Making Modifications to Your RV

I get asked these questions alot: “Is it safe to modify my RV? What about my warranty? Will it be voided?” There is a lot of misinformation floating around about what constitutes a safe mod and what will void your warranty if you do certain kinds of mods. Many RV owners tend to be the “do-it-your-self” types and enjoy “doing the mod”. If you fall in to this group, you should carefully consider the implications of certain mods. You know that really expensive extended warranty that covers your RV “bumper-to-tongue” after the factory warranty runs out that you added when you purchased your new RV? It won’t help one bit if you do a mod that causes a failure on a covered part. So let’s look at what mods are safe to do and what just might cause you some grief down the road if you are not aware of your warranty conditions of coverage. Read more  Read More →

Generator bonding and grounding

In previous posts we have discussed what is meant by “bonding” in an electrical distribution system.  This is an important concept.  If it seems like I am dwelling on this, I want to make sure we are clear on what bonding means. The ground wire system and the neutral wire system are two separate wire systems.  By code, they are to be connected together at ONE point and only one point.  If there is more than one bonding point in the wiring system, you can create ground faults, circulating currents and possibly prevent a breaker from tripping if there is a short circuit.  If there is no bond, it is also possible that a breaker will not trip. The breaker panel in your RV is classified as a sub-panel.  As such there is NO bond in the panel and the neutral/ground wiring systems in your RV are NOT connected to each other anywhere in the RV.  This is because when you plug in your shore power cord, you become part of the campground electrical system which IS bonded, again, at ONE point in the entire campground, generally at the campground main breaker panel. If you have a generator that is permanently installed in your RV, such as is typical in Class A motorhomes, the generator has a bond between the neutral and the ground, such that when the transfer switch switches, the isolated neutral and ground systems get connected together. If, however, you use a portable generator, sitting on the ground or in the  back of your pickup truck, a problem occurs.  Typically portable... Read more

RV Winterizing 101 (Part 2)

We enjoy using our RV as much as possible throughout the year.  But when you can’t use your RV, for whatever reasons and temperatures are approaching freezing, it’s important that you protect it. Last week I talked about preparing your RV’s interior, exterior and chassis for storage during the colder winter months. I mentioned at the beginning of the article that the RV plumbing system is the most vulnerable to damage caused by plummeting temperatures. The good news is it is really quite easy to protect the RV water system from this potential threat.  I am including a checklist from my “Checklists for RVers” eBook to help walk you through the winterizing process. Read more  Read More →

Preparing Your RV for the Colder Months Ahead

As summer winds down, it’s time to prepare your RV for the cooler weather ahead. Fall and winter are really great times to take in the changing seasons on the open road. But when it’s time to turn in for the evening, the overnight temperatures can plummet, especially at higher altitudes, resulting in increased propane usage, interior condensation, and other plumbing-related issues.  And then there is that freak snow storm you wake up to that while beautiful, can catch you off-guard, leaving you unprepared to deal with freezing temperatures.  If you plan to camp well in to the colder months, here are some ways you can make your cold weather RVing ventures less of a chilling experience. 1. Examine your RV’s plumbing to determine what measures may be needed to prevent damage from freezing temperatures. Some RV’s have plumbing exposed to the outside elements. In this case, you should wrap the exposed plumbing with heat tape and foam pipe insulation. . 2. Part of the plumbing system includes the holding tanks. Some RV’s have enclosed holding tanks that are heated by the RV’s furnace through heater ducting to the holding tank areas. As long as the furnace runs occasionally, the tanks won’t freeze unless it’s very cold (below 20F). For those tanks that are not heated and/or enclosed, tank heating pads can be affixed to the bottoms of the tanks. These are very easy to install, thermostatically-controlled, and come in both 12-volt DC... Read more

RV Weekly Round-Up (Aug. 29 to Sept. 4, 2009)

Check out these highlights of RV-related news, events and video from this past week. Have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend! Floridians Win Keystone Outback in Sweepstakes: The second Keystone travel trailer in the Live Your Dreams RV Giveaway was awarded to winners Nancy and Clay Heckert of Panama City, Florida. In winning the Outback trailer, the Heckerts follow a South Georgia couple, Mackie and Gail Daniels, who took home a new $26,000 Keystone Springdale travel trailer in the first phase of the unique retail promotion. The sweepstakes continues through February with 2 more RVs up for grabs. The next winner will be chosen in an October drawing for a new Keystone Cougar fifth-wheel. Read more  Read More →

