Those big picture windows in our RVs let us enjoy the great outdoors from the comfort of our coaches, but they also allow heat transfer that makes our units hotter in summer and colder in winter. But there is a cure. Actually there are several to choose from.
Luxury units sometimes have double-pane windows like newer homes to reduce heat transfer but many RVs, especially older or entry level models, will have only single pane windows. Single pane glass is fairly good at conducting heat. Just touch a single pane window on a cold day! Double pane windows have two sheets of glass separated by a sealed section of inert gas, creating a "dead air space" inside. They conduct far less heat, keeping your RV cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Upgrading your windows to dual-pane would be an expensive proposition -- IF you could even match up the size of your windows. What can you do about that? There are several feasible options you can explore.
The simplest and least expensive option is to make sure you take advantage of whatever window coverings you already have. Keep drapes, curtains, shades or blinds closed to retain heat in winter and keep it outside in summer. I n summer take advantage of natural shade to keep your RV cooler. In winter, park in full sun to absorb as much heat as possible, basking the the light of a hydrogen fusion furnace 93 million miles away (the Sun). Y ou might be surprised how much just using your curtains or shades will help maintain a comfortable temperature inside your RV. If your window treatments are in need of repair, consider replacing them with versions with better insulating qualities, such as replacing thin curtains with heavy, insulated drapes or sturdy day-night shades.
A semi-permanent winter fix is to add a plastic "storm window" covering to the outside (or possibly inside) of your windows, partially simulating double pane windows. The plastic won't be as thick as glass and and the "dead air space" between it and the window won't be as well sealed (there are "weep" holes in the bottom frame of most RV windows) or as effective as the inert gas chamber in a double pane window so it won't work quite as well, but it will help. Dual pane windows are completely sealed and contain an inert gas to enhance their insulating qualities. Plastic film storm window insulation kits can be purchased at hardware stores and home centers. You cut the plastic film to fit your window, install the included sticky strips to hold it in place, stretch it over the outside frame, then warm it with a heat gun or hair dryer to shrink it so it fits tightly and securely. I have not yet tried this option myself but I have heard is is quite effective and the science behind it is sound. I have concerns about how fragile the tightly stretched plastic might be to flying debris and whether it would stand up to freeway speeds without coming off. This is primarily an option for cold weather since it interferes with opening the windows for fresh air in warm weather. I recently purchased several plastic storm window kits so I can try them out, but haven't gotten around to it yet, but, as I said before, the science is sound, so it is worth a try.
A simple and convenient solution to excessive summer heat is "solar" film. It also adds a measure of privacy as long as it is brighter outside than inside. Having it professionally installed can be quite expensive but you get crystal clear tinted windows. You can install it yourself if you have the patience. tools, and skill. You must clean the windows very thoroughly, including the tracks around them to avoid getting any dust or dirt under the film. Cut the film slightly larger than the glass area of the window. The film sticks to itself very well so you need take care to apply it directly to the glass Start at the top and then slowly peel the backing away as you work your way to the bottom. Spray the film with water and use a small squeegee to carefully smooth the film. Work from the center toward the edges to avoid getting bubbles in the film. If you end up with small bubbles you can't squeegee out, carefully prick each one with a pin to allow the air to escape as you squeegee them flat. Then trim the edges with a razor knife or single edge razor blade. Solar film, either reflective or "limo tint" will block a lot of the sunlight entering your vehicle, reducing heat and protecting interior surfaces from sun damage. The film also functions as partial privacy panels as long as it is darker inside your RV than it is outside. Some states have restrictions on how dark window tinting can be on front side windows and it should never be added to windshields, except perhaps a strip a few inches tall along the very top as a sun shade.
My personal favorite is another easy, inexpensive, easy, and effective solution: double reflective bubble/foam insulation. You can buy Reflectix and other brands at hardware stores and home centers in rolls from 10' to 100' and widths of 2' or 4'. You can then cut panels to fit each window and insert them behind the existing window coverings. A 48" x 10' roll is usually under $25. A 25' roll, if you can find them, is between $40 and $50. Cut the panels just slightly larger than the opening so they will fit tightly. This helps them stay in place and mostly seals the opening to limit the circulation of air from between the insulation and the glass. In addition to controlling heat transfer they are also very effective at blocking unwanted light. The reflective quality combined with the insulation value will help you maintain the desired temperature in your RV year round. In the summer it will keep things cooler, reducing the load on your air conditioner and generator and making you more comfortable. In winter, it will retain heat, conserving propane and keeping you cozy. I have used this option in my RVs for many years with very satisfactory results. In fact, when I get new RV, it is one of the very first additions I make. I even use it in windows at home for room darkening and, in winter, to conserve heat. At first I just used auto windshield covers in my RV but now I buy Reflectix in bulk rolls. Auto windshield covers are good option, especially if can get them at good price. I sometimes find them at my local dollar store! Reflectix is heavier so it provides more insulation and being stiffer it stays in place better. It can be easily cut to fit any window. It rolls up for easy storage or you can lay the panels flat on a bed or slide them down behind the sofa. When I had a Class A with a pull-down bunk over the front seats, I found that was an excellent place to store the window panels during travel. When putting Reflectix in windows, for maximum benefit, don't push it up tight against the glass. You want to leave a little air space between the insulation and the glass. If the Reflectix is in contact with the glass heat could be conducted directly between the Reflectix and the glass. The insulation itself has an R-value just slightly greater than R1. Leaving some air space between the insulation and the glass can significantly boost the R-value. For comparison, the R-value of the 3" fiberglass insulation in your residence is R-13. Much of that insulating value comes from "dead air space" created by the insulation. So why not just leave the walls empty? Insulation almost eliminates convection that would draw heat from he inside of the walls as well as reducing heat transfer. Foam panels help keep heat out in summer and in in winter -- and function as privacy panels. I use foam inserts in all my windows year round, removing them only when I want to see out or open the window for ventilation. The reflective quality reflects heat (from the outside in summer and back into the living space in winter) beyond the insulation value. Reflectix can be used on RV windshields that are too big for auto sun shades or you can buy special RV windhshield sun screens that will cover that huge expanse. Since windshields are single thickness glass, even in new luxury motorhomes, blocking sunlight beating down through that huge expanse will make an immediate and significant difference in solar heating of your motorhome. You can often feel the difference as you put the shade in place.
Interior insulation panels. A reader of this blog suggested window insulation panels from Advanced Energy Panels. This is certainly an option worth looking into. They are custom made panels that essentially are internal storm windows, turning ordinary windows into something close to dual pane windows. Unlike Reflectix, they are clear so they don't block the view. Since they don't block sunlight, the won't be as helpful at keeping the interior cool in summer as Reflectix and won't control light intrusion or add privacy but might do a better job of keeping the heat in when you want it and out when you don't.
Most RV window frames are pretty well sealed but over time they may begin to get loose and develop drafts. Make sure all the mounting screws are tight and the butyl sealing tape around the frame is in good condition. The best solution to damaged sealing tape is to remove the window and re-seal it with fresh butyl tape but in a pinch you can seal windows with DAP or even silicone. Besides drafts, loose windows can allow rain or snow melt in too, so you want to always keep them tightly sealed. If you look closely, you'll find "weep holes" in the lower channel of RV windows. These are designed to allow condensation that drips from the windows to escape to the outside instead of overflowing and running down the inside walls. You might get a tiny draft through these openings, but well-placed Reflectix inserts will mitigate air flow. Even though it may be tempting to seal those weep holes to prevent dust and drafts from entering your RV, it really isn't a good idea. Without them condensation will drip into the channels and overflow down inside walls if it doesn't have anyplace else to go. Not only will this cause unsightly marks on the wall, it can create a damp environment that fosters dry rot, mold, and mildew.
OK, what about tent windows? Not sure that tent windows lose any more heat than tent walls since both are pretty thin. That being said, what can you do to reduce heat loss in your tent? First, if it has rain fly, make sure it is in good condition and properly installed. Some folks sew an additional "skirt" onto the rain fly so it comes almost all the way to the ground to help keep snow and cold air from blowing up under the fly in winter weather. If it doesn't have a rain fly, covering it with a tarp may help. Protecting the tent itself from direct exposure to the elements will minimize unwanted heat transfer. You might use Reflectix or a similar foam/bubble foil insulation inside your tent or between the tent and the rain fly to keep you warmer in winter and cooler in summer. It can be bulky to carry around so it isn't an option for back packing but you might find it useful when car camping. Using it under your sleeping bags can help keep you up off snow or frozen ground and having it all around you will reflect a lot of your body heat back instead of letting it leak out through the thin tent walls. Even though it is only a fraction of an inch thick, it is still many times thicker and provides many times more insulation than even the heaviest tent fabric. And, of course, make sure your windows and zippers are in good repair so they seal properly to keep out rain, snow, and drafts.
Stay comfortable!
Information on recreational vehicles (RVs) and Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs), Camping, Sailing, and Survival
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Care and Repair of Interior RV Doors
Interior RV doors, on closets, cabinets, and bathrooms, may require maintenance or repairs from time to time. For example, if you update the flooring in your RV or replace the carpet, bathroom and closet doors that cleared the original flooring might drag on the new material. The carpet in our Class A motorhome had been replaced shortly before we bought it but the owner had failed to trim the bathroom door. The door dragged on the carpet, leaving wear marks and making it somewhat harder than it should be to open and close the door. If you encounter a similar problem, it is a simple fix. Remove the door by taking out the screws that fasten the hinges to the wall. There will probably 2 or 3 hinges with a total of 4 to 6 screws. The screw heads might be Phillips #2 or clutch head (square drive). A proper tip in an electric drill/driver will make removal and re-installation much quicker and easier. You might want to have someone hold the door while you remove the screws so it doesn't fall on you or something else in the RV. If it comes loose unexpectedly it may split the frame where the remaining screws mount. You don't want any collateral damage. If the door isn't secured as you remove the screws it may twist the last hinge or rip the screws out of the wall. Depending on how tightly the door drags -- or how much higher your new flooring is than the old, mark the bottom of the door for how much needs to be cut off. If it is simply dragging on the carpet, 1/4 inch is probably about the right amount for your first cut. If it still drags you can always cut off more but if you cut off too much, you can't put it back! If you should cut off too much, it probably isn't a major catastrophe. A little extra ventilation at the bottom of a bathroom door is not necessarily a bad thing. It will allow more fresh air into the bathroom to vent moisture and odors. You may need some kind of shim or lever (or a helper) to hold the door in place while you reinstall the screws. If you don't want to cut the door, you may be able to raise it up by simply re-screwing the hinges higher on the wall where it mounts if it isn't already too close to the ceiling and doesn't fit inside the door frame. Many RV bathroom doors fit outside the door opening. I considered rising the door when fixing the bathroom door in my motorhome but was concerned that adding more screw holes so close to the originals might cause the wood to split since they would be so close to the old holes. Trimming the door is usually the best solution.
Cabinet door problems. The most common problem with cabinet doors is damaged catches so the door doesn't stay closed. Try to replace the worn/broken catch with the same style. On older RVs you may have trouble finding matching catches. If that happens, get the closest thing you can find at your local RV or hardware store. Any friction catch will probably do if it fits the door and cabinet. I haven't had good luck with magnetic catches on RV cabinets. They just don't provide a positive enough lock to keep doors from coming open on rough roads. Some cabinets with top hinged doors have pneumatic struts that help hold them open and closed. Sometimes the screws holding the struts will pull out. You can usually fix this problem by pushing a piece of wooden stick match or toothpick into the hole and replacing the screw. If that doesn't work, there are kits to repair holes for wood screws. They consist of a hand auger that hollows out the hole to accept a wooden cone. You glue the wooden cone in place and when the glue is dry, simply drill a pilot hole of the appropriate size in the cone and reinstall the screw. Broken or missing struts can be easily and inexpensively replaced. I think the last time I had to replace some, they came in a package of 2 for under $5. It takes only a few minutes to replace a strut using only common hand tools. If your RV doesn't have struts you might even want to add them if the cabinet doors are hinged at the top. The struts will hold the door open while you access the cabinet.
Broken or damaged doors can be difficult to match if you have to replace them. Depending on the location and type of damage, you may be able to clamp and glue the door back together. You might need to add steel brackets to reinforce damaged seams or corners. Put them on the inside, out of sight, if you can. If you have to replace a door and cannot find a matching replacement, go for something complementary or contrasting rather than a "close match". Minor variations in style or color will stand out, making the repair unsightly and possibly reducing potential resale value. If you can't match a door you are replacing, do something different with it. Put a framed mirror on it or cover it with a wall covering or picture or paneling. Or paint it a glossy solid color that complements your RV interior after it has been repaired. If you already have black appliances, a black door may blend in well. You might disguise small holes in doors using decorative covers or finding innovative ways to make use of the damage. You can often use ordinary crayons to fill small holes. I once installed a clock using an unwanted larger hole as the mounting hole for the center and the hands and adding plastic, stick-on numbers around the cabinet face. You can buy an inexpensive clock kit at just about any craft and hobby store. Sometimes, for cosmetic purposes, you might want to swap the broken door with another one of the same size and style in a less obvious location and put the unmatched replacement door in the less obtrusive spot.
Sticking or squeaking doors can sometimes be fixed by oiling the hinges. Using a dry lubricant or RV silicone lubricant will avoid messy drips and stains that might result from using regular oil. If lubrication doesn't work, the door is probably binding or dragging somewhere. If the door is binding somewhere you may have to adjust the hinges or catch to alleviate the problem. Bent or loose hinges may be the problem. If so, you might be able to remove the hinges and straighten them in a vice or on an anvil. If you can't straighten them so they operate smoothly you'll have to replace them. You might be able to get matching hinges from an RV store or a junk yard. If not, get the closest you can from your local hardware store or home center. Pay careful attention to the offset if the old hinges have one to make sure the door fits correctly. A correct offset is more important than cosmetic matching. You may able to paint unmatching hardware to make it look better. If a door is dragging on the carpet, remove the door and trim about 1/4" off the bottom or raise the door by unscrewing the hinges from the frame and re-installing them a bit higher. If you can't match the hardware, one option is to replace all the hardware on all the doors so its all the same.
Automatic lighting is a nice feature in many RV closets and even some cabinets. Over time, the wiring may become loose or the switches may wear out. Y u may be able to fix loose wiring connections by merely crimping the connectors gently with pliers and pushing them back on their proper terminals. Worn out switches can be replaced. Take care to match up functional part of the switches (e.g., how they mount, how they are operated by the door). Once installed you will have to adjust the switches to achieve proper operation. Since you can't see inside the closet when it is closed, you might need to have a child hide in the closet and monitor the light for you. If that isn't an option, try making it as dark as possible outside the closet (or check it at night) so you can look for light "leaking" around the edges of the door. Closet lights that don't go off can drain your house batteries surprisingly quickly. If your RV doesn't have automatic closet lighting you might be able to add it if you want. You'll need an appropriate source of 12 volt power -- both hot and ground wires, a light fixture, and a switch. The switch will be installed in the hot wire between the power source and the light. The ground connects directly to the light fixture. Use LED lights in closets whenever you can. They draw significantly less current and will be less likely to run down your batteries if accidentally left on.
