Receiver Hitch Can Crusher
Recycling is good for the planet and the pocketbook. The price of aluminum keeps going up and many folk’s cash in on the soda can redemption deposit by turning un-crushed cans, but sometimes (and in some states) it’s just easier to crush your cans and turn them in by bulk weight.
I ran across a guy using a can crusher in his receiver hitch and tossing the cans in a bag hanging on the ladder of his class C motorhome. As a money making hobby he takes a walk, collects cans and the nickels and dimes add up. When he gets back to his motorhome he runs the cans through the receiver hitch can crusher. Just don't get your fingers caught in it! Jim
posted by Jim Twamley at
2/28/2007 07:26:00 AM
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You might think that two people living full time in a 24 foot RV would be next to impossible. Yes there is more room on the space shuttle, but hey, this isn’t rocket science! Here are the advantages of a small unit like this:
Ron says they engineered this unit well because they put the heater under the oven instead of the refrigerator. He especially likes the pass-through storage compartment in the front of the rig. The bathroom can accommodate two people and it has a walk-around queen size bed. What Patty likes most are the windows that light up the interior. Even during an overcast day, there is a light and airy feeling inside this rig. 
Since many RVers enjoy being outside much of the day a smaller unit is more than adequate. When you’re asleep it doesn’t matter if you’re in a mansion or a cardboard box – as long as you sleep good what does it matter? The bottom line is that your mattress is more important than how big your RV is! 
Beckey loves this 21 foot trailer because it has excellent window placement for great views. Beckey says it’s just the right size for two people, not too much upkeep and has double the storage of their last trailer.
She’s right; the storage inside this trailer is amazing! Hat tip to the engineers of this BIGFOOT. They engineered this rig very well and you can take a virtual tour of BIGFOOT trailers here: 
Finally, consider this about travel trailers, most are pulled by a pick-up truck with a topper. This means that you have the entire bed of your truck as storage. Think about it, a 5th wheel has a large basement storage area but the 5th wheel uses up most of the storage area in the back of the truck because of the hitch. You will have more storage capacity in the bed of the pick-up with a topper than you will with most 5th wheels. Keep this in mind when researching whether to purchase a travel trailer or a 5th wheel.
Jim likes to do preventative maintenance and knew his water heater was on its last legs, so he opted to replace it while he was parked by his friend Wayne Kingston who also happens to be an RV Technician. Since they purchased a pre-owned motorhome, the water heater was nine years old and they also wanted to kick up the electric power from 700 watts to around 1500 watts – more than doubling the heating capacity.
Replacing a water heater is not difficult if you have the time and inclination to do it yourself. They ordered this nice unit for around $500 clams. It is a complete unit so all you have to do is basically swap it out with the old one. 
First you turn off the propane and 12 volt electric to the water heater, and unplug the unit from the 110 volt electric plug (or in many cases disconnect the romex wiring that connects the heater to 110 voltage). Then you remove the door/cover and decorative trim. Drain out the water, being careful not to burn yourself. 
Next disconnect the propane connection and push the copper pipe through the hole, then emove the retaining screws on the metal frame.
That’s right there is a strip of plumber’s tape wrapped around it. This was the same for the water heater inside the Contessa motorcoach. The problem is that we (yes I helped) could not reach the area where the water heater was secured by the tape, so we removed the metal frame on the old water heater, broke off the surrounding Styrofoam insulation and were able to get a screwdriver in to remove the screws that were holding the plumber’s tape in place. Vice-grips make good handles when removing the old unit.
This is what the old tank looked like. 
The Contessa motorcoach has flexible hoses which allow for the tank to be pulled out. Some models will require you to become a contortionist and reach around two or three obstacles in order to remove the pipe fittings.
Wayne reused the power cord, but he put new electric connectors on before reattaching it to the new unit. 
Before setting the new unit into the hole, Wayne installed new elbow connectors into the back of the new tank along with a new anti-siphon valve. He treated the threads with RectorSeal 5 (a thread treatment that helps prevent leaks – other products may be used here as well – it’s a personal preference). 
As a side note, the previous anti-siphon valve was not working properly and was actually restricting water flow to the point that they didn’t have hot water to the bathroom sink and they had to use the water pump as an assist to get enough water pressure to take showers. Replacing this defective anti-siphon valve solved those problems. 
