Grease Fittings for Trailer Axle Bearings?

A friend of ours who's an RV newbie spent a weekend on a busy beach, loaded with RVers. He was having problems with his rig, and like we've all experienced, lots of RV folks were happy to lend him a hand. In a conversation with one, the subject of axle bearing maintenance came up. By the time Mike got home, he was "sold" on the idea of using a boat trailer axle bearing grease system--the kind where you simply pump lube through a zerk fitting, as opposed to hand packing the grease. Think of the savings on maintenance!

Well, those systems aren't all that they're cracked up to be, particularly for RV applications. Bearing Buddy systems are designed for sealed marine applications. The trouble with squirting grease into an RV axle is you don't really have a handle on how much grease is already in there. Push in too much, where will it go? Out into the wheel area, likely onto the brakes, and whoopsie doo, on your next 7% downgrade you'll find out just how mixing grease and trailer brakes is a really BAD idea.

Enter Dexter's "E-Z Lube" system. Dexter builds axles used on a lot of RVs, and some of them have the "E-Z" system--specially designed, it allows the owner to pump grease through the axle spindles and into the bearings. But many RVers who have the system complain they can't pump enough grease to get the old grease out; others say they fear blowing out the rear seals; still others say their RV maintenance guys fear the same problems that are posed by Bearing Buddy system: Grease on the brakes.

There's much to be said for hand-packing your axle bearings: It forces you to take the wheels off the axles, giving you the opportunity to inspect your brakes, brake magnets, and associated hardware. Like one RVer says, "I figure those eight wheel bearings are supporting over 11,000 lbs of very valuable RV and equipment... one afternoon a year [to hand pack the bearings] is a small price to pay."

Yes, it's true that there are RVers who really love their EZ Lube systems, and haven't had any problems with them. We'd add, "at least not yet." I don't know how much I'd want to gamble all my stuff on it.

Diagram courtesy Dexter Axles

Air Pressure Gauges: Dial Me Up or Stick it to Me?

We've often "lectured" on the necessity to caring properly for your tires. 'Take care of your tires and they'll take care of you!' has been our mantra. A major part of caring for those rubber donuts is making sure you've got sufficient air pressure. How do you test yours?

Some folks rely on "built in" gauge on the hose down at the gas station. You may have noticed that those gauges have been becoming fewer and fewer as the days roll along. And even when the hose does have a gauge, after having been slapped around like a TV wrestler, they tend to get a bit punch drunk and don't give reliable information.

Some folks like the "put it in your shirt pocket," "stick" style air gauge. They may have a point, but we've found the "stick" type aren't always accurate, and often have the drawback of having fewer "graduations," making it difficult to ensure what the pressure is within less than five pounds. Here's another case of spending a few more bucks, but spending it wisely. The "dial" type air gauges are more accurate, and usually read down to the precise pound of pressure.

If you spring for the dial style, do take good care of it. Dropping it on the pavement can cause irepairable damage. We carefully put ours away in the "glove box" (who--other than snobs maybe--drive with gloves these days?) when not in use.

High Tech Propane Leak Finder Beats Bubbles

We all face it: With LP gas such a major supplier of energy in our rigs, sooner or later you'll have to deal with a gas leak. Left "unfixed" as quick as you can say, "Hindenberg!" your dream rig can go up in smoke, taking you with it.


For years the industry standard for leak detection was a bath of soapy water. Paint our pour a stiff solution of dish soap and water on a suspect fitting, and if it bubbles, you found it. Well, technology has its "one upmanship." How about an electronic gas leak detector? A whole lot less mess, and certainly sensitive, we've found "Pocket Air Check" put out by a midwest firm just the thing.


For those with older truck campers, you're still probably using the old style "POL" fitting propane tanks. When you refill these tanks, you have to be extremely careful about firmly tightening the fittings--the least bit of looseness can lead to a leak.
We keep our Pocket Air Check detector handy, and more than once have found the fellows who've tightened the fittings haven't done such a good job.


The detector does more though: Just turn it on, and run it along any gas line or fitting, holding it a quarter inch away. If a bit of gas is found, both an audible alarm and an LED light warn you of the danger. Not expensive either, Camping World sells them for less than $25, an inexpensive way to a lot more safety.

Is Your RV an Orphan?

A lot of us are rolling around the countryside in older RVs. Some of them are "so durned ancient," that the company that built our rig has long since gone out of business. That leaves us with what's popularly called an "orphan" RV. Nobody to fall back on for those unique parts. But hang on, when something breaks, we may not be completely out on a limb.

