Wednesday, February 24, 2016

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

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

Sunday, February 14, 2016

911, What Is Your Emergency? --- Water!!

Have you ever opened the Kitchen or Bathroom under sink cupboard doors only to find the contents wet or a bit damp? To make matters worse, you are dry camping (boon docking) and have no one around to ask what to do. Well, wonder no more just keep reading to find out.

First you need to find the source of the leak. This could be from water seeping around the top of the sink and draining inside the cupboard. This is a simple and quick fix. Just use some Kitchen and Bath approved caulk, such as,

Kitchen and Bath Caulk

Follow the instructions on the tube and that water seepage should be a thing of the past. I keep a tube of this product in white and clear in the RV all the time because you just never know. But, what if that is not the problem?

Next check all the black sewer pipes to be sure the fittings are good and tight. The black drain pipe fittings should be hand tight not wrench tight. Do be careful not to over tighten these fittings as you can break the pipe or strip out the plastic threads on the pipes. I check these fittings every time in the Spring before the first camping trip and several more times during the year to be sure they are tight and doing just fine. I did find a loose one in the Master Bathroom last year. So all the black pipe fittings are tight and you still find water and things damp. Now, what?

Well, there is really only one thing left. The hot and cold water fittings.

From the picture above you can see the red (hot) and, in this case, the white (cold) water lines as well as the black plastic sewer pipes. Getting a bit closer, we see where the problem is.

The metal clip that holds the screw on connector has come a bit loose and the water is dripping out from that fitting on to the stuff under the sink. It is not a flood but a constant drip. This scenario is not good for lots of reasons and needs to be taken care of right now. If you do not have the PEX crimping tool you will never get the metal squeezed tight enough to stop the slow leak.

There is a quick and sure-fire way to fix this problem and end up with a far better connection than what the RV manufacturer used. It is called a Shark Bite connector.

Shark Bite Push-on Connector

This is a push-on type of connector for the plastic hose and does not need any special soldering or tool to install. You just cut off the leaking end and push on the Shark Bite. Screw the female end to the faucet and you are good to go.

Please note to double check that after you cut off the old leaking connection, that you will still have enough plastic pipe to reach back to the faucet once you put on the Shark Bite. The plastic pipe used in most RVs is 1/2" and the Shark Bite Connector you will need is the 1/2" type. This connector is available in most hardware stores and the Big Box retailers of plumbing supplies. The packaging looks like below.

The package and product at my big box retailer was not hanging just stuffed into a box on the shelf so I had to look a bit for it.

So here is what I ended up with.

You can see on the red plastic pipe what I had before the switch and you can see by the white pipe what I have now. My plan is to change over the red pipe connector to a Shark Bite type to ensure no more future leaks from this area.

Here is a convenience add-on that I bought, just to help in replacing future connections with Shark Bite. It is called the Shark Bite Deburring Tool. After cutting the old fitting off the PEX plastic pipe you use this tool to deburr the pipe and the tool shows you how much of the plastic pipe you have to push into the Shark Bite connector to make a good water tight seal.

Shark Bite Deburring Tool

Again this tool is not mandatory. It is just a nice convenience tool to have around. One last tool you might want to pick up is the PEX plastic pipe cutting tool. Again not a mandatory tool to have just a nice tool to have.

PEX Plastic Pipe Cutting Tool

Well, that is it. If you have a water leak anywhere even a constant drip you need to fix it fast and the Shark Bite pipe fitting system is the fastest and easiest system I know of. I keep a couple around because you just never know when you will need them and the cost is cheap insurance against a faucet connection leaking and damaging the rig.

I would like to thank Michael Cook who's Facebook posting gave me the idea for this post.

Until next time.

Don't forget to join the Weekend RVers group on Facebook a no DRAMA place with Hints, Tips, Free Stuff, Recipes, 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.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

RV Humidity -- An RV Rig Killer!

A strong title, but true. One of the major killers of RV walls is moisture in the form of humidity. You don't even have to be using your RV it can be sitting in storage and humidity can still be present on the inside above a safe level. Mold depends on moisture to grow and flourish. What is a person to do? Well, the safe level of humidity for an RV is 40% or thereabouts. So the first thing you need to do is know your current humidity level and the best way to know that is with a humidity monitor.

