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RE: Twist-on sewer valves…
Unfortunately, we still have people agitated by this. It’s an inexpensive, easy-to-use, safety, back-up system for special circumstances.
Gray tanks fill much faster than black, so black to gray movement can be minimized.
In our case, we generated a ton of dirty dishes and got full one day too soon…at 7:00 PM, and 5 min of effort the problem was solved.
This would also be handy to extend your time by a few days if camping without a sewer hook up.
And a backup system in case a “permanent” valve screws up.
Planning and common sense kept ours in the storage bay for 20 years. Planning and common sense provided an excellent, easy solution when plans changed. It’s also a viable option for week-long; sewer-less trips.
It’s now been 7 days and the gray tank still hasn’t disintegrated :)
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K3WE
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03/28/23 01:35am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Twist-on sewer valves…
No concern about possible black water mixed into the gray tank/lines?
It’s now been 24 hours. The camper still hasn’t initiated a runaway nuclear reaction. Should I be concerned?
Four serious comments:
1. Gray water flows into black, not the opposite.
2. These things mix daily in regular houses.
3. Food waste + water + soap + anaerobic bacteria = plenty of nastiness in gray water tanks.
4. It’s preferable to gray water coming up in the tub.
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K3WE
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03/23/23 06:22pm |
General RVing Issues
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Twist-on sewer valves…
My objective here is fun.
After 20+ years…and quite a few miles we are in a water and electric site for a few days…gurgling sounds…water in the shower…I run to the sewer tub, grab my never-used, twist-on gate valve, start pushing and pulling gates and minutes later, the gray tank indicates 1/3…
Problems solved…
The best part: 12 hours later, the camper still hasn’t exploded. :)
Mild seriousness: glad I bought the thing 20 years ago.
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K3WE
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03/23/23 08:29am |
General RVing Issues
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How to install stuff on walls
I hope to replace a shade with some mini blinds.
The real crux of my question is if there are any "nice, special fasteners that work well on RV walls".
I've done plenty of this in my "brick/stick" house, but in campers, seem to find all sorts of plane ole wood screws AND STRIPPED OUT HOLES! (YES, A LITTLE YELLING ;) )
Please let me know if anyone is aware of "special fasteners" or tricks (or even good ole expanding fasteners...although there's not much space in an RV wall to insert that sort of thing.
PS- pretty sure that surface adhesive stuff is not the answer in this case.
THANKS!
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K3WE
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02/21/23 09:06am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: New (to us) 2500 Suburban
I didn't know that GM had dropped the 2500- too bad, it serves a real niche. Towed with 1500 Suburbans for 10+ years and 2500 for the past 12 years.
The springs, tires, etc does make for better HANDLING vs. the 1500. As far as PULLING, minimal difference.
The 2500 is a lot less comfortable as a grocery hauler- much stiffer ride (no big surprise).
I HATE the 6-speed tranny...spends LOTS of time in 4th, 3rd is common, and occasionally 2 (on the Intrastate, no less) Fuel mileage is nothing special. I see almost no performance difference between this truck and our oldest 5.7 4-speed 1500 with a 3.42 rear end. They added a Granny gear (which we really didn't need) and an overdrive on top, leaving you with very similar middle 4 gears.
Just put new engine mounts in our current truck (110K miles)(shoulder shrug).
Also, I posted "the opposite" thread to this asking about switching to a pickup. No question, the Suburan will haul more buttocks, and heat and cool your suitcases, although that third row SUCKS in comfort terms.
Looking forward to updates.
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K3WE
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02/01/23 03:52pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: 1st night camping in our yard, 2023.01.24
Rule of three's, I've seen it referenced a few times with various factors, but yeah, even 3 nights seem too short, but it didn't occur to me till we were in the heat of the moment with just 2 nights scheduled that it wasn't going to work at all. We will know better next time.
Here's my $0.02. There's a number of good RULES OF THUMB, which are also OK to bend or even not follow.
We often "drive hard" to get to our destination (800 miles). Yes, we are tired. Other times, we drive less and "enjoy the journey". It all DEPENDS. How much time do we have, are there really neat things to see on the way, or do we just "get on with it?"
Also, "just to keep a handle on water consumption", consider using your water tank. Fill it up and see how it empties. Using this method has given me a good insight into water consumption- which guess what- varies greatly.
We sometimes "dry camp" and can easily make our water tank last longer. If you have water available- "Shower-on", rinse dishes liberally. And, even used a 6-gallon tote tank this year to get us a valuable extra day of water.
It's not too hard to get estimates of your water use after a short while.
Fun stuff!
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K3WE
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02/01/23 03:37pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: 1st night camping in our yard, 2023.01.24
This sounds familiar, and I'll laugh WITH you, but NOT AT you- no harm/no foul, it's the way it is and a smart move.
Hopefully you enjoyed it. We did!
To be nit picky, our's was a 5-day trip to a beach campground with stores nearby and a near-daily trip to get this or that...part of camping and part of the fun.
Also, relevant to the post below: I agree that folks shouldn't be killing grass with carpet, but, our first trip included purchasing some "astroturf carpet" which was a good move for the extremely sandy spot with zero vegetation...That same carpet was essential 12 years later for a similar trip. Please don't kill or injure grass, but it's not an absolute yes/no.
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K3WE
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01/26/23 06:45am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: DISCUSSION: 8 ft + crew cab vs. SUV
ALL AROUND GOOD DISCUSSION, Special thanks to MF man, PA12DRVR, ford truck guy, Lantley, blt2ski.
blt2' We know canoe hauling very well :), and would LOVE to have the Travelall you describe!
Lantley: Spent 3 great days at Patapsco State Park last June...You might have problems getting your engine up to operating temperature ;)
I'll think a bit on the 1-to vs. 3/4 ton suggestions. I know we don't need the 1-ton, but I get it, minimal $ difference but SOME capacity difference...and there are $ to be saved on a truck vs a Suburban. I can't see going all the way to a 4-number.
Short-beds are nice, but I occasionally buy 2 by 4s and plywood sheets...and it's nice to be able to put the gate up.
Whatever our TV will be, it will spend some time as a grocery hauler, some time hauling other stuff and some time pulling a camper.
My other idea is to put a basic camper-top/cap on the truck and SOMETIMES use it for QUICK, solo camping trips.
I don't need to discuss 4WD...do most of