Dump Valve Maintenance and Repair

Dump valves are pretty reliable unless they freeze or get damaged by mishandling or impact with something.   However, they will sometimes need repair or replacement in normal use due to ordinary wear and tear on the seals or getting debris trapped as they are closed.  You can also break the internal slide or bend the shaft if you don't pull and push the valve straight in and out.  If you discover sewage accumulated inside the dump cap between dumps, you probably have one or more leaking valves, assuming you closed them correctly and completely the last time you used them.  The color and smell of the accumulated fluid will tell you which valve is leaking.  Foul smelling stuff that is blue, green, or brown is coming from the black water tank.  Some holding tank chemicals might even turn it orange!  Grayish, soapy water that is nearly odorless is from the gray water tank. The black water valve will  be large, 3" valve.  The gray water valve may also be a 3" valve but on some rigs it is a smaller, 1 1/2" valve.  Having a clear plastic dump cap instead of a black one will let you see if there is anything behind the cap before you open it allowing you to avoid a nasty surprise.  Always make sure both valves are fully pushed in before deciding you have a problem with the seals.  Sometimes a bit of debris may get caught in the valve when it closes causes it to leak until it is opened and flushed again.  You may be able to clear debris from seals using a brush or carefully cleaning the groove with a bent wire.  A persistent leak is a strong indicator that the seals need to be replaced  Having a clear plastic dump cap will let you see if there is leakage before you open the camp and get doused with nasty stuff.  Having a dump cap with a hose fitting allows you to slowly and easily drain the accumulated sewage safely into the dump hose or a container before you open the cap and get a big uncontrolled "whoosh" of nasty stuff all over you and the ground.  The space between the valves and the cap can usually hold a quart or two of nasty leakage.  Dump your tanks before attempting to work on the valves.  After you get home from dumping and parked where you're going to be working on them, put a container under the valves and remove the outer cap and open the valves and leave them open for a while to let everything drain out and stop dripping.  This will help avoid getting sewage up your sleeve or dripping in your face while working on the valves.

Sometimes you can clean debris from the seals by carefully scraping the groove with a bent piece of wire.  Be gentle and careful if you try this.  You only want to remove the debris and must avoid damaging the soft rubber seal.  Often even soft debris that has been stuck for some time may have already damaged the seals, forcing you to replace them to correct the problem.

To avoid problems with your dump valves, always pull and push the handles straight.   Any angle on the handle could bend the shaft, damage the seals, or crack the slide.  Once any of these things has happened you will have to replace the valve.  Fortunately they aren't very expensive (around $20 each at even higher priced RV parts stores and even less at discount outlets) and they are usually pretty easy to change.

Always wear protective rubber, nitrile, or vinyl gloves when working with sewer hoses and dump valves  to avoid exposure to chemicals and nasty waste products.  Then thoroughly wash your hands after you have removed and discarded the gloves.  Coveralls are a good idea too, and be sure to wash and disinfect your work clothing when you're done, especially if there was any spillage.

Sometimes the problem is due to worn seals, which can be replaced without replacing the entire valve.  However the effort is pretty much the same whether you're replacing just the seals or the entire valve.   Seal kits will be a little less expensive than complete valves but since the valves are fairly inexpensive, I prefer to replace them rather than just change the seals to avoid any extra labor if just changing the seals doesn't solve the problem.  Some valves can only use their own branded seals and if you get the wrong ones, they will leak.  That is one reason I prefer to replace the whole valve so I don't have to worry about matching old seals.  You'll need to dump and flush the holding tanks before beginning any repair.  The valves are blade valves that are fastened between flanges on either side -- one on the outlet from the tank and one on the pipe that leads to where you attach the dump hose.  They are secured by 4 bolts -- one in each corner of the square part of the flange on the valve.  Remove the 4 bolts, then carefully pull out the valve.  Remove the old seals and clean the flanges.  Install the new seals on the flanges.  Make sure to put the large end of the seal over the lip on the flange.  Then very carefully slip the valve (new or old) into place, taking care not to dislodge or distort the seals.  This can be tricky.  Replace and tighten all 4 bolts and you should be good to go.  New valves should come with new bolts, another benefit of replacing the valve and not just the seals.  Always hold the nut and tighten or loosen the bolt head because the nut is knurled to prevent it from slipping.  Turning the nut will grind the surface of the valve.  Tighten the bolts until the heads begin to bite into the plastic flange.  Once the bolts are tightened, close the valve to make sure it operates smoothly.  If there is any resistance or it won't close completely the seals have probably slipped and you'll need to take it out and reinstall them properly.   At least partially fill the tank with clean water to test the installation.  Sometimes (often) the old bolts will be so badly rusted you can't unscrew them to disassemble the valve.  If there is room you may be able to cut the bolts using a hacksaw or a die grinder with a metal cutoff blade.  Since you will be replacing the old valve you can cut right through the valve itself.  Cut the the center of the bolt through the middle of the flange of the valve itself and be careful not to damage the flanges on either side of the old valve.  The flange on the valve itself should provide enough buffer to prevent you from damaging the flanges on the tank and pipe.  If you damage those other flanges you'll have a lot more to repair!

Some small leaks might be temporarily repaired using a wet patch roofing tar.  This is not a suitable permanent repair.  The underlying cause must be diagnosed and repaired, but if there is a small drip around the junction of the valve body and the flanges it mounts to, sealing it with tar might let you finish a trip and then make appropriate permanent repairs when you get home.  Using wet patch sealant avoids having to wait until the tanks are drained and dried.  Wet patch roofing tar is intended to be used in rainy conditions and may not be resistant to the chemicals and other contaminants in sewage.  While it may stick to wet surfaces, it may not stick to greasy, soapy surfaces or those contaminated with human waste and holding tank chemicals.  Clean the surface as well as you can before attempting to apply wet patch.  I  like Henry's wet patch cement, available in 10 oz tubes to fit a caulking gun at most home centers.

Maintaining dump valves mostly consists of keeping them lubricated so they operate smoothly without any tearing or excessive wear.  Lubricate the shaft of the valve with a silicone spray.  DO NOT use WD40 as it will dissolve the grease that helps seal around the shaft and will make the valve harder to open and close.  The plastic "paddle" that actually opens and closes usually doesn't require any direct lubrication but some holding tank treatments contain valve lubricants or you can buy special valve lubricant to put into your holding tanks.  Valve lubricant is usually dumped down the toilet when the tank is empty so it goes directly to the valve.  You will have to put lubricant down a sink or shower drain to lubricate gray water valves.  Choose the drain closest to the gray water tank and put it in when the tank is empty.  You may want to open and close the valves a time or two to get the lubricant into the seals before adding waste to the tanks.

Dump valves may have metal or plastic handles.  These handles sometimes get bent or broken, especially the plastic ones.  If the valve is otherwise in good shape, the handles are easily replaceable.  Open the valve, then grip the shaft with cloth protected pliers to avoid damaging the shaft, while twisting the handle to remove it.  Then screw on the new handle and tighten it and close the valve.

Some dump valves are located away from the outside edge of the RV and are operated via extension cables.  If you have valves that are difficult to reach you may be able to replace them with cable operated valves for added convenience.  When replacing existing valves with cable operated valves, use new Bladex/Valterra valves.  They are specially designed to operate easily with cables.  Follow the installation instructions carefully to ensure proper operation. Some ultra-luxury units even have electrically operated dump valves.  To me that is overkill and unless you have physical problems that prevent you bending over to reach the dump valves or to pull the handles, I don't think it is worth the expense and it introduces extra electro-mechanical parts that can be additional points of failure. If you have cable or electrically operated valves, make sure to push the handles all the way in when you are done flushing your tanks.   For some reason it seems easier to forget to close them than it is to close the directly operated valves and the results can be very nasty the next time you take the cap off the dump port to connect your sewer hose!  It may be harder to tell if cable operated valves are fully closed because there is some flexibility in the cable, altering the "feel" you get when closing valves with direct handles.  Always close all valves with a firm, smooth, quick motion to ensure the valve is fully closed.  If you encounter resistance there may be debris interfering with the operation.  Open the valve and inspect the seals and remove any debris before trying again.

Dump it!

