Do RVers Really Need A Power Management System?

I see that question all the time on Facebook and most of the Blogs that I read.  For the simple, easy, straightforward answer, YES you do.  There are so many factors involved here that I can not possibly cover them all in a single post but, I would like to cover the basics so that you can better understand why you need a Power Management system of some kind.





1. You need to know what the AC (Shore Power) voltage is inside your rig.  This is the power that indirectly powers lights, water heater, microwave, furnace, charger for the 12-volt battery system, etc.  If the voltage gets below 102 volts and should stay there for a few minutes it would be possible to sustain approximately $1200 of damage or more.

So what do you need?  You will need an AC Line Voltage Monitor.  The unit shown below is plugged into an AC wall outlet that you can see and will monitor what the line voltage is.  If it should go below 105 volts you need to unplug your rig from the outside power pedestal until the voltage goes back to normal.

AC Line Voltage Monitor

So how do you know when the outside power pedestal is back to normal.  You plug the Voltage Monitor into the 125 volts two pin socket in the power pedestal and see what the monitor reads.  It should read 110 volts or higher up to 125 volts.  The same caution goes for overvoltage.  You should unplug the rig from the power pedestal if your Voltage Monitor begins to read over 122 Volts.  Plug the Voltage Monitor into the power pedestal and watch for the voltage to drop to below 122 Volts.
Could this monitoring of the voltage be done for less money?  Yes, by using a cheap Digital Volt Meter  pictured below;

 Digital Volt Meter  

Harbor Freight often offers a cheap digital voltmeter for free, with coupon.  Watch their ads and take advantage of the offer.  You could plug the test leads that come with the meter into the meter and then the other ends of the test leads into the slots on the AC wall socket. (Caution do not leave unattended) Or you could make up a cord from a 6-foot extension cord and the test leads that come with the meter.  See below for an example.

AC Cord With Test Meter Leads

2. Next is  The Polarity Tester.  This is used to be sure that the Neutral wire of the power line is not reversed with the positive lead of the power line.  If that were to happen you could have what is called a hot-skin condition.  Meaning that if you had an aluminum skinned rig you could receive quite a shock from your rig.

 The Polarity Tester

The Polarity Tester can also tell you if the Earth Ground (the bare copper wire) is hooked up properly.  
The Earth Ground is a separate conductor which may seem to be doing nothing but, is, in fact, a protective wire. It is there, ready to take the current away to earth ground, from the body or frame of the electrical device it is connected to, makes contact with any "hot" wire. [the 120 volts mains power is carried in two current carrying conductors called "hot" and "neutral".] 
So, IF one of the "hot" conductors should contact the metal frame of the rig, or housing of an appliance, perhaps because the appliance got damaged by being dropped from a table, or similar accident,  the third wire which is the earth ground wire, which runs directly from the housing to the grounding [or earth ground bus] in the fuse or breaker panel, will in effect cause a short circuit which should blow the fuse or trip the breaker. 
This third wire also guarantees a current path back to the electrical panel where the fuse or circuit breaker protecting that circuit is located, in the event that the hot wire should come in contact with the rig's frame, but the neutral conductor should happen to have been cut or damage and become disconnected, or open. 
The idea is to guarantee that if a part of the rig, device or appliance should become "hot," which could be fatal to anyone who then came into contact with it. That the earth ground would trip/open the circuit protection device [fuse or breaker], and turn off the flow of AC current. 

To help further in checking for unwanted or wanted electricity a good investment is the, Voltage Sensor which is shown below;

 Voltage Sensor

With this probe, you do not need to touch the power line to tell if there is voltage present.  You can use this probe to find power lines behind the wall or under the floor of the Rig as well as the towing vehicle.

3.  Often times you want to know or need to know how much power something uses, especially if you keep popping a breaker or the power pedestal. The solution is Kill-A-Watt .  The unit shown below can be used to show how much power an appliance, tool or piece of electronics is using.

 Kill-A-Watt

4. Next, let's look at surge protectors for the various pieces of equipment in your Rig.  Surge Protectors protect only what is plugged into them and only for over-voltage surges.  Surge Protectors do not protect for under voltage or high voltages.  Shown below is a pair of good simple surge protectors;

Surge Protectors

There are Appliance Surge Protectors made just for appliances like microwave and coffee makers

 Appliance Surge Protectors

AC refrigerators, freezers. 

