From bad water to gas pains, your comments cover it all

Drinking at dump stations

I'm sure you'll get dozens of emails about this tip [You carry extra shoes – how about an extra hose?], but let me pile on. The water at dump stations is virtually always marked NON-POTABLE. In fact, that rinse water is sometimes taken off the top of the holding tank 6 feet below your feet, or out of a nearby aeration pond. Long-time campers know NEVER to use this water in their fresh water system, but newbies reading your column might conclude that it is OK to do so (especially those who do not recognize the word "potable"). I cannot imagine why Russ and Tina suggested this, given their years of RVing experience - but don't do it! -- Bill Jeffrey

We agree with you completely about the issue at hand. In the scenario we wrote about, we were at a park service station where there was both a black water rinse hose, plus a fresh water line -- like most, several feet down the line from the actual dump receptacle. As we mentioned in the story, "Some folks, for some perverse reason, insist on using an available fresh water hose for cleaning their sewer hose."

So our comment that followed about cleaning the threads with disinfectant was for a situation such as that -- never that one might even "think" about hooking up to a black water rinse out tap.-- Ed.  

RV construction quality

Thank you for your well written article, "Who really makes a quality RV?" [Steve Savage] hit the nail on the head. I hope sometime soon the manufactures are blind sided like the car industry was and forced to make a new RV without a unending list of defects, thank you again. -- Gerald Bomay

Enjoyed [the] commentary about the lack of quality control in many of today's RVs. We travel in a 13-year old Itasca. It has 40,000+ miles on it and has been relatively reliable with very few serious problems.

We are considering upgrading to a slightly larger Class "A". I've noticed the sales push for fancy design, awesome features and more bells and whistles. Basic quality is rarely mentioned. We have a non-electric awning that I have to physically pull down and lock in place. I like that. We also have holding tank sensors that have never worked accurately, a generator that we rarely use, and a radio that can never find an AM station. But, what irks me most at RV shows and sales lots is the push to buy an RV with an outdoor entertainment center. We don't care to sit outside and listen to music or watch Jeopardy on the big screen. We have stayed in many RV parks in all lower 48 states and the general consensus seems to be that outdoor entertainment centers are okay for the kids to watch cartoons in the afternoon, but they really irritate the neighbors in the quiet evening hours. Fortunately, most RVers are considerate enough to turn off their noise, or not use the outdoor stuff at all, or look for a KOA.

Thanks for the opportunity to vent a little on this important subject. -- Ron Hough

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Gotta agree about the industry standards. Ours is probably no better or worse than the typical industry standard junk. Floor in the bedroom has about a 3/16" offset between the two floor panels, etc. The comment about the English 50's cars brought back memories of "Lucas" the Prince of Darkness. <G> Saw one new toyhauler with a slide opening somewhere between 1" and 1 1/2" larger than it was suppose to be causing slide to not work correctly. -- Warren Trost

Backup camera feedback

Your recent article regarding back-up cameras failed to mention digital cameras that overcome all the limitations of analog cameras. We have a 38' 5th wheel and 20' truck and the reception in the cab is perfect. Our first analog system never did work, as described in the article. Readers should be told that there is an excellent alternative.

We have a Voyager WVOS511 made by ASA electronics. It was one of the first digital cameras on the market (have had it for three years). I have seen newer ones advertised for significantly less, but have no idea how well they perform. The resolution of this system is only 320 TV lines, which is adequate, but a long-long way from High Def. It is most valuable in monitoring what/who is behind, and or, on either side of you, when traveling.

When backing up, trying to monitor four mirrors (two regular and two convex on both sides) plus a camera is just too much. Does help you identify what you just hit, so you don’t have to get out of the truck to investigate. -- William Gavin

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I installed a wireless camera in my 30 foot Class C three years ago and have not had any problems. I wired the system into my running lights so I could turn it on with my light switch. This way I could use the camera to check on my toad while on the road, check traffic behind before changing lanes as well as using it for backing up. It worked great. -- Wayne Haneman

Campground backing maneuvers 

I also rate myself about average in backing the trailer into a campsite. I saw a couple doing exactly as described, using the cell phones like walkie-talkies so the spouse/companion can provide direction. Doesn't work for us! I attribute the difficulty to me being very left brained, and she being very right brained. She hasn't a clue on how the tow vehicle needs to be manipulated to put the trailer exactly where it's intended to be so her providing direction, or feedback, is extremely difficult. However, writing this note for her would be a breeze vs. the difficulties I experience. How we stayed married for 40 years is a testament to our willingness to co-operate despite our differences! But backing the trailer puts that willingness to the test every time we do it. -- Gary Carmichael

Gas pains

In the article regarding the separation of the high pressure hose at the regulator, and indicating the LP tank contents were belched into the atmosphere. It seems there should have been a recommendation that under these circumstances, the OPD valve would have to be defective, otherwise, the flow of LP would have stopped when the hose separation occurred.

As to the suggestion when installing catalytic style heater LP connections, there are a number of NFPA regulations relating to piping/connections to assure LP safety. 'Popping' in a connection could lead a Do-It-Yourselfer to install a connector that would not meet safety regulations.

Please educate me if I am not reading the article correctly. -- Bee O'Neil

Thanks for the thoughtful comments.