Divider doors. Some RVs have divider doors to separate the bedroom from the rest of the coach. Sometimes these are "pocket doors" that slide into the wall. Sometimes they are folding doors. Folding doors may get sticky over time and will need to be cleaned and lubricated. I suggest a dry lubricant so you don't stain the door material or leave a residue that will collect dust. The ceiling track on which the doors slide is often the culprit when the doors get sticky. Clean the track thoroughly and apply a modest amount of dry lubricant. Inspect the track for damage and loose screws. Loose screws will interfere with the operation of the door and any bends or kinks or restrictions in the track will seriously inhibit movement. You might be able to remove a damaged track and straighten and smooth it so it works better. If that doesn't work, you may have to buy a new track. You can sometimes find a suitable replacement at your local hardware or home center. Damaged pocket doors can be a real pain in the neck (or about 2' lower!). If the door has come off its track and become jammed inside the wall, you will need to try to realign it enough to slide it open and attempt repairs . If the track inside the wall is loose or damaged, getting to it for repairs may be difficult or even impossible, depending on the design of surrounding walls. With luck and patience -- and the right tools -- you might be able to make repairs through the opening for the door. If that doesn't work you may have to open up the wall on at least one side of the door to fix it. Take care not to damage the paneling so you can reinstall it after the door is fixed. If your RV doesn't have divider doors and you need or want to separate spaces, you can probably add a folding door if there is sufficient support inside the walls and ceiling where you want to mount the door. You might want extra dividers to separate front and rear sleeping areas or to just close off the bedroom for extra privacy and to retain heat in colder weather. For a quick and easy alternative, install a curtain to provide additional privacy for the bedroom area. I'd use a spring-loaded, expandable curtain rod long enough to reach across the hallway and hang full length drapes from ceiling to floor. If you need to see out the rear window while driving, add one or more tie backs to hold the curtains open when they aren't needed. I once replaced a damaged heavy accordion fold door on a bathroom with an ordinary curtain when the weight of the original door ripped the track out of the ceiling.
Some damage is the result of improper installation of hooks or other accessories on a door. Once this happens you need to remove the offending items and repair the door as best you can -- or replace it. Then avoid a re-occurrence of the damage by avoiding improper installations. Over-the-door hangers often allow way to much weight to be placed on the door, warping the door itself, bending hinges, or pulling out the screws. These should be avoided. If you need a place to hang coats etc, find a stud in the wall to attach a coat hook to. If you attach hooks to the thin interior wallboard, remember that they will only be able to handle light loads and refrain from loading them down with heavy coats or using them as an anchor for a temporary closet rod. Improperly installed towel racks, spice racks, or trash bag holders on the inside of a cabinet door are another fairly common problem. Using screws that are too long can penetrate the outer surface of the door, creating an unsightly and potentially dangerous situation. Measure the thickness BEFORE you install an such items and make sure your screws won't go all the way through. Alignment of racks is also often misjudged. A misaligned rack can 'tweak' the door, sometimes bending hinges or stripping screws, sometimes even cracking the door itself. Make sure there is adequate clearance at the perimeters and inside the cabinet before installing any kind of racks on the inside or your doors. Then don't pile stuff in the cabinet that will get in the way of the rack when the door closes and don't overload the rack with heavy or bulky items.
Many of these maintenance and repair tips apply just as well to exterior compartment doors. In addition, you should check the weather seals regularly and replace any that are damaged. Weatherstripping comes in many different sizes and patterns. For best results try to match the original as closely as possible. If you can't find a matching pattern, self-adhesive foam weatherstripping available at home centers and hardware stores can usually be easily cut to size and will, at the very least, be a great improvement over missing or damaged seals.
As always an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Routinely inspect all the cabinet, closet, bathroom, and divider doors in your RV. Tighten any loose screws and replace worn or broken catches and hinges. If the screws have stripped out the wood, insert a wooden matchstick or toothpicks to fill the hole. Add a little wood glue to help keep them securely in place. You can also buy repair kits that include wooden cones and an auger to clean out and repair damaged screw holes. The hand held auger is used to ream out the hole, add a drop or two of glue, then tap a wooden cone in place. Let the glue dry thoroughly before reinstalling the screw. Lubricate hinges and door locks. Be gentle with your RV doors and teach your family and visitors to be gentle too. RV doors are usually much more fragile than residential doors. Travel inflicts a lot more vibration and torsion on cabinets and other doors than occurs in a fixed building, quickly aggravating and accelerating any damage that might be started by aggressive handling. Wind is a common source of damage to exterior doors, so keep a good grip on the handle when opening them in windy conditions.
Keep 'em swinging!
Cabinet door problems. The most common problem with cabinet doors is damaged catches so the door doesn't stay closed. Try to replace the worn/broken catch with the same style. On older RVs you may have trouble finding matching catches. If that happens, get the closest thing you can find at your local RV or hardware store. Any friction catch will probably do if it fits the door and cabinet. I haven't had good luck with magnetic catches on RV cabinets. They just don't provide a positive enough lock to keep doors from coming open on rough roads. Some cabinets with top hinged doors have pneumatic struts that help hold them open and closed. Sometimes the screws holding the struts will pull out. You can usually fix this problem by pushing a piece of wooden stick match or toothpick into the hole and replacing the screw. If that doesn't work, there are kits to repair holes for wood screws. They consist of a hand auger that hollows out the hole to accept a wooden cone. You glue the wooden cone in place and when the glue is dry, simply drill a pilot hole of the appropriate size in the cone and reinstall the screw. Broken or missing struts can be easily and inexpensively replaced. I think the last time I had to replace some, they came in a package of 2 for under $5. It takes only a few minutes to replace a strut using only common hand tools. If your RV doesn't have struts you might even want to add them if the cabinet doors are hinged at the top. The struts will hold the door open while you access the cabinet.
Broken or damaged doors can be difficult to match if you have to replace them. Depending on the location and type of damage, you may be able to clamp and glue the door back together. You might need to add steel brackets to reinforce damaged seams or corners. Put them on the inside, out of sight, if you can. If you have to replace a door and cannot find a matching replacement, go for something complementary or contrasting rather than a "close match". Minor variations in style or color will stand out, making the repair unsightly and possibly reducing potential resale value. If you can't match a door you are replacing, do something different with it. Put a framed mirror on it or cover it with a wall covering or picture or paneling. Or paint it a glossy solid color that complements your RV interior after it has been repaired. If you already have black appliances, a black door may blend in well. You might disguise small holes in doors using decorative covers or finding innovative ways to make use of the damage. You can often use ordinary crayons to fill small holes. I once installed a clock using an unwanted larger hole as the mounting hole for the center and the hands and adding plastic, stick-on numbers around the cabinet face. You can buy an inexpensive clock kit at just about any craft and hobby store. Sometimes, for cosmetic purposes, you might want to swap the broken door with another one of the same size and style in a less obvious location and put the unmatched replacement door in the less obtrusive spot.
Sticking or squeaking doors can sometimes be fixed by oiling the hinges. Using a dry lubricant or RV silicone lubricant will avoid messy drips and stains that might result from using regular oil. If lubrication doesn't work, the door is probably binding or dragging somewhere. If the door is binding somewhere you may have to adjust the hinges or catch to alleviate the problem. Bent or loose hinges may be the problem. If so, you might be able to remove the hinges and straighten them in a vice or on an anvil. If you can't straighten them so they operate smoothly you'll have to replace them. You might be able to get matching hinges from an RV store or a junk yard. If not, get the closest you can from your local hardware store or home center. Pay careful attention to the offset if the old hinges have one to make sure the door fits correctly. A correct offset is more important than cosmetic matching. You may able to paint unmatching hardware to make it look better. If a door is dragging on the carpet, remove the door and trim about 1/4" off the bottom or raise the door by unscrewing the hinges from the frame and re-installing them a bit higher. If you can't match the hardware, one option is to replace all the hardware on all the doors so its all the same.
Automatic lighting is a nice feature in many RV closets and even some cabinets. Over time, the wiring may become loose or the switches may wear out. Y u may be able to fix loose wiring connections by merely crimping the connectors gently with pliers and pushing them back on their proper terminals. Worn out switches can be replaced. Take care to match up functional part of the switches (e.g., how they mount, how they are operated by the door). Once installed you will have to adjust the switches to achieve proper operation. Since you can't see inside the closet when it is closed, you might need to have a child hide in the closet and monitor the light for you. If that isn't an option, try making it as dark as possible outside the closet (or check it at night) so you can look for light "leaking" around the edges of the door. Closet lights that don't go off can drain your house batteries surprisingly quickly. If your RV doesn't have automatic closet lighting you might be able to add it if you want. You'll need an appropriate source of 12 volt power -- both hot and ground wires, a light fixture, and a switch. The switch will be installed in the hot wire between the power source and the light. The ground connects directly to the light fixture. Use LED lights in closets whenever you can. They draw significantly less current and will be less likely to run down your batteries if accidentally left on.
Divider doors. Some RVs have divider doors to separate the bedroom from the rest of the coach. Sometimes these are "pocket doors" that slide into the wall. Sometimes they are folding doors. Folding doors may get sticky over time and will need to be cleaned and lubricated. I suggest a dry lubricant so you don't stain the door material or leave a residue that will collect dust. The ceiling track on which the doors slide is often the culprit when the doors get sticky. Clean the track thoroughly and apply a modest amount of dry lubricant. Inspect the track for damage and loose screws. Loose screws will interfere with the operation of the door and any bends or kinks or restrictions in the track will seriously inhibit movement. You might be able to remove a damaged track and straighten and smooth it so it works better. If that doesn't work, you may have to buy a new track. You can sometimes find a suitable replacement at your local hardware or home center. Damaged pocket doors can be a real pain in the neck (or about 2' lower!). If the door has come off its track and become jammed inside the wall, you will need to try to realign it enough to slide it open and attempt repairs . If the track inside the wall is loose or damaged, getting to it for repairs may be difficult or even impossible, depending on the design of surrounding walls. With luck and patience -- and the right tools -- you might be able to make repairs through the opening for the door. If that doesn't work you may have to open up the wall on at least one side of the door to fix it. Take care not to damage the paneling so you can reinstall it after the door is fixed. If your RV doesn't have divider doors and you need or want to separate spaces, you can probably add a folding door if there is sufficient support inside the walls and ceiling where you want to mount the door. You might want extra dividers to separate front and rear sleeping areas or to just close off the bedroom for extra privacy and to retain heat in colder weather. For a quick and easy alternative, install a curtain to provide additional privacy for the bedroom area. I'd use a spring-loaded, expandable curtain rod long enough to reach across the hallway and hang full length drapes from ceiling to floor. If you need to see out the rear window while driving, add one or more tie backs to hold the curtains open when they aren't needed. I once replaced a damaged heavy accordion fold door on a bathroom with an ordinary curtain when the weight of the original door ripped the track out of the ceiling.
Some damage is the result of improper installation of hooks or other accessories on a door. Once this happens you need to remove the offending items and repair the door as best you can -- or replace it. Then avoid a re-occurrence of the damage by avoiding improper installations. Over-the-door hangers often allow way to much weight to be placed on the door, warping the door itself, bending hinges, or pulling out the screws. These should be avoided. If you need a place to hang coats etc, find a stud in the wall to attach a coat hook to. If you attach hooks to the thin interior wallboard, remember that they will only be able to handle light loads and refrain from loading them down with heavy coats or using them as an anchor for a temporary closet rod. Improperly installed towel racks, spice racks, or trash bag holders on the inside of a cabinet door are another fairly common problem. Using screws that are too long can penetrate the outer surface of the door, creating an unsightly and potentially dangerous situation. Measure the thickness BEFORE you install an such items and make sure your screws won't go all the way through. Alignment of racks is also often misjudged. A misaligned rack can 'tweak' the door, sometimes bending hinges or stripping screws, sometimes even cracking the door itself. Make sure there is adequate clearance at the perimeters and inside the cabinet before installing any kind of racks on the inside or your doors. Then don't pile stuff in the cabinet that will get in the way of the rack when the door closes and don't overload the rack with heavy or bulky items.
Many of these maintenance and repair tips apply just as well to exterior compartment doors. In addition, you should check the weather seals regularly and replace any that are damaged. Weatherstripping comes in many different sizes and patterns. For best results try to match the original as closely as possible. If you can't find a matching pattern, self-adhesive foam weatherstripping available at home centers and hardware stores can usually be easily cut to size and will, at the very least, be a great improvement over missing or damaged seals.
As always an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Routinely inspect all the cabinet, closet, bathroom, and divider doors in your RV. Tighten any loose screws and replace worn or broken catches and hinges. If the screws have stripped out the wood, insert a wooden matchstick or toothpicks to fill the hole. Add a little wood glue to help keep them securely in place. You can also buy repair kits that include wooden cones and an auger to clean out and repair damaged screw holes. The hand held auger is used to ream out the hole, add a drop or two of glue, then tap a wooden cone in place. Let the glue dry thoroughly before reinstalling the screw. Lubricate hinges and door locks. Be gentle with your RV doors and teach your family and visitors to be gentle too. RV doors are usually much more fragile than residential doors. Travel inflicts a lot more vibration and torsion on cabinets and other doors than occurs in a fixed building, quickly aggravating and accelerating any damage that might be started by aggressive handling. Wind is a common source of damage to exterior doors, so keep a good grip on the handle when opening them in windy conditions.
Keep 'em swinging!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Repairing/Maintaining Vintage RVs
If you own an older "vintage" or orphaned RV, you may have found it difficult to get some parts for it. The good news is that many of the components and appliances in vintage RVs are commonly used in many makes, models, and years. If you need parts for your furnace, water heater, or range, check the make and model of the appliance. You can often still get parts for many older appliances through the manufacturer. Likewise for mechanical problems with the drive train or chassis. Some RVs have custom built chassis but most are built on a commercial truck or bus chassis. Chevrolet P-30 chassis are fairly common on older Class A motorhomes. So are Dodge and Ford chassis. Bigger luxury motorhomes may be built on heavy duty truck or bus chassis like Freightliner, White, or Gillig. Drive train components (engine, transmission, differential, brakes) are usually "off-the-shelf" brands like Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Cummins, and Caterpillar (for engines and sometimes the entire drive train). Allison transmissions are used in many brands of motorhomes and matched to many different engines. Be sure to check with the appropriate service centers for your chassis and engine/transmission.