Refrigerator/Freezer Surge Protector

These special surge protectors offer extra features like audible alarms, flashing lights, displays, etc and are to be used with just the items listed on the packaging for the one you would buy.

5.  Next is a group of power management items that will protect your entire Rig not just one item or several items in it. First is the Portable Power Management System This type of system looks at High and Low voltage protection, a time delay for air conditioning compressor startup, 3-mode surge protection, reverse polarity protection, open neutral protection, open ground protection, AC frequency protection accidental 220 Volt protection. Includes an Integrated information panel, previous error code display is weather resistant and has a built-in locking bracket so it can be chained to the power pedestal at the campground to prevent theft.  The only thing this unit cannot do is flush the black water tank.  The miracle unit we are talking about is shown below.

30 Amp RV Surge Protector

These portable units come in two sizes the one above 30 amp and the one shown below 50 amp.

50 Amp RV Surge Protector

Let's say you were involved in a lightning-caused power surge at a campground.  It is estimated you would suffer approximately $3000 to $5000 worth of damage to the electrical system of your Rig along with the things plugged into it.  The features of the 50 amp unit are the same as the 30 amp unit.
Ah, but there is more!  What happens if you do not want something portable but something more permanent in the Rig? Then you have the permanently installed units which are called Fixed Power Management Systems  These units are not really a DIY type of item but, they can be installed by the DIYer if care is taken during the installation.  The 30 amp model is shown below;

 30 Amp Fixed Power Management Systems

There is also a 50 amp version of the same unit as above and can be found here;  50 Amp Fixed Power Management Systems .  The features of both units are the same and are,  high and low voltage protection, time delay for air conditioning compressor start-up, 3 mode surge protection, surge trip indicator, reverse polarity protection, open neutral protection, open ground protection, AC frequency protection. Accidental 220V protection, with remote information display panel, and unit bypass switch.  Unfortunately, this unit also does not dump the black tank.

I hope that you now have come to the conclusion that some type of power management is needed to protect your Rig, its contents and YOU!









Until Next Time

And finally, please remember that this blog is an Amazon affiliate. When you order something through any of the Amazon links, it doesn’t add anything to your cost, but I do earn a small commission on everything you buy. Just click on an Amazon link, then shop as usual.

How To Stay Warm Inside The RV When It Is Cold Outside

There is a group of us RVers that like to camp all year long and we live where that is possible.  Some of us Cold Weather RVers have little choice and must be in our RV all year long.  So how can you stay warm inside the RV when the world around you is just too cold?






Let's be clear on one point. If you have a rig that can take the cold it can only take it if the main furnace is set to keep the inside of the rig above freezing.  Most all weather rigs must have the furnace running to keep water pipes that run inside the rig from freezing.  That includes the black tank and grey water tanks as well. So you will need to keep the rig furnace going but you do not need it running at 72 degrees.

Let's talk about keeping you warm and comfortable.  I suppose we could all dress like Eskimos, but that seems a bit much for just reading a book inside our rig or maybe eating dinner.
You could wrap yourself in an electric throw blanket and be comfortable, like this one.

Electric Throw Blanket

If you added these to your feet you would be warm as toast.

Warming Footies

OR

Snoozies Many Styles

These Footies or Snoozies and the electric throw you should be able to sit around and enjoy TV or read a good book.

But what about sleeping in bed?  That is a good question, so let's take a look at that.

You could put one of these Mattress Heating Pads on your bed and plug into electric and sleep warm as toast all night.  These heated pads come in all the popular sizes King, Queen, and Twin.  I have shown the queen size below;

Mattress Heating Pads

Because heat rises this mattress type heating pad is much better than a heating blanket and will use less power to keep you toasty warm during the cold night.  That might be good for the sleeping time but what about being up and moving around the rig?

Ah, but you need to heat the Rig so you need more power, I mean heat.  Then you want a Ceramic Space Heater  This type of heater generates a lot of heat for very little electricity used.  The one pictured below is what I use.  I use two of the Ceramic Heaters. One blowing toward the bedroom and one in the living room blowing toward the kitchen.  These heaters will cook you out of the Rig, they can generate so much heat.  I winter camp in North Texas and it can get below freezing, as we all found out in the winter of 2013/2014.  But even though my water hose froze outside, inside we were as warm as toast.  Shown below is the  Space Heater I have;

Electric Space Heater

I have listed some of the features of this unit below:

• Small Heater Measures: 6.2" X 4.74" x 8.3" . 
• Three Modes Heater With Fan: 1.High Heat (1500-watt), 2. Low Heat(750-watt ), 3. Fan Only.
• FOR SAFETY: 1.Automatic overheat system will shut the unit off when the parts of the heater overheat. 2. TIP-OVER SWITCH will shut off unite when tipped forward or backward.

