Chinese Generator Shopping?

With the huge influx of Asian made generators, there's plenty of questions about acquisition, care, and feeding of these little guys. Check out a good source pointed to in our sister blog, RV Boondocking

Wire Connectors--We'll Pass on the Nuts

If you have an RV and 'fix it yourself,' then you know electrical fixes are a part of life. And of electrical work, putting wires together--making connections--is probably the most common of activities. How do you join your wires?

Unacquainted with the stresses that work on RVs, some unknowingly twist wires together, slap a little electrical tape over the connection and blissfully head off down the road. A little vibration, a little moisture, and that "fix" will soon come apart--possibly with disastrous consequences. Others take a step farther: After twisting the connection together they add a "wire nut," which technically is a trademark name for a "twist on wire connector," although across the pond you'll find such connectors sold under the name "Scru-It." Hey, I don't make the names up, I just report 'em.

In any event, personal experience and advice from professional techs often points up that 'twist on wire connectors' often don't hold up to the rigors of the shaking and baking that an RV puts them to. We've had them fall off, burn out, or otherwise give up the ghost.

What's to be done? Our vote goes to crimp connectors. These are dandy devices, made to join solid or stranded wire to itself, or set up to connect to screws via various forms. In our illustration here, they're refereed to as solderless insulated lugs. In practice, you simply strip the insulation back to the proper length, insert it up into the connector, and crimp the connector tight over the wire. These are virtually flawless connectors, and resist the usual problems in RV wiring systems of vibration, and extremes in temperature.

The problem is when users try to crimp with something other than the proper crimp tool. A pair of pliers, a linesman's tool, a hammer, vice grips--these tools aren't designed to properly crimp a crimp connector, and they will often "part ways" after being connected. Even a cheap crimp tool is better than using an "alternative" tool. But if you really want to splurge, then check out fancy ratcheting crimp tool. Easy on the hands, these characters crimp with uniformity each and every time. They aren't cheap--here's a set that runs almost $80. I'll be sticking with my $5.00 pair for a long time, but whatever fits your pocketbook will go a long way to making solid, dependable electrical connections.

By the way, here's an excellent book on RV electrical work, Managing 12 Volts available through the RV bookstore. Learn all about your RVs 12-volt electrical system including how to upgrade and operate it and troubleshoot problems.

Lug" illustration, courtesy svconline.com

Emergency Repairs: Go a Step Beyond Duct Tape

We know we may be stepping onto hallowed ground: RVers love their duct tape. It's the greatest thing for on the fly repairs of all kinds. But we found something that you may want to add to your tape deck, if you'll allow it: It's called Waterproofing Repair Tape, made by Nashua, one of the big duct tape producers.

This stuff claims it's so good that it'll stick to almost anything, and it'll do it even underwater. Well, we haven't tried the underwater claim yet, but it is pretty sticky, and it is certainly durable. It goes beyond duct tape in that it's outside cover isn't the venerable gray stuff, but rather silvery metallic, reminiscent of "silver tape" used on fiberglass ducts. There's a backing strip to protect the "business end" of the matter, a butyl sealing adhesive.

We found our "visiting" travel trailer was oozing a bit of a leak through a sidewall. The weather was typically Northwest Winter: Cold, miserable rain, compounded with high winds. No time (or tools) to remove the suspect water heater or the alternative villain, a kaput marker light. Instead, we removed the marker light, tucked the connecting wires back in the sidewall, and cut off a chunk of the Nashua stuff. After rubbing it down well, we'll let it sit out the winter until the weather clears and we can do a "real" repair.

To work around the suspected dried out putty tape around the heater, we cut appropriate lengths of repair tape, pulled the backing off, and wrapped a shield around the outer edges of the water heater. Here some clown had apparently used a silicon containing caulk, which admittedly made the tape have much harder time sticking. We did a double row of repair tape here, and we'll see how it all holds up.

While the repair areas were wet, we decided to take no chances and cautiously wiped the areas down with a dry rag to clear dirt and excess moisture. Time will tell, but we suspect the outer shell of this tape will hold up much better than plain old duct tape.

One are we found the new tape wouldn't stick? Up on the metal roof, around a roof vent. Too much moss, perhaps, but the tape just wouldn't cut it. We opted for a special sealant to chase away the rain.

You'll find Nashua Waterproofing Repair Tape at most of the big box hardware stores in the duct tape row.

Brrr! Take the Chill Out of RV Windows

When my feet hit the deck this morning in the old RV I knew something was decidedly wrong. Even with a bit of nueropathy, my sensors indicated that this was one COLD Arizona morning. The recording thermometer confirmed it: 24 degrees in Quartzsite. Yes folks, it does sometimes get a wee bit on the chilly side, even in this RV nirvana.

Part of the chill factor is that old problem of "single glazed" RV windows. Sure, some manufacturers include "storm windows" on their rigs, but by far, most of us just have that single sheet of clear stuff between us and the outside world. What's to do if you've got too much cold coming through the glass? Add your own "storm window" with shrink-fit window insulation. You can buy this stuff at nearly any hardware store or home center.

Besides the window insulation kit you'll also need scissors and a blow dryer. Some RVers say that they use an electric space heater to "shrink" the plastic into place. If you try that trick, start at a considerable distance away from the plastic lest you find the source too hot and burn a hole in your plastic, rather than shrinking it into place.

