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!
Information on recreational vehicles (RVs) and Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs), Camping, Sailing, and Survival
Friday, September 14, 2012
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!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Some ebay tips for campers
Several times in this blog I have suggested using ebay as a source for RV or OHV accessories and camping equipment. I have personally even purchased two motorhomes through ebay. As I mentioned in another post, keep in mind in order to "win" an auction on ebay, you have to be willing to pay more for your item than anyone else in the world will pay. That's not entirely true. If your maximum bid turns out to be the most anyone else will pay, you will win the auction if your maximum bid was recorded before anyone else bid that amount. However, if anyone is willing to pay more than your maximum bid, you could lose the auction at the last second. There are even computer programs that do last second bidding so it can be difficult to guard against it.
Buyers don't pay any fees to ebay. It is free to register and there is no fee for bidding or winning. All buyers pay is their bid amount plus designated shipping and handling. Sellers, on the other hand, do pay a fee. Payment methods depend on the seller's preferences. Most sellers accept Paypal, on line payment service. Some sellers accept ONLY Paypal. Once you have registered with Paypal you can make payments without having to share your bank account numbers with sellers. Paypal payments are almost instanteous so sellers can ship right away. If you pay by check or money order the seller will most likely wait until your payment has been received and has cleared the bank before shipping your merchandise. It is unwise to send cash through the mail system.
Check the auctions regularly. There are some ebay sellers who operate virtual online stores that maintain stock but many auctions are one-of-a-kind items by people getting rid of stuff they no longer need. You never now what you'll find on ebay. It has been described as "the world's largest garage sale" and it is a well-earned reputation. You can save your searches to make it easy to re-check things you're interested in. You can even choose an option to have ebay send you an email when a new item is added that matches a given search.
Searching versus browsing are the two main ways of finding things on ebay. Searching allows you to enter specific terms to locate a particular item you are interested in. Browsing lets you discover unique items you might never have even thought about. I have found both methods to be useful. When I need a particular part or piece of gear I use a search to see what's available but sometimes I've found interesting and useful items I'd never even known existed just by browsing a category of interest (like vintage tools, camping or motorcycles).
Know the value of what you're buying. Do a little price comparison before placing a bid. I've seen ebay bids on some simple items go way beyond what the items could be purchased for at a local Walmart. Of course, if you don't have a local Walmart, it may be worth paying more, but usually you can buy from Walmart.com. Sometimes you will find truly unique items on ebay and it will be difficult if not impossible to find any comparative prices. In that case, think about how much the item is worth to you before placing your bid. It is really easy to get into a "bidding war" and over bid. People sometimes get emotional about their potential purchase, lose sight of the real value, and get caught up in the competition. On the other hand, I have lost auctions I could have won by simply making one more bid (an extra $.50 or $1.00) and that too can be frustrating.
Bid early or bid late. There are ebayers who swear by each method and insist it is the ONLY way to go. I have tried both methods and honestly can't say I have found a distinct advantage of one over the other. It does seem to me that bidding early on small, inexpensive items works pretty well. If nothing else, it forces other bidders to bid more but often an early bid will prevail if the item is not in hot demand or if the minimum bid is already near the market value of the item. Bidding near the end of an auction can minimize the time and opportunity other bidders have to out bid you. There are even software programs that can monitor your bids and programmatically place your bid just seconds before the auction closes. It is nearly impossible to guard against these programs to protect your manual bid without entering a ridiculously high maximum bid. Early bidding on popular items will probably not be successful. Expect to get out bid. Late bidding, especially if you use one of the automated bidding services is a good way to prevail -- if you are willing to outbid everyone else who has placed their bids ahead of you. Depends on how badly you want an item and how much you are willing and able to pay.
Reserve Price is a device used by sellers to protect themselves against selling their merchandise for less than they need to get for it. Sellers are not obligated to sell anything that doesn't reach the Reserve Price, but on auctions without Reserve Price they have to accept the highest bid, no matter how low it may be. Reserve Prices are most commonly associated with more expensive items like vehicles, but a seller can set a Reserve Price on any auction. Items with a "No Reserve" notation ensure there is no hidden minimum you have to meet.
The "Buy It Now" option allows you to bypass the bidding process and buy your item immediately. The "Buy It Now" price is usually higher than the minimum bid so you might have chance of getting for less if you go through the bid process. Of course that will take longer (until the expiration of bidding) and you run the risk of being outbid. You avoid having to compete with other bidders and the seller will usually ship your purchase right away, especially if you pay using Paypal. If you pay by check or money order most sellers will, understandably, hold your merchandise until your payment clears before shipping it. "But It Now" is an especially good choice if you need something right away because you don't have to wait for the end of the auction.
Choose a realistic Maximum Bid. Your Maximum Bid is only used if other bidders enter amounts higher than your current bid. When you enter a bid, the amount you enter is your Maximum Bid. The ebay web site will create an initial bid that is the minimum needed up to your Maximum that is enough to beat the any existing maximum bids. If someone enters another bid that is less than your Maximum Bid, ebay will automatically increase your bid until you reach your Maximum Bid. If you are outbid, ebay will send you an email so you can increase your Maximum Bid if you are interested in doing so. It is important to research the value of items you are bidding on and set a Maximum Bid that you are comfortable with. You want to enter a Maximum Bid that represents the most you are willing to pay for the item and then stick to it -- unless you have good reason to pay more.
Beware of shipping costs. Most ebay sellers strive to maintain reasonable shipping and handling charges but there are a few who sell for ridiculously low prices and make it up by charging ridiculously high shipping and handling charges. I generally avoid patronizing sellers who do that. What they are doing is not illegal or even necessarily unethical, but it can be misleading if you're not paying attention. So always look for the shipping charges before you bid. Even reasonable shipping might affect how much you're willing to pay for an item. I try to make it a rule to never bid on an item if I can buy the item somewhere else for an amount less than or equal to the sum of the price plus shipping.
Read the ads closely. Make sure you understand what you are bidding on and what condition it is in. Verify sizes. You can't try things on over the Internet and sometimes returns may not be allowed. Of course you can always re-sell unwanted items on ebay but remember, you already paid more for it than anyone else was willing to pay so don't expect to make all your money back. I saw a coupon listed in such a way as it appeared you were bidding on the actual item unless you read the listing very closely. Again, such listings are not illegal but they can be deceptive, so "read the fine print" before bidding. Once you have placed a bid you are committed to buy the item if you are the winning bidder. Ebay only allows bid retractions under certain, very limited conditions.
Problem resolution. I have had very few problems with ebay purchases, but resolving problems is usually pretty easy. Ebay provides you a way to contact the seller if there is a problem with your purchase. Ebay offers The Ebay buyer protection plan that covers the cost of an item plus original shipping. Most times a missing or damaged item will be quickly replaced or refunded by the seller. In the many years I've been using Ebay I've only had one unsatisfactory experience. I ordered a pickup bed liner kit and never got it. The seller never returned my emails but finally through a phone call I found out his supplier had stiffed him. Unfortunately this was before Ebay offered their buyer protection plan, so I was just out of luck. I never got my product nor received a refund. In another recent case I received a torn and empty package very quickly after the close of the auction; with just a couple of emails the seller quickly shipped me another one at no additional cost. If you have a problem, first contact the seller and give him/her a chance to resolve it. Businesses or sellers making a business of selling on Ebay will be anxious to maintain their reputation. Unique items listed by private sellers may be impossible to replace if they are lost or damaged. In that case you may have to rely the seller's personal integrity or on EBay's buyer protection plan for a refund. For relatively costly items it is probably a good idea to purchase shipping insurance if it is offered.
How to find what you want on ebay. There are two basic ways to find things on ebay: browse or search. When you browse you will select the ebay category that is relevant to what you're looking for. Then page through all the listings. Sometimes you will find things you wouldn't have even thought about. I sometimes browse the CAMPING category but mostly I like to use specific searches and once you have developed a search that gives you satisfactory results you can save it for future use. In building a search you can search all of ebay or restrict the search to certain categories. Then you use keywords to find the items you're looking for. There are excellent guidelines and help right on ebay to point you in the right direction for building your search terms. You can even have ebay send you an email when new items are posted that match your search criteria. I have often used searches with email notification to find good deals on dirt bike parts and riding gear.
Items on ebay may be new or used. You may see things tagged "NOS", which stands for New Old Stock. These are brand new items that have been on someone's shelf long enough to become obsolete. You will want to exercise some caution buying used items. Sellers will usually provide a pretty good description of the condition of the item, including any defects. Expect normal wear and tear on any used stuff you buy. Sometimes buying used is your only option, if, for example,the item you are interested in is no longer in production.
How to pay for purchases on ebay. Some sellers may accept personal checks, but they will probably not ship your items until your check clears. Some may require a certified check or money order. Most will not ship the item until your payment has cleared. The easiest, fastest, and safest way I've found is to use Paypal. You sign up with Paypal once and give them permission to withdrawn funds from your checking account or a credit card. Then you can pay for ebay purchases without having to share your personal banking information with anyone else. Most sellers will ship immediately upon receipt of a Paypal payment. Ebay even offers a search option to select only sellers who accept Paypal, an option I almost always employ. Paypal payments are easy and secure and ensure fastest possible delivery of my items. Its also a lot easier and faster than mailing checks. Sellers pay a modest fee to Paypal but it is free for buyers. The seller receives an email telling him your payment has been deposited into his Paypal account almost immediately so he can ship your product right away. Then he transfers money from his Paypal account to his own bank account when he is ready.
