RV Tricks

Quick Tip: Changing Generator Oil

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 22:47:40 +0000

Performing your own maintenance on your RV is a good way to save some money and to make sure the job is done right. In this quick tip, I’m going to show how to change the oil in an ONAN generator. You should change the oil once a year or every 150 hours of operation, whichever comes first.

The operation I’m going to discuss is tailored for an ONAN 5500 but is similar for all ONAN generators. The only exception would be that some may use different filters or no filter at all. I did create a video on my YouTube channel to show how to perform an oil change on an ONAN 4000.

To perform this job, you’ll need the following items:

2 quarts of oil (see below)
Oil Filter
Oil filter wrench
Oil funnel
Oil drain pan

I recommend using the manufacturer recommended oil in these generators. Its a bit on the expensive side but you know it is fully compatible. As such I used ONAMAX SAE 15W-40 that I bought off Amazon. It came in a pack of four quarts, so its enough to do two oil changes. According to the Onan user manual, this oil is suitable for operation in a temperature range of 10 degrees F to 100 degrees F. Other acceptable oils are per my manual are as follows:

32 degrees F and higher; SAE 30 viscosity
0 degrees F to 80 degrees F; 10W-30 or 10W-40 viscosity
-20 degrees F to 50 degrees F; 5W30 viscosity

For the filter I also went with an original replacement and used an Onan 122-0836 filter, also available on Amazon. Make sure to use an oil filter wrench that is sized correctly for your filter. I have a 3-jaw wrench (shown below) that is highly adjustable and suitable for this job. A funnel, although not required, will make adding oil a bit easier. Any oil drain pan will work since only 2 quarts of oil will be drained.

Required oil and oil filter

Oil filter wrench

To get started, I recommend running the generator for 15 minutes to heat up the oil and to ensure a more complete drain of contaminants. Open your RV generator access door (Winnebago Adventurer shown), pull back on the top of the access panel as shown in the next two photos.

Generator

Generator with cover partially removed

Many RV bay doors won’t let the panel open more than a few inches. Once its open some, simply lift up on the panel to remove it at the bottom.

Generator with cover removed

Locate the drain valve. On my unit, it was a small threaded unit that I’m pointing at. Place the drain pain directly under the drain line underneath the generator and turn the valve counterclockwise until the valve is fully open. The oil will then drain into the pain (see 2nd photo below).

Location of oil drain valve

Once all the oil is drained, close the valve and move the drain pan under the filter (shown in with the red arrow). Use the oil filter wrench to turn the filter counterclockwise to loosen it. Completely remove the filter and turn upside down in the pan to drain. Ensure the rubber gasket came off with the filter.

Oil draining and location of oil filter (red arrow)

Prepare the new filter by filling center cavity with fresh oil then smear a light coat of oil on the rubber seal. Thread the filter onto the generator until the gasket seats. Turn the filter 1/4 of an additional turn.

New oil filter

Remove oil dipstick cap from the fill hole by turning counterclockwise. Add remaining oil to the fill hole (top center of the picture below). Note that you have to add slowly to ensure it doesn’t run out of the hole since it isn’t very deep. Reinstall oil dipstick cap then remove to verify the oil is near the “full” mark (top of the dipstick measurement area as shown with red circle). Reinstall dipstick cap and run generator for 15 seconds to prime and fill the oil filter. Check oil level and add any additional required oil until full. Reinstall the panel in opposite order that you removed it.

Oil dipstick cap – red circle shows measurement range. Oil fill is hole immediately above the circle

Congratulations on changing your oil. Wasn’t too difficult, was it? Make sure you dispose of the oil properly. You can dispose of the old oil at many automotive part stores or your local landfill. Happy trails!

12 of my favorite accessories and upgrades

admin — Sun, 03 Feb 2019 20:10:57 +0000

Just like most of you, we have purchased a lot of accessories for our RV. I wrote a previous article on 15 essential items that everyone needs. In this article, I discuss 12 of my other favorite upgrades and explain why.

#12: Upgraded Storage bin locks

Upgraded barrel lock

Do you lock you storage bins? Bet you didn’t know that everyone’s storage bin key will will most likely open your bins! Don’t believe me? Take a look at your key and I bet it has a CH751 stamp on it. This is a dirty little secret in the RV industry. Nearly every manufacturer uses the CH751 lock on their storage bins.

CH751 Keys

Fortunately you can change the locks. I went with barrel locks from Industrial Lock and Hardware. They provide a measurement sheet so you can order the exact size locks for each compartment.

#11: Gutter Spouts

Are you getting black streaks where water runs down off your roof’s gutters? This is an easy fix. Check out these gutter spout extensions. Very easy to install and pretty much eliminated all my streaking issues. A cheap and useful upgrade for sure!

#10: Front end alignment

Tire worn on side

Steering feel light? Is your motorhome pushed around easily by wind? Are your front tires starting to wear out quickly (especially on one side)? You should consider having your motorhome’s front end aligned.

I took my motorhome to a local big truck alignment shop (they can handle large vehicles like motorhomes). After extensive research, I learned that Ford aligns their E450 (class C) and F53 (class A) chassis when built. Unfortunatley, most RV manufactures do not realign after adding the 10,000 lb house on top! In fact, my motorhome had a sticker that said that the alignment should be verified after it is fully loaded.

My NEW Class C’s “total toe” was way out of specification (tires were both pointed substantially outward). This will eat up tires FAST. Another tip, ask them to set the “caster” to the upper end of the allowable range. Added caster will add forces for your RV to want to return your wheels straight after turning. This helps make the RV track straighter on the highway and not get pushed around by wind as badly. Get your motorhome’s alignment checked before you eat up tires!

Additionally, you can also consider upgrading your motorhome’s sway bars for additional stability. I wrote up my thoughts and installation info here.

#9: Upgraded mattress topper

Upgraded mattress

RV mattresses are hard as a rock! We own a toy hauler Class C which doesn’t have a traditional bed. We usually sleep up over the cab in ours. We realized on day one that the factory ‘mattress’ wouldn’t do. We found that a Serta full-size mattress topper worked well in our over cab bunk. We both sleep very well on this mattress. Make sure to measure your bunk before purchasing as different models may vary.

#8: Bunk ladder storage

This is something I designed to allow me to keep the ladder for the over-the-cab bunk secured while in transit and stored out of the way when not in use. I wrote up the details in this post.

#7: External Windshield Shade

This inexpensive external RV windshield shade is a nice addition to add privacy and help block some of the heat that can come through the front windshield. The shade is easy and quick to install when setting up and breaking down camp. If the shade gets dirty just hose off. Definitely a worthwhile upgrade. Covers are made for both class A and class C motorhomes, so you get the right one for your model.

#6: Flag Pole

Flag pole behind my RV

Oh say can you see…by the dawn’ early light…OK you get the idea! I’m a very patriotic American and support our troops and veterans. As such I’m proud to fly our nation’s colors at all times while camping. I also find it to be a nice touch to fly my state flag as I travel to all of the different states.

I carry a collapsible flag pole with a base that sits underneath the rear RV tire. Holds everything nice and secure. Only complaint is I find on windy days my pole will tap against the side of the body and its pretty annoying. I solved this issue by buying a few pieces of foam water pipe insulation from Home Depot and installing around the extended flag pole.

I don’t do this every time, but while camping on Hatteras Island over Memorial Day weekend, I wrapped my pole with some LED lights. Made for quite a neat effect.

Lighted flag pole!

#5: Progressive Dynamics AC-to-DC Converter

My RV came with a WFCO 855 AC-to-DC convertor and I discovered that it was overcharging my house batteries. No matter how long it sat idle, the voltage would never drop below 13.7 Volts. Over time, this will COOK your batteries and require early replacement. After some extensive research, I found that the WFCO converter was notorious for not going into a true float charge mode. I’ve seen pictures of batteries on different forums that nearly exploded due to overcharging. This upgrade is one you should seriously consider

The Progressive Dynamics 4655 is nearly a direct replacement for the WFCO. This unit is a true four-stage converter (the fourth stage helps prevent internal corrosion of the batteries). Now my batteries are being properly maintained and I haven’t had one issue over the last 2 years.