Camp Chairs For Campers, RVers, and Boaters

There was a time when about the only option for a comfortable portable seat in camp was a folding camp stool.   They were made of wood and canvas.  Viewed from each end they looked like an "X" when open, with canvas stretched between the bars at the top of the "X" to sit on.  They're still around too.  See Folding Camp Stool  and below for a modern example.
                                                                                                                                                                                       

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Camp chairs have come a long way since then.  Aluminum camp chairs with fiberglass webbing were among the first improvements:  light weight and fold flat for easy transport and a back rest and arm rests so you could really relax.  In addition to the flat, narrow arms shown on the example they often had wider plastic arms that included a convenient cup holder to keep your favorite beverage out of your lap yet close at hand.                    
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They were quite comfortable and easy to use.  You may still be able to find some around if you like this style.  Try ebay.  I hung on to a couple of these because they fit nicely in the "rafters" of my motorcycle trailer for transport.  They are light weight and make a great place to sit while putting on my riding gear.  You can even still get re-webbing kits for them (see re-web kits on amazon.com).

Quad chairs or bag chairs have pretty much taken over the camping scene in recent years.  They can be purchased at many stores that carry camping equipment, such as Walmart, often at very reasonable prices.  The seats, backs, and armrests are made of cloth.
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They typically fold up into about a 4" square form that fits in a bag.  The bags usually have a shoulder strap and/or handle that makes them easy to carry.  These chairs may come with and without arms and can include built in snack tables.  Many of those with arms, like the one in the picture, have a cup holder built into the arm rest.  You can even get recliners,  rocking chairs,and cots of similar fold up construction.  The canvas material is form-fitting, breathable, and very comfortable.

Both the aluminum folding chairs and "quad" style bag chairs are available in children's sizes too, providing portable, affordable, comfortable seating for the whole family.  Some even have built in foldable tables for added convenience.

Camp chairs usually fit easily in the "basement" compartments on motorhomes and travel trailers.  You can also get racks that attach to RV ladders that will carry the folding aluminum style chairs.  Quad or bag chairs can usually be tucked under a bed, sofa, or dinette or carried in a roof pod or the trunk of a car.  For tent campers, quad chairs will usually fit right alongside tents and sleeping bags in your car, truck, or SUV.  I have a couple of the vintage folding aluminum camp chairs that fold flat enough to fit into the shallow (1") rafters of my enclosed motorcycle trailer.

Camp chairs are a very good way to enjoy a campfire.  They make a good platform to sit on for roasting hotdogs and marshmallows or just relaxing and enjoying the fire.  Just make sure you put them away or at least fold them down and lay them flat when you leave the campfire for the night.  I've seen several chairs reduced to twisted and melted frames after getting blown into the fire pit after everyone went to bed.  Sometimes there's enough heat left in the ground even after the fire is out to damage errant chairs and it only takes a light breeze to blow empty chairs into the fire pit.  When they are collapsed and lying on the ground they're a lot less likely to get blown around and into the fire.

Maintenance and repairs.  Routine maintenance mostly means keeping them clean and making sure they are properly stored when not in use.  The hinge points of folding aluminum chairs might benefit from a bit of lubrication now and then.  I would use a Teflon or another dry lube rather than an oily spray that would attract dirt and dust and may soil your clothes.  The webbing on some aluminum chairs is attached with screws that might need to be tightened from time to time.  Folding aluminum web chairs can be fairly easily re-webbed, if you can still find the webbing kits.  That is a good way to repair or refresh vintage chairs, or even change the color to match a "new" RV or tent.   Tears in quad chairs can be patched as you would just about any fabric, but they are not really designed to be rebuildable; however anyone who can operate a sewing machine could patch or sew new fabric for these chairs pretty easily.  You can probably use the old fabric for a pattern if it isn't too badly worn out.  They generally come in a variety of basic colors (red, blue, green, orange, yellow, and black) and sometimes camouflage.  If you choose to sew your own, you could make them any color or pattern you like as long as you use an appropriately strong fabric. The factory chairs are usually made of a light weight canvas material.  A good quality nylon or polyester might be more stain resistant.  Speaking of stains, you might want to consider spraying quad chairs with Scotchguard stain repellant when they're new to help keep them looking good.

If you have room to transport them you might use plastic patio chairs in camp.   Probably not very feasible unless you have a very large SUV or a pickup truck or utility trailer to haul them around in!  Folding chairs are far more convenient and will usually provide at least the same level of comfort.

Survival camp chairs.  You aren't likely to have any camp chairs if you find yourself in wilderness survival mode, but that doesn't mean you have to sit on the ground.  You can sometimes find a rock or a stump to sit on or make yourself a rustic stool from just two pieces of wood.  It is easiest to make using flat lumber, but that too will probably not be an option in survival mode.  The basic design is a "T".  You sit on the cross bar of the "T" and the leg supports your weight.  If you have to make a stool from limbs you'll probably want to notch the cross bar so it doesn't roll off.  Since you have to balance this one-legged stool it may take a little practice, but it sure beats sitting on cold, wet, muddy, or snowy ground.  Of course, if you're handy with lashing, you can make a 3-legged camp stool or even a real camp chair from small branches and cordage.

Camp chair accessories.   One of the most popular accessories are umbrellas that clamp to the chair frame to provide shade and protection from light rain.  Another rather esoteric option is called "Backglo".  It is a reflective shield that attaches to the back of the chair and extends all the way to the ground below to reflect heat from the campfire onto your back while blocking any breeze back there.  Lap trays or snack tables can be used with many camp chairs.  There are also little folding tables available in the quad chair style that can be used as tables or as foot stools.  They look like a quad chair without a back.

Camp chairs are not usually used on boats, but they could be if the need came up.  Deck space on most boats is limited and there is usually sufficient and appropriate seating seating built in.  The almost constant movement of a boat makes loose chairs impractical.  If you need to use camp chairs on a boat make sure the feet aren't going to damage the deck.  Missing plastic caps or sharp edges could cause significant damage to deck surfaces.  Aluminum chairs with U-shaped legs distribute the weight and avoid that problem.  You might want to carry camp chairs on your boat if you stop on shore overnight or just for meals and other activities -- if you have room for them on board.

Sittin' pretty!

RV, Camper, and Boat Mattresses

 Mattresses used in RVs and boats are usually pretty similar.   However, many boats have a v-berth in the bow as a sleeping area and those require specially shaped mattresses to fit into the pointy end of the boat.  Some folks like to use some kind of anti-moisture tiles under the mattress so that any water that accidentally gets into the boat doesn't get soaked up by the mattress.   The cab over beds on truck campers also frequently benefit from anti-moisture tiles. Of course, if the amount of water exceeds the depth of the tile (usually about 1/2" - 3/4") the mattress will still get wet.  Most of what is given below for RV mattresses also applies to boat mattresses.

RV Mattresses.  RVs are intended to provide us most of the creature comforts we enjoy at home, including a comfortable bed.  I'm sure we all agree that getting a good night's rest is essential for safe, enjoyable, successful travel and outdoor activities.  Most RV beds are pretty comfortable, or at least start out that way.  But not all RV mattresses are created equal nor hold up as well.  Cheap mattresses will break down faster than better quality products and no one sleeps well on a thin or broken down, lumpy mattress.  Mattresses in used RVs can be a mystery.  Some may be OEM, some replacements.   Replacements may be upgrades or even downgrades so you don't know what you're getting.  In addition to original quality, use and care will also affect performance and longevity.  If the previous owner was very large or for some reason carried heavy cargo on the bed, the mattress may not last long.  Are RV mattresses really that different from the residential mattresses you use at home?  Sometimes they are.  For one thing, you can save weight using a thinner or lighter mattress so many RVs come with sleep systems that are often considered inferior to the one on your bed at home to reduce weight and cost.  If you're used to an extra thick and comfy mattress at home, you might find the thin pad in some RVs disappointing.  For another thing, they are sometimes different sizes than the standard sizes used at home.  For example, what you might take for an ordinary double bed in some motorhomes is actually a 3/4 size mattress at 48" wide, compared to 54" for a standard double mattress.  If you don't think 6" makes much difference, try sleeping two people on  a 3/4 size mattress!   RV King and Queen mattresses are usually not the same size as their residential namesakes.  Some RVs use a corner bed to save space and they'll often have the exposed corner cut off to provide more aisle space.  The cut corner usually doesn't affect sleeping unless someone quite tall sleeps on that side of the bed and their feet hang over, but if you replace it with a mattress that doesn't have the cut corner it can both droop and can get in the way of getting past the bed, which is usually the path to the corner bathroom in the other rear corner of the RV.  Sometimes you can add support under the extended corner, but it might mean banging your shins when you go by.  RV Queen and RV King mattresses are usually a little shorter than standard residential models.  If there is room and you can sacrifice a few inches of walking space you can usually upgrade to residential size mattresses, but you might need to extend the platform so the mattress doesn't sag where it hangs over the edge.  If the existing mattress already goes from wall to wall, there won't be room for a larger one.