Tracking ebay purchases. Your ebay account will keep track of your activity, including bids, items won and items lost. You can also "watch" items without bidding on them. Then you receive emails about activity on that particular auction and you have an easy reference back to items you may have seen but weren't quite ready to bid on yet. I also keep a spreadsheet of all my online purchases, including ebay. I record a description of the item, the ebay item number, the date of purchase, the price, shipping, and tax amounts. When it arrives I record the date it was received. I also like to enter an estimated value, often the normal retail price, so I can track how well I'm doing at getting bargains. The spreadsheet lets me tell at a glance if there are any items that are missing or late arriving so I can take appropriate action with the seller or with ebay to make sure I get what I've paid for. So far I estimate that over the years I've been using ebay I've saved an average of about 50% over retail, even when I add in the shipping costs.
What can you find on ebay? There are literally thousands of camping related items on ebay at any given time. Tents (both new and used), sleeping bags, lanterns, camp stoves and hundreds of different tools and gadgets. I've bought camp stoves and lanterns, plus parts and accessories for them. It is also a good source for RV and OHV parts and accessories. I've also found it convenient to stock up on small parts -- like cord locks for your sleeping bags. As always, do your homework before you bid. Know what you can get the items for locally so you don't over pay. Most items sold on ebay are sold "as is" and many sellers do not accept returns. Careful shopping can yield some great bargains. For example, I recently had to replace a broken cord lock on one of our sleeping bags. I paid about $1.50 for 2 of them at a sporting goods store. Then I found 50 of them on ebay for $3.45 -- and free shipping! Next time I need a cord lock, I'll have one on hand! I use ebay to stock up on other camping supplies like tent repair kits and parts for my lanterns and camp stoves.
Ebay can be a convenient way to search for out-of-production items you can't find in stores. I tried unsuccessfully to get a new "safe" for my Coleman lanterns in stores. These are shallow pans that clamp to the bottom of the lantern and hold a wrench, spare generator and spare mantles. I then began checking ebay and found several steel and plastic safes for sale, some with all the spare parts, some by themselves. Ebay can be a good source for obsolete items. I prefer the older steel Coleman lantern cases over the newer plastic clamshell cases that have replaced them and you can sometimes find them on ebay, with or without lanterns. It seems to me the metal cases can accommodate more different lantern models than their plastic counterparts and the square shape and flat top fits in my RV cabinets better.
Be sure you know the value of what you're bidding on -- at least to you. I saw bidding on a marine 12-volt socket (like a cigarette lighter) soar over $17 when the exact same item could be purchased at my local Walmart for about $8.00. Of course, if you don't have a reasonable local source paying more for a unique item may be worthwhile.
Avoid bidding wars. Bidding wars occur when two or more people are adamant about winning an auction. On one hand, you might only be outbid by $.50 or $1.00 so upping your bid might win you the item. But if you and one or more other bidders keep playing that game, the price can quickly climb $10 or more! The only time I recall getting into a bidding war was for a really heavy duty 12-volt air compressor I wanted for my motorcycle trailer. It wasn't one of the those little toys that plug into the cigarette lighter. The motor on it was he size of an automotive starter! Because it was such a unique item, I kept bidding on it until I won it, going at least $40 over my original maximum bid, but I've never been sorry I bought it. I've never seen another one like it anywhere. I have lost auctions where I was only outbid by $.50 or $1.00 and wished I had at least tried one more time. But be careful not to get so focused on winning that you lose sight of the value of the item and are drawn into over bidding! When you get outbid, check to see if there are other listings for similar items that might not have gone so high before upping your bid. Its all too easy to get sucked into the "I'm gonna win this!" trap, and when you do, you will almost always overpay. Sometimes you may find other auctions right on ebay for the same item with lower current bids. On the other hand, on occasion I have given up when a bid of only fifty cents more could have won the auction. In many cases you will find identical items listed multiple times, sometimes by the same seller and you may be able to switch your bidding to one that hasn't gotten too high yet. Always look for other listings before over-bidding. I saw folks over bid a tent stove when they could have purchased an identical stove for less on a separate Buy It Now auction with free shipping!
Shipping. Be sure to check the shipping costs before you bid. Shipping and handling costs can sometimes be excessive. A few unscrupulous sellers offer products at very low starting bids, then tack on huge shipping and handling charges. Large, heavy items are going to be costly to ship, especially if they have to travel long distances. Many small camping articles are offered with free shipping so you know exactly what you're going to pay. Most others will either give you the fixed shipping and handling costs or let you put in your zip code to calculate the cost. You can sort your search results from lowest to highest price plus shipping to make it easier to check potential total cost. Expect to be charged slightly more than actual shipping costs. The seller has to box up your purchase and take it to the pick up point. Just be sure to check the shipping costs and consider them in your valuation. I've seen tricky sellers offer little items than can be sent in a letter size envelope for regular first class postage charge shipping of $15 or $16. Since it costs them less then $.50 to send the letter, they're making most of their profit on shipping.
Be sure to look for other listings for an item before you bid on it. I recently saw bidding for a tent stove go up to $91.00 plus shipping while the same item was offered at a Buy It Now price of $59.95 with free shipping! By the time the buyer with the $91.00 bid pays shipping he/she will be paying about twice as much for their stove as they would have if they'd exercised the Buy It Now option on the other listing. Always scan all the listings before placing a bid, then chose the one that will give you the best results: best chance of winning or lowest price. You should also check other online sources before you bid. You might find the same items offered at lower prices on Amazon.com or through other online retailers, especially if you find coupons or things on sale. And, if you subscribe to Amazon Prime, shipping is often free -- and very fast!
Many items on ebay are unique. Sometimes it won't be easy or even possible to compare prices so you'll have to decide what things are worth to you. I once got into a bidding war over a unique 12-volt air compressor. It was powered by a motor the size of an automotive starter. I've never seen one like it before or since so it was simply a matter of how much was it worth to me. I decided the advantage of having such a powerful compressor for use in my dirt bike trailer in camp was worth paying at least two or three times what the little compressors that plug into your cigarette lighter go for. Unfortunately, someone else shared my interest and we kept out bidding each other. Foruntately, for me, I eventually won the auction and I've never regretted it even though the final price was much higher than I originally anticipated.
Of course you can also sell stuff on ebay. If you happen to be an expert in any small collectibles (lunch boxes, cereal boxes, VHS tapes, books, toys, etc.) you can use your travels to locate potential merchandise. You might find items at garage sales, flea markets, and second hand stores where you visit. If you travel to remote locations and small towns chances are pretty good you may come across some really good finds. With a digital camera (even the one on your cell phone) and a laptop computer you can list the items on ebay even while you're traveling. Once posted, your listing works for you 24 hours a day. Ebay charges modest fees to sellers so be sure to consider that when you set your minimum bid or reserve price. By the way, having a low minimum bid can help get auctions started but unless you also set a reserve price you might be forced to let something go for much less than you would like.
Finding what you're looking for on ebay. The key to finding something is entering good search criteria. Doing a generic search such as camping may result in thousands and thousands of hits. While just searching "camping" returns more than 50,000 results, vintage camping tools brings up just a hundred or so possibilities. Much easier to review --IF you're interested in vintage items. Use the "advanced search" and help options to learn the syntax for narrowing and improving your searches. Placing a '"-" sign in front of term usually means 'NOT'. Hence a search for "pickup truck -Ford" means show all pick up trucks except Fords. A list enclosed in parenthesis means search for any of the terms in the list) For example, "motocross pants (red, Honda)" returns any listings for motocross pants listings that contain the words "red" or "Honda". You may also find it useful to browse related categories. As a starting place I like to search "camping" and see what comes up, usually thousands of items. I've found some interesting things that way that I didn't even know existed. Ebay will usually give you a preview sidebar showing the number of items in various sub-categories to help you zero in on what you're looking for.
A word of caution: shopping on ebay can be addictive! Finding those bargains and having the packages arrive every day or two and trying out your finds can be very rewarding. Kind of like Christmas every day. I snagged a bunch of camping stuff and some vintage hand tools and had stuff being delivered just about every day for a while. Most were fairly inexpensive so the financial impact wasn't immediately great. However, it does add up over time and it is too easy to get caught up in the instant gratification of winning auctions and acquiring fun stuff. In can be downright addicting! In fact, my oldest daughter finally told me I needed to get into a Twelve Step program for ebay!
Bid on!
Buyers don't pay any fees to ebay. It is free to register and there is no fee for bidding or winning. All buyers pay is their bid amount plus designated shipping and handling. Sellers, on the other hand, do pay a fee. Payment methods depend on the seller's preferences. Most sellers accept Paypal, on line payment service. Some sellers accept ONLY Paypal. Once you have registered with Paypal you can make payments without having to share your bank account numbers with sellers. Paypal payments are almost instanteous so sellers can ship right away. If you pay by check or money order the seller will most likely wait until your payment has been received and has cleared the bank before shipping your merchandise. It is unwise to send cash through the mail system.
Check the auctions regularly. There are some ebay sellers who operate virtual online stores that maintain stock but many auctions are one-of-a-kind items by people getting rid of stuff they no longer need. You never now what you'll find on ebay. It has been described as "the world's largest garage sale" and it is a well-earned reputation. You can save your searches to make it easy to re-check things you're interested in. You can even choose an option to have ebay send you an email when a new item is added that matches a given search.
Searching versus browsing are the two main ways of finding things on ebay. Searching allows you to enter specific terms to locate a particular item you are interested in. Browsing lets you discover unique items you might never have even thought about. I have found both methods to be useful. When I need a particular part or piece of gear I use a search to see what's available but sometimes I've found interesting and useful items I'd never even known existed just by browsing a category of interest (like vintage tools, camping or motorcycles).
