Issue 2175
Welcome to RV Travel’s Daily Tips Newsletter, where you’ll find helpful RV-related tips from the pros, travel advice, RV videos, product reviews and more. Please tell your friends about us.
Page Contents
Today’s thought
“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Milk Chocolate Day!
On this day in history: 1896 – The city of Miami, Florida, is incorporated.
Tip of the Day
Tips from professional RV detailers to keep your RV looking good-as-new
By Nanci Dixon
Our RV looks as good as new! We had our motorhome professionally detailed and wow, does it look good! It looks even better than when sitting new on the dusty RV sales lot! We have been keeping up with it for the last few years, sometimes hiring someone to wash and wax or just doing it ourselves, but we have never had a detail job done. These tips from professional RV detailers are helpful for every RVer.
The folks at Fowler Detailing in Red Bay, Alabama, are professional detailers and had a team of eight people working all over our motorhome: washing, scrubbing, buffing, waxing and drying. These are the tips they shared with us.
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
Why won’t air blow through RV’s A/C ceiling ducts?
Dear Dave,
I had a loose wire in the RV’s rear air conditioner and had to remove the duct from the A/C downdraft to check the wiring. When I replaced the duct, it now blows directly down and not through the ducting. Do you have a picture of the ducting from the A/C to the vent discharge so I can see what was replaced wrong? —David, 2000 Fleetwood Bounder
In the RV shop with Dustin
Steps to rinse sediment from an RV water heater
Rinsing sediment from an RV water heater is an essential maintenance task to ensure its proper functioning and longevity. Sediment can accumulate in the bottom of the tank over time, which can reduce the heater’s efficiency and potentially cause damage.
Video of the day
Off-grid cooking: The 5 best solar ovens for RVers
By Cheri Sicard
The team from Techs You Can’t Live Without produced a handy video for RVers who love to boondock. In it, they share their top five picks of the best solar ovens, along with what they like about each one.
In the heat of summer, even RVers who do have hookups might want to use outdoor solar ovens too, as they give you the functionality of an oven without adding heat to your RV’s interior.
Carry business cards with you while RVing, even if you’re retired
By Gail Marsh
Once in a while, a tip comes along that causes me to do a quick head slap and say, “Why didn’t I think of that?” While reading a popular RV site, I saw an idea from Brenda M. She wrote, “Retirement is the best ‘job’ we’ve ever had. We promote ourselves with business cards.” Brenda went on to explain that she and her husband routinely distribute their business (retirement) cards to folks they meet when camping. Continue reading about this great idea.
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- “Campground rates are so high we put our RV into storage.” More RVers throw in the towel
- The naughty secret revealed: Plastic pink flamingos in RV parks are not what they appear
- FlexArmor Roofs—RV expert concerns
- RV inspector recommends top 3 best brands of used Class A motorhomes
Reader poll
At a rest area, do you use the public toilet or yours in your RV?
Quick Tip
RV fire prevention
As they say in the medical field, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. With this in mind, it’s crucial to address any small problems with your vehicle before they become big and potentially dangerous ones. Inspect your RV regularly (or have someone else inspect it regularly) to make sure all hoses and connections are tight in the engine, electrical, and propane systems, and that no leaks are present. Also check the radiator and the insulation around the engine. A monthly once-over is a good idea. If anything looks awry, get it repaired as soon as possible.
Not only are a dirty engine and dirty transmission unsightly, but grime and grease buildup will cause them to run hotter. If fuel starts leaking, or something shorts out, the heat of the engine combined with the greasy dirt could cause a fire.
Friction and drag can come from a number of things. Brake drag for sure, but also any part of your undercarriage that comes loose. If anything on your RV is dragging, stop right away and address the problem.
Electrical fires can happen in RVs with old or improper wiring. Make sure your electrical system is inspected regularly for solid connections and wires that are in good shape. If and when any electrical work needs to be done, make sure it’s done by a skilled electrician or handyman or woman. Tips from rvshare.com.
3-in-1 NOAA radio, flashlight and phone charger must-have for RVers
This emergency hand-crank radio is a necessity for RVers. Keep it somewhere safe, you never know when it will come in handy. The 3-in-1 radio is also a bright LED flashlight and a smartphone charger. The radio can be charged via solar charging, hand cranking or a USB plug. You’ll want to buy one here.