Yep, there really are RV parts orphanages. Think about it, they’ve got wrecking yards for automobiles, how about RVs? Those old hulks have gotta go somewhere. In addition to RV wrecking yards (many of whom do business by mail), there are also RV surplus stores, many located in RV manufacturing hubs where all those "leftovers" go when there’s been a change on the assembly line.

One excellent Internet resource that lists a variety of salvage yards, surplus outlets, and other sources is found at www.rv.net. Click on the "RV News and Reviews" tab, thence on "Parts and Manuals."

For a couple of frequent problem areas, here are some good tips. Older but "modern" gas-fired RV appliances like refrigerators, water heaters, and furnaces just seem to "eat" their electronic control boards for breakfast. Even when you can find a board through the manufacturer, you may pass out at the cost. Check out www.dinosaurelectronics.com, who provides brand-new "replacement" boards. They’re often less expensive than the OEM, and on one occasion, their tech support folks even saved me the cost of a new board by diagnosing over the phone what my board problem was. A friend with an electronics background was able to replace a couple of inexpensive components on the existing board and we were back in business.

RV refrigerator problems are notorious. Just because your cooler won’t cool doesn’t necessarily mean that you need a new refrigerator, or even necessarily a cooling unit. A visit to www.rvmobile.com will lead you to a huge section on troubleshooting. And if you do really need parts, these guys will pretty likely have what you need.

Finally, another note on hunting for manuals. If you’ve tried everywhere and can’t seem to find what you need, posting a question on an appropriate RV forum will often locate somebody who has a copy of the manual. An offer to pay for postage and copying costs can often net you what you need. And keep an eye on those forums--you might just have what somebody else needs.

The Generator "DUH" Factor

If you read our "Boondocking" blog, you'll know that for years we've been strict proponents of alternative energy for RVing. Solar panels, wind, that's been the hardline from our camp. And then (gasp) we bought an RV with ("Mama! Cover the kid's ears!") a generator.

It's been an experience. We haven't fore sworn solar, and when we'll soon be transferring our wind generator system to the new research rig, but we've actually grown slightly fond of the generator. But as things go, there has been a bit of a break in period.

For starters, there wasn't much time on the clock on our little Onan LP generator when we first got it. Unless they turn back engine time clocks like odometers on old cars. We had the most cussed time trying to get the thing to run. We finally replaced the spark plug, which is a bit of story in itself. (Built-in generator, little tiny hole to maneuver the plug wrench on a swivel, up from under the rig, and finally get the thing out). The new plug was all she needed.

We hit the road a few weeks ago from our normal stomping grounds, and half the party got sick on the road. Las Vegas, hot August days, nobody likes lying around feeling yucky in sticky heat. Turn on the genny! A quick run up, a few turns of the engine, and "silence." Not the time for a dead generator. I nearly expected the buzzards to start circling.

Happily, the problem was a quick fix. An inspection of the oil level dipstick proved us way down, and a few ounces of the precious petroleum product restored Onan's good humor, and air conditioning was ours.

So generator newbies, keep close in mind the simple fixes first. Check that oil level. Check out that sparky plug. Air cleaner clean? Sufficient voltage to turn over the starter? Is the fuel supply sufficient? (Gasoline or diesel in the tank, or LP in the cylinder?) RV generators are, for the most part, pretty happy little creatures if you keep up on the ordinary care and feeding.

Wiring Woes? Diagrams Defuse Difficulties

It wasn't but a few minutes after we'd been doing a little roof work on our "camper project," that another problem surfaced: All the fluorescent lights and the bathroom light "quit" working. What happened here, let's see. Ah, yes! The luggage rack seemed a little wobbly, as did the roof access ladder, and a new set of lag screws had been introduced to try and shore up the situation. Did one of those new screws sabotage the circuit? (Word freaks, stick around, we'll discuss that old origin of "sabotage" question at the end of this entry).

Poking around in the fuse panel revealed a definitely "blown" fuse, but was this the whole story? If only we knew just where the wires ran, it would make the whole job of trying to resurrect the lights much easier. Since the rig is an "orphan," -- it's manufacturer having gone out of the camper business long ago, we despaired. However, a Google search led us to others who had success in finding diagrams for their more current rigs. Hence, we took courage and phoned phleetwood. A sympathetic listener at the other end of the line took the request, even called back later asking for a VIN number, and next morning, hot off the e-mail, a five page wiring schematic for our out-of-production rig.