Set the unit up near the opening on a ladder or just have someone strong hold it there while you re-connect the 12 volt connectors, water hoses (make sure you connect the hot to hot and cold to cold), connect the 110 volt power cord and pull the feed string through the propane line opening. 
Notice that Wayne is pulling the propane supply line back through the hole in the new unit with the feed string that he previously tied to it for this purpose. 
Here is a picture of the propane supply pipe with the string attached. 
After attaching the propane supply line to the pressure fitting (no pipe dope or Teflon tape required since it is a pressure fitting) turn the propane supply back on and test the fitting connection for leaks using a solution of soapy water.
If you see bubbles emerging from around the fitting, check to see that it is threaded correctly then tighten it some more being careful not to over-tighten the fitting. 
Now turn on the electric and fire it up to make sure everything works. Secure the metal frame with a few screws and re-attach the decorative trim and cover/door.
Now go take a hot shower – all your neighbors will love you for it. Jim
They have had campers, motorhomes and now a 5th wheel. When asked which he likes best he prefers a motorhome when they are traveling a lot. He hates the set-up involved with a 5th wheel and much prefers the motorhome for ease of setup, however he says that you have to drive the motorhome at least monthly to keep all the mechanical parts working properly. He figures that if they sit too long things start to break, so since they are now spending more time in one spot they like the 5th wheel. He also likes the value and the roominess of the 5th wheel compared to a motorhome. This summer they will be work-camping in Alaska with lots of time to enjoy fishing and the great outdoors. In the meantime, they will still have to do laundry.
Jackie likes to hang clothes out to dry in the breeze, so Pat constructed this simple yet effective portable clothes line rack. It doesn't obscure much of the rear view and it's light weight. It's made out of PVC pipe and clothes line held in place by two bungee chords attached to the roof access ladder and to the outside of the clothesline where metal eye-bolts are bolted into the PVC. 
It is also secured at the base of the ladder by utility hooks that are permanently secured to the ladder by screws. Notice that a reddish colored bungee chord is wrapped up around the two PVC center pipes to hold it to the ladder. 
In this way the entire clothesline rack is held securely in place. You will notice that Pat drilled holes in the PVC pipe and then threaded the clothesline through the holes making a neat application. 
Tie a tight knot in the clothesline to secure it, then thread it through the holes and secure it at the opposite end with another knot. Pat says he stores it in the basement of the 5er because it is flat and flexible. 
He likes it much better than the kind that attach to the bumper (pictured above) because it holds more laundry and since he doesn't have a bumper this works out great. It also doesn't allow the clothes near the ground.
All the parts for this project are readily available at your local hardware store. You can save energy and enjoy the freshness of air dried laundry all from the comfort of your RV.
Bob has done a unique custom install of a CAT heater in both of his RVs. Here is a view of the platinum catalytic heater installed in a cabinet door. Ingenious! 
This baby puts out 5000 British Thermal Units and is vented to the outside with a flex hose. 
A thermostat located in the bedroom controls this unit. The heat is dispersed by an electric fan in the unit. This unit is much more economical to run than a typical forced air heater. It uses less propane and much less electricity! 
Bob insists on a few safety features when he uses his CAT system. First he makes sure the propane supply line is installed with a shut off valve. 
Second, he makes sure he “cracks” the ceiling vents before he turns on the heater. This way you have a renewable oxygen supply and it helps reduce condensation. I’m not sure why he “cracks” his vents when he could just use the crank handle.
The infant safety latch helps ensure the door stays closed while traveling. 
While not in use this space doubles as storage for an additional stand-alone CAT heater. Bob likes to stay nice and toasty! 
This particular CAT heater is made in limited quantities by Arnie Lund. Contact him and see if he has a batch made up, but check out his website first: 
After living in his motorhome for a while he started thinking about the possibility of storage under his other sofa. So he opened it up and discovered some extra storage space. 
He removed the heating ducts from under the couch and put a directional vent where the vent hose comes out of the cabinet next to the couch. 
Now he stores electronic gear where previously there was just unused - empty space. So, look around; perhaps you have some extra storage space hiding somewhere in your RV.
As you can see by the stained glass, John served our country proudly as a Marine Corps Officer! This fabulous desk was designed by John and Evelyn and constructed by Mr. Tom Bradley (you can email him here 
They had to route the heater vent under the desk and out the left pedestal. 
