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Forum
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RE: Leaking holding tank - metal v portable molded vinyl.
Right now the metal holding tank that is attached to the RV is leaking. Can it be replaced with, I think it's, molded vinyl? What tank are you talking about? Is this the fresh water tank or one of the two waste tanks? It sounds like you mean one of the two waste tanks and if so, how would you use a portable tank? The sink and shower both drain into the gray water tank and the drain for it exits at a different location. All water that is put into it will have to first pass through the tank before it reaches the drain so it must be able to hold water.
If you mean the black tank, you need to always have it at least 1/2 full before you empty it or in time the solids from your toilet will fill the tank due to the water leaving and the solids staying in the tank. That is an experience that you do not want to have.
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Kirk
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09/06/10 05:15pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Atwood water heater dripping
It is highly unlikely that a new water heater has a bad relief valve. If you have a low point drain on your water system that is the thing to use to get an air bubble into the water heater. First, turn off the water supply to the RV. Next, open the low point drain on the cold water side as that is you need to relieve the pressure on the supply side. Next, lift the lever on the pressure relief and allow it to draw air into the tank by draining water from it. You don't need to leave it open for long. When you close the relief, make the lever snap shut by just pushing on it until the lever falls away as the valve seats better when it snaps shut. Relief manufacturers suggest this way of closing the valves.
Once you have air in the tank, turn the water supply back on and then open a hot water faucet to vent out any excess air as it should be below the level of the water outlet connection. When air stops coming from the faucet, turn the water heater back on and that should take care of the problem.
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Kirk
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09/06/10 05:08pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Suburban furnace acting up
On the old mechanical thermostat you can sometimes make a temporary repair if it is as Chris suggests, but using some fine emery cloth on the contacts to polish them. It that corrects it, it would still be wise to replace the thermostat as the problem will very likely return in time.
Keep in mind that anything that drops the voltage to the blower motor to 11V or less can be the problem with the fire not lighting. It is very common for a furnace to work fine early in the evening but stop lighting before morning when you are not connected to shore power due to the battery voltage dropping too low. With shore power that should not be the case.
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Kirk
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09/06/10 05:00pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: NORCOLD REFRIGERATOR (Update - page 2)
Eric,
I suspect from reading your posts that you do not own a multi-meter? To do any real trouble shooting you should have one but you can do some things by other means. First, plug a lamp or such into the refrigerator outlet to see if it lights. Don't waste your time looking at the fuses as they are for 12V-DC power and you are looking for 120V-AC power. There will be a circuit breaker that supplies that outlet and it may also supply several other things. To reset a circuit breaker you must open it fully, then close it.
Take the suggestion of Chris and try tripping and resetting both of the GFI outlets as there is a high likelihood that one of them does supply that refrigerator outlet. You can also use that lamp to connect to each of those and make sure that it really does have power.
You can start changing parts if you wish, but doing so isn't very likely to help and you will need to find the proper circuit breaker in order to turn off power before you replace that outlet anyway. As an electrician, I don't do jobs such as that with power one and consider anyone who does to be a fool.
Before you fool with things you would be wise to realize that the #1 cause of fires in RVs is electrical work done by an owner who is not qualified. You should also know that more people die from shocks by 120V power than all other voltages, combined. This is not a difficult thing to do, but one does need to know a few basics to do so safely and properly.
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Kirk
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09/06/10 04:42pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Full-timing in a cold weather state?
To stay warm you will need to expect to use at least 100# of propane per week in below freezing weather. It could be a little less, but it can also run more so that is probably a good figure to plan with.
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Kirk
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09/06/10 04:23pm |
Full-time RVing
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RE: Some advice and/or opinions...
The Coachman is a difficult one to get a good price on because you are looking at one of the rare coaches that are a 98 coach that was built on a 99 chassis. (I happen to own one of those.) The way that took place was that Ford did not build a class A chassis that was listed as a 98 year model, but released the 99 version with the newer chassis design the higher GVWR of 18K#, and with the new V-10 power plant in March of 1998 and it lists as a 99 chassis. As such the later built motorhomes that are on that chassis have two model years. My Texas title lists the coach vin as 1998 and the chassis vin as 1999. This is normal, but it makes it very difficult to get an accurate used price listing. If you check the NADA listings for a 98 Coachman on a 98 Ford chassis, the prices range from $12K to $15K, but if you use a 99 you then find a price of $25-$30K. This is a far better chassis than the 99 which you are looking at with the Winnebago and it will be more fuel efficient as well. The Winnebago lists in NADA as $21K to $26K which is probably more where the Coachman should be.
I do consider that Winnebago is a much better quality RV than is the Coachman, in general, but their Chieftain is one of the lower value models, and so is not top of line. The Coachman has the better chassis, but neither of them are of high quality.