Long story short department: It didn't take long to figure out a pretty likely "point of impact" for our errant lag screw. We'll attack the roof shortly, and armed with the schematics, if worse comes to worse, we may have a hand on a "work around" solution if it comes to that. Moral of the story: Even if your rig is out of production, if the company still exists, give them a call and ask about the possibility of getting schematics. They may even give them to your for free!

And a word about sabotage: Star Trek fans, while it's a popular notion that throwing sabots (French for clog) into powered looms could "clog up the works," there doesn't appear to be any credible report of such a sandal scandal. More likely, since the word sabot can also be reckoned as a literal clog, the sound made by someone clunking around in clogs leads to the word, saboter. Such walking was oft associated with clumsiness, and later extended to deliberate clumsiness that damaged machinery.

Photo: Looks like the tech writer after a bad day searching for shorts. Credit DerrickT on flickr.com

RV Extension Cord Safety

Ever come up just a "scoatch" short on managing to plug your RV shore power cord into the outlet? It's a frustrating experience, and there's always the temptation to use an adapter and a light duty extension cord to make up the difference. Please don't. Electricity is a funny thing--when too "light" a wiring is used, not only do you endanger yourself with fire, you also run a good risk for your expensive RV equipment.

Here's the deal: Electrical wiring actually does have a certain amount of resistance to the flow of electrical current. The longer the run of wire, the greater the amount of resistance. As the current struggles against this resistance, it produces heat energy--hence electrical cables can actually get hot--sometimes hot enough to create that hideous problem known as fire. What usually "goes first," however is the under-rated fittings on the end of the cables. These can overheat and burn up, or on the way to that create even greater resistance to electrical flow. But even if that doesn't occur, the resistance of the wiring actually reduces the amount of voltage that can reach your RV.

So if you have too small an extension cord out to the RV, and then fire up a big power consumer--on these days we think of the air conditioner, and not enough voltage is present, then physical damage can happen to devices that need that power. So how do you work with this problem? Well, you could purchase a ready-made RV extension cord. For the 30 amp RV crowd, a 25 foot cord will probably set you back as much as $50. For the 50-amp users, that same length could run you over twice that price.

Tempted to "do it yourself," and build an extension cord? It's do-able. But you need good working data on what size conductors to use in your cord. Here's a link to a site that can help you calculate wire size requirements for a given load. But as you run your calculations, be sure to take into account the length of your existing RV shore power cord. One of our rigs has a 25' shore power cord, so building an additional 25' of extension cord would require figuring a full 50' run. Whatever you do, don't skimp on the wire gauge or the fittings.

If you decide to build your own, always double check your connections before putting your cord into service. We use the ohm meter portion of a digital multimeter to verify that everything it where it should be. Imagine our surprise when we completed a cable and we found two of the conductors reversed. How'd that happen? Squinting through bifocals at the included wiring diagram for one of the fittings, a slight misinterpretation of what the fine print and finer arrow we're pointing to led to what could have been a real problem.

If you're the least bit squeamish about your ability, drop the bucks on a commercially built unit.

And one more thing, when you use any shore power cord, it's never a bad idea to pull all the shore power cable out of the compartment before hooking up and using the shore power. Why? Well, since cable does have resistance, if you put enough load on your shore power cord, you could actually have the equivalent of a "heating cable" in your cabinet--like those things those poor folks in the north use to keep their pipes from freezing in winter.

Charging Batteries Safely

A news item out of Yuma, Arizona, last month points to a couple of reminders--and a product lead--that could affect your safety as an RVer.

Imagine waking up at one in the morning with your smoke detector going off, and that awful sound of a roaring fire outside your bedroom door. It happened in mid-June to a Yuma couple, who were planning an outing with their motorhome. Apparently having a low battery problem with the motorhome, the owner had hooked up a battery charger and left it. Sadly, the battery overcharged, and the resulting heat ignited a fire. In the end the motorhome and the family home were completely wiped out. You can find the whole story on the Yuma Sun website.

We've been around battery chargers since we were 'knee high to a married grasshopper' and some of the "oldy" chargers that our pappy's owned were probably hanging around when they were knee-highs themselves. It just seems like battery chargers are one of those products that rarely give up and die. As a result, many of us are limping along on ancient technology that may work--albeit inefficiently--but can (as it apparently did this time) lead to tragedy.

A lot of us use portable battery chargers, and many of these fall into the category of what's technically called an "unregulated charger." Hook it up, the charger delivers a charging voltage (higher than the "rated" voltage of the battery) and just keeps a charging. The battery voltage increases as it charges up, and it will eventually reach a point where the electrolyte will literally boil. An unregulated charger needs to be monitored. Yes, with this type of charging system, you would want to occasionally hit the boiling point to "equalize" the charge in the cells. However, if you "cook" them too long, you'll kill the battery, or even worse--lead to a fire danger.

