Mark… My Words
Dear Mark,
There was a sudden Ammonia smell coming from our Refrigerator (Dometic Freedom RM2803 Gas/Elec.). We have shut it down. What is wrong – is it fixable? How hard would it be to repair/replace this unit myself?
Robyn
Hi Robyn.
I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your refrigerator is dead. A strong ammonia smell is a sure indicator of a cooling system leak. Cooling systems that have sprung a leak are generally not repairable, so your only options are to replace the cooling system in your existing refrigerator, or replace the entire unit. New refrigerators are quite pricey, so a cooling unit replacement is a lower cost option. Cooling units are still fairly expensive (in the $400 – $600 range), but it is generally possible to replace one yourself if you are handy with tools. Take a look at www.rvcool.com They offer rebuilt cooling units to retail customers and also have some good information and instructions for replacing cooling units on most common RV refrigerators. That should give you an idea as to whether or not such a task is within your abilities. Also, shop around locally, as there may be a shop in your area that can rebuild your refrigerator.
Dear Mark,
I bet you never heard this one! I have a hot water heater with an "Anode" in it (the spelling I'm not sure of). I emptied the water heater and replaced the anode (and it took some doing to get it off and out, don't think it was ever replaced). When I put the new one in, I could NOT screw it in all the way. You could SEE some threads showing on the bold, and I was thinking that it was hitting the back of the water heater. However, it would NOT go in any further. It is not leaking.
Do you have to sometimes cut off the end a little of the anode? Or what?
Thank you,
Robert
Hi Robert.
I win the bet, you owe me a dollar! (Joking!) I have heard this one before, and generally, if you purchased the correct anode rod for your heater, you won't have to worry about them bottoming out. The threaded segment is a tapered pipe thread on many units, and will only go in so far before it is tight. Others have fittings that bottom out against a sealing surface. I wouldn't worry about a couple of threads still showing as long as it is not leaking under pressure. For those folks out there who have never heard of an anode rod, they are typically installed in RV water heaters that have steel tanks. The rod is made out of a sacrificial metal (zinc/magnesium/aluminum). The sacrificial metal protects the tank from rust by corroding first. Once the rod disintegrates, however, the tank begins to corrode. You can at least double the life of your heater by replacing the rod before it dissolves completely. Check your anode rod once a year and replace it if it is more than 50% gone. On some heaters, the rod is accessible from inside the rig, on others from the outside. Check your water heater manual if you can't find it.
Dear Mark,
Do after market holding tank flush kits really work or are they a waste of money? I am looking for an easier way to flush out my black water holding tank and if they work maybe adding it to my two gray tanks. I have seen some that you drill a hole into the rear of the folding tank to attach them and then run a line to one side of the trailer where you hook up a hose. If they do work could you recommend a specific type or brand?
Thank you.
Tom
Tom,
I can give you my personal recommendation: I find that these tank flushers are a mighty fine addition to your RV. They really do work, and help make tank flushing a painless task. Sure beats dragging a garden hose through the door or bathroom window to use an old–fashioned flushing wand! I have installed them on all of my RVs, for both the grey and the black tanks. I prefer the kind that have an extension hose that lets you locate the hose connection for the flusher in a convenient place. I have used the Camco brand in the past, and they are reliable. Recently, I acquired a new RV and ordered some of the Tornado flushers from Camping world. Haven't installed them yet, but I suspect they will work just fine as well. A couple of tips: 1) Install the flusher head at the far end of the tank, pointed towards the dump valve connection if possible. I think they work better that way. 2) Always be sure that the dump valve is open on the tank you are flushing. If, for some reason, you feel you must close the dump valve while you flush, never, never walk away or get distracted by something else. You will be setting yourself up for a major disaster when the tank overflows (and it will!).
Dear Mark,
My 1993 30 foot Motorhome (class A) is overheating when climbing step hills. I had the radiator and fan assembly replaced, and it has lots of power but on steep hills it just about reaches the red zone. Is there anything else to keep the unit cooler? I have already spent $2000.
Please Advise
Bruno
Bruno,
That's a tough one to answer, because so many things can contribute to an overheating problem! Any large, heavy vehicle is going to generate a lot of heat going up a hill, especially a steep one. You can reduce some of this heat by gearing down and slowing down. Rather than climbing in top gear with your foot on the floor, try downshifting and climb the hill slower. Turn off your dash air, as it pre–heats the air flowing through the radiator. If none of this helps, you'll need to do some more detective work. First, make sure that the dash temperature gauge is actually telling the truth! Consider installing an aftermarket temperature gauge, one that has the actual temperatures on it. Does your rig have a separate transmission cooler? If not, have one installed. Test the radiator pressure cap to be certain it is holding pressure, or replace it with a new one of the correct rating. Check the ignition timing, as excessive spark advance generates a lot of heat. In fact, it's a good idea to have a general diagnostic performed on the engine to be certain that it is in proper tune. Make sure that nothing is restricting air flow through the radiator and that all the fins are clean. If your engine has a fan clutch, make sure that it is working properly, and check belt tension. If none of that does any good, consider having a performance shop look it over.
Dear Mark,
I was wondering if there is any kind of a little motor, or battery I can hook to my pop–up so I don't have to turn the handle to raise the roof manually.
Thank you,
Roger
Hi Roger.
If you are handy, you can probably make an adapter that will fit your pop–up's crank assembly and allow you to use a cordless drill to run the roof up and down, providing it doesn't take too much torque. I made a simple adapter for my cordless drill to allow me to run my trailer's stabilizing jacks up and down. It works great, and sure is a lot easier and faster than using the hand crank! If you don't feel like making one yourself, go to www.rvworkshop.com and look for their "Socket Jenie". They make drill adapters for most RV cranks and jacks.
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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.