There are many reasons why you might want to replace an RV or boat mattress.   As mattresses age, the cover fabric may deteriorate and tear, padding may get compressed or shift, springs may collapse or break, or the mattress may become stained or soiled so that it is unpleasant and perhaps unhealthy to sleep on.  Boat mattresses, often subjected to excess humidity, can develop mold and mildew that makes them unhealthy as well as unpleasant.

You can buy replacement mattresses from RV stores like Camping World or you can have them custom made.  Any good upholstery shop should be able to order and cut foam to fit your RV and make a suitable cover if you don't have a local mattress maker.  Having a custom made foam mattress may be less expensive than you might think, especially if you can use an off-the-shelf mattress cover instead of having one custom made. If the cover is slightly smaller it still might work but it could make the mattress bow in the middle.  If it is too big you can usually fold it over and tuck it under to make it work -- or, if you're handy in the sewing department, you can alter it to make it fit to your satisfaction.

You can even buy famous brand name mattresses, including Serta and Sleep Number beds, to fit most RVs.  Be sure to measure your mattress to be sure you're getting one that will fit right.  The "Queen" and "King" beds in some RVs are NOT the same size as standard Queen and King beds at home, although sometimes standard mattress can be made to work.  When measuring for a new mattress, measure the platform, not the old mattress.  The shape and dimensions of the old mattress may have been distorted by use and by temperature and humidity or the old mattress might already have been a replacement that may or may not have been sized right.

If your old mattress is breaking down and is no longer comfortable to sleep on, you can either replace it with a new mattress or consider adding a mattress topper.  A mattress topper will usually be a lot less expensive and often gives very satisfactory results.  A mattress topper is not the same thing as a mattress pad.  Toppers are usually much thicker and made of foam.  Pads are mostly made of cotton.  You can buy memory foam mattress toppers and it is pretty easy to cut the foam down if it is larger than your mattress.  An electric knife is very good for cutting foam.   You may have to alter the cover for the mattress topper to fit the reduced size -- or just tuck it under.  We added a 4" memory foam topper to the rather skimpy RV mattress in one of our motorhomes and it made for a very comfortable bed.  With a good topper over an older mattress that is breaking down you probably won't notice the diminished performance of the original mattress.  Your sleeping comfort will be mostly determined by the topper, with the original mattress simply providing a cushioned foundation.  Given that a topper sells for around $100 and new mattress can cost more than $400, a mattress topper is a very attractive option. A 4" topper changes a skimpy 4"mattress into a comfortable 8" thick sleep system.  We have even used memory foam toppers in the v-berth in our sailboats.

Some people find foam mattresses too hot to sleep on since they are not good conductors of heat and often don't allow the kind of air circulation that is possible in an innerspring mattress.   If you're one of those people, use a cotton mattress pad over your foam mattress or topper.  Feather beds are an attractive alternative for some people (unless you're allergic to feathers!).

A simple mattress pad may solve issues with sensitivity to foam.  Pads made of cotton usually provide the most neutral solution, insulating you from the temperature attributes of the foam.  Some people like the luxurious softness of a "feather bed".  If you find yourself already out on a trip when you discover your mattress seems to hot or too cold, you can probably make do with an extra blanket between the bottom sheet and the mattress.  Even an itchy wool blanket would be OK since it would be under the sheet -- unless you are particularly sensitive or allergic to wool, in which case I would wonder why you'd have a wool blanket in the first place.

Air mattresses can be a lightweight alternative to replacing a mattress if you can find one to fit.  In addition to being very light weight you can adjust the firmness to fit your personal needs.  But, some people find the plastic surface hot or cold to sleep on.  This can usually be overcome with a mattress pad and still enjoy the benefits of an air mattress -- low cost, light weight, infinitely adjustable firmness.  If you opt for an air mattress, be sure to carry a repair kit so you can fix any leaks that might crop up in camp. It really isn't fun waking up on flattened mattress!  Quality air mattresses are generally pretty sturdy if they aren't punctured or otherwise abused.  Since you can't change the shape of an air mattress they won't fit in v-berths on boats.

Sleep well.

Camping Weather

What is camping weather?  That depends on who you are and what kind of camping you want to do.  For most people camping weather is a nice, sunny but not too hot summer day,   A few hardy souls go camping in the winter and brave the snow and cold on purpose, but most people prefer milder weather for their outings.  Most folks think of camping as a summer activity, perhaps spilling over into warm days of spring and fall.  Daytime temperatures in the 70s and low 80s Fahrenheit are quite pleasant.  If it gets warmer or colder than that, human beings begin to get pretty uncomfortable.  Lower temperatures are sometimes acceptable if you're going to be involved in strenuous physical activity that will keep you warm.  Temperatures in the 60s are often ideal for OHV or horseback riding or even strenuous hiking if you're dressed for it.  Higher temperatures are enjoyed by people involved in water sports where they can frequently cool down in the water.  But sitting around camp when its over 100°F or below 60°F isn't anyone's idea of fun.  A good rain storm can be fun -- if you're prepared and can stay dry while you watch it from a comfortable place (in your tent or RV or under some kind of awning or canopy or other protected spot).  Most of us wouldn't choose rain as ideal camping weather.  But sometimes it does catch up with us even when we try to avoid it.  Some folks go out in winter, setting up a base camp for other activities, such as skiing, ice skating,  ice fishing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, or snowshoeing.  But most of us don't think of snow and freezing temperatures as ideal camping weather.  And you need an RV that is specially equipped to handle freezing temperatures if you're going to be camping in winter.  That means heated plumbing and holding tanks as well as a well insulated coach and a large enough furnace (or auxiliary heat) to keep you warm.  Staying warm when tent camping in winter mostly means dressing right and having a warm enough sleeping bag.  Tent heaters may help, but exercise caution to prevent them from damaging and/or igniting your tent and maintain sufficient ventilation to prevent suffocation.  Because tents don't have a lot of insulation, it is difficult to keep them warm.  Tent heaters will consume large amounts of fuel and a significant amount of heat will simply be lost through the tent fabric.  That being said, I was quite surprised how much colder it was outside my tent when I crawled out bed one morning on a scout outing with one of my boys.  It was very noticeably warming in the tent. and that was with little or no breeze.

How do you keep track of the weather while camping?  Well, first of all, keep an eye on the sky.  The shape, color, and movement of clouds can give you a pretty good idea of what is coming.  These days we also have great electronic resources such NOAA weather radios and weather apps on our cell phones.

Modern weather forecasting takes advantage of many tools not available to our ancestors.  Radar, satellite images, and computer prediction models help create ever more accurate forecasts.  I've heard that there are already computer models than can predict the weather with 100% accuracy, but it takes about 48 hours to run a 24 hour forecast so until efficiency improves they are of little use.  I have been pleasantly surprised by how accurate the 7-day forecast is usually is on weatherbug.com.  By the way, the further out the forecast, the less accurate it will be.  The U.S. Weather Service used to publish a 30 day forecast, but dropped it because the accuracy wasn't as good as they had hoped.  It would be a good idea to check the 7-day or 10-day forecast for your route and destination before you take off on each trip.  That way you can plan better for clothing, appropriate meals and refreshments, and activities.  If its going to be cooler or stormier than you planned you might want to switch your menu from hamburgers and hot dogs cooked on the campfire to some nice home-made chili heated up inside your cozy RV!

No matter what the forecast when you leave home, it is probably going to change before you get back unless you're going to be gone only a very short time.  With that in mind it is a good idea to keep an eye on the weather while your away.  Local radio stations and NOAA weather radio broadcasts can provide useful information but knowing how to interpret signs in the immediate area may be a more direct and more accurate measure of what to expect.  Many locations, especially mountains and large bodies of water, have their own micro environments that can create their own weather that probably won't show up on the weather service forecast.  Local sources, such as rangers and residents may have some insight into local weather you won't get from the radio or TV forecast.  Clouds and their behavior are one of the best predictors of weather.  High, thin, cirrus clouds almost always mean good weather.  Low, dark, roiling clouds often mean rain or storms.  Uniform gray clouds might deliver showers but most often don't.  Find out from which direction your weather normally comes and monitor the skies in that direction.  Barometers display changes in air pressure.  High pressure usually accompanies fair weather, low pressure is identified with stormy weather. If the barometer is rising, it is normally a predictor of good weather where as dropping barometric pressures may mean an approaching storm.  Strong winds and other violent weather often occur along a "front" where two masses of air of different pressure and temperatures collide.