A complete discussion of battery charging is an appropriate topic--and we'll cover it in a future blog entry. Now, however, we make this point: For many it's simply safer, and far more efficient, to use what is termed an "intelligent charger." An intelligent charger recognizes the state of the battery's charge, and supplies exactly what is required at any given stage in the recharge process. Enter the Xtreme Charge maintenance charger. A relatively inexpensive ($99 list) charger, Xtreme is an "intelligent charger" that also adds an additional benefit: This charger "pulse charges," inducing a wave into the charging current that breaks up sulfate crystals in batteries. These sulfate crystals, if left to themselves, will eventually kill off an otherwise good battery. The Xtreme can be left hooked up to the battery, and it will maintain a safe current level, along with the sulfate-eradicating pulse.

Xtreme's manufacturer sent us an evaluation unit a couple of months ago. While we're still testing it, so far we've been pleased with it. It's a small unit that can fit in many battery compartments, and even if it won't it's weather proof, so you don't need to worry about a passing rain shower shorting out your system. While the specs indicate the Xtreme is designed for battery systems up to 150 amp-hours, the company whiz-kids tell me that it will work with larger systems, but its relatively low (2.5 amp) maximum charge current will take a while. Amen to that. For a larger system, consider the Xtreme a good investment in battery maintenance, rather than full-scale charging. Find out more at the Pulsetech website.

There are also "intelligent charging" systems available on many after-market (and some OEM) RV converters--those little devices that convert shore power into low-voltage power, suitable for use by RV interior lighting and other uses. In any event, when you hook up a charging system to your RV batteries, make sure you keep an appropriate watch on it--particularly if it's an unregulated charger.

Fire Photo: Yuma Sun Charger: pulsetech.com

Battle of the Ants

The popular children's song, The Ants Go Marching, begins a progression of a single ant marching through ten rather tedious verses, finally ending with the ants marching 10 by 10, and the little one proclaiming this is, "The End!"

Sadly, ants in the RV never go marching singly, and rarely by the 10s. We woke up one fine morning with an upset cat, doing her best imitation of a bird dog 'at point.' Her hissing target? A large, black, moving column of ants, working its way across the RV from a crack near the entry door, across the flooring, up the wall cabinet, and into the kitchen sink. Hundreds of the little boogers, all intent on carrying away whatever it is that struck their fancy.

Ants in the RV, like the proverbial ants in the pants, are nothing to laugh about. How do you get rid of them, and keep them gone? In our case, the first response to the attack (after cat and distaff set cleared the area) was a trip to the local hardware store. A high powered spray specifically designed for invading ants made fairly quick work of the invading forces. But how to keep them gone? Friends who were serving as Katrina relief volunteers in New Orleans quickly filled us in on the 'magic circle of Comet' trick used down there.

Ants are clever creatures--they send out scouts who scurry about the territory, looking for suitable food and water sources. If one crawls up your RV tire, water hose, power cable, et al, and eventually finds something inside your rig, he or she leaves a little smell trail of pheromones. Your proboscis won't pick up on it, but to the ants, it's an irresistible essence that must be followed--by hundreds of the scout's fellows. Why are these ants marching in a circle? Clever researchers took a dilute form of their pheromone and painted on the paper, then turned the ants loose. It's strong stuff--it's said that as little as .33 of a milligram of straight pheromone could leave a discernable trail around the entire circle of the earth!

For whatever reason, ants won't cross a line of bleach-containing scouring powder. Maybe it kills the pheromone trail, maybe it burns their little feet, we don't know. In any event, get out the Comet and shake a good border around everything of your rig that touches the ground: Tires, landing gear, stabilizers, cords, and hoses. This is better than spraying insecticide on these utilities, because the powdered cleanser will simply shake off, not stick to your hands, nor cause grief for pets and kids. Of course, if the rains fall you may need to renew your magic circle, but while the powder's out, the ants are gone.

Photos courtesy US Department of Agriculture

Spring Cleaning Time for Fresh Water Tanks

If your RV has been sitting "in the mothballs" all winter and you're readying it for travel season, don't neglect the fresh water tank. It only takes about one mouth of "yecchh!" water to convince you that water can go stale. What's to do? Well, this is the same trick we recommend when you buy an RV prior to using it.

You'll need to completely drain your fresh water holding tank, and run the water pump until all water is out of the system. If your water heater is "in the circuit" (meaning not winterized, but holding water) drain it too, using the drain cock on the heater. Of course, you've shut it off first.