Humidity Monitor

In the photo for the Humidity Monitor, the screen is showing 53% which is not acceptable for an RV. The reading shown is more likely a Sticks&Bricks house.
Now that you know what the humidity is. What can or should you do if it is not right. You need to try and find out the source of the moisture causing the high humidity. People give off moisture when we breathe, but getting rid of all the kids is not an option be they fur or not.

Next showers or taking a bath gives off moisture. Be sure that the bathroom fan is turned on during the bathing process, even in the colder months. Wipe down the shower and bath area to reduce the amount of moisture that is evaporated back into the air of the RV.

Cooking is another moisture generator. Keep lids on pans when cooking, to keep the moisture down, open a window a bit to let the warm moist air out, and turn on the kitchen vent if you have one. Many of the newer RVs do not vent the stove vent to the outside. This is not good, as an inside vented stove hood keeps the moist air inside the RV. Do not let a tea kettle steam longer that is necessary. Don't leave a coffee pot running all day long. Make a cup as you need it or the coffee pot will add to the humidity in the RV all day long.

Try to locate any seals in the RV slides that is letting in outside air and seal that area. You can cut strips of foam insulation like Reflectix or other foam insulation. If you find caulking around the tub or shower stall or even around the kitchen/ bathroom sink is missing or cracking re-caulk using 100% silicone sealant like shown below. This keeps water from going in the RV wood structure or supports where, if conditions are right, mold will start to grow.

100% Silicon Sealant

If it is during the colder months and your RV has single pane windows you might add Bubble Wrap to the windows.

Bubble Wrap

To install the bubble wrap do the following.

Cut the bubble wrap to the size of the window pane with scissors.
Spray a film of water on the window using a spray bottle.

Spray Bottle

Apply the bubble wrap while the window is still wet and press it into place.
The bubble side goes toward the glass.
To remove the bubble wrap, just pull it off starting from a corner.

This bubble wrap will help insulate the inside of the window from the outside of the window to further reduce moisture forming on the inside of the window when the outside air is colder than the inside air.

Do you dry clothes in the RV by hanging them in the bathroom? Did you remember to turn on the exhaust fan? It is not wise to dry clothes in the RV during the colder months because drying clothes adds to the amount of moisture inside the RV. Do you have a combination washer/dryer? Make sure the dryer is vented to the outside. If you do not the dryer will add to the moisture in the RV.

If it possible let the RV inside temperature drop a bit in colder weather so the air inside the RV will hold less moisture. Cooler air holds less moisture than warm air. You may have to dress a bit warmer, but your RV investment will thank you for being a bit cooler.

Poor air circulation inside the RV can make mold grow in drawers, closets, and even cabinets. Keep the air moving even when you are not inside your RV. How may you ask? You can open two or more roof vents or a roof vent and crack a window so that air naturally flows in and out. You can add a MaxxAir vent cover

MaxxAir Vent

over your current roof vents so that you can keep your vents open without rain or snow comming in the RV when the roof vent is open. You should put your RV in storage with vents cracked a little bit to allow for air movement.

If your RV does not have LED lighting you could swap out your current incandescent light bulbs for the LED equivalent. This will reduce the about of air heating that the hotter incandescent bulbs are known for. There is an LED replacement light for most all of the RV incandescent bulbs used in RVs. As an additional benefit, your RV battery will last longer during dry camping with LED lighting and depending on the LED light you buy you may find that the inside of your RV is now brighter with the lights on.

OK, we have talked about what not to do and some of what you can do to reduce moisture in the RV now let's get serious about stopping or greatly reducing moisture in your RV.
1. Get a dehumidifier. They come in several sizes and types.
The ezest one to do business with is the bead type.

Eva-Dry Dehumidifier Beads

Twin Pack resealable packaging
100% silent operation
Lasts 45-60 Days
Indicator beads let you know when it's ready to be discarded.

You can spot these around the RV and in closets, cabinets, drawers where ever you feel or think moisture may be lurking.
Next you have the mechanical dehumidifiers.

Eva-dry Electric Petite Dehumidifier Edv-1100, White

Whisper quiet
Renewable reservoir
Compact size is perfect for bathrooms, closets, and R.V.s
Low energy consumption
One of these usually works but if you have a severe problem you may want to consider two of them.