Old weather sayings, often accredited to sailors, shepherds, or farmers, often have some basis in meteorlogical fact.  One of the most popular is the old rhyme:

     "Red at night, sailor's delight
      Red at morning, sailor take warning."

This apparently originated in England where most of the weather comes from the west.  "Red at night" is often caused by dust particles in the air, indicating dry air and probably high pressure is approaching from the west and, therefore, good weather on the way.  "Red at morning" on the other hand means the dry air has already passed and wetter, cooler weather may be on the way,.  A morning sky that is a deep, fiery red can indicate that there is high water content in the atmosphere. So, rain could be on its way.

Another with some merit is "No weather is ill if the wind is still."   Calm winds, especially with clear skies, are normally associated with areas of high pressure, indicating good weather.  However, remember too, "the calm before the storm".  Thunderstorms often develop even though surface winds are low.  In addition, there is the "eye of the storm" where winds and clouds are clear smack in the middle of a large storm like a hurricane or typhoon. In that case you may just have time to catch your breath before the next round of nasty weather descends on you, often with winds changing direction.

Some people believe their own joints can predict the weather.  There may actually be a sliver of truth behind this one.  Changes in barometer pressure can affect body fluids,  A drop in barometric pressure may trigger pain due to swelling in joints as the internal fluids slowly react to the change in pressure.

My grandmother used to say "Sunshiny showers won't last half an hour."   If the sun is shining while it is raining, there is a very good chance the rain clouds will indeed pass by quickly.  Of course the timing may be affected by whether the sun is peeking through ahead or behind the storm but either way rain from scattered clouds isn't likely to continue for very long.

Another folk tale is that you can tell the temperature by crickets' chirps.   Apparently this actually works.  If you have the patience, count the number of chirps in 14 seconds and add 40 to get Fahrenheit temperature.  Sorry, don't have the formula for Centigrade wihtout all the normal conversion calculations!

These days you can buy your own weather stations to have in your home or take with you camping.  They can measure local conditions and give you an instant forecast.   I've tried a couple of them and while I found the measurements of temperature, humidity, and wind speed and direction fairly accurate and useful, I didn't find the forecast particularly accurate.  If  you install your own weather station, be aware that it may take some time -- perhaps even a few weeks -- for it to calibrate itself to your local conditions so it can give an accurate forecast.  That being said, portable weather stations may not have time to acclimate themselves as you travel but is is always good to have instruments to at least measure temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure.  You may find knowing wind speed and direction helpful too, if only to know whether or not to light a campfire and on which side to sit if you do. 

One of my favorite weather station anecdotes is that of the "Weather String".   Tie a string outsdie your window.   If you can see it, the sun is out.  If it is wet it is raining. If it is moving the wind is blowing.  If it is frozen stiff it is cold.  If you can't see it it is either dark (night time) or foggy.  As silly as that may sound, there is some value in simple weather tools.  Many rural airports still rely on the old fashioned wind sock to give pilots an indication of wind speed and direction so the weather string as a wind measuring device just might not be too bad an idea.  Those cute little colorful windsocks designed to hang on your awning may actually be of some use in measuring wind direction and velocity.  Very often, an RV's monitor panel will include a barometer and thermometer.  The thermometer usually only displays inside temperature so you may want to invest in an indoor/outdoor thermometer.  RV stores sometimes have clear thermometers that mount on the outside of a window so you an easily read outside temperature from inside your RV.  Some even include a humidity gauge.  Those placed on dual pane windows will be more accurate than ones stuck on single pane glass, because both temperatures may be more affected by the heat coming through the glass.  Knowing the outside temperature will help you plan outdoor activities, dress appropriately, and give you some indication of whether you need to take measures to deal with freezing temperatures.  If you buy an electronic indoor/outdoor thermometer you will need to find an appropriate place to mount the outside sensor.  You want it where it will not be in direct sunlight or affected by vehicle systems (furnace, fridge, hot water heater, generator, vehicle engine or exhaust).  One good place on newer RVs with slide outs is in the channel surrounding the slide out.  If that doesn't work for you or you don't have slide outs, look for a spot that is protected from the sun but gets adequate exposure to outside air.  Some possibilities might include the side of the RV right under the rolled up awning or anyplace it will not be in direct sunlight, like on the back side of a bumper.  Avoid wheel wells because water, snow, and other debris kicked up by the tires will affect the reading and probably damage the sensor or knock it off.

Smart phones often have weather apps or you can get weather apps for them.    Of course you must be within range of a cell tower for it to work, but it is sometimes surprising how far coverage reaches out into camping territory.

NOAA weather radios and local radio stations are a good source of current weather forecasts.  However, be aware that there are often micro weather environments around mountains or large bodies of water that create their own weather, which may differ drastically from the regional forecast.  Locals and frequent visitors are usually a good source of weather lore.  As with any radio you have to be within range of the transmitter to receive a signal.  NOAA transmitting stations are designed to provide as broad coverage as possible but you might still have trouble in steep canyons or behind large mountains.

In several areas where I've lived, the weather by-word is "If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute".  That is certainly more true some places than others, but weather can and often does change frequently just about everywhere.  With that in mind, it is a good idea to be prepared when you're camping.  Keep rain gear handy and be prepared to wait out occasional bouts of stormy weather with appropriate refreshments and indoor activities.  Since things usually cool down when it rains, hot beverages and related snacks are a comfortable treat during stormy weather, something you might easily forget when planning a summer trip.  Given the large variety of micro-environments that we can encounter in our travels, expect the unexpected.  Campers often like to go to the forests and the mountains.  Mountains often make their own local weather which might not conform to regional weather forecasts.  In that case, electronic forecasts aren't going to be as much use as being able to recognize what is likely to happen based on local conditions.  For that you need experience -- or access to someone with experience.

You may have heard the term "keep a weather eye".  In general it means to keep a careful watch on a situation without involving your full attention.  Obviously it was derived from actually watching the weather, most likely by sailors.  It is excellent advice for campers.

Be weather wise.

RV Cabinets and Closets

RV designers face a difficult task of balancing available space, cost, and usability.  You can't usually do much about the overall floor plan, but you can sometimes make smaller improvements to existing closets and cabinets to improve convenience and usability.  Interior storage areas include closets, drawers, and cabinets.  Exterior storage areas are usually called compartments.

Tent campers don't usually have a lot of cabinets to deal with, but some of the suggestions given in this article might  be applied to a "chuck box", that is sometimes useful to tent campers as a portable kitchen.

How you organize your stuff in your RV cabinets and compartments will make a big difference in usability.   Adding a permanent or temporary extra shelf inside can make retrieving items more convenient, especially in large or deep cabinets.  Plastic bins to corral small items are quite helpful.  Without them small items tend to shift during travel and may come tumbling out in an avalanche when you open the door when you get to camp or simply get lost in a jumble of stuff in the bottom.  Plastic shoeboxes are a convenient size to corall lots of the stuff we squirrel away in our RV cabinets.  You ca also use cardboard boxes buy plastic is more durable and does a better job of containing spills if something gets broken.

Adding lights to dark closets or cabinets is a fairly easy and inexpensive upgrade.  Automatic lights in closets are particularly useful.  They can be hard wired into the vehicle's 12-volt electrical system or battery powered.  They are usually controlled by a plunger type switch that turns the light on when the door is opened and turns it off again when the door is closed.  Closet light kits are sometimes available from RV stores.

Battery powered LED lights are really easy to install in just about any closet or cabinet and do not require any wiring.  They can usually be attached using double-sticky tape so you don't even need a screwdriver.  My preferred choice are "tap lights", which are turned on or off by simply tapping the lens but  versions with normal switches are also available.  The only down side to tap lights is that shifting contents inside the cabinet could turn them on during travel and run down the batteries.  Fortunately, LEDs don't draw a lot of power so if they do get accidentally turned on occasionally it probably won't be much of a problem.  Mounting the lights high in the cabinet minimizes the chances of contents striking them and turning them on accidentally and gives you the best illumination.  You usually get best coverage inside the cabinet by mounting them inside the front of the cabinet.  The little LED lights that look like a light switch are good option for closets and large cabinets.  They are extremely bright and the switch, which is like a normal household light switch isn't as likely to get flipped by shifting contents.