The kit also comes with an upgraded DC fuse box which has indicators for blown fuses (cool!) Unfortunately, it wasn’t rated for more than 20 Amps, so I had to keep the WFCO fuse box (due to 30A slideout circuit)

One cool add-on was the Wizard Pendant (shown in the photo above) that tells you what charging phase your converter is in (and let you force it into any mode).

The install was straight forward and I’ll write up an article on the process soon. Definitely something any competent DIY’er can handle.

#4: Amazon Streaming Music (Bluetooth)

Did you know that Amazon Prime includes FREE music streaming? For the longest time I thought Prime was only free 2-day shipping. Boy was I wrong! This is an awesome benefit to allow a great variety of music while your camping or driving. My main radio and RV radio both support Bluetooth and I am constantly streaming music. If you don’t have Prime, check it out (click here for details on how to get 30 days for free)

You can also add Amazon Unlimited Music to allow you build play lists with all of the current popular music. Click here to try Amazon Unlimited Music for free for 30 days.

#3: Stove-top cutting board

One downside to RVs is the very small kitchen space in most models. I found this nice stove top cutting board that extends your usable kitchen space. It snaps on and off easily to the stove top grate. Just remember to remove before you fire up a burner!

#2 Custom cooking grate

I built this cooking grate to use over campfires. There are other cooking options available (I discussed them here), however this custom grate allows to us to cook a big meal when we are entertaining at the campsite. I’ll be writing up how I built it in the near future.

#1: Outdoor mats

We learned early on that some campsites aren’t nicely manicured and we would drag all kinds of dirt into our motorhome. We solved this by purchasing this reversible outdoor mat. Its easily to clean by spraying off with a hose and has loops to stake it down. We liked it so much, we bought a second one to cover more area!

Insulating a Class C RV Engine Cover

admin — Sun, 27 Jan 2019 22:33:57 +0000

Does your class C engine cover (also known as a dog house) get hot? Does your RV center console burn your legs? Is your class C engine too loud? If you answer yes to any of these questions, you need to insulate your class C engine cover. This is a relatively simple project, takes a few hours and costs only about $50.

Most newer class C RVs are built on a Ford E-350 or E-450 chassis. One downfall of the design of the Ford is you sit right next to the engine and transmission. There is only an engine cover with minimal insulation separating the driver and passenger from the extremely hot engine, transmission and exhaust manifolds. Below is a picture of the engine cover on a Ford E-Series van chassis.

Ford E-Series Engine Cover

When driving my class C RV, my legs would get very hot if they were in contact with the center console. It was also very loud in the cabin, especially when going up a hill. We would have to turn the radio up louder to drown out the noise. To correct these problems, I purchased some Thermo-Tec Heat and Sound Suppressor mat from Amazon. Once I installed it, the console is now much cooler to the touch and there is a noticeable decrease in engine noise. I enjoy driving my RV much more since this upgrade.

How to Install

In order to install the heat and sound suppressor mat, the engine cover needs to be removed. This is fairly simple and no tools are required. To remove it, I first take off the panel directly under the steering wheel (it is only held on by clips that pop loose when given a firm tug). There will be four ratchet clips to loosen. Simply lift up on the handle and the hook will extend to release from the mount. There is a one clip on both sides of the engine cover (near the top) and two clips at the floor. Once loosened, the engine cover can be pulled out. Below is a picture of the engine (cover removed).

Engine Cover Removed

On the back side of the engine cover, there is a foil-covered fiberous insulation mat. Carefully remove the mat (it is stuck on in a few areas with mild adhesive).

Once removed, apply Thermo-Tec heat and sound barrier mat directly to the back side of the engine cover as shown below (you’ll have to cut it into multiple pieces) The mat will need to be firmly pressed into place by hand or with a small hand-held roller.

Thermo-Tec Mat Installed

Once the mat is in place, put the factory insulation on top and tuck the edges under the rubber lip around the perimeter as shown below.

Factory insulation

Insulation installed

To reassemble, place the engine cover back in the channel surrounding the engine and attach the four clamps, pulling the lever to lock in place. Reinstall the panel underneath the steering wheel by snapping the clips in place.

This simple insulation modification will significantly reduce the engine heat and noise that comes into the cabin. It should make driving your Class C RV much more enjoyable. Happy Trails!

Options for Cooking at the Campsite

admin — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 18:51:27 +0000

There are multiple options for cooking while camping however options may be limited to your storage capabilities and what you are able to bring with you in your RV or travel trailer. Options discussed in more detail below are open fire cooking, standard grilling, and slow cooker meals.

Cooking Methods

1. Open Fire Cooking

Isn’t open fire cooking one of the reasons you want to go camping? It is for us. Even back in the days of the cave men, people have been cooking over open fire. We should not deny ourselves that natural instinct. Who doesn’t like building a fire? In the 2 years we have been camping in our RV, we have yet to use the Stove or Microwave/Convection oven. In order to cook over an open fire, typically with provided fire rings at campground, you will need some type of cooking grate to go over the fire unless you create a lot of coals and put a cast iron Dutch oven directly on the coals.

There are multiple grates available. We started with an Adjust-a-Grill. This is a grate that has a single stake that you hammer in the ground near your fire. It has adjustability with the grate up and down. This is a nice starter grate but it has its downfalls. First of all, you are dependent on having decent ground in order to hammer the stake in. If you are near trees you will encounter roots and if it is very dry, the ground will be hard to penetrate the stake. Also, one stake doesn’t make it the sturdiest grate and does not do well with heavy items such as cast iron skillets. It is great though for skewers, foil packs, or just cooking some hot dogs and hamburgers.

We designed and fabricated a home-made cooking grate. Our grate may be on the little bigger size at 24”W x 30”L x 17”H, however it fits over most fire rings provided at campsites. Another bonus is you can feed a large party with this grate. The largest negative is you have to find a storage place to carry the grate. We made the grate foldable so it does consolidate, but pending the size of your RV, it may not fit into outside storage bins. A picture of the grate is shown below (prior to cleaning up and seasoning with oil). We’ll post specifics on how to build this in a separate article in the near future.

2. Grilling

The days that you don’t have the time to build a fire, cook your meals, and then make sure the fire is out before leaving the campsite for the day, we utilize a portable propane grill. We carry a Coleman Roadtrip LXE Grill which we set up specifically for these types of days. We really like the modular design that either uses grill grates, griddle plates, ‘stove top’ plates, or a combination thereof.

With the right equipment you can utilize the RV propane tank for external propane appliances (like a grill). I added an Extend-a-Stay adapter between my propane tank and the RVs onboard propane regulator. I don’t have to worry about running out of small propane bottles or carrying extra bottles of propane which would be an additional hazard. I did have to add an additional appliance hose so I can run my propane line under the RV and reach to the grill.

3. Slow Cooker Cooking

Although not my top cooking method while out camping however it is inevitable that mother nature will have an impact on the ability to cook over an open fire or even grilling. Don’t let rain keep you from having a nice meal. Break out the slow cooker and let it do the cooking. The downside about slow cooker is it will take up valuable space but hopefully you have storage in your RV or camper. We use a round 4 quart slow cooker so it doesn’t take up too much of our minimal storage space.

4. Stove Top/Oven/Convection Oven

Nearly every RV and trailer trailer comes equipped with a stove top range and/or microwave/convection oven. Admittedly, we have never used our indoor stove top range as we prefer to cook outside. We have used our microwave for quick reheating.

