RV Water & Waste Issues

WATER AND WASTE ISSUES: Please follow these instructions; You or your loved ones could become ill from miss-handling of the sewer and water hoses. Reduce the threats from e-coli, germs and bacteria when handling the sewer hose by following these tips: SEWER HOSE USE: Throw-away Gloves should be worn while handling the sewer hose and its fittings. Remove the gloves, without touching the outside of them and properly dispose of them before starting other chores. Tanks should be drained, in this method; Black Water (toilet), then Gray Water (sink water). Additional flushing of your sewer hose can be done by opening faucets in the RV and/or stepping down on your stool valves. WATER HOSE: Before we hook up the Water Hose, we should use a spray bottle to disinfect the area. The threat of cross-contamination from improper sewer hose use may be eliminated by following these safety tips. Beware, as past campers, using the site may have washed their sewer hose at the faucet, causing contamination. A backflow preventor may be installed on your campground faucet. Your RV fluids cannot contaminate the campground water system when the campground water pressure is lost, or is lower than your tank pressures. PORTABLE DRAINAGE TANKS are used to transfer waste from your RV tanks to the nearest sewer drain. Be sure and follow good practices while using these tanks. Do not spill the contents on the ground. Be sure and open the vent on the tank before filling, and close it while transporting. DISINFECT... Read more

Electrical Concerns – Hook up my RV safely.

HEALTH AND SAFETY ELECTRICAL – Respect Electricity – Play It Safe TEST BEFORE YOU PLUG YOUR RV INTO THE CAMPGROUND ELECTRICAL OUTLET • Failure to turn off the Campground Post Circuit Breaker before Plugging in or removing your Electrical Plug could cause any of the following Safety Hazards: 1. The plug on your cord could arc and burn, damaging your plug, and injuring you. 2. The Campground Post Electrical Outlet could arc and fail from this damage. 3. This arcing could cause YOU personal injury. Less than 100 volts and 1/2 amp can cause your heart to stop. 4. If the Campground Post Electrical Outlet is faulty, or your RV Plug is damaged, a sparking Hazard could occur. 5. POLARITY: Check the Polarity with a Polarity/Ground/Open Circuit Tester BEFORE you plug in. Reverse Polarity can cause damage to the Electrical System and its Components; such as Air Conditioner, Furnace, TV, Refrigerator, etc. 6. GROUNDING: Check the Campground Post Electrical Outlet with an Electrical Tester before you proceed to plug in your RV. This procedure also helps you identify the correct Circuit Breakers for the outlet you are using. Your neighbor will not appreciate it if you turn off their Electrical Power by mistake. 7. LOW VOLTAGE: Below 107 Volts AC; Using appliances and other equipment in your RV with a voltage lower than 107 volts can increase the amperage draw on that circuit and cause a fuse or Circuit Breaker to blow. Your convertor/battery charger and other appliances may not work at... Read more

ELECTRICAL – Respect Electricity – Play It Safe

Failure to turn off the Campground Post Circuit Breaker before Plugging in or removing your Electrical Plug could cause any of the following Safety Hazards: 1. The plug on your cord could arc and burn, damaging your plug, and injuring you. 2. The Campground Post Electrical Outlet could arc and fail from this damage. 3. This arcing could cause YOU personal injury. Less than 100 volts and 1/2 amp can cause your heart to stop. 4. If the Campground Post Electrical Outlet is faulty, or your RV Plug is damaged, a sparking Hazard could occur. 5. POLARITY: Check the Polarity with a Polarity/Ground/Open Circuit Tester BEFORE you plug in. Reverse Polarity can cause damage to the Electrical System and its components; such as Air Conditioner, Furnace, TV, Refrigerator, etc. 6. GROUNDING: Check the Campground Post Electrical Outlet with an Electrical Tester before you proceed to plug in your RV. This procedure also helps you identify the correct Circuit Breakers for the outlet you are using. Your neighbor will not appreciate it if you turn off their Electrical Power by mistake. 7. LOW VOLTAGE: Below 107 Volts AC; Using appliances and other equipment in your RV with a voltage lower than 107 volts can increase the amperage draw on that circuit and cause a fuse or Circuit Breaker to blow. Your convertor/battery charger and other appliances may not work at all, or be damaged by the low voltage. 8. HIGH VOLTAGE: Above 130 Volts AC; your Convertor/Battery Charger will most likely shut down automatically... Read more

