period of 24 hours it charged up to 13.2 volts. It has an AC outlet, three USB outlets, an LED light and an air compressor. Everything works. The only issue will be to see if the battery holds a charge when not plugged in. Here is a picture of it with an AC adapter in it to charge my phone.  If the internal battery holds a charge, it will be handy to have around the camper or at home. If not, back to the dump.

Also at the dumpster on another day was a 50-foot garden hose that looked to be like new. All it needed was a washer. Here is a picture of it with a spray handle I put on to check it out for leaks. It even had the bungee cords on it to keep it curled up. I will add it to my collection of hoses in the RV.

For several months we have been having issues with the floor vents in the carpeting. They are supposed to be screwed through the carpeting and into the floor. Unfortunately, the holes cut in the floor were cut too large for the screws to catch any wood to hold them down. As a result, at times our feet catch on them. They can be a trip hazard. I decided today to drill holes in the sides of the vents so I could screw the vent into the floor on an angle. Here is a picture of one vent in the vice getting ready to be drilled. The arrow points to the area where I drilled a hole on each end.

Here is a picture of one of the drilled holes.

Here is a picture of one vent installed with a screw firmly holding it in place on each end. Problem solved.