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Kirk
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09/06/10 02:28pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Another newbie question
With that kind of weight you need one of the larger diesel rigs as many of them in the age you are looking for do not have the capacity to tow what you want. To two when overloaded is dangerous to you, your passengers and those who share the roads. It is also a recipe for major break-downs with the RV. There are sound reasons for the weight limits. Many have frame extensions to the rear which are not capable of carrying the kind of weight you have in mind. A bent or broken frame on an older RV will make it unusable.
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Kirk
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09/06/10 02:08pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Imperial National Wildlife Refuge
Jim,
It was 2004/5 that we were at Imperial. That date has now been changed and I have no idea how I managed to put it down that far off! Even so, I do think that you would enjoy the stay.
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Kirk
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09/06/10 01:59pm |
Workamping Forum
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RE: Need a Short Term Position
Check with the state parks in those areas. Most states will accept a one month stay.
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Kirk
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09/06/10 01:54pm |
Workamping Forum
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RE: please define "stipend" in relation to workamping
The real answer is, if you get a 1099, it's taxable. If you don't, it's not. That is hardly true! What the 1099 or lack of it means is whether or not the income was reported. In general, if there is no 1099 then you can cheat and not pay with pretty good odds that you will get away with it. Actually, most tax cheaters who do so on a small scale do get away with it. So if cheating feels good to you, by all means do so. If you have true ethics and you don't feel good knowing that you are a tax cheat, they you should report the income.
Each of us should do whatever meets our personal standards. The true test of ethics and morals are what a person does when nobody will know.
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Kirk
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09/06/10 01:49pm |
Workamping Forum
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RE: End of the season
Workampers with a little experience under their belt must have some good book material under their hat We had a busy weekend here also and weather was near perfect. We made contact with some of the most wonderful visitors that exist and very few problems and none serious.
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Kirk
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09/06/10 01:39pm |
Workamping Forum
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RE: water heater timer
Having run a test on consecutive winters to see how much propane I would use both by keeping the water heater on all of the time and then by only heating it up once each day, I was parked in the same spot and the winter with it off was slightly colder than the one where it was on all of the time. The result was that there was not a significant savings of propane when I only heated it once each day. That is probably a combination of the fact that keeping that small tank hot doesn't require a lot of propane over heating it from cold condition once each day. The other big factor is probably that a water heater really isn't that big a consumer of energy in an RV because the tanks are so small.
Now what would make a difference is if you had one of the tankless water heaters.
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Kirk
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09/01/10 03:54pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: hot water heater
CFaub,
Some good answers here, but just in case you are still reading, I would like to explain something about water heaters that may be of help. In all water heaters that have a tank, the hot water always exits from the top because hot fluids rise and so that is the hottest water in the tank. And in all water heaters, the plumbing sends the supply of unheated water into the bottom of the the tank. That is even true if the home water heater has both pipes at the top as the cold one will reach all of the way to the bottom of the tank. The only way to get water out of the tank of a water heater, other than opening the drain is to have pressure inside of the tank which is supplied by the supply of unheated water.
All water heaters are designed this way to prevent using the water from them unless there is a supply of water to replace what is removed. The design is that way because a water heater will be damaged by the heat in attempting to heat up an empty tank. It thus prevents the operation of the water heater with no water in the tank, unless the drain valve is opened or plug removed, which is difficult to do by accident. This way if for some reason the supply of water to the water heater should fail, the owner will not run the hot water out and cause it to go empty without knowing that it there is no water supply.
The design is one for safety of the owner and the water heater tank.
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Kirk
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09/01/10 03:46pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Buying to vehicle to tow behind MH
When you choose you also need to check the weight of the chosen vehicle as compared to what your motorhome is rated to tow. We tow with a gas powered motorhome and the max towing capacity is the limit on what we can choose. Many an RV is not intended to tow a vehicle that weighs more than 5000# so make sure before you buy. We chose to tow a 4WD, Honda CR-V. We towed our first one for more than 40K miles and drove it 156K miles. We now have another because of the excellent performance and service from our first one.
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Kirk
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09/01/10 03:32pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: breakdowns
Jim may know more than I do, but we have now been fulltime in a motorhome for more than ten years and to date we have been out of our motorhome during repairs only two times and one of those was by choice as we cold have stayed in it. Nearly all repair facilities that work on RVs much will have water and electric available for the customers. Even motorized RVs can be pushed outside for the night and frequently are. That type of major repair is pretty rare if you have a recent vintage RV and it is most likely to happen due to some need of an ordered part. In that case, you can almost always stay in it. For the larger type of issue, just plan it so that you will be where you have family or some other place to spend some time.
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Kirk
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09/01/10 03:27pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Any sites or other ideas to find people to RV with...
Since I am already traveling with a woman who figures that one is enough, I'm not a candidate, but I do think that if I were single and happened to be interested in a companion, I would probably want someone who was bringing something into the relationship such as some expense money, or some other contribution beyond companionship.
In addition, I would want to know something of the age and interests of the person who I was considering. Compatibility for long term travel companions is as important as it would be with any close relationship. Since most of us in the fulltime RV life are retired, I don't know that romance is that major an issue, but there would need to be some reason for the RV owner to want and to enjoy your presence in the RV as he/she travels. That same thing would also apply to you.