Determine the fresh water tank's capacity--easy if you have the rig's owner manual. If not, locate the fresh water tank and measure it. Break down the feet and inches to decimals, i.e., a 4' 6" run is 4.5' Multiply the height, width, and depth figures to come up with total cubic feet of capacity. Now multiply the capacity times 7.48051945, which is the conversion factor for cubic feet to gallons.

With gallon capacity on hand, drag out the household bleach--NOT the scented variety. In a clean container, a one gallon cleaned juice jug is ideal, pour 1/4 cup of bleach for every 15 gallons of tank capacity. Top off the jug with clean, fresh water. We had a careful reader warn us to only add bleach to water--we've got a call into a bleach manufacturer for clarification. If you're concerned, "guesstimate" how much room you'll need in the jug for the bleach and put the water in first. We'll post our research results as soon as they become available on the "bleach last" issue.

Be sure your fresh water drain valve is closed (and the water heater if applicable), and pour this bleach solution into the holding tank. Now completely fill the fresh water holding tank with clean, fresh water. At this point if you can, move your RV around the block to thoroughly swish and mix the solution in the tank.

Now turn on the water pump and pump the bleach solution through all the plumbing. You'll know when you've pumped enough as you should smell the bleach solution at the fixture. Let solution stand in the plumbing and fresh water tank overnight. Next day, drain the fresh water tank (and again, water heater if applicable), and refill the fresh tank with clean, fresh water. If you're concerned about the chlorine taste or odor, mix up a solution of 1 quart of cider vinegar for every five gallons of tank capacity and dump it in the fresh tank, repeating the same process you did for the bleach job.

Air Conditioner Maintenance Part 2: Up on the Roof

In our last installment we discussed how to handle the "inside the rig" part of air conditioner maintenance. Now we move to the part of the job will take you up topside. You’ll need a sturdy ladder. As a general rule to protect your roof, don’t walk on it. This particularly applies to older rigs that don’t have a solid plywood deck under the roofing material. Best to put a "kneeler board" across the rafters and knee walk across it to reach the ac unit.

At the unit, check out the condition of the condenser fins. These little guys provide a broad surface for outside air to draw away the heat pumped out from the inside of your rig. If they’re bent, like the two photos show, they’ll need to be straightened out to remove that heat efficiently. A thin knife or screwdriver blade may help. Or you can use an air conditioner fin comb--a specialty tool that can help if the fins are not too badly bent. We once spent countless hours with a knife blade straightening out a whole mess of fins that had been completely bent over.

While on the roof, inspect the ac unit "shroud," the protective cover. These are prone to taking hits from branches; plastic ones often get damaged by UV rays. Sometimes they can be fixed with fiberglass cloth and resin--check out a boat supply or auto parts house. If you repair cracks on the inside of the shroud, the work will likely be secure, but not obvious to outside observers. A more expensive solution is installing a replacement shroud.

The shroud should be securely mounted, you’ll find screws around the bottom of the shroud that tie it to the ac unit itself. Too much zeal with a screwdriver can easily crack the shroud around the mounting holes, rendering it useless. Take it easy! Firm, but not over-torqued is the rule for installing a shroud.

Take the screws out and carefully remove the shroud. Again, make sure you have the power disconnected--you don’t want the ac unit to start up while you’re poking around "under the hood." You’ll be looking for the evaporator--it looks like a small automotive radiator. Take a brush and gently remove dust from it--if you have an air compressor, gently blast the dust out with pressurized air. Getting the dust out will make your system more efficient.

Now check out the motor. Some ac units will have oil holes, possibly covered with a rubber plug. Other ac motors are permanently sealed and don’t require lubrication. For the former, carefully remove the plug and add 3 or 4 drops of oil--some recommend "three in one" oil for the job. Over-oiling is worse than not oiling! Replace the rubber plug(s).

Put the shroud back on, while keeping the torque down to a dull roar.

Wind It Up

Now it’s time to test the system. Be sure you have sufficient power--most ac units require your RV be hooked up to at least a 30 amp service. If you don’t have the power, wait until you get somewhere where a 30 amp circuit is available. Turn on the unit and let her rip. You should have plenty of cold air delivery. Enjoy a cool summer!

RV Air Conditioner Maintenance Part 1: The Inside Job

As summer draws closer (or for those of us in the southwest, as it continues on unabated), air conditioning becomes more of a critical issue. Here begins a two-part piece on the hands-on of air conditioner maintenance. We’ll address the most common of RV air conditioning systems--the roof mounted ac unit. Exposed as it is to the elements and low-hanging branches, the roof mounted unit is prey to a lot of problems. But let’s start "inside" first.