You may find it financially attractive to purchase an older RV that needs work, especially if you have the skills and tools to fix it. Because there are so many late-model RVs at bargain prices, some older or damaged units may have to be really marked down in order to sell. Renovating an older RV can be a challenging but rewarding experience. There was an article in Motorhome magazine about a couple who restored a one-of-a-kind 1951 Prevost "Land Yacht". It took a lot of time, money (about 9 times its original cost when new), effort, and patience. As they said they "went through hell restoring it but the results are heavenly". Know what you're getting into and be certain you have the resources (time, tools, training, and/or money and qualified technicians) to do the necessary work. You don't want to dump a lot of time, effort, and money into something only to find out you can't finish it. They spent nearly10 times the Prevost's original cost rebuilding it.
Appliances and mechanical parts are often standard across many brands and often across several years. With that in mind you may be able find used parts from "donor" vehicles of about the same age as the one you're working on. Because of the light use many RVs get, used appliances and running gear components may actually have gotten little use and yield many more years of good service if you have to replace yours. You may find donor vehicles in junkyards or you may be able to buy one from a private party or as salvage from an insurance company. If you are seeking to restore rather than repair or recondition your vehicle, seek one as close to the year, make, and model as you can find. If you want to repair, recondition, renovate, or update your vehicle you might look for a newer model that may have upgraded appliances and features you can adapt.
Cosmetic parts for older machines are usually going to be harder to find than appliances or mechanical parts. If you're really lucky you may find a seller who has some NOS (New Old Stock) parts. Some distributors specialize in buying up and reselling obsolete inventory. If you can't find the NOS items you need, you may have to settle for good used parts. Google "vintage RV parts" to find possible sources for both NOS and used RV parts. There are several web sites and dealers who specialize in vintage trailer and RV parts. Of course you can always try ebay and craigslist as well as search your local classified ads and local junk yards. There are junk yards that specialize in RVs but you might find a few RVs in your regular junk yard. I like to browse through the "pull it yourself" junk yards and see what they have. I seldom find a particular RV part I need when I go looking for one, but I often find other items of interest to add to my own personal inventory for future projects. I once picked up a furnace from a camper in a "Pick A Part" yard for $25! It was perfect for my 1972 Journeyman Smuggler toyhauler.
Finding major body parts for older RVs could be a problem. Manufacturers generally don't have parts for models more than 10 years old and finding usable parts in a junk yard may be difficult. Fortunately, a lot of cosmetic damage can usually be repaired by a competent body shop. Should you shatter the fiberglass "front cap" of an older motorhome, it may be impossible to repair or replace. That's when having full insurance coverage could come in handy. If it can't be repaired or the cost of repairs exceeds the "blue book" value, it would be declared a total loss and you'd be paid the book value so you could try to find a replacement. Of course the book value doesn't take into consideration things like the thousands of dollars you may have invested, in, for example, a replacement engine or other upgrades. And, if your vehicle is unique or somewhat rare, finding a replacement may be impossible.
Replacing or upgrading some components may be an option if you can't find matching parts. Appliances, plumbing fixtures, and holding tanks are the most common candidates for replacement. Getting an exact replacement may not be possible. Designs and sizes change over the years. Try to match the size and configuration as closely as possible. Consider any gas, electrical, or plumbing connections or fresh air vents and try to get a new unit that can be easily adapted to the configuration of your RV. In some cases you may have to modify cabinets, wiring, or plumbing in your RV to accommodate the new unit. If your goal is an accurate restoration you will need to match original equipment and fixtures as closely as possible. If you merely want to make the unit usable you can go with modern replacements that may be more efficient or more powerful that their original counterparts.
Exterior components on vintage RVs can be difficult to find replacements for. Some units made use of lights, bumpers, grills, etc. from the chassis manufacturer and that helps. But if you need to replace outdated exterior paneling, you'll be at the mercy of the NOS and used market. Or you may have to resort to a bigger renovation than you had planned. Sometimes it is possible to achieve satisfactory results by replacing and entire panel instead of patching it. That may lead to replacing all the panels to get truly appealing results, so be cautious when using this approach. I've seen several acceptable repairs done by installing a common household furnace vent over the damaged area and painted to match the RV to disguise the unsightly tear in a damaged exterior panel. Taillights for older units can be hard to find, but, unless you are doing an authentic restoration, you can often replace them with modern units and gain the benefits of LED lights. Match them as closely as possible to the originals so they cover the site of the old installation for the best cosmetic repair.
Custom manufacturing of replacement parts will probably be cost-prohibitive for most people but is sometimes a possibility. Sometimes damaged fiberglass parts, like front or rear end caps, shower pans, and bath tubs, can be custom made when OEM replacements are not available. Unless the supplier already has jigs or molds for your particular make and model, expect to pay the cost of building them in addition to the cost of making your parts. That is one reason custom made replacements are so expensive. Metal parts can sometimes be recreated by your local machine shop. Here again, expect to pay premium prices for custom work. Although custom made replacements can be expensive, they might allow you to salvage a vintage RV that otherwise you'd have to scrap. Consider the over all repair costs versus writing off the RV and buying another one. If you particularly like your vintage RV or it has some valuable history, it may be worth investing in custom made replacement parts. There are companies that can fabricate entire front and rear fiberglass caps. If you don't find it feasible or attractive to make the repairs, consider selling it as a donor vehicle to someone else with a similar unit who may be able to salvage some parts of your rig.
Decals, emblems and stripes are often the first things to deteriorate on older RVs and finding OEM replacements may be difficult if not impossible. Straight stripes can often be rejuvenated using vinyl striping tape available in a wide variety of widths and colors. Graphic images will be tougher to find but you might be able to have them custom made at a sign shop if you can come up with a digital photo of what it should look like. I've heard of people who cast their own aluminum letters to replace missing parts of the name plate on a classic RV but that is beyond the scope of what most of us can do without professional help. Standard striping tape is fairly inexpensive. Custom made decals are going to cost a bit more and getting custom made graphics to replace the giant swirls on some RVs is going to be quite expensive. An alternative is to hand paint the damage stripes and graphics -- if you have the talent for that. If you are going for a restoration you'll want to match everything as close as possible but for repairs or just a renovation to improve looks you can choose paint and/or graphics to meet your personal taste. When I needed some striping tape for a restoration project I was able to find an exact match in color and width readily available from a graphic/sign company at a reasonable price. A proprietary brand decal was badly faded on one side of the RV but the one on the other side was in pretty good shape. I was able to take a digital photo of good one and have a sign shop create a new one to replace the damaged one on the other side. You might be able to find a rig similar to yours from which you could get photos of hard to find decals and have them custom made. When the lettering for the brand name was badly cracked and faded on an older motorhome my wife hand painted it to restore its original appearance. We bought a can of spray paint in a color as close to the original as possible. Then she sprayed a little paint into the cap and used water color brushes to paint over the cracked and faded letters.
Tin Can Tourists is a nationwide organization of vintage RV fans. If you have a vintage RV or an interest in vintage RVs, they are a good place to find people with like interests and get advice on the care and feeding of your vintage RV. Their web site includes photo galleries, classified ads, and forums where you can post questions or share information. Restoration implies using OEM or equivalent parts and making your rig as close to its original factory condition as possible. Repair means fixing things so your vehicle is usable and attractive and exact matches are not as important as they are in restoration. Why would you want to invest in restoration instead of simple repair? Well, if you have a unique vehicle, restoration will help maintain resale value if you are decide to sell it. If you plan to keep the vehicle and use it and your goal is usability, simple, attractive repairs or replacements are acceptable -- and often less expensive. For example, replacing OEM tail lights and clearance markers can be difficult or even impossible to find for some older units but you can obtain current lights at reasonable prices. If the new fixtures are smaller than the originals you may need to buff out or repaint the area around the fixture to eliminate the "shadow" of the original fixture for a good looking installation. If you have to replace fixtures, try to match the original size and shape as closely as possible. You won't have to worry too much about the "shadow" if you're planning to repaint the unit.
If you have a particularly unique RV, you may want to keep an eye out for backup vehicles to serve as spare parts donors for yours. If you're lucky, you may find candidates that are being retired but still have usable parts on them. One such motorhome that comes to mind is the Corvair Ultravan. These are unique Corvair powered motorhomes. Only a limited number of them were made (about 400) and often anyone who has one (it is estimated about 100 of them are still on the road) intends to restore it so you might have trouble talking the owner out of one. Airstream trailers have been popular forever and there is a large following of vintage Airstream owners. Sometimes you can hook up with an RV club for your brand. These clubs are often a good source for parts and technical tips. If you're in the market for a donor vehicle, make sure you research availability. You may need to be prepared to act quickly and decisively if/when a candidate comes on the market. If you can't find a matching vehicle, you may be able to locate vehicles from the same era that have compatible appliances and other useable components. It may not be possible to find an exact match to use for a donor vehicle but you can often salvage appliances and some other vintage parts from just about any RV from the same period. Appliances within a year or two either way are usually pretty good matches.
Routine maintenance is particularly important on older vehicles. You want to catch any needed repairs as quickly as possible to minimize the extent of the damage and the difficulty and expense of fixing them. Do lube and oil changes religiously. You might want to consider using one of the special engine oils designed for older vehicles. Check frequently for any signs of water intrusion and re-seal the offending opening as quickly as possible. Keep appliances clean and properly adjusted. The sooner you can find and fix any problems, the less likely they are to get worse and more costly.
Fix it up!
You may find it financially attractive to purchase an older RV that needs work, especially if you have the skills and tools to fix it. Because there are so many late-model RVs at bargain prices, some older or damaged units may have to be really marked down in order to sell. Renovating an older RV can be a challenging but rewarding experience. There was an article in Motorhome magazine about a couple who restored a one-of-a-kind 1951 Prevost "Land Yacht". It took a lot of time, money (about 9 times its original cost when new), effort, and patience. As they said they "went through hell restoring it but the results are heavenly". Know what you're getting into and be certain you have the resources (time, tools, training, and/or money and qualified technicians) to do the necessary work. You don't want to dump a lot of time, effort, and money into something only to find out you can't finish it. They spent nearly10 times the Prevost's original cost rebuilding it.
Appliances and mechanical parts are often standard across many brands and often across several years. With that in mind you may be able find used parts from "donor" vehicles of about the same age as the one you're working on. Because of the light use many RVs get, used appliances and running gear components may actually have gotten little use and yield many more years of good service if you have to replace yours. You may find donor vehicles in junkyards or you may be able to buy one from a private party or as salvage from an insurance company. If you are seeking to restore rather than repair or recondition your vehicle, seek one as close to the year, make, and model as you can find. If you want to repair, recondition, renovate, or update your vehicle you might look for a newer model that may have upgraded appliances and features you can adapt.
Cosmetic parts for older machines are usually going to be harder to find than appliances or mechanical parts. If you're really lucky you may find a seller who has some NOS (New Old Stock) parts. Some distributors specialize in buying up and reselling obsolete inventory. If you can't find the NOS items you need, you may have to settle for good used parts. Google "vintage RV parts" to find possible sources for both NOS and used RV parts. There are several web sites and dealers who specialize in vintage trailer and RV parts. Of course you can always try ebay and craigslist as well as search your local classified ads and local junk yards. There are junk yards that specialize in RVs but you might find a few RVs in your regular junk yard. I like to browse through the "pull it yourself" junk yards and see what they have. I seldom find a particular RV part I need when I go looking for one, but I often find other items of interest to add to my own personal inventory for future projects. I once picked up a furnace from a camper in a "Pick A Part" yard for $25! It was perfect for my 1972 Journeyman Smuggler toyhauler.
Finding major body parts for older RVs could be a problem. Manufacturers generally don't have parts for models more than 10 years old and finding usable parts in a junk yard may be difficult. Fortunately, a lot of cosmetic damage can usually be repaired by a competent body shop. Should you shatter the fiberglass "front cap" of an older motorhome, it may be impossible to repair or replace. That's when having full insurance coverage could come in handy. If it can't be repaired or the cost of repairs exceeds the "blue book" value, it would be declared a total loss and you'd be paid the book value so you could try to find a replacement. Of course the book value doesn't take into consideration things like the thousands of dollars you may have invested, in, for example, a replacement engine or other upgrades. And, if your vehicle is unique or somewhat rare, finding a replacement may be impossible.
Replacing or upgrading some components may be an option if you can't find matching parts. Appliances, plumbing fixtures, and holding tanks are the most common candidates for replacement. Getting an exact replacement may not be possible. Designs and sizes change over the years. Try to match the size and configuration as closely as possible. Consider any gas, electrical, or plumbing connections or fresh air vents and try to get a new unit that can be easily adapted to the configuration of your RV. In some cases you may have to modify cabinets, wiring, or plumbing in your RV to accommodate the new unit. If your goal is an accurate restoration you will need to match original equipment and fixtures as closely as possible. If you merely want to make the unit usable you can go with modern replacements that may be more efficient or more powerful that their original counterparts.
Exterior components on vintage RVs can be difficult to find replacements for. Some units made use of lights, bumpers, grills, etc. from the chassis manufacturer and that helps. But if you need to replace outdated exterior paneling, you'll be at the mercy of the NOS and used market. Or you may have to resort to a bigger renovation than you had planned. Sometimes it is possible to achieve satisfactory results by replacing and entire panel instead of patching it. That may lead to replacing all the panels to get truly appealing results, so be cautious when using this approach. I've seen several acceptable repairs done by installing a common household furnace vent over the damaged area and painted to match the RV to disguise the unsightly tear in a damaged exterior panel. Taillights for older units can be hard to find, but, unless you are doing an authentic restoration, you can often replace them with modern units and gain the benefits of LED lights. Match them as closely as possible to the originals so they cover the site of the old installation for the best cosmetic repair.
Custom manufacturing of replacement parts will probably be cost-prohibitive for most people but is sometimes a possibility. Sometimes damaged fiberglass parts, like front or rear end caps, shower pans, and bath tubs, can be custom made when OEM replacements are not available. Unless the supplier already has jigs or molds for your particular make and model, expect to pay the cost of building them in addition to the cost of making your parts. That is one reason custom made replacements are so expensive. Metal parts can sometimes be recreated by your local machine shop. Here again, expect to pay premium prices for custom work. Although custom made replacements can be expensive, they might allow you to salvage a vintage RV that otherwise you'd have to scrap. Consider the over all repair costs versus writing off the RV and buying another one. If you particularly like your vintage RV or it has some valuable history, it may be worth investing in custom made replacement parts. There are companies that can fabricate entire front and rear fiberglass caps. If you don't find it feasible or attractive to make the repairs, consider selling it as a donor vehicle to someone else with a similar unit who may be able to salvage some parts of your rig.