The unanticipated emptying out of the LP cylinder after the blow-off of the high pressure line can be explained this way: In a "new style" Acme nut pig tail assembly (the green, right-hand plastic fittings) there is a check-valve that closes down in the event of a major leak. However, the closure is relative -- a small amount of gas flow continues through the valve in the case of a line break; and so with sufficient time, a "full" cylinder becomes an "empty" cylinder. In an outside environment this wouldn't likely present a major safety issue. However, if the break in a line took place in the closed confines of an RV, an explosive issue could present itself, safety check valve notwithstanding. 

Incidentally, the new OPD valves themselves don't have any check valves to provide any sort of safety in the case of a line break, only the Acme nut has that feature. I know there are a lot of RVers who typically eschew the use of the Acme nut pigtails, and even a few RV parts dealers who discourage their use. Some complain that the longevity of these pigtails just "isn't as good" as the old-style left-hand thread pigtail. In my little corner of the galaxy, Quartzsite, Arizona, one of the major parts retailers has a huge rack of brand-new "old style" pigtails, and a much smaller rack of the Acme nuts. But the point is good, use the old-style pigtails and you lose that additional safety. Plus, the Acme nut has a melt-down safety -- if the nut is heated to more than 240 degrees (F), a small brass piece melts down and completely shuts down gas flow. 

With reference to RVers installing inappropriate gas fittings inside their rigs, your point is well taken. We know of at least one RVer who swears by using "quick couplers" on the gas inlet side of his portable LP heater and the associated gas flex line. Trouble is, instead of using an LP rated coupler, he chooses to use an off-the-shelf quick connect designed for use with an air compressor. "Never heard of anybody having a problem," is the philosophy. We'll work a safety precaution note on this matter in a future piece. -- Ed.

photo: Drew Coffman on flickr.com

Tire pressure monitor caution and generator feedback

A word to the wise on tire pressure monitoring systems

I experienced a mishap I haven't read about in the excellent RV Travel Newsletter. Hopefully this will save others from the same fate.

I installed an external add-on tire pressure monitoring system [TPMS] on not just on my motorhome, but also the tow dolly and car. On a day to get chores done I decided to get the car washed at one of the quickie self guided, spinning brush type car washes.  Big mistake! The channel that guides the vehicle snagged and broke the valve stem to which it was mounted. The car wash manager was only authorized to pay for half the replacement cost, which I didn't fight, but the big problem was that on newer vehicles the valve stems have internal TPMS. Finding a tire shop with the right replacement in stock can be difficult, but what really threw a wrench in the works was resetting the indicator light on the dash. I spent two days at two different tire shops with no success. I now have to schedule another day of my time at a Toyota Repair Facility to have the indicator reset. Something as simple as resetting a indicator light can become extremely time consuming and frustrating.  – Pretz or Pretzel

Watts of feedback on inverter generator article

I greatly enjoy your daily RV tips but I think Greg Illes missed the boat on the tip about simply replacing common open generators with top of the line inverter-based models.

For many readers, when contemplating a new or replacement generator, the difference between a 4KW Yamaha ($3200 and up) vs. a 4500KW Champion ($250, delivered) is monstrous.  The Yamaha and Honda are beautiful machines, so if I were a fulltime RVer who "never" saw an electric plug and didn't recharge from repositioning drives, I'd probably spring for the Yamaha, but any other situation there are probably much better solutions per dollar (solar, wind, huge batteries like me), and courtesy will still go further than technology.

Greg asserts that typical generators sound like jets, which only the oldest ones do.  I have a 20 year old 6.5KW that is fine on a worksite but I'd agree insane for camping.  You can't comfortably talk until you're 50 feet from it. So, I know what he's talking about, but that's still 50, not "hundreds of yards."

I also have a smaller four-year-old 4KW open-frame generator I bought FOR the RV -- and I literally sit on it as a bench while talking only slightly raised voice.  It has a giant muffler compared to the 6.5KW, so I think what you hear is mechanical noise, not exhaust compression.  At 20 feet, it has more "rattle" than the Yamaha "hum" but absolutely acceptable decibels.  I don't feel AT ALL offended by my neighbor producing that level of noise 50+ feet away, since I can always hear my own furnace and hot water exhaust over my generator.  Drunk fishermen shouting 2:00 a.m. tall tales are more offensive than any genny I've actually seen RVing.

Put simply, Greg is (seemingly?  I don't get HOW with his expertise) out of touch with the current noise technology of generators.  Even that SUPER-cheap "Champion"  genny isn't as bad as you'd expect (making it very popular at most sites I frequent).  Unless it's run at crazily inconsiderate times, I've never heard someone complain.  I even saw one fellow semi-enclose his in a folding baffle-box that brought Cheapie down to the inverter genny's soft hum while supposedly still allowing enough airflow -- probably still under 300 for the rig.

I boondock, and love quiet, running off a huge battery bank for as long as possible when not *needing* cooling -- but again most modern gennies just aren't the loudest thing in camp. -- Wolfe Rose.

We asked Greg Illes for a response, which we epitomize:

I wasn't necessarily suggesting that an inverter-gen REPLACE the Onan (although that's what I did), but perhaps is an interesting "partner." My own experience with open-frame gennies is not as good as Wolfe's, albeit far from exhaustive, so I'll bow to his fuller perspective.

Further, space considerations of our Daily Tips doesn't allow for as complete a discussion as writers (and oft' times readers) would like.

Finally, having been chased farther out into the desert by TWO nearby campers at Quartzsite who insisted on running their open-frame POS's for roughly 14 hours a day, I'm admittedly a bit sensitive. --Greg

Got something you'd like us to hear about? Drop a line to Russ [at sign] rvtravel.com.