Mark...My Words

Hi folks,

I hope you are enjoying this great RVing weather we’ve been having! I’m looking forward to my trip in May to the Escapees big rally (Escapade) in Sedalia, Missouri. Maybe I’ll see you out there on the road! Remember, keep those questions coming!

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Howdy Mark,
We just purchased a Cardinal LE fifth-wheel. It has a free standing dining table and four chairs next to three (roughly floor to ceiling) lengthy panoramic windows. Is it safe to unbolt this table, so it can be moved around, and not re-bolt for travel? Also, is it necessary to strap the chairs for each trip (as well as the two recliners in the rear living area, next to a large back window)?

Thank you,
Mom

Mom,
You would be surprised how much things rattle around in the fifth-wheel while it is towed. On a trip to Colorado a number of years ago, I had the opportunity to ride in my 30-foot Jayco fifth-wheel while rolling down the highway, and I was amazed at the range and violence of the motion, especially towards the rear of the trailer. That’s why trailers with rear kitchens seem to be so hard on the dishes! You really do need to secure all items in the coach to prevent their moving around while underway. All it would take is one big bump, and you might be replacing a window, or worse.

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Hey Mark,
My Chevrolet chassis on my Dutchman continues to drain the battery if I don’t start it at least every three days. Luckily, I have the transfer switch that connects the house batteries to the vehicle for starting. Where do I start to troubleshoot this problem?

Happy Camper in Seal Beach,
Max

Max,
I answered a similar question in the column a few months ago, but it is such a common problem that I decided to run it again. I suspect that there are one or more “phantom loads” drawing power from your starting battery. These loads may be tiny, such as the keep-alive current for your in-dash stereo, but over time they can flatten your starter battery. There may also be a larger load attached that you are unaware of and that is not disconnected by your battery disconnect switches. The only way to tell for sure is to shut everything down, unplug from AC power and then disconnect the ground terminal from your starter battery. Using an ammeter, place one probe on the negative battery terminal and one on the negative cable end. If you are reading anything over a few hundred milliamps of current, you will need to find the source of the current drain and correct it. This can turn into quite a research project, but once you find the phantom load and eliminate it, your starter batteries should stay charged. This method can also be used to identify phantom loads on your RV house batteries.

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Hello Mark,
I have a question about maintenance. The sealing around the windows and door is a gooey mess. Do I need to clean it out before I re-seal? Or do I put new putty in over top of the old? What about caulking? Do I remove the old before I put in new?

Thanks!
Patricia

Hello Patricia,
The best way to re-seal a window is to completely remove the whole window and frame and remove all the old sealant from the rig and the window frame. Then apply new butyl rubber caulk to the outside window frame and re-install the window in the rig. Once you tighten it down, trim the excess butyl sealant away with a knife. This is far better than trying to put new sealant or caulk over the old stuff, and it will last a lot longer. The butyl rubber caulk comes in a roll and is available from most RV parts sources. Here’s an example online: www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/caulks-sealants/48463.htm

On the roof, you should inspect all of the roof seams and re-coat them every year or two or when any visible cracks are found. In most cases, you only need to remove old roof seam calking that is not adhering well. If it is firmly attached, you can clean it with soap and water and apply a new coat of sealer right over the old stuff. Be sure to use a sealant that is designed for the type of roof you have (rubber, aluminum, fiberglass).

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Hi Mark,
I've got a 2007 Forest River Rockwood 26' 5th-wheel. For the most part, everything has worked fine; then about two days ago I noticed that the converter's thermostat-controlled fan kept cycling on and off, erratically and intermittently. I tried reducing the load on the converter to see if there was something that was pulling a lot of juice through it, but it didn't help. I took off the cover to the converter area and checked to make sure that there wasn't anything hampering the efforts of the fan, and I felt both sides of the converter to determine the heat (which there was virtually none). As I sit and write this, the fan is going on and off, on and off; it just went off again and was only on for seven seconds then it's off for four seconds; now it's on again for five seconds, etc. Is the fan malfunctioning or is the problem with the converter? And what do I do in either case?!

Thanks so much for your help!
-Sunne

Sunne
The first thing to check is that there isn’t a buildup of dust and fuzz blocking the cooling vents or interfering with the fan. If everything looks good, I would suspect the fan to be defective and not the converter. On the majority of converters, the fans are thermostatically controlled muffin fans. The fan has the thermostatic switch built right into it. There are some exceptions, but most units follow this pattern, and usually the fan can be replaced fairly easily. Most converters use 12VDC fans, and most electronics parts stores should able to provide a replacement part. If you feel qualified to do so, you can remove the failing fan and, using the part number on the fan, search for and find a replacement. If you don’t feel comfortable doing the work yourself, it will be necessary for you to have the converter serviced by a qualified repair center or RV tech. A good online source for 12V fans is www.allelectronics.com.

