January 2017 - Page 6 of 7

How an automated RV dumping system works

January 6, 2017January 6, 2017 Chuck Woodbury

Doug Swarts, the inventor of the Drain Master electric sewer valve, explains how the system permits an RVer to dump his or her holding tanks remotely from inside the RV. This is the same system that RVtravel.com editor Chuck Woodbury installed in his motorhome. Read Chuck’s essay about his system here and/or watch the video below to see its... Read More

How to blast away accumulated crud from RV holding tanks

January 6, 2017January 9, 2017 Chuck Woodbury

Ever thought of having your gray and black holding tanks power flushed? “Why would you?” To get out all the nasty crud that accumulates over time, that’s why! And all that crud can cause a lot of problems including faulty sensor readings, not to mention producing foul odors that find their way into your RV (and your nose!). In this video,... Read More

March FMCA rally to include “RV Basics” program

January 5, 2017January 9, 2017 Chuck Woodbury

(January 5, 2017) — Staff members and officers at Family Motor Coach Association, a Cincinnati-based organization for owners of motorhomes, are busily preparing for the group’s March 7 through 10 gathering in Chandler, Arizona. The event has been dubbed “Rally In The Valley,” a nod to the host area’s designation as the Valley of the Sun. RV owners are invited to... Read More

Boondocking Arizona’s Harquahalas

January 5, 2017January 9, 2017 Russ De Maris

By Dave Helgeson As winter digs in, snowbirds in the Southwest are reveling in 60, even 70 degree days. It’s time for adventuring – and you’ll find some of the most interesting “mountain ranges” in the southwest corner of Arizona in the form of the Harquahalas. The Harquahala Mountains are located between Aguila and Salome, Ariz., south of Highway 60.... Read More

Automatic transfer switch warning

January 5, 2017January 9, 2017 Russ De Maris

By Russ and Tiña De Maris As RVs come out of the “dark ages” and flow with the use of modern technology, it gets easier for us. It wasn’t too long ago that we had an RV with an on-board generator. To set up the coach for generator use, one of us had to go outside (rain or shine)... Read More

The sticky slideout

January 5, 2017January 9, 2017 Russ De Maris

By Chris Dougherty Chris Dougherty is a certified RV technician. Here is a letter he received from a reader while he was serving as RVtravel.com’s technical editor. Dear Chris, Lately my larger slideout really moans and has a hard time retracting. Sometimes my wife I are pulling on the slider’s walls the best we can or pushing to get it... Read More

RV Travel Reader RVs, Jan. 7, 2017

January 5, 2017January 2, 2017 RV Staff

Send a photo of your RV and a 150- to 200-word description of it, how and where you use it, and what you like or don’t like about it, to Diane (at) RVtravel.com . Be sure to include your name(s) and hometown, or if you’re a full-timer. (These are posted in the order received.) The RVs of RVtravel.com readers... Read More

Keystone recalls 5th wheels for door hinge issue

January 4, 2017January 9, 2017 Chuck Woodbury

Keystone RV Company is recalling 1,582 model year 2017 Keystone Carbon and Raptor fifth wheel trailers, and 2016-2017 Fuzion and Dutchmen Voltage fifth wheel trailers. The affected vehicles have rear cargo door hinges with welds on the hinge pin and hinge plate that may be insufficient, and as a result, the top of the door may swing down with... Read More

Be careful what you put in your RV’s sewer tank

January 4, 2017January 9, 2017 Chuck Woodbury

By Doug Swarts Drainmaster.com Do you have a question regarding RV waste management? Email it to Doug at doug (at) drainmaster.com or call him at 877-787-8833. * * * RV Travel received this question via email from reader S.M. Jenkins: “I read once again in this newsletter the admonition to not put anything down the RV toilet other than RV toilet paper... Read More

Wife wants to go to Quartzsite; Hubby just “vants to be alone”

January 4, 2017January 4, 2017 RV Staff

Dear RV Shrink: My wife wants to go to Quartzsite, Arizona, for the big gathering that takes place in January. It looks like way too many people for me. I hate crowds. We started RVing to get away from the maddening crowd. She is insisting we go. Am I being unreasonable? Should I keep dragging my feet or give... Read More

Why to keep your RV’s gray tank closed when hooked up

January 4, 2017January 9, 2017 Chuck Woodbury

RV waste management expert Doug Swarts of Drainmaster.com explains why RVers should not only keep their black (sewer) tanks closed when hooked up in campgrounds, but their gray water tanks as well. Open both tanks to dump when they’re two-thirds full, but do not keep either open until then. You’ll be surprised to learn why the gray tanks (sink... Read More

OK to store RV antifreeze in unused fresh water tank?

January 4, 2017December 31, 2016 RV Staff

Dear Gary, We have a Fleetwood Regal Prowler. It is a seasonal unit, set up at a campground year around. We are hooked up to city water and so do not use the fresh water holding tank. Can I pour 12 or more gallons of RV antifreeze into the tank and use what I need to winterize the trailer... Read More