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Old 10-23-2015, 03:22 PM   #1
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Can you clear the Gas Station awning?

TUiREL T70 Laser Tape Measure

After a few near misses scraping my A/C units off of my 13.6 ft high fifth wheel, I looked for and bought what's turned out to be a really good and inexpensive ($38 at Amazon) digital laser tape measure.

The only negative was the single sheet owner's manual (1 side English, 1 side Chinese). So I scanned and re-arranged the instructions to be more meaningful. Now it's a 5 page PDF file with big print.

As a bonus, this unit can measure the height of your trailer without you having to crawl up there (hint: It supports the Pythagorian Theorem)

I've posted for public sharing at the clicky link in the beginning of this message. Also, I shared this with the manufacturer and they have no issues.

Tuirel Mfg Product Page for T70 Handheld Laser Distance Meter
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Old 10-24-2015, 04:34 PM   #2
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I run diesel so I fuel up on the same islands the semis do. They fit under the awning and so will I . Biggest down fall with gas is a lot of stations don`t give enough room to swing with a 30 foot plus trailer.
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Old 10-25-2015, 01:10 PM   #3
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So hbillsmith,
I looked at the website and Don't see how you were able to measure your rig????unless someone gets on the roof and holds something from the highest point out over the edge for the laser to hit......we did that with a tape and the wife held the tape on the ground and I used my laser level on the wall of the 5er's home....
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Old 10-25-2015, 01:27 PM   #4
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So hbillsmith,
I looked at the website and Don't see how you were able to measure your rig????unless someone gets on the roof and holds something from the highest point out over the edge for the laser to hit......we did that with a tape and the wife held the tape on the ground and I used my laser level on the wall of the 5er's home....
A squared + B squared = C squared. Works every time.
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Old 10-25-2015, 01:31 PM   #5
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The site team has done an off-topic and subsequent posts cleanup in this thread. Please keep your posts related to the topic at hand.
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Old 10-25-2015, 03:37 PM   #6
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Awesome! Thank you so much for this great tip!

FYI - for hunters or survey work the T100 goes out to 328 feet and is only 5 dollars more on Amazon.
T70 - $49.99 T100 54.99

Quote:
Originally Posted by hbillsmith View Post
TUiREL T70 Laser Tape Measure

After a few near misses scraping my A/C units off of my 13.6 ft high fifth wheel, I looked for and bought what's turned out to be a really good and inexpensive ($38 at Amazon) digital laser tape measure.

The only negative was the single sheet owner's manual (1 side English, 1 side Chinese). So I scanned and re-arranged the instructions to be more meaningful. Now it's a 5 page PDF file with big print.

As a bonus, this unit can measure the height of your trailer without you having to crawl up there (hint: It supports the Pythagorian Theorem)

I've posted for public sharing at the clicky link in the beginning of this message. Also, I shared this with the manufacturer and they have no issues.

Tuirel Mfg Product Page for T70 Handheld Laser Distance Meter
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Old 10-25-2015, 07:17 PM   #7
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Gasoline Pumps

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Originally Posted by Big Red and 30WR View Post
I run diesel so I fuel up on the same islands the semis do. They fit under the awning and so will I . Biggest down fall with gas is a lot of stations don`t give enough room to swing with a 30 foot plus trailer.
I agree, but I've been lucky. Sometimes, I have to wait for a pump to open up, which we don't mind given the dog can go for a walk. I've been told that some of the larger truck stops have one or two gas pumps on some of semi islands for the larger RV rigs. Anyone confirm this?
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Old 10-25-2015, 07:36 PM   #8
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At only 11'6" I have never had a problem getting under the awing, but I have sweat some serious bullets trying to get around pumps and cars, as I don't get the required amount of practice towing the 5ver.
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Old 10-25-2015, 07:46 PM   #9
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I went to a flying j in Ohio across from an overnight stop at a campground. We used the rv lane and the sign saying rv lane scraped our front AC. We are 13'6". The girl inside said that is a common problem there. Being that it was the same roof the truckers go under, I wouldn't have even thought to use a laser to check the height.
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Old 10-25-2015, 10:13 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by plshilo View Post
So hbillsmith,
I looked at the website and Don't see how you were able to measure your rig????unless someone gets on the roof and holds something from the highest point out over the edge for the laser to hit......we did that with a tape and the wife held the tape on the ground and I used my laser level on the wall of the 5er's home....
It works something like this. You need to stand about 10 feet or so off to the side of your RV. Holding the unit steady (say pressed against your chest), you first press the Pyth symbol button, then for distance measure A point the laser to the highest point of your RV and press the Measure button. Then keep holding the unit in the same place and for Distance Measure B tilt it down to point the laser to a spot at the bottom of the RV and press Measure button.

The unit takes distance measure A, distance measure B and uses its internal sensors to register the angle created by the tilt. Those 3 measures (A,B,Tiltangle) are all it needs to calculate the RV Height and that is displayed as the answer.
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Old 10-25-2015, 11:21 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by hbillsmith View Post
It works something like this. You need to stand about 10 feet or so off to the side of your RV. Holding the unit steady (say pressed against your chest), you first press the Pyth symbol button, then for distance measure A point the laser to the highest point of your RV and press the Measure button. Then keep holding the unit in the same place and for Distance Measure B tilt it down to point the laser to a spot at the bottom of the RV and press Measure button.

The unit takes distance measure A, distance measure B and uses its internal sensors to register the angle created by the tilt. Those 3 measures (A,B,Tiltangle) are all it needs to calculate the RV Height and that is displayed as the answer.
I don't think that is right. Pyth is based on a right triangle, so you can't hold it say chest high and measure high then low. You need a 90 degree angle so I guess you could hold it at a known height, say 4 feet from the ground and measure parallel to the ground to your RV for your distance of A then holding it at the same point make the measurement to the top of your ac for the C measurement. C is what your measuring when you go high ( the hypotenuse) Once B (height) is calculated then add 4 feet to the solution, I guess.

I just wonder how accurate you can be. Have you actually done it and verified the measurement? It seems to me that you would have to lay the unit on the ground and measure the distance to the RV and then from the exact same point on the groun tilt it to aim high to catch just the top edge of the highest thing on your roof. I don't know, I would not trust it and end up climbing up there anyway. Oh, and you have to do this while it is connected to your TV...
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Old 10-25-2015, 11:28 PM   #12
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I don't think that is right. Pyth is based on a right triangle, so you can't hold it say chest high and measure high then low. You need a 90 degree angle so I guess you could hold it at a known height, say 4 feet from the ground and measure parallel to the ground to your RV for your distance of A then holding it at the same point make the measurement to the top of your ac for the C measurement. C is what your measuring when you go high ( the hypotenuse) Once B (height) is calculated then add 4 feet to the solution, I guess.

I just wonder how accurate you can be. Have you actually done it and verified the measurement? It seems to me that you would have to lay the unit on the ground and measure the distance to the RV and then from the exact same point on the groun tilt it to aim high to catch just the top edge of the highest thing on your roof. I don't know, I would not trust it and end up climbing up there anyway. Oh, and you have to do this while it is connected to your TV...
I have also done it the way you described in your last paragraph. I first did it in my living room where I first measured the ceiling height by setting the unit on the floor and pointing it at the ceiling. Then I compared that result to the one I got by having it tell me the height of an ajoining wall. They came out with a 100th inch the same. You are correct in that setting the unit on the ground is simplest, but I did get a good read doing the chest high method also.
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