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Light up your RV with magnetic LED lights

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By Jim Twamley

I was in WalMart with my camera and spotted these LED lights. Who else but yours truly would remove these from the packaging and risk arrest by the security guards? I do it for your readership, of course.

The lights come two in a package and are magnetized so you can easily use them hands free. I’m thinking that if you have a metal plate in your head you could just use this instead of the strap on kind of LED light. How convenient is that?

Each light has an on/off switch on the case. They are sold under the “Bell” brand and are powered by 4 “AA” batteries. They are sold as truck bed lights, but they have bountiful potential applications for the RV lifestyle.

Bell has many other products, most related to 12-volt power, at its website. Many of them would come in handy for RVers. Amazon has a huge assortment of magnetic LED lights.

How to prevent your solar panels from being stolen

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How to prevent your solar panels from being stolen

By Russ and Tiña De Maris

Reports from around the sunny side of the nation show that theft of solar panels is on the increase. Some brazen thieves are marching into yards and removing the precious panels from sticks and bricks homes, but RV solar panels are attractive as well. If you’ve purchased a solar panel, you know they’re an expensive item. What can be done to keep your solar panels where they belong?

Tamper resistant screws are a possibility. Requiring a removal tool unlike any Phillips head or “star drive,” these unusual screw heads can confound the casual crook. However, many hardware stores are now carrying tools to remove even the “standard” uncommon screw.

At least one company is now offering custom tamper resistant nuts and bolts; with each order a custom designed bolt head and cone-shaped nut is sold to the customer — along with the corresponding installation and removal tool.

If it sounds a bit overboard, just consider how much your panels cost.

For more information on this line of security hardware, visit the Bryce Fastener website.

How to get rid of slideout squeaks

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By Russ and Tiña De Maris

Many an RVer has been driven to distraction by a squeaky slideout. There’s just something jarring to the nerves about this noise — perhaps it’s the same affliction that hits us when fingernails are drawn across a chalkboard. What’s to be done to exorcise those squeaks?

First, with your slideout extended, take a close look at the slideout support arms. If you spot any “wear marks,” it’s a good indication of a primary source of nasty noise. Grab a can of spray-on dry lube. Shoot the wear marks thoroughly, then using a clean, dry cloth, wipe down the excess. Dry lube sprays are preferable to “wet” lubes as they are less likely to attract dust and dirt. You’ll also find it useful to shoot the “teeth” on your slide out mechanism, if you have any.

Other anti-squeak tricks include ensuring that the squeak doesn’t emanate from contact between the slideout seal and the sidewall of the slide. With the slide extended, wash and dry the sidewalls, then apply the appropriate wax for the wall surface.

Photo: Wear marks on slideout arms. R&T De Maris photo.

Blacktop boondocking etiquette

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Blacktop boondocking etiquette

By Rene Agredano

From WalMart parking lots to visitor centers, asphalt camping is still allowed in most towns across America. However, property owners are increasingly prohibiting it thanks to the bad etiquette of sloppy RVers. To keep this overnight parking option alive, always practice good manners such as:

Remain Inconspicuous. Remember, you’re staying overnight, not setting down roots. Locate the most distant point in the parking lot, away from customers and delivery trucks. Don’t use awnings, patio chairs or barbecues. If you must use your slide outs, park alongside a wall so they aren’t sticking out into traffic.

Look Respectable. Let’s face it; first impressions are everything and nobody wants a homeless encampment on their property. Keep you and your RV neat, clean and respectable.

Try to Get Permission. If the parking area belongs to a retail establishment, go inside, buy a few things and ask to speak to the manager. If you’re parked at a restaurant, treat yourself to a meal. These are simple ways of saying “Thank you.”

Don’t Overstay Your Welcome. Keep your parking lot camping excursion to a maximum of two days to avoid a run in with the police.

Leave No Trace. From national forests to the urban jungle, the same code of camping ethics applies: pack it in, pack it out. Don’t put your jacks down (they dimple asphalt), and leave the area cleaner than when you found it.

Visit Rene’s website here.

Traffic accident? Your cell phone camera could save the day

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Traffic accident overtake you? First, make sure everyone is safe and that medical assistance isn’t needed. Then there’s the big paper exchange. Do you know the whats  — and hows —  of information exchange?

It’s a snap — literally. Most cell phone cameras have a high enough resolution to make recording paperwork images a natural. And when your adrenaline is pumping after an accident, there’s less likelihood of forgetting something or having the “trembling hand syndrome” leave you with notes that you can’t read.