Know the value of what you're buying. Do a little price comparison before placing a bid. I've seen ebay bids on some simple items go way beyond what the items could be purchased for at a local Walmart. Of course, if you don't have a local Walmart, it may be worth paying more, but usually you can buy from Walmart.com. Sometimes you will find truly unique items on ebay and it will be difficult if not impossible to find any comparative prices. In that case, think about how much the item is worth to you before placing your bid. It is really easy to get into a "bidding war" and over bid. People sometimes get emotional about their potential purchase, lose sight of the real value, and get caught up in the competition. On the other hand, I have lost auctions I could have won by simply making one more bid (an extra $.50 or $1.00) and that too can be frustrating.
Bid early or bid late. There are ebayers who swear by each method and insist it is the ONLY way to go. I have tried both methods and honestly can't say I have found a distinct advantage of one over the other. It does seem to me that bidding early on small, inexpensive items works pretty well. If nothing else, it forces other bidders to bid more but often an early bid will prevail if the item is not in hot demand or if the minimum bid is already near the market value of the item. Bidding near the end of an auction can minimize the time and opportunity other bidders have to out bid you. There are even software programs that can monitor your bids and programmatically place your bid just seconds before the auction closes. It is nearly impossible to guard against these programs to protect your manual bid without entering a ridiculously high maximum bid. Early bidding on popular items will probably not be successful. Expect to get out bid. Late bidding, especially if you use one of the automated bidding services is a good way to prevail -- if you are willing to outbid everyone else who has placed their bids ahead of you. Depends on how badly you want an item and how much you are willing and able to pay.
Reserve Price is a device used by sellers to protect themselves against selling their merchandise for less than they need to get for it. Sellers are not obligated to sell anything that doesn't reach the Reserve Price, but on auctions without Reserve Price they have to accept the highest bid, no matter how low it may be. Reserve Prices are most commonly associated with more expensive items like vehicles, but a seller can set a Reserve Price on any auction. Items with a "No Reserve" notation ensure there is no hidden minimum you have to meet.
The "Buy It Now" option allows you to bypass the bidding process and buy your item immediately. The "Buy It Now" price is usually higher than the minimum bid so you might have chance of getting for less if you go through the bid process. Of course that will take longer (until the expiration of bidding) and you run the risk of being outbid. You avoid having to compete with other bidders and the seller will usually ship your purchase right away, especially if you pay using Paypal. If you pay by check or money order most sellers will, understandably, hold your merchandise until your payment clears before shipping it. "But It Now" is an especially good choice if you need something right away because you don't have to wait for the end of the auction.
Choose a realistic Maximum Bid. Your Maximum Bid is only used if other bidders enter amounts higher than your current bid. When you enter a bid, the amount you enter is your Maximum Bid. The ebay web site will create an initial bid that is the minimum needed up to your Maximum that is enough to beat the any existing maximum bids. If someone enters another bid that is less than your Maximum Bid, ebay will automatically increase your bid until you reach your Maximum Bid. If you are outbid, ebay will send you an email so you can increase your Maximum Bid if you are interested in doing so. It is important to research the value of items you are bidding on and set a Maximum Bid that you are comfortable with. You want to enter a Maximum Bid that represents the most you are willing to pay for the item and then stick to it -- unless you have good reason to pay more.
Beware of shipping costs. Most ebay sellers strive to maintain reasonable shipping and handling charges but there are a few who sell for ridiculously low prices and make it up by charging ridiculously high shipping and handling charges. I generally avoid patronizing sellers who do that. What they are doing is not illegal or even necessarily unethical, but it can be misleading if you're not paying attention. So always look for the shipping charges before you bid. Even reasonable shipping might affect how much you're willing to pay for an item. I try to make it a rule to never bid on an item if I can buy the item somewhere else for an amount less than or equal to the sum of the price plus shipping.
Read the ads closely. Make sure you understand what you are bidding on and what condition it is in. Verify sizes. You can't try things on over the Internet and sometimes returns may not be allowed. Of course you can always re-sell unwanted items on ebay but remember, you already paid more for it than anyone else was willing to pay so don't expect to make all your money back. I saw a coupon listed in such a way as it appeared you were bidding on the actual item unless you read the listing very closely. Again, such listings are not illegal but they can be deceptive, so "read the fine print" before bidding. Once you have placed a bid you are committed to buy the item if you are the winning bidder. Ebay only allows bid retractions under certain, very limited conditions.
Problem resolution. I have had very few problems with ebay purchases, but resolving problems is usually pretty easy. Ebay provides you a way to contact the seller if there is a problem with your purchase. Ebay offers The Ebay buyer protection plan that covers the cost of an item plus original shipping. Most times a missing or damaged item will be quickly replaced or refunded by the seller. In the many years I've been using Ebay I've only had one unsatisfactory experience. I ordered a pickup bed liner kit and never got it. The seller never returned my emails but finally through a phone call I found out his supplier had stiffed him. Unfortunately this was before Ebay offered their buyer protection plan, so I was just out of luck. I never got my product nor received a refund. In another recent case I received a torn and empty package very quickly after the close of the auction; with just a couple of emails the seller quickly shipped me another one at no additional cost. If you have a problem, first contact the seller and give him/her a chance to resolve it. Businesses or sellers making a business of selling on Ebay will be anxious to maintain their reputation. Unique items listed by private sellers may be impossible to replace if they are lost or damaged. In that case you may have to rely the seller's personal integrity or on EBay's buyer protection plan for a refund. For relatively costly items it is probably a good idea to purchase shipping insurance if it is offered.
How to find what you want on ebay. There are two basic ways to find things on ebay: browse or search. When you browse you will select the ebay category that is relevant to what you're looking for. Then page through all the listings. Sometimes you will find things you wouldn't have even thought about. I sometimes browse the CAMPING category but mostly I like to use specific searches and once you have developed a search that gives you satisfactory results you can save it for future use. In building a search you can search all of ebay or restrict the search to certain categories. Then you use keywords to find the items you're looking for. There are excellent guidelines and help right on ebay to point you in the right direction for building your search terms. You can even have ebay send you an email when new items are posted that match your search criteria. I have often used searches with email notification to find good deals on dirt bike parts and riding gear.
Items on ebay may be new or used. You may see things tagged "NOS", which stands for New Old Stock. These are brand new items that have been on someone's shelf long enough to become obsolete. You will want to exercise some caution buying used items. Sellers will usually provide a pretty good description of the condition of the item, including any defects. Expect normal wear and tear on any used stuff you buy. Sometimes buying used is your only option, if, for example,the item you are interested in is no longer in production.
How to pay for purchases on ebay. Some sellers may accept personal checks, but they will probably not ship your items until your check clears. Some may require a certified check or money order. Most will not ship the item until your payment has cleared. The easiest, fastest, and safest way I've found is to use Paypal. You sign up with Paypal once and give them permission to withdrawn funds from your checking account or a credit card. Then you can pay for ebay purchases without having to share your personal banking information with anyone else. Most sellers will ship immediately upon receipt of a Paypal payment. Ebay even offers a search option to select only sellers who accept Paypal, an option I almost always employ. Paypal payments are easy and secure and ensure fastest possible delivery of my items. Its also a lot easier and faster than mailing checks. Sellers pay a modest fee to Paypal but it is free for buyers. The seller receives an email telling him your payment has been deposited into his Paypal account almost immediately so he can ship your product right away. Then he transfers money from his Paypal account to his own bank account when he is ready.
Tracking ebay purchases. Your ebay account will keep track of your activity, including bids, items won and items lost. You can also "watch" items without bidding on them. Then you receive emails about activity on that particular auction and you have an easy reference back to items you may have seen but weren't quite ready to bid on yet. I also keep a spreadsheet of all my online purchases, including ebay. I record a description of the item, the ebay item number, the date of purchase, the price, shipping, and tax amounts. When it arrives I record the date it was received. I also like to enter an estimated value, often the normal retail price, so I can track how well I'm doing at getting bargains. The spreadsheet lets me tell at a glance if there are any items that are missing or late arriving so I can take appropriate action with the seller or with ebay to make sure I get what I've paid for. So far I estimate that over the years I've been using ebay I've saved an average of about 50% over retail, even when I add in the shipping costs.
What can you find on ebay? There are literally thousands of camping related items on ebay at any given time. Tents (both new and used), sleeping bags, lanterns, camp stoves and hundreds of different tools and gadgets. I've bought camp stoves and lanterns, plus parts and accessories for them. It is also a good source for RV and OHV parts and accessories. I've also found it convenient to stock up on small parts -- like cord locks for your sleeping bags. As always, do your homework before you bid. Know what you can get the items for locally so you don't over pay. Most items sold on ebay are sold "as is" and many sellers do not accept returns. Careful shopping can yield some great bargains. For example, I recently had to replace a broken cord lock on one of our sleeping bags. I paid about $1.50 for 2 of them at a sporting goods store. Then I found 50 of them on ebay for $3.45 -- and free shipping! Next time I need a cord lock, I'll have one on hand! I use ebay to stock up on other camping supplies like tent repair kits and parts for my lanterns and camp stoves.
Ebay can be a convenient way to search for out-of-production items you can't find in stores. I tried unsuccessfully to get a new "safe" for my Coleman lanterns in stores. These are shallow pans that clamp to the bottom of the lantern and hold a wrench, spare generator and spare mantles. I then began checking ebay and found several steel and plastic safes for sale, some with all the spare parts, some by themselves. Ebay can be a good source for obsolete items. I prefer the older steel Coleman lantern cases over the newer plastic clamshell cases that have replaced them and you can sometimes find them on ebay, with or without lanterns. It seems to me the metal cases can accommodate more different lantern models than their plastic counterparts and the square shape and flat top fits in my RV cabinets better.