Other Necessary Items

Before we hit the road to our camping destination, in order start cooking with any of these cooking methods we need to make sure that our campers are stocked with basic utensils, barbeque tools, and cooking ware.

1. Basic Utensils

Silverware – Standard, plastic, or both? Standard silverware is more sturdy in nature but will require washing, and the plastic ware can just be tossed in the trash. We carry both but utilize plastic more often then the standard silverware. Don’t forget couple of good sharp kitchen knives these are handy for cutting and dicing of our foods and needed when you cook that delicious T-Bone.

2. Standard plates or paper plates?

We tend to use paper plates more often then not, however we do have a basic microwaveable set of bowls and plates in our RV in case they are needed. Try to find ‘unbreakable’ versions due to the shakes, rattles, and rolls that occur while driving.

3. BBQ Tools

Spatula, tongs, and skewers are tools needed when cooking over open fire or grilling. We have this set of BBQ tools in our RV.

One of the best BBQ tools in our toolset is a set of BBQ Grill Gloves. They allow us to handle almost all of the hot objects that are around or over the open fire. The gloves protect us from burns and from the heat that comes off from the fire and surrounding coal. We also use these gloves when handling any of our cast iron skillets, flipping corn on cob while roasting over the fire, or just to simply flip over foil packs that we have cooking. We have a dedicated set that stays in the RV.

4. Pots and Pans

You will also need various pots and pans to do your cooking. We carry a few small sauce pans to cook various things. We also have a dedicated set of cast iron cookware which is perfect for cooking on either the grill or over the open fire. We also carry a cast iron dutch oven to allow us to bake things on the fire. The downfall to these pans is the extra weight that you have to carry.

Also, useful when utilizing cast iron skillets are handle covers. They add an extra measure of protection when picking up pots and pans.

Pre-Trip Food Preparation

Now that we have the basic cooking utensils all set up in the RV/Camper, before we head out we should determine what meals we will be making while camping. We like to complete as much prepping with ahead of time so we can enjoy more camping, relaxing, activities versus preparing dinners. Generally, we measure out portion sizes and cut/chop/dice vegetables as needed. As we prepare our ingredients, we utilize our vacuum sealer in order to keep our food fresher longer. Now if you are a full-timer, prepping will be part of the daily routine.

Meal Ideas

Here are some of our favorite meals in no particular order:

1. Lunch/Dinners

Basic Hamburgers and hot dogs – quick and easy, great for travel days. We generally carry some frozen hamburger patties in the freezer and keep a pack of hot dogs in the fridge.

BBQ Chicken – simple and healthy – grill boneless chicken breasts or bone-in chicken pieces over cooking grate and baste with your favorite barbeque sauce.

Steak and Potatoes – every man’s favorite – Select your favorite cut of meat from a local grocery or butcher and season with your favorite seasoning (we personally like Montreal Seasoning). The key to a well cooked steak is being able to sear it over high heat. With high heat it won’t take long for the steaks to cook, 3-5 minutes for each side depending on the thickness and how you like your steak cooked (Rare, Medium Rare, Medium, Medium-Well, or Well). I would recommend having an Instant Digital Meat Thermometer in your kitchen utensils to assist in determining the doneness. Great sides to go along with steaks are baked potatoes and/or fire roasted corn on the cob (cooked in the husk).

Dutch Oven Chili with Skillet Corn Bread – take your favorite chili recipe, add to Dutch Oven and let it cook away be careful not to let it burn. We get a good fire going and place our Dutch Oven on top of our cooking grate. We found that we may have to move the Dutch Oven around to where the right temperature is but that is the adventure and challenge to cooking on an open fire.

For skillet cornbread, use your favorite cornbread mix or recipe to create your cornbread batter. We use Krusteaz mix and place the mixture in our cast iron skillet. I like my food spicy so I’ll slice up some jalapeno peppers and place over some of the cornbread batter. I then cook over the fire (covered with a lid) making sure to rotate the pan often until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean.

2. Foil Packets

Foil packs are a great easy meal solutions. Be creative in selected your protein and veggies. Season and/or marinate your protein and vegetables, then put into serving size foil packets and cook over your open fire. Here are a few of our favorites.

Shrimp with some fresh Summer Vegetables – be careful not to over cook the shrimp. You may want to cook the shrimp in a separate pack since they don’t take as long to cook. Some summer vegetables may include yellow squash, zucchini, or green beans. A simple marinade for the shrimp and the veggies could easily be Italian dressing or Goya Mojo Marinade. Your options are endless.

Pierogies with Italian Sausage and fresh Veggies – We use thawed frozen pierogies and add squash, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, and peppers. Place everything together in foil packets and put on the grate over the fire turning occasionally until cooked.

Pineapple Chicken – Dice some chicken into bite size pieces. Then take a can of diced pineapples – reserving the juice. Mix a couple Tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice with your favorite approximately ¼ cup BBQ sauce and toss on the chicken pieces. Add chicken and pineapple chunks to foil pack. Once you have your packs filled up, put them on the grate and turn frequently. Once the protein and vegetables are at desired doneness pull the packets off the grate and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Then open and enjoy. Foil packs make for a quick and easy clean up.

3. Slow Cooker Meals

Pulled Pork – Pork butt and root beer (Great recipe as it is 2 ingredients- not much extra to bring) put your pork in the slow cooker and then put in can of root beer. Let cook 8-10 hours on low. Pull pork out of slow cooker when done and let cool for a bit. Once cooled to be able to touch, take 2 forks and pull the meat apart. Put pulled pork on a Kaiser or Hamburger Roll with your favorite BBQ sauce and enjoy. This may even make left overs which can be used for breakfasts or lunches.

Meatball Subs – Frozen Meatballs with Marinara Sauce – put meatballs in slow cooker along with a jar of marinara sauce – 2-4 hours on high. Once meatballs are cooked spook into Club or Steak Rolls along with your favorite cheese.

4. Breakfast

We prefer to typically cook on our gas grill for breakfast as we typically want to eat and then get to our days activities. We utilize our Coleman Roadtrip Grill with griddle plates and that is because we already had this grill from other activities. Another very popular griddle option that we highly recommend is the Blackstone Grill. A camping buddy of our has this and it is awesome for breakfast foods.

We typically stick to the basics for breakfast to fuel our day.

Bacon, eggs, and home fried potatoes – For the potatoes, we go the easy route and purchase frozen diced potatoes (we like potatoes O’brien if you can find them as they include onion and peppers already). We will heat up a small cast iron skillet with bacon grease if made bacon up but you can substitute oil on the griddle of the propane grill. Then we add the amount of potatoes we will eat and then season with dried parsley, old bay, garlic salt. Yum!!!

Pancakes – we use complete ‘just add water’ pancake mix while camping and cook over preheated griddle plates on our Coleman Roadtrip Grill. Easy, Peesy!

Waffles – We happen to have a waffle maker and we will take this on occasion and we will make up some waffles using pancake/waffle mix.

Cinnamon Roll Waffle – This is a new favorite of ours that we found on Pinterest. Simply take canned Cinnamon rolls and cook in waffle maker. Then add icing after you take out of waffle iron. Eat and enjoy! Yum!!

Cereal – Super easy, especially if you need to go out. Just add milk!

These suggestions are far from exhaustive. Just go camping, have fun, be adventurous, and try new types of meals with family and friends.

Storing your Class C Bunk Ladder

admin — Sun, 13 Jan 2019 21:45:51 +0000

When I bought my class C motorhome, one of the first things I wanted to figure out is where should I store my bunk ladder. I didn’t want to just lay it on top of the mattress. In the event of an accident, I’m not a fan of flying objects.

I devised a very simple solution for my motorhome which stores it up against the wall right next to the bed. It keeps the ladder out of the way when not in use, freeing up precious space. Its also quite inexpensive at about $40.00 for everything required.