Decals, emblems and stripes are often the first things to deteriorate on older RVs and finding OEM replacements may be difficult if not impossible. Straight stripes can often be rejuvenated using vinyl striping tape available in a wide variety of widths and colors. Graphic images will be tougher to find but you might be able to have them custom made at a sign shop if you can come up with a digital photo of what it should look like. I've heard of people who cast their own aluminum letters to replace missing parts of the name plate on a classic RV but that is beyond the scope of what most of us can do without professional help. Standard striping tape is fairly inexpensive. Custom made decals are going to cost a bit more and getting custom made graphics to replace the giant swirls on some RVs is going to be quite expensive. An alternative is to hand paint the damage stripes and graphics -- if you have the talent for that. If you are going for a restoration you'll want to match everything as close as possible but for repairs or just a renovation to improve looks you can choose paint and/or graphics to meet your personal taste. When I needed some striping tape for a restoration project I was able to find an exact match in color and width readily available from a graphic/sign company at a reasonable price. A proprietary brand decal was badly faded on one side of the RV but the one on the other side was in pretty good shape. I was able to take a digital photo of good one and have a sign shop create a new one to replace the damaged one on the other side. You might be able to find a rig similar to yours from which you could get photos of hard to find decals and have them custom made. When the lettering for the brand name was badly cracked and faded on an older motorhome my wife hand painted it to restore its original appearance. We bought a can of spray paint in a color as close to the original as possible. Then she sprayed a little paint into the cap and used water color brushes to paint over the cracked and faded letters.
Tin Can Tourists is a nationwide organization of vintage RV fans. If you have a vintage RV or an interest in vintage RVs, they are a good place to find people with like interests and get advice on the care and feeding of your vintage RV. Their web site includes photo galleries, classified ads, and forums where you can post questions or share information. Restoration implies using OEM or equivalent parts and making your rig as close to its original factory condition as possible. Repair means fixing things so your vehicle is usable and attractive and exact matches are not as important as they are in restoration. Why would you want to invest in restoration instead of simple repair? Well, if you have a unique vehicle, restoration will help maintain resale value if you are decide to sell it. If you plan to keep the vehicle and use it and your goal is usability, simple, attractive repairs or replacements are acceptable -- and often less expensive. For example, replacing OEM tail lights and clearance markers can be difficult or even impossible to find for some older units but you can obtain current lights at reasonable prices. If the new fixtures are smaller than the originals you may need to buff out or repaint the area around the fixture to eliminate the "shadow" of the original fixture for a good looking installation. If you have to replace fixtures, try to match the original size and shape as closely as possible. You won't have to worry too much about the "shadow" if you're planning to repaint the unit.
If you have a particularly unique RV, you may want to keep an eye out for backup vehicles to serve as spare parts donors for yours. If you're lucky, you may find candidates that are being retired but still have usable parts on them. One such motorhome that comes to mind is the Corvair Ultravan. These are unique Corvair powered motorhomes. Only a limited number of them were made (about 400) and often anyone who has one (it is estimated about 100 of them are still on the road) intends to restore it so you might have trouble talking the owner out of one. Airstream trailers have been popular forever and there is a large following of vintage Airstream owners. Sometimes you can hook up with an RV club for your brand. These clubs are often a good source for parts and technical tips. If you're in the market for a donor vehicle, make sure you research availability. You may need to be prepared to act quickly and decisively if/when a candidate comes on the market. If you can't find a matching vehicle, you may be able to locate vehicles from the same era that have compatible appliances and other useable components. It may not be possible to find an exact match to use for a donor vehicle but you can often salvage appliances and some other vintage parts from just about any RV from the same period. Appliances within a year or two either way are usually pretty good matches.
Routine maintenance is particularly important on older vehicles. You want to catch any needed repairs as quickly as possible to minimize the extent of the damage and the difficulty and expense of fixing them. Do lube and oil changes religiously. You might want to consider using one of the special engine oils designed for older vehicles. Check frequently for any signs of water intrusion and re-seal the offending opening as quickly as possible. Keep appliances clean and properly adjusted. The sooner you can find and fix any problems, the less likely they are to get worse and more costly.
Fix it up!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Installing a Holding Tank Flush System
A holding tank flush system makes rinsing your holding tanks a whole lot easier and more sanitary than other methods. Old style methods include back flushing clean water through the dump hose, inserting a wand down the toilet to flush the black water tank, and back-flushing devices that are built in to special dump hose connectors. Each of these methods often exposes you to unpleasant and unsanitary back spray and there is no way to tell how well the tanks are being cleaned on the inside. Short of completely refilling your holding tank with clean water, none of the methods mentioned will rinse the whole inside of your holding tanks. Flush systems are designed to spray the entire inside of the tank and, when properly installed, have no back-splash or even leakage of clean water.
Many late model RVs have flush systems already installed as standard equipment. If you have an older RV or any RV that does not, they can usually be installed fairly easily. If your RV has enclosed holding tanks, the installation will be a little more difficult but is still usually possible. Sometimes you may have difficulty finding room for the fittings or for the tools needed to install them. Once installed you need only connect the male end of a garden hose to the female flush fitting on the side of the RV to send a cleansing spray into your holding tanks. Continue flushing until the water running from the dump hose is clear. The black water tank is the most important place for a flush system but using one on the gray water tank will help minimize the possibility of odors from left over food deposits from the kitchen sink.
For many years I used a wand inserted through the toilet to flush my black water tank. This method is fairly effective and the wands are not expensive. The biggest drawback I found was if my aim was off I'd get nasty splash back up in the face! Wands have a directed stream to hydraulically scrub the inside of the tank. If you don't get the wand far enough down inside the toilet before turning it on it splashes back up at you with surprising force. Always have a shutoff where the hose connects to the wand so you can turn it off to bring it in and out of the RV and turn it on once you've inserted it deep down in the toilet. Flushing systems are installed in the side of the tank with wide-angle spray heads that are intended to shower the entire inside of the tank to flush away residue and debris without any back splash on the user. They operate inside the tank with the toilet valve closed so there is no back spray anywhere.
If you want to install a flush system on your RV, you need to do a little planning even before you purchase the installation kit. Inspect the holding tanks to be sure there is access to make the installation. Consider not only whether there is a spot on the tank to install the nozzle, but whether there is room for the plumbing and for the tools necessary to install it. You need room to drill 1" inch holes in each tank (plus pilot holes for the mounting screws) and to run the hoses from the nozzles to a convenience location on the side of your RV where you will install the connector. The connector is the same kind that is used for your city water hook up: a female hose connector in a recessed mounting. It is a good idea to label the flush system so someone doesn't accidentally connect your fresh water hose to it. Measure the distance from where you are going to install the nozzles to where you will install the connectors so you know how much hose you will need. I usually buy a 25' length of 5/8 garden hose plus male and female connectors. That way I can make hoses to connect to the gray and black water tanks. I like to use a "Y" with shut offs between the outside connector and the holding tanks so I can flush each one separately from the same connection. With that in mind, you may need two sets of male and female connectors so you can make up three hoses: one from the outside connector to the "Y", one from the "Y" to the gray water tank, and one from "Y" to the black water tank. The outside connector should be installed near the dump valves where it will be convenient for you to use. If your dump valves are in a cabinet, install the hoses so the "Y" connector is accessible in the cabinet. If your valves simply hang down under your RV, run the hoses so the "Y" connector is near the dump valves and convenient for you to reach when switching from one tank to the other when dumping. If access is difficult you may want to take your RV to a qualified RV technician for installation. They may have tricks and tools to make it work. Enclosed tanks may required removal of access panels or body parts to facilitate installation and that is often best left to experienced professionals. If there isn't anyplace to install a "Y" where you can access it you may have to install separate female connectors for each tank.
Your installation kit will come with easy, detailed instructions. Follow the instructions carefully for proper installation. You will need to drill a hole about 1" in diameter in about the middle of each tank. Center it top to bottom and end to end, preferably in the long side. The nozzle will be inserted in the hole and is usually attached with 3 self-tapping screws. You may be advised to drill pilot holes for the screws. Make sure to install any required gaskets and use appropriate sealant to ensure a leak-free installation. The fittings on the nozzle are usually ordinary hose fittings. You may have to add one on the back side of the inlet. You will need to drill a hole in the side of your RV to install the water inlet. Make sure there is enough room behind the wall to attach the hose. Sometimes it may be more convenient to install the inlet in the rear instead of a side wall. The flange can be attached with self-tapping screws or pop-rivets. You should use some of the same butyl tape (some times called "dum dum tape) that is used to install windows and vents to seal the flange to the RV body. some folks like to use silicone for an additional seal around the fitting, but if the butyl tape and the fitting are properly installed it shouldn't be necessary. If you can position the lines from the inlet to the tanks so that you can install a "Y" connector with shutoffs to direct the flow from one tank to the other you will need only one inlet. If you can't find a place where you can reach the shutoffs, you can either just run water into both tanks at once after dumping them or install separate inlets so you can rinse each tank individually. Without access to the shutoffs you will want to dump both tanks completely, then close the gray water valve while flushing the black water tank, then close the black water valve and flush the gray water tank. Don't flush the gray water tank TOO long or you will have a lot of water in the black water tank. Since it is often suggested you should put about 1" of water in the black water tank when adding chemicals, letting some water accumulate while flushing the gray water tank is acceptable and perhaps even desirable. However, anytime both valves are open at the same time on a system with one dump port, there is a chance of cross contamination -- you could end up with residual sewage from the black water tank in the gray water tank. Definitely not a good thing!
Once everything is hooked up you're ready for easy, sanitary rinsing of your holding tanks. Connect a garden hose from a faucet to the flush inlet. Do NOT use your potable water hose! Make sure the on/off settings on your "Y" connector are set properly to direct water to the tank you are going to dump and flush. Turn on the faucet and open the dump valve. Allow the tank to drain until clear water flows from the dump hose. Then switch to the second tank and repeat. When you're all done, turn off the faucet and disconnect the hose. Don't run the flush system with the valves closed or you will risk pressurizing the tank and damaging the plumbing or forcing sewage back up into the unit.
What if there isn't room or access to install a holding tank flush system? In the first place, you can always resort to flushing the black water tank using a wand connected to a garden hose and inserted through the toilet. Another fairly inexpensive and easy solution is to purchase a back flush adapter. This is a connector that installs between your dump valve and dump hose and allows you to connect a garden hose to back flush the holding tanks. They are usually made of clear plastic so you can monitor the flow as your tanks are dumped and rinsed. These can be used to back flush both the gray water and black water tanks. They should come with an anti-siphon valve to install on the garden hose to avoid any chance of getting sewage into fresh water system. They won't deliver the powerful rinsing that directly plumbed internal flushing systems will, but they generally provide enough flushing to clean tanks and prevent odors. They usually have a control valve attached to the hose connection that lets you direct the spray alternately back into the tank or down into the hose for final rinsing.
Pleasant flushing!
Many late model RVs have flush systems already installed as standard equipment. If you have an older RV or any RV that does not, they can usually be installed fairly easily. If your RV has enclosed holding tanks, the installation will be a little more difficult but is still usually possible. Sometimes you may have difficulty finding room for the fittings or for the tools needed to install them. Once installed you need only connect the male end of a garden hose to the female flush fitting on the side of the RV to send a cleansing spray into your holding tanks. Continue flushing until the water running from the dump hose is clear. The black water tank is the most important place for a flush system but using one on the gray water tank will help minimize the possibility of odors from left over food deposits from the kitchen sink.
For many years I used a wand inserted through the toilet to flush my black water tank. This method is fairly effective and the wands are not expensive. The biggest drawback I found was if my aim was off I'd get nasty splash back up in the face! Wands have a directed stream to hydraulically scrub the inside of the tank. If you don't get the wand far enough down inside the toilet before turning it on it splashes back up at you with surprising force. Always have a shutoff where the hose connects to the wand so you can turn it off to bring it in and out of the RV and turn it on once you've inserted it deep down in the toilet. Flushing systems are installed in the side of the tank with wide-angle spray heads that are intended to shower the entire inside of the tank to flush away residue and debris without any back splash on the user. They operate inside the tank with the toilet valve closed so there is no back spray anywhere.
If you want to install a flush system on your RV, you need to do a little planning even before you purchase the installation kit. Inspect the holding tanks to be sure there is access to make the installation. Consider not only whether there is a spot on the tank to install the nozzle, but whether there is room for the plumbing and for the tools necessary to install it. You need room to drill 1" inch holes in each tank (plus pilot holes for the mounting screws) and to run the hoses from the nozzles to a convenience location on the side of your RV where you will install the connector. The connector is the same kind that is used for your city water hook up: a female hose connector in a recessed mounting. It is a good idea to label the flush system so someone doesn't accidentally connect your fresh water hose to it. Measure the distance from where you are going to install the nozzles to where you will install the connectors so you know how much hose you will need. I usually buy a 25' length of 5/8 garden hose plus male and female connectors. That way I can make hoses to connect to the gray and black water tanks. I like to use a "Y" with shut offs between the outside connector and the holding tanks so I can flush each one separately from the same connection. With that in mind, you may need two sets of male and female connectors so you can make up three hoses: one from the outside connector to the "Y", one from the "Y" to the gray water tank, and one from "Y" to the black water tank. The outside connector should be installed near the dump valves where it will be convenient for you to use. If your dump valves are in a cabinet, install the hoses so the "Y" connector is accessible in the cabinet. If your valves simply hang down under your RV, run the hoses so the "Y" connector is near the dump valves and convenient for you to reach when switching from one tank to the other when dumping. If access is difficult you may want to take your RV to a qualified RV technician for installation. They may have tricks and tools to make it work. Enclosed tanks may required removal of access panels or body parts to facilitate installation and that is often best left to experienced professionals. If there isn't anyplace to install a "Y" where you can access it you may have to install separate female connectors for each tank.
Your installation kit will come with easy, detailed instructions. Follow the instructions carefully for proper installation. You will need to drill a hole about 1" in diameter in about the middle of each tank. Center it top to bottom and end to end, preferably in the long side. The nozzle will be inserted in the hole and is usually attached with 3 self-tapping screws. You may be advised to drill pilot holes for the screws. Make sure to install any required gaskets and use appropriate sealant to ensure a leak-free installation. The fittings on the nozzle are usually ordinary hose fittings. You may have to add one on the back side of the inlet. You will need to drill a hole in the side of your RV to install the water inlet. Make sure there is enough room behind the wall to attach the hose. Sometimes it may be more convenient to install the inlet in the rear instead of a side wall. The flange can be attached with self-tapping screws or pop-rivets. You should use some of the same butyl tape (some times called "dum dum tape) that is used to install windows and vents to seal the flange to the RV body. some folks like to use silicone for an additional seal around the fitting, but if the butyl tape and the fitting are properly installed it shouldn't be necessary. If you can position the lines from the inlet to the tanks so that you can install a "Y" connector with shutoffs to direct the flow from one tank to the other you will need only one inlet. If you can't find a place where you can reach the shutoffs, you can either just run water into both tanks at once after dumping them or install separate inlets so you can rinse each tank individually. Without access to the shutoffs you will want to dump both tanks completely, then close the gray water valve while flushing the black water tank, then close the black water valve and flush the gray water tank. Don't flush the gray water tank TOO long or you will have a lot of water in the black water tank. Since it is often suggested you should put about 1" of water in the black water tank when adding chemicals, letting some water accumulate while flushing the gray water tank is acceptable and perhaps even desirable. However, anytime both valves are open at the same time on a system with one dump port, there is a chance of cross contamination -- you could end up with residual sewage from the black water tank in the gray water tank. Definitely not a good thing!
