Issue 1349
Welcome to another edition of RV Travel’s Daily Tips newsletter. Here you’ll find helpful RV-related and living tips from the pros, travel advice, a handy website of the day, tips on our favorite RVing-related products and, of course, a good laugh. Thanks for joining us. We appreciate you. Please tell your friends about us.
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Today’s thought
“I wonder how many people I’ve looked at all my life and never seen.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Grape Popsicle Day!
Tip of the Day
RV Education 101: Do this when replacing an LP gas cylinder
With Mark Polk
RV EDUCATION 101®
When you change out an LP gas cylinder, there is a possibility air will get in the LP gas lines. A good habit to get into is to light the range burners after you replace a gas cylinder. This helps evacuate any air from the system, making it easier to light the other LP gas appliances.
ONLINE TRAINING COURSES BY MARK POLK
• Owning and Operating an RV E-book Course
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
Mr. Fix-It
Some folks are handy, and some others – maybe not so much. Veteran RVer Greg Illes is the handy type. On his RV, there are so many things that need fixing, or just routine maintenance, you’d think that he’d get tired of working on it. Sometimes he needs a break, but in general, he loves working on his beast. Do you consider yourself a handy or non-handy person? Feel free to comment under his article.
Yesterday’s featured article: RV through the parks that built America
Reader poll
Do you have a tattoo you wish you never got?
Tell us here.
Readers tell us
Do you like to play golf? Find out what fellow golf-loving (and golf-hating) RVers said here.
Helpful resources
• NATIONAL TRAFFIC AND ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION.
• ROAD AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NATION.
• WEATHER ALERTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
• CURRENT WILDFIRE REPORT.
• LATEST RV RECALLS.
• DIRECTORY OF RV PARKS WITH STORM SHELTERS.
Did you buy a lemon RV? Here’s more about RV lemons and lawyers who will represent you if you need help.
Camping with the Corps of Engineers
Many RVers consider Corps of Engineers campgrounds to be the best in the country. This guide is just for RVers — boat-in and tent-only sites are not included. Of all the public lands, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has some of the best parks and campgrounds available. In fact, it’s the largest federal provider of outdoor recreation in the nation. Learn more or order.
Quick Tip
Possible solution for a noisy bathroom fan
Bathroom fan so noisy it drives you nuts? Look for a replacement fan with a 12-volt high capacity computer cooling fan. You may need to modify the mounting a bit to make it stay in the same place, but a little creativity can bring a “silent night.”
Random RV Thought
RV sales and rentals are booming. It promises to be a busy summer with travelers of all kinds figuring the safest way to get out is with an RV. That may mean crowded campgrounds. So be sure to make your reservations as far ahead as possible to help ensure you don’t get stuck “camping” in a Walmart parking lot (unless that’s your thing).
Website of the day
Camping and caravanning in Canada: Start your engines!
Time to take your RV out of its winter storage and head for new adventures (well, when we can). Canada’s network of national parks offers must-see destinations for road and outdoors enthusiasts. Parks Canada has highlighted some of its best RV destinations.
Not enough power to run your air conditioner? Think again!
When the summer heat arrives and your 110 power is from a small portable generator or a 20-amp household hookup you’re out of luck running an air conditioner. That is, unless you have a SoftStartRV. It’s inexpensive, simple to install, and makes running your A/C possible when you never could before. Learn more and watch the short video by RV electricity expert Mike Sokol.
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
• This may be the biggest travel trailer you’ll ever see!
• Keep that expensive battery bank alive – It’s easy!
• Just what does a “grade” sign mean?
#914-1
Trivia
Canada has more lakes than anywhere in the world. In fact, 9% of the country is covered in fresh water.
*How big is Mars’ largest canyon, and what would it look like if it were on Earth? We showed you in yesterday’s trivia section.
Directory of RV parks with storm shelters
Where do you camp when a tornado is headed your direction? Hopefully in a park with a storm shelter. Here’s RVtravel.com’s ever-expanding directory of such places.
Earn money renting out your garage, RV pad or other unused space on your property! Neighbor.com is like the Airbnb of storage. This is easy money if you have extra space you’re willing to rent to others. Learn more.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“This is Mutton, a 13-year-old rescue dog and Frank our rescue cat. Mutton brings happiness to us every day. She loves walking, treats, and anything human. Other dogs, not her favorite. She is also a Trained Service Dog for my husband, helping with hearing, diabetes and PTSD. We get a lot of questions and inappropriate comments because she does not resemble what John Q. Public perceives, mostly incorrectly, what a Service Dog is or does. Frank and Mutton are not best friends as the picture implies. They are family but not always nice to each other. They travel and live the RV fulltime life.” — Patti H.
Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. We publish one each weekday in RV Daily Tips and in our Saturday RV Travel newsletter.
Excellent product, Brite Wash, promises effective RV cleaning. Click here to learn more.
Leave here with a laugh
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RV Daily Tips Staff
Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Editor: Emily Woodbury. Senior editor: Diane McGovern. Advertising director: Jessica Sarvis. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
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Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.
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This newsletter is copyright 2020 by RVtravel.com
Re Parks in Canada. Of course most folks know the border is still closed. Family in BC are telling me that the parks are opening but they are only taking reservations from residents. Non-residents can camp if there is space available but like here everyone is headed for the parks.
Per the Random RV thought of the day: Why does it seem to some that overnight parking in a parking lot (Walmart, Caballo’s, Cracker Barrel) is looked down on. I do it when ever I have taken a detour to see some attraction and can’t get to my planned destination before dark. I have had no problems, and a few times I>E> caught in traffic after a bad accident, that parking lot looked awful good to me… People seem to be so judgemental these days…
The “screaming memmy” bathroom fan: I replaced it with an adjustable speed controlled MaxxAir with automatic vent lid and it is virtually silent! A computer cooling fan may work also if left on for longer periods. I would check with a used computer or recycling place. They are Low cost, quiet and rarely wear out – also 12v. I put one of these in a former motorhome refrigerator roof vent with a switch control. It worked fine at removing heat.
FYI: Computer fans have brushless motors (an oscillator drives the static coils around a permanent magnet on the rotor — the opposite of standard brushed motors). Since there’s no brushes in physical contact, there’s less friction and the only wear surfaces are the bearings themselves. That’s why they are quieter, more energy efficient, and longer lived. 😀
I myself, being a hacker and RC guy, rigged up an RC helicopter’s brushless motor and 10″ multibladed propeller with a ESC controller… sucks about as much air as a shopvac when turned up… 🙂
Quick Tip, todays tip needs more information as to what it is & where to get it. I did a search & really didn’t see anything that looked like a replacement. Though the Tip did say possible replacement. Wondering if anyone has done this up grade!
Snoopy
Ha! Thanks for the great laugh of the day 😉 Too funny!
Noisy bathroom fan… Yes, a computer fan *will* work, and I’m sure you can modify one to fit.. however, keep in mind these were not designed for high moisture areas, so if you like a steamy shower, you might cut it’s life short. Another thing to watch for… Get a fan with ball bearings. It will last longer, and will be less likely to start making screeching or other noises. Lastly, be aware that many computer fans have lights, so be sure to get what you want. (I dunno maybe you like a light show when taking a dump.. your choice)
Microcenter is a good place to shop for a computer fan. http://www.microcenter.com
Mutton and Frank are adorable. Wonder how many photos it took to get them both sitting still and looking at the camera?
Any reason why articles are no longer displayed in a new tab, when you click them? It was much easier to navigate.
Trying to save on paper?
🙂
I complained about that when they first came out with the new format. They gave me some lame excuse. Then sometime later I discover that they had changed it so when you click on a link it would open in a NEW tab. Not too long ago I discovered that it has gone back to the original format which is a real PITA. I wish their Internet programmer would put it back to the way it is supposed to be. Most well designed Internet web sites will always provide a new tab for any hotlinks.
If you’re not sure, and it won’t matter how it’s coded, you can always click a link while holding the CTRL key down. I’m a web developer, and believe me, I use it ALL the time. The ONLY time it doesn’t work is when the link is controlled by Javascript instead of just “being a link”. But you’ll know, because ctrl+click might not do anything. Just let off ctrl, click again. (This is usually only for fancy buttons.)
Thanks so much for asking this question. I was afraid it was a setting that had gotten changed in my Chrome and had not taken the time to going looking for a solution yet.
Yes please go back to the ‘new window’ way.
Agreed on the new tab when clicking being the preferred method. If it’s all the same, please go back to that method. Thanks.
Before you replace a noisy fan, check the balance and alignment of the blade in your current one. It’s likely that’s where the noise is coming from, and if so it’s pretty easily remedied.
Most computer fans are designed to run vertically not horizontally.
That may be true, but I’ve put computer fans in all my vents in a TT and run them constantly when out and overnight for years. An if they do fail, they are cheap to replace.
Actually, I find most fan noise is bearings. Sometimes a good relube will extend it’s life and quiet it down.