Since electronic equipment is stored and running in the left pedestal of the desk, a fan was installed as well as a ventilation screen on the cabinet door face nearest the left pedestal.
John has a PC tower, a printer, power cables and other assorted electronic equipment neatly concealed in this left pedestal. 
The top drawer is indeed top drawer. When extended it is a laptop desk. 
Under this drawer is storage for those oversized atlas books. 
There is ample storage under the desk that will accommodate full sized three-ring binders. 
The spacious two drawer hanging file system on the right pedestal is very convenient for filing. 
The top is covered with plexiglass under which is a map of the united states, very handy when planning your next trip. 
The chair is a Lazyboy swivel, glider, recliner which was reinstalled on a round base with a cut-out to enable it to fit neatly under the slide lip when retracted. 
They use this chair for a desk chair and also for a card playing or dining chair when they have extra company. They simply swing it around and place a portable table between the driving chairs and the Lazyboy, add a dining chair to make a foursome and they have a cozy and comfortable game table space. This is a great desk in all respects and it fits where they took out a couch which John says was uncomfortable - click on the video and watch how the slide opens around this desk.
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.
Second, the majority of the campgrounds only have 30 amp service. So, don’t plan on doing laundry, running the microwave, making coffee and blow-drying your hair at the same time.
Third, many campgrounds do not have sewer disposal at the camp sites. They all have dump stations, but we found many did not have sewer hook-ups in the actual sites. No problem, as long as your plan for it. 
Forth, they are more expensive than West Coast campgrounds.
This baby has more power than most upright vacuum cleaners. When it comes to getting dirt out of your carpet suction power is what it is all about and this unit has the goods to keep your RV spotless. 
This is a built-in unit, but you can install it in such a way that you can move it to your next RV with no problem. Comes in White, Beige or Black and can be installed upright, sideways or on its back. Peter says, “If you can install an under-counter coffee pot, you can install a RoadVac R/V central vacuum cleaner.” 
This unit is 100% made in the USA! The best part is that these units are individually tested (really tested) before they get sent out so you are guaranteed a solid performing unit. The adjustable telescoping wand is made of aluminum and comes with a 35 foot flex hose (8 feet when stored). It has a 5 year warranty and optional HEPA filtration. The power head feature pictured here on the left is optional (I recommend you get it) and the attachments at the right are standard.
You can read more about it here 
There are several things you can do to prevent this. The biggest thing is to remember to secure the door before driving off down the road! The other thing you need to do is adjust the door stop. This will in effect prevent the opposite wall from being pounded, but the door latch will still cause gouges in the pocket door as there is nothing to stop it from sliding back and forth in its pocket. 
As you can see in the above picture the stopping device is located in the pocket door railing and can be adjusted. You simply loosen the retaining screw/bolt and slide the stop to the position where you want the door to stop. I left about a one inch gap between the opposing wall and the door. That way in case the door breaks loose, it can’t reach the wall. This still offers you plenty of privacy. 
Some 5th wheel models have the pocket door securing device on the bottom of the door. Others, like the Grand Teton have an automatic pocket door retention device. Probably the most popular is a mid door locking device. You don’t have to bend down to lock it. These mid-door devices work great if you remember to secure them before travel. 
I added a strap as a back-up but it doesn’t work to hold the door when traveling so it was a wasted experiment. I replaced the screws so many times in the pocket door latch that the screw holes stripped out and I ended up having to put on a wooden plate for the retaining hardware. 
The biggest challenge remains my memory. Even using a checklist I’ve overlooked securing this pocket door. The good thing is that I haven’t had to spend much money on this so I’ve successfully limited my out of POCKET expenses :) Jim
These expandable net laundry bags came on the market a few years ago and they are a big hit with RVers. They come in several sizes and colors and have convenient carrying handles. You can get them at Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, WalMart and many RV parts stores, but the easiest way to get one is to go to one of our sponsors and 
It is important that you have something to set the hamper on so that it doesn’t get wet from the shower floor. We use a handicap shower stool for this purpose. A shallow plastic tub would work just as well. These folding hampers work great and fold up for easy storage. Jim
Which brings me to my Valentine's Day discussion. If you don’t get along well with your spouse when it’s not Valentine's Day do not, I repeat DO NOT, become full time RVers! Why? Because even though RVs are getting larger and roomier with slide-outs, they are still much smaller than houses. You can’t just go to another part of the house or garage or wherever to have a little time away from each other. You live together in close quarters and therefore you must not only be lovers but the best of friends with great communication skills. 