You need to measure the overall length of your ladder. To keep the ladder tight against the wall, I had to add 2.75″ to the height to the bunk. My solution was to use a piece of angle aluminum. I didn’t have any 3″x3″ angle so I extended some 1.5″x1.5″ by welding a piece of 1.5″ flat aluminum to it. The easiest solution is to buy a piece of 3″x3″. You probably won’t find this size at most hardware stores, so you can either order from a parts house like McMaster-Carr or on Ebay.

Angle aluminum

I slid the short end of the angle aluminum underneath the ‘mattress’. The best part is that no fasteners are required to hold in in place.

Angle aluminum under the mattress

The ladder simply hangs over the angle and lays flat against the wall.

Ladder installed

To secure the ladder, I bought some footman’s loops from Amazon and screwed them to the wall. Then a simple cinch nylon strap holds it tight.

Footman’s loops and cinch strap

9 Common RV Mistakes

admin — Sun, 06 Jan 2019 23:18:12 +0000

It is inherently human to make mistakes and we were all RV newbies at some point. Here are 9 common mistakes that I have seen and why these observations should cause you to rethink your approach.

1. Leaving Black Tank Dump Valve Open

This is the most common mistake I see at most campgrounds. It is OK to leave your grey tank valve open since the waste water is predominantly liquid. The same cannot be said for sewage. Sewage requires sufficient liquid flow to carry the solids (toilet paper and poo) through the dump valve piping and the sewage hose. Additionally, solid matter needs sufficient liquids to allow the enzymes from the toilet treatment to do their job in breaking the solids down. Leaving the black tank dump valve open will only allow the liquids to escape but generally will leave the solids behind. This can result in a “pyramid of poo” directly below your toilet – Disgusting! Not only can this cause clogs and other damage to your plumbing, it can result in very unpleasant smells in the RV.

The proper way to use your dump valves is to leave your black tank valve closed until the tank is nearly full or you are ready to dump prior to breaking camp. This will ensure adequate volume of liquid to carry the solid matter out of the system an into the campground sewer. Another tip, close your grey water tank 24 hours before breaking camp. Then dump the gray tank after your black tank. This will generally leave adequate ‘clean’ water to flush your RV sewer pipe prior to disconnecting.

2. Wrong Water Hose

Garden (green) vs drinking (blue)

Can you use a green garden water hose? You can but you shouldn’t. The Ecology Center in Ann Arbor Michigan conducted a study of garden hoses and found that “the flexible plastic of PVC hoses frequently contained elevated lead, bromine, antimony, and phthalates.” Most green garden hoses you find at many home improvement stores are constructed of PVC. I’m sure most of you don’t want to be ingesting or washing with these chemicals. Instead, I recommend using a hose designed for drinking water, which are generally white or blue. Another bonus is that some drinking water hoses are more flexible and easier to roll up (just look at the difference in the picture to the left).

3. No Water Pressure Regulator

Did you know that many RVs use plastic piping that can only handle ~60-75psi of pressure? Did you know that some campgrounds have water pressures that exceed 100psi? This recipe spells potential disaster, whether it’s a burst pipe or even worse – flooding your RV! The solution is simple. Use a water pressure regulator which is designed to reduce the incoming water pressure to 50psi.

4. Unattended Awning

I’ll admit I have been guilty of this common mistake. The large awnings on many RVs make great wind sails. It only takes a modest wind gust to really cause enough force to break the support arms, attachment points, or rip the awning material. I generally will bring the awning in at night or while we plan to be away, especially if it is forecast to be windy. As an extra precaution, I added some awning tie down anchors to one of my storage bins and use them as a preventative measure against gusts while I’m around.

5. Using The Wrong Toilet Paper

Sure, Charmin Ultra Soft toilet paper is nice and soft, but it doesn’t readily break down in the holding tank. This increases the opportunities for clogs in your RV black tank or sewer piping. There are toilet papers available that are rated as RV safe such as Camco 1-Ply and Scott Rapid Dissolving. There are other toilet papers out there that will break down but aren’t necessarily marketed to the RV industry, which can save you substantial money (especially for full-timers). To test your paper, put a few sheets of paper in a glass jar half filled with water. Install a lid and shake for 15 seconds. If the toilet paper readily breaks down into small pieces during this test then it is likely alright to use. If it doesn’t break down, don’t use it in your RV.

6. RV Walk Around

Performing an RV walk around is essential any time prior to moving the RV or operating some of the accessories. Nothing ever good comes from rushing and taking the time to ‘do it right’ is always the best advice. I’m guilty for trying to do things quickly and it has caused some minor issues with my RV in the past. Before departing from your home, I recommend to do a full light check (brake lights, turn signals, running lights, head lights, etc), check tire pressures, check motor oil levels, and make sure all doors, awnings and slide outs are secured and no cords or hoses are accidentally left hooked up. Before extending (or retracting) your slide outs, verify there are no obstructions in the way. I once didn’t check that one of my storage doors under the slide out was propped up and it contacted my slide out when I tried retracting it. This dumb little mistake caused some damage to the hinge. I was lucky that it was only minor damage and an easy fix. I now check and double check before departing and operating the slide out or awning.

7. Know Your RV Height

Not researching (or measuring) how tall your RV is (and remembering it) could be a very costly mistake. There are many overpasses on major roads that were not designed with adequate clearance for taller vehicles. This is very true on many parkways that I’ve driven, especially in the north eastern US. It is not uncommon to find some bridges that have 10ft or less clearance. This is why commercial vehicles (and RVs) are prohibited on some parkways. There are a few low bridges near me and it appears to be a monthly occurrence to have tall vehicles hitting it (even with ample warning signs). Don’t risk your AC or other rooftop accessories. Know your height and abide by all signage. If in doubt, turn around!

8. Inadequate Leveling

Leveling your RV at the campsite is very important. Two key systems in your RV require them to be leveled for optimum reliability. First is the propane refrigerator. Norcold recommends that their refrigerators should be operated within 3 degrees of level side-to-side and 6 degrees front-to-back. This is to allow the ammonia refrigerant to properly gravity drain. If operated too long out of these tolerances, overheating in the boiler section can cause the formation of sodium chromate crystals in the narrow tubing. Once these crystals form, they cannot be removed. If they cause complete blockage, then your fridge will no longer function and must be replaced. This mistake can cost thousands of dollars.

Equally important is your RV slide out(s). Slide outs are supported by multiple tracks that were installed when the vehicle was level. If you try to operate the slide out when unlevel, then you can create a binding situation that can prevent proper function or even damage your slide out motors. This mistake can also cost thousands of dollars.

Invest in a small level and carry it in your RV. One other note, don’t trust your autolevel feature (if equipped). I determined my autolevel wasn’t particularly accurate.

9. Improper Maintenance

RVs require periodic maintenance to keep them operating with minimal issues. Taking the time between camping trips or during the winter offseason is a necessary chore. All the various systems should be routinely inspected/maintained. This includes (but is not limited to) motorhome engine, tires, brakes, slide outs, propane systems, electrical systems, plumbing, roof, body seals, and onboard generator. As the old addage goes: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I plan on writing articles and hosting youtube videos that cover many of these areas so keep checking back for updates.

15 essential things you need for your RV

admin — Sat, 05 Jan 2019 18:28:45 +0000

RVs do not come with many of the essential items necessary to be able to utilize one at most campgrounds. There are an infinite amount of things you’ll need to acquire over time. However based on my experience, these are the top 15 essential things you need immediately for your RV. I feel these are all equally important and placed related items together next to each other.

#1 RV Sewer Hose

Most RVs do not come with the hose necessary to empty your grey and black waste water tanks. I found this kit (click to find on amazon) to come with most of the essentials needed to hook up at pretty much any campground. Specifically, it includes two 10′ RhinoFLEX sewer Hoses, a translucent elbow with 4-n-1 adapter and Four storage caps.

