RV Staff, Author at RV Travel

Make your mornings peaceful with generator work-arounds

April 3, 2016December 25, 2016 RV Staff

By Greg Illes One of our recent campsites had a campground “quiet time” ending at 8:00 a.m. We could hear folks moving about the camp starting at around 5:30 — doors opening and shutting, muffled instructions to teenagers (sometimes not so muffled), engines starting and RVs departing. But the campers were obedient and not one generator was to be heard.... Read More

Downsizing your RV (to save money) may cost more than you realize

April 3, 2016 RV Staff

By Curtis Carper The high cost of fuel has many people thinking twice about investing in a large, comfortable motorhome. Many, with an economical SUV in the garage, are choosing smaller travel trailers with the notion that towing with an economy vehicle will result in less fuel consumed. All too often this notion is pure fallacy. Before you jump on... Read More

Grease up the hitch ball?

April 3, 2016April 4, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tiña De Maris A new hitch ball is often bright, shiny and chromed. But many RVers have been much dismayed, on lifting the hitch coupler off the new ball after the first use, that the chrome is scratched and scarred. What happened? Metal-to-metal contact can scrape off that shiny chrome and things are never the same. Is... Read More

Seal out the weather — with putty tape

April 3, 2016April 4, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tiña De Maris If you’re an RV do-it-yourselfer, chances are good you’ve already encountered “putty tape.” This sticky material is a regular performer between windows and walls, roof vents and roofs, and plenty of other places where a gasket-like substance is needed to help seal out moisture. Any time you install trim metal, a new roof access... Read More

Used RV parts: Are they really a bargain?

April 3, 2016 RV Staff

By Steve Savage, Mobility RV Service Every so often I’ll get a call from someone asking about used parts for their RV — whether I have any, how much can they get for theirs or whether I am willing to swap parts from one RV they own to another they also own. With those issues in mind, here are my... Read More

Hanging cot increases sleeping room in your RV

April 3, 2016 RV Staff

By doityourselfrv.com RVs are great for living but sometimes, when the grandkids or in-laws show up, things can get a little tight for sleeping. What can you do with all those extra relatives for sleeping? Hang ’em up. No — not the relatives! Let them sleep on a hanging cot. A few years back, Brian at TheSamba.com came up with... Read More

Why a voltmeter will help you to be a happy camper

April 3, 2016December 25, 2016 RV Staff

By Greg Illes There’s a lot of confusion out there about batteries, not the least of which is how to tell if your batteries are properly charged or not. Pretty much the only handy, inexpensive way to do this is with a (good) voltmeter. Let’s make sure we have the basics down pat: A fully charged battery will measure approximately... Read More

Traffic jams at the RV dump station

April 3, 2016 RV Staff

By Jim Twamley RVers who frequent Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds, state campgrounds, RV rallies or high-traffic tourist destinations on a weekend may occasionally find themselves waiting in line at the dump station. You are probably in a hurry but you know you need to empty your tanks before you go, so there you sit. Here a few suggestions to... Read More

Refinish those worn-out exterior RV hatches and trim

April 3, 2016 RV Staff

By doityourselfrv.com Tired of yellowing RV hatches, vents and trim? Consider this method for making the yellow disappear and the pieces look brand-new again! Cost effective, too! Sun, rain, wind and dust all take their toll on exterior finishes. Perhaps some of the most obviously affected areas of your RV are the hatches, trim pieces and other random plastic inserts that... Read More

How to maximize your RV storage with plastic totes

April 3, 2016April 4, 2016 RV Staff

By Curtis Carper A place for everything, and everything in its place. Sounds like the mantra for someone with a compulsive disorder, but in reality neatness counts when you’re restricted to only a few hundred square feet of living space. Most RVs today have an ample amount of storage, both inside the rig and outside in compartments that are supposedly... Read More

“Keep-on-hand” items for RV repair work

April 3, 2016April 4, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tiña De Maris If you’ve been on the road at all, you’ve experienced it: Something on your rig broke. You can’t always get help with the fixing — you need to do it yourself. Being prepared with a few tools and some of the essential “emergency supplies” can go a long way to making it easier. What... Read More

Do you really need solar panels on your RV?

April 3, 2016April 3, 2016 RV Staff

By Jim Twamley Many RVs sport solar panels, and they can be quite handy. On the other hand, solar panels aren’t inexpensive — and so the question is whether you need them for your style of RVing. Solar electric systems have been a part of the RV scene for several years and they are effective electric power producers. These systems... Read More