Compressed Air Clean-up

I carry a small portable air compressor. This is not the kind you plug into the cigarette lighter, but an actual 110 volt air compressor that can put out 120 lbs of pressure. Like many of my tools it does double duty. I primarily use it to keep the tires inflated and to annoy pesty neighbors, but I also use it to blow out our electronic equipment and appliances. Warning: Always use eye protection when using compressed air this way.

A word of caution, compressed air from an air compressor can contain small amounts of water condensation that can damage electronic components. You can filter the air or you can simply allow the electronic components time to completely dry after they have been blown out before turning them back on again. Computers hate dust and are much happier when you blow the dust out. My friend Hector, A knowledgeable RV technician, told me that RV appliances should be periodically blown out with compressed air. He says that if you only use your RV part time then you should do it once a year, but a full-timer should do it every six months. I use a blower attachment on my air hose that reduces the air flow to a small forceful stream. With this I am able to blow out the opening behind the refrigerator, the external heater orifice and the hot water heating tube orifice as shown above. Simple maintenance like this will help keep your appliances working properly and will ensure that any foreign objects, like insect nests, dust and debris are removed. Even if you cover these openings with wire mesh to prevent insects from gaining access, you still need to bow out the dust.