Issue 979 • October 1, 2018
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QUICK TIPS
Use an electrical adapter at the RV park?
Reader Karin S. wondered about advice she read that suggested that because of oxidation, it might be best to use a 50-amp RV park outlet, with the appropriate adapter (if needed). Was this good advice? Our resident electrical expert, Mike Sokol, shared his thoughts: “If the 30-amp outlet on the pedestal is beat up, then far better to use a 50-to-30 amp dog-bone adapter that matches your RV’s TT-30 cordset. It should be safe from overload since there’s a 30-amp master circuit breaker in your RV’s circuit panel. While this is technically a code violation (sort-of/kind-of) I don’t think any electrical inspector would bat an eye at it… Just be sure to keep your own cordset and RV twist-lock connector (if you have one) clean and free of oxidation.” —Thanks to Karin for the Q, and Mike for the A!
Water hoses in winter
Water supply hoses will freeze if left pressurized and connected to the RV pressure fitting. For prolonged fresh water hook-ups in cold weather, use a stiff high-pressure polyethylene hose that can be used with low-voltage “heat tape” to keep from freezing. —Thanks to Bill’s Hints.
KNOW A WINE DRINKER? THEY’LL NEED THIS FUN ITEM FOR THE CAMPSITE!
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FROM THE RVTRAVEL.COM READER FORUM
Lisa needs help in CA!
From reader Lisa M.
I’m having a hard time finding a family friendly RV park in Monterey. We would like to be able to take our grandkids on long bike rides on the bike trail that goes through the towns. Any hints out there? Comment here.
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Today’s brain teaser (answer below): This is an unusual paragraph. I’m curious as to just how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it. It looks so ordinary and plain that you would think nothing was wrong with it. In fact, nothing is wrong with it! It is highly unusual though. Study it and think about it, but you still may not find anything odd. But if you work at it a bit, you might find out. Try to do so without any coaching! Can you do it?
JOIN THE NEW FACEBOOK GROUP: RV Horror Stories (A place to share your story about a new RV you recently bought that is riddled with defects that your dealer or manufacturer can’t or won’t repair.)
MORE QUICK TIPS
Using the roof air while driving serves two purposes
Most big motorhome owners realize that using the dashboard air often doesn’t cut it to keep cool while driving. Firing up the generator and using the roof air keeps the rig cool easily — with an added benefit: Since generators need to be “exercised” regularly, running the roof air while underway is a great way to get in that generator maintenance time.
Tie down your microwave turntable
Secure your microwave plate and ring – a simple dishtowel wrapped around them will do. Don’t risk breaking your microwave plate or the rotation ring by letting them bounce around inside the microwave while you are towing it. —From “100 RV Tips and Tricks (Mack’s RV Handbook).“
Do you have a tip? Send it to Russ (at) rvtravel.com
The One Thing Every RVer NeedsWEBSITES OF THE DAY
Today’s Automotive deals!
Did you know that every day Amazon features different items on sale? Here are today’s best sales on automotive repair, equipment, cleaning supplies, gear and tools. Happy shopping!
America’s 25 best pumpkin patches
If you’re traveling, you’ll want to stop at as many of these pumpkin patches as you can. Corn mazes, hay rides for the kiddos, apple cider doughnuts, pumpkin slingshots … are you excited yet?
Check out the long list of great RVing-related websites from RVtravel.com.
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Answer to today’s brain teaser: The letter e, the most common letter in the English language, does not appear once in the paragraph.
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LEAVE HERE WITH A LAUGH
Two pirates, Morty and Sol, meet
in a bar. Sol has a patch over one eye,
a hook for a hand, and a wooden peg leg. “Ye gads, matey,” says Morty. “What happened to ya?”
Sol says, “Me pirate ship was attacked, and a lucky shot lopped off me leg. So now I got me a wooden peg.”
“And yer hand?” asks Marty.
“When me ship sank, a shark bit me hand off. So now I got me a hook.”
“OK, but what’s with the eye patch?”
“I was standin’ on a dock, and the biggest seagull I ever saw poops right in me eye.”
“But ya don’t go blind from no seagull poop.”
“True,” says Sol. “But it was me first day with the hook.”
Today’s Daily Deals at Amazon.com
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RV Daily Tips Staff
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Managing editor: Diane McGovern. Staff writer: Emily Woodbury. Contributing writers: Russ De Maris, Bob Difley, Gary Bunzer, Roger Marble, Mike Sokol, Greg Illes, J.M. Montigel and Andrew Robinson. Advertising coordinator: Gail Meyring. Marketing director: Jessica Sarvis.