There Is Magic In This Shower Head

So how do you really like showering in your RV?  Even when using a city water connection without a regulator, a shower can still result in a less than a “pressure-packed” experience. Low water pressure from the shower head is most often caused by the poor design used by most RV manufacturers, save for the high end luxury models. For some reason, they all come with this tiny little hole inside the shower head which is supposed to help save you some water. Well, they definitely do but as a consequence, you can barely rinse the soap out of your hair! You could try and modify the standard shower head to remove the restriction and that can help. But there is another way to magically increase the output pressure of your shower head. Replace it with an Oxygenics Body Spa shower wand. The shower head uses a venturi effect to raise the pressure output  and provide you with a much nicer showering experience. This mod is so easy that you will wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. Just unscrew the standard shower head and screw the magic one on. The output is also adjustable, providing a low pressure trickle to a full blown high pressure spray. At the base of the wand is a circular adjuster you simply twist. The only drawback of this mod is that you lose the ability to completely shut off the water supply. The standard shower head allows you to almost stop the water flow using a valve on the back of the head. This feature doesn’t exist on the magic wand. So you might... Read more

RV Doctor – Should I Install an Inverter in My RV?

Dear Gary, I watched one of your television shows where the family of a hybrid trailer needed a stronger battery. You replaced their 12-volt battery with two 6-volt batteries. I have a 26-foot RV and it has only one 12-volt battery. Would it be better for me to use two 6-volts? Would I get more amps with two12-volt batteries instead? I also have a converter but no inverter in my trailer. If I pull into a campground or parking lot where I need to run off battery, the lights work but the outlets do not. How would I install an inverter into my trailer and how hard would it be? - John Okragleski, (no city/state) Read more  Read More →

10 Low Cost Mods You Can Make to Your RV

In today’s economy, RV owners are either trying to sell their RV to reduce their month cash outlay, or are hanging on to them instead of trading them in on something “bigger and better.” Those who are keeping their RV are instead modifying them with doodads and gizmos to suit their personal needs. There are many ways to go about this and this article focuses on 10 low cost ways you can modify your RV so you can have what the RV manufacturers usually leave out. Read more  Read More →

Adding L.E.D. Tail Lights To Your Trailer or Motor Home

L.E.D. (Light-emitting diode) tail lights are becoming more popular and can be seen now on many trucks, cars and on several RV makes.  They are bright, and in many cases, far more so than the standard automotive bulb type.  But the most noticeable thing about them is their speed to light.  Unlike the standard automotive light bulb that requires about 200 milliseconds to reach full brightness, the L.E.D. is fully lit in about one half of a millisecond.  Now you may think it would be difficult to actually see the speed difference, but it is not.  In fact it is quite noticeable.  So, is that why one would want to go to L.E.D. tail lights, the speed to illuminate?  No, there are other advantages, but the speed may offer a minimal margin of safety when considering brake light applications during panic stops.   Now let’s take a look at what advantages are offered by going to L.E.D. tail lights.  Low Power Draw – L.E.D. lamps typically consume about one third of the electrical power required by a similar standard automotive bulb. Bright Light – The L.E.D. lamps are generally brighter than their comparable match to a standard twelve volt bulb. Faster Illumination – L.E.D. lamps illuminate about seven times quicker than a standard twelve volt automotive light bulb. Longer Life – L.E.D. lamps for tail light applications are capable of operating in the range of about 80,000 hours.  This totally eliminates the chances of ever having a failed... Read more

RV Doctor – Basic RV Water System & Check Valve Placement

Dear RV Doc, I purchased a truck camper recently which does not have a hot water system which I am planning on installing. Could you provide me with a basic RV water system schematic? I have a good idea of the basic layout of water lines and components but I’m not sure where the check valves should be placed to prevent unwanted backflow. Any help would be appreciated. - Albert Lepore, (Rochester, NY) Read more  Read More →

Next Page »