Keep Cool This Hot Summer – Your RV Air Conditioner May Need Help

AIR CONDITIONING: Your Air Conditioner is designed for a 20 degree temperature drop. If it is 100 degrees outside, the best your air conditioner can do is 80 F degree in the best of circumstances. Clean your air filters weekly, or sooner if needed. Annually perform the needed preventive maintenance, clean the coils under the outside cover and other items listed in your owner’s manual. Pull down your shades, and add insulation to your windows when necessary. Park in the shade – but examine the trees and structures for possible wind damage before doing so. A water mister may be attached to your awning, or awning rail in low humidity climates to help keep your RV cool. A timer could be added, maybe 9am to 7pm to save water. Use a water filter if the water is hard. Go on a day trip, to the mall, the movies or to the swimming pool on a HOT day. Monitor your AC voltage, the minimum is 107 volts, the maximum is 130 volts. Close or block off living areas not needed. Retract slides to minimize the space needed to air condition. Pay close attention to your pets. Do they have water at all times, and can they retreat to the cooler floor areas? Avoid the steam and warmth of cooking inside on a hot day. Cook outdoors or in the earliest and latest part of the day. Dress in light colored clothing; sit under the shade and enjoy your new location. Happy Camping, Fred b. rv101byfred.com  Read More →

My Eleven Biggest RV Goofs:

My Eleven Biggest RV Goofs: Our rooftop antenna is up while moving, resulting in damage to the TV antenna. The steps have not been retracted, causing damage when contacted by other objects. Tire pressures were not checked, overloaded and under inflated tires fail. As a “gator” rubber separates from the tire causing major damage to the wheel well and sidewall of our rig. We do not hold the sewer hose in place while dumping, we get gunk all over our shoes, clothing and dumpsite. Anything we dump on the ground well end up in our drinking water. Our lights are not checked on the toad or (anything towed behind our rig) and someone rear-ends us – not enough time for them to stop. We leave our water hose attached and left on while away from our rig – we come back to find the entire rig flooded from a water line break. I forget, as we travel, electrical wiring and pipes may vibrate, chafe or brake or short out. Be careful, when hooking up after a long day, water may leak, things may vibrate loose, and electrical systems may have been damaged. After traveling, open cabinets with caution, stuff may fall out and injure you or damage itself. Check the torque on your wheels lug nuts, wheels do fall off. We lose our sewer hose on the pavement while traveling – the cap fell off of the sewer holder. A damaged awning, unfurling while traveling or during a storm. Happy Camping, Fred... Read more

Autotransformers steal power?

AUTOTRANSFORMERS Manufactured by Hughes, Frank’s and Power Master. At 105 volts we get 30 amps of power, or 3150 watts of energy. At 130 volts we get 30 amps of power, or 3900 watts of energy. We get 8% increase in usable energy. Or 750 watts of power. 750 watts can run some coffee pots, a blender, vacuum cleaner, and some toasters Most space heaters draw 15 amps. The circuit breakers in most rigs are 20amps. But not hair dryers, microwave ovens, or larger appliance. Most campgrounds have 6-8 sites on a 200-amp breaker. 200 divided by 6 is 33 amps, but line losses can subtract another 5 amps. HEAT is a major loss on energy from any electrical device. We lose less heat (energy) the lower the amperage we can obtain. The higher the voltage (up to 130volts) the less power we use while operating any electrical device. A 600-watt electrical appliance will use 5.45 amps at 110 volts. This 600-watt device will draw 4.6 amps at 130 volts. We save almost one amp using the higher voltage. Your converter/battery charger will use 3-4 amps off the top. These autotransformers act as a superior Surge-spike protector. The autotransformer will draw ½ to one amp of power on it’s own. Do we steal power-when we use an autotransformer? The following scenario is offered by Dave & Helen Dmouth, www.damouth.com: You and one neighbor in a remote part of the RV Park share a long power feed from the park’s distant feed. I’ll assume that the main feed is always at 120vac,... Read more

Fifth Wheel RV Campsite Departure – one night only.