Once everything is hooked up you're ready for easy, sanitary rinsing of your holding tanks. Connect a garden hose from a faucet to the flush inlet. Do NOT use your potable water hose! Make sure the on/off settings on your "Y" connector are set properly to direct water to the tank you are going to dump and flush. Turn on the faucet and open the dump valve. Allow the tank to drain until clear water flows from the dump hose. Then switch to the second tank and repeat. When you're all done, turn off the faucet and disconnect the hose. Don't run the flush system with the valves closed or you will risk pressurizing the tank and damaging the plumbing or forcing sewage back up into the unit.
What if there isn't room or access to install a holding tank flush system? In the first place, you can always resort to flushing the black water tank using a wand connected to a garden hose and inserted through the toilet. Another fairly inexpensive and easy solution is to purchase a back flush adapter. This is a connector that installs between your dump valve and dump hose and allows you to connect a garden hose to back flush the holding tanks. They are usually made of clear plastic so you can monitor the flow as your tanks are dumped and rinsed. These can be used to back flush both the gray water and black water tanks. They should come with an anti-siphon valve to install on the garden hose to avoid any chance of getting sewage into fresh water system. They won't deliver the powerful rinsing that directly plumbed internal flushing systems will, but they generally provide enough flushing to clean tanks and prevent odors. They usually have a control valve attached to the hose connection that lets you direct the spray alternately back into the tank or down into the hose for final rinsing.
Pleasant flushing!
Friday, September 14, 2012
Extended Living In Your RV
So, how does "living in your RV" differ from just camping in it? We soon learned there ARE differences between a weekend or vacation outing and "living" in it full time when we spent a summer working at a resort and living in our motorhome and again when we lived in our RV for 6 months between when we sold our home and closed escrow on a replacement. When you're on a short-term outing you can often let things go and catch up on them when you get home. Things like laundry, dishes, and routine housekeeping can be and often are put off for a while without TOO much impact on a short trip. Of course you should keep up with those things when you're camping too, but they become more critical when you're living in your RV for an extended period of time. On camping trips you can usually just toss your laundry into a bag to be done when you get home. When you're living in your RV for a longer period of time, you'll need to find a way to clean your clothes. Meals are another issue that requires special attention when you're living in your RV for an extended period of time. You have to work out a blend of camping and home menus and shopping plans. Lacking the storage space you have it home, you can't hit Costco and stock up on things like you might at home. Getting the right balance of how much to buy depends on your personal tastes and consumption habits together with access to shopping and available storage. If its a long way to the store you'll want to stock up to avoid excess driving if you have room for supplies.
There is a whole sub-culture of "full-timers", folks who live in their RVs year round. There are also work campers who may live in theirs for a season or two while working at a campground. My wife and I spent most of one summer working at an ATV resort in southern Utah and living in our 1986 Holiday Rambler Imperial Limited 38. We soon learned there ARE differences between a weekend or vacation outing and living in your RV. Living in your RV means adapting both camping and residential lifestyles to be successful and comfortable.
There are plenty of "Full Timer" seminars offered by RV clubs and industry organizations. Some community colleges also offer courses. I won't attempt to cover everything you would learn in these courses in this blog. If you are planning to go "Full Timing", take advantage of one or more commercial courses to learn how to adequately prepare for your new lifestyle. The decision to become a full-timer is a significant one and you'll want to explore ALL the ramifications, from what to do with your belongings, to mail, banking, and health services while on the road.
Our vintage motorhome is equipped with a stacked washer and dryer, but due to infrequent use during previous years, neither was working satisfactorily during our summer work time. The faucet that supplied hot water had frozen during the previous Utah winter (due to, I admit it, my failure to properly winterize the supply lines to the washing machine). I was unable to locate suitable replacement parts at the local hardware store. Fortunately I could still shut the faucet off and continue to use the rest of the fresh water system. The dryer ran, but due to years of disuse, the rollers were flattened and it sounded like it was filled with tennis shoes whenever it was turned on. If you are planning to live in your RV and take advantage of all its facilities, be sure to test everything BEFORE you leave home. I hadn't planned on using the washer and dryer so I had not checked them out before I left, but once I was there I found reasons to want to use them (like when my work clothes got soaked in the rain) -- and was disappointed when I discovered the problems and by then replacement parts were not readily available anywhere near the resort. I've read recommendations by RV technicians that you run the washer and dryer about once a month, even if your RV is in storage, to keep them working properly. Extended periods of non-use result in premature and often expensive failures of both units.
Living in your RV for an extended time will be different than spending a weekend or even a summer vacation in one. When you're on any kind of short term outing, you will have a tendency to let things go and take care of them when you get home. Laundry and extra dirty dishes usually top the list of things brought home to be handled later. This won't be an option during extended stays. If you don't have laundry facilities in your RV you will need to seek alternatives: coin op laundromats, campground laundries, or, if its in your budget, you might be able to have a dry cleaners pick up and deliver your laundry. RV laundry options range from simple, hand operated washers anyone can use just about ayplace to full service washers and dryers or washer/dryer combinations in large luxury motorhomes and trailers. Combos take up less room in your RV but they are more complicated than separate washers and dryers and may be more subject to breakdowns and more expensive to purchase and to maintain. However, current combos have been engineered for long life on the road, so if you have room for one, go for it. Another consideration is using a combo means you have to finish one load completely -- washing and drying -- before you can start the next load whereas separate units allow concurrent washing and drying. There is probably room for a manual washer in even the smallest RV or when tent camping. These are small, enclosed tubs with internal agitators into which you put your dirty clothes, water, and detergent and then manually operate them to clean the items. Or you can just use a 5 gallon bucket and a sink plunger. You will need a clothes line and sunny weather to dry your clothes -- and plenty of muscle to operate the washer but it beats pounding your clothes on a rock! Of course you can always wash your clothes in the kitchen sink or in an old fashioned washtub. One way to minimize laundry is by carefully choosing your wardrobe before you leave home. Pick easy to clean wash-and-wear items. Light colored clothing is more difficult to keep looking good, so, unless you are in the tropics where light clothing is essential for comfort (and fashion), choose darker colors that won't stain easily. Cleaning those extra dirty dishes is mostly a matter of committing yourself to keep up with things instead of putting them off until you get home. You probably have -- or should have -- everything you need on board to thoroughly clean pots and pans as efficiently and easily as you can at home. Its just harder to give up your vacation time for routine tasks. An outside clothes line or one in your shower can be used for more than laundry. It is a good place to hang out wet clothing and towels or a place to refresh lightly used clothing to prolong usable time between washings. Minimizing washings is said to extend the life of clothing as well as conserving time and resources.
Limited cupboard and refrigerator space will dictate changes in your eating and shopping habits. You may need to plan for more frequent trips to the grocery store or modify your menus to take advantage of easy to store food stuffs. If your budget can handle it, you might eat out more often than you do at home. You will probably want to plan simple meals that are easy to fix and easy to clean up after. Cooking and baking can contribute to the heat buildup in your RV on hot days. For comfort and reduced A/C operating expense avoid using the range and oven when you can. Use your microwave (if you have one). If you do have to use the range or oven, make sure the vent is open and functional. Open a roof vent to allow hot air to escape. For improved ventilation and more efficient heat removal, open a window on the shady side of your RV. A powered roof vent will also improve comfort and cooling efficiency. You can add an after-market fan to most 14" RV roof vents. Powered roof vents like the Fantastic brand vents fit the same opening as a standard roof vent and are far more effective. They usually allow running the fan either direction so you can expel hot air or draw in cool air. Some include thermostats that will shut them off when the temperature drops to a selected setting. Advanced options include automatic raising and lowering and rain sensors to close them when it rains. Add-on after market fans are usually only 5-6" in diameter. Fantastic brand fans are 10-12" in diameter, providing significantly more air movement and better performance.
Routine activities, like watching TV, using your computer, or even sleeping, may require some adjustments. You may need to reduce the volume on your TV or stereo in a campground where it would disturb other campers. If you don't have shore power you will need to adjust your schedule to avoid running your generator during quiet hours pr use an inverter to get 120volts from your 12volt house batteries. You may have to wean yourself from those late night infomercials! It may take you a few days to adjust to sleeping in your RV bed. Even if it is a very good bed, it is different than the one at home. Bring along your favorite blankets and pillows to make it as familiar and comfortable as possible. Y ou will probably experience unfamiliar sounds in the campground. Sometimes some "white noise" will make it easier to get to sleep and stay asleep. There are electronic sound devices that produce white noise or play soothing sounds -- like rain, wind, or ocean noises. Or you can just turn on a fan. Once again, if you don't have shore power, these will need to be 12-volt or battery powered devices unless you have a good inverter and a massive battery bank.
Your bathing habits may also be impacted by limited facilities. Limited water supply and holding tank capacity can obviously limit your bathing opportunities when dry camping but the limited space and hot water capacity may reduce the frequency even when using full hookups. You may have to stagger bath/showers for multiple occupants to avoid running out of hot water. You can use "cat baths" between full showers to maintain personal comfort and cleanliness. A "cat bath" requires only a basin or dishpan of warm water instead of several gallons. And be sure to you learn to take "Navy" showers -- don't leave the water running when you're not actively using it to wet your body or rinse off the soap. Many RV shower heads have shut-off valves that allow you to stop the flow without altering the temperature adjustment. They can usually be easily added to those that don't.
Housekeeping during an extended stay might be more like being at home than when you're on a weekend outing. Sometimes we tend to leave cleaning during weekend outings or vacations to when we get home . Personally, I think that is a bad idea. It is far better to keep up with things as you go. This is especially true for any extended trips. Setting a regular routine will greatly simplify cleaning and save time and effort. Even if activities occasionally interfere with your schedule, having a regular schedule will ensure things get caught up eventually and will prevent the accumulation of work that develops when things are simply ignored. If your dusting or vacuuming gets put off a day or so, it is no big deal. Just don't let missing a task become an excuse for letting it go again and again. Don't let it become a habit. Get back on track as soon as you can!
Your RV can be your disaster recovery vehicle. In case of an emergency that makes your home uninhabitable for a while, you can stay in your RV for a time. Even if you only expect to be in your RV for a few days, think of it as an extended or long-term situation and adjust your lifestyle accordingly, as described above. The thing about emergency situations is they are most often unpredictable. Should your stay be longer than you expect, it will be more comfortable if you have prepared yourself (mentally and physically) for the long term. If you start out treating it as a short term thing you may find yourself overwhelmed by undone tasks if/when it turns into a longer stay.
Personal interactions and relationships are affected if you have more than one person living in an RV for an extended time. Getting along with someone else in such close quarters is usually not a problem on weekend trips. Often your time is filled with outside activities so you don't spend THAT much time locked up in a small habitat. When you are living in your RV for an extended period of time, say work camping or full timing, you soon discover that you are in close proximity to your companions nearly 24/7. If you or they have any personal habits that are annoying, they are going to be magnified. The best solution I have found is to do your best to simply relax, be polite and helpful, and make the best of the situation. For some people a stint at work camping can be a second honeymoon. Enjoy it!
Live it up!
There is a whole sub-culture of "full-timers", folks who live in their RVs year round. There are also work campers who may live in theirs for a season or two while working at a campground. My wife and I spent most of one summer working at an ATV resort in southern Utah and living in our 1986 Holiday Rambler Imperial Limited 38. We soon learned there ARE differences between a weekend or vacation outing and living in your RV. Living in your RV means adapting both camping and residential lifestyles to be successful and comfortable.
There are plenty of "Full Timer" seminars offered by RV clubs and industry organizations. Some community colleges also offer courses. I won't attempt to cover everything you would learn in these courses in this blog. If you are planning to go "Full Timing", take advantage of one or more commercial courses to learn how to adequately prepare for your new lifestyle. The decision to become a full-timer is a significant one and you'll want to explore ALL the ramifications, from what to do with your belongings, to mail, banking, and health services while on the road.
Our vintage motorhome is equipped with a stacked washer and dryer, but due to infrequent use during previous years, neither was working satisfactorily during our summer work time. The faucet that supplied hot water had frozen during the previous Utah winter (due to, I admit it, my failure to properly winterize the supply lines to the washing machine). I was unable to locate suitable replacement parts at the local hardware store. Fortunately I could still shut the faucet off and continue to use the rest of the fresh water system. The dryer ran, but due to years of disuse, the rollers were flattened and it sounded like it was filled with tennis shoes whenever it was turned on. If you are planning to live in your RV and take advantage of all its facilities, be sure to test everything BEFORE you leave home. I hadn't planned on using the washer and dryer so I had not checked them out before I left, but once I was there I found reasons to want to use them (like when my work clothes got soaked in the rain) -- and was disappointed when I discovered the problems and by then replacement parts were not readily available anywhere near the resort. I've read recommendations by RV technicians that you run the washer and dryer about once a month, even if your RV is in storage, to keep them working properly. Extended periods of non-use result in premature and often expensive failures of both units.
Living in your RV for an extended time will be different than spending a weekend or even a summer vacation in one. When you're on any kind of short term outing, you will have a tendency to let things go and take care of them when you get home. Laundry and extra dirty dishes usually top the list of things brought home to be handled later. This won't be an option during extended stays. If you don't have laundry facilities in your RV you will need to seek alternatives: coin op laundromats, campground laundries, or, if its in your budget, you might be able to have a dry cleaners pick up and deliver your laundry. RV laundry options range from simple, hand operated washers anyone can use just about ayplace to full service washers and dryers or washer/dryer combinations in large luxury motorhomes and trailers. Combos take up less room in your RV but they are more complicated than separate washers and dryers and may be more subject to breakdowns and more expensive to purchase and to maintain. However, current combos have been engineered for long life on the road, so if you have room for one, go for it. Another consideration is using a combo means you have to finish one load completely -- washing and drying -- before you can start the next load whereas separate units allow concurrent washing and drying. There is probably room for a manual washer in even the smallest RV or when tent camping. These are small, enclosed tubs with internal agitators into which you put your dirty clothes, water, and detergent and then manually operate them to clean the items. Or you can just use a 5 gallon bucket and a sink plunger. You will need a clothes line and sunny weather to dry your clothes -- and plenty of muscle to operate the washer but it beats pounding your clothes on a rock! Of course you can always wash your clothes in the kitchen sink or in an old fashioned washtub. One way to minimize laundry is by carefully choosing your wardrobe before you leave home. Pick easy to clean wash-and-wear items. Light colored clothing is more difficult to keep looking good, so, unless you are in the tropics where light clothing is essential for comfort (and fashion), choose darker colors that won't stain easily. Cleaning those extra dirty dishes is mostly a matter of committing yourself to keep up with things instead of putting them off until you get home. You probably have -- or should have -- everything you need on board to thoroughly clean pots and pans as efficiently and easily as you can at home. Its just harder to give up your vacation time for routine tasks. An outside clothes line or one in your shower can be used for more than laundry. It is a good place to hang out wet clothing and towels or a place to refresh lightly used clothing to prolong usable time between washings. Minimizing washings is said to extend the life of clothing as well as conserving time and resources.