If you have a four-legged friend (Furkid) traveling with you, please take note: this unit comes with Auto Shut-Off.  If the Heater is tipped over the heater shuts off automatically.  This is a very important feature if you are traveling with four-footed friends.  There are some clumsy two-legged friends out there as well.

There are other options to keep warm in the RV you could also use one or more of these oil filled heaters.

Oil Filled Space Heater

The simple controls allow users to customize their heat with an adjustable thermostat and three temperature settings, and the ComforTemp setting maintains an optimal room temperature while conserving energy. The heater never requires refilling, and the anti-freeze technology automatically turns the unit on when the temperature drops below 42 degrees.
Oil heaters are quiet and run about 10.5 cents an hour to operate which can be a money saver compared to other types of heaters. 

 I know from experience that these hints and tips will work. They keep the family warm during our cold weather camping, which we enjoy most of the time. 

Until next time.

And finally, please remember that this blog is an Amazon affiliate. When you order something through any of the Amazon links, it doesn’t add anything to your cost, but I do earn a small commission on everything you buy. 
Just click on an Amazon link, then shop as usual.

Smoke, Gas, Fire, Oh My!!!

Did you know that there is a date code on the smoke detector as well as your carbon monoxide detector in your RV?  Did you know that the propane detector in your RV has an end of life? 

I sure didn't know.  If you are just changing the detector batteries at the beginning of each RV season and removing the batteries at the end of each season you may not be doing everything you need to be safe, there is more to it.  When was the last time you tested all your detectors to be sure that they all worked? (In many cases pushing the test button on the detector does not test the most important part of the detector, the sensor.)  Do you know how to test the detectors?  When is the last time you had a fire drill in your RV? 

Let’s look for some answers.  On the back of every smoke detector, there is a date code.  You may have to hunt for it but it is there.

Beginning in 1999, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) required the manufacturing date code on the back of the device to be printed in plain English. This information may appear on the back of the device, on the face of the horn, in the battery compartment or on the top sensing chamber.

It is widely held in the RV industry that if your detector is more than five years old, or is out of date, it should be replaced. 

Some detectors have permanent batteries built-in and others need to be replaced annually.  Always use alkaline batteries when replacing batteries in detectors.  Alkaline batteries last the longest in low power usage situations, such as detectors.

Now let’s talk turkey.  Most RV manufacturers use the lowest cost, simplest smoke detector they can in their rigs.  So false alarms and the possibility of alarm failures are there.  What can you do, upgrade your standard smoke detector to a combination ionization and Photoelectric smoke particle alarm such as the

 Kidde Model Pi9010 Dual Sensing Smoke Detector . 

These alarms have fewer false alarms and will give you and your family more time to get out if there is an emergency. 

Most fire safety experts agree that you have about 20 seconds to get out of an RV that is on fire before you will be overcome and not be able to get out.

Where should I put the smoke detectors in the RV you ask?  One should be in the Master bedroom and one in the Bunkhouse (if your RV has one).  Another one should be located in the kitchen area of the rig. 

There is a new small size model smoke detector for use in storage bays or in areas where the size of the detector is important.

Photoelectric Smoke Detector

This type of small space detector is a great idea for storage areas where we may have cleaning chemicals and fire-starting chemicals and other stuff that in the right conditions can ignite and start a fire.

You can test smoke type detectors by using a burning candle near the detector and then blowing it out.  See what happens.  Also, you can push the button located on the detector to test the battery.  

Pushing the button just test the battery and the electronics and does not check the sensor inside the unit.  The candle does that.

Next we have the Carbon Monoxide Detector.  This detector looks for the gas from combustion. CM gas is odorless, colorless, and tasteless.  This is a very deadly gas.  Every year there are deaths caused by CM gas when people run gasoline generators outside of their trailer. This detector can be located in the hallway to the bedrooms or in the bedroom itself.  Don't forget to put one in the bunkhouse. The CMD should be located off the floor about head high or higher. In my rig, the detector is located on the ceiling. The CM gas is lighter than air and will be found near the ceiling first.  Here is the one that I have  Battery Operated Carbon-Monoxide Detector. 