What I learned early on is that sometimes the campground sewer fitting isn’t particularly close to the RV’s waste water port and 10 feet of hose just wouldn’t work. This kit includes two 10′ sections of hose which virtually ensures you can hook up just about anywhere. It also includes the adapter that will work with most campground sewers.

I’ve used the same Camco hoses for two seasons without any issue.

#2 Transparent Sewer Elbow

I feel that using a transparent sewer elbow is very inexpensive way to help prevent many future RV black tank issues. I installed this one between the RV waste water outlet and the hose. It allows me to see exactly what is coming out of the tanks. When flushing your black tank, you want to keep flushing until you don’t see any residual solid items (such as poo or toilet paper) coming out of the tanks. A clean tank is a happy tank and will provide years of trouble free service.

#3 Sewer Hose Support

Have you ever seen water run uphill? I know I haven’t and this is also true with waste water. This sewer hose ‘slinky’ will allow you to ensure your sewer hose has a gradual drop from the RV to the campground sewer hookup. This will keep wastewater from staying in the hose allowing free flow at all times.

#4 Disposable Nitrile Gloves

Working with sewer hose is a dirty job which can be riddled with bacteria and other germs. I recommend carrying disposable nitrile gloves to protect your hands. After you are done, you simply take them off (pulling inside out) and toss them in the trash. I use and recommend nitrile gloves, especially for those with latex allergies.

#5 Black Tank Treatment

Black tank treatments are chemicals you pour down the RV toilet to help break down the solids in your black tank and to help prevent sewer odor in your RV. I like the Pure Power individual bottles since I don’t have to measure out the treatment and they work as intended. I’ve tried a few different chemical types and the Pure Power is the best treatment option that I have used to date.

#6 Fresh Water Hose

New RVs generally do not come with the hose required to hook up the campground water faucet. Even though the fittings are the same, I strongly recommend not using any old green garden hose. Garden hoses are intended for non-potable applications only. Instead, I suggest using a hose designed for drinking water, such as the Camco blue hose (which is what I use).

#7 Water Hose Elbow

Some RV water connections stick straight out and is stressed when you screw a hose to it. Adding a 90 degree fitting eliminates undue stress and minimizes potential hose crimping and strain. It also keeps the hose close to the RV body preventing accidental damage if ran into.

#8 Water Pressure Regulator

The water pressure at some campgrounds can exceed 100psi which can cause major damage to your RV plumbing. This simple nonadjustable regulator reduces water pressure to a safe level. More expensive adjustable regulators are also available. I personally made the switch so I could fine-tune my pressure in the RV.

#9 Water Hose Y Splitter

A Y-splitter is a must when you carry an additional hose for general cleaning or black tank flushing. this prevents you from having to disconnect your main RV water hose. You can leave both hoses hooked up and just turn off the general hose when not in use.

#10 Expandable Water Hose

I carry a second hose for non-potable water hose for general cleaning. I have used this to rinse off dirty outdoor mats, bicycles, kayaks, etc. I also use to connect to my black tank flush fitting (I strongly recommend not using your drinking water hose for this task due to potential for cross-contamination). I like this particular hose since it is collapsible and very lightweight. This makes it ideal for storing since it takes very little space.

#11 Electrical Management System

I strongly recommend that addition of an electrical management system (EMS) between the campground electrical hookup (shore power) and your RV cord. They are offered in both 30A (picture above) and 50A versions. EMS helps to protect your RV against voltage fluctuations, power surges and incorrectly wired shore power which can cause severe and costly damage to RV appliances and electronics.

I will say that this unit has saved me thousands of dollars of potential damage in the first year alone! One time I was assigned a site that didn’t have an appropriate ground wire at the shore power connection. Lack of grounding is a severe safety hazard as you can end up getting shocked by just touching anything metal on your RV. Another time, the EMS shut down the power after it dropped to 105 volts. Items such as air conditions cannot tolerate voltages that low. Had it not been protected, I may had to replace my entire AC system!

A simple (and less expensive) surge protector would not have prevented these potential issues. I feel a $250-$300 investment in an EMS is absolutely necessary. I do secure my EMS to the shore power pole using a cable lock. They are also offered in 30A or 50A hardwired versions (to permanently mount in the RV) for those with good electrical aptitude. I’m a true believer in using this and strongly recommend it as essential as insurance against potential electrical faults.

#12 Emory Cloth

Its unlikely you will find others that put emory cloth on their essential list. I learned early on that electrical plugs sometimes fit loosely in the campground shore power receptacle (30 Amp plugs seem to be more prone to this issue). Even the plug on my EMS system was not exempt from this issue. Over time, this causes heating and pitting of your electrical connector. When the corrosion becomes serious enough, there will be electrical arcing in the receptacle and resistive heating. In the most severe cases, the end of your plug could catch fire! I’ve seen some seriously distorted plugs on various social media posts. To ensure good contact, I like to polish my connector prongs before each use. This will minimize the chance of plug failure requiring replacement. You can find this at any hardware store, or on Amazon.

#13 Refrigerator Thermometer

RV propane refrigerators are notorious for temperature fluctuations, depending on how loaded they are. To prevent food spoilage due to inadequate cooling and undesired freezing of items in your refrigerator, I recommend a basic refrigerator thermometer. I like to keep my refrigerator between 32 and 38 degrees F.

#14 Leveling Blocks

Most campgrounds aren’t level and some are worse than others. When using RV hydraulic jacks on highly unlevel surfaces, tire(s) can come off of the ground. Jack manufactures advise against this and I feel it is a very unsafe practice. Using adjustable leveling blocks (for dual rear tires as shown above) under the tires to roughly level the RV before using the jacks helps prevent this situation. Sometimes you just don’t know level a new campsite will be and you don’t want to learn about this the hard way (like I did).

#15 Battery Powered Lantern

Setting up camp in the dark is no fun, so shed some light on the situation! I like these small LED lanterns to help see what I’m doing while setting up after the sun goes down. They are also nice for adding light to a picnic table or when walking to the campground bathhouse at night.

Upgrading RV Motorhome Sway Bars

admin — Sat, 21 Jul 2018 21:18:40 +0000

Can I make my RV handle better? Upgrading your RV motorhome sway bars will make your RV handle much better.

Does the thought of a sharp turn, wind gust or a passing tractor trailer make you white knuckle when driving your RV? Upgrading the factory sway bars will make a major improvement. This article is tailored to 2008+ Class C RVs built on a Ford E-450 chassis, however the approach is similar for all Class A and class C RVs (part numbers and procedures will vary). This is a pretty easy DIY upgrade and would rate this a 3 out of 10 in terms of difficulty.

Sway Bar Options

There are two primary options if you want to upgrade your factory sway bar(s) to stronger versions. Roadmaster Incorporated manufactures what they call “Roadmaster Suspension Solutions” (RSS) sway bars for all types of motorized RVs. Another option is a set of sway bars manufactured by Hellwig Products. Based on my research, both products are comparable in specifications, however the Hellwig is about 1/2 the cost.

Front Sway Bar Upgrade

For the front axle of my Class C RV, I went with Hellwig sway bar part number 7718 ( since it was reasonably priced and very beefy). The Hellwig 7718 sway bar is designed for the 2008+ Ford E-350 and E-450 chassis. Below is a photo of the Hellwig 7718 compared to the original Ford sway bar. Using my dial calipers, I measured the diameter of the factory bar at just over 7/8 inches (0.915 inches). The Hellwig bar measured slightly larger than 1 3/8 inches (1.368 inches), making it approximately 1/2 inch (1.5 times) larger than the stock Ford sway bar. This upgraded sway bar comes with bushings that are upgraded from a rubber to a stiff polyurethane to minimize sway bar deflection when loaded. It reuses the factory ‘dog bone’ end links.

Factory “dog bone” end link

Front sway bar comparison

This is the process I used to install my new front sway bar. Before starting the installation, I strongly advise to carefully review the instructions that came with the new sway bar. I also recommend soliciting the help from someone to make this job easier.