If you have an RV more than 36 feet long you may want to consider this one.

Ivation IVADM35 Powerful Thermo-Electric Dehumidifier

Squeezes Up to 20 oz. of Water a Day From Humid Air
Very Quiet Operation Due to No Moving Parts
At Capacity, Indicator Lights Up and Device Shuts Off
Compact at 4.45 pounds, 6.8" x 8.5" x 14"
For bunkhouse RVs, you will need two.

And if you really need more moisture removeal you can use a sticks and bricks type unit.

Keystone Energy Star 70 Pt. Dehumidifier

Removes up to 70 pints of moisture from the air per day
1.3-gallon water tank with transparent water level indicator, full bucket alert, and automatic shut-off when full
Removable, easy-cleaning dust filter with a clean filter alert
4 durable, rolling casters for easy movement

It is generally felt that combinations of dry and mechanical work the best.

Well, that should about do it for this topic. I hope you found the information helpful and can use some of the ideas presented.

Until Next Time

Don't forget to join the Open Range RV Owners group on Facebook a no DRAMA place with Hints, Tips, Free Stuff, Recipes, 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.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Don't Like Your RV's Faucets? Change Them!

As you might have guessed, RV manufactures do not use the best or the most expensive faucets when building your RV. You might just love your sticks and bricks faucets and hate your RV faucets. What can you do with those RV faucets? Replace them with new faucets. You can use regular sticks and bricks faucets. The only thing you need to do is measure the spacing between the handle holes.

Faucet Hole Spacing

Be sure to turn off the water to the RV and relieve the pressure (if any) in the hot water tank. Then turn on the hot and cold handles of the faucet you want to replace. Clean out the stuff underneath the sink. Get a flashlight and look up underneath the sink and see how the water lines are hooked to the current faucet. You may have to get yourself up under the sink bottom to see what is going on. But you should see something like the photo below.

Faucet Water Connection Under The Sink

Sometimes a red plastic pipe is used for hot water and a blue or white plastic pipe is used for cold.

The fittings should only be hand tight. If they are on the faucet stem harder than hand tight use a Channel Lock Pliers

Channel Lock Pliers

and carefully loosen the fittings. Now you should see two black or blue flat plastic nuts with wings sticking out. See photo above for the flat nuts above the white water line. Use you channel lock pliers to loosen and then remove these nuts. What you have left should look like below.

Bottom of faucet shafts without water lines or black plastic wing nuts

Now you can pull the faucet out from the top. Clean off the area where the old faucet was and get ready to install the new one.

For the kitchen faucet you can use. (Low Cost Kitchen Faucet )

Low Cost Kitchen Faucet

You can also use a kitchen faucet with an integrated sprayer. (Kitchen Built-in Sprayer Faucet)

Kitchen Built-in Sprayer Faucet

You should double check the water feed line spacing before you make your purchase.

Here is a chance to put the faucet of your choice in the color and style you want into your kitchen.

So how do you put everything back together? Clean the area that the old faucet sat on with your favorite cleaner. You want to make sure there is nothing on the top of the sink where the new faucet will be going.

Put the new faucet together according to the manufacturer's instructions. Then apply some Kitchen and Bathroom Caulk

Kitchen and Bathroom Caulk

around the bottom of the faucet (unless the faucet manufacturer says not to.)

and put the water stems into the holes in the top of the sink.

Bottom of faucet shafts without water lines or black plastic wing nuts

Put the black flat nuts back on and tighten them down tight. You can use your pliers to tighten the black nuts down to be sure they are tight. Then put the water lines back on.

Faucet Water Connection Under The Sink

Caution If the faucet stems are metal you may need to use plumbers tape.

Plumbers Tape

Just wrapped the tape around the metal stem before you screw the plastic water line back on. If the faucet stem is plastic you should not need the plumbers tape. Make sure the new faucet is turned off and then turn on your RV water CHECK FOR LEAKS and enjoy your new faucet.

For the bathroom sink you can just follow the above instructions for that sink as well. The bathroom sink is where you can get fancy and make something that is really yours.

