Tag: camping

The Bigger, The Better

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One of my favorite hobbies over the summer months is going camping with my family. I grew up camping with my grandparents, brother and 2 cousins. My grandparents did have a camper but the majority of the time, the 4 of us kids, camped behind the trailer in tents. My wife on the other hand was a “newbie” to the whole camping scene so when we decided to begin this adventure we purchased a low-cost, lightweight hybrid style camper so she could have all the amenities to keep her comfortable – a bed, A/C, toilet and TV.

This year we were planning on going on an early vacation in May so I wanted to get the camper out of storage and prepare it before we left so when we got back we could start our weekend camping trips right away. I headed over to the storage lot only to find a tree branch had fallen through the roof! Needless to say, I was not a “happy camper” (pun intended). Not only that but it appeared it happened some time ago as the ceiling and certain parts of the floor were getting soft from rain. I immediately called my insurance company to file a claim and dropped the unit off at my local RV shop.

Roof 1
View of branch through the roof
Ceiling 1
Uuummmm – I need to speak to the “Branch Manager”

After about a week, I received the call from the RV shop advising of the repair costs which were about $3,000 higher than the actual value of the trailer. The insurance reviewed this information and determined the unit as a total loss and would be issuing us a check for the market value of the unit. We were somewhat bummed because we really liked our little camper and the memories we shared. Our oldest son learned to ride his bike w/o training wheels and he caught his first fish while camping in that trailer. Now that my wife is on board with camping and with the extra $ in our pocket, it’s time to shop for a bigger, new camper – I am thinking 5th wheel! This also means a truck upgrade to something bigger, at least a 3/4 ton, something I am sure will make my wife happy.

Keeping with the bigger theme, here at EXAIR we recently released our NEW 1/2″ Atomizing Nozzles. The larger size allows for higher flow rates and larger coverage areas.

Model EF5010SS
NEW Model # EF5010SS – 1/2″ NPT External Mix Narrow Angle Flat Fan Pattern Atomizing Nozzle

We offer the following options:

Internal Mix Narrow Angle Round Pattern – Flows up to 231 GPH, require pressurized liquid and air.

Internal Mix Wide Angle Round Pattern – Ideal for covering a large area, adjustable to a fine mist or heavy spray.

Internal Mix Flat Fan Pattern – Perfect for efficient output of costly liquids.

Internal Mix 360° Hollow Circular Pattern – Provides 360° even flow in all directions.

External Mix Narrow Angle Flat Fan Pattern – Able to handle thicker fluids than internal mix and providing independent air and liquid control.

Siphon Fed Round Pattern – For non-pressured liquid applications, up to 24″ of suction lift.

All of the above are also available with our No Drip feature to stop the liquid flow after the air supply has been turned off.

Justin Nicholl
Application Engineer
justinnicholl@exair.com
@EXAIR_JN

 

 

Dealing With The Unexpected

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

Last year about this time, I used the bully pulpit of my weekly blog to update you on the success of our ninth annual Father’s Day Weekend Campout. If you hadn’t guessed, I’m about to fill you in on how awesome the tenth was, but first:

A fellow Boy Scout leader is fond of saying that, when you camp, the weather is always perfect. It may be perfectly sunny or perfectly rainy. Perfectly warm or perfectly cold. Perfectly wet or perfectly frozen. Regardless, it’s always perfect. Yeah; we don’t always like him.

If we’ve learned one thing, it’s to expect the unexpected. This year, it rained. Well, not the whole time. Friday evening was beautiful…we got the campsite set up and dinner cooked well in advance of sundown. My friend & his son had recently waterproofed their tent, and me & my boys had recently purchased a new tent. Both were successfully, and extensively, leak tested Friday night. And all day Saturday. ALL DAY.

This, of course, put a damper on our plans to zipline, which didn’t exactly bother me. I’m sure it’s a temporary reprieve; I mean, I know darn well what I’m doing next year for Father’s Day Weekend, and it CAN’T rain forever. It also, however, put an unexpected damper on our plans to kayak on Sunday. The weather was gorgeous…and fitting for the first day of summer. It was hot enough to make some horseplay in the river sound downright inviting…but the constant rain over the past week had swelled the river banks, and none of the docks were accessible. So we broke camp and returned home to dry our gear. And to look forward to next year.

As Application Engineers, it’s a big part of our jobs to not just expect, but eliminate the unexpected. At EXAIR, we have an impressive arsenal of tools at hand to do just that. Our Efficiency Lab is fully stocked and outfitted to test any of our products…or yours…for performance and effectiveness. We’ve got a wealth of data in our constantly growing Case Study Library. Our Application Database has over 1,000 instances of what will work in certain situations, and our notes on product returns from our 30 Day Unconditional Guarantee give us information on what WON’T work.