I recommend removal and installation of sway bars to be done with the suspension loaded and on the ground. To remove the stock front sway bar, first remove the two 18 mm nuts holding the ‘dog bone’ end links to the suspension on each side of the bar (note the orientation of the end links as they will go back on the same way with the new sway bar). If the studs turn while trying to loosen these nuts, you can insert a 19 mm open end wrench on the other side of the sway bar (there are machined flats on the stud). Once both of the nuts are removed, the end link should slide out. Repeat this to remove the end link on the other side of the sway bar. Keep both end links and the four nuts as they will be reused.

The sway bar is now supported by two bushings attached to the RV frame. The front bolt on each side is 18 mm and has factory-applied thread locker. These two bolts will be difficult to remove with hand tools and will likely require a pneumatic impact gun or a large breaker bar. The rear bolts are 15 mm and are easy to remove by hand. I suggest having a second person help support the sway bar while removing these four bolts. Once they are removed, the sway bar will be loose and can be removed. Retain these four bolts as they will be reused.

It is now time to prepare the new sway bar for installation. Apply the supplied lubricant on the inside of the new polyurethane bushings and install them on the new sway bar in the same approximate locations as the rubber bushings on the stock sway bar. The large ‘U’ brackets slide over the bushings with the larger of the two holes facing the front of the sway bar. The smaller bracket goes on the other side of the bushing to provide it support. The correct configuration is shown in the comparison photo above.

With the assistance of a helper, slide the new sway bar in place and thread the two 15 mm bolts loosely through the rear holes of the brackets and into the frame (only a few turns to engage the threads is OK) . Repeat with the two 18 mm bolts (do not apply any thread locker at the time). Install the two end links in the same orientation as they were with the stock sway bar and install the two 18 mm nuts and torque them to 57 lb-ft. Repeat this process for the other end link. Slide the sway bar side-to-side until both end links are roughly vertical. Temporarily remove one of the two 18 mm bolts holding one of the two bushing brackets. Apply medium thread locker (i.e., blue Loctite) to the threads of this bolt and reinstall loosely. Note that the brackets have slotted holes to allow front-to-back adjustment. Move the bracket to get the end link nearly vertical and tighten the 18 mm bolt to 111 ft-lb and the 15 mm bolt to 18 ft-lb. Repeat this for the other bracket. Verify everything has ample clearance and adjust as necessary.

The installed Hellwig sway bar is shown below.

Front Hellwig sway bar installed

Rear Sway Bar Upgrade

For the rear axle of my Class C RV, I went with Hellwig sway bar part number 7180 since it was reasonably priced and very beefy. The Hellwig 7180 sway bar is designed for the 1997+ Ford E-450 chassis. Below is a photo of the Hellwig 7180 compared to the original Ford sway bar. Using my dial calipers, I measured the diameter of the factory bar at just over 1 1/8 inches (1.137 inches). The Hellwig bar measured just under 1 1/2 inches (1.479 inches), making it approximately 3/8 inch (1.3 times) larger than the stock Ford sway bar. This upgraded sway bar comes with bushings that are upgraded from a rubber to a stiff polyurethane to minimize sway bar deflection when loaded. It also comes with new end links and polyurethane bushings on the upper and lower interfaces.

Rear sway bar comparison

This is the process I used to install my new rear sway bar. Before starting the installation, I strongly advise to carefully review the instructions that came with the new sway bar. I also recommend soliciting the help from someone to make this job easier.

I recommend removal and installation of sway bars to be done with the suspension loaded and on the ground. To remove the stock rear sway bar, first remove the 15 mm bolt holding the top of the end link to the side of the frame. Repeat this to remove the end link from the frame on the other side of the RV. Keep both bolts as they will be reused.

The sway bar is now supported by two bushings attached to the RV rear axle assembly. There are two 13mm bolts on each side. I suggest having a second person help support the sway bar while removing these four bolts. Once they are removed, the sway bar will be loose and can be removed. The four bolts will not be reused.

It is now time to prepare the new sway bar for installation. Apply the supplied lubricant on the inside of the new polyurethane bushings and install them on the new sway bar in the same approximate locations as the rubber bushings on the stock sway bar. The large ‘U’ brackets slide over the bushings with the larger of the two holes facing the front of the sway bar. The thick steel plates go on the back side of the bushing (between the bushing and the rear axle housing). I only installed the end links in the photo above for illustrative purposes. I do not recommend installing them at this time.

With the assistance of a helper, slide the new sway bar in place and thread one of the four supplied 17 mm bolts loosely through the the ‘U’ bracket, the thick steel plate (supplied with the kit) and thread a few turns into the rear axle housing. Repeat for the other three 17 mm bolts in their respective holes.

The new end links need to be prepared before installation. First apply lubrication to the two upper polyurethane and steel bushings. I used a block of wood and a rubber mallet to drive the polyurethane bushing into each end link. I used my bench vise to press the steel bushing into each of these polyurethane bushings. For the threaded side, install the thin jam nut so the top of the nut is approximately 1.3 inches from the end of the threads. I used my dial calipers to do this, but setting to 1 5/16″ using a tape measure will be close enough. Next thread the taller nut up against the jam nut and tighten them tight against each other using two 7/8″ wrenches. This needs to be done for both end links. To install slide the factory 15 mm bolt through one of the supplied washers and loosely bolt the end link to the side of one of the frame rails. Do not tighten yet. Next slide a washer against the large nut previously installed (the one against the jam nut), then slide one of the remaining polyurethane bushings with the raised lip facing downward. Rotate the sway bar to insert the end link stud through the hole at the end of the sway bar ‘arm’. Next slide another polyurethane bushing, with the raised edge facing up, then another washer. Lastly, thread one of the nylon lock nuts a few turns (do not tighten yet). For the other side, the process is similar, except you have to install the end link loosely on the sway bar (using the same washer, bushing, and lock nut configuration) then bolt the upper part of the end link to the side of the frame using the factory 15 mm bolt and washer. I haven’t found definitive torque values for the center bushing or the end link bolts and honestly tightened mine by feel. You may want to consult with your local Ford dealer if you want exact ford recommendations. Lastly, tighten the bottom end link lock nuts until the bushings supporting the sway bar just begin to deform. Verify the arms of the sway bar are horizontal and make any necessary adjustments if necessary.

The installed Hellwig rear sway bar is shown below.

Rear Hellwig sway bar installed

How Sway Bars Work

Sway bars (actually they are technically anti-sway bars but are generally referred to simply as sway bars) are designed to resist unequal motions of each side of the suspension. A simplistic example is shown below. Suppose there is a strong wind gust that hits the passenger side of an RV while driving down the highway. This wind gust will try to push the RV towards the driver side. To counteract this, the driver of the RV will need to steer the RV toward the passenger side. The effect on the RV is that it will want to roll the entire body of the toward the driver side. Not only can this make you sea sick, it is inherently dangerous. If the roll is severe enough, it can cause the driver to lose control of the RV. This is not only the case in windy conditions as this roll happens any time the RV is steered to the right or left (i.e., driving around a curve). The harder the turn, the more severe the roll will be.

Vehicle manufacturers install sway bars on the front and rear suspensions to try to counter the forces that cause body roll. With RVs typically weighing tens of thousands of pounds and with elevated centers of gravity (tall vehicles roll more than sports cars), the amount of force induced during body roll is substantial. Upgrading the sway bars increase the forces that counteract body roll. The question is…how exactly do they work?

Effects of wind or turning on an RV

Sway bars are bent pieces of steel round bar that are supported at four points as shown below (two mounting holes and two bushings).

