Issue 1503
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
“Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It’s self-conscious and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can’t ‘try’ to do things. You simply ‘must’ do things.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Bacon Day! The bacon lover in your life totally needs these…
On this day in history: 1927 – The Ginza Line, the first subway line in Asia, opens in Tokyo, Japan.
Tip of the Day
Dehumidifier “mod” takes care of its own drain water
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
First, a hat-tip to our readers. We have some of the brightest readers in the RV field. Some time back we wrote a piece about dealing with humidity in your RV. Of course, we included the “standard” advice about making sure you use ceiling vents when producing prodigious amounts of moisture and, of course, using the microwave instead of cooking on the stove top. But one reader has a dehumidifier “mod” that takes care of its own drain water. Continue reading.
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
Today’s RV review…
In today’s column, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews the new Heartland Big Country 3702FB Fifth Wheel. As he reports, “There is a lot to like about these from a features standpoint,” and they are “a great unit for full-time living.” Learn more.
Did you read Tony’s review yesterday of the Tiffin Allegro Bus? If you missed it, you can read it here.
For previous RV reviews, click here.
Is this your RV?
If it’s yours and you can prove it to us (send a photo for comparison), tell us here by 9 p.m. Pacific Standard time today, Dec. 30, 2020. If it’s yours you’ll win a $25 Amazon gift certificate.
If this isn’t your RV, send us a photo of your RV here (if you haven’t already) for a chance to win in future issues.
In the past week two readers claimed their prize: Frank S. of Lincolnton, NC, and Ken W. of Sequim, WA.
We’ll have another photo in tomorrow’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter (sign up to receive an email alert so you don’t miss the issue or those that follow). Some of these photos are submitted by readers while others were taken by our editors and writers on their travels around the USA.
RVtravel.com editor talks about great places to RV in the West
RVtravel.com editor Chuck Woodbury joined “The RV Show USA” host Alan Warren on the live taping of the syndicated radio program on March 6, 2019. In this episode, he and Warren talk about great places to travel with an RV in America, and more. Watch/listen here.
Yesterday’s featured article: Single mom pays price for taking Camping World salesman’s advice
?????? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??????
Wrap yourself up like a burrito! No… really! Check it out.
Reader poll
How many dogs have you owned in your adult life?
Woof woof! Tell us 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.
Essential equipment for RVers!
Camco TastePURE Water Filter with Flexible Hose Protector
This best-selling product reduces bad taste, odor, chlorine and sediment in drinking water with a 100-micron fiber filter. Use it at your campsite to keep sediment out of your RV water tank and improve the taste and smell of your drinking water. Many RVers consider this essential equipment. Learn more or order at a big discount.
Quick Tip
Maintain the motorhome even while stored
Got the old motorhome in “cold storage”? Best to run that engine and the generator a half hour every month – and put at least a 50% load on the genny when you do. Keeps the old blood – woops, oil – circulating and keeps the fuel system “refreshed.” Not a bad idea to use fuel stabilizer in the recommended amounts, too.
Website of the day
Turo
This is the Airbnb for cars! It’s a car-sharing app that lets you rent cars from trusted hosts all around the world. Check it out if you need a car to rent!
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
• Don’t make these mistakes with venomous snakes
• If you can’t answer these questions, you shouldn’t be towing
• RV Shrink: “Bean counter” wonders how much the RV lifestyle costs
#950-1
Escapees is the best club for RVers: All RVers welcome, no matter what type of RV, make or model. Learn more.
Trivia
The pandemic has put a big dent in the sale of business attire. Many people are working from home so what they wear isn’t important. According to retail industry analyst NPD Group, sales of men’s suits fell 62 percent this year from March to October compared to the same period in 2019.
What percentage of U.S. households own a pet?
A.) 39 percent
B.) 67 percent
C.) 77 percent
The answer is in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Sadie, our precious Brittany Spaniel, with her swim vest on, loves to RV because she loves to hang out with my wife and me. She is a gentle, sweet soul, who just loves everyone and is up for a belly rub anytime! When she lays on the couch, whether putting the main slide in or out, she just will continue to lay there content.” —Brian Burry
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.
