Photovoltaic spray paint turns steel into solar panels

By Bob Difley A European steel company and a university in Wales are putting their collective heads together to develop a spray-on coating that would  transform sheets of steel into solar panels. No Joke. Not only that, but it is efficient, also, with the ability to work even in diffused sunlight. Perfect for states (and countries) in the higher latitudes and those without much bright sunlight. Forward-lookers ate visualizing the automotive industry where photo-sensitive dyes could be applied to generate electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen for fuel cells. Imagine the applications of such a product. No more need to invest thousands of dollars in not-so efficient solar panels for your RV’s roof, and–get this–no range limit for electric vehicles. No more need for users of smart phones, laptop, iPads, or other devices to cart around power cables to re-charge. The power options could be limitless. Fat chance you think? Another hair-brained idea from 20-something science majors who have been smoking something. Think again, if you think the spray-on solar technology is years away from reality. The technology of  ’printing’ these dyes onto steel sheets has already been mastered by a subsidiary of the European steel maker, which is working on a new plant for the production of these steel sheets. They didn’t say whether the spray-on would work on fiberglass. I can’t imagine making RVs out of steel plates just to turn them into... Read more

Should EVs Pay to Play?

Don’t you just love it when a prediction comes true? Getting juiced up! (Photo credit: inhabitat.com) Over three months ago a writer for Politics and Cars mused that if special electric meters are installed specifically for the purpose of charging an electric vehicle (EV), someone in government would figure out how to tax that electricity in the same way gasoline is taxed. Gasoline taxes are supposed to go for repairs and improvement of roads. The gas tax is simply a user tax. You use the roads. You pay for them. That’s only fair. Right? However, if EVs use the roads without paying for their use, that is unfair. The issue is contentious because gasoline taxes generate $45 billion annually to pay for highway repairs. Let’s say you live in California, and purchased a Nissan Leaf. The car’s $32,000 bottom line would have taken a huge bite out of your budget, but the feds rewarded you with a $7,500 tax credit and the state kicked in a $5,000 cash payout. At $20,000, the Leaf is now affordable, and the three cents a mile operating costs are good news, too. But now they want to hit you with a new tax? The rest of us say it’s not fair that we pay a premium of 18.4 cents per gallon (24.4 cents for diesel) to maintain the nation’s roads, help to eradicate potholes, and keep overpasses from falling down while EV drivers pay nothing. That’s harsh, you think, being a crusader for clean air. After all, you’re saving the planet by decreasing your carbon footprint. Nissan... Read more

30 Tips to Cut Your RV Travel Expenses

The Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kickoff to the summer travel season, with many families either hitting the road or planning to do so within the following summer months. Try local wineries for wine tasting and tours. Pictured avbove Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved Following are 30 tips that will help you save money while still enjoying all the fun, freedom, and flexibility that RVing has to offer: Buy a local newspaper when checking into a campground or RV park and check it for coupons, bargains, and savings before going out to shop for groceries. Don’t buy all of your groceries at supermarkets. Buy food and other necessities at thrift bakeries, discount stores, dollar stores, church and charity bazaars, flea markets, roadside fruit and veggie stands, canning plants, and u-pick orchards. Shop at a local farmer’s market and chat with the folks selling the fruits and veggies. Pick up something “new to you” and ask them how to prepare it—then go back to your RV and try it. When in a campground connect to “shore power” and use THEIR electricity, not YOUR propane, to heat your water and run your refrigerator. Water heaters in particular consume considerable amounts of propane. If you’re staying in a metered park and paying for the electricity, you can determine which energy source is most economical—paying for the electricity or using your propane. Multiply the kilowatt rate being... Read more

Money Saving Tips: Extending Your RV Travel Dollars

The latest Campfire Canvass survey of RV owners conducted by Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) revealed that 53% intend to use their RV more this spring and summer despite higher fuel prices, while 38% plan to use theirs the same amount and just 9% say they’ll use their RVs less. Of the respondents who plan to use their RVs more often, 65% said one of the reasons is to take more mini-vacations. A recent study indicates 53% intend to use their RV more this spring and summer despite higher fuel prices. Motorhome parked at Sliding Rock Overlook, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved Many RV owning families plan to take shorter but more frequent trips in their RVs. Sixty-three percent plan to spend five or more weekends in their RVs this spring/summer; 19% will reserve a seasonal site at a campground this summer and visit it on weekends. According to the report, 68% said they expect fuel prices to affect their spring/summer travel plans. Of those respondents, 61% said they’ll travel closer to home, 42% will travel fewer miles and 37% will stay longer in one place. These figures indicate that people are looking for inexpensive vacation options, and RVing leads the pack. RV owners love the RV lifestyle and rising gas prices won’t stop them from getting away. RV family vacations are, on average, 27% to 61% less expensive than other types of vacations, according to a study by international travel and tourism experts Collier’s... Read more