Limited cupboard and refrigerator space will dictate changes in your eating and shopping habits. You may need to plan for more frequent trips to the grocery store or modify your menus to take advantage of easy to store food stuffs. If your budget can handle it, you might eat out more often than you do at home. You will probably want to plan simple meals that are easy to fix and easy to clean up after. Cooking and baking can contribute to the heat buildup in your RV on hot days. For comfort and reduced A/C operating expense avoid using the range and oven when you can. Use your microwave (if you have one). If you do have to use the range or oven, make sure the vent is open and functional. Open a roof vent to allow hot air to escape. For improved ventilation and more efficient heat removal, open a window on the shady side of your RV. A powered roof vent will also improve comfort and cooling efficiency. You can add an after-market fan to most 14" RV roof vents. Powered roof vents like the Fantastic brand vents fit the same opening as a standard roof vent and are far more effective. They usually allow running the fan either direction so you can expel hot air or draw in cool air. Some include thermostats that will shut them off when the temperature drops to a selected setting. Advanced options include automatic raising and lowering and rain sensors to close them when it rains. Add-on after market fans are usually only 5-6" in diameter. Fantastic brand fans are 10-12" in diameter, providing significantly more air movement and better performance.
Routine activities, like watching TV, using your computer, or even sleeping, may require some adjustments. You may need to reduce the volume on your TV or stereo in a campground where it would disturb other campers. If you don't have shore power you will need to adjust your schedule to avoid running your generator during quiet hours pr use an inverter to get 120volts from your 12volt house batteries. You may have to wean yourself from those late night infomercials! It may take you a few days to adjust to sleeping in your RV bed. Even if it is a very good bed, it is different than the one at home. Bring along your favorite blankets and pillows to make it as familiar and comfortable as possible. Y ou will probably experience unfamiliar sounds in the campground. Sometimes some "white noise" will make it easier to get to sleep and stay asleep. There are electronic sound devices that produce white noise or play soothing sounds -- like rain, wind, or ocean noises. Or you can just turn on a fan. Once again, if you don't have shore power, these will need to be 12-volt or battery powered devices unless you have a good inverter and a massive battery bank.
Your bathing habits may also be impacted by limited facilities. Limited water supply and holding tank capacity can obviously limit your bathing opportunities when dry camping but the limited space and hot water capacity may reduce the frequency even when using full hookups. You may have to stagger bath/showers for multiple occupants to avoid running out of hot water. You can use "cat baths" between full showers to maintain personal comfort and cleanliness. A "cat bath" requires only a basin or dishpan of warm water instead of several gallons. And be sure to you learn to take "Navy" showers -- don't leave the water running when you're not actively using it to wet your body or rinse off the soap. Many RV shower heads have shut-off valves that allow you to stop the flow without altering the temperature adjustment. They can usually be easily added to those that don't.
Housekeeping during an extended stay might be more like being at home than when you're on a weekend outing. Sometimes we tend to leave cleaning during weekend outings or vacations to when we get home . Personally, I think that is a bad idea. It is far better to keep up with things as you go. This is especially true for any extended trips. Setting a regular routine will greatly simplify cleaning and save time and effort. Even if activities occasionally interfere with your schedule, having a regular schedule will ensure things get caught up eventually and will prevent the accumulation of work that develops when things are simply ignored. If your dusting or vacuuming gets put off a day or so, it is no big deal. Just don't let missing a task become an excuse for letting it go again and again. Don't let it become a habit. Get back on track as soon as you can!
Your RV can be your disaster recovery vehicle. In case of an emergency that makes your home uninhabitable for a while, you can stay in your RV for a time. Even if you only expect to be in your RV for a few days, think of it as an extended or long-term situation and adjust your lifestyle accordingly, as described above. The thing about emergency situations is they are most often unpredictable. Should your stay be longer than you expect, it will be more comfortable if you have prepared yourself (mentally and physically) for the long term. If you start out treating it as a short term thing you may find yourself overwhelmed by undone tasks if/when it turns into a longer stay.
Personal interactions and relationships are affected if you have more than one person living in an RV for an extended time. Getting along with someone else in such close quarters is usually not a problem on weekend trips. Often your time is filled with outside activities so you don't spend THAT much time locked up in a small habitat. When you are living in your RV for an extended period of time, say work camping or full timing, you soon discover that you are in close proximity to your companions nearly 24/7. If you or they have any personal habits that are annoying, they are going to be magnified. The best solution I have found is to do your best to simply relax, be polite and helpful, and make the best of the situation. For some people a stint at work camping can be a second honeymoon. Enjoy it!
Live it up!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Replacing or Installing a Microwave Oven
Microwave ovens are wonderful features in most late model RVs. Some RVs use a combination microwave/convection oven in lieu of a built-in gas oven that is part of the stove. Any way you cut it, a microwave oven adds a lot of convenience when camping. You can heat up water for a cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa in about 1 minute. You can easily defrost frozen foods and cook entrés in a fraction of the time it takes in a conventional oven. You just need 120 volt power -- from shore power, an on board generator, solar panels,or an appropriate sized inverter and a strong battery bank. If you don't have a microwave oven in your RV, you might want to add one. But why would you want to replace an existing microwave oven? There are at least three good reasons: 1) the old one has died, 2) newer microwaves are more powerful, and 3) newer microwaves are more energy efficient. You may also want to upgrade to a microwave/convection combination for more capabilities and flexibility.
Microwave ovens have become an essential part of our lives, but I remember when they weren't. We decided to get my Mom a microwave oven for Christmas one year, in spite of her strong protests that she "didn't need one" and wouldn't use it. Turns out it quickly became one of her favorite appliances. I'm sure we could all get along without one when camping, but who wants to? I recently had to resort to baking potatoes in the campfire instead of microwaving like I do at home when our generator was out of fuel. They turned out OK, but it took an hour instead of 10 minutes and some parts of the skins were blackened, a definite disadvantage if you like to eat the potato skins.
Replacing an existing microwave is usually easier than installing one from scratch. In the first place, you already have an outlet to plug it into so you don't have to run new wiring. Secondly, the cabinet has already been designed to support the weight of a microwave and probably has proper ventilation. You may have to modify the opening to accommodate a different sized unit but at least you aren't having to start from scratch or make major cabinet modifications. With any luck you will be able to find a replacement whose trim will fit the existing opening.
Does your microwave need to be replaced? If your microwave stops working, it may need to be replaced but be sure to check the circuit breakers first and then look for internal fuses or breakers in the unit before you relegate it to the scrap heap and throw good money into a new one. Another indicator a unit should be replaced is excess heat. If any part of the cabinet is too hot to touch, the unit should be replaced before it causes a fire. This is especially true if it gets hot even when it is not in use, which I have seen happen! Another symptom justifying replacement is poor performance. If it takes longer than it should for routine task, you should probably look at getting a new one. Keep in mind most microwave instructions are based on a 1000 watt microwave and the older units in RVs may be less -- sometimes a lot less, like 650 watts. Even in prime condition these low-wattage units aren't going to meet expectations. If you have the budget for it you might want to consider replacing an older low-wattage unit with a modern model of 1000 watts or more. If any of the major components have failed, it will probably be more cost effective to replace an old microwave rather than have it repaired.
Replacing a microwave oven is pretty easy, assuming you match up the opening size so you don't have to remodel the cabinets. I recently had to replace a 25+ year old microwave that gave up in our Holiday Rambler Class A motorhome. I found an RV-ready unit with a designated opening close to the existing cabinet. The designated opening for the new microwave was 23 3/8 X 17; the existing opening was 23 3/4 X 15 7/8. The trim more than accommodated the variances. Installing the new microwave was a simple task. It came with special baffles to allow it to be installed in a closed cabinet and they had to be attached to the unit along with the trim before it was placed into the cabinet. Then it was a matter of plugging it in and installing 6 screws to hold the trim (and the microwave) in place. I had considered purchasing a cheaper residential microwave oven but I was replacing a microwave/convection combination. Our RV has a cook top without a gas oven, so the convection option was pretty important. It took some searching on the Internet to locate a suitable unit within our budget. Many were priced way out of my budget and others didn't match the installation opening size requirements. But eventually I found one at http://WWW.PPLMOTORHOMES.COM that filled the bill. Our old unit was only 650 watts. The new one is 1000 watts. Since most microwave recipes and cooking times are based on 1000 watt units, using the old one had its problems, even before it died. Instead of 1 minute to boil a cup of water, it took two. Microwave popcorn never did turn out very well . If you find yourself facing similar problems, you might want to upgrade even before your old unit fails. There are many inexpensive residential microwave ovens. The biggest problem with installing them will be securing them, ensuring proper ventilation, and creating a good looking trim around the face. See below for some thoughts on installing a residential unit in your RV. Small residential microwaves can be found for under $70, making them fairly inexpensive.
Installing a microwave in an RV that has never had one, is not too difficult but it may require doing some wiring as well as creating an appropriate space in the cabinetry to install it. You can minimize the wiring problems by choosing a location near an existing outlet. Even some older RVs that didn't have microwaves may have been pre-wired for one, so search for "hidden" outlets inside kitchen cabinets. A cabinet with an internal outlet, especially one over the stove, was probably intended to hold an optional microwave. Ideally you can run wiring inside walls or cabinets to install a new outlet if needed. If you can't run new wiring inside walls or cabinets you may have to string the power cord from the microwave to an existing outlet. If there isn't an outlet within reach, you may have to run wiring in surface "tracks" or conduits to install an outlet near your microwave location. Make sure any wiring you use is of adequate gauge for the input wattage of the microwave. Zip-cord is easy to use, but is not heavy enough to handle the load and you risk an electrical fire or damaging your microwave if the wiring is inadequate. Worst case, you may have to add a whole new circuit, including a new breaker, to your 120 volt panel (if there is room and available amps). If you are not familiar with 120 volt wiring practices or are not comfortable doing the wiring yourself, have it done by a qualified RV technician or licensed electrician. Choose a convenient location for your microwave, usually in an existing kitchen cabinet. You will need a space that is somewhat larger than the outside dimensions of the microwave so there will be adequate ventilation. Normal home units are placed on a counter top so they have all round ventilation. Counter space in most RVs is usually limited, but if you have room to put your microwave on the counter, go right ahead. Just make sure it is properly secured so it doesn't fall off the counter during routine driving maneuvers. Microwaves that are RV-ready will probably have baffles or air guides to facilitate and redirect ventilation. If you are adapting a regular residential unit you will need to consider minimum clearances AND provide for adequate air flow to cool the oven. You may need to install a roof or wall vent to allow hot air to escape. Your best bet it to buy an RV-ready unit with the trim kit to make installation as easy and safe as possible. Sometimes the trim kit will come with the unit, sometimes you have to purchase it separately. If you are using a residential style microwave you may have to create your own trim and/or modify the cabinets to provide a secure mounting and cosmetically pleasing installation. Remember, your RV will be subject to various kinds of stress on the road and you don't want your microwave to fall out! Trim kits usually attach to the unit with screws before it is slid into the cabinet, then the face of the trim, which overlaps the opening, is screwed in place to secure the unit. Lacking a proper trim kit, you may be able to strap the microwave in place securely from side to side using metal straps like plumbers tape or nylon straps. Then you can fit wood trim around the front for a clean look. Trim kits usually have vents below and above the front of the microwave to allow for ventilation. If you don't have adequate ventilation through a roof or wall vent inside the cabinet you may need to provide openings in the front. Cutting any trim so there is a gap above and below the microwave may be one option. Drilling holes in the facia might be another. If you have to build your own trim, be sure to monitor the heat inside the cabinet the first few times you use the microwave. It WILL get warm, but the outside of the microwave should NEVER get too hot to touch, which could result in a fire! If it is getting too warm, find a way to increase the ventilation. You might have to install an exhaust fan to assist in expelling hot air from the compartment. Wall and ceiling vents are other possible options but the installation is more difficult as you have to cut holes in the wall or ceiling. Be sure to install weatherproof vent covers on the outside. If you need to vent around the front of the microwave, you can probably find some attractive grille material to give it a finished look.
RV rated microwaves are going to give you the longest life and best service. Units that have been RV rated should have 'hardened' electronics and extra buffering to protect them against the jolts and vibration of travel as well as properly designed ventilation.
A portable microwave oven is also an option for most any RV or even for tent camping. Small, lightweight microwave ovens can be purchased for as little as $69 brand new. If you have room to transport them, you can simply set them up on a convenient table or counter top and plug them in and you're ready to go. Store them someplace near or on the floor when on the road -- in a cabinet under the dinette seats or even just on the floor under the table. If you have campground power or a large enough portable generator you can also use them when tent camping or tailgating. Using a portable microwave avoids any problems of installation in a cabinet with insufficient ventilation. You will need to find a suitable place to secure the microwave during travel. For best results, it should also be padded to mitigate some of the possible physical damage from movement and vibration during travel. Sometimes it is advisable to retain the original carton it came in, complete with styrofoam packing, to protect it during travel.
Happy nuking!
Microwave ovens have become an essential part of our lives, but I remember when they weren't. We decided to get my Mom a microwave oven for Christmas one year, in spite of her strong protests that she "didn't need one" and wouldn't use it. Turns out it quickly became one of her favorite appliances. I'm sure we could all get along without one when camping, but who wants to? I recently had to resort to baking potatoes in the campfire instead of microwaving like I do at home when our generator was out of fuel. They turned out OK, but it took an hour instead of 10 minutes and some parts of the skins were blackened, a definite disadvantage if you like to eat the potato skins.
Replacing an existing microwave is usually easier than installing one from scratch. In the first place, you already have an outlet to plug it into so you don't have to run new wiring. Secondly, the cabinet has already been designed to support the weight of a microwave and probably has proper ventilation. You may have to modify the opening to accommodate a different sized unit but at least you aren't having to start from scratch or make major cabinet modifications. With any luck you will be able to find a replacement whose trim will fit the existing opening.
Does your microwave need to be replaced? If your microwave stops working, it may need to be replaced but be sure to check the circuit breakers first and then look for internal fuses or breakers in the unit before you relegate it to the scrap heap and throw good money into a new one. Another indicator a unit should be replaced is excess heat. If any part of the cabinet is too hot to touch, the unit should be replaced before it causes a fire. This is especially true if it gets hot even when it is not in use, which I have seen happen! Another symptom justifying replacement is poor performance. If it takes longer than it should for routine task, you should probably look at getting a new one. Keep in mind most microwave instructions are based on a 1000 watt microwave and the older units in RVs may be less -- sometimes a lot less, like 650 watts. Even in prime condition these low-wattage units aren't going to meet expectations. If you have the budget for it you might want to consider replacing an older low-wattage unit with a modern model of 1000 watts or more. If any of the major components have failed, it will probably be more cost effective to replace an old microwave rather than have it repaired.