Be sure you know the value of what you're bidding on -- at least to you. I saw bidding on a marine 12-volt socket (like a cigarette lighter) soar over $17 when the exact same item could be purchased at my local Walmart for about $8.00. Of course, if you don't have a reasonable local source paying more for a unique item may be worthwhile.
Avoid bidding wars. Bidding wars occur when two or more people are adamant about winning an auction. On one hand, you might only be outbid by $.50 or $1.00 so upping your bid might win you the item. But if you and one or more other bidders keep playing that game, the price can quickly climb $10 or more! The only time I recall getting into a bidding war was for a really heavy duty 12-volt air compressor I wanted for my motorcycle trailer. It wasn't one of the those little toys that plug into the cigarette lighter. The motor on it was he size of an automotive starter! Because it was such a unique item, I kept bidding on it until I won it, going at least $40 over my original maximum bid, but I've never been sorry I bought it. I've never seen another one like it anywhere. I have lost auctions where I was only outbid by $.50 or $1.00 and wished I had at least tried one more time. But be careful not to get so focused on winning that you lose sight of the value of the item and are drawn into over bidding! When you get outbid, check to see if there are other listings for similar items that might not have gone so high before upping your bid. Its all too easy to get sucked into the "I'm gonna win this!" trap, and when you do, you will almost always overpay. Sometimes you may find other auctions right on ebay for the same item with lower current bids. On the other hand, on occasion I have given up when a bid of only fifty cents more could have won the auction. In many cases you will find identical items listed multiple times, sometimes by the same seller and you may be able to switch your bidding to one that hasn't gotten too high yet. Always look for other listings before over-bidding. I saw folks over bid a tent stove when they could have purchased an identical stove for less on a separate Buy It Now auction with free shipping!
Shipping. Be sure to check the shipping costs before you bid. Shipping and handling costs can sometimes be excessive. A few unscrupulous sellers offer products at very low starting bids, then tack on huge shipping and handling charges. Large, heavy items are going to be costly to ship, especially if they have to travel long distances. Many small camping articles are offered with free shipping so you know exactly what you're going to pay. Most others will either give you the fixed shipping and handling costs or let you put in your zip code to calculate the cost. You can sort your search results from lowest to highest price plus shipping to make it easier to check potential total cost. Expect to be charged slightly more than actual shipping costs. The seller has to box up your purchase and take it to the pick up point. Just be sure to check the shipping costs and consider them in your valuation. I've seen tricky sellers offer little items than can be sent in a letter size envelope for regular first class postage charge shipping of $15 or $16. Since it costs them less then $.50 to send the letter, they're making most of their profit on shipping.
Be sure to look for other listings for an item before you bid on it. I recently saw bidding for a tent stove go up to $91.00 plus shipping while the same item was offered at a Buy It Now price of $59.95 with free shipping! By the time the buyer with the $91.00 bid pays shipping he/she will be paying about twice as much for their stove as they would have if they'd exercised the Buy It Now option on the other listing. Always scan all the listings before placing a bid, then chose the one that will give you the best results: best chance of winning or lowest price. You should also check other online sources before you bid. You might find the same items offered at lower prices on Amazon.com or through other online retailers, especially if you find coupons or things on sale. And, if you subscribe to Amazon Prime, shipping is often free -- and very fast!
Many items on ebay are unique. Sometimes it won't be easy or even possible to compare prices so you'll have to decide what things are worth to you. I once got into a bidding war over a unique 12-volt air compressor. It was powered by a motor the size of an automotive starter. I've never seen one like it before or since so it was simply a matter of how much was it worth to me. I decided the advantage of having such a powerful compressor for use in my dirt bike trailer in camp was worth paying at least two or three times what the little compressors that plug into your cigarette lighter go for. Unfortunately, someone else shared my interest and we kept out bidding each other. Foruntately, for me, I eventually won the auction and I've never regretted it even though the final price was much higher than I originally anticipated.
Of course you can also sell stuff on ebay. If you happen to be an expert in any small collectibles (lunch boxes, cereal boxes, VHS tapes, books, toys, etc.) you can use your travels to locate potential merchandise. You might find items at garage sales, flea markets, and second hand stores where you visit. If you travel to remote locations and small towns chances are pretty good you may come across some really good finds. With a digital camera (even the one on your cell phone) and a laptop computer you can list the items on ebay even while you're traveling. Once posted, your listing works for you 24 hours a day. Ebay charges modest fees to sellers so be sure to consider that when you set your minimum bid or reserve price. By the way, having a low minimum bid can help get auctions started but unless you also set a reserve price you might be forced to let something go for much less than you would like.
Finding what you're looking for on ebay. The key to finding something is entering good search criteria. Doing a generic search such as camping may result in thousands and thousands of hits. While just searching "camping" returns more than 50,000 results, vintage camping tools brings up just a hundred or so possibilities. Much easier to review --IF you're interested in vintage items. Use the "advanced search" and help options to learn the syntax for narrowing and improving your searches. Placing a '"-" sign in front of term usually means 'NOT'. Hence a search for "pickup truck -Ford" means show all pick up trucks except Fords. A list enclosed in parenthesis means search for any of the terms in the list) For example, "motocross pants (red, Honda)" returns any listings for motocross pants listings that contain the words "red" or "Honda". You may also find it useful to browse related categories. As a starting place I like to search "camping" and see what comes up, usually thousands of items. I've found some interesting things that way that I didn't even know existed. Ebay will usually give you a preview sidebar showing the number of items in various sub-categories to help you zero in on what you're looking for.
A word of caution: shopping on ebay can be addictive! Finding those bargains and having the packages arrive every day or two and trying out your finds can be very rewarding. Kind of like Christmas every day. I snagged a bunch of camping stuff and some vintage hand tools and had stuff being delivered just about every day for a while. Most were fairly inexpensive so the financial impact wasn't immediately great. However, it does add up over time and it is too easy to get caught up in the instant gratification of winning auctions and acquiring fun stuff. In can be downright addicting! In fact, my oldest daughter finally told me I needed to get into a Twelve Step program for ebay!
Bid on!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Organizing your RV and/or Camping Gear
First of all, organizing is not a one time task -- it is an ongoing exercise. Initial organization is a critical part of getting started, but you will soon discover there are always improvements that can be made. If you don't see anything that needs to change, just ask your spouse! Some of your organizational changes will evolve naturally as you discover what things you use frequently and need to have close at hand. Other developments may arise from observing fellow campers. You can often learn useful tips from experienced campers. I like the "Quick Tips" column in Motorhome Magazine. These are reader supplied tips that are usually easy and inexpensive to apply. You will naturally acquire new gadgets and tools as your gain experience and that alone will often necessitate reorganization to make room to keep your conveniences convenient!
If you have an RV, you can organize a lot of stuff more or less permanently. Think about the things you use most and how you can make them accessible. Put items that are similar in design or purpose in close proximity. It will help you remember where they are and make them more convenient to use. Unfortunately, we only get to use our RVs occasionally, so it may be hard to remember where things are. You probably already have a pattern that works for organizing your kitchen at home. You may find a modified or scaled down version that works well for your RV galley. Remember that the vehicle will be moving -- turning corners, bouncing on on even roads, etc. You may need to anchor some items in place to prevent them from knocking cabinet doors open and falling out while traveling. Spring-loaded bars are available to fit most refrigerators and can often be adjusted to fit cabinets as well. Bungee cords can be installed in almost any cabinet to hold items in place. Load light weight items in the upper cabinets and canned goods and other heavy items down low. This helps keep the center of gravity low and reduces the probability of things flying out of the cabinets while traveling -- and minimizes the chances of injury if things do turn into projectiles during particularly violent maneuvers. I'd a lot rather be hit in the head by a bag of potato chips or a package of marshmallows than by a can of stew or chili!
Organizing provisions inside your RV is much like organizing them at home. There are somethings that naturally belong in the galley, some in the bathroom, some in the bedroom. The biggest difference is going to be that the space available in these locations is usually much smaller than you have at home. Most RVs have storage in the main lounge or living area too, which you can take advantage of, but exercise caution so you don't overload overhead cabinets.
Major tools, spare parts, and automotive supplies like motor oil and antifreeze should be stored in outside compartments. This is also a good place for portable BBQs and other items typically used outdoors. Try to put the most frequently used items in the front or top of cabinets where than can be easily accessed. Emergency supplies that are seldom used are candidates for the back or bottom of cabinets. I keep my main tool boxes in outside compartments but also set up a small toolbox containing frequently used hand tools that I store behind one of the chairs inside my RV so it is easily accessible as needed for simple repairs in camp or on the road.
Organizing for tent camping can be more challenging since you lack permanent cabinets. The use of plastic tubs or trunks can help give a little sense of permanence to your organization. Put like things or things that are used together in the same place. Once you've established a place for things, don't move them around unless there is a REALLY good reason to do so. For example, if you put all of your cooking utensils in a certain plastic tub, return them to the same tub each time you use them. If, out of convenience or rush, you dump them in a different tub, finding them the next time is going to be a problem. When you transfer your camping stuff from your car back into your garage or other storage location, create a logical pattern for where you put things and stick to it. That way, you'll know just what to grab and from where for the next trip. With your gear well-organized in tubs it will be easy to load up your vehicle for an outing, carry your stuff from your vehicle to your camp site, and keep your stuff clean and organized throughout your stay.
Re-organizing your stuff periodically gives you an opportunity to refresh your memory of what you have and and where it is. It is all too easy to accumulate lots of neat "stuff" and squirrel it away and forget you even have it if you don't use it. Take advantage of reorganizing to inventory what you have and perhaps eliminate items you seldom use or no longer need. It is always a good thing to lighten the load. Refreshing your memory of what you have will let you take better advantage of some of those fun gadgets you've accumulated.