As a retired Navy Chaplain I have conducted many marriage growth seminars and have done countless hours of marriage counseling. One thing stands out above everything else in determining how successful a relationship will be and that is your ability to communicate well with each other. One of the best things you can do for your marriage is to attend a Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP) seminar in your area – more information here 
Bill and Linda Isetts pose in front of their sparkling new Dutchman Grand Junction 5th wheel coach. At first glance you wouldn’t think much about this picture but there is a story here. You see, Bill went to the RV dealership to purchase a replacement for a burned out light bulb on his existing coach and brought this new coach back to the RV park instead. What a hoot! Bill wasn’t clowning around about fixing the problem. The guys in the park jokingly said, “Remind me not to send Bill to town to pick up anything!”
They RV about five months a year in snowbird status. Before Bill got carried away with his light bulb purchase, he and Linda purchased a used 1998 34’ Kountry Star 5th Wheel just to see if they would like RVing. Well, they do and if you are not RVing yet, then you could do something similar. Buy a small rig and try it out for a while – you have to start somewhere - another bright idea. 
I love walking around a campground after I arrive and meeting all the interesting people. RVers never cease to amaze me - in my opinion they are the most interesting people you will ever meet. Bill and Linda are Christians who use the proceeds of their secular clowning to fund missions trips. Bill, a Vietnam veteran, has returned to Vietnam nine times over the years to help build medical clinics with Vets With A Mission. Now that’s a bright idea! 
Frank, like most of us, was frustrated with the propane tank retaining bar assembly because it is awkward to handle. Frank decided to make life easier by placing a tension spring under the retaining bar. He used about a 1 ½ to 2 inch spring (not so stiff as to make the wing-nut hard to twist) and mounted it on top of a large washer held in place with the locking nuts. This holds the retention bar up against the wing nut while you easily remove the tank for service. 
If you are wondering why a red bungee ball is hanging off the tank, there is a good reason. Frank does not like to drive with his propane turned on, so to help remind himself to turn it off, he hangs this bungee ball out of his LPG compartment. When he forgets, it isn’t long before he sees the bungee happily flapping in the breeze in his mirrors.
Put the juice into ice trays and freeze them overnight. 
After you have frozen the cubes take them out of the ice trays. I release the cubes onto a Styrofoam plate then use it like a funnel to get them into the resealable freezer bags. Now just put them back in your RV freezer for future use. 
This allows you to have more compact storage space in your RV freezer and it keeps frost from accumulating on the cubes. Now you can enjoy a nice cold lemonade on one of those hot and toasty Arizona February afternoons. Jim
When you only have a few eggs left in the carton take out your scissors and cut the carton in half or wherever you have eggstra empty space in the carton. 
This little trick gives you more storage space in just a few seconds.
If you have any other space saving ideas like this, please leave a comment below. Thanks Jim
You’ll need a flashlight, a pair of small channel-lock pliers and a 7/16 socket or nut wrench and some Teflon tape.
Alright now go turn off the water to the coach (and the water pump) and go under the sink and unscrew the water supply and then unscrew the plastic retaining nuts on the existing faucet (pictured abobe), take it out and clean the surface of the sink. Use your thumbnail to scrape off the crud, don't use a razor blade on a fiberglass sink because it will scratch it.
Next you insert the new faucet plate and screw on the plastic retaining nuts (hand tight is fine). 
Now you are ready to insert the faucet itself. HERE IS WHERE I MADE A MISTAKE. I didn’t think about putting the Teflon tape onto the faucet threads until after I put it in place. 
Soooooo, put the Teflon tape on BEFORE you put it in place because it is a tight space under your sink and hard to put on the tape while doing contortion exercises. 
After you put the faucet in place and secure it with the retaining washer you are ready to attach the hot and cold tubes. Just screw on the hot and cold water supply (be sure to hook the hot to hot and cold to cold – they may be marked like this - red = hot side, black or blue or no color tape = cold side). 
Attach the sprayer hose and tighten it with channel lock pliers – just get it snug, don’t torque it on until you break it off.