Deep cabinets can benefit from the addition of sliding drawers, bins, or shelves.  Some luxury RVs come with sliding shelves or drawers in outside cabinets.  This is especially useful since these large spaces tend to accumulate a lot of stuff and it can be difficult, frustrating, and time consuming to have to dig through multiple layers of stuff to find what you're looking for.  Another good candidate for sliding shelves are the deep, narrow "pantries" in some units.  Having the space to store canned goods etc is a real boon -- until you have to try to grab that can of chili from the very back of the top shelf!  Adding sliding shelves to these cabinets is fairly easy and not too expensive, unless you opt for fancy self-closing slides and expensive hardwood shelves.  Simply cut a shelf just wide enough to fit through the open door and slightly shorter than the depth of the cabinet.  You will sacrifice about 1" of height for each shelf, but the gain in access and convenience is well worth it.  To make it easy to pull the shelves out, drill 3/4" or 1" hole in the middle at the front of the shelf or cut the shelf short enough to add a handle.  You may be able to find pre-finished shelves that closely match existing wood or stain common pine shelving to match.  You might want to add a not-slip shelf covering to help keep contents from shifting and rattling.  You could also add plastic bins to further contain small items or group like items for convenience and containment to prevent shifting during travel so cans don't fall out the back when you slide the shelf open.

Speaking of plastic bins, they can be used to good advantage in just about any cabinet to group and contain items.  Translucent bins or baskets with holes you can see through will let you glimpse the contents without having to remove them from the cabinets.  Bins can sometimes be stacked which gives you more options for organizing and accessing items.  Instead of having to move a half dozen bottles to get to what is behind them you can just move one bin, get what you need, then put the bin back in place.  Another benefit of using plastic bins is they will often capture spills to they don't spread throughout the cabinet or drip out the door.  I wish I had been using plastic bins when a bottle of green food coloring tipped over and spilled in one of my galley cabinets.  It leaked out and left permanent streaks down the face of  the otherwise pristine and beautiful oak cabinet.  It is also a lot easier to clean sticky spills from a plastic bin than it is to scrub them from a cabinet shelf.  Being able to take the bin out and thoroughly wash it with hot water is much nicer than scraping and scrubbing in the confined space of the cabinet.  In the worst case scenario you can always throw the contaminated bin away and replace it with a sparkling clean new one.  Plastic bins are almost essential for storing extra motor oil and other automotive chemicals in your outside compartments.  The bins make getting things out much easier and they are much easier to clean when something spills.  Confining spills will help prevent contamination of other contents.  It can be really nasty if your fresh water hose gets soaked in spilled motor oil or antifreeze, but storing potential offending liquids in plastic bins can prevent this from happening.  Of course, it is better to keep your water hose in a different place than oil and antifreeze -- if you have enough room to do that.

Cabinet hardware (hinges, latches, and pulls) do eventually wear out or break down or may be damaged by accidents or abuse.  This is especially true of the light weight plastic catches often used in RVs.  They are pretty easy to replace, if you can find an exact replacement.  Finding and exact match for cabinet hardware on older units may be a problem and you may have to adapt new hardware to solve the problem.  Avoid damage in the first place by NOT slamming doors or otherwise abusing the hardware.  Store heavy items only on bottom shelves where they can only slide against the door and not catapult into it.  Using non-slip shelf lining will reduce sliding too.  Take a second or two to make sure there is nothing in the way before closing the door.  Anything that interferes with the door closing completely and smoothly could damage the hinges, latch, or the structure of the door itself.  That includes things that protrude past the shelves or get caught between the door and the frame.  As always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  You can probably get replacement hardware for newer units at your local RV store or through the dealer or manufacturer, but you'd have to be really lucky to get an exact match for older units.  For them you may have to scour junkyards for units of near the same vintage. Sometimes you can find matching hardware even in different brand vehicles than yours if they're about the same vintage.  You might even find suitable replacements at your local hardware store or home center.  If you can't match hardware exactly, one option is to replace all the hardware so everything still matches.  Fortunately, hardware isn't terribly expensive.

Normal wear and tear will affect hinges and latches and many problems can be resolved by tightening hinges and adjusting latches. If the screws have pulled out you may be able get them to hold again by inserting a wooden match or toothpick into the hole and reinstalling the screw.  If that doesn't work, sometimes a larger size screw will solve the problem.  You can also get kits to repair screw holes.  They consist of a cone-shaped tool for enlarging the hole and several wooden cones.  You ream out the hole and glue a cone into it, then drill a small pilot hole in the cone and reinstall the screw.  This works pretty well  in solid materials like cabinet and door frames but not so well in paneling.  One way to solve stripped screw problems in paneling is to use molly bolts, that have components containing a threaded nut that expand behind the paneling.  Some have spring-loaded "wings", others are slotted cylinders that collapse and spread out as the bolt is tightened, gripping the paneling from behind.
 
Some extra large cabinets may benefit from adding more shelves.  Make sure you don't create small spaces that will be difficult to get things in and out of.  Shelves may be added permanently or installed so they rest on rails and can be easily removed if you need a taller space.  Wire racks can often be found in houseware departments that can be used for temporary shelves.  I've even seen folks make shelving from styrofoam insulation slabs to hold light weight items like clothing.  Adding a shelf to a very tall cabinet can often double the usable space.

Non-slip shelf lining can help keep items from moving around during travel and reduce rattles.  Keeping things from sliding around as the vehicle moves will help prevent damage to the contents and the cabinets and minimize unwelcome noise.  Be creative in protecting and securing your items.  One woman used colorful socks around glassware to prevent them from constantly banging into each other during travel.  Another cut holes in styrofoam blocks to anchor her fancy glasses.  Non-slip shelf lining can also be cut into smaller pieces to pad cookware to reduce rattles and prevent damage to the Teflon coating on pots and pans.

Some catches and latches aren't up to the task of resisting the forces of contents shifting during travel and pounding the door.   Weak latches will allow stuff to fall out during turns.  You may be able to upgrade the latches to something more substantial.  You can also limit movement of contents inside cabinets using spring-loaded braces like those designed for refrigerators.  Sometimes you can tie adjacent door handles together with mini-bungee cords to keep both cabinets closed.  Another option are the "baby-safe" devices used to prevent little children from opening cabinet doors at home.  Of course proper loading of cabinets to minimize weight and possible shifting is always a good idea.  I have seen some creative owners install "thumb locks" for positive latching.  These require drilling only one hole.  The latch swings up inside the cabinet to secure the drawer or door.  Done right they even look OEM professional.

Top-hinged outside cabinets are more convenient to use if there is a latch to hold the door open while you are accessing the cabinet.  If your RV doesn't have these convenient latches they are fairly cheap and easy to install.  Often they can be screwed to the side of the RV but the preferred way to attach them is using pop rivets.  Take care to properly align the latch before you being drilling.  Some latches may simply catch the edge of cabinet; others are designed to reach over the lip and catch inside the frame of the door.

Some cabinets have gas assisted struts to hold them open.  If these become worn, bent, or damaged they may have to be replaced.  If your RV doesn't have them and you would like to add them, they are usually fairly inexpensive to buy and not too difficult to install.  Sometimes the screws attaching them to the cabinet and/or the door may get loose.  If the hole is stripped so the screw won't tighten, try sticking wooden matchstick or toothpick in the hole with the screw to take up the slack.  Badly stripped holes might be repaired using  special plug kits, available at home centers and hardware stores. They consist of wooden cones and an auger to shape the holes to fit the cone.  Glue the cone into the hole and let it dry completely, then drill a pilot hole slightly smaller than the diameter of the screw and reinstall the screw.  Note, this will only work if the screws go into wood to hold them.  Some exterior cabinets may have thin aluminum or fiberglass skins.  To repair stripped fasteners in these, replace them with molyscrews.

When loading  your cabinets, try to put light items in the upper cabinets and keep heavy items (like canned goods) in the lower ones.   This has several advantages.  For one, it will be less stressful on your body lifting light items than heavy ones into overhead cabinets.  A second major advantage is light items will be less likely to become  unguided missiles if a door come open during unexpectedly violent maneuvers.  And finally, by avoiding putting too much weight in overhead cabinets you decrease the likelihood that the cabinets will come loose from the wall and or ceiling.  Overloading overhead cabinets often leads to failure of the support systems and then you face a serious and potentially expensive repair.

RV closets sometimes have special closet rods that use proprietary clothes hangers to keep articles from falling off the rod from rough roads or unusually violent maneuvers.  If yours does it can be tedious to switch hanging garments from their normal hangers to the special hangers and back for each trip.  To keep hangers secure on a standard closet rod I've found a clean, dry car wash sponge fits well between the top of the rod and hangers and the ceiling and will hold the hangers in place without adding too much weight or interfering very much with hanging or removing clothes from the closet.  If your RV is short of dresser drawer space, as many are, you might want to add one or two plastic drawers at the bottom of the closet.  Unless it is unusually short, there should be space available underneath the clothes you hang in the closet.

