Issue 987 • October 15, 2018
This newsletter is brought to you Monday through Thursday by RVtravel.com and is funded primarily through voluntary subscription contributions from our readers. Thank you!
Do you shop at Amazon? If so, would you use one of the links below to do your shopping? The link in the blue bar above also works. We get a tiny commission on what you buy. Even though our commission is small, at the end of the month it adds up, which helps fund this newsletter and our projects. Thanks.
U.S. shoppers: Shop at Amazon.com
Canadian shoppers: Shop at Amazon.ca
QUICK TIPS
Keep those tank sensors clean!
Joseph Weinstein says, “After two years of frustration at my tank sensors I seem to have found a solution. I put in one cap of Calgon [water softener] and one small (water bottle) cap of Dawn liquid soap. On this three-week trip, the sensors have worked 100% of the time.” Clever way of cleaning up! Thanks, Joseph!
Keep your water heater happy
Your RV water heater will either be a manual model that you light with a striker or it will be a Direct Spark Ignition or DSI model that you light by simply pressing a button. Some water heaters work on both LP gas and electricity. If you use the water heater in the electric mode, keep in mind that it will have a typical amperage draw of 9 to 13 amps. RV water heaters will recover faster in the LP gas mode. Note: Always make sure the water heater tank is full of water before lighting it. Open a hot water faucet and when you get a steady flow of water the tank is full. If it is spitting air and water the tank is not full. Make sure the water heater is not in the bypass mode before lighting it. Damage can occur to the water heater tank and other components if you light the water heater without water in the tank. Tip from Mark Polk, RV Education 101.
Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
IF YOU APPRECIATE THIS NEWSLETTER and others from RVtravel.com, will you please consider pledging your support? Even $5, $10 or $20 is appreciated. Many readers set up an ongoing contribution, typically $5 to $10 a month. Your contributions make it possible for us to produce 25 highly informative newsletters every month. Learn more or contribute.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: RV Travel Forums (A place to meet other RVers and discuss topics related to the lifestyle. Come say hi!) New users register here.
Stuck for a part on Sunday?
LOWE’S NOW SELLS RV PARTS! With many campground stores closed on Sundays, it can be tough to track down that essential RV part to complete your repair job. Not anymore! Road & Home™’s full line of RV repair and replace parts is available in the plumbing section of 1,700 Lowe’s stores nationwide.
Today’s brain teaser (answer below): My first is in ocean but never in sea.
My second’s in wasp but never in bee.
My third is in glider and also in flight.
My whole is a creature that comes out at night.
What am I?
MORE QUICK TIPS
Important RV park Wi-Fi tips
Planning on using RV park Wi-Fi? Before you park, ask: Does your signal cover the entire park, or just my site? Is there an extra charge for using Wi-Fi? Do I need to know the network name (SSID) or a password? If you do, ask for the information when you make your reservation so if you get in after the office is closed, you’ll still be able to log onto the Wi-Fi service.
Your travel budget: Give up some things to enjoy more
from Jerry Minchey
There are several keys to joy, but one of the most important keys that I’ve discovered is that I can afford to do almost anything I want to — if I give up enough other things in order to stay within my budget. In other words, I do the right mixture of splurging and saving to stay within my budget. Look at it this way. You might think that there is this very nice (and expensive) restaurant that you would like to go to, but you have to settle and go to a much lower-price restaurant to stay within your budget. You could go to the nice restaurant and then eat at home or go to McDonald’s for as many meals as it takes to get you back within your budget. This option might bring you a lot more joy than eating at the mediocre restaurant all the time.
Another example is that if there is a really expensive concert you want to attend, and you also want seats right up front, you could splurge and get the tickets you want, and then for your entertainment for the rest of the month (or longer if necessary) you could go hiking, watch sunsets, enjoy campfires, and basically do free stuff. I think you will find that the splurge-and-save model will bring you a lot of joy. One option that might bring you even more joy than splurging and then saving is to reverse things and save and then splurge. Just a thought. From RVing: Less Hassle—More Joy: Secrets of Having More Fun with Your RV—Even on a Limited Budget
Do you have a tip? Send it to Russ (at) rvtravel.com
The EASY way to buy window shades
Carefree‘s Simply Shade Window Awning is the first cash and carry complete window awning system that can be bought off of dealer shelves and installed the same day! Simply Shade Awnings fit windows up to 36″ tall. Click here to learn more.
