Tire Problems: They Happen to Everyone

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You would think that as many miles as we travel to RV shows and rallies each season, we would be prepared for every eventuality involving tires. But on our road trip from Grants Pass, Oregon to Gillette, Wyoming for the Escapees Escapade, we experienced a “perfect storm” of tire troubles. Read more

More options for RV.net Blog readers

RV.Net Blog is happy to announce more features will be added to the site, both to accommodate for diverse preferences and to bring new elements of interest to RVers. The first addition, rolling out today, is a page that will have the articles listed as they appear, very similar to the previous format. You can find the tab to Most Recent Posts on the top horizontal bar, above the categories. If you prefer this format, you can go to the blog home page and click on this tab or bookmark it to go directly every time.

Petiquette: Good campers make good neighbors

One of the best things about the Internet is the sharing of information. Remember the days when you had to hop in the car and drive to the local library to find out something about anything? Now, in the comfort of one’s home (or in your RV if you’re connected), you can let your fingers search for information on just about any topic you can think of and, presto, it’s served right to your computer screen in a matter of seconds. Talk about technological advancement!

This phenomenon presented itself to me recently when I wanted to find out about pet-friendly campgrounds. I stumbled across the RVing with Dogs website and thought it might be something worth a look to others who may have difficulty finding pet-friendly RV parks. Check out some dog-friendly campsites across the country that you may want to consider visiting in your RV. Search for the state in which you plan to visit and see the listings of the various campsites that are pet-friendly. You can find out more details about the property and even read comments by people who have stayed there. There are not a ton of listings, but it may be helpful to hear what others have to say. By the way, I have no affiliation with this site. As I said earlier, one of the best things about the Internet is the sharing of information.

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Choosing An Inverter/Charger

So far as motorized recreational vehicles, there are two duty types of inverters used. Stand alone and integrated inverter/chargers. Stand alone units are relatively low wattage output units that are individually wired to operate a single load like a television and perhaps a satellite receiver. The inverter/charger is an integrated part of the electrical and charging system of the unit. The inverter in this case serves two purposes. First it is the main battery charger, at least while either an outside source or generator is supplying AC power. Secondly, it is an inverter that supplies AC power when none is available. Once AC power is absent, the inverter automatically takes over, providing it is in the armed mode state. It is normally wired to operate necessary functions within reasonable wattage like T.V’s, receivers, duplex outlets, refrigerators (if an all electric coach), ice makers and perhaps microwaves.

There are two output configurations available, M.S.W. (Modified Sine Wave) and T.S.W. (True Sine Wave). All smaller or cheaper inverters are M.S.W. Most motor home inverters are also currently M.S.W. The exception of this would be higher end units and newer all electric coaches, most of which are equipped with T.S.W. output inverters. So what are the operational differences?

M.S.W. gets it name from exactly what it sounds like. It is a modified look-a-like wave. However it is more “square” than the smooth sweeping frequency lines that are created with a true sine wave. These inverters are cheaper to buy but function well in most applications. There are however, loads it does not work with or properly with. Those loads are, but are not limited to, many small power chargers, electronic boards found in many appliances, most microwaves, 120 volt A.C. powered clocks and full featured cappuccino makers. Some of these will not operate and some may be damaged over time with continued use.

T.S.W. power resembles that of home supplied hydro. It is capable of operating any like voltage load providing it does not exceed its output capacity. These units are now to a price level making them the best choice for future use.

So, if you are ordering a new coach, or replacing or upgrading to an inverter charger, should this be a “must have”? In my opinion, it is. The benefits far out weigh the now small price difference. If you own a coach that has a M.S.W. inverter charger, like most do, don’t worry. Your coach was equipped to exist with such a wave form and should do fine. But, just remember, if you were to order a new rig or ever it has to be replaced, go T.S.W. You won’t regret it.

On Sunday the 13th of july, we will be looking at “Practical RV Inverter Applications”.  I sure hope you can join us.

 Just Reading The Sines - Lug_Nut  -  Peter Mercer

Our Vacation to Door County Wisconsin

We just got back from a week in Door County Wisconsin. Door County is yet another place within the Great Lakes that everybody should try to experience. For those that do not know where Door County is; it is in the North-East part of Wisconsin where a piece of land ‘juts’ out into Lake Michigan. On the East side is the lake and on the West side is Green Bay. Once you pass over the bridge in Sturgeon Bay, you have just entered the Peninsula of Door County. Read more

Top States for RV Friendly Casinos - Part 5

This is the 5th post in a series about the top states for RV friendly casinos.  I started in the spring by featuring southern states, then posted some western favorites, and now we turn to another part of the country.  I’m still in Las Vegas, and this week’s featured state is a 1800 miles away, with forecast high temperatures about 30 degrees (F) cooler than we are.  Sounds nice!  This week’s featured state is… Read more

Producing HDR Images

One of the problems photographers often run into is the inability to capture the dynamic range (brightness) of a scene. Either the sky will be burned out or the shadows so dark you can’t see any details:

In the first image the sky is OK, but the detail in the foreground shadows is lost. In the second you can see the details in the foreground, but the sky is burned out. (You may need to click “Read More” to see the second image)

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Is There an Electric Toad in Your Future?

By Bob Difley
How close are we to an electric vehicle? A bit far, I suspect, for motorhomes or trucks powerful enough to pull trailers and fivers, but maybe not as far for a toad. GM has pulled out all the stops for the Volt PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) due out in the spring of 2009. Read more

RV.net Blog gets a facelift - Update

By popular demand: if you are reading an article on RV.net blog, you can now click on the author’s name right under the title to see at once all articles published by that author.

RV.Net Blog has been redesigned to better fit the more widely used screen resolutions and to highlight the most popular sections and posts. The new design includes a three column format on the home page which allows for a more efficient use of the space. You can click on your favorite post, section, or link to read more.

The categories are now listed horizontally across the top, with each listing additional subcategories vertically upon rollover. To view all posts within a particular category or subcategory, simply click its name. You might notice we have consolidated some categories to make navigation easier. There is also a drop down menu in the right hand column if that suits you best.

On the home page, the column at the left features articles that have been highly rated, popular, have generated many comments, or have the potential of generating great interest.

We have included at the center column two frequently visited sections: Destinations and “How To”. These will show the two most recent posts in each of these categories. If you scroll down in the same center column, you will find the daily articles appear as they are posted, with the most recent post at the top.

The right column now includes our subscription services, a featured video, and a tag cloud which calls out the most popular terms. Each term may be clicked upon in order to see the related posts.

Take a few minutes to play around the new sections and let us know what you think. We thank those of you that have provided feedback already. It has helped us identify how to make your visit to RV.net more productive. We are in the process of tweaking some aspects of the blog, so your comments are most welcome!

RV Today Archive - Product Showcase - Portable Power

Follow Stew Oleson on his presentation of a Xantrex Power Pack 400. Versatile and very useful on the road, this unit is an inverter and a battery source for jumpstarting your car; its 400 watt inverter will allow you to run your computer, small power tools and fans among other appliances. It will power your camcorder and videogames and can charge your cellular phone. This compact system has additional functionalities: use as an emergency light or a flashlight, to inflate a ball (or even a tire in an emergency), as a radio, etc. Watch the video below for a detailed description:

Note: The price mentioned in the video may have changed. Check with Xantrex for an updated price and newer products.

More episodes of the RV Today show archives -product showcase, quick tips and destinations episodes- to be added soon.

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