Here’s the stuff you want good, close-up photos of:
Driver’s licenses
Vehicle registrations
Proof of insurance cards
License plates
Business cards (if available) of accident witnesses.

And, of course, accident scene photos. They should include:
Damage to vehicles
Vehicle positions
Weather conditions
Skid marks
Other unusual things having a bearing on the accident, say construction zones, detours, road hazards, and the like.

Don’t take risks when you take your photos, keep out of the way of traffic, and make your information exchange as quick as possible — reduce the likelihood of yet another accident. Contact your insurance company and let them know you have photos of the pertinent information. And it’s always wise to upload (or electronically transfer) your photos to your home computer for safekeeping.

A power inverter can save you on hookups

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A power inverter can save you on hookups

By Chuck Woodbury

A small power inverter like the one pictured can provide some household power needs without the use of a generator or a utility hookup. Most of my electric needs while traveling in my motorhome are minor — to power my laptop computer (and its portable printer and scanner on occasion), and to charge batteries of my other electronic devices — iPhone and camera batteries for the most part. For RVs without a built-in inverter, a device like mine comes in very handy, and saves money.

While my motorhome’s onboard 12-volt power system powers the lights of my coach, its water pump and heater fan, it isn’t good for much more. And that’s where my nifty little $30 power inverter saves the day. All I need to do is insert it into my RV’s 12-volt plug (be careful if you use the “cigarette lighter” in the cab as you can run the automotive battery down), and then plug whatever I need to power or charge into the inverter. The inverter converts the 12-volt power into regular household current. There is absolutely no noise (or maintenance) like a generator and no need to find an RV park just for the hookups.

Granted, it will not power a microwave or air conditioner — not nearly enough juice. But it will do just fine with items that require small amounts of power.

My first portable power inverter changed my life as an RVer by allowing me to have household power when shore power was not available. It has saved me thousands of dollars through the years in hookup fees and generator costs. These small devices can typically be purchased for $30 or less at any big box store. Here’s one at Amazon.com for under $30.

Prep meals at home for RV use

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By Tiña De Maris

Heading out for an RV trip and don’t want to spend too much time slaving over a hot stove on the road? A few “work a bit before you go, less while you’re gone” tips are in order. Nearly any soup, stew, or side dish can be worked up ahead at home, frozen, then kept on ice in the RV until you’re ready to use them. Thaw them in the refrigerator or in a microwave and finish them up on the stove. If you’re a home canner, make extra stew and soup, can it, and have it ready in the RV pantry.

You can get a jump on dry stuff, too. Don’t settle for “store bread,” you can put together the dry ingredients for home made bread, stuff ’em in a plastic storage bag, then add the wet stuff when it’s time to bake. Not just bread, but waffle, pancakes, biscuits, muffins, and cookies too!

Got a pasta meal or more on the menu? You can mostly cook pasta at home, bag it, and keep it in the RV refrigerator. No boiling water — just ‘nuke the pasta and serve. No power for the microwave? Heat it in hot water on the stove in less time than to cook-from-the raw state.

Grill time? Stick your meats in your favorite marinade at home, keep in a zip lock freezer bag in the RV ‘fridge. Alternative: Bag in marinade, freeze, and then thaw.

Eliminate smelly kitchen towels

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By Rene Agredano

If you’ve ever had an unpleasant whiff of mildew on a kitchen wash cloth or sponge, you know that humidity and a general lack of circulation in your RV is probably the culprit.  Kitchen towels are usually germ factories, but now they don’t have to be, thanks to a product called Skoy Cloths.

Skoy Cloths are made from a natural cotton and wood-based cellulose pulp. These eco-friendly, mildew-resistant clean up towels can replace any paper towels, rags or sponges around the RV. They’re so absorbent that using a Skoy Cloth is equivalent to using 15 rolls of paper towels in an average home. These mighty little towels dry within minutes, even in the dampest climates. This means bacteria doesn’t have any time to grow on them and cause odors.

Skoy Cloths are washable, but between washings you can disinfect them by sticking them in the microwave for 30 seconds. Each one will last several months until you need to discard it. And when it goes into the trash, you won’t clog up landfills because they are 100 percent biodegradable and will break down within five weeks.

RV kitchens and bathrooms are prefect for Skoy Cloths. Once you try them, you won’t want to buy regular household cleaning towels ever again. Skoy Cloths are an indispensable tool for any household, but especially for RVers. They are available at skoycloth.com or Amazon.