Make it better!

Winterhoming

OK, what the heck IS "winterhoming"?  Well,  simply put, it is motorhoming in the winter.

Most camping is done in the summer time, or at least spring or fall, but there are sometimes good reasons to use your RV in the winter too.  An RV makes an excellent chalet or base camp for skiing, snowboarding, ice fishing, and other snow based activities -- if is is properly equipped.  Most RVs made and used in the U.S. are not designed for winter use and most owners who live in cold country have to winterize their rigs and retire them until warm weather returns.  However, it is possible to upgrade many RVs for winter use.  BTW, some Canadian made RVs are more likely to come from the factory equipped for winter weather.

While the comfort of the occupants is, of course, the major function of an RV in winter, the biggest problem is usually protecting the plumbing against freezing.  Sometimes an RV furnace may not be adequate to maintain a comfortable temperature inside.  If that is the case you either need to reduce heat loss or increase BTUs.  It usually isn't very practical to increase the insulation factor in an RV, but a lot of heat may be lost through drafts and through insufficiently protected windows.  I once had a Class B van conversion that, I found, had NO insulation at all and it was fairly easy to remove wall and ceiling panels and cut styrofoam panels to fit each space, significantly improving insulation.  But it is usually too intrusive and too expensive to increase the insulation in standard RVs. Sometimes you can gain access to interior paneling on external walls to add foam or bats of insulation, but usually it would be way to destructive, expensive, and counterproductive.  What you can improve fairly easily and cheaply is the insulation value for the windows.  First of all, make sure you take advantage of whatever window coverings you have -- close the curtains, drapes, or shades.  You can add reflective foam insulation similar to windshield sun screens between the window coverings and the windows.  You may want to try adding plastic "storm windows" over the windows.  You can get kits to do this from your local hardware store or home center.  They consist of a plastic film that is stretched over the windows and then tightened using a heat gun or hair dryer.   Also install a cover or foam pillow to block the loss of heat through the roof vents.  Even when they are closed, the thin cover allows a lot of heat to escape.  Search for and seal off any drafts where cold air enters through the firewall of a motorhome or around plumbing and power cords or around doors and windows of any RV.  If after doing all of this your furnace still doesn't keep things warm enough, you may need auxiliary heat.  Options include electric heaters if you stay in campgrounds with electric service, a catalytic heater, adding another furnace, or upgrading the existing furnace to one with a higher BTU output.  Upgrading or adding a furnace can be an expensive proposition and is likely to require significant modifications for installation of a larger unit.  Catalytic heaters don't use any battery power since they have no fans and portable versions attach to 1-lb propane cylinders to they don't require any gas line attachments.  Keep in mind even heaters rated for indoor use will consume oxygen even if they don't release any toxic fumes, so proper ventilation is critical.   Seems counterintuitive to open windows when you are trying to heat a space, but you will suffocate if you don't!   Check inside cabinets for openings around plumbing where cold air might get in.  These can usually be sealed easily by stuffing foam into the gaps or by using spray foam insulation available at any home center or hardware store.  Take care not to over do it with the spray foam.  That stuff expands a lot and is difficult to remove if it gets on surfaces where you don't want it.  Make sure the weatherstripping on your doors is in good shape and that the caulking around windows hasn't shrunk or have any gaps.

Electric heaters are an easy way to get extra interior heat -- if you have shore power or when you can run your generator.  A popular option among many RVers is an "electric fireplace" that not only provides heat but adds a kind of cabin-like ambiance.  I even have a small, 300 watt heater that runs on 12 volt DC I can use in my motorhome in a pinch, but I'm sure it would drain the batteries pretty quickly.  I found a neat little 120 volt heater that plugs directly into a wall outlet so it takes up little room.  The digital temperature control makes it easy to maintain a comfortable setting in a small space.  Auto parts stores sometimes offer 12-volt powered heater/defroster units that plug into the 12-volt receptacle (i.e., cigarette lighter) and can help clear fog or frost off the windshield.  These units will provide a small amount of auxiliary heat but would not be very effective in as room heaters.  If you have 120 volt power available you can also protect your holding tanks with specially designed heating pads and protect plumbing in exterior cabinets with a 100 watt incandescent bulb (if you can still find one!  They are being phased out due to energy concerns).  There are 12-volt holding tank heaters too, but, again, I would be concerned about them draining the battery.  Any electric heater is essentially a dead short.  The heating elements are high-resistance wire.

Protecting exposed plumbing from freezing can be an onerous task.  Keeping the inside of your RV at 40° or better will normally protect all the inside plumbing, but exposed holding tanks, valves, and pipes are still vulnerable.  You will need electric heating pads and or heat tape to protect these components if you are camping in sub-freezing weather.  Heating pads for holding tanks are available in both 12 volt and 120 volt versions and some include dual power sources.  With dual power you can use your 12-volt system while traveling and power is available from the vehicle alternator.  120-volt operation requires shore or generator power.  You might run your generator while traveling to operate 120-volt heating pads.  It wouldn't consume any more energy than running your A/C on hot days.  If you have 12-volt heating pads you will want to carefully monitor your battery status.  They could easily run batteries down if they kick in at night when you turn off the generator.  One way to protect holding tanks for occasional winter use is to add enough antifreeze (marine/RV grade for potable water systems) to at least protect the dump valves and lower the freeze point within the tank contents.  If you rely on warm blankets or sleeping bags instead of your furnace to keep you warm at night, dump a cup or two of antifreeze into each drain to prevent the P-traps from freezing.  You don't need antifreeze in the P-traps if your furnace keeps the interior above freezing.  If your RV has enclosed holding tanks and the dump valves are in a cabinet instead of hanging exposed beneath the vehicle you may be able to keep the valves from freezing by placing a 100-watt incandescent light bulb in he compartment.  Finding a 100-watt bulb these days might be difficult as they've been phased out for environmental reasons.  Using a 60-watt bulb might be sufficient, but using two 60-watt bulbs would be more than equivalent to a 100-watt bulb.  Or you might use special reptile heat lamp available at pet stores.  In any case, if the compartment isn't insulated, insulate it.  Outside compartments often have bare aluminum doors that allow a great deal of heat to escape.  Glue some styrofoam panels inside or even use reflective foam insulation like Reflectix.  Check for drafts around electrical and plumbing connections or around the door.  Random openings can be filled with spray foam insulation or stuff with fiberglass batting.  Poorly fitting doors may benefit from the addition of weatherstripping.  If you are connected to city water in freezing temperatures you will need a heated hose and will need to protect the faucet.  Even "frost proof" faucets will freeze if a hose is left connected.  It prevents them from letting the water drain out before it freezes.

RV skirts that surround the bottom of your RV can help keep the floors warmer and conserve heat.   They usually need to be custom made.  Vinyl skirts, made in several sections, can be carried on trips and installed when needed, but they can be pretty expensive.  Some people make skirts of plywood or styrofoam panels when the unit is parked in a fixed location for a while. Skirts are usually not practical for short stays or frequent relocation.

Resource conservation will be more difficult when it is cold.   You ARE going to use more propane and use it quicker than in warmer months.  You might reduce how much you use for heating by dressing warmer so you can be comfortable at a lower temperature.  Sweaters and thermal underwear can increase you comfort level in a cooler environment without being too cumbersome.  Warmer quilts and blankets or a winter sleeping bag can help keep you cozy in bed.  But your furnace isn't the only appliance that will use more propane in colder times.  Your hot water heater will need to work harder to maintain normal temperatures when it is cold outside and you are likely to use more gas for cooking simply because you will want more warm foods and drinks in cold weather.  The one appliance that might actually use less propane in cold weather is the refrigerator, but probably not significantly less since you are probably keeping the interior around a comfortable 72°.  Always make sure your propane tank is full when you leave on a trip.  For extended cold weather outings you may want to invest in an "Extend-a-stay" system that allows you to connect to an external propane tank to supplement your on board supply.  For trailers with removable propane tanks you can just bring a long a couple of extra tanks.

Winterhoming is cool!