Replacing a microwave oven is pretty easy, assuming you match up the opening size so you don't have to remodel the cabinets. I recently had to replace a 25+ year old microwave that gave up in our Holiday Rambler Class A motorhome. I found an RV-ready unit with a designated opening close to the existing cabinet. The designated opening for the new microwave was 23 3/8 X 17; the existing opening was 23 3/4 X 15 7/8. The trim more than accommodated the variances. Installing the new microwave was a simple task. It came with special baffles to allow it to be installed in a closed cabinet and they had to be attached to the unit along with the trim before it was placed into the cabinet. Then it was a matter of plugging it in and installing 6 screws to hold the trim (and the microwave) in place. I had considered purchasing a cheaper residential microwave oven but I was replacing a microwave/convection combination. Our RV has a cook top without a gas oven, so the convection option was pretty important. It took some searching on the Internet to locate a suitable unit within our budget. Many were priced way out of my budget and others didn't match the installation opening size requirements. But eventually I found one at http://WWW.PPLMOTORHOMES.COM that filled the bill. Our old unit was only 650 watts. The new one is 1000 watts. Since most microwave recipes and cooking times are based on 1000 watt units, using the old one had its problems, even before it died. Instead of 1 minute to boil a cup of water, it took two. Microwave popcorn never did turn out very well . If you find yourself facing similar problems, you might want to upgrade even before your old unit fails. There are many inexpensive residential microwave ovens. The biggest problem with installing them will be securing them, ensuring proper ventilation, and creating a good looking trim around the face. See below for some thoughts on installing a residential unit in your RV. Small residential microwaves can be found for under $70, making them fairly inexpensive.
Installing a microwave in an RV that has never had one, is not too difficult but it may require doing some wiring as well as creating an appropriate space in the cabinetry to install it. You can minimize the wiring problems by choosing a location near an existing outlet. Even some older RVs that didn't have microwaves may have been pre-wired for one, so search for "hidden" outlets inside kitchen cabinets. A cabinet with an internal outlet, especially one over the stove, was probably intended to hold an optional microwave. Ideally you can run wiring inside walls or cabinets to install a new outlet if needed. If you can't run new wiring inside walls or cabinets you may have to string the power cord from the microwave to an existing outlet. If there isn't an outlet within reach, you may have to run wiring in surface "tracks" or conduits to install an outlet near your microwave location. Make sure any wiring you use is of adequate gauge for the input wattage of the microwave. Zip-cord is easy to use, but is not heavy enough to handle the load and you risk an electrical fire or damaging your microwave if the wiring is inadequate. Worst case, you may have to add a whole new circuit, including a new breaker, to your 120 volt panel (if there is room and available amps). If you are not familiar with 120 volt wiring practices or are not comfortable doing the wiring yourself, have it done by a qualified RV technician or licensed electrician. Choose a convenient location for your microwave, usually in an existing kitchen cabinet. You will need a space that is somewhat larger than the outside dimensions of the microwave so there will be adequate ventilation. Normal home units are placed on a counter top so they have all round ventilation. Counter space in most RVs is usually limited, but if you have room to put your microwave on the counter, go right ahead. Just make sure it is properly secured so it doesn't fall off the counter during routine driving maneuvers. Microwaves that are RV-ready will probably have baffles or air guides to facilitate and redirect ventilation. If you are adapting a regular residential unit you will need to consider minimum clearances AND provide for adequate air flow to cool the oven. You may need to install a roof or wall vent to allow hot air to escape. Your best bet it to buy an RV-ready unit with the trim kit to make installation as easy and safe as possible. Sometimes the trim kit will come with the unit, sometimes you have to purchase it separately. If you are using a residential style microwave you may have to create your own trim and/or modify the cabinets to provide a secure mounting and cosmetically pleasing installation. Remember, your RV will be subject to various kinds of stress on the road and you don't want your microwave to fall out! Trim kits usually attach to the unit with screws before it is slid into the cabinet, then the face of the trim, which overlaps the opening, is screwed in place to secure the unit. Lacking a proper trim kit, you may be able to strap the microwave in place securely from side to side using metal straps like plumbers tape or nylon straps. Then you can fit wood trim around the front for a clean look. Trim kits usually have vents below and above the front of the microwave to allow for ventilation. If you don't have adequate ventilation through a roof or wall vent inside the cabinet you may need to provide openings in the front. Cutting any trim so there is a gap above and below the microwave may be one option. Drilling holes in the facia might be another. If you have to build your own trim, be sure to monitor the heat inside the cabinet the first few times you use the microwave. It WILL get warm, but the outside of the microwave should NEVER get too hot to touch, which could result in a fire! If it is getting too warm, find a way to increase the ventilation. You might have to install an exhaust fan to assist in expelling hot air from the compartment. Wall and ceiling vents are other possible options but the installation is more difficult as you have to cut holes in the wall or ceiling. Be sure to install weatherproof vent covers on the outside. If you need to vent around the front of the microwave, you can probably find some attractive grille material to give it a finished look.
RV rated microwaves are going to give you the longest life and best service. Units that have been RV rated should have 'hardened' electronics and extra buffering to protect them against the jolts and vibration of travel as well as properly designed ventilation.
A portable microwave oven is also an option for most any RV or even for tent camping. Small, lightweight microwave ovens can be purchased for as little as $69 brand new. If you have room to transport them, you can simply set them up on a convenient table or counter top and plug them in and you're ready to go. Store them someplace near or on the floor when on the road -- in a cabinet under the dinette seats or even just on the floor under the table. If you have campground power or a large enough portable generator you can also use them when tent camping or tailgating. Using a portable microwave avoids any problems of installation in a cabinet with insufficient ventilation. You will need to find a suitable place to secure the microwave during travel. For best results, it should also be padded to mitigate some of the possible physical damage from movement and vibration during travel. Sometimes it is advisable to retain the original carton it came in, complete with styrofoam packing, to protect it during travel.
Happy nuking!
Monday, September 10, 2012
Holding Tank Repairs
It is a sinking and sickening feeling when you look under your RV and see a holding tank leaking. A fresh water tank leak is annoying. A gray water tank leak is unpleasant. A black water tank leak is disgusting, unsanitary, unhealthy and illegal. Depending on the location and extent of the damage, the tank may be repaired or may have to be replaced. Your local RV service center is likely to recommend replacement regardless of extent or location of the damage. That is because they make more money on installing a new tank and it is less likely that the leak will come back. Also, black water tanks can be very difficult to repair. If you have properly maintained your tanks, gray water tanks should be fairly clean and not TOO unpleasant to work on. Black water tanks, especially those that may be at least partially full or poorly maintained, could be VERY unpleasant to work on. In any case, you will usually need to completely drain the affected tank and let it dry before you can begin repairs. Some repair kits claim you don't have the drain the tank, but for your own comfort and reasonable sanitation, draining and flushing the tanks before you crawl around working on them is a very good idea. Be sure to inspect the leaks and mark the damage before you drain the tanks. You will need to know where to make the repairs after they've stopped leaking. You also need to know what caused the damage so you can mitigate future problems. Impact damage is usually pretty obvious and mostly requires operator care to avoid a re-occurrence. Freeze damage or stress cracking can be more difficult to diagnose but should still be considered and appropriate remedies applied to avoid additional failures. I had a gray water tank that developed a couple of pin-hole leaks without any evidence of impact damage. I have to assume they are the result of stress cracking or deterioration of the ABS plastic the tanks are made of. The unit is more than 25 years old and I suspect the tanks have become brittle. Extended storage of the unit with the tanks empty may have allowed oxidation of the plastic from inside the tanks (the outside is coated with 2" of foam insulation, which could have masked some impact damage). Tweaking of the coach body can loosen connections and even crack the tanks.
Replace or repair? This decision must be based on the specific circumstances for each situation. Replacing tanks on many older units is not very feasible since matching tanks may be difficult or impossible to find. You might be able to adapt a standard tank if you can find one about the right size and with the inlets and outlets in about the right place. Sometimes you can buy a "blank" tank and cut the inlet and outlet openings where you need them. Be sure you can get proper fittings to seal the new openings. You will need fittings for input, output, and vent openings. Pipes are usually attached to custom-cut openings using rubber fittings. You may be able to glue flanges to ABS tanks. In general, repairing will be quicker and less expensive than replacing holding tanks but the repairs may not be as permanent as a replacement. If the damage is visible and easily accessible and not too extensive, repair may be a viable option. Extensive damage, such as ripping a big Titanic-style gash in holding tank or tearing it completely out of the vehicle or dump-valve damage that shatters where it attaches to the tank would be good indicators that the tank should be replaced. Small holes, stress cracks, and leaking fittings can usually be repaired if they are accessible. The leak is going to drip from low spots, but the actual hole may be some distance away. Carefully inspect the flow and trace it back to its origin. Block it with a tool, rag, or your (gloved) hand to determine if it is leaking where it drips or if the leak is actually higher up. Its a very good idea to wear rubber or latex gloves when working on holding tanks, especially the black water tank.
Replacing a holding tank can be a complicated, time-consuming and expensive process. Your rig may be out of service for several days or even weeks while the work is done and required replacement parts are obtained. If you want to try doing it yourself, inspect the existing installation carefully to determine if you do in fact have the tools and experience to tackle the job. Tanks that are located in enclosed compartments or protected by underbelly plates will be a lot more work than exposed tanks. If you have ANY concerns about being able to handle the job, take it to a qualified RV tech. In the long run you'll save money and frustration. If you decide to make the repairs yourself, try to determine the cause of the failure before you remove the old tank. Damage caused by freezing or by road debris or some kind of impact should be pretty obvious and you need only avoid the circumstances which caused the problem to prevent further damage. Stress cracking is another common problem and may require some creative re-engineering during the new installation. Waste is largely composed of water, which is heavy: 8 pounds/gallon. The contents of a 60 gallon holding tank is nearly 500 pounds! Add in the summer heat from the pavement and the vibration and bouncing when traveling and you have a LOT of stress impacting the plastic tank. Eventually it may weaken and crack. If your tank has failed due to stress cracking you will want to explore alternatives for reinforcing the support system to relieve the stress to prevent future failures. I know of an RV tech who put a couple of extra 2x4 supports under his holding tank after it failed. If you have to replace a holding tank, seek a standard sized tank that matches your original as closely as possible. Pay attention to the location of openings and mounting requirements as well as tank size. I once saw a holding tank fall completely out of a travel trailer. It was originally only supported on both ends by the lips on the lower edge of the frame, which worke great for an empty tank. Road heat and the weight of nearly full tanks caused the tanks to sag until they slipped out of their tracks. Some creative cross-bracing (why didn't the manufacturer do that in the first place?) solved this problem so the new tank wouldn't suffer the same fate.
Repairing a holding tank can save you both time and money. Tanks may be made of various types of plastic. Most RV holding tanks are made of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene or ABS plastic. This is the black plastic that plumbing pipe and fittings are made of. Translucent white tanks are Low Density Polyethylene or LDPE. This is the milky white plastic that most fresh water tanks are made of as well as the milky gray plastic that some holding tanks are made of. Be sure you get the right solvents and repair materials for the type of plastic your tank is made of. ABS reacts to solvents and can often be chemically "welded" to make permanent repairs. LDPE tanks are injection molded or thermal welded and are impervious to almost all solvents. Minor damage to an ABS tanks can often be repaired using ordinary ABS cement (available at any hardware store or home center). Plasti-Mend Black Repair Kits can be used to repair more serious damage to ABS plastic tanks. The kit consists of cleaner, PM-Black solvent/repair compound, and fiberglass mesh patches. Follow the instructions in the kit carefully. Mostly it is common sense. Wear an appropriate respirator to prevent respiratory damage from inhaling toxic fumes and rubber gloves to protect your hands. Clean the area to repaired carefully. Let the repair cure according to manufacturers instructions before using the tank. There are also kits made to use on LDPE tanks, but since LDPE is resistant to most solvents and adhesives, making permanent repairs can be difficult. ABS tanks can often be repaired and back in service in a few hours. If you can't get the Plasti-Mend Black Repair Kit, you might be able to fix small failures with ordinary ABS plastic cement. I've also heard of creating your own repair compound by mixing ABS shavings with acetone until it forms a paste. You can create ABS shavings by scraping or drilling common black sewer pipe, which is readily available at any home center. You should drill a small hole at the end of any long cracks before repairing them to avoid them continuing to open up. For large holes (bigger than 3-4 inches), a rigid patch made of ABS is recommended. For smaller holes and along cracks, use fiberglass mesh to reinforce the repair and hold the repair resin in place until it cures. By the way, Plasti-Mend Black repairs are reported to be stronger than the original ABS tanks. Some repair kits claim to work on all types of plastic holding tanks and can be used without emptying the tank. Both are obviously nice features. Personally, I would drain the tank anyway, especially the black water tank. I don't want raw sewage dripping on me while I'm making repairs! Even gray water can be unpleasant and annoying. Sometimes you can repair small areas of black ABS tanks using only ABS cement. Thoroughly clean and dry the area around the leak and apply a generous coat of ABS cement over the crack or small hole -- until it is completely covered and let it soak into and fill the crack. Let it dry per manufacturer's instructions, usually about 15-20 minutes and apply a second coat. For added confidence, wait 15-20 minutes and apply a third coat. The ABS cement reacts with the plastic to chemically "weld" the damaged parts back together. Obviously this won't work with big holes. Small holes (up to 3-4" can often be repaired using fiberglass mesh. For holes larger than 3-4" you'll need some ABS plastic patches to glue over the hole. You might be able to cut suitable pieces from ordinary black sewer pipe. If you need a flat piece, try heating the piece you cut from the pipe with a heat gun and putting a weight on it to flatten it out.
Be prepared to make multiple repairs. The random nature of many types of damage to holding tanks may make it difficult to identify all the problems at one time. You may have to patch up what you can find and then continue to inspect, evaluate, and repair other leaks as you find them. It is not uncommon for a novice to have to repair the same area more than once. Failure to completely cover all the damage or to sufficiently seal the edges of the patch will require secondary repairs. After your repairs have cured, put enough clean water in the holding tank to inundate the originally damaged area to confirm your repairs are sound. Buy a kit that is designed for more than one repair or purchase a larger container than you think you need so you have enough for redoing any spots that still leak.