If you’d like to find out how our products…and their capabilities…can work for you, give us a call. I look forward to seeing how we can help.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
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Getting Better All The Time

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ll know that the week following the third Sunday in June is when I write about my annual Father’s Day Weekend Camp out…this week is no exception. My best friend and I treated our wives to a guy-free weekend at home while we and our sons:

*Watched the full moon rise from a hilltop near Malabar Farm on Friday night.
*Kayaked the Clear Fork River.
*Fished a couple of ponds at the farm (to no avail.)
*Gigged for frogs at a couple of other ponds (results below.)
*Had frog legs & scrambled eggs for breakfast.
*Hiked and climbed to the top of Big Lyons Falls at Mohican State Park.

With the exception of watching the full moon rise (and maybe the unsuccessful fishing expedition), NONE of this would ever have happened when we started this tradition nine years ago with two six-year olds and a four-year old. It’s hard to believe that, now that our whole party pretty much passes the height/weight requirements, we’re looking for a campground with zip lining nearby for our 10th annual camp out next year. It looks like my fear of heights is going to be confronted by my fear of being ridiculed by my teenage sons. I’ll be sure to keep you posted on which one wins out.

As time passes, we all have to “step up our game”…I’ve heard it said that if you’re not constantly improving on what you do, you’re actually getting worse, because it’s a given that others ARE improving on what they do, and it’s going to leave you in the dust, even if you are just as good as you were yesterday.

cc optionsEXAIR Cabinet Cooler Systems are a prime example…over the years, we’ve gone from two sizes (1,700 and 2,000 BTU/hr) to nine (from 550 to 5,600 BTU/hr). To the original NEMA 12 (oil tight/dust tight, indoor duty) rated systems, we’ve added NEMA 4 (splash resistant, indoor/outdoor) and NEMA 4X (corrosion resistant, indoor/outdoor), so our Cabinet Cooler Systems are suitable for installation just about anywhere your enclosures might be.

High Temperature options are available for installation in areas with ambient temperatures up to 200°F (93°C). Non-Hazardous Purge systems maintain a slight positive air pressure to prevent internal contamination of enclosures located in particularly dirty surroundings. 316SS construction systems are available when the higher alloy is specified for food service, pharmaceutical, or particularly harsh/corrosive environments.

Oh, and all of these multiple-award-winning products are in stock and ready to ship today.  If you’d like to see if an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler System is the solution to your electric/electronic enclosure heat problems, give us a call.  We’ll even throw in a free AC Sensor if you order before the end of July.

Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
www.exair.com
twitter.com/exair_rb
facebook.com/exair

 

Farewell, So Long, Good-bye

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If any of you know the lyrics to Neil Diamond’s song “Farewell, So Long, Good-bye” you probably are in in your golden years or approaching them. I have reached the ripe old age of 66 and with much consternation, the question of retirement arises.

When you are young, you fantasize of all the things you will do in your retirement years. But, when that day comes, you may experience an epiphany. Your body is not able to endure the long drive to those far and distant places you wanted to travel to. Mountain climbing and hiking the Appalachian Trail is out of the question. Sleeping out in the cold damp nights makes your arthritis flare up and by now you have had some body part replaced which limits your flexibility.  So all those activities you planned to do after retirement when you were young, take on a new perspective when you are old. Conventional wisdom would say to retire and do what you can while you still can.

On the flip side, there is the decision of actually leaving your job. Being retired you have no job. That’s an unnerving feeling of helplessness. Even though you have set aside a sizeable nest egg, you are vulnerable to the winds of economic change. Most of all, it’s leaving your co-workers that you have made bonds with over the years.  Now that you have the time to play, they don’t. It takes me to mind when I was single and my buddies were married. Family commitments prevented them from engaging in the things we did together when we were all single.

Yes everyone promises to keep in touch but that eventually wanes. So after retirement a new social circle of friends has to be developed. The thought of joining all those old guys for morning coffee at the McDonald’s or Thursday night bingo has absolutely no appeal to me.

So why would anyone want to retire? That is the question facing me.  I love my job, the company I work for, and the people I work with. But, the fact is that time is running out to do the things that I have long desired.  I am not getting any younger and I need to do them while I am still capable.

So it is with much consternation, that I am announcing my retirement. I will miss being with you all.

my-camper1

At the end of the March I will be officially retired.  I am packing up the camper and the dog to start my travels across the country.  Along with this comes the end of an era of the #DearJoe Twitter feed.  @EXAIR_JP will be retired much like myself, so make sure you follow the rest of the EXAIR team, (@EXAIR, @EXAIR_DW, @EXAIR_RB, @EXAIR_BF, @EXAIR_KE, @EXAIR_LE, @EXAIR_NR, @ProfPenurious)  to stay up to date on EXAIR offerings as well as a small amount of humor.  Let’s face it, none of them are as funny as I am, but they do give me most of my material.

Joe Panfalone
Application Engineer
Phone (513) 671-3322
Fax (513) 671-3363
Web: www.exair.com
Twitter: EXAIR_JP