The easiest part of the assignment is simply cleaning or replacing air filters. Check your owner’s manual to find instructions for getting the filter out of the unit--typically by removing a couple of screws and pulling a grill loose to access the filter. This filter, although cleaned in the last few weeks, is in serious need of cleaning again.


Some ac unit filters can simply be washed in warm, soapy dishwater, thoroughly dried, and reinstalled. In use, washable filters should be removed and cleaned a couple of times a month if used in dusty areas; once a season should be enough elsewhere.

Some ac filters are not washable but must be replaced. Here’s a thought: You can replace nearly any ac filter with an after-market "electrostatic" filter that is said to capture more dust and pollen than typical OEM filters. We’ve never actually tested them out, but if you’ve got twenty bucks to check the theory out, visit a Camping World store for these super filters.

While you’re working with the filter, check out your unit’s ducting. Some rigs have simple metal channels to deliver chilled air; others may use heat distribution hoses. If you can, it’s a good time to vacuum out your ducts while servicing the filter.

So much for filters, if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, check out unit security. We’re not talking about somebody stealing your ac unit, but rather having the thing get loose and fall of your rig. An ac unit is bolted onto your rig roof top, and generally speaking, the mounting bolts come down through the roof and snug up inside the rig. Often these can be accessed by removing the inside trim that surrounds the unit. Be sure to disconnect the power before puling this trim--you may expose electrical fittings you don’t want to get your fingers into. Once you spot the mounting hardware, make sure it’s tight. Incidentally, water leaking into your RV through the ac unit can sometimes be traced to loose mounting bolts.

We'll get onto the outside work in our next installment.

Buy New? Ain't Necessarily Necessary

RVs, are sadly like cars: Sooner or later you've got to replace something. And like cars, parts aren't usually cheap. But here's a little secret that many don't know about RVs: Also like cars, you don't always have to "buy new," when you need parts.

We don't suppose you've lain awake at night wondering where RV heaven is. Most folks never give a thought to where RVs go "at the end of the hunt." Like automobiles, there really are RV wrecking yards--okay, excuse us! RV recycling yards. They're scattered across the country, and they carry a fascinating array of parts: From roof vents to holding tanks, siding to windows, dinettes to dump valves, if you're looking for an RV part, there's probably an RV recycler that has what you need. But how do you find such an outfit?

You just need to point your browser to the Scavenger's Connection. It's a neat little database of RV salvage yards where you can search a variety of fields to locate a yard within reach. Or depending on your part, for a part within reach of the post office or UPS, as many yards will ship your part to you. We prefer to visit the yard when looking for parts. In the northwest, near Rochester, Washington, we often visit Singleton's RV Salvage yard. We've found it best to check out the part we need to ensure it really fits, looks like what we want, and will do what we need.

How much will you pay? The law of supply and demand seems to dictate: Popular parts like air conditioning units and refrigerators may run 70% or more of "new" prices. Lesser in demand stuff can run pennies on the dollar. And like "Uncle Bulgie's Wrecking Yard" of my youth, it can also depend on the mood of the yard owner at the time you stop in. Pay attention--it pays.

By the way, when you hit the Scavenger's Connection web site, you can simply click on "View and Search the Database" down at the bottom of the page. You don't need to register to look things over.

Keeping the RV Refrigerator Cool

RV refrigerators are a special breed of cat: They don't use mechanical pumps to move coolant, it's all handled by heat and gravity. While they do a great job in the real RV world, they aren't like home refrigerators. First, some operating tips that may alleviate problems:

Cool your refrigerator before packing it. Turn it on 24 hours before you plan to head out. When packing, always put COLD food in the unit--it won't like warm food.

Leave plenty of room around the stuff inside the refrigerator compartment--you need good air flow. To help that "in the box" cooling, for about $15 you can get a FridgeCool unit. Battery operated, it really can make a difference.


A door gasket that doesn't keep the cold in, and the hot out can be a problem. George can help. George who? George Washington! Open the reefer door and stick a dollar bill against the door frame edge, partly hanging out of the cooler box. Close the door and pull on the bill. If George makes an escape without resistance, the door gasket isn't up to snuff and should be replaced. Food particles and other guck can give a false impression, so be sure to clean the gasket and door frame with soapy water (and a ending rinse) before trying this trick. Be sure to make George work all the way around the door frame to ensure 100% gasket cooperation

Keep 'er level: An off-kilter refrigerator is not efficient, and the effects of operating an RV refrigerator off-level will accumulate and eventually KILL your refrigerator's cooling unit. Can you say "hundreds of dollars to replace"? Use a round level inside refrigerator and keep at least a half a bubble inside the center of the bull's eye.