Visit Rene’s website here.

A better drain valve for your RV

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By Jim Twamley

Seems like the fresh water tank drain valves provided on RVs are just too wimpy and easy to break. Here’s a way to replace them with something with a little more “muscle.”

For fresh water tank drains you can use a standard 1/2 inch barbed hose connector with a 1/2 inch threaded male end attached to a standard garden hose valve. This is held in place by a hose clamp. Why a standard garden hose valve? When you drain the fresh water you’ll be able to attach a standard garden hose and water the trees or run it down the sewer instead of making a small lake under the coach.

Most RV manufacturers use cheap drain valves that seem to break after several uses. I had to replace valves on my travel trailers, fifth wheels and now my motorhome. You can use any combination of valves you like as long as you have room for the modification. I don’t use these drain valves that often, but when I do use them I want them to work properly. Hopefully someone from the RV manufacturing industrial complex will read this and say, “What a great idea — drain valves that connect to a standard garden hose — why didn’t I think of that!”

Making your first RV trip with your dog

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Making your first RV trip with your dog

Taking your dog on an RV trip can be rewarding for both you and Fido but it requires planning. Only non-aggressive dogs should be brought along. For first timers, plan a shorter trip so Bowser can get used to being away from home. That way, the trip can be ended early if needed. Stay close to home and give your dog extra attention.

When making a reservation, mention your pet. Some parks will offer a campsite farther away from busy areas. Others have a restriction on the number of pets allowed. Many parks require proof of vaccines against rabies and Bordetella. So call ahead to confirm. It’s a good idea to carry copies of vet records with proof of all current vaccines.

One veteran dog-camper carries a notebook of places where it’s safe to stop with dogs. Her notes include rest areas, dog-friendly parks, schools and other places.

Be sure licenses and contact information are included on pets’ collars. Don’t forget food and water dishes, an extra collar and leash, medicines or supplements, brushes, tie outs, shampoo and something from home like a toy or blanket. If a dog is comfortable sleeping in a crate at home, bring it. Owners of small dogs may also consider an outdoor pen where their dog can stay while they are all together in the campground (but never leave the pet there when you’re away: wild animals could prey on it).

Photo: Vicki Watson and her dog Katie.

Beware: RV awnings can become missiles

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It’s a good idea before hitting the highways this spring to give your RV a thorough maintenance inspection and make any necessary repairs. One of the cautions almost every RV manufacturer, insurance company and consumer group recommend is to make sure your awning is stowed and locked.

If that awning comes loose from your RV, it can become a dangerous projectile to others. In 2004, Terry Bassett was driving home in Alabama when an awning broke loose from a horse trailer ahead of him, struck his vehicle and killed him. In 2010, Ginger McSween was returning from a writers’ conference in Pensacola when an awning billowed and separated from an RV. The fabric roller tube assembly flew into her lane of traffic and went through her windshield. It struck her in the face, severely fractured her jaw, knocked out most of her teeth, and fractured her vertebra. She has survived and has undergone multiple complex surgical and medical treatments. She is still undergoing treatment according to her attorney Bill Cunningham.

Awnings should be designed to withstand wind gusts that can be expected on the highway. Before any trip, a walk-around to check the vehicle and component parts is always necessary. A detailed re-inspection should be done periodically and before any extensive trip. Some of the safety features to prevent separation are not seen by the naked eye. Because not all potential problems are obvious, an inspection of the component parts by a qualified mechanic should be performed periodically.

Originally published in the Mobile, Alabama Legal Examiner.

Take care with your RV generator

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Got a “built in” RV generator? Don’t have to “plug and unplug” shore power cords when switching from shore power to the genset? Then you have an ATS (automatic transfer switch). They’re convenient, indeed, as the rest of us without them have to go outside, typically open a door, and plug the shore power cord into a special receptacle fed by the genset.

However, there are a couple of caveats you need to be aware of: An ATS is not a “perfect” device and problems can occur. Here’s a good rule when firing up the generator when using an ATS. In fact, this is a good rule when firing up any RV generator, ATS or not: Reduce power consumption before firing up the generator. That means, make sure the air conditioner, the microwave oven, the portable electric space heater — any of those “big draw” devices are turned off.

A big surge in electrical current can actually damage an ATS, and in some cases, the genset itself. There have been cases, too, when the ATS somehow wasn’t fast enough to isolate the generator from the shore power system — with very nasty and sometimes expensive results. Take the extra moment to reduce your power consumption before you hit the start switch.

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