OUTSIDE TASKS NOTE Perform sewer system steps if needed. If sewer hookup is not available, move trailer to the RV sewage dump station before leaving RV Park. (If needed) Drain & flush sewage and wastewater tanks at the RV Park dump station. CAUTION Health Hazard You should wear disposable latex rubber gloves or nitrile gloves while handling the sewage discharge hose. Recommend washing your hands when this task is finished. 1. Verify sewage discharge hose is connected between trailer sewage outlet pipe and RV Park sewer system. 2. Verify main wastewater tank drain valve is closed. 3. Verify galley wastewater tank drain valve is closed 4. Open sewage waste tank drain valve. 5. Drain sewage waste tank. 6. Open campsite hookup water valve to flush hose. 7. Flush sewage waste tank for about three minutes. 8. campsite hookup water valve to flush hose. 9. Close sewage waste tank drain valve. 10. Open main wastewater tank drain valve. 11. Drain main wastewater tank. 12. Close main wastewater tank drain valve. 13. Open galley wastewater tank drain valve. 14. Drain galley wastewater tank. 15. Close galley wastewater tank drain valve. 16. Disconnect flush hose from trailer sewage tank San-T-Flush water hose connection. 17. Connect flush hose to hose connection on clear 90-degree elbow at sewage outlet. 18. Open hose valve on clear 90-degree elbow at sewage outlet. 19. Open campsite hookup water valve to flush hose. 20. Flush sewage outlet piping and discharge hose for about two minutes. 21.... Read more

Fifth Wheel – Arrival and Unhooking Checklist.

Here’s a sample of the checklist I use when arriving at a site and unhooking. OUTSIDE TASKS 1. Position trailer at campsite. 2. Put doorsteps down. 3. Position door handrail for entry use. 4. Unlock & open trailer door. Read more  Read More →

ELECTRIC STEP TROUBLESHOOTING: Caution – Moving parts – keep clear at all times.

LUBRICATION: Most electric step manufacturers recommend not using WD-40 or a silicone-based lubricant. A good quality moisture and heat resistant penetrating grease should be used every 30 days after a through cleaning. Clean salt, mud and road grime from all moving parts. Spray the step moving parts with fresh water and let dry. Lubricate the square shaft bearings, bushing-in-bushings, and any bearings under a removable cover. Electrical connections should be protected with a dab of dielectric grease. Replace corroded connections with an automotive type connector – preferably with heat shrink protection. Cam stops may be need adjusted if your steps feel loose. See your owner’s manual for the proper adjustment. With the steps fully extended, the step should not move inward. ELECTRICAL: Note: Disconnecting the power wire may produce a spark, this is normal. Control unit is not shutting off– Disconnect the power to the step and request technical help. Your step motor will burn up if left on. Erratic Operation: Check the vehicle battery for low voltage (12.6 no load amps); a bad ground or convertor not capable of providing 30 amps of power. If you are capable electrical tester = test the door switch, battery disconnect switch, override switch and related fuses. Refer to your owner’s manual for locations. Each of these items is tested according to your Owners Manual. Happy Camping, Fred b.  Read More →

SLIDE ROOMS – Preventative Maintenance & Troubleshooting:

Slide will not move in or out: Ignition switch not is run position; Start engine to provide power; Transmission not in neutral; Parking brake not set; Low 12 volt power; Blown 12 volt fuse; Slides not fully in or out; or a faulty slide mechanism. Concerns – Electric Slide Outs: Motor/gear box can go bad. It can shear drive pins in main gear drive mechanism. Motor can become overloaded (excessive amp draw) from drag in the slides. Concerns – Hydraulic Systems: Possible failures of the pump, valve or hydraulic lines. Hydraulic lines are particularly susceptible to wear, friction, heat etc. Can develop leaks or breaks in the lines themselves. Relays can fail or trip out. Leaks of dust or water around your slides: When opening or closing a slide out room, check the floor. Sand, grit, or other “foreign” substances can get under the slide out and scratch the flooring. Check up topside. Branches, leaves, bird nests, and all manner of things can land on the outside of your slide out, even if you have a retracting slide out awning. These items get trapped in the retraction process, Read and follow the instructions provided with your rig. Do not change the room movement midstream, unless the slide has gone full cycle. Periodic maintenance: Seals can dry out, what does your manufacturer recommend? Silicone can dry rubber out. Slides should be lubricated regularly; we should never use a lube like WD-40. Be careful of a lubricant that contains silicone. Hydraulic... Read more

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