Check out the roof vent, too. RV "reefers" have to liberate heat, and they do so through a roof vent directly above the reefer. Birds have been known to build nests in the vents, and obstructions like that will really cut down on cooling efficiency.

In hot weather, try and park with the wall area behind your reefer in the shade.

If it works on gas, but doesn't work on electric, or vice versa, there's usually nothing wrong with the cooling unit. If you don't get cooling on gas, inspect the gas burner (at the bottom of the vertical stack) to make sure crud from the chimney hasn't fallen down onto the burner, obstructing it or even causing the burner to not light. Blow the junk off the burner with a puff of air or carefully brush it off with a paint brush. Be sure to SHUT OFF the reefer first!

For great diagnostic info, check out the RV Mobile, Inc. website.

How Old Izzat Tire? And What Does It Matter?

Those expensive 'rubber donuts' we put on our RVs are far too often, neglected. After all, there's not much "attractive" or sensual about tires. Emelda Marcos didn't keep a garage full of them, and tire showrooms are generally noisy places that offer popcorn, not caviar, to shoppers.

We've blogged about keeping a close eye on your tire pressure, but that's not the only concern. Keeping your RV tires "fresh" is just as important--and more easily overlooked. After all, when did you last change out your RV tires? I can't tell you when I did--I only remember it was because we had an alignment problem and scuffed a couple of the poor beggars to death.

The RVIA (Recreational Vehicle Industry Association) warns that RV tires, unlike car "shoes," generally don't wear out--they 'date out.' Because we put so few miles on them, our RV tires are more likely to die of UV radiation poisoning than from road wear. The RVIA says, "Statistics indicate that the average life of an RV tire is five to seven years." After that, you're living on borrowed time and living dangerously.

So how old are your tires? Here's a picture of a tire sidewall stamp:

The so-called "DOT Code" lists the information we need. The last 4 digits, 2104 in this case, tell us the tire was built in the 21st week (21) of 2004 (04). That dates this tire manufacture at sometime in the middle of May 2004--about three years old, plenty of "age" left in it for an RV tire.

But notice too, a bit of "weather checking" on the sidewall near the rim. Caused by heat, age, ozone exposure, and (believe it or not) exposure to petroleum tire dressings, "sidewall weathering" can weaken the tire and your safety. If these cracks are more than 2/32" deep, replace the tire. And lay off the use of "tire dressings." They may make the tire shiny, but they'll eat up your investment.

Rotten Wood? Try Stabilizer.

Many RVs, particularly older ones, have a fair amount of wood in their support structure. And wood, sad to say, is subject to the rigors of life in a moisture filled environment. If not thoroughly protected, dry rot can be the result.

Our recently acquired truck camper "project" must have led a colorful life in some prior owner's hands. Read, "low branches" with a rubber roof, and you know what can happen there. Instead of using the right repair materials, the job was a half-baked thing that leaked, and there was a spot in the underlying plywood decking where water got in. A soft patch of decking, with the layers of plywood actually separating. What's to do?

Short of a major renovation including plywood removal, installation of a new roof, and all the attendant financial ramifications, we're trying a pilot project. The folks from Elmer's (of glue fame) have released a dry rot killer/wood stabilizer product and (on our own) we've undertaken to see if it will resolve our problem. After peeling back the EPDM rubber roofing material, we removed loose plywood, bored small holes throughout the area, and impregnated the plywood thoroughly with Elmer's Rotted Wood Stabilizer. We then temporarily ran screws throughout the area to bring the plywood layers together. After allowing 24 hours in warm air to try, we pulled the screws, spread layers of exterior wood filler, dried, sanded, and buttoned it up.

Immediate observations? The plywood is most decidedly hardened up--although we're not willing to risk walking on it--we never walk on our RV roof anyway. We'll keep an eye on it over time and report back. For more information on this interesting product, check out the Elmer's web site.

Maintain That Expensive Battery Bank

Batteries are black boxes we don't think about much. Not until the rueful day comes when they don't respond as we want them to, and we're off to buy new ones--and maybe driving 50 miles 'out of the dingles' to do so. Maintaining your batteries saves money and frustration, and it doesn't take much to do.