ADVERTISE on RVtravel.com and/or in this newsletter. Contact Gail Meyring at Gail(at)RVtravel.com .
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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I watch a lot of Netflix & Youtube, but I also watch a few favorite regular tv shows, in addition to the weather channel (for obvious reasons), and I get most of my current news from CNN, MSNBC, plus I watch NFL football & NBA games. I also like track & field, Tennis & swimming competitions. So all the satellite sports networks I can get. It seems like it is a trend getting more traction, proudly proclaiming that “I don’t watch TV). Well I’m the exact opposite.
Oh and just a suggestion. I understand the reason for the “FB Horror stories” page. But shouldn’t there be a link to another FB page that you sponsor, Which allows some of the satisfied RV’ers, who have not experienced horror stories, and may have some good stories to tell also have a place to post. Not only would that give a “Newbie” or potential RV’er some balance in what he or she hears, but also give them some direction as to what they may want to consider buying, instead of a steady diet of nothing but “the whole world is out to screw you”. Like I said just a suggestion, I may be the only one who feels that way. In the 8 years +, I have been on the road, I have met many new friends and the majority are happy and enjoying the lifestyle. I have also met some who have real horror stories to tell. But very few of them are quitting the RV lifestyle, they recover and continue on………
We do a lot of Net Flex and Amazon more so then watching television. A lot of shows we like are ending this year and a few we like we can actually watch on computer or on Roku. Roku is something very new to us and I like it. I can watch shows that I would otherwise have to pay for outside of Amazon and Net Flex. When did television become so boring?
Most of our watching is in the form of shows and movies from Netflix and Amazon Prime, downloaded onto our phones and played on the TV via an adapter that goes from phone to HDMI. If we’re at a Walmart for the night, we might rent a Redbox DVD. As Charles said “There is so little we find worth while watching on TV anymore”.
To Russ I keep a 40 Gal rv tank in rrat of pick up bed add 12v rv pump hook wires to trailer plug turn on hrad lights and pump the eater the plg for trailer makes a good power source for air pump also just adpt wire to match trucks
What?
As for micro wave tray stability I cut a pool noodle 2inch longer than the inside height of microwave cut a 1 inch x on bottom and insert in mirovae compressed plate tray stay in place. Bruce in Arkansas
We watch the weather for freezing temperatures. When freezing is going to occur, we fill the fresh water in our holding tank and disconnect and drain the hoses. In the morning when the temps get above freezing, just connect the hose up. Hose quick-connects make this process about 2 minutes. This saves us from having to carry those bulky electrical water hoses…..and we save money.
To Russ, The next time you’re out on the road, notice the full size van shuttles that have an RV style roof top air unit installed. The shroud is louvered to channel slipstream air across the coils. RV installations don’t do that. Could a creative FT’er replace their shroud to make the roof unit more effective? Could the more louvered shroud be modified to function better when it’s not moving? Has someone tried this with disastrous results? Just a thought that can be kicked around. Keep up the good writing.
FYI Good Sam is sending an email ‘Camping Survey’ to members that has nothing to do with camping. It’s all about church attendance and use of Good Sam’s worship website.
More deceptive practices from Good Sam/CW
I just got that Good Sam ‘survey’ request too. I didn’t realize what it was until the second question.
On the water hose in the winter topic, if we’re camping where it’s going to freeze at night but be warm during the day, I blow out the water hose before going to bed. OR, we just fill our fresh water tank and don’t hook up the hose AT ALL.
I got the corrected email from Good Sam. Good survey.
I had to tell that one to “me wife”. Good laugh!
So when an RV vent cap is “displaced by the elements”, do you mean it blows off? Why not say so!
There is so little we find worth while watching on TV anymore
I have started watching old western movies on you tube from the 50 & 60’s. Best entertainment I’ve found for a long time
Especially in the last two years.
Thank you for the great information and laughs!!
internet because of reading the news
I watch tv as I’m on the internet.
I frequently watch DVR’d TV so I can skip, have a YouTube video playing at 2X speed on the laptop, and shop on my phone all at once. I don’t think I have ADHD, just that media has become SO vapid it takes multiple inputs to saturate my attention. Conversely, I’m perfectly happy to turn off the pablum and read a good paper book in an evening…