Leave here with a laugh
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RV Daily Tips Staff
Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Editor: Emily Woodbury. Senior editor: Diane McGovern. Social media and special projects director: Jessica Sarvis. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
This website utilizes some advertising services. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless of this potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers.
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.
Mail us at 9792 Edmonds Way, #265, Edmonds, WA 98020.
This newsletter is copyright 2020 by RVtravel.com
Don’t need the dog. Just put that toy and a “Beware of Dog” sign in the yard.
“Leave here with a laugh” did not make me laugh. Dogs aren’t human, you may be training them to bite a person’s hand.
Please reconsider this type of joke. Thank You.
Not real, just a joke. Lighten up! 😉
👍
Get a life (and leave the rest of us out of it!) HOW does a TOY potentially train dog to bite a person’s hand; that’s ridiculous!! I’m with Tom — Lighten up!
Good Lord. Lighten up, Dude.
oh, I like that dog toy.
Allen needs help. Can someone give him a hand to lighten up?
The tip about starting your engine once a month didn’t quite explain all the facts, if your engine doesn’t reach full operating temperature you’re better off to leave it sit. Most Diesel engines won’t reach full operating temperature idling, if it doesn’t you’re creating condensation that combined with fuel blow by and oil creates an acidic liquid that will attack all surfaces inside the engine. The Genny will reach operating temperature with a load on it, without putting a load on it the same condition will apply as the coach engine. You’re far better off to buy a battery tender to maintain the battery charge and leave the engine sit. You should also change the oil before storage to remove any possibility of acids eating away your internal parts over the winter.
X2
X3
X3
Absolutely true on all accounts.
Actually according to my generator manual you need to run it one a month for TWO hours, for all the reasons listed above! The generator repair shop also says no matter the make or model you need to exercise for 2 hours & with at least a 50% load!
Snoopy
As a former generator dealer, if you don’t exercise your generator you will allow the armature to build rust which will reduce the output from the genny. This is also true in warm weather when you have cycles of hot then cool weather with extreme humidity.
You are so right, Do not start the engine unless you drive it under load for an hr or so. In Aviation we never start the engine in winter an just warm it up. We need to fly it for an hr or better to get it good and hot. It leaves condensation in the engine which will rust all the parts inside the engine . you need to cook off that moisture to get rid if it. It will leave moisture in exhaust pipes, mufflers etc. I remember back 60 years ago in IA my grandparents drove 2 blocks to get mail each day and only a few miles a year and they needed to replace the muffler every year.
I have my GM 454 gas engine oil analyzed every November by Blackburn Labs. Their recommendation on this question of starting or not is …if you start it – you must run it long enough to get the oil to operating temperature – not the anti-freeze! (So, who has an oil-temp gauge?) It takes a long time to heat the oil to full temp to burn off moisture and reduce contamination and acidity; and insure the exhaust is dried out. Oil additives are another non-recommended item!
I live in the land of ice and snow and 30 below – ND – and it has always been a question for me – and everyone has one answer or the other! So, I rely on the experts advice.
Also, I just completed installation of an engine pre-oiler system to lub the engine prior to starting, without regard to the season. I haven’t had a chance yet to fully test it however!
My 2016 F450 has a oil temperature readout. Driving around town in 60deg F it takes about 12 to 14 min to get to 190+/- degrees. Extreme towing (25,000lbs) it only gets to 235-245 oil temperature. At a extended idle it only gets to 150 after about 15 minutes. I would think 150deg should be good enough
Turo, webiste of the day: We’ve used Turo and it works great. Very economical, no agency to deal with. The owner picked us up at the airport, we dropped him off and had the car for a week. When we were done, he met us at the airport passenger drop off. No paperwork to sign, all done online.
In your questions about should you be towing, there are lots more questions that need answered. But these were good for starters.