On this day last year…
- Tip: 17 tricks for using rubber gloves while RVing
- RV Review: 2022 Wildwood Grand Lodge 42FLDL destination trailer
- Ask Dave: My trailer’s bushings broke into pieces. Why?
- Video: Stress-free RV black water tank cleaning and maintenance
- Featured article: Teardrop trailers: The only RVs to have seen combat!
- Recipe: Rosé Sangria
Website of the day
15 Fascinating History Sites That Make the Past Come Alive
We could feature any one of these websites as the Website of the day, but we’ll share this list with you instead. Seriously, if you’re a history buff, click this link and explore.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Dog owners, prepare to laugh at this. Anyone who owns a dog knows this alllllll too well.
Clubs and useful organizations
PLEASE NOTE: We may receive an affiliate commission if you join any of these.
• Harvest Hosts: Stay free at farms, wineries and other scenic and peaceful locations for free. Save 15% on membership.
• AllStays: The best website for RVers! Your membership will become your RV-bible.
• Boondockers Welcome: Stay at homes of RVers who welcome you in their driveways, yards, farmland or other space on their private property. Modest membership fee.
• Escapees: Best Club for RVers: All RVers welcome, no matter what type of RV, make or model.
• RV LIFE Trip Wizard: Make your RV road trip planning easier than ever.
Recipe of the Day
Lemon-Dill Shrimp and Pasta
by Belinda Hughes from Cottage Grove, OR
Light and tangy, this pasta dish has tons of flavor. The shrimp and asparagus absorb the flavor from the garlic they’re sauteed in. Once cooked, they’re tossed with pasta and a sauce filled with lemon and dill. The dill makes this lighter meal refreshing. Quick and easy to make, enjoy this hot or cold. Both are equally delicious.
Trivia
Duct tape, invented in 1943, was invented to seal ammo cases. Here’s the story: During World War II, Vesta Stoudt, a factory worker, wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt with her concerns about ammo box seals. She was worried that the long length of time it took to break and remove the seal on the boxes would cost U.S. soldiers precious time in battle. Roosevelt passed the idea on to the War Production Board, and Johnson & Johnson was tasked with creating a new, waterproof tape that was easy to tear and remove. After the war, duct tape was found in every hardware store across the country.
*There are more species of oaks on a single hillside on the banks of ____ River than anywhere else in the world. What river is it? Find out in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pets of the Day
“Fiona, Riley, Oreo. All three rescues. Two Aussies and one whatever-he-is.” —Cliff Chambliss
Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. We publish one each weekday in RV Daily Tips and in our Sunday RV Travel newsletter. No blurry photos, please! Please do not submit your photo more than once. Thanks!
• RVing with Dogs group on Facebook. You’ll love it.
Leave here with a laugh
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
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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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When my mother retired at her retirement party someone actually made retirement cards for her. After her death I found some remaining of those retirement cards. It is a nice gift to give someone who is ready to forge a new life after many years working.
To all the gorilla tape fans , give T-Rex a try
Excellent! Multiple comments without one “DUCK” tape!
According to Wikipedia, the original name of the product was “duck tape”
Manco’s brand of duct tape is Duck Tape and there is a little duck on the label.
If you are members of FMCA you can order business style cards from them. We carry them with us.
Duct tape lives in my RV. You never know when you might need it. Change the rolls once in awhile. Heat kills it.
There’s “duct tape”, then there is Gorilla Brand Duct Tape. The difference has to be experienced to see how Gorilla is a far superior “duct type” tape.
Gorilla tape is the same tape used by the US Army for decades. Great tape.
Fully agree! Love the Gorilla!
Except if in battle, you want easy-to-tear/ remove duct tape that kept the water off the ammo.
I have switched over to Gaffer Tape. It doesn’t leave those fiberglass-looking cross threads when removed And, it removes more easily.
Very true! Learned this as a professional Videographer.
Good to know, thanks.
Yup, gaffer for temporary hold and easy removal. Gorilla to hold and hold and hold.
Yep