WEBSITES OF THE DAY
Wheelchair Traveling
This helpful website is for those traveling in wheelchairs. Find travel info, campground/RV park information, and useful tips.
Road Safe Seniors
Everything safety-related about driving as a senior. You’ll find information about the safest vehicles, driving techniques and info about alternative transportation. It’s a good site to keep handy!
Check out the long list of great RVing-related websites from RVtravel.com.
PRODUCT OF THE DAY: Clean those hard-to-reach places with this highly rated gadget.
Answer to today’s brain teaser: Owl
Join us: Facebook • Twitter • YouTube.
LEAVE HERE WITH A LAUGH
A 3-year-old boy sits near a pregnant woman.
Boy: Why do you look so fat?
Pregnant woman: I have a baby inside me.
Boy: Is it a good baby?
Pregnant woman: Yes, it is a very good baby.
Boy: Then why the heck did you eat it?!
Today’s Daily Deals at Amazon.com
Best-selling RV products and Accessories at Amazon.com. UPDATED HOURLY.
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.
Mail us at 9792 Edmonds Way, #265, Edmonds, WA 98020.
This website utilizes some advertising services. Sometimes we are paid if you click one of those links and purchase a product or service. Regardless of this potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc . RVtravel.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
RVtravel.com includes links to other websites. We cannot control the content and/or privacy policies of those sites. Please be aware when you leave this newsletter or any other section of RVtravel.com to read the privacy statements of any of those websites that collect personally identifiable information. Our own privacy policy applies only to RVtravel.com and its affiliated blogs.
This newsletter is copyright 2018 by RVtravel.com
We usually go for lunch. Lunch menu is less expensive and often the same items that are on the dinner menu
I agree with Tommy that the best and healthiest food served is in the RV kitchen. Restaurants take poorer cuts of meat and dump lots of salt and etc on them to make you think you getting some fancy meal. We rarely eat out when camping but fix simple meals that take little prep time
Best way to afford fancy restaurants is to eat at them infrequently, and eat in your RV the rest of the time. Our RV serves much better food than 90% of the restautants out there anyway.
We full-time for 10 years and had to stop for medical reasons.
I’ve tried the Calgon and Dawn trick that’s supposed to clean sensors and control odor. It didn’t do either for me.
My tank sensors rarely work. We even wipe our dishes with paper towels before washing them to keep particles and grease out of the gray water tank. I’ve tried several different sensor cleaning solutions without success.
I wonder if hanging a sensor down each vent tube would work. (Ultrasonic rangefinder, resistive, or float.) The vents are near the ladder so I could run the wires to it and occasionally plug in a readout.
Get See Level system. Sensors mount outside of the tanks. Works great.
I have had good luck with dishwasher detergent such as cascade or Kirkland.
Get the non-chlorine type and put about a cup of detergent in your grey water tank when it’s at least half full. Drive around to agitate it and then dump the tank.
If your sensors are really gummed up, it could take another treatment.
Our Lowes does have an RV section. Trouble is it only has some plumbing stuff. Seems most of it was really for home use, but could be used for an RV, well if they actually had it. The location was on a end cap in the rear of the store, I had asked 2 employees where it was & they didn’t even have a clue, I stumbled over it looking at their regular plumbing. Would be really great if they DID stock a RV section! Actually a lot of RV parts are in most big box stores, like Home Depot & Lowes, just depends what you need!
Dave
I went to a Lowes in Dallas, TX and asked about the RV parts information and was told it did not sell well so they removed it. I was told that Mesquite, TX has it.
That is the unfortunate side of stores like that. If there is not enough demand, the stock is pulled and replaced with something else. We are lucky to have a WM with a very well stocked rv section. Interestingly, our local Home Depot just opened up an automotive section. Not sure how long that will last.
I couldn’t answer the survey because we DID go full-time for 3 years recently but have another house now. We’re just snowbirds now.