Be creative in making places to store your stuff. Always be looking for ways to make things easier to store and retrieve and better ways to keep things clean. I found that the wire coat hangers we used for cooking hot dogs and marshmallows over the campfire made a sticky mess in my RV cabinets and were constantly getting tangled in with other items sharing the same space. I solved the problem by keeping the wires in a piece of 3/4" PVC pipe. Now they stay together, don't get sticky or greasy stuff on other items, and are easy to locate, retrieve, and put back. You might even fasten the pipe to the top or side of a a cabinet for additional security. Convenience and accessibility should always be guiding factors in where and how your store your stuff. A neat idea I saw in the Quick Tips column in Motorhome Magazine for storing cutting boards was cutting vertical slots between the doors in the front of under-sink cabinets. Make sure there is plenty of clearance for the boards inside the cabinets and for any supporting structure you might need to install before you start cutting!
A primary goal of reorganizing should be to improve access and convenience for frequently used items. You may find you have some useful gadgets that you seldom or never use because they are buried in some cabinet or drawer. You will want to put them where you can get to them. You may find stuff you never use, don't need and can get rid of to make room for better organizing what you do use. Just putting things in logical places so you will know where to look for them will make future outings more pleasant and convenient. However, moving things around too often just make them harder to find. Sometimes it is better to leave something "where its always been" rather than putting it "where it belongs". Being able to use some of that neat stuff you've accumulated will be fun. If you're not using it nor likely to, leave it at home or get rid of it. Make a pile of stuff for your next garage sale and perhaps you can turn unused stuff into cash to get things you want.
While RVers tend to accumulate more stuff than tent campers, tent campers can still benefit from going through their camping gear regularly. Go through each of your bins, back packs, or duffle bags. Check all pieces of equipment for proper operation, clean and inspect each piece of gear and make any needed repairs. Evaluate the usefulness and frequency of use of each item and remove things you don't need or seldom use. It will give you more room for necessary items and make it easier to find what you need when you need it. Organize your equipment using a pattern that is logical to you. A possible suggestion is to keep all cooking and kitchen items together, bathroom accessories and toiletries together, likewise for cleaning supplies, bedding, games, tools, etc. The main thing is to use a pattern or structure that is meaningful and useful TO YOU. Observe how other campers organize things and then pick and choose the techniques that you find helpful. You might want to consider separate bins for warm and cold weather camping. The clothes, tools, and supplies you need will be different for different climates and seasons. No sense carrying around your snow suit and mittens when its bikini weather! On the flip side, bikinis don't take up much room and you might get a chance to warm up in a heated spa during a winter outing.
Regular organizing of your OHV gear or equipment for other activities is also a good thing to do. OHV and watercraft tools, gear, and spare parts can accumulate into an unusable mess if not kept well organized. Hunting, fishing, and hiking equipment each requires its own special technique for proper, safe, and convenient storage. Your organizational skills will be especially challenged if you participate in more than one type of activity. In my family, our primary hobby is dirt biking but we also enjoy horseback riding, shooting, hiking, and fishing. Each activity has its own organizational and storage requirements to ensure safety and convenient access.
Organization for daily chores may be one of the best time savers. Proper organization of your galley or cooking facilities will simplify meal preparation and cleanup. Items needed for daily cleaning tasks should be easily accessible. It is way too easy to adopt the "I'm on vacation!" attitude and skip daily chores. However, you will soon discover adopting a good daily routine will actually give you more time for fun activities and make your outings more pleasurable. Sometimes having unique gadgets for specific tasks will make routine chores more fun. And having everything neat and clean will definitely contribute to a pleasant trip.
We recently had an unplanned and unexpected opportunity to reorganize our RV. We found summer jobs at a resort and lived in our motorhome for several months. My wife's schedule left her with many free afternoons and she thoroughly went through every cabinet and cupboard. She rediscovered things we had forgotten we even had, cleaned out obsolete supplies, and put things back where we could find them. Its almost like Christmas finding fun things you've forgotten you have. Outdated provisions and medical supplies were discarded and replaced with up to date items. Rainy days may provide similar opportunities on weekend outings. Take advantage of "found time" to clean and organize your stuff to improve your camping experience.
A word of caution when reorganizing. Make sure your reorganization makes sense and that you'll be able to find things in their new places. Sometimes it is better to leave things where they are just because you are used to finding them there. It will be easier to remember the new location for things if you have an opportunity to use them soon after you've moved them so you get used to seeing them in their new location. If you do move something, make sure its new location is logical and appropriate. Sometimes its better to keep something "where its always been" rather than moving it to a new "logical" location. Make sure your changes make sense!
Stay organized!
If you have an RV, you can organize a lot of stuff more or less permanently. Think about the things you use most and how you can make them accessible. Put items that are similar in design or purpose in close proximity. It will help you remember where they are and make them more convenient to use. Unfortunately, we only get to use our RVs occasionally, so it may be hard to remember where things are. You probably already have a pattern that works for organizing your kitchen at home. You may find a modified or scaled down version that works well for your RV galley. Remember that the vehicle will be moving -- turning corners, bouncing on on even roads, etc. You may need to anchor some items in place to prevent them from knocking cabinet doors open and falling out while traveling. Spring-loaded bars are available to fit most refrigerators and can often be adjusted to fit cabinets as well. Bungee cords can be installed in almost any cabinet to hold items in place. Load light weight items in the upper cabinets and canned goods and other heavy items down low. This helps keep the center of gravity low and reduces the probability of things flying out of the cabinets while traveling -- and minimizes the chances of injury if things do turn into projectiles during particularly violent maneuvers. I'd a lot rather be hit in the head by a bag of potato chips or a package of marshmallows than by a can of stew or chili!
Organizing provisions inside your RV is much like organizing them at home. There are somethings that naturally belong in the galley, some in the bathroom, some in the bedroom. The biggest difference is going to be that the space available in these locations is usually much smaller than you have at home. Most RVs have storage in the main lounge or living area too, which you can take advantage of, but exercise caution so you don't overload overhead cabinets.
Major tools, spare parts, and automotive supplies like motor oil and antifreeze should be stored in outside compartments. This is also a good place for portable BBQs and other items typically used outdoors. Try to put the most frequently used items in the front or top of cabinets where than can be easily accessed. Emergency supplies that are seldom used are candidates for the back or bottom of cabinets. I keep my main tool boxes in outside compartments but also set up a small toolbox containing frequently used hand tools that I store behind one of the chairs inside my RV so it is easily accessible as needed for simple repairs in camp or on the road.
Organizing for tent camping can be more challenging since you lack permanent cabinets. The use of plastic tubs or trunks can help give a little sense of permanence to your organization. Put like things or things that are used together in the same place. Once you've established a place for things, don't move them around unless there is a REALLY good reason to do so. For example, if you put all of your cooking utensils in a certain plastic tub, return them to the same tub each time you use them. If, out of convenience or rush, you dump them in a different tub, finding them the next time is going to be a problem. When you transfer your camping stuff from your car back into your garage or other storage location, create a logical pattern for where you put things and stick to it. That way, you'll know just what to grab and from where for the next trip. With your gear well-organized in tubs it will be easy to load up your vehicle for an outing, carry your stuff from your vehicle to your camp site, and keep your stuff clean and organized throughout your stay.
Re-organizing your stuff periodically gives you an opportunity to refresh your memory of what you have and and where it is. It is all too easy to accumulate lots of neat "stuff" and squirrel it away and forget you even have it if you don't use it. Take advantage of reorganizing to inventory what you have and perhaps eliminate items you seldom use or no longer need. It is always a good thing to lighten the load. Refreshing your memory of what you have will let you take better advantage of some of those fun gadgets you've accumulated.
Be creative in making places to store your stuff. Always be looking for ways to make things easier to store and retrieve and better ways to keep things clean. I found that the wire coat hangers we used for cooking hot dogs and marshmallows over the campfire made a sticky mess in my RV cabinets and were constantly getting tangled in with other items sharing the same space. I solved the problem by keeping the wires in a piece of 3/4" PVC pipe. Now they stay together, don't get sticky or greasy stuff on other items, and are easy to locate, retrieve, and put back. You might even fasten the pipe to the top or side of a a cabinet for additional security. Convenience and accessibility should always be guiding factors in where and how your store your stuff. A neat idea I saw in the Quick Tips column in Motorhome Magazine for storing cutting boards was cutting vertical slots between the doors in the front of under-sink cabinets. Make sure there is plenty of clearance for the boards inside the cabinets and for any supporting structure you might need to install before you start cutting!
A primary goal of reorganizing should be to improve access and convenience for frequently used items. You may find you have some useful gadgets that you seldom or never use because they are buried in some cabinet or drawer. You will want to put them where you can get to them. You may find stuff you never use, don't need and can get rid of to make room for better organizing what you do use. Just putting things in logical places so you will know where to look for them will make future outings more pleasant and convenient. However, moving things around too often just make them harder to find. Sometimes it is better to leave something "where its always been" rather than putting it "where it belongs". Being able to use some of that neat stuff you've accumulated will be fun. If you're not using it nor likely to, leave it at home or get rid of it. Make a pile of stuff for your next garage sale and perhaps you can turn unused stuff into cash to get things you want.