Consider that there are just as many ways to live and travel in an RV as there are to live in any other kind of home and you may begin to see what I mean. If you don't believe in consuming alcohol you won't want a partner who's big thing is touring breweries and distilleries. If you love crowds and shopping, you will not enjoy traveling with someone who prefers to spend their time in the deep woods or remote deserts. You will be living very closely and it is important that you share some of the same interests and hobbies.
Probably the main reason that most men who respond to women with ads such as yours is the lack of anything else to cause an interest in having you join them. Men who have no interest in a romantic relationship are not likely to respond to an ad from a lady who offers no other attraction beyond a physical one. There are men out there who might be interested, but they are not likely to respond without a lot more information. Most of them see this kind of post and only see one reward for what they bring into the living arrangement. For companionship they tend to stick with other men who have some money to contribute and who share the same interests as they have.
When you live in close quarters such as an RV provides, the relationship is very similar to a marriage whether you are same sex or not, and even if just friends. You are together all of the time and as such you must be best friends above all else. Common interests and beliefs are very important to the happiness of both parties, regardless the kind of relationship it may be.
Based upon the single RVers that we know, both the women and the men are very self-sufficient people, who enjoy their own company and have only limited need for companionship. Very few are seeking any kind of long term relationship and many avoid it. I can't recall any of either sex who had been on the road for long who had any interest in a romantic connection at all.
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Kirk
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09/01/10 03:07pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Husband or Wife who makes the decision?
I can not imagine making such an important choice and a large financial decision at the purchase of a new or near new RV without the involvement of both parties. Perhaps I am weird but I involve my wife in such choices because we each have our areas of expertise. In addition, we each have some things that we consider to be important that the other may not. Pam knows a great deal about fabrics and the construction of drapes and upholstery, while I know very little. But I am retired from the electric/mechanical service industry and so understand a great deal about the more technical aspects of RVs that she has little knowledge of. We both have to live in the floor space provided and so it seems to make more sense for both to be involved in that part of it. I am also an amateur carpenter and so have pretty good knowledge of fit & finish things. Pam knows far more than I about colors and decorating than I do.
On financial issues, we both do a lot of looking at the impact of the cost upon our financial future and our budgets. The very idea of making such a choice without the input and advice of both people seems very foolish to me.
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Kirk
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09/01/10 02:23pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Storage thoughts
There is no doubt that heated, inside storage is the very best choice around. In more than 35 years of RV experience, I can't imagine why it would ever become so humid as to cause damage, particularly in an area such as you are where heating the cold winter air tends to lower the humidity to the point that most people use some means to add moisture to the dry air in the heating season?
Even so, we have never had inside storage for our RVs and the first 16 years of RV ownership was in Wyoming where winters can be pretty bad. I would not spend the money for heated storage unless I expected to take the RV out in winter fairly frequently so that not winterizing would be an advantage. Covered storage does provide somewhat less in wear and maintenance, but as a fulltimer we have only had brief periods when our RV was under a roof and we have now lived in it for more than ten years. The extra maintenance needed from storage outside, as compared to inside but not heated is really not that much. If you have a good quality cover, it will provide nearly as much protection from weather at a far lower cost.
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Kirk
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09/01/10 02:15pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: How about a few good stories?
Thanks to those who have contributed! I am always amazed by the number of folks who seem to favor remembering the stories about bad visitors and bad experiences. After more than 10 years of volunteer position, most dealing with the public, I know that for every real jerk out there, we meet at least one hundred really great folks! I will never understand why the folks who seem to love to talk about all of the bad people that they deal with keep on volunteering?
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Kirk
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09/01/10 02:03pm |
Workamping Forum
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RE: Imperial National Wildlife Refuge
We spent the winter there in 2004/05 and had a great time. Most of the staff has changed since we were there, but we have talked to several who were there recently and they report that it is as great today as it was when we were there. You can see pictures that we took when we volunteered there at this location.
They have six RV sites with full utilities, including 50A power. There is also an extra site where a visitor can spend a night if you have one, by prior arrangement. The sites are four on one side and two on the other with a building for volunteers on the short side. The building has two washers, two driers, a full kitchen with large refrigerator/freezer for the volunteers as well as his & hers shower rooms. There is a covered patio and fire ring for the group as well as a concrete pad and vire ring for each site.
The location is a long way from shopping as it is 38 miles to Yuma and the town of Martinez, just down the road has one restaurant and an over-priced convenience store/bait shop. It is locate on the Colorado River, just up stream from Imperial LTVA and to the west of the Army's Yuma Proving Ground. It is about 60 miles to the south of Quartzsite.
We had a great time there and do recommend it to others. And don't worry at all about the comments of Diane as they don't keep volunteers there in the summer. Since there is no visitor traffic and the a/c bill would be outrageous, as well as the fact that the staff know about the hot weather there, they have never made an attempt to use volunteers in the summer.
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Kirk
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09/01/10 01:53pm |
Workamping Forum
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