By Steve Savage
Mobility RV Service
Mobility RV Service
When shopping for a trailer, as with all RVs, start by considering how you intend to use it. As a general rule it’s easier to tow a smaller RV than a large one, and obviously it’s important to be aware how much weight your tow vehicle can tow. Naturally, if you plan on staying put for long periods of time or full-timing, lean in the direction of going larger in size.
I advise staying away from any RV that falls into the entry level, i.e., the cheap price range. The only way the manufacturers market entry-level products is by “decontenting”* the product or by pushing it down the line. I have seen some of these wherein appliances were not even wired before leaving the factory. I would also advise against buying from any manufacturer that has not been in business for at least five years. Everyone needs a track record.Once you know what size and shape you’re going to tow, attend several RV shows and do some research on the Internet, until you have a sense of differences in construction. Examine every aspect carefully and don’t attempt to buy based simply on a manufacturer’s reputation. Don’t forget to make sure everything works. After you narrow the candidate list, be sure to complete a test tow before signing on the dotted line, and try not to get caught up in modifications and add-ons until you have used your RV for several months.
* Editor’s note: “Decontenting” is a term lifted from the auto industry. It is the practice of leaving out features for the sake of price-reduction. Car/truck shopping? A “decontented” pickup may have manual door locks, instead of switched electronic locks normally found on the same model.
The typical RV refrigerator is smaller than the one in your home and many RVers tend to overstuff it, making it difficult for air to circulate and maintain an evenly-distributed temperature. This can also cause some meat and dairy items to smell a bit after just a couple of days.
The answer is “not much!” There is very little maintenance required on a well designed solar electric battery charging system. Solar panels have no moving parts to wear out, no fuel to consume and no filters to replace. All you have to do is clean them occasionally with a non-abrasive cleaner and check the mounts and fasteners to make sure they are tight. Vibration, expansion and contraction from temperature changes have a way of loosening up hardware.
Every so often, depending on how much you have driven your RV or car, or before you embark upon a long road trip, check your tires for wear and damage problems. One easy way to check for wear is by using the penny test. All you have to do is grab your spare change and follow three easy steps.
In the classic monster movies, the mad scientist zaps his new “creation” with a huge blast of electricity — and it all goes bad from there. As RVers, the wrong kind of voltage can raise all kinds of problems for us; and it’s not just any voltage to worry about, but low voltage.
HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOURSELF? Buy, install and use a power line monitor. You can use yours as an added safety benefit against bad electrical wiring at the RV hookup. One inside the rig watches the monitor as another plugs in the power at the pedestal. The inside person verifies that the power monitor shows “good” wiring — no reverse polarity, no “no ground” situations — any of which can lead to safety issues. Other RVers take the safety a step farther: Using the appropriate adapter, they plug their monitor directly into the power outlet on the campground pedestal, getting a “read” on the power even before plugging their RV in. The latter is a smarter approach.
If you’ll be camping in a park with “city water,” that is, water from a faucet, there are some good accessories to keep in your RV storage compartment. These can make your visit easier —even safer — for your rig. They’re inexpensive and you’ll bless yourself for having them when you need them.
A water pressure regulator (left) can also save you lots of headaches. Typically RVers complain that the pressure they encounter in a campground or RV park is too low, but it only takes one case of over-pressurization to blow a fitting in your rig to really make your blood boil. A simple RV water pressure regulator can prevent over-pressure from doing real damage. Where do you put it? We’ve seen plenty of RVers who hook the things between the water hose and the city water inlet on the rig. But why not protect the water hose too? Hook it on the campground faucet, then to the hose, and all your bases are covered. Yes, there is a slight fall-off of water volume when you use this rig, but the peace of mind is usually worth it. Is it worth the extra money to buy the fancy “adjustable” water pressure regulators? Not from what we’ve heard — some say they simply don’t work as advertised.
By Peggi McDonald and Chuck Woodbury
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Baby wipes are so powerful I don’t know why we allow them to be used on babies. Really, these things have potent cleaning power. We used to mop the floor but now we do the job with wipes. They cut through dried up, caked on spills with ease and dry much faster than mop water.