Battery Operated Carbon-Monoxide Detector 

NOTE: Be sure to replace the batteries at the beginning of the RV season (remove batteries at the end of the season) and keep the surface of the detector clean.

The LP Gas Detector is the last of the required detectors in your RV.  This one usually runs off of the 12-volt battery system of the RV.  It is located very near the floor usually in the hallway to the master bedroom, but not always.  This is the guy that will detect if your stove, oven, furnace, refrigerator or any other LP gas product in the RV is leaking LP into your breathing space.  LP Gas is heavier than air and sinks to the floor and builds up from there.  It has a bad odor that has been added to the gas by the LP Gas provider.  So LP Gas is not odorless, you sure can smell it.  Unless of course, you are sleeping.  If you smell gas get out, get out now, do not look for the leak just get out, and get help.

Here is a 12 volt LP Gas detector that has gotten good reviews and could replace what you are currently using if after testing yours does not work or the 5-year replacement date is up.  Remember pushing the test button on a detector does not test the sensor just the electronics and sounder.  Here is a detector that has gotten good reviews 12v LP Gas Detector.

12v LP Gas Detector

So how do you test one of these?  Remember those BIC lighters and Charcoal Starters?  Well get down near the detector and flick the BIC but do not light it.  Hold the lighter near the detector for a few seconds and you should set the alarm going.  Stop the flow of gas from the BIC and blow on the detector to dissipate the gas and the alarm should stop sounding.
A word of caution here I think is advisable.  I have heard that people are replacing the two gas detectors with one that claims it will do both jobs.  I would not want to bet my family's safety on this all in one detector.  These gasses are not the same weight in the air one gas rises and the other one sinks. How is one detector going to be in the right place to detect the right gas?  Just say'in.

Now let's talk about firefighting.  Don't do it.  Get Out!!!  If you must fight the fire to give yourself and your family more time to get out, do you have the right fire extinguisher?  Here again, in most cases, the cheapest fire extinguisher was installed in your rig.  When was the last time you check the extinguisher?  Now is a good time before you start off for this season.  If it is a powder type, turn it over a few times to resettle the powder.  If it is a squeeze the trigger type what is the date of manufacture?  You should plan on replacing the trigger type ever six years or sooner if the gauge says so.   RVers die every year from rig fires, use the fire extinguisher to give you and your family time to get OUT not to fight the fire.

You need a fire extinguisher in each bedroom, in the kitchen area, and at the front and back door of the RV and in the storage area.  You could also have one under the driver's seat of the TV or Class A. I recommend using 

Fire Gone  

as the best, you can get to give you more time.  If the kids are old enough be sure they can operate the Fire Gone and be sure to put one in the bunkhouse.


Because of recent fire events, the following fire suppression device was developed RV Refer Compartment Fire Suppression.

RV Refer Compartment Fire Suppression

Because of the number of fires that have been caused, (or thought to have been caused) by refrigerators in RVs, an automatic fire suppression system has been developed, shown above.  This system is one the average RVer can install and will activate in the presence of a fire in the refrigerator compartment of an RV.  While you still need to get out as quickly as possible this unit may put the fire out completely or give you more time to get out either way, it is a plus.

PLEASE NOTE: I'd like to emphasize that the auto fire suppression system in this article is a halon system. It starves a fire of oxygen. It can only be used in the compartment the fridge is in. If you can see it, and it goes off, it will starve you of oxygen. So no installing it in bed or living rooms.


OK, the fire drill.  Do you know how to get out of your Rig if the front door is blocked by fire?  In each bedroom area of the rig as well as other locations, you will see a window with a red lever at the bottom.  With the word EMERGENCY EXIT printed on it.  Move the handle in the direction indicated and the window will open and you can climb out.  Of course, it will be a real job because you may have forgotten a few tools that will help make it easier. 

Did you have your emergency window prop open stick?  If you said no, you should.  Take an old broom handle, rake handle, hunk of PVC, etc, and cut it to 24" long and paint it red.  Attach two dots of hook and loop to the top and bottom of the stick and to the wall, alongside, or below the window and voila you are ready.  When the emergency occurs, open the window put in your prop stick and pull a blanket or comforter from the bed or a blanket from other area and lay it across the bottom of the window frame covering the exit handle area of the window.  This will stop you from being cut or badly scratched by the window frame as you crawl out.

Have a meeting place well outside of the rig area, that everyone knows and will meet at if there is a fire so you can take a head count and be sure everyone is safe.