While RVers tend to accumulate more stuff than tent campers, tent campers can still benefit from going through their camping gear regularly. Go through each of your bins, back packs, or duffle bags. Check all pieces of equipment for proper operation, clean and inspect each piece of gear and make any needed repairs. Evaluate the usefulness and frequency of use of each item and remove things you don't need or seldom use. It will give you more room for necessary items and make it easier to find what you need when you need it. Organize your equipment using a pattern that is logical to you. A possible suggestion is to keep all cooking and kitchen items together, bathroom accessories and toiletries together, likewise for cleaning supplies, bedding, games, tools, etc. The main thing is to use a pattern or structure that is meaningful and useful TO YOU. Observe how other campers organize things and then pick and choose the techniques that you find helpful. You might want to consider separate bins for warm and cold weather camping. The clothes, tools, and supplies you need will be different for different climates and seasons. No sense carrying around your snow suit and mittens when its bikini weather! On the flip side, bikinis don't take up much room and you might get a chance to warm up in a heated spa during a winter outing.
Regular organizing of your OHV gear or equipment for other activities is also a good thing to do. OHV and watercraft tools, gear, and spare parts can accumulate into an unusable mess if not kept well organized. Hunting, fishing, and hiking equipment each requires its own special technique for proper, safe, and convenient storage. Your organizational skills will be especially challenged if you participate in more than one type of activity. In my family, our primary hobby is dirt biking but we also enjoy horseback riding, shooting, hiking, and fishing. Each activity has its own organizational and storage requirements to ensure safety and convenient access.
Organization for daily chores may be one of the best time savers. Proper organization of your galley or cooking facilities will simplify meal preparation and cleanup. Items needed for daily cleaning tasks should be easily accessible. It is way too easy to adopt the "I'm on vacation!" attitude and skip daily chores. However, you will soon discover adopting a good daily routine will actually give you more time for fun activities and make your outings more pleasurable. Sometimes having unique gadgets for specific tasks will make routine chores more fun. And having everything neat and clean will definitely contribute to a pleasant trip.
We recently had an unplanned and unexpected opportunity to reorganize our RV. We found summer jobs at a resort and lived in our motorhome for several months. My wife's schedule left her with many free afternoons and she thoroughly went through every cabinet and cupboard. She rediscovered things we had forgotten we even had, cleaned out obsolete supplies, and put things back where we could find them. Its almost like Christmas finding fun things you've forgotten you have. Outdated provisions and medical supplies were discarded and replaced with up to date items. Rainy days may provide similar opportunities on weekend outings. Take advantage of "found time" to clean and organize your stuff to improve your camping experience.
A word of caution when reorganizing. Make sure your reorganization makes sense and that you'll be able to find things in their new places. Sometimes it is better to leave things where they are just because you are used to finding them there. It will be easier to remember the new location for things if you have an opportunity to use them soon after you've moved them so you get used to seeing them in their new location. If you do move something, make sure its new location is logical and appropriate. Sometimes its better to keep something "where its always been" rather than moving it to a new "logical" location. Make sure your changes make sense!
Stay organized!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Rainy Days In Camp
No one every really plans a camping excursion with the intent of spending it all in rainy days in camp. However, unless you are especially lucky or have exceptional weather forecasting skills, sooner or later you will get rained on while camping. Even if there is no rain in the regional forecast, local variations around mountains (that often make their own weather) can create a sudden downpour.
A previous post (Camping In Rain) mainly dealt with how to set up your camp (tent or RV) to deal with rain. This one deals with how to make the most of rainy days in camp -- how to make the time fun or productive or both. Getting caught out in the rain can really dampen your spirits as well as your equipment, hair, and clothing, but once you get back to camp you can change into dry clothing and warm up -- assuming you are properly prepared with appropriate changes of clothing in the first place. And remember you will need to warm your spirits as well as your body.
If you do very much camping, you will encounter rainy days from time to time. Some mountain locations, which are often desirable camping destinations, may experience rain on an almost daily basis. Although my observations are based on limited personal experience as a teenager, it seems to me that we had thunderstorms every afternoon when my family was visiting Yellowstone Park. More recently, my wife and I were work camping at a mountain resort in southern Utah and had afternoon thunderstorms literally every day all summer. They experience a 'monsoon season', and the rain is almost like sprinklers on a timer -- only a lot more powerful! Y ou could almost set your watch by when the rain started each afternoon. Many mountains tend to create their own weather so you can get rained on when the rest of the region is dry and such specifically local activity doesn't usually make it into the regional weather forecasts. When that happens it is good to have access to some locals or frequent visitors who know the patterns. Or, learn to read the clouds yourself!
Rainy days have a reputation for spoiling parades and picnics, but they don't have to entirely spoil your camping adventures. You just need to make some preparations and appropriate adjustments in your schedule and your activities. If you are camping in an RV, you can enjoy indoor activities regardless of the weather outside (unless things get REALLY violent out there and you have to flee flash floods or mudslides!). Modern entertainment systems offer most of the options you would have at home and can keep kids of all ages amused for hours. Videos, over the air and satellite TV, and sometimes even Internet access afford a plethora of choices. Modern portable devices even make this available to tent campers while RVers can literally have all the comforts of home. Old fashioned board and card games are a fun and convenient way to pass the time in either an RV or a tent and don't use any non-renewable energy. Reading a book or magazine can help pass the time productively. In a pinch you can even read or re-read the instructions for your vehicles and/or equipment. Heavy or consistent rain can create serious problems for tents if you haven't prepared adequately in advance, but if you have an adequate tent and have set it up correctly, including proper drainage, you should be able to weather most summer storms in comfort. If the rain isn't too heavy you might even enjoy watching the storm from under your awning or canopy. Just be sure to lower one corner to allow the rain to run off so it doesn't pool. Of course, if the storm brings high winds or hail you'll want to roll up your awning before it gets damaged. Sometimes it is fun to just sit in your tent or RV and watch and listen to the rain. Mother Nature can put on quite a sound and light show during a thunderstorm! A summer storm can cool things off and bring a welcome relief from the heat. It can be very pleasant to sit under the awning or inside a tent or RV and smell the rain, watch the clouds and lightning, and listen to the thunder.
If you get caught out in the rain you may very likely be soaked to the skin by the time you get back to camp. Of course you'll want to avoid this if you can, so keep an eye on the sky and head back to camp BEFORE it starts to rain and before you get wet. If you do get soaked, change into dry clothing as soon as possible to avoid hypothermia, which can set in even in mild summer weather when you get wet. You will loose body heat 25 time as fast through wet clothing. Having a comfortable place to change clothes out of the rain in your RV or tent may literally be life saving and can certainly improve your comfort. If, for any reason, you don't have dry clothes to change into, remove your wet stuff, wrap up in towels, blankets, or sleeping bags until your clothing dries. A nice warm campfire will be tempting, but staying outside in wet cold clothes to get one going might not be worth the effort nor the risk of hypothermia. This is when the furnace in an RV is really nice to have. Just set the thermostat and get warm. A tent heater would be good to have on cold rainy days too. Just make sure you maintain sufficient ventilation to prevent suffocation. Just getting in out of the rain and wind and out of wet clothes is a good start. Keeping dry to start with is even better. I keep a light weight nylon windbreaker and a plastic poncho in my fanny pack when dirt biking. If we run into rain I can pull it over my jersey to ward of most of the wetness. There is almost always room for a compact plastic rain poncho. They are inexpensive, take up little room, yet can provide a surprising amount of protection against unwanted precipitation. Folded up they are about the size of a pocket handkerchief and can even fit in a shirt pocket. Keep an eye out for them at your local dollar stores and stock up so you have them when you need them.
Group activities are more of a challenge when it rains, but you don't have to give them up completely. On one camping trip with our daughter's in-laws, they set up a tarps that covered the whole HQ campsite, stretched from trailer to trailer to trees and enclosed with vertical tarps on the windward side. The center of the tarp was high enough and had an opening to permit a modest campfire and there was room for several picnic tables, serving tables, and camp chairs around the fire. There were occasional challenges to keep the rain from pooling in the tarps, but they soon became fun games for most of the youngsters (of all ages!) to find and dump them (sometimes on each other!) before they got heavy enough to pull the tarps down.
Rain sometimes puts a damper on OHV activities, but it doesn't have to shut them down entirely-- if you are prepared! Getting caught and soaked by an unexpected downpour can quickly dampen your spirits as well as your clothes. However, a light shower on a hot summer day can be enjoyable and, if you dress in appropriate rain gear to stay dry, riding in the rain can be a fun change of pace. I keep a plastic poncho in my fanny pack for some protection if I get caught in an unexpected shower. I also keep a rain suit in my motorcycle trailer in case it is already raining at the beginning of a ride or if rain is expected. Light rain can sometimes improve traction and visibility in dry, dusty conditions and can be a welcome respite from summer heat. Heavy rain can wreak havoc on trails and could lead to dangerous hypothermia when you get soaked. Dashing through a mud puddle and roosting your buddies might seem like fun, but consider what might lie beneath the surface of that puddle! Hidden rocks, sticks, or an unusually deep hole can wreak havoc on machine and rider, so exercise caution. Besides, your buddies probably will not enjoy getting splashed as much as you enjoy splashing them! And you might be the next target! Riding in the rain is different than riding on dry ground. Mud and wet rocks and other obstacles are slippery. Water reduces the coefficient of friction between your tires and pavement by about 50% and even more if you're on a muddy trail so you will experience a loss of traction and control. However, you don't want to become over cautious. Riding too slow, especially on a dirt bike or mountain bike, can be more treacherous than maintaining a reasonable speed. Another problem with "puddle jumping" is that water may splash up onto electrical components of your OHV and cause problems. Avoid deep water and stay out of sand washes and gullies, which are subject to flash floods. Even distant rain can produce surprise flash floods miles away. I saw a radiator fan shattered on one of our rental RZRs when the customer slammed into a deep puddle. The broken fan pierced the radiator and soon the vehicle overheated and stalled. It was an expensive repair that put a serious damper on his vacation. Playing in the mud in your OHV may seem like fun, but eventually you'll have to clean it and that isn't so much fun, so keep that in mind. In some places, the mud is highly alkaline and can quickly cause corrosion of metal parts so you want to avoid accumulation when you can and wash if off as soon as possible. I carry an old water type fire extinguisher in my motorcycle trailer for just that purpose. I can pump up the air pressure and spray off the bikes when necessary, kind of like a portable pressure washer. Its also handy for putting out Class A fires like campfires and tent and RV fires.