Generic sway bar

Along the center of the sway bar, there are two bushings that the sway bar runs through. These bushings are supported by a solid structure (generally the vehicle frame in the front and the rear axle housing in the rear). The sway bar can freely rotate around these bushings. At the ends of of the sway bar are ‘arms’ that attach to either the front suspension in the front or the RV frame in the rear using end links. The end links connect the legs of the sway bar to the RV but allow enough horizontal motion to prevent binding. If the vehicle suspension moves evenly up and down, the sway bar will simply rotate in the bushings and provide minimal resistance to this motion. However, if the suspension does not move evenly (i.e. left tire moves upward and right tire moves downward), the bar will twist and the resulting torsional forces will counteract that loading. Fred Puhn, in his book “How to Make Your Car Handle,” presented an equation to estimate the stiffness of a typical steel sway bar. Using the simple diagram above, the stiffness of a sway bar (K) can be estimated as:

Sway bar stiffness equation

where:

A is length of end perpendicular to B (inches)
B is the length of the center part of the sway bar (inches)
C is the length of the sway bar “arm” (inches)
D is the diameter of the sway bar (inches)
K is the torsional stiffness (lbs/inch)

For a direct swap sway bar, all of the length measurements should be same (only the diameter is increased), therefore the stiffness ratio between the new and stock sway bars can be written as:

Upgraded sway bar stiffness equation

Based on the ratio of the measured diameters of 1.3 to 1.5 (i.e., the diameter or the Hellwig bars are 1.3 (rear) and 1.5 (front) times larger than the stock sway bars), the torsional stiffness will increase three to five times compared to the stock sway bar! That increase significantly counteracts the tendency of the RV to want to roll over. The biggest negative of this increased stiffness is the overall ride can be a bit harsher, however the overall weight of the RV tends to negate this harshness.

My overall impression

Shortly after doing this upgrade, we went on a 1000 mile trip through New England and the Mid West. There was a pronounced reduction in vehicle sway when going around curves and when changing lanes. Wind gusts would still push the vehicle a bit, but not as harsh as it was with stock sway bars. Overall it made driving the RV more like driving a SUV (albeit a very large one!). This significantly reduced driver fatigue and made the driving experience much more enjoyable.

Conclusion

Upgrading the factory sway bars on your RV motorhome will make a major improvement in drivability. Stronger sway bars can be five times stronger than factory sway bars and will significantly reduce the amount of body roll caused by windy conditions or when going around curves. Upgraded sway bars can enhance the overall driving experience by making it much more enjoyable with less fatigue caused by constantly stressing over undesired vehicle body motion.

Plugging an RV in at home

admin — Sun, 15 Jul 2018 17:57:21 +0000

Can you plug in your RV at home? Absolutely! In fact I recommend keeping your RV plugged in at all times when not in use.

There are many advantages to plugging in your RV while sitting at home. First, it allows the RV’s converter to keep the house batteries charged which improves the overall life expectancy of your batteries (assuming you have a good AC to DC converter which I discuss in a separate article). Second, it lets you power up your RV refrigerator so it has time to get cold before departing on your next trip. Third, if done correctly, it will even let you turn on your RV air conditioner(s) while you are packing your RV. I’m going to discuss the different options available and the pros and cons of each of these options.

Option 1: Normal household outlet (15 Amp)

Typical 15A household outlet

This is by far the most convenient option since every house has these types of outlets. However these household circuits are generally limited to 15 Amps (although some circuits can be wired with thicker gauge wire and protected with a 20 Amp breaker). A quick survey of your home’s electrical load center (breaker box) will help you identify the load ratings of your plugs.

A “dog bone” adapter will be necessary to use your 15 Amp circuit. Several variations of this adapter are available. For this application you will need the one that has a male 15 Amp Plug and a female 30 or 50 Amp plug (depending if your RV is 30 or 50 Amps). As an example, my 15 Amp to 30 Amp dog bone is shown below. Additionally, a proper extension cord is necessary if the outlet isn’t in proximity to the RV. I strongly recommend a heavy duty extension cord of at least 12AWG if the cord is 50ft long or less. For extension cords greater than 50ft, I recommend the extension cord should be 10AWG. Yes, these extension cords can be expensive, but you really want to minimize resistive losses which generate heat.

Dog bone adapter (15 Amp to 30 Amp shown)

Another important consideration is that it is rare to find a single outlet on any given 15 or 20 Amp circuit. Therefore, whatever else is plugged in (and powered up) on that circuit needs to be considered in your calculations. Keep in mind that these other things reduce the overall amperage that your RV can safely draw before tripping your breaker. You also need to consider typical power draws of various RV circuits. Typical power use ranges for RV components are as follows:

RV AC to DC converter: up to 8 Amps
LP refrigerator: 2-3 Amps
Residential refrigerator: -5 Amps continuous
RV Air conditioner: 12+ Amps continuous (each)

To illustrate this point, I did a quick test with my Progressive Industries Electrical Management System (EMS) that has a digital readout that shows current draw being pulled by the the RV through the plug. For this test, I plugged my RV in after sitting unplugged for a few days with nothing turned on, so only the AC to DC converter powered up. The current spiked to 12 Amps and then leveled off at 7-8 Amps while the converter was in bulk charge mode. Once it went into absorption mode, it dropped to 5 Amps. I then turned on the air conditioner. The current draw immediately jumped to 15 Amps draw. Note that this was just the air conditioner and converter. What this test did not capture with the current surge caused by starting the AC compressor. This surge can be an additional 10 Amps, however its nearly impossible to capture with my EMS since the readout cycles between voltage, current, frequency, and any error codes.

Current with AC powered up

I then turned on the LP refrigerator (in electric mode) and it increased to 18 Amps. Had this been on a 15 Amp circuit, this would’ve certainly tripped the breaker! If anything, it should be obvious that it isn’t a good idea to try to run the RV air conditioner when plugged into a normal household outlet. Although you theoretically could run an RV air conditioner on a 15 Amp circuit, in reality it will likely trip your breaker since the converter will also likely have some converter load at any given time. For example, the converter will be drawing power to keep the batteries topped off or to power any 12V lights you have on (this could be up to 8Amps depending on the state of your battery charge). Unless you turn off the converter by flipping off its breaker in the RV breaker box, you always have to consider this load in your calculations. Even if your house outlet is protected by a 20 Amp breaker I do not recommend trying to run the air conditioner due to excessive electrical extension cord heating (they are only rated for up to 15 Amps). Be advised that longer extension cords (especially if undersized) can cause significant voltage drop as well. If it drops below 105V, it can damage your air conditioner. If you want to safely run your RV’s air conditioner(s), I strong recommend installing a dedicated 30Amp or 50Amp dedicated circuit as discussed below.

Bottom line, I recommend that a 15 Amp household circuit should be limited to powering up your refrigerator and to keep your RV batteries charged. I do not recommend attempting to power up an air conditioner.

Option 2 : Install a Dedicated 30 Amp Outlet

30 Amp Outlet

If you have a 30 Amp RV, having a dedicated 30 Amp circuit is the “ideal” scenario. Having a dedicated 30 Amp RV plug would be just like if you were plugged in the campground. As such everything will operate just like when you are plugged into the power pole at the RV park. For safety purposes, I strongly recommend a licensed electrician install new electrical circuits. However, it is very important that you communicate with your electrician, that it needs to be a 120V 30 Amp circuit. There are also 240V 30 Amp circuits and if it was wired to 240V, you will cause significant damage to your RV when you plug it in. One easy way to tell if they likely did it correctly is look at the breaker that they install in your home’s (or garage’s) electrical load center. It should be a single pole 30 Amp breaker (not a double breaker like you find on your drier circuit).

If you choose to attempt this upgrade yourself, one option is to use 10AWG wire (such as 10/2 Romex) between the breaker and the outlet (there are scenarios that you may use other wire types). You should always consult the current National Electrical Code to ensure everything is done to standard. Below is correct wiring for a 120V 30Amp RV plug (looking at the front of the plug).

