Does This Make Me Crazy?

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Clark

I listen to a radio station that has a segment called, “Does that make me Crazy?” They ask a question and let listeners comment.

My wife and I decided a year ago to travel the US with our kids for a year. Crazy! At the time the idea sounded crazy, but was appealing too. I quit a good job, in a weak economy. Crazy! At the time the only people we had heard of traveling the US in a RV were retired or crazy.

Over the last year we have been building a personal business that was new to us. Crazy! Preparing to down size from 1600 sq ft to 400 sq ft. Crazy! Home schooling our three boys for a year. Crazy! I agree all those things make me sound a bit crazy, but when you have a compelling dream crazy seems OK.

This was our winter…Crazy?

We had a good snow storm in the Northwest this year, which I like, but makes driving a bit crazy because snow here is icy, and ice and hills are not a great combination.

About a week later this was our winter…Crazy?

The Northwest is known for being rainy and wet, but add snow melt and the rivers over flow their banks. Crazy?

Winter was coming to an end as spring was arriving. This is what we got…Crazy?

Call me crazy but, I’m looking forward to spending 12 months in mild to warm weather.

I’m looking forward to spending time with my family.

I’m looking forward to seeing and experiencing sights and culture around the US.

I’m looking forward to a change of pace. No need to hurry, anywhere.

Does that make me crazy?

 

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Portland RV Show

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Clark

We went to the Portland RV show last weekend to see all the new features and gadgets for 2012. We were a little disappointed because we wanted to look at family designed 5th wheels (2 bedroom 30′+), and the selection was lacking. It’s still early in the year for RV sales here so either dealers just don’t have the stock, or our niche just isn’t a hot seller.

There were two that we liked, and not many others except toy haulers that fit our wants. One that we had walked thru before at the local dealership, the Brookstone, has many features we really like: 2 bedrooms, 2 bath, lots of storage, light and bright inside, dedicated beds for each of our kids Oh, and did I mention it’s new (we like that).

I couldn’t get a picture of all the kitchen space, but this shows a lot of the cabinet space.

3 dedicated beds for our boys are a must for us.

The full size shower was a huge plus. Most bathrooms have enough room to shower, shave and do your business in the same spot. This one is pretty big.

The other one we liked was the Wilderness. it doesn’t have a 2nd bathroom, but it does have a second table in the back bedroom. The interior storage isn’t as good as the Brookstone, and the colors make the interior feel darker, which my wife doesn’t like.

This is the second table. I picture multiple places for board games or work. there is also storage under each of the bench seats.

We liked this flooring too. It’s a vinyl product, but has texture of a wood floor.

If we could take the best parts of these two 5th wheels we would have the perfect one for us, but I’m sure it would remain out of our price range. So we settled on this one.

It’s new and they say it’s easy to tow.

 

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Keep Your Fresh Water Flowing When it’s Freezing

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Clark

If you are a fair weather camper keeping your water lines from freezing is easy, don’t go camping when it’s cold. The Year round RVer may find themselves visiting family, or traveling through areas of freezing temperatures. How do you keep that fresh water line flowing in those freezing temperatures?

One option is to connect to a faucet that has a mix of cold and hot water. This option usually isn’t available unless you are staying close to a house with a laundry sink near by. Often times the laundry room isn’t convenient enough to connect to your city water line. Who wants a hose running through their house out to your RV, especially when it’s freezing outside?

Most RV resorts that are open year round have heated coils wrapped around their outside water faucets. This is also an option you can use too. The Heated wire wraps around your water line.

This option works great as long as the coils stay tight to your water line. Usually you need to tape the coils to the hose. Then you need to remove the tape and coils when you are not concerned about freezing weather.

Full-time RVers can use a heated water line to keep the water flowing in freezing temperatures. The Pirit Heated Hose is another option

 

What I like about this hose is that you can use it year round as your primary city water hose, and plug it in when the temperatures start to drop around freezing.

What do you use?

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Repairing cracked RV holding tanks

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Clark

RV holding tanks (grey & black water) can be damaged by flying rocks, or dragging on rough terrain. Having a leak can be messy, and in most area’s is illegal. Replacing a whole tank can be costly, and what if it happens while you are out on the road? This could create some real challenges.

Minor damage can be repaired fairly easily, inexpensively, and pretty quickly. Most holding tanks are made of ABS plastic. You can purchase a holding tank repair kit or you can buy similar supplies from a local hobby shop. All you need is a gap filling cyanoacrylate adhesive with separate activator (similar to super glue, but thicker and dries slower) some sand paper, and fiber glass cloth.

Repairing a crack

  1. Empty the holding tank
  2. Clean off any dirt or grime around the damaged area (make sure it is dry)
  3. Drill a small hole at each end of the crack, this will keep it from spreading.
  4. Cut a piece of fiberglass cloth a couple inches larger than the damaged area.
  5. Saturate the fiberglass cloth with cyanoacylate glue.
  6. Use your hand to spread the fiber glass cloth over the damaged area. (wear gloves)
  7. Once the fiber glass is in place apply the accelerator and you will have an instant bond.