Bathroom Faucet

Brass Bathroom Faucet

Until next time.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Severe Weather -- It Happens

When you are asleep do you worry about this,

or maybe this

or even this?

Well I did!!

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

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?

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.

RadioShack SAME Weather Radio / Dual Alarm Clock / AM-FM Radio

RadioShack 7-Channel Handheld Weather Radio with SAME

Here is one that operates on just batteries and can be carried on the hiking trail or just outside around the campground.

No matter which one, or maybe both, 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 one.

Until Next Time.

The Open Range Owners is a Facebook Group on RVing with Hints & Tips. A group for the Full-timer as well as the Newbie. In case U can't find us "Facebook.com/groups/Open Range Owners " we are here hoping you will join us!

To Lube Or Not To Lube That Is The Question

Answer: To Lube. Most RVers lube the hitch and maybe the ball of the pull-a-long with Reese Hitch and Ball Grease

Reese Hitch and Ball Grease

that is what I use. But is that all there is? Does lubrication of the RV stop there? I am afraid not. Let's see what else needs to be lubed and with what type of lubrication to make RVing fun and safe for you and your family.

Ok we have covered the ball and hitch but what about the tongue jack and shaft for the front foot? Most of us do not even remember the last time that was lubed do we? Well you're in luck. Most of the time no lubrication will be required. Just clean the part that goes up and down to remove the grime that may be there and you are good to go. However if while turning the handle and the crank tightens up you should squirt some White Lithium Grease in the top gear area.

White Lithium Grease

This is good for a quick field repair but for a better fix keep reading.

Yours may differ but you get the idea, right?

Access to this gear area can be found by a small hole just below the handle on the tube or you may have to remove the handle and lift up the top cover to expose the gear area or in some cases the top cover just above the crank will pop off and allow you to add some grease. Some of the newer tongue jacks come with a Zerk fitting that you can use a grease gun to pump grease into the tongue jack.
I'll bet some of you are lucky enough to have one of those 12 volt power tongue jacks that raise and lower the RV with the push of a button. (I am saving for one of those myself.) Cleaning of the pipe that goes up and down is fine, but beyond that follow the manufacturer's instructions for maintenance and if the tube hangs up be sure to take the unit in for service.
Next comes the stabilizer jacks. The ones on my KZ Spree are manual crank down so there is a lot to lube.

First clean off the screw, getting the threads good and clean. Then apply spray white grease to the threads, watch for drips. Next lube the driver area in the front of the jack with T-9 Lube Spray

T-9 Lube Spray

it is the best spray for outdoor lubrication I have found. While you have the spray out get all the pivot points on the jack. You may have to crank the jack up and down a few times to find them all.

Then we have the folding entrance steps.

As each trailer step is a bit different it is best just to tell you to locate the folding points and use your T-9 or spray white grease to lube those points It is important to not allow the pivot points of the steps to rust or be bent by forcing the steps open.
Be sure to check the door hinges of the RV to be sure that they are smooth operating opening and closing and that the handle and lock operate smoothly. T-9 here is the best choice.

Every two years or 5000 mile which ever occurs first you should have the wheel bearings checked and repacked with grease. You don't want the tires to fall off the axles do you? Anyway, while the Technician is there repacking the wheels have him check the brakes as well.

Until next time.

The Waste Treatment Tank

I do not plan on explaining how to dump the grey and black tanks on your RV. What I would like to do is explain how to stay out of trouble when dumping your tanks and dispel some myths about when to dump them.

So what are the main differences between a sticks and bricks waste disposal and your RV? First, there is no worry about getting rid of the waste at your sticks and bricks. You let water splash into the sink and it just disappears down the drain. No matter how much water you put into the sink. You flush the toilet you never have to worry about sewer smell coming back up and if the toilet gets clogged up you just plunge a few times and presto the waste is gone.
None of the above is true for your RV. If you put too much water down your sink, you will overfill the grey water tank and the wastewater will flow into your bathtub or shower. If you leave your waste slinky hose hooked up with the open/close valve on your RV open you will invite sewer gas from the campground into your RV. Because your toilet is on top of your black water tank there is a limit to how much waste you can put down there as well. Also if it gets plugged up, plunging it will not help!
So what to do. For the smell problem that might occur in the grey water tank, I use Grey Water Tank Smell Killer. It works.