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Dear Mark,
I want to know if the heater on my travel trailer will continue to work while I am driving, or will the wind blow out the flames. I have never tried it.
Thank you, Joseph

Hi Joseph,
Due to the design of most RV furnaces, they are capable of operating while the RV is in motion. The combustion air is drawn from the furnace vent assembly on the side of the rig by a fan, and the exhaust exits under pressure from the same vent assembly. The furnace won’t be affected by wind. However, there are safety concerns with operating the furnace, or any propane powered appliance, while the RV is in motion. Many RVers believe that you are safer with the propane turned off at the tank while going down the road. This is especially true when your RV is a towable unit rather than a motorhome.

Just think: If you were running your furnace in the trailer while traveling and something went wrong back there, you wouldn’t know about it until you saw smoke! Regardless, a lot of folks do travel with their propane on and fridges running, etc. Many feel that the small risk is compensated by the convenience of running the fridge to keep the food cold or the furnace to keep the rig warm. The gas-on or gas-off choice is something you’ll have to decide for yourself, based on your own comfort level. However, there is one circumstance where it is absolutely mandatory that all appliances capable of producing a spark or flame be shut off: before any type of refueling operation takes place. All such appliances must be shut down before approaching a fuel dispensing facility.

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Hi Mark,
My question is, can you use a 50A/30A pigtail on a motorhome that is wired for 30 amps? Many parks have 50 amps now. When the 30 amp places are full up, I need to know if I can use a 50A/30A amp pigtail and plug into a 50 amp box, when I'm only wired for 30 amps?
Lou

Lou,
If you use an adapter that is specifically designed to convert your 30A RV plug to a 50A plug, you’ll be just fine. The adapter is designed to only pass one leg of the 50A 125V circuit to your 30A power cord. Since your RV has a 30A main breaker inside the rig, it will protect your internal wiring and systems from excessive amperage. These adapters have proven to be safe and reliable and are a great addition to any RVer’s gadget box! I also carry a 30A-to-15A adapter and a 15A-to-30A adapter to cover all of the possible outlet types.

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Here’s a great tip from a reader:
I had to comment on your recent advice concerning propane problems. Many years ago, the furnace refused to light in our fifth-wheel. Everything else worked except the furnace. I completely disassembled, inspected and reassembled the furnace, three times. Each time, all indications were that there was no gas to the furnace. I checked the supply lines all the way back to the tanks and even blew them out with compressed air. Finally, I took the regulator to a full-service propane dealer and had it checked. It was bad. It was allowing enough gas through to operate the stove, refrigerator and even the water heater. But it wouldn't allow sufficient volume through to fire the furnace. I'll never forget that one because it cost me $15 to have the regulator tested and only $9 for a replacement regulator. (Those prices will give you a clue as to how long ago this happened.)
Jack

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Mark Nameth

Mark Nemeth has been involved with all things RV for more than ten years, including almost 5 years on the road as a fulltimer. Nowadays, Mark is parked for a while and works on staff for the Escapees RV club as technical advisor, consumer affairs director, and instructor in the Escapees RVer's Boot Camp program.

Founded in 1978, the Escapees RV Club provides a total support network for Rvers that includes a wide variety of opportunities for fun, adventure, and education. CHAPTERS There are 51 chapters across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico that offer local luncheons and rallies within 150 miles of home. Everyone is welcome to attend. HOPs Theme–related outings and adventures held across the country. ESCAPADES Five–day events, Escapades offer over 60 seminars and workshops to educate, entertain, and enhance the fun and use of RVs. PARKS Our RV park system offers short–term, long–term, and home–base parking options. MAIL SERVICE The best mail–forwarding service in the country. Members can personalize their mail delivery receiving only the mail they want when they want. PLUS MUCH MORE! A complete listing of all Escapees events, and a comprehensive list of member benefits is found at www.escapees.com.

Name Tag

Some content previously printed in Escapees magazine, published by the Escapees RV Club. All material provided by Mark Nemeth, Escapees Magazine Technical Advisor and Boot Camp Instructor. For more information about the Escapees RV Club, please visit www.escapees.com or call 888–757–2582.

Woodalls subscribers can save $10 on a new Escapees membership! For more information, visit the Escapees website.

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Please remember, material will be edited. Because of the large volume of material and correspondence submitted, individual replies will not be possible, nor can we acknowledge receipt of your material. Selected questions will be answered in future issues of the Woodall's Wisdom newsletter in the Mark, My Words column. The Mark, My Words column also appears in Escapees magazine, a bi–monthly publication of the Escapees RV Club. For more information visit www.escapees.com/magazine

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