Rainy days can be an opportunity to catch up on things you put off in favor of more fun activities when the weather is good. Clean and/or organize your RV, motorcycle trailer, backpack, or tent. Clean and repair equipment and riding gear. Study those maps and local interest pamphlets you've been accumulating. Read or re-read through your owner's manual for your RV, OHV, and/or camping equipment. Write in your camping diary. Update your "wish list". Go to the store and do some shopping and replenish your provisions. Visit the local ranger station, forest service visitor's center, or museum. Invite some of your camping buddies over for warm treats and fun games or indoor entertainment and good conversation. Watch a favorite movie or read a book. Take a nap.
Rainy days may have an unexpected benefit: helping you to identify leaks in your RV or tent. If you keep up with routine maintenance, you shouldn't have any leaks, but they sometimes sneak up even on the most careful campers. There usually isn't much you can do about them while it is raining, but be sure to make note of where they are or mark them so you can make appropriate repairs when the sun comes back out. There is a special RV repair tape (Eternabond) that will stick even in wet conditions. If you have some of that you may be able to seal leaks around seams, vents, and windows temporarily even while it is raining. The same tape might be used to repair tents but it probably won't stick as well to tent fabrics as it does to smooth RV surfaces. And it isn't cheap! Duct tape can be used for temporary repairs after the area around the leak has dried so the tape will stick. You might get duct tape to stick to wet surfaces but I wouldn't count on it. I was surprised when the Mythbusters managed to slow the leaks below the waterline on a boat using only duct tape. Place bowls or pans temporarily under drips to limit soaking of interior areas. Controlling accumulation of moisture will reduce permanent damage and accelerate drying time to avoid the build up of mold, mildew, and dry rot. Its a lot easier to dump out a pan of water than to dry the carpet, upholstery, tent floor, clothes, or sleeping bags!
Rain can even be fun to watch, especially if you like thunder and lightning. Just be sure you chose a safe place for your observation post. Rain runoff can be more powerful than you might expect. Don't believe me? What do you think carved the Grand Canyon? Most people like the fresh smell that comes with rain so sitting under an awning or umbrella can be an enjoyable experience, if it doesn't get too cold or too windy, but you can probably mitigate a little weather with a sweater and/or jacket. If you have appropriate rain gear and/or a good umbrella, you might even enjoy walking in the rain. By the way, there is a specific term for the smell of rain: petrichor. The term comes from "petra", which means rock, and "chor", which is a fluid that comes from the veins of gods according the Greek myth. Much of the smell comes from ozone created when lightning splits water molecules but some it comes from the release of oils created by plants during dry times or from bacteria in the soil, both of which may be activated by rain.
Rainy days can be quite productive and enjoyable if you are prepared and take advantage of them. Rain usually brings at least temporary relief from sweltering summer heat, but sometimes it just creates humidity that makes the heat even worse. Can you say "sweltering?" When that happens about your only respite is go somewhere that has air conditioning. On those days a self-contained RV with a large roof A/C is a real blessing.
Let it pour!
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Work Camping
There is a whole sub-industry for work campers. Work camping may range from simply getting a free RV or tent space for managing a public campground to paid positions at commercial establishments. KOA has its own WorkKamper organization with classes and registration for opportunities within the KOA network. For more information on work camping see Workamper News. It can be quite an interesting experience getting paid to spend the summer at a resort or campground. My wife and I worked at an ATV resort in southern Utah one summer. Sometimes the tasks are mundane, but the scenery is beautiful and the people we worked with were outstanding. I worked as an ATV mechanic and it was quite a thrill to test drive our rental units after we worked on them and realize I was actually getting paid to ride!
Before you consider work camping, think about whether you would enjoy or even be able to tolerate living in your RV or tent for several weeks or months. It may take some adjustment so be prepared. For our first work camping experience, my wife and I were living in our Holiday Rambler Imperial Limited 38. It is an older motorhome (circa 1986) but is in good condition and is well equipped. We soon learned that the washer and dryer, that had seen little prior usage, both needed work, but for the most part we were very comfortable in our home on wheels and found the work camping experience very enjoyable. As is often the case with recreational equipment, disuse can be more damaging than regular use.
Sometimes the prerequisites are minimal but the more desirable and lucrative positions will require relevant skills and experience. Volunteer positions for public campgrounds are usually the most lenient -- and offer the least compensation. Some positions may only offer a campsite discount. Commercial campgrounds will most likely be seeking experienced employees and will sometimes offer a free site plus a modest salary. Any experience in hospitality services (hotel/motel) may be helpful. Knowledge of RVs and camping equipment are always useful. In some places having good handy-man skills will be an asset. In almost all cases the ability to deal with the public in a helpful and friendly way will be essential. Special knowledge about local events, attractions, flora, fauna, history and geology is also useful.
If you are interested in developing opportunities for work camping, start by researching needs at local public campgrounds. Places that solicit volunteers are most likely to have the least demanding requirements and will let you log some history and experience. It will also let you find out if it is something you REALLY want to do. Most people have reasonable expectations going in but sometimes you might discover there are responsibilities or tasks you either don't have the proper training and experience to handle or things you simple don't want to do. Better to find out before you make any long-term commitments. Maintenance positions often involve all round handyman work and may include mundane and unpleasant tasks such as hauling garbage or unclogging stopped up toilets. Housekeeping jobs in resorts with rooms for rent will be more involved than those for campgrounds where the housekeeping focuses mainly on cleaning the restrooms and the office.
Personal specialties may make you an especially good candidate for certain jobs. If you happen to be a Civil War buff your expertise and passion may uniquely qualify you for certain historical sites. Having knowledge of other local events or geological or ecological aspects of an area will enhance your marketability and your appeal to potential employers. If you are into hiking, seek campgrounds that are near popular trail heads and familiarize yourself with the local trails. Expertise in fishing, boating, horseback riding, bicycling, and off road activities can also be leveraged by focusing on relevant locations. Make sure your application matches the needs of the location. For example, don't promote your off-road skills at hiking and backing packing locations where nature and survival skills would be more appreciated. Skill with computer and wifi networks often comes in handy, especially as more and more campgrounds offer Internet services to their guests. Marketing and merchandising experience is highly prized by many commercial campgrounds.
Get to work!
Before you consider work camping, think about whether you would enjoy or even be able to tolerate living in your RV or tent for several weeks or months. It may take some adjustment so be prepared. For our first work camping experience, my wife and I were living in our Holiday Rambler Imperial Limited 38. It is an older motorhome (circa 1986) but is in good condition and is well equipped. We soon learned that the washer and dryer, that had seen little prior usage, both needed work, but for the most part we were very comfortable in our home on wheels and found the work camping experience very enjoyable. As is often the case with recreational equipment, disuse can be more damaging than regular use.
Sometimes the prerequisites are minimal but the more desirable and lucrative positions will require relevant skills and experience. Volunteer positions for public campgrounds are usually the most lenient -- and offer the least compensation. Some positions may only offer a campsite discount. Commercial campgrounds will most likely be seeking experienced employees and will sometimes offer a free site plus a modest salary. Any experience in hospitality services (hotel/motel) may be helpful. Knowledge of RVs and camping equipment are always useful. In some places having good handy-man skills will be an asset. In almost all cases the ability to deal with the public in a helpful and friendly way will be essential. Special knowledge about local events, attractions, flora, fauna, history and geology is also useful.
If you are interested in developing opportunities for work camping, start by researching needs at local public campgrounds. Places that solicit volunteers are most likely to have the least demanding requirements and will let you log some history and experience. It will also let you find out if it is something you REALLY want to do. Most people have reasonable expectations going in but sometimes you might discover there are responsibilities or tasks you either don't have the proper training and experience to handle or things you simple don't want to do. Better to find out before you make any long-term commitments. Maintenance positions often involve all round handyman work and may include mundane and unpleasant tasks such as hauling garbage or unclogging stopped up toilets. Housekeeping jobs in resorts with rooms for rent will be more involved than those for campgrounds where the housekeeping focuses mainly on cleaning the restrooms and the office.
Personal specialties may make you an especially good candidate for certain jobs. If you happen to be a Civil War buff your expertise and passion may uniquely qualify you for certain historical sites. Having knowledge of other local events or geological or ecological aspects of an area will enhance your marketability and your appeal to potential employers. If you are into hiking, seek campgrounds that are near popular trail heads and familiarize yourself with the local trails. Expertise in fishing, boating, horseback riding, bicycling, and off road activities can also be leveraged by focusing on relevant locations. Make sure your application matches the needs of the location. For example, don't promote your off-road skills at hiking and backing packing locations where nature and survival skills would be more appreciated. Skill with computer and wifi networks often comes in handy, especially as more and more campgrounds offer Internet services to their guests. Marketing and merchandising experience is highly prized by many commercial campgrounds.
Get to work!