Last but not the least.  Do the kids know how to get out?  Each season before you hit the road you should go over the fire safety rules and how to get out.
Rule number,
1. GET OUT
2. GET OUT
3. NEVER FIGHT THE FIRE (you have approx 20sec to get out before you can't)
4. DO NOT GO BACK FOR THE DOG, CAT or GOLDFISH
5. EVERYONE MEETS ACROSS THE ROAD

I am sure you get the picture.  Cats and dogs are part of the family for sure, but they are not humans and the kids and grandma are far more important.  Be sure to remind the kids of that.

 Fire Safety Quick Check
1. Test all Fire, LP Gas, and CM detectors
2. Do not fight the fire GET OUT!!!!
3. Know where the emergency exits are located
4. Have an escape plan
5. Have fire drills
6. Be sure the fire extinguishers are up to date






Until next time.

Don't forget to join the Open Range RV Owners Group on Facebook a no DRAMA place with Hints, Tips, and Ideas, for every kind of RVer.

And finally, please remember that this blog is an Amazon affiliate. When you order something through any of the Amazon links, it doesn’t add anything to your cost, but I do earn a small commission on everything you buy. Just click on an Amazon link, then shop as usual.

Severe Weather!! -- It Happens

When you are asleep do you worry about this,

or maybe this

or even this?

 Well I did!!



At the beginning of camping season and at the end of camping season are the most dangerous times for storms expected, or not.  And if predictions are correct and this is an El Niño year then things could get really bad or not. 

What  is an El Niño?  El Niño is an ocean-atmosphere climate phenomenon that is linked to the periodic warming of waters across the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. This warming is part of the natural climate system. On average, an El Niño event occurs every 2 to 7 years and typically lasts about 9 to 18 months. 

So why should you worry or even be concerned about an El Niño ?  During periods of El Niño  warm water builds up off the South American coast and this sends more than the normal waves of moisture into the US.  These waves of moisture can, and do cause more storms, some of which are more severe than storms in a non-El Niño year.  This translates into more severe thunderstorms and more than normal tornado's

While you can use your phone most of the time for weather alerts and weather radar, when you are out camping your phone may not get a signal or changing weather conditions may suddenly make your phone not work.  And the basement of a 5er is not a safe place to be.  So what is a person to do?

During the check-in process to get your RV site, you should ask, where do we go in case of severe weather and do you have a method of alerting the campground of approaching bad weather?

In most cases the park will have a severe weather location, like a cement block bath house or  underground facilities.  But most will not have a warning system.  It is left up to you to know when bad weather is approaching and it is time to take cover.

So now your phone has no bars and the park has no way to tell you that a large thunderstorm is approaching your RV site.  Now, what are you going to do to keep you and your family safe?  Buy a weather radio with built-in weather alert.  Our government built, many years ago, a National Alert System to let citizens know about disasters before they happen.  That was the old weather radio that went off (with its built-in siren) all the time for just about any reason (some good, mostly bad).  After a lot of citizen complaints over many years, a new system of alerting people was developed by the government that had a better built-in method of stopping false alerts and added text messages to each alerts displayed on a screen on the new generation of weather radios.

Midland WR120EZ NOAA Weather Alert All Hazard Public Alert Certified Radio with SAME

RadioShack SAME Weather Radio 12-991

I could go into detail on how this type of radio works but this is not a DIY Blog. This type of radio can be programed simply, thanks to SAME(Specific Area Message Encoding) technology you will only receive alerts for the locations that you have entered into the radio and you won't have to worry about false triggers or deal with an event that has nothing to do with your area. Also some weather radios like the ones pictured (above and below) you can customize some of the alert types, so it only alerts you to the alert types that you have selected.  For example, if the National Weather Service issues a thunderstorm watch and you have only thunderstorm warning selected. The radio wont alert you unless a  thunderstorm warning alert is sent. Most of these radios have battery back-up and you can attach your HDTV antenna to them to extend the pick-up range of this type of weather radio. You should never leave home to go camping with out one of these special SAME radios.

RadioShack 7-Channel Handheld Weather Radio with SAME

La Crosse 810-805 NOAA/AM/FM Weather RED Alert Super Sport Radio with Flashlight

Here are two that operate on just batteries and can be carried on the hiking trail or just outside around the campground.

No matter which one you choose like a smoke detector or gas detector your RV is not complete and you are not fully protected nor safe until you have at least one WEATHER RADIO.





Until Next Time