General repair guidelines. Before attempting any kind of repairs, examine the damage carefully and try to determine and mitigate the cause. Make sure it is the tank leaking and not a joint or a nearby water line. Leaking joints can often be tightened or damaged ABS plumbing can be sealed with ABS cement or Plasi-Mend Black. If the tank itself is leaking, carefully note or mark the location and extent of any tank damage. Drain the tank and let it dry thoroughly before beginning any repairs. This may take several days before it stops dripping. Place a bucket or other container under the dump valves and leave them open (after dumping the tanks) so residual fluids can drain out and the tanks can dry more quickly. Wet surfaces from leaking contents will nullify the affects of most solvents or adhesives you may try to apply. If the tank cracked due to stress, install additional supports to relieve the stress before making repairs. Some RV holding tanks are not well supported during their original installation. I've seen tanks that deformed enough from reflected heat from summer roads to sag enough to drop out of their supports entirely! Once you have identified the leak, clean the area thoroughly for at least an inch or two around the leak. Make sure you have removed dirt, grime, grease, insulation, and paint all the way down to the fundamental plastic of the tank. You may need to use a Scotchbrite pad, sandpaper, or steel wool to get down to clean plastic. If you use an electric drill or grinder to prepare the surface take care not to go too deep. Do not attempt to apply chemical solvents to LDPE tanks. There are some repair kits that claim they will "stick" to any tank, but LDPE is not reactive to most solvents and most adhesives will function only as a temporary repair at best. You might be able to make repairs to LDPE tanks using plastic welding techniques, if you, or your RV tech has the right equipment and training. I've seen some temporary repairs attempted using silicone or even latex caulk. That might slow a leak enough to get you home from an outing, but repair will not permanently bond to LDPE and the vibration and pressure will soon displace the sealant and you're back where you started -- or worse! Now you have to clean off the caulk before you can attempt permanent repairs. Chemical ABS repairs can be permanent, often becoming stronger than the original tank wall. Read and follow the repair kit manufacturer's instructions very carefully. Failure to do so will, at best, result in a failed repair and could cause further damage to the tank or create a health hazard for you. Let the repair "cure" for at least the minimum time proscribed in the instructions before using the tank again. Once you have repaired the plastic, be sure to replace any insulation you may have removed to make repairs. Spray foam "gap filler" is an easy way to replace foam insulation you have removed and can often be used to fill gaps between the holding tank and nearby structural members to minimize vibration and provide some protection against extreme temperatures. If your original holding tank was uninsulated, you might want to spray the whole thing with foam. Not only does it provide a thermal barrier, it can absorb the impact of small debris kicked up by your tires that might crack or penetrate the unprotected plastic tank.
Temporary repairs of some small leaks might be accomplished using wet patch roofing cement. Wet patch formulas are designed to stick even when the surface is wet so they can be used without draining and drying the tanks. However, such repairs are not suitable as a permanent solution. Vibration, expansion and contraction from heating and cooling, and pressure build up are likely to cause the patch to eventually fail. Contaminates in sewage may also affect adhesion. Wet patch formulas are designed to work on roofs even in the rain, but are not intended to deal with soap, human waste, and holding tank chemicals so they may not stick to leaking plumbing as well as they do to roofs.
Leaking dump valves can usually be repaired or replaced. It is not a very expensive nor terribly difficult task, usually well within the skills of a good do-it-yourself mechanic. Each valve is held in place by only 4 bolts. However, they often become rusted or may be in a location that is difficult to get tools on so the task may be more daunting than expected. I've seen situations where the old bolts had to be cut off to remove the leaking valves. Since the valves were going to be be replaced anyway, an angle grinder with a metal cutting blade was used to cut through the center of the bolts in the middle of the valve itself, taking care not to damage the flanges on either side. It is possible to replace leaking seals without buying new valves if the valves themselves are still in tact. The process for replacing seals or entire valves is essentially the same except that you put the old valves back in place with the new seals. New valves come with new bolts and nuts. When installing the bolts and nuts, hold the nut with a wrench while turning the bolt to tighten. The back side of the nut is fluted to grip the plastic as it is pulled by the bolt as it is tightened. Turning the nut as it gets tight will scrape away at the surface of the flanges so it doesn't grip as well and may vibrate loose. If the flanges are damaged they should be replaced. That is usually fairly easy where the flange attaches to the tank with a large hose clamp, but some flanges are an integral part of the tank or the dump fittings and, in this case, it may require replacing the entire fitting or modifying the tank since the flanges cannot be removed.
No more leaks!
Replace or repair? This decision must be based on the specific circumstances for each situation. Replacing tanks on many older units is not very feasible since matching tanks may be difficult or impossible to find. You might be able to adapt a standard tank if you can find one about the right size and with the inlets and outlets in about the right place. Sometimes you can buy a "blank" tank and cut the inlet and outlet openings where you need them. Be sure you can get proper fittings to seal the new openings. You will need fittings for input, output, and vent openings. Pipes are usually attached to custom-cut openings using rubber fittings. You may be able to glue flanges to ABS tanks. In general, repairing will be quicker and less expensive than replacing holding tanks but the repairs may not be as permanent as a replacement. If the damage is visible and easily accessible and not too extensive, repair may be a viable option. Extensive damage, such as ripping a big Titanic-style gash in holding tank or tearing it completely out of the vehicle or dump-valve damage that shatters where it attaches to the tank would be good indicators that the tank should be replaced. Small holes, stress cracks, and leaking fittings can usually be repaired if they are accessible. The leak is going to drip from low spots, but the actual hole may be some distance away. Carefully inspect the flow and trace it back to its origin. Block it with a tool, rag, or your (gloved) hand to determine if it is leaking where it drips or if the leak is actually higher up. Its a very good idea to wear rubber or latex gloves when working on holding tanks, especially the black water tank.
Replacing a holding tank can be a complicated, time-consuming and expensive process. Your rig may be out of service for several days or even weeks while the work is done and required replacement parts are obtained. If you want to try doing it yourself, inspect the existing installation carefully to determine if you do in fact have the tools and experience to tackle the job. Tanks that are located in enclosed compartments or protected by underbelly plates will be a lot more work than exposed tanks. If you have ANY concerns about being able to handle the job, take it to a qualified RV tech. In the long run you'll save money and frustration. If you decide to make the repairs yourself, try to determine the cause of the failure before you remove the old tank. Damage caused by freezing or by road debris or some kind of impact should be pretty obvious and you need only avoid the circumstances which caused the problem to prevent further damage. Stress cracking is another common problem and may require some creative re-engineering during the new installation. Waste is largely composed of water, which is heavy: 8 pounds/gallon. The contents of a 60 gallon holding tank is nearly 500 pounds! Add in the summer heat from the pavement and the vibration and bouncing when traveling and you have a LOT of stress impacting the plastic tank. Eventually it may weaken and crack. If your tank has failed due to stress cracking you will want to explore alternatives for reinforcing the support system to relieve the stress to prevent future failures. I know of an RV tech who put a couple of extra 2x4 supports under his holding tank after it failed. If you have to replace a holding tank, seek a standard sized tank that matches your original as closely as possible. Pay attention to the location of openings and mounting requirements as well as tank size. I once saw a holding tank fall completely out of a travel trailer. It was originally only supported on both ends by the lips on the lower edge of the frame, which worke great for an empty tank. Road heat and the weight of nearly full tanks caused the tanks to sag until they slipped out of their tracks. Some creative cross-bracing (why didn't the manufacturer do that in the first place?) solved this problem so the new tank wouldn't suffer the same fate.
Repairing a holding tank can save you both time and money. Tanks may be made of various types of plastic. Most RV holding tanks are made of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene or ABS plastic. This is the black plastic that plumbing pipe and fittings are made of. Translucent white tanks are Low Density Polyethylene or LDPE. This is the milky white plastic that most fresh water tanks are made of as well as the milky gray plastic that some holding tanks are made of. Be sure you get the right solvents and repair materials for the type of plastic your tank is made of. ABS reacts to solvents and can often be chemically "welded" to make permanent repairs. LDPE tanks are injection molded or thermal welded and are impervious to almost all solvents. Minor damage to an ABS tanks can often be repaired using ordinary ABS cement (available at any hardware store or home center). Plasti-Mend Black Repair Kits can be used to repair more serious damage to ABS plastic tanks. The kit consists of cleaner, PM-Black solvent/repair compound, and fiberglass mesh patches. Follow the instructions in the kit carefully. Mostly it is common sense. Wear an appropriate respirator to prevent respiratory damage from inhaling toxic fumes and rubber gloves to protect your hands. Clean the area to repaired carefully. Let the repair cure according to manufacturers instructions before using the tank. There are also kits made to use on LDPE tanks, but since LDPE is resistant to most solvents and adhesives, making permanent repairs can be difficult. ABS tanks can often be repaired and back in service in a few hours. If you can't get the Plasti-Mend Black Repair Kit, you might be able to fix small failures with ordinary ABS plastic cement. I've also heard of creating your own repair compound by mixing ABS shavings with acetone until it forms a paste. You can create ABS shavings by scraping or drilling common black sewer pipe, which is readily available at any home center. You should drill a small hole at the end of any long cracks before repairing them to avoid them continuing to open up. For large holes (bigger than 3-4 inches), a rigid patch made of ABS is recommended. For smaller holes and along cracks, use fiberglass mesh to reinforce the repair and hold the repair resin in place until it cures. By the way, Plasti-Mend Black repairs are reported to be stronger than the original ABS tanks. Some repair kits claim to work on all types of plastic holding tanks and can be used without emptying the tank. Both are obviously nice features. Personally, I would drain the tank anyway, especially the black water tank. I don't want raw sewage dripping on me while I'm making repairs! Even gray water can be unpleasant and annoying. Sometimes you can repair small areas of black ABS tanks using only ABS cement. Thoroughly clean and dry the area around the leak and apply a generous coat of ABS cement over the crack or small hole -- until it is completely covered and let it soak into and fill the crack. Let it dry per manufacturer's instructions, usually about 15-20 minutes and apply a second coat. For added confidence, wait 15-20 minutes and apply a third coat. The ABS cement reacts with the plastic to chemically "weld" the damaged parts back together. Obviously this won't work with big holes. Small holes (up to 3-4" can often be repaired using fiberglass mesh. For holes larger than 3-4" you'll need some ABS plastic patches to glue over the hole. You might be able to cut suitable pieces from ordinary black sewer pipe. If you need a flat piece, try heating the piece you cut from the pipe with a heat gun and putting a weight on it to flatten it out.
Be prepared to make multiple repairs. The random nature of many types of damage to holding tanks may make it difficult to identify all the problems at one time. You may have to patch up what you can find and then continue to inspect, evaluate, and repair other leaks as you find them. It is not uncommon for a novice to have to repair the same area more than once. Failure to completely cover all the damage or to sufficiently seal the edges of the patch will require secondary repairs. After your repairs have cured, put enough clean water in the holding tank to inundate the originally damaged area to confirm your repairs are sound. Buy a kit that is designed for more than one repair or purchase a larger container than you think you need so you have enough for redoing any spots that still leak.
General repair guidelines. Before attempting any kind of repairs, examine the damage carefully and try to determine and mitigate the cause. Make sure it is the tank leaking and not a joint or a nearby water line. Leaking joints can often be tightened or damaged ABS plumbing can be sealed with ABS cement or Plasi-Mend Black. If the tank itself is leaking, carefully note or mark the location and extent of any tank damage. Drain the tank and let it dry thoroughly before beginning any repairs. This may take several days before it stops dripping. Place a bucket or other container under the dump valves and leave them open (after dumping the tanks) so residual fluids can drain out and the tanks can dry more quickly. Wet surfaces from leaking contents will nullify the affects of most solvents or adhesives you may try to apply. If the tank cracked due to stress, install additional supports to relieve the stress before making repairs. Some RV holding tanks are not well supported during their original installation. I've seen tanks that deformed enough from reflected heat from summer roads to sag enough to drop out of their supports entirely! Once you have identified the leak, clean the area thoroughly for at least an inch or two around the leak. Make sure you have removed dirt, grime, grease, insulation, and paint all the way down to the fundamental plastic of the tank. You may need to use a Scotchbrite pad, sandpaper, or steel wool to get down to clean plastic. If you use an electric drill or grinder to prepare the surface take care not to go too deep. Do not attempt to apply chemical solvents to LDPE tanks. There are some repair kits that claim they will "stick" to any tank, but LDPE is not reactive to most solvents and most adhesives will function only as a temporary repair at best. You might be able to make repairs to LDPE tanks using plastic welding techniques, if you, or your RV tech has the right equipment and training. I've seen some temporary repairs attempted using silicone or even latex caulk. That might slow a leak enough to get you home from an outing, but repair will not permanently bond to LDPE and the vibration and pressure will soon displace the sealant and you're back where you started -- or worse! Now you have to clean off the caulk before you can attempt permanent repairs. Chemical ABS repairs can be permanent, often becoming stronger than the original tank wall. Read and follow the repair kit manufacturer's instructions very carefully. Failure to do so will, at best, result in a failed repair and could cause further damage to the tank or create a health hazard for you. Let the repair "cure" for at least the minimum time proscribed in the instructions before using the tank again. Once you have repaired the plastic, be sure to replace any insulation you may have removed to make repairs. Spray foam "gap filler" is an easy way to replace foam insulation you have removed and can often be used to fill gaps between the holding tank and nearby structural members to minimize vibration and provide some protection against extreme temperatures. If your original holding tank was uninsulated, you might want to spray the whole thing with foam. Not only does it provide a thermal barrier, it can absorb the impact of small debris kicked up by your tires that might crack or penetrate the unprotected plastic tank.
Temporary repairs of some small leaks might be accomplished using wet patch roofing cement. Wet patch formulas are designed to stick even when the surface is wet so they can be used without draining and drying the tanks. However, such repairs are not suitable as a permanent solution. Vibration, expansion and contraction from heating and cooling, and pressure build up are likely to cause the patch to eventually fail. Contaminates in sewage may also affect adhesion. Wet patch formulas are designed to work on roofs even in the rain, but are not intended to deal with soap, human waste, and holding tank chemicals so they may not stick to leaking plumbing as well as they do to roofs.
Leaking dump valves can usually be repaired or replaced. It is not a very expensive nor terribly difficult task, usually well within the skills of a good do-it-yourself mechanic. Each valve is held in place by only 4 bolts. However, they often become rusted or may be in a location that is difficult to get tools on so the task may be more daunting than expected. I've seen situations where the old bolts had to be cut off to remove the leaking valves. Since the valves were going to be be replaced anyway, an angle grinder with a metal cutting blade was used to cut through the center of the bolts in the middle of the valve itself, taking care not to damage the flanges on either side. It is possible to replace leaking seals without buying new valves if the valves themselves are still in tact. The process for replacing seals or entire valves is essentially the same except that you put the old valves back in place with the new seals. New valves come with new bolts and nuts. When installing the bolts and nuts, hold the nut with a wrench while turning the bolt to tighten. The back side of the nut is fluted to grip the plastic as it is pulled by the bolt as it is tightened. Turning the nut as it gets tight will scrape away at the surface of the flanges so it doesn't grip as well and may vibrate loose. If the flanges are damaged they should be replaced. That is usually fairly easy where the flange attaches to the tank with a large hose clamp, but some flanges are an integral part of the tank or the dump fittings and, in this case, it may require replacing the entire fitting or modifying the tank since the flanges cannot be removed.
No more leaks!
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