This repair is strong and long lasting too. The tank should be ready to use in 15-20 min.

Do you have a holding tank disaster story? I’d like to hear it.

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Winterizing the Water System

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Clark

If you are a fair weather camper than winterizing the water system in your RV is a must. When water freezes it expands, when it sits still on metal it rusts. The water lines and joints in a typical RV are not able to handle the pressure ice creates. The metal in your water pump (the bearings) will rust and seize the pump if they rust.

The winters in Oregon are fairly mild compared to other parts of the US. We usually have a week or so of below freezing weather, but not much more. If there isn’t any heat on in the inside of your RV, it doesn’t take too long for the RV pipes to freeze up.

The two common ways of winterizing the water system either involve compressed air or non-toxic anti-freeze. Which ever method you choose it is best to drain your hot water tank.

1. Drain fresh water holding tank. (drain valve will be located out side the RV typically on the side wall).

2.Draining the hot water tank

  • There is a nylon plug that unscrews near the bottom of the tank to drain it. Remember “Lefty loosy, righty tighty” It doesn’t take much to strip the threads of this plug.
  • Open a sink or shower hot water valve. This creates a vent for the water to siphon easily to drain all the water out of the tank.
  • If you have a hot water heater bypass installed, close off the tank after the water drains.

3. Option A (Compressed Air) purchase a air adapter that connects an air compressor line to the city water connection of your RV.

  • Turn on the 12 volt water pump (sink valves should still be open). Operate the pump until it runs dry.
  • Connect the air fitting to the city water connection.
  • Close all the faucet valves, except the farthest one.
  • Blow air into the city water line until water stops flowing. Close the faucet valve.
  • Open the next farthest valve repeating the process until you get to the closest faucet including the shower, and toilet.
  • Water is now out of the fresh water lines.

3. Option B (Non-toxic) Anti-Freeze. Use only non-toxic anti-freeze that is designed for RV water systems.

  • Pour a couple gallons of the solution directly into the main water tank of your RV.
  • turn on the 12 volt water pump, and open individual faucets individually until all faucets are pouring out the anti-freeze.
  • Before using the fresh water system. It is recommended that you sanitize the system.

It is a good practice to pour a little of the non-toxic RV anti-freeze into the drains of each of your sinks and shower drain to keep the elbows from freezing and breaking over the winter.

4. Dump your grey water & black water holding tanks.

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Solar Power (part 3) Wiring

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Clark

In part 2 of this series I added a video that showed you how to wire photovoltaic cells together. In this post I will describe the best practice to connect the entire system together (batteries, regulator, panels).

Open space on your roof, and the number of panels you decide to install (typically 2) will determine where on your roof you can install solar panels. It is best to find the shortest wiring distance as possible from the panels to the battery bank.

8 gauge wire is the ideal size to use for your entire solar system. It will handle the fluctuating current best. Wires should be run inside flexible conduit to protect them from the sun’s UV rays. If you can run the wires through an existing vent such as the refrigerator it is better than drilling holes that could leak over time.

If installing more then one panel wire them in parallel.  Solar panels do not provide consistent current, therefore a regulator is required to make sure batteries are not over charged. Panels are wired to the regulator, both positive and negative wires run into the regulator (a.k.a charge controller). A fuse or breaker should be installed on the positive wire between the regulator and the batteries. The fuse or breaker should be rated 5amps higher than the capacity of the panels, and then to the corresponding battery terminals. From the batteries the standard RV wiring is sufficient to have DC power that runs lights and some other appliances. From the batteries power runs into a inverter that powers larger appliances. Fuses or breakers should be placed between the batteries and the DC appliances and a fuse between the batteries and the inverter, if not already equipped.

Let me know if you have specific questions.

 

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Solar Power (part 2) Panels

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Clark

Solar power is very attractive to many RV users. I have not installed a solar system yet, but plan to on my next RV. As I have been reading not all panels are created equal.

There are a lot of choices when it comes to selecting the components you’ll need for your RV Solar System. Some components are inexpensive and some cost an arm and a leg. Solar for RV’s is one of those things that you get what you pay for!

 RV SOLAR STORE

 

It is best to do some research to find out what panels will work best for your needs. Most solar experts suggest that 32-36 cell panels work best for RV use.

Things you will want to know for a RV installation is how durable are they, will they hold up when you drive on unpaved pothole filled roads? How well are they sealed, will they stay water tight in a heavy rain storm? Does the manufacture offer a warranty on the panel if it is installed on an RV? What are actual users of the panels saying about them?

As a DYI kinda guy I was intrigued by the idea of making my own panels. I found Green Power Science and appreciated their videos. I’m not convinced this is the best practice for a RV application, but it will give you a better understanding of solar panels.