30 Amp plug wiring

The only disadvantages to installing a 30 Amp dedicated outlet are the cost of this upgrade and the limitations if you ever plan to upgrade your RV to a bigger 50 Amp unit. Bottom line, I recommend installing a 30 Amp plug near your RV if you have a 30Amp power cord on your RV, don’t plan on upgrading RVs in the future, and you want the ability to power up your air conditioner(s).

Option 3: Install a Dedicated 50 Amp Outlet

50 Amp RV Outlet

If you have a 50 Amp RV, having a dedicated 50 Amp circuit is the “ideal” scenario. Having a dedicated 50 Amp RV plug would be just like if you were plugged in the campground. As such everything will operate just like when you are plugged into power pole at the RV park. For safety purposes, I strongly recommend a licensed electrician install new electrical circuits. 50 Amp plugs are a bit unique in that they are actually considered 120/240V plugs since they are 3-pole and are protected by a double-pole 240V breaker. Many people are immediately concerned when they learn that a 50 Amp outlet is actually 240V. However, 4-prong 50 Amp plugs also have a neutral line which really makes them 2 separate 120V outputs. This is how 50 Amp RVs are designed to work. If the outlet is wired correctly as shown below, you will not damage anything.

If you choose to attempt this upgrade yourself, one option is to use 6AWG wire (such as 6/3 Romex) between the breaker and the outlet (there are scenarios that you may use other wire types). You should always consult the current National Electrical Code to ensure everything is done to standard. Note you need to run 4 wires (2 hots, a neutral and a ground). Below is correct wiring for a 120V/240V 50 Amp RV plug (looking at the front of the plug). This type of circuit will have a double pole breaker to feed both 120V legs.

50 Amp plug wiring

The only real disadvantage to installing a 50 Amp dedicated circuit is the cost since 6AWG wire is fairly pricey. Otherwise, the labor cost should be approximately the same as a 30 Amp circuit. Bottom line, I recommend installing a 50 Amp plug near your RV if you have a 50Amp power cord on your RV (or you plan on upgrading RVs in the future) and you want the ability to power up your air conditioner(s).

What I Did

When I first bought my RV in 2016, I used option 1 to keep the batteries charged up and to pre-cool the refrigerator prior to trips. I never attempted to use the air conditioner when plugged into a 15 Amp outlet knowing it would be marginal at best. If I wanted to run the air conditioner to cool down the rig, I used the onboard Onan generator to provide adequate power.

When I had my new garage built in September of 2017, I had my electrician install a 50 Amp breaker in my garage for my RV while they were wiring up the rest of the garage during construction. Even though I only have a 30 Amp RV, I wanted it set up for a larger RV in case I ever decided to upgrade RVs. I simply run a 50 Amp to 30 Amp adapter as shown in the picture in the top of this post. As an added bonus, if we ever have extra house guests, I can simply power up the AC in the RV to have extra sleeping capacity.

Conclusion

While not in use, I recommend keeping your RV plugged in to keep the batteries topped off. There are three options available if you want to plug in your RV at home. You can use a normal household outlet with an adapter if you don’t want to run your air conditioner. The other options are to either install a dedicated 30 Amp 120V outlet or a dedicated 50 Amp 120/240V outlet. These dedicated outlet options will let you power all items that you normally would use while plugged into an RV park. Following this recommendation will limit any chance of causing damage to your expensive RV air conditioner(s).

How to tow a car behind a motorized RV

admin — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 19:31:09 +0000

What are the options for towing a car behind a motorized RV? There are three common ways available: towing a vehicle ‘four down’, towing a car with the front wheels supported by a tow dolly, and towing a car sitting on a car trailer. There are pros and cons to each of these options which I will discuss in detail below.

Flat Towing (Four Down)

RV flat towing a car

In my opinion, flat towing is the most convenient method of towing a car or truck behind your motorhome. This method is also commonly referred to as ‘four down’ since all four tires of the towed vehicle remain in contact with the pavement. You might also have seen it referred to as dinghy towing.

There are several pros to this method:

It only takes a few minutes to connect or disconnect the vehicle from the motorhome
The only thing you have to store while at the RV park is the tow bar (which can generally stay attached to the back of the motorhome).
Flat towing is the lowest weight option requiring only a tow bar that weights +/- 30 lbs.
Can utilize the tail lights of your vehicle (for running lights, brake lights, and turn signals).

There are also several cons:

Requires a vehicle that has been approved by the manufacturer to flat tow.
It requires modifications to your vehicle such as the installation of a tow bar adapter/bracket, supplemental braking system, and electrical modifications (for the electrical connector and lighting). Our setup was ~3000 dollars in parts alone!
Additional mileage/wear on all four of your tires.

Can I flat tow my vehicle?

The first thing that needs to be determined is if your car/truck can be used as a dinghy (flat towed). Motorhome magazine has published all vehicles since 1990 that can be used as a dingy (1990-Present Dinghy guides). I would also strongly recommend reviewing your vehicle’s owners manual to verify that there aren’t any additional restrictions. We have a 2015 Chevy Colorado Z71 which I modified to flat tow behind our Class C motorhome.

Dolly Towing

RV towing a car with a dolly

Using a tow dolly is another popular option that allows you to pull any front wheel drive car behind your motorhome. A tow dolly is simply a cart that you drive your car’s front tires up on and secure to the dolly.

Tow Dollies come in one of three braking configurations: no brakes, electric brakes, and hydraulic surge brakes. To be 50-state legal, tow dollies must be equipped with a braking system. Electric brakes require your motorhome to be wired/prepped for trailer towing and a brake controller needs to be installed. Surge brakes, although more expensive self apply when you decelerate.

Depending on which model you get, tow dollies can cost anywhere from 1000-3000 dollars.

There are several pros to this method:

There are a lot of compatible vehicles
There are options for any budget
Very simple to hook up

There are also several cons:

Tow dollies can weigh 600-800 lbs, making them difficult to move by hand
Need to determine where to put the dolly while at the camp ground
May need trailer towing wiring and auxiliary brake controller (for electric brakes)
May require additional external brake lights on the towed vehicle.
Additional wear and tear on two of your car’s tires.

Trailer Towing

RV towing a car trailer

If you have a car that cannot be towed by a tow dolly or four down, the only other option is to carry it in a trailer. This will be required for some all-wheel drive cars. Other specialty cars, such as race cars, classic cars, sports cars, etc will also be better suited for trailer towing. Trailers come in many shapes and sizes. They also can either be open (flatbed) or fully enclosed (to keep your car out of the weather).

Nearly all trailers only come with electric brakes which require your motorhome to be wired/prepped for trailer towing and a brake controller needs to be installed.

There are several pros to this method:

No additional wear and tear on the towed vehicle
Compatible with all cars/trucks (or even motorcycles)
No additional lights required for the towed vehicle

There are also several cons:

Trailers can be expensive (i.e., 2000-10,000+ dollars)
Trailers are big and storing can be a challenge
Trailers can weigh 1000-7000+ lbs empty
May need trailer towing wiring and auxiliary brake controller (for electric brakes)

My towing setups

We have a 2015 Chevy Colorado Z71 which I modified to flat tow behind our Class C motorhome (shown in the picture below). I use a Roadmaster Nighthawk tow bar which is the only model on the market that has integrated lighting, which I really like. I also use a Roadmaster Invisibrake setup to apply the truck’s brakes. I will discuss the full details of this in a separate article in the near future.

Flat towing our 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Z71

I also have an aluminum open car trailer (made by Kiefer) that I use to trailer-tow my 1929 Ford Model A vehicle to specialty events (picture below). I really like this trailer since it only weighs ~1000lbs unloaded. I use a Prodigy P2 brake controller. I also own a race car that I plan on using this setup to take it to the race track. I really like the versatility this set up provides.

Towing my Model A Ford on an open trailer