Mark… My Words
Dear Mark,
I have a 2000 Damon Intruder that has two house batteries. Two new batteries were purchased and installed just before leaving for an all day drive (about 9 hours). When we dry–camped for the night, the temperature outside required the furnace to be used during the night. By morning, the house batteries would not run the furnace any longer. Is it normal for the house batteries to discharge that far overnight? The only other items that were drawing are the refrigerator and the clock on the microwave.
Thank you for your answer,
Katharine McGraw
Your RV furnace consumes a lot of power. Most furnaces draw 5–7 amps when running. While it's not unusual for a furnace to significantly drain your house batteries on a cold night, I wouldn't expect one night's use to totally run them down. One thing to check for would be "phantom loads". These are 12v DC loads that are drawing current that you are not aware of. A classic example would be a light in a closed outside compartment that has been left on. One or more loads like this will really make a difference on how long your batteries last when you are boondocking.
Also, what kind of batteries did you purchase? Hopefully, you bought deep cycle batteries intended for RV use. So called "marine/starting" batteries and normal automotive starting batteries are not suitable for house battery use, and will have a lot less usable capacity than a true deep cycle battery. Another possibility is that, for some reason, your vehicle alternator is not actually charging your house batteries, or is only partially charging them. If you are handy with a digital voltmeter, you can check to be sure that the vehicle alternator is bringing the voltage at the house batteries up to at least 14 volts when the engine is running. If you aren't sure how to check this out yourself, then this may be a good question for an RV service tech.
Dear Mark,
I'm the wife of the outfit and I don't know how much tension or torque the two side bars of a reese hitch (the ones that hang on the chains) should have. Should they be a little loose or jacked on real tight? I worry that too much tension on the chains will break them. Thanks for any help you can give. This may save a marriage. :)
Mrs. Luana Starratt
Those spring bars should be adjusted until they are just tight enough to level out the trailer and the tow vehicle. That's what those bars do… they exert leverage on the tow vehicle hitch to equalize the load that the trailer tongue puts on the back of the tow vehicle. Both sides should be set the same. In other words, the same link of the chain should be used when tensioning each bar. If you experiment a bit, you'll find the best link(s) to use, and then you can mark that link on both chains using a ty–wrap, tape, or paint, so you'll be able to easily identify which link to use the next time you hitch up.
Dear Mark,
We have a 2007 Itasca Suncruiser. Our front tire pressure is suggested to be 85 lbs and the rear tires require 95 lbs. Any suggestions for air compressors that would be suitable and that we can carry in the motorhome? There are lots of conflicting suggestions out there! Can you offer some wisdom on this dilemma?
Bob Trinkle
There are several larger 12V air compressors that can be used to inflate RV tires. The one that I have been using for several years says "Truck Air" on the side, and is designed for larger tires. It works quite well, but is rather slow to fill large tires. I still see them for sale in auto parts stores. Generally, any of the larger 12v compressors will do the job, as long as you aren't in a hurry.
Another option is to purchase a small 120V "pancake" compressor, which is typically used with nail guns and roofing nailers. They are quite compact, and will work much faster than a typical 12V compressor but require AC power to operate. If you have a generator onboard, you'll be all set.
Finally, if your motorhome is one with an air brake system, or an air suspension system, it is usually possible to tap into the onboard compressor that supplies air to those systems. A quick disconnect fitting and a valve can be used to provide a place to hook up an air hose to inflate tires. Be aware that not all motorhomes will have a compressor that supplies enough air pressure to make this a workable solution.
Dear Mark,
I have 2006 Bounder with a WAFO converter/charger At times my 12–volt lights flicker at other times they are OK When dry camping lights are fine. Seems to happen when plugged in to shore power, seems like the charger is cycle or on a float charge
Thanks
Terry
Hi Terry
I'm not familiar with the acronym WAFO, but I can generalize about converters and RV 12v systems. If the flicker you refer to is like a quick "dip" in the brightness of the lights, then it's possible that the flicker is caused by the converter switching from a bulk charge mode to a trickle mode. The fact that you don't see the behavior when you are dry camping tends to support this explanation. Now, if the lights actually flicker repeatedly or if this seems to happen more often than once or twice a day, I would first inspect the connections between the converter and the battery bank to see if anything is loose or corroded. If it all looks ok, but the problem persists, have the converter looked at. It may be developing a problem.
Good morning Mark, and thanks for your continued information – advice for those of us that are less than "experts" in the RV life. I have only been 'motorhoming' for two years and continue to be confused by all of the information regarding holding tank chemicals. Specifically, the benefit and use of products containing formaldehyde.
Initially, I was led to believe that it was preferential to find chemicals the didn't include formaldehyde, then, was advised that those products that did contain formaldehyde worked much better, and most recently, was referred to a product called Oxy–chem that was represented as the best for black tank odor control. (and it doesn't contain formaldehyde)
I hate to have to rely on 'trial and error' to solve this issue. Can you advise? Which is best? And what happens if you change from a product with Formaldehyde, to one without, and then change back.
Help, and Thanks
Chuck Yeager
I'm really gonna step WAAYYY out on that proverbial limb and talk about this very controversial subject. The reason that this is such a scary topic is that absolutely everyone has a favorite toilet chemical. They are also certain that the inferior substitute you are using is nowhere near as cheap, effective, safe, or easy to use as their favorite. OK, I'm joking… a little… If you ever want to start a lively discussion around a campfire, ask what your neighbors are using for their holding tank! Personally, until recently, I rarely put any kind of chemical in my black water tank. I simply dumped my tanks more often when it was hot to avoid serious odor problems. In the winter, when cold weather reduced the odors anyway, I never bothered with chemicals at all. Most of the commercially available chemicals are bad for the environment, tough on sewer treatment plants, expensive and only marginally effective at best. I figured that it was 'money down the drain' and just didn't use any of it.
In recent years, a number of enzyme and bacterial tank treatments have appeared on the market. These products are designed to stimulate bacterial action and break down the waste and kill the odors. It's kind of like having a miniature sewage treatment plant onboard. They carry an added benefit in being completely biodegradable and highly beneficial to RV park septic tanks and sewer treatment plants as well. I have used several different brands, and although they don't control odors quite as well as the harsh blue stuff, they do an acceptable job, and also tend to really liquefy the waste for easier dumping and flushing. These bio–friendly treatments are definitely a better choice, but if you have been using that "blue stuff", it may take a few flush/refill cycles before the old stuff stops killing or inhibiting the new stuff. It's best to experiment until you find something that works for you, then stick with it. If you decide to stick with old fashioned toilet chemicals, please use them sparingly and avoid using any product with Formaldehyde as the active ingredient. Most home brew toilet treatments should also be viewed with a skeptical eye.
TTYL!
Mark
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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.
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.