RV Batteries

RV batteries are an essential part of making RVs convenient and comfortable.   On motorhomes there are two separate battery systems:  a starting battery for the engine, and deep cycle coach batteries.  The starting battery functions just like the battery in any other motor vehicle, providing power to start the engine and operate lights and other 12-volt vehicle features, like radios and power windows.  The battery is charged by an alternator driven by the engine.  Deep cycle coach batteries are used to supply power for lights, fans, furnaces, and some electronic devices in the RV.  There may be one or more 12-volt batteries or two or more 6-volt golf cart batteries .  12-volt batteries are connected in parallel to supply higher amperage.  6-volt batteries are connected in series to create 12 volts.  Golf cart batteries are usually stronger, more durable, and can be recharged more times than 12-volt deep cycle batteries.  The house batteries should also be charged by the vehicle alternator whenever the engine is running and the should be separated from the starting battery by a battery isolator.  A battery isolator allows the alternator to charge multiple banks of batteries but prevents them from drawing down each other so you don't drain your starting battery while running your RV lights and accessories.  It is convenient to have a switch to connect battery banks in case your starting battery runs down and you need power from the house batteries to start the engine or the house batteries run down and you need power to start the generator.  Some RVs even have a separate battery dedicated to starting the generator.

Other batteries.  The main focus of this article are the large (and expensive) 12-volt batteries that power your RV systems.  In addition to the 12-volt systems for your engine and your coach there are often other battery powered devices in your RV.  Smoke detectors usually use a 9-volt battery.  Remote controls for TVs, power awnings, etc usually use AA or AAA batteries.  You may have battery powered lights in cabinets or closets.  You may have battery powered lanterns and flashlights.  You will need to test the batteries in these devices regularly, especially before each trip, to be sure they will be functional when you need them.  For convenience, keep a battery tester in your RV or camp kit.  Carry spare batteries with you for all your devices.  And be sure to test your spare batteries before each outing.  They won't do you much good if they're dead.  One trick to keep batteries from running down in items in storage is to put one of the batteries in backwards.

Batteries are a critical component of the 12-volt electrical system that powers most RV lights and fixtures.  Not only do they provide power for the lights, but they also power control boards for furnaces, refrigerators, and hot water heaters.  Most modern furnaces also have a 12-volt fan.  Some older furnaces worked by convection only.  A convection furnace doesn't have a fan but it doesn't distribute the heat as well as a forced air model.  An anomaly of 12-volt furnaces is that when the batteries get low, the fan keeps running after the burner has shut off.  If you wake up in the middle of the night and your furnace is busily blowing cold air, your batteries may be low or you might be out of propane.  If that happens occasionally, (and you're not out of propane) you probably aren't charging your batteries enough during the day.  If it happens frequently, you probably need new batteries or a larger battery bank -- or don't run the furnace so much.

Pretty much all of these batteries are some form of lead-acid batteries.  Lead acid automotive batteries have been around since Cadillac introduced the first electric starters way back in 1912.  The basic design has not changed much in over a hundred years, but there have been some improvements.  Basic batteries use lead plates submerged in a solution containing sulfuric acid and are known as "flooded cell" batteries.   They have removable caps so you can check and replenish the water level as needed.  So-called "maintenance free" batteries are sealed and don't require the frequent addition of water in normal use.  Absorbed Gas Mat (AGM) batteries use saturated mats between the cells instead of liquid, reducing the chance of spillage.   Another option are gel cell batteries, in which the electrolyte, instead of being liquid sulfuric acid is a gel.  Gel cells are usually lighter than other batteries and very unlikely to spill.  By the way, it is best to only add distilled water when batteries need more liquid, but, in an emergency, ordinary tap water can be used.  The damage caused by contaminates in the tap water will be less than allowing the plates to be exposed.  Distilled water isn't very expensive.  It would be a good idea to carry a gallon jug of distilled water in your RV to top off your batteries as needed.  You can buy it at just about any grocery store for a dollar or so a gallon.  While you are at it, grab a cheap turkey baster to use to add water to your batteries.

Modern lithium ion technology has produced batteries that exceed the performance of lead-acid batteries but they are still rather expensive.  Keep an eye on this technology.  I have seen reconditioned medical grade lithium ion batteries offered for sale on ebay at fairly reasonable prices, so they might be worth looking into.   New lithium marine/RV batteries run $250-900 so they are quite a bit more expensive than traditional lead-acid batteries.  From time to time I have seen recycled medical lithium batteries on ebay for a couple hundred bucks, but they are not always available.  You also might need a different charger to properly charge lithium ion batteries.

As the push for hybrid vehicles drives battery technology, new types of batteries are coming on the market.  Some are much lighter than lead-acid batteries and deliver longer life and much better performance, but as of now they are significantly more expensive.  Direct replacement deep cycle lithium ion 12 bolt batteries are currently nearly $700 each, making them about 4 times the cost of a pair of 6-bolt golf cart batteries.  Their longer life might make them pay off in the long run but they are certainly a lot more expensive up front.  High performance, 80 amp lithium ion battery is over $1000 and will give 3,000-5,000 charging cycles.  I've even seen 300 amp batteries but they're big and heavy and expensive :  about $3500 each!  Lithium ion batteries allow you to use close to 100% of the capacity before needing to be recharged.  Lead-acid batteries only deliver about 50% of capacity before the voltage drops below workable levels.  A typical lead-acid 12 volt battery will read 12.volts when fully charged and about 11.4 volts when fully discharged.

Many RVs, (motorhome, trailers, and campers) have a single 12-volt deep cycle battery to provide power for all coach needs.  If you do a lot of boondocking you may find a single battery doesn't have enough reserve capacity to meet your needs.  When that happens you may be able to find a location where you can install a second battery.  Replacing a single 12-volt deep cycle battery with a pair of matching 12-volt batteries in parallel will just about double your reserve capacity.  Replacing a single 12-vole deep cycle battery with a pair of 6-volt golf cart batteries in series will usually result in greater reserve capacity and longer battery life.  When installing 6-volt batteries they must be connected in series in order to produce 12 volts to run RV fixtures.  6-volt golf cart batteries are usually larger so you may have to enlarge the battery tray or find extra room someplace else if you want to convert to golf cart batteries. Make sure all connections between batteries are heavy gauge battery cables and that the 6-volt batteries are wired in series to create 12 volts. 6 volt golf cart batteries are usually larger than most 12 volt deep cycle batteries so you may have to modify the battery box and/or hold downs to accommodate them.  Motorhomes will have a separate automotive starting battery.  This should not be a deep cycle battery but in an emergency you may be able to borrow one of your coach batteries to replace a dead starting battery or use it to jump start your engine.  Some motorhomes have a switch on the dashboard that activates relays to connect the coach batteries with the starting batteries when you need extra starting power, precluding the need for jumper cables.   The jump start button can be used to start the vehicle engine using the coach batteries or to start the generator using the vehicle starting battery.   If you install extra batteries it is best to install them as close to the existing battery as possible and run heavy gauge battery cables between the batteries.  Batteries give off volatile gases (hydrogen) when they are being charged so they must be installed in a well ventilated space and should NOT be installed within the living area of an RV.  Suitable locations include outside cabinets and in the engine compartment of a motorhome or on the tongue of a trailer.

There is a growing trend to large battery banks and inverters in large luxury rigs in order to handle a demand for quiet, portable 120-volt power anywhere.  An inverter is a device that changes 12-volt DC power into 120-volt AC power.    This is convenient for running entertainment systems and microwave ovens.  Some large luxury motorhomes even have large enough battery banks to run residential style 120-volt refrigerators full time, but that takes a lot of batteries and frequent recharging.  Keeping the batteries charged becomes a primary concern.  They can be charged from shore power, an on board generator, or from solar panels.  Solar systems can be expensive but once they are installed you get free power from the sun.  Some RVs have inverters built it.  If yours does not, they can usually be added (if you have sufficient battery reserves).  For small 120-volt devices you can often use a fairly inexpensive inverter that plugs into a cigarette lighter style 12-volt outlet.  Large inverters, say 1500-2000 watts, need to be hardwired with large gauge wire and the output can be routed directly to dedicated outlets.  Some RVs have an option to switch selected outlets from shore/generator power to inverter for added convenience.  But unless you know for sure you have plenty of reserve battery power, running 120-volt appliances on the inverter can draw your batteries down rather quickly.  120-volt appliances will consume power at 10 times the rate of 12-volt appliances of the same amps rating.  It is unlikely that units not designed for large battery banks will have anyplace they can be installed because they batteries take up a lot of room and add a lot of weight.  If you plan to install a large battery bank be sure the compartment floor is adequately supported to support the weight and that it is properly ventilated.  Never install lead acid batteries near any kind of device that may provide a source of ignition for the off-gassing that occurs during charging.  Lead acid batteries give off hydrogen gas while charging and it is VERY volatile!  The infamous Hindenberg airship that exploded in New Jersey in 1937 was filled with hydrogen, which is why it produced such a spectacular fire and explosion!  BTW, the flames from hydrogen are generally invisible.  Flames from gasoline are usually yellow or orange and natural gas and propane typically produce blue flames.