Here's a little video that shows you the basic principles of installing the stuff. However, instead of sticking the sticky tape away from the window, most of us can stick it directly to the window unit itself. You may need to "work around" problems like window cranks. We might add too, that the video makes it appear that there's a lot of left over wrinkles in the finished product. We're not sure if that's an illusion, or if our "installer" just didn't work long enough on getting the wrinkles out. With effort, your final product will be flat, tight, and highly viewable.

Does This Little Piggy Go "Boom!"?

It was one of those unfortunate incidents: Somehow the male of the species had let both of the LP cylinders run out--on a cold night--after the LP supplier was closed. The one gallon barbeque tank was about empty--no hope there. Finally, by stretching his imagination (and finding a suitable "height adjuster") the miscreant male managed a house-warming thought: Steal one of the horizontal tanks off the camper and buy time.
After building up to proper height and stretching the LP "pigtail" hose that runs from the regulator down to the tank, it seemed a good idea to "sniff" for an LP leak, since that old pigtail really had to stretch to reach. "BEEEEEEP!" chided the LP leak detector. Sho 'nuf, those old, age-hardened pig tails were both a bit on the leaky side.

What's to do? Pig tails are by nature, time sensitive. Think of it in terms of tires: They may still "look good" but not hold the pressure. Has it been a while since you replaced your LP pig tails? It's an inexpensive and not-too-difficult a fix. A trip down to your RV supplier will fix you up for parts in short order. But what do you want on the "tank" end of the pig tail? With those new "OPD" gas valves, many think that the new "Acme" fittings that spin on the outside thread of the tank valve are just what the doctor ordered. Use your gas sniffer (we think that's best) or soap n dish soap solution to check out the leak-free-ness of your tails. If in doubt, toss the old ones out.

Well, a lot of LP suppliers are having second thoughts. Those new Acme fittings may not be all they're cracked up to be. As we reported last January, some dealers say the Acmes just don't seem to last too long. Our new pig tails came equipped with the "old school" POL fitting (screws into the valve, counter-clockwise) and a quick "handwheel" that allows us to stick it on the tank and tighten it up without a wrench.

The actual changeout is easy: An appropriate size end-wrench will quickly remove the pigtail from the regulator--it threads in the conventional way. Thread on the new fitting and torque it down snug (use a backup wrench on the regulator side to ensure fitness). A pair of 16" pigtails with fittings set us back less than $20. At the price of LP these days, even a little leak can run up a bill in a hurry, not to mention endangering safety if the gas goes where it shouldn't.

Pictured is a new "capped" POL fitting with the dealer supplied hand-wheel.

RV Builder Pumps Tires With Nitrogen--Should You?

It's a heady season for RV manufacturers: The great Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) trade show is on in Louisville, and everybody wants to show off their stuff. Enter Dutchmen, the maker of fifth wheels and travel trailers by the same name. What's new in the Wooden Shoe? Nitrogen in your tires.

If you remember high school chemistry, you may remember our friend nitrogen, the gas that makes up the majority of earth's atmosphere. While 'plain old air' has been used for years to fill tires, the wrinkle a few years back was to fill tires subjected to a lot of stress with nitrogen. Think race car tires, jet aircraft, etcetera. Why nitrogen?

Plain old "air" molecules are about four times smaller than nitrogen. Because of that, rubber tires slowly "leak" air because the rubber is a bit permeable--the air slowly works its way through the tire pores, if you will. Since the nitrogen molecules are so much bigger, tires tend to lose pressure far more slowly. As a result, the tires run cooler and get better fuel economy. Sounds like "N-inflation" is a shoe in? Hang on, might it lead to a false sense of security? If you don't check your tire pressure as often, will you likewise fail to look your tires over for damage?

Tire permeation isn't the only reducer of tire pressure. Witness a statement from tire maker Michelin, "The existence of several other possible sources of leaks (tire/rim interface, valve, valve/rim interface and the wheel) prevents the guarantee of better pressure maintenance for individuals using nitrogen inflation." The company does not recommend nitrogen inflation, except, "in a high risk environment and/or when the user wants to reduce the consequences of a potential abnormal overheating of the tire-wheel assembly (for example in some aircraft applications)."

Notwithstanding, economics may come into play. A nitrogen tire "fill up," can cost you as much as $10 each. If you're somewhere where nitrogen is unavailable and have a low tire, you can "top off" the tire with ordinary air. But later you'll be advised to have the tire bled out and refilled with nitrogen.

Fluorescent Lights Not So Bright?

An RVer who was hooked up to shore power reported a sudden "dimness" in his fluorescent lights. Then a short time later, they simply failed to turn on. Meantime, his incandescent lamps were shining away brilliantly. At first he wondered if it might be a ballast or tube issue, but since the problem was afflicting ALL his fluorescent fixtures, he knew something more had to be going on.

Well, RV Tech Detectives, what do you think?

A little probing with a voltmeter on this issue soon pointed out the source of the mystery. Since fluorescents can be adversely affected by a.c. "ripple current," you may find your "flowers" to be wired directly to the house battery. In this case, the house battery bank was 'on it's way out,' and registered less than 9 volts--far below the needed start-up voltage for a fluorescent fixture. The incandescent lighting circuit, however, was drawing plenty of power from the RV power converter and still giving effective light. But switching off the power converter left everything in a grave dimness.

Prescription? Replace that house battery bank!