Photovoltaic cells work at peak performance when they are faced directly into the sun. Unfortunately for RVers it is impractical to install a tracking system to keep the panels facing the sun, and the best location to install is the roof. The reality is that a panel will only be in the best location a couple hours a day, so keep this in mind when you are calculating the size of panel or panels you need.

The best way to mount the panels is to use Z brackets. This provides the necessary clearance between the roof and the panel. Use nuts and bolts between the Z brackets and the panels, so that they can be removed easily. RV REPAIR & MAINTENANCE MANUAL

Solar panel performance is affected by temperature this is a good reason to leave space, at least 2″ between the solar panel and the roof of your RV. You may want to install a wind deflector on the front of the panel so the panel isn’t lifted off the roof while driving.

How have you installed your panels?

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Solar Power (part 1) Battery Bank

Posted on October 23, 2011 by Clark

My previous series was on understanding batteries and different ways to connect them. This series is a continuation, but moves into solar power set ups.

How do you know how much power you will need to generate and store for your RV needs? All appliances are rated in AC watts or amps. You can use the following formula to determine the DC amp hour draw for a 12 volt DC system:

(AC amps X 10) X 1.1 X hours of operation = DC amp-hours
(AC watts / 12) X 1.1 X hours of operation = DC amp-hours

This formula should be used to calculate the number of amp hours used between recharges for each appliance. Although a deep cycle can be discharged 80% without permanent damage it is best practice to allow for 50% cycling to improve battery longevity.  Do this by calculating the amp hour usage between charging cycles and then use a battery bank twice that capacity.

 


Sample Power Consumption in 12 volt DC Amp hours

Appliance Wattage 15min 30min 1hr 3hrs
light 100   2 4 8 24
blender 300 6 12 . .
coffeemaker 1000 20 40 80 .
Refrigerator 750 . 21 42 126
microwave 1500 30 60 120 360
vacuum 1100 22 44 88 264

How many batteries do you have in your battery bank?

 

 

 

Some of the information contained in this post is from the Bob Livingston RV Repair & Maintenance Manual 1998

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Batteries (Part 4) Series Wiring

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Clark

This is my 4th post in a series about RV electrical set-ups. Although the information is is fairly basic it will help if you read the entire series.

Post #1 Deep cycle batteries

Post #2 Ratings and sizes

Post #3 Parallel wiring

 

In my previous post I talked about the most common way RV batteries are wired when there are multiple batteries being used for electrical power in your RV. In this post I will describe series wiring. To wire two batteries in a series you connect the negative lead to the positive lead of the second battery. The open posts of each battery are connected to the load. Keep in mind each battery increases the voltage. In the example below two 6 volt batteries connected in a series create a 12 volt output.

 

Likewise if two 12 volt batteries were wired together in a series you would have a 24 volt output. Most autos, motor-homes, and travel trailers operate with 12 volts.

So why would you use two 6 volt batteries wired in a series to run a 12 volt system? I’ve heard competing opinions on this topic. There is one school of thought that says 6 volt golf cart batteries have higher reserve capacity and are constructed better for deep cycle discharges than a 12 volt deep cycle battery. There is another school of thought that says today’s 12 volt deep cycle batteries are constructed just as well as golf cart batteries.

What set-up do you use?

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Batteries (part 3) Parallel Wiring

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Clark

This is my third post in a series about RV electrical set-ups. Although the information is is fairly basic it will help if you read the entire series.

Post #1 Deep cycle batteries

Post #2 Ratings and sizes

 

There are two ways that batteries are typically wired, when there are multiple batteries being used for electrical power in your RV, that is either parallel or in a series. Parallel wiring is the most common. In this post I will describe parallel wiring. Parallel wiring does not increase the voltage, so when two 12 volt batteries are wired in this way it remains a 12 volt system. here is an example:

the affects can be seen when jump starting a car. The battery in the dead car remains 12-volts, and will still turn the starter, but only very slowly. Parallel wire a charged up 12-volt battery to the weak battery, and the dead car turns the starter at the required speed and the car starts immediately. Parallel wiring the charged battery to the weak battery did not alter the voltage – it remained a 12-volt system. The car’s system is 12-volt, and running greater voltages through that system would be destructive to it. To avoid increasing the voltage and damaging the vehicle, the batteries are simply parallel wired.

 

Two 12 volt batteries wired in parallel means that the positive post of each battery is connected to each other, and the negative posts are also connected together. Connecting the lead of the positive side of one battery to the load, and the lead of the other battery’s negative side to the load is the best practice. In parallel the voltage remains the same, but the amount of current available increases. Batteries connected in parallel should be the same brand, type, size, and age. Otherwise long term capacity could be reduced. It is possible to connect more than two batteries together in parallel, but space is a major hindrance in a RV setting.

It is recommended that if you are going to wire more than two batteries together in a parallel system that they share a common positive connection, and a common negative connection. This will best allow each battery to be charged correctly. Again using the same brand, type, size, and age are important factors for the life of the batteries.

How many batteries do you use in your set-up (motor home, or travel trailer)? How long are you off the grid usually?

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