Proper maintenance is essential for good performance and long life for all batteries.  Some components of proper maintenance include avoiding excessive discharge, correct charging, maintaining tight, clean connections, and maintaining proper electrolyte levels as necessary.  Try not to let your batteries be drawn down until they are "dead" before recharging them, then use the right charging system to restore them to full charge as soon as possible.  Frequently check all battery connections to make sure they are tight and are not becoming corroded.  The terminals that connect the large battery cables to the battery posts are especially susceptible to corrosion and when they get corroded should be removed and cleaned.   The electrolyte levels in all but maintenance free batteries should be checked frequently and kept at about 1/2" above the plates.  A battery filler comes in handy for topping off your batteries.  You can buy them at auto  parts stores.   Or you can use a turkey baster.   Always try to use distilled water to fill batteries so you don't introduce mineral or chemical contaminants that often occur in normal tap water.  However, if you're boondocking when you discover your batteries are low using ordinary tap water would be better than leaving them low.  Filtered water would be preferable to unfiltered water.  You want it to be as contaminant-free as possible.

One sure sign that your battery capacity is insufficient, is when the furnace fan continues to run after the burner has shut off.   That can also happen if you run out or propane, so be sure to check both battery and propane gauges before deciding what to do.  You may wake up cold in the middle of the night and find the furnace blowing cold air.  It is ironic that when the batteries get too low, the circuitry that shuts off the fan fails and the fan continues to run, further depleting the batteries.  If this happens with an old battery it may just mean it is time to replace it.  But if it happens with fairly new batteries or happens often, you probably need to increase your reserve capacity by installing a larger battery, multiple batteries, or converting to 6-volt golf cart batteries.  Of course, make sure you have been keeping your batteries properly charged before running off and blowing a lot of money on new batteries.  If you try to run your furnace for several days and nights without charging your batteries, you can pretty much count on it blowing cold air sooner or later.  If you don't run your generator enough each day or your solar system doesn't get enough exposure (shade or clouds for instance), your batteries are going to suffer.  You can check the state of charge using a voltmeter if your RV doesn't have a battery meter.   A fully charged 12-volt battery should normally read about 12.7 volts.  Be sure to test it without any charging voltage.  Charging voltage is often around 14.2 volts; "float" or maintenance charge should be about 13.8 volts.  Higher voltages will overheat the battery.  I once had a charger board in a converter that went bad and was putting out 18 volts.  It "fried" batteries like crazy!  I had to add water to my coach batteries a couple of times a week until I found out what was causing the electrolyte to boil away.

Here is a table of voltages and what they mean:

     12.7 = fully charged
     12.5 = 85% charged
     12.4 = 65%
     12.3 = 50%
     12.2 = 35%
     12.1 = drained


Battery indicators on the monitor panel don't usually give actual volts, but are calibrated to reflect approximate percentages, usually indicating 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full.  Checking the actual voltage at the batteries will give you a more accurate reading.  For best performance and longer battery life, avoid letting batteries get below 50% charge (12.3 volts) before recharging.  Note that even "dead" batteries should still show about 12 volts.  While that isn't enough to run lights, motors, or appliances, it may be enough to make a big enough spark or heating 0000 steel wool for lighting a fire in survival situation.

Charging your batteries.   The alternator on motorhomes is usually wired to both the starting and coach batteries so it charges them all whenever the engine is running.  It should be connected through a battery isolator that prevents drawing down the starting battery while using lights and appliances in the coach.  A charging circuit can be wired from the alternator through the trailer connector to charge trailer batteries.  If your vehicle and/or trailer doesn't have this circuit it can usually be added at a nominal cost.  Be sure to include a battery isolator so using power in your trailer in camp doesn't run down your starting battery and leave you stranded or disconnect the trailer from the vehicle in camp.  There are two types of battery isolators:  solenoids and diode-based models.  Soleniods are usually less expensive and may have a shorter lifespan than diode models.  In either case they allow current to flow to charge both battery banks but keep a draw on the coach battery from running down the starting battery.  There is often much discussion among RVers about whether charging batteries with the vehicle alternator or the on board generator is better.  If you need a quick charge, using the vehicle alternator is probably your best bet and the engine at idle will most likely not consume much more fuel than the generator.  In camp, coach batteries are usually charged by the the converter whenever you run the generator.   If you use the generator enough, like to run the A/C for several hours on hot days, it will usually be enough, but in cooler weather you may have to schedule some generator time just to keep your batteries charged.   But be aware that the battery charging capabilities of most converters is limited.  Newer "smart" multi-stage converters like Progressive Dynamics "Intelli-power",  have more efficient battery charging systems.  Multi-stage chargers usually sense the battery condition and select one of four modes as necessary to maintain batteries in optimal condition.  The four modes are and their functions are:

     Boost Mode - (14.4 volts) to rapidly bring the battery up to 90% of full Charge.
     Normal Mode - (13.6 volts) to safely complete or maintain the charge.
     Storage Mode - (13.2 volts) to maintain charge with minimal gassing or water loss during                                    periods of  non-use.
     Desulfation Mode - (13.2 volts with 15 minute 14.4 volt burst every 21 hours)

Compare that with the charging circuits on older converters that typically supply a constant voltage of 13.6 volts.  Some may sense when the battery is fully charged and reduce the amperage to maintain a "trickle charge".  The different voltages are required to provide proper charging and maintenance.  Boost mode helps recharge batteries quickly; Normal Mode tops off  and maintains the charge; Storage mode provides a "trickle charge" to compensate for normal voltage drop of batteries that are not in use; Desulfation mode provides a high boost during storage to "burn off" sulfation of the lead plates to maintain electro-chemical efficiency. 

 Lead-acid batteries give off hydrogen gas while charging.  Hydrogen gas is highly volatile.  It was the gas that exploded in the famous Hindenberg disaster.  Batteries should always be installed outside of the living area in a well ventilated compartment.  Trailer batteries are often installed on the tongue, for excellent ventilation and easy access for maintenance.

An easy and fairly inexpensive alternative to smart converters is to install an automatic automotive battery charger connected to the coach batteries and plugged in so that it charges them whenever there is 120-volt power -- from shore power or from the generator.  When using an external battery charger it is best to disconnect or disable the charger in the converter.  Another way to "quick charge" your RV batteries is to run the vehicle engine.  Estimates show it will use only slightly more gas than running the generator since the alternator is far more efficient at charging the batteries than converters and auxiliary battery chargers.  Of course, solar panels are also a good way to keep your batteries charged -- if you have a large enough array and sufficient sunlight.  You can buy little inexpensive panels that are plug into your cigarette lighter socket and are intended to be placed on the dashboard to provide a small "trickle charge" for helping keep batteries charged in storage.  These will not recharge batteries enough when they are being used when off grid.  Large solar panels are mounted on the RV roof and require a controller to provide proper voltage.  Of course solar panels work best in direct sunlight, so don't expect them to quick charge your batteries if you're parked in the shade.

Maintenance chargers can be used to maintain batteries while in storage.   Often referred to as "trickle chargers" because of the low (1-2 amp) charging current, they are pretty good for keeping batteries charged but not for recharging depleted batteries. If you have a good multi-stage charger connected to your house batteries, you shouldn't need a maintenance charger there, but you may still need one to maintain your starting battery.  The default charging voltage from the converter will usually override charging from automatic or maintenance converters so you may have to disable the converter in order to get the most from your chargers.  Those little solar battery charges that plug into the cigarette lighter are "trickle chargers".  By the way, make sure the lighter is live when the key is off or they won't do anything!

Converters and Inverters.  Converters convert 120 volt AC power to 12 volt DC power to run lights and 12 volt accessories from shore or generator power.  Converters usually include a charging circuit to charge your batteries whenever you have 120 volt power available to the converter.  Inverters change 12 volt DC power into 120 volt AC power so you can run normal household appliances using your RV batteries.  If you want to run any large appliances you will need a very powerful inverter and a large battery bank to support it.

Batteries in storage will lose about 1% of their charge per month, even if they are disconnected.  Because of the parasitic draw of some RV appliances and accessories,  they can be be drawn down a lot faster if not disconnected.  Some RVs come with battery disconnects.  They can be fairly easily and inexpensively added if necessary.  If you don't have a battery tender connected to maintain your batteries while your RV is in storage it is a good idea to disconnect them to avoid any parasitic draw down.  A solar charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter can help keep batteries charged in storage.

Charge!