Grey Water Tank Smell Killer

As for the water back-up you should dump your grey tank every two days while camping or sooner if the water starts to back up. This is the tank you can dump before you leave for home.
The grey water tank should be the last tank you dump before you head for home. After dumping it you need to add approximately 1 gallon of clean water back into it and one of the grey water tank smell killers and you are good to go.

BLACK WATER TANK

Now the black water tank the scourge of RV camping. There are a lot of does and don't about this tank so let's get started.
No matter what you hear or read most all of the sensors that are supposed to tell you how full the black water tank is, do not work. I have been told and it has been proven that the sensors mounted on the outside of the tank do seem to do a better job than those sensors that are inside the blackwater tank. Most of the crazy ideas floating around about how to make the sensors inside the black water tank work also do not work. To fix the problem of , how full is the blackwater tank. So how do you know when it is time to dump the tank? Look down inside the toilet and if you see blackwater, hear gurgling, and stuff floating, it's time to dump the tank. So what can you do to improve how the black water tank works.
Use only quick-dissolving toilet paper in this tank. Toilet paper made just for RV is fine such as RV 2ply Toilet Paper or septic tank safe toilet paper. But you can use just about any toilet paper that will quickly dissolve. To test any brand of toilet paper to see if it can be used, take a glass jar with a lid. Fill the jar about 3/4 full and add a single sheet of your toilet paper to be tested. Put on the lid and give the jar three quick shakes. If most of the sheet of toilet paper is broken up and coming apart you are ok to use the toilet paper tested.
Check here for more details RV Toilet Paper Safe .

We have safe paper what next? How about something to get rid of the smell and help break down the waste. I would suggest Black Holding Tank Deodorizer and Dissolver

Black Holding Tank Deodorizer and Dissolver

This should be added to your black water tank regularly. I add one tablet after each time I dump my black water tank and another during hot weather if there is a smell problem.

Oxy-Kem

Here is another possible black tank treatment Oxy-Kem that comes highly recommended. I have not tried it so I can't comment on how well it works, but I do plan to and will let you know.

Here is an all natural black tank cleaner that really cleans the tank as well as the sensors. I have not tried it myself but all of the reports I am getting say it works.Unique Black Tank Cleaner

Unique Black Tank Cleaner

Do not dump your tank unless it is full or near full. I know what you must be thinking but we never fill it over a weekend trip. I realize that maybe the case but, you need to fill it up manually and dump it before you leave the park. You do not need a hose or make this a big deal just flush the toilet and insert one of these things.
Johnny Chock

Johnny Chock

Let the toilet run for approximately 10 to 15 minutes depending on how full your tank is. If you can see the water in the black tank from the toilet that is full enough. Remove the Johnny Chock and store. Now dump the black tank like you usually do. Add about a gallon or more of water (you can run the toilet with the Johnny Chock for 2 to 3 minutes and that should do it. Drop in one of your black tank tablets and you are ready for the next outing.

Never leave the black tank drain valve open. You are just asking for the smells of your neighbor's sewer to come up into your RV. If you dump your holding tank too frequently you will have a build-up of solid waste called the black pyramid of death (just an expression). This is a problem you do not want and could cause a very expensive repair. To prevent the "pyramid of death" you need to flush your black tank when it is at least 3/4 full and refill it so that there is some water splashing inside as you drive back home.

One of the things you hear and I have tried is to add one cup of cheap dish washer liquid soap to break-up waste and Calgon to lube the inside of the tank. Does it work? I have been using it and have not seen much of an improvement. I plan on using this in the grey water tank next to see if it makes a difference to that tank.

Quick Guide To Waste Tank Dumping

Grey Water Tanks can be dumped anytime.
Use a tank treatment when needed. (to reduce smell and add microbes)
Dump the Black Tank when at least 3/4 full.
Add a small amount of water to both tanks after dumping. (up to 2 gallons)
Use the grey water to flush out sewer hoses.

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Until Next Time.

The Open Range Owners is a Facebook Group on RVing with Hints & Tips. A group for the Full-timer as well as the Newbie. In case U can't find us "Facebook.com/groups/Open Range Owners " we are here hoping you will join us!