First, the requisite word of caution: Whenever you work with batteries of electrical systems, even "low voltage" ones, take off your jewelry! Watches, rings, and bling-bling things. The potential energy in an RV battery is something to reckon with, and welding your ring to an electrical contact will ruin your whole day. Watch out with tools and other metals. The male of this writing duo once dropped a crescent wrench across a deep cycle battery--fortunately he was able to rescue it before it welded into place--narrowly avoiding a major fire.


Keep 'em Charged: A battery left in a low state is one that deteriorates.


Keep 'em Clean: That "little bit of dirt" across the top of the battery case can actually conduct electricity in the presence of moisture. A slight, but real discharge of juice can occur.


Keep 'em Filled: ALWAYS keep the top plates of "flooded" batteries covered with electrolyte. This means refilling to the "split ring" or about a half inch above the separators. ONLY USE distilled water, NEVER tap water. Don't over-fill.

Keep Out Intruders: Don't add "battery acid" or other additives. Thus far nothing has really proved up in the way of a miracle elixir that will give you more power, more potency, or more life to your batteries. There's no such thing as "Voltage Viagra."


We found a great tool to help us keep our batteries filled up. We have very little "head space" in the compartment above the top of the batteries, and they don't easily come out for service. A solar panel retailer sold us a battery fill tool, the "filler part" of which presses into the battery cell and fills until the correct level is reached. It's real skinny, as you can see, and fits right into those tight spaces. Alas! The retailer went belly up, and we've yet to find somebody else that sells them. They were a lot less expensive than the automated battery fill systems being marketed today. If you know anybody who carries these great tools, please post a reply!

Rotating Holding Tank Vent Really Does the Job

We blogged earlier about dealing with holding tank odors through better tank management. Here's another trick the nose knows works: Those fancy wind-driven rooftop tank vents. Here's the deal: The standard OEM vents are not much more than tricky caps to keep the birds out. The don't allow a great deal of air flow to allow the essence of holding tank to escape; at times pressure actually puffs it back down into the tank, and finding any other escape route--sometimes into the coach.

The model we tested, an RV 360, puts a fin atop a rotating vent cap. As the wind blows, the "emitter" side of the vent cap is on the downwind side, causing the wind pressure to suck those narsty gasses out of the holding tank. Does it work? We found our stink situation really alleviated, as have many other RVers.

These systems are not difficult to install, although they can be a bit messy, depending on the type of sealant you use on install. Be sure to wear grungy work clothes. The instructions included with the system are clear enough, but on one install, the instructions left us high and dry. The existing vent pipe was located right next to the rooftop air conditioner unit--and if the 360 vent were placed at rooftop level, it would have bumped right into the a/c unit. Not only would the wind be cut, in some cases the vent unit would simply not turn freely.

We worked around this simply: Using PVC pipe the same diameter as the existing vent pipe, we glued the "bell" end of the new pipe over the top of the existing vent pipe. With this "extension" in place, we attached the 360 vent to the top of our extension. No obstruction problems, no holding tank stink. Total time? About an hour and a half, including the time it took to figure out the "work around." Tools are easy: Putty knife, screwdriver, and a hacksaw if you need to rig an extension.

You can find the 360 at most RV suppliers, including Camping World.

Silence Those Noisy Water Issues

Boondockers and other folks who get away from "city water" connections sometimes complain of a noise when using the RV water system. Sometimes they're just not used to the additional noise produced by the RV's water pump; at other times there are problems--most of which are easily cured.

For "demand" water pump systems--those in use on nearly all RVs built in the last couple of decades--pull water from the storage tank and pump it through the inside lines. While designed with sound reducing isolation pads, sometimes these little "feet" can get away, or even a mooring screw can loosen up, causing undue vibration.

Locate your RV water pump and first ensure that it's firmly tight to the bulkhead or deck. If a screw (or screws) is loose, retighten. If the noise persists, double check to ensure that rubber isolation feet are under each contact point of the pump--and replace any missing parts.

At times, water systems that make noise can be quieted with the addition of an accumulator tank. The accumulator is nothing more than a simple reservior with a cushion of air. When the water pump operates, it pushes up water pressure against that cushion, often reducing the number of "off-on" pump cyclings and evening out the water pressure flow. Accumulators are fairly easy to install, and cost about 40 bucks. Camping World carries one on their website.

Inexpensive heater keeps RV from getting musty while stored

Ross Brand made this inexpensive heater to keep his RV warm enough that it doesn't get musty and rusty while in storage. There isn't much to the device -- a juice can with both ends cut out over a 100 watt light bulb. The light bulb produces just enough heat that the juice can acts like a chimney and keeps the air moving. "It does not heat much," reported Ross, but he said it works just fine.