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Dear Mark,
You may have addressed this question before, but a friend told us that it's not good to park our rig and leave everything off, especially the refrigerator. He said it's not good to allow the coolant to settle to the bottom of the unit rather than circulate constantly. Our unit works off propane or electric. We have been keeping the camper plugged in to the house just to keep the refrigerator running. Fact or fiction?
Sonny and MayLynn Whitlock
Mark says…
I'd have to cast my vote for "fiction". Leaving the refrigerator off when you are not using the RV will not adversely affect its lifespan. Running it continuously won't really hurt it either, as long as it is level, but the electric heating element that operates the fridge when its on AC may eventually burn out, plus, it takes several hundred watts to operate. Save your money: RV refrigerators are designed to be turned on and off without causing any problems. Just leave it off, and prop the doors open so that it doesn't smell musty inside. You may have to remove the inside 12V light bulb if it is still on when the refrigerator is turned off and the door is open.
Dear Mark,
How do I clean out the water heater tank on my 1987 Bounder?
Thanks, Linda
Mark says…
First, make sure it is cold, or at least cool. Turn off the water heater, making sure that both the gas burner and the electric element (if so equipped) are off. Then, turn off the water pump, or disconnect the hose from the city water inlet. Open a hot water faucet to release any pressure, leave it open, and go outside. Open the water heater access panel, and using a suitable tool, remove the water heater drain plug. Once the heater has drained, flush the inside of the tank through the drain plug by using a water heater flushing tool, available at any RV parts store. The flushing tool is a long, thin nozzle that attaches to your garden hose and fits into the water heater drain opening. One popular brand is called a "tank saver" and it looks like this: Once it's all flushed out, replace the drain plug and turn the water back on. Let the water heater fill until water runs from all open hot water faucets before turning the heat back on. It's best to do this at least once a year.
Dear Mark,
I am considering adding a washer/dryer combo to our 5th wheel. In speaking with several people we have become very confused over whether this is a good idea or not. A couple of RV supply stores have told us that the combo washer/dryer does not dry your clothes and that if it does it takes several hours. They both recommended a stackable washer and dryer. My questions are:
- Is there a washer/dryer combo that does dry the clothes and not takes hours?
- What are the pros and cons of a vented vs. a non–vented system?
- What would you recommend we buy?
Thank you for any help you can provide.
Donna
Mark says…
The typical RV washer/dryer units that are specially designed for RV use are very small. They are available both as a single unit that does both the washing and the drying, and as stackable separates. The main emphasis on these units is to make them small enough to fit, rather than on washing and drying efficiency, in my opinion. These units wash only a few garments at a time, and do require more time to dry than a typical home washer and dryer pair. However, if you are tight on space, and don't mind doing smaller loads of wash more often, these units may be a good choice for you. The two main manufacturers are Majestic and Splendide. I couldn't locate a website for Majestic, but you can learn more about Splendide RV washer/dryers at www.splendide.com. I would go with a vented unit, as I understand that the vented units tend to dry the clothes faster. The non–vented units use a condensation effect to remove water from the clothes. The main reason to buy a non–vented unit would be if there's no possibility of installing a vent, due to mounting considerations. For my money, if I had enough room, I would go with a standard apartment or dorm size stackable washer dryer pair. The load size will be significantly larger, and the dryer faster. Be sure to get a 120V dryerunless your rig can support 240V appliances (50 Amp hookup)…
Dear Mark,
Would it be feasible to switch from a 6–gallon propane water heater to a small electric on–demand water
heater?
Thanks, Ed
Mark says…
I'm assuming you are referring to one of those electric point–of–use demand water heaters rather than the ones designed to supply a household. Unfortunately, I'm afraid that the really small heaters won't handle enough flow to meet your needs in an RV. The main issue with any tankless water heater is how much flow it can heat. The more flow, the more energy input it takes to raise the temperature of the water. Here's an example: Your incoming water is at 55 degrees. To get it to a comfortable shower temperature, you'll need to raise that water temperature by 40–50°. If your shower flows 1.5 gal/min, your heater has to have enough power to heat that water as it passes through. That takes power, and a lot of it. Looking at various electric tankless heater sites, like www.e–tankless.com and www.plumbingsupply.com/eemaxso.html, I estimate it would take about 8–10 KW at 240 volts to run a heater that would manage that temperature rise at that flow rate. That power draw would stress a 50A hookup, even if nothing else were running! Even if you were to restrict the flow down to 1 gallon per minute, it would still require about 6–7KW to get that 40–50° temperature rise.
While electric on demand heaters may not fit the bill, there is a tankless RV water heater available thatis designed to replace your existing heater. They run on propane, and claim to deliver an "endless" shower. (Until you run out of propane, anyway…) You can check them out at www.precisiontemp.com.
Do you have a question for Mark?
Please submit your question via e–mail to woodalls@escapees.com. Questions should be about RV technical issues, general RV operation or RV lifestyle. 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 Diamond Club 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
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.
 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.
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