Using Hydrogen to Increase Mileage and Reduce Emissions

Forget the staycation. (Credit: h2purepower) Sure, average gas prices are currently $3.94 (diesel: $4.11), according to AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report, and climbing toward the highest recorded average of $4.11 that crippled travel back in 2008. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your summer road trip. It’s one of America’s greatest travel traditions—so don’t let these high fuel prices stop you. Mary Meadows says she can increase mileage and reduce emissions. She’s the founder of an Arizona company that makes a system that converts cars, pickups, trucks, recreational vehicles, and boats to hydrogen hybrids, reported The Arizona Republic. “We’re not replacing the fuel; we’re just supplementing the fuel to make it highly efficient,” said Meadows, CEO of H2 Pure Power, which is based at the Innovations incubator. The company manufactures the Hercules Hydrogen System, which is about the same size as a car battery and can be installed under the hood or in the trunk. The system manufactures hydrogen, mixes it with fuel, and puts the mixture into the engine by air intake. “It’s a very sophisticated system,” Meadows said. “A lot of systems out there don’t work; they don’t last.” She says that the Hercules Hydrogen System works—and it lasts. One of the problems to overcome was that post-1996 model cars and pickups contain computers that sense when a vehicle is using less fuel. That triggers the computer... Read more

The Zen of Boondocking Part XIII – Good for the environment

By Bob Difley It’s hardly a stretch of the imagination to connect boondocking with a non-polluting, non-wasteful, natural resource saving–or green–lifestyle. This lifestyle, and the good habits it encourages, not only enables us to extend our boondocking time in the great outdoors but is also good for nature and the environment. About the only non-green activity associated with our green lifestyle is driving our rigs to our campsites, though the newer motorhomes and trucks coming on the market are making positive improvements in the mileage. Manufacturers are taking steps to reduce their waste and use of natural resources, and use of sustainable materials in the manufacture of our motorhomes, trailers, and fivers, as well as building smaller motorhomes with smaller, more efficient engines. Winnebago’s small diesel Navion and View Class C motorhomes were the first to produce mileage figures in the 15 to 19 mpg range and others have followed. And soon we will see small hybrid electric motorhomes. Freightliner developed the first hybrid-electric Class A chassis, which will also be followed by others as gas prices rise, the crisis intensifies in the oil producing countries, and hybrid and battery manufacturing costs come down. Chassis manufacturers are testing electric and diesel hybrid combinations for commercial busses and delivery van fleets. These too will eventually filter down to the RV market. But given that our rigs, whether driving or towing, are not... Read more

Are CNG fueled RVs and dinghys practical?

By Bob Difley While the national average price of gasoline is now reaching for $4.00, some residents of Utah are happily filling up on compressed natural gas (CNG) at $0.63 per gallon–the country’s lowest price for CNG. There are an estimated 150,000 Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs) on America’s highways according to the Natural Gas Vehicle Assn. (NGVA) and only about 1500 CNG refueling stations–about as many as there are stations that carry E85 ethanol blends. Even in Utah there are only 20 open to the public. The NGVA also says there are 50 different manufacturers producing 150 models of light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles and engines that run on compressed natural gas, but, there is only one–the Honda Civic GX (photo)–that is available to individuals and it’s only offered in California and New York (although Utah could be next on the list). California ranks highest in number of CNG refueling stations, but fuel prices are also higher—closer to $2.50 per gallon. The good news–for Honda, anyway–is that there is so much demand in Utah for CNG-ready vehicles that Honda can’t make them fast enough. However, you don’t have to wait in line for a Honda. You can convert a used vehicle to run on natural gas, and for either used or new vehicles, the tax incentives are substantial. Combining state and federal tax credits in Utah can almost completely offset the approximately $7,000 difference in price between regular and CNG-ready vehicles. Compressed... Read more

Electric Vehicle update – March 1

By Bob Difley The Geneva Auto Show opened today in Geneva, Switzerland, which is a showcase for European cars. A number of Electric Vehicles (EV) and hybrids are being introduced from a diverse group of companies and start-ups as well as the established auto companies. The Green Investing website has listed its top ten green cars making their debut at the show, which you can see here. The top position went to the Nissan ESFLOW, a sports car capable of going from 0-60mph in five seconds and with a range of 150miles on a single charge. There was also a Rolls Royce electric Phantom at the top end and the Rinspeed Bamboo, the perfect beach-going car including an inflatable roof that doubles as a beach blanket and the BamBoo community platform that allows for practical features based on social networking. Nissan also announced that they have extended their lithium ion battery warranty in the Leaf EV to 8 years and 100,000 miles. More proof that battery makers are confident that their newest batteries will last the life of a car, so expensive battery replacement should not be a deterrent to buying an EV. With all the innovation going on, it won’t be long before you start to see EVs being towed behind motorhomes. Ford also introduced its C-MAX Energi (available in 2012) that will offer more than 500 miles of combined driving range using the battery and engine–more than any other plug-in or extended-range electric vehicle. Ford also points out that plug-in hybrid vehicles... Read more

RVIA EXPO, LOUISVILLE KY

Linda and I are getting the motorhome ready for our annual trip to Kentucky to attend the RVIA show in Louisville to gather information on the general state of the RV industry, and to view new products at the show.  We will be reporting on events as they occur, here on RV.net blog. Read more  Read More →

Government Diesel Emissions Standards & RV’s

I just returned from the Pennsylvania trade/public RV show and while looking at a new motorhome on a Freightliner Custom Chassis I noticed what looked to be a small fuel tank located under one of the outside storage compartment doors. The cap on the tank had the letters (DEF) which I later discovered stands for Diesel Exhaust Fluid.  I had no idea what Diesel Exhaust Fluid was, so I headed over to the Freightliner display to find out. The Freightliner representative was extremely knowledgeable and helpful in explaining what DEF was, and after returning home I decided to research it a bit further. Read more  Read More →

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