As a US Air Force pilot he flew the F-100, A-1, F-104 and the T-38. Ed and Jean raised their family RVing. They started with a pop-up then went on to an Apache pop-up, a PU slide in camper, a 28’ Komfort 5th Wheel and when Ed’s disability began to make using the 5er difficult, he moved to a 35’ Safari motor home. They now have a 36’ Country Coach motor home. Ed's wife Jean is also a big help, but Ed still does the majority of the outside work.
RV Now: How can RV parks and campgrounds help RVers with disabilities?
RV Now: How can RV manufacturers help RVers with disabilities?
RV Now: What is your opinion about an RV park assigning handicap parking to non-disabled overnight campers after a certain hour? If the campground is full and no one has called ahead to reserve the site and the policy is that after a certain hour they may rent out the handicap space then I don’t have a problem with it.
While other folks in the northern parts of the US are digging out from the last snow storm, chipping ice off their driveway, plugging in their engine block heaters, hauling wood, thawing pipes and sliding down the street doing donuts on the ice, well, we are in shorts, tank-tops and sandals playing Scrabble under our awning. Iced tea with lemon, humming birds flittering about, palm tree branches waiving in a balmy breeze, the smell of BBQ in the air, good company and well, you get the picture. RVing really does give you many options for enjoying great weather. RIP Old Man Winter!
They have 4 toes, two forward and two behind. They are very quick and can catch and kill a rattlesnake. When they eat a snake whatever doesn’t fit, just hangs out its mouth and slowly digests until it disappears.
Let’s start at the beginning. God created…. Yes, the God of creation certainly appreciates the great outdoors. The woods and hills, streams and lakes, mountains and valleys, oceans and deserts are all awe inspiring and each has incredible riches enjoyed by travelers in every age. The Patriarchs embraced and enjoyed the nomadic lifestyle living in tents and traveling in caravans hauling all their earthly possessions with them from place to place. In fact in the Middle East people still live this way. I snaped the above picture while in Israel.
The wheel allowed man to carry more possessions over greater distances in less time. So we see in the story of the Passover that Moses instructs the people to dress for travel, gather their possessions and get ready for the greatest RV rally ever recorded.
What group of common folks did God first tell about the birth of Jesus? That’s right the shepherds. Where were they? They were camping on the outskirts of Bethlehem! Do you think the wise men stayed at motel six? No, they traveled caravan style and camped along the way. They were using the RV tow vehicle of the day, the camel. In fact great camel caravans were common during this time. They traveled great distances across all kinds of terrain. The US government even experimented with the idea of using camels in the Army and the next time you are in Quartzsite, Arizona you can learn all about that experiment.
Why do these folks have this perception? Is it true? How about the dealerships – do they see it the same way? What is your opinion on this? Here is your chance to tell the world what you think about RV manufacturers good or bad. Just click on the “comments” section below and type in your opinion. Thanks for your thoughts! Jim
Pros: This is a small self leveling unit that allows for use of the space over the top of the machine as a closet. You don’t have to transfer clothing from the washer to the dryer. This unit is very energy (155 kWh/year) and water efficient. If you spill something on your shirt during dinner you can spray it with Shout and throw it right into the wash. Convenience! 
Cons: You can only do small loads. Here are the examples from the owner’s manual: 1. Three bath towels, a hand towel and two wash clothes. 2. A set of queen sized sheets, top and bottom and two pillow cases. 3. One pair of jeans, a sweatshirt and a hand towel. My wife likes to wash the sheets all together, but then removes one sheet and dries it separately making drying time shorter.
I thought, “Hmm, I’ll defrost it and if that doesn’t help I’ll take it back to the dealer for repairs.” So I turned off the power, open the doors and let it defrost. Sure enough, that did the trick. The refridgerator ran like a champ after that. So now we routinely defrost the freezer and the refridgerator. 
We take out all the frozen stuff and put it in this handy insulated food tote that we purchased at WalMart last year. We take the stuff in the refridgerator and just stack it on the counter. Then we turn off the power to the refridgerator and leave the doors open and let nature take its course. The defrosting process doesn’t take very long (especially if you do it every month or so.)
We take this opportunity to clean all the shelves and wipe down the inside of the unit. Once I sop up all the melted ice and clean the surfaces inside the freezer I turn the power back on and replace the food. So, as it turns out the refridgerator wasn’t broken after all, it was another case of user error. Keep cool. Jim
