Too Old for School? Maybe not for RV School…
July 9, 2008 by Mike Steffen · 12 Comments
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Howdy !
Remember sitting in the classroom as a kid and thinking, “Wish I was outta here!”? I do for sure and even after years of schools, training and degrees I love the learning and hate the sitting in some stuffy classroom.
Now for something completely different - I’m at the Lewis-Clark College in Lewiston, Idaho having the time of my life with fellow RV’ers, sitting in clean, cool and well equipped classrooms. I’m supposed to be here teaching several RVing subjects but what I’m really doing is learning and, well, just having a ball !
At times on this BLOG Bob, his wife Lynn Difely and I have talked about the Life on Wheels program that we teach all over the country but let me give you just a little taste of today’s classes from my view.
6:00 AM Lynn Difely gathered her students for the morning exercise walk and stretch. Playing her Kazoo - ya, a LOUD Kazoo - off they went. I had coffee and a nice sweet pastry while watching them. Ya, I know, I shudda been ashamed and joined in but, nah, needed the coffee more.
7:00 AM joined several other students at the college cafeteria for more coffee and visiting. We have folks here from all walks of life, parts of the country and experience levels. One fellow here has been full-time RVing for more then 10 years now and is so full of excitement over what he’s learning that he was almost bouncing in his chair. Another lady and her hubby don’t have an RV yet and were so turned on by the view they are getting of the RV lifestyle that they were making plans of where they want to visit first.
8:00 AM First class of the day I went to a RV insurance class. Now this may not seem to be the most exciting thing to do but to have a real insurance pro tell us the in’s and out’s of the business and what to look for and how to buy is important. The instructors here also come from all parts of the RV industry or other areas of expertise that impact on the RV lifestyle. Nobody is “pushing” products, parts or plans - just good information and a common love of RV’ing.
9:30 AM During the break between classes I stopped in to talk with Greg and Debra Holder of AM Solar. Greg is likely the foremost expert in solar power for the RV industry and is easy to chat with as any of his students can tell you. We’ve known each other for several years and are very good friends.
10:00 AM Neil Tucker and I went to the computer lab here at the school and that’s where I’m at now doing this bit of scribbling. Neil and I co-teach several computer classes together for Life on Wheels and enjoy our time together. One of life’s little interesting notes is that he and I were both in Manhattan, Kansas at the same time back in the 1960’s but didn’t know it until a few years ago while were were talking about our backgrounds.
12:00 - plan on having a quick lunch and then get ready to teach one of my classes, this one on Electronic Communications for RV’ers. When you RV you have a few basic things that are in the minds of most RV’ers.
1) How do I pay my bills
2) How do I stay in contact with others
3) How do I take care of my health issues
We have several classes here that address these issues and the electronic commo class is just one part of it.
3:00 PM I plan to attend a class given by Tom Owns on an important subject titled “After death, the first 48 hours”. Again this may seem like a downer class but it happens to us all folks and it makes no difference iffen were at the house or on the road so it’s important. Tom is a fun guy to listen to and teaches a wonderful series of classes.
5:00 PM and later. The Lewiston Chamber of Commerce is hosting a FREE BBQ for us tonight - ah, should I tell you that last night it was a wonderful wine tasting? I expect the evening will be full of talk, making friends and fun.
Well, it’s noon time so It’s off to lunch. Wishing ya was all here !!
The Old Ranger
Solar Power - Pt-2 Inverters
June 1, 2008 by Mike Steffen · 3 Comments
Howdy !
OK, now I know that everyone completed their power requirements worksheets so now we can talk about the size and type of power support system we are going to need to operate all that equipment. First let’s figure out the operating cycle of the inverter. All the duty cycle means is how long the inverter system is expected to operate. For example, if we want to run all our loads for 12-hours out of 24-hours the duty cycle will be 50%. Now let’s look at typical loads.
For example, if the load includes a small television and VCR or DVD , the power requirements are relatively small and the usage is usually short-term (i.e. the duty cycle is low). The support system may consist of the engine battery, whether from a tow vehicle or a motorhome, with one auxiliary deep-cycle battery, the existing engine alternator, and the necessary fuses and cables. With such limited power usage the batteries alone may be able to power the loads without running the vehicle engine and recharging them from the alternator. Ah, one thing to remember here, if you lump the starting battery into the power supply bank you may not have enough “Umph” to get the dang engine to start !
Now, if the loads are larger, such as lights, heater elements for a refrigerator or water heater , or even a standard RV microwave, the power supply system will require a larger battery bank and may necessitate a high output engine alternator, solar panels or even a stinky ol’ generator. The batteries alone cannot supply long-term power to loads like these. Ultimately, the energy must come from someplace other then just the batteries.
Solar Power for your RV?
May 26, 2008 by Mike Steffen · 3 Comments
What’s the Fuss About Solar ?!
Howdy !
Looking at the questions asked about the solar power articles that I’ve done for rv magazines and on this BLOG it seems to me that solar power is somewhat misunderstood because we don’t have the information to provide real answers.
Here is the most common question:
Q. What does it cost to put solar on a RV ??
A. How much have ya got ?!
This is the most common question and the hardest to answer because there is no real way to answer it. It’s kinda like the chicken or the egg type question. The first thing you must know before we can even begin to get to the bottom of this one is - how much power do you need ? We start by completing the power sizing chart to determine how much power we use. To make this work we really do need to add-up ALL the devices we have in the RV, both 12-Volt DC and 120-Volt AC. Let’s assume that we are designing a solar driven power system of solar panels, an inverter for 120 Volts AC, a battery bank and the needed controllers, cables and so on to make it all work.
Battery Connections - How Shocking!
May 13, 2008 by Mike Steffen · 14 Comments
Howdy !!
I had a reader ask how to connect two 6-volt golf cart batteries to replace an RV marine 12-volt unit. Tell the truth I thought about just sending him a private letter but then got to thinking that if one person had the question then likely more folks had the same question so here is the answer.
The little diagram here shows the connections for serial and parallel connections.
RV Vacuum Systems - This Sucks!
May 13, 2008 by Mike Steffen · Leave a Comment
Howdy !
Yep, nature is wonderful. As RV’ers we may travel thousands of miles to be able to enjoy mountains vistas or the rolling sea shore. We also manage to collect parts of these scenic wonders in the form of dirt, sand, leaves and all the other things that kids and adults track into RVs leaving the problem of getting this “wonderful nature” outside again.
A hand vacuum is great for small spot cleaning, but it’s rather difficult to clean an entire RV with one. Larger household type vacuum cleaners will do the job but take quite a bit of storage space for the machine and the accessories.
One solution to these problems is a centralized system which places the vacuum cleaner out of the way of normal traffic and storage locations. Central vacuum systems offer several advantages over other types of cleaning systems.
RV Indoor Plumbing - Potty Training
May 7, 2008 by Mike Steffen · 5 Comments
Howdy !
Our Recreational vehicles provide us with several creature comforts so that we can better enjoy our time on the road. One of the more important comfort systems, as my grandmother used to say, is the indoor plumbing. RV Toilets have been designed to be dependable devices that perform their function without a lot of fuss or bother and very low water usage; but, as with all things, they need to have maintenance and be taken care of to ensure a long service life.
There are three basic types of RV toilets; the freshwater or marine toilet, the recirculating type and the portable potty. They can be constructed of molded plastic, china or ceramic materiel. They are manually operated with a foot or hand lever, and in some models they operate electrically or with compressed air at the touch of a switch. The freshwater and recirculating types are permanently mounted in the RV while the portable type can be carried like a small suitcase.
Axle Flips for your Trailer - Flip This !
April 28, 2008 by Mike Steffen · 5 Comments
Howdy !!
Ok you boondocking, wrought traveling, dune busting freaks - you’ve decided to buy the 5th wheel trailer of your dreams, the one that you can pull with your new 4X4 pickup truck. Thoughts of going up into the hills away from the crowds in the campgrounds flow through your mind until your brain hears the sales person saying something about having to flip your axles on the trailer before you can pull it with your truck. “What’s an Axle Flip?” you ask. The sales man explains that your truck is 51 inches high at the top of the bed side rails. The trailer neck is only 52 inches high to the bottom of the neck, which means that the trailer has to be raised by about 4 inches to keep the neck of the trailer from resting on the bed of the truck - an unhappy experience !
Axle flips are becoming more and more common as 4-wheel drive trucks are used to pull fifth wheel trailers. Read more
Vinyl Sided Tent Trailer Maintenance
April 22, 2008 by Mike Steffen · Leave a Comment
Howdy !!
Tent trailers are not that much different from their hard sided brethren. They both have refrigerators, liquid propane (LP) gas ranges, water heaters, forced air furnace, power converter; and in some cases, even an air conditioner ! The largest difference is that tent trailers are built with an eye for light weight construction and materials including the appliances, accessories and running gear. One result of this effort to achieve such a light weight trailer is the increased amount of preventive maintenance for the basic trailer and the care and repair of the vinyl walls and bed roofs
Let’s review the basic checks common to any RV. The LP gas system must be tested once a year for leaks, rubber hose abrasion and that the system has the correct gas pressure of about eleven inches water column. The electrical system includes the 12Volt Direct Current (VDC) and 110Volt Alternating Current (VAC). The 12VDC side of things operate the 12VDC lights, the control electronics in the appliances and, in combination with the towing vehicle, the tail, brake and clearance lights.
RV Roof Repairs - Man, That’s Overhead !!
April 13, 2008 by Mike Steffen · 1 Comment
Howdy !!
As much as we might like to talk about sleeping out under the stars and the good old days of camping, most of us have discovered that RV roofs are a great benefit. RV roofs are designed to protect us from the grief of bad weather, keep the leaves and pine needles out of the bed and still maintain their integrity while being driven down the road in excess of hurricane level winds, Richter scale 6 or better earthquakes, the baking sun, acid rain and impacts from trees and other low overhead obstacles.
RV roof leaks can confuse the dickens out of even the best RV technician. A leak coming through the ceiling in the rear of the RV could originate in the middle, the side or even in the front of the unit. Patience and attention to detail are the keys to a successful roof repair.
Securing RV Items during Travel
April 7, 2008 by Mike Steffen · 3 Comments
That Old Rock and Roll !
Howdy !
Going down the road in your motorhome you watch the scenery passing by your window and think about reaching the RV park, ready to relax and enjoy the end of the day - until you feel a little bump, hear a crash within the motorhome and turn around to find that what looks like the sad results of a massive earthquake in the middle of the living room. The same thing happens in trailer, you just don’t know it until you open the door.
Recreational Vehicles are built to survive all that the nations roads can deliver. Road shock, truck ruts, off camber turns, pot holes, frost heaves and the like can take their toll on the RV suspension and chassis, but those shocks, rattles, rolls and heaves are all transmitted to the items carried within the RV which can result in disaster. This is where we can take some positive steps to prevent damage to our traveling possessions with a bit of planing and a quick trip to the hardware or RV store where we will find the materials to secure items in our RV’s from damage.