Power Washing RVs and OHVs
Power washing is a convenient way to remove the mud and crud that accumulates on your RV and OHVs, especially during rainy weather. Power washers come in various strengths. My home unit is a 1300 psi electric powered unit and is usually adequate for my needs. For daily washing of ATVs and other rentals we used gasoline powered units ranging from 2400 psi to 3000 psi. The higher powered units are essential to quickly remove inches of mud from our rentals to prepare them for inspection and for the next customer. Small electric pressure washers can be found for about $80-$150. High pressure gasoline powered units will typically run $300-$600. And, just because it is a brand name, doesn't necessarily mean it is commercial quality. Many of the units sold by home centers are only rated for light duty, with the expectation that they will be normally purchased by home owners and used sparingly. When I was working for a resort we made the mistake of buying one of these and it didn't last out the first season of daily use!
Owner's manuals for many OHVs discourage or prohibit the use of power washers, citing problems with damaging electrical components or penetrating seals. Take care if you choose to ignore your manufacturer's warning and use a power washer. It can be a real boon in removing mud from under fenders,wheels, and in the under carriage but avoid directing the stream directly at electrical components and connections and at lubricated parts such as axles and swing arms. Pressure washers can force water past the seals and cause rust and corrosion.
Anytime you are using a power washer, be careful of where you aim the nozzle. A 3000 psi stream can cut flesh and even my 1300 psi unit can create an unpleasant sting and leave a mark. There are some parts of your vehicle that you will want to avoid or at least minimize spraying with a power washer. Electrical parts and connections and suspension parts and anything equipped with a grease fitting can be damaged by high pressure water intrusion. Pressure washers can force water past the seals and into areas that should only contain grease. When that happens, it can cause rust and corrosion that can damage moving parts and result in excessive wear and premature failure. If you pressure wash your vehicle frequently, seriously consider accelerating your lubrication schedule. I'd do it at least twice as often as required by the maintenance schedule, more often if you see water being squeezed out of components when you grease them. Clearance lights on RVs are suspcetible to penetration by power washer and the water intrusion may corrode electrical connections. Avoid direct or sustained contact on or near clearance lights.
Decals are another area that are susceptible to damage from a pressure washer. Try to avoid aiming the full strength of the stream at the edge of any decal unless you WANT to peel it off!
Make it easier. Using appropriate surface treatments can make cleaning easier. I like to use SC-1 brand detailing spray on my dirt bikes . It makes them look like new and the residual film helps keep dirt and grime from sticking in the first place. Because SC-1 is kind of expensive, I use a Mop and Glow type product on the under side of the fenders and skid plate. It helps give a clean bike some extra shine and crud doesn't stick to it as well as it would to the raw plastic. I was pleased to recently find a generic mop and shine product at my local Dollar store, making it even more economical for regular use.
Power washers usually include a device to siphon detergent to aid in cleaning stubborn stains, but even just using clear water is amazingly effective. If you do use detergent, be sure to turn it off or remove it before rinsing to make sure you don't leave a detergent residue on your equipment.
Power washing your RV will mostly focus on the body and tires so you don't usually have the suspension or electornic concerns you may have on your OHV. Don't direct the spray into any seams in the body panels or joints where accessories (like windows, vents and lights) are attached. Power washers are really good for cleaning wheels and tires -- and the mud that accumulates in the wheel well. IF you do power wash your undercarriage and suspension, exercise the same caution described above for OHVs.
Power washing is often a good prelude to planned maintenance. Working on a clean vehicle is more pleasant and productive than constantly fighting the build up of grease, grime, dirt, and mud. Fasteners are easier to locate and to remove if they're clean. And when it comes time to put things back together, clean parts fit better than dirty ones. However, inspect the unit for signs of leaks BEFORE you wash it and make notes as power washing may clean away any evidence.
Portable power washer? It is unlikely you'll have a faucet to supply a power washer in your favorite OHV staging area. If you did you could use a gas powered power washer or, if you have a generator a smaller electric power washer to clean off your toys after a ride -- if you could spare the space and the weight to transport the equipment. I picked up an old pressurize water fire extinguisher that I use as a small power washer for quick cleanups in camp. It doesn't have any where near the pressure of a real power washer but it can be pumped up to deliver a pretty good stream for cleaning mud off my dirt bike if do it before the mud dries. Of course the fire extinguisher is also good for an Class A (normal combustibles) fire too.
Power washing may be an aid to cleaning particularly dirty riding or work clothes before you put them in the washer. You may also be able to use one to carefully clean a badly soiled tent, but go easy. You don't want to wash away the waterproofing and some power washers may be powerful enough to rip seams or even tear the tent fabric! I would try using an ordinary garden hose first. Plastic riding gear, like chest protectors, can probably be safely power washed. If you need to power wash your helmet, protect the inside from direct spray and from getting wet, perhaps by stuffing it with a big bath towel before you wash it. You don't want to saturate the padding! Muddy riding boots might benefit from careful power washing. Take care not to get water inside and avoid direct spraying of seams. Your nylon enduro jacket and riding pants (even jeans) will probably stand up to power washing if needed, just don't get any more aggressive than necessary to remove the mud and grime. And try not to make it a regular practice. By the way, even running clothes through the washer wears them out faster. I had a friend who doubled the lifetime of his shirts by wearing them for two days before washing them instead of washing them every day. But that doesn't translate into further extending the life by not washing them at all. Dirt and grit in clothing will grind down and weaken fibers if it isn't removed regularly.
Power up!
Owner's manuals for many OHVs discourage or prohibit the use of power washers, citing problems with damaging electrical components or penetrating seals. Take care if you choose to ignore your manufacturer's warning and use a power washer. It can be a real boon in removing mud from under fenders,wheels, and in the under carriage but avoid directing the stream directly at electrical components and connections and at lubricated parts such as axles and swing arms. Pressure washers can force water past the seals and cause rust and corrosion.
Anytime you are using a power washer, be careful of where you aim the nozzle. A 3000 psi stream can cut flesh and even my 1300 psi unit can create an unpleasant sting and leave a mark. There are some parts of your vehicle that you will want to avoid or at least minimize spraying with a power washer. Electrical parts and connections and suspension parts and anything equipped with a grease fitting can be damaged by high pressure water intrusion. Pressure washers can force water past the seals and into areas that should only contain grease. When that happens, it can cause rust and corrosion that can damage moving parts and result in excessive wear and premature failure. If you pressure wash your vehicle frequently, seriously consider accelerating your lubrication schedule. I'd do it at least twice as often as required by the maintenance schedule, more often if you see water being squeezed out of components when you grease them. Clearance lights on RVs are suspcetible to penetration by power washer and the water intrusion may corrode electrical connections. Avoid direct or sustained contact on or near clearance lights.
Decals are another area that are susceptible to damage from a pressure washer. Try to avoid aiming the full strength of the stream at the edge of any decal unless you WANT to peel it off!
Make it easier. Using appropriate surface treatments can make cleaning easier. I like to use SC-1 brand detailing spray on my dirt bikes . It makes them look like new and the residual film helps keep dirt and grime from sticking in the first place. Because SC-1 is kind of expensive, I use a Mop and Glow type product on the under side of the fenders and skid plate. It helps give a clean bike some extra shine and crud doesn't stick to it as well as it would to the raw plastic. I was pleased to recently find a generic mop and shine product at my local Dollar store, making it even more economical for regular use.
Power washers usually include a device to siphon detergent to aid in cleaning stubborn stains, but even just using clear water is amazingly effective. If you do use detergent, be sure to turn it off or remove it before rinsing to make sure you don't leave a detergent residue on your equipment.
Power washing your RV will mostly focus on the body and tires so you don't usually have the suspension or electornic concerns you may have on your OHV. Don't direct the spray into any seams in the body panels or joints where accessories (like windows, vents and lights) are attached. Power washers are really good for cleaning wheels and tires -- and the mud that accumulates in the wheel well. IF you do power wash your undercarriage and suspension, exercise the same caution described above for OHVs.
Power washing is often a good prelude to planned maintenance. Working on a clean vehicle is more pleasant and productive than constantly fighting the build up of grease, grime, dirt, and mud. Fasteners are easier to locate and to remove if they're clean. And when it comes time to put things back together, clean parts fit better than dirty ones. However, inspect the unit for signs of leaks BEFORE you wash it and make notes as power washing may clean away any evidence.
Portable power washer? It is unlikely you'll have a faucet to supply a power washer in your favorite OHV staging area. If you did you could use a gas powered power washer or, if you have a generator a smaller electric power washer to clean off your toys after a ride -- if you could spare the space and the weight to transport the equipment. I picked up an old pressurize water fire extinguisher that I use as a small power washer for quick cleanups in camp. It doesn't have any where near the pressure of a real power washer but it can be pumped up to deliver a pretty good stream for cleaning mud off my dirt bike if do it before the mud dries. Of course the fire extinguisher is also good for an Class A (normal combustibles) fire too.
Power washing may be an aid to cleaning particularly dirty riding or work clothes before you put them in the washer. You may also be able to use one to carefully clean a badly soiled tent, but go easy. You don't want to wash away the waterproofing and some power washers may be powerful enough to rip seams or even tear the tent fabric! I would try using an ordinary garden hose first. Plastic riding gear, like chest protectors, can probably be safely power washed. If you need to power wash your helmet, protect the inside from direct spray and from getting wet, perhaps by stuffing it with a big bath towel before you wash it. You don't want to saturate the padding! Muddy riding boots might benefit from careful power washing. Take care not to get water inside and avoid direct spraying of seams. Your nylon enduro jacket and riding pants (even jeans) will probably stand up to power washing if needed, just don't get any more aggressive than necessary to remove the mud and grime. And try not to make it a regular practice. By the way, even running clothes through the washer wears them out faster. I had a friend who doubled the lifetime of his shirts by wearing them for two days before washing them instead of washing them every day. But that doesn't translate into further extending the life by not washing them at all. Dirt and grit in clothing will grind down and weaken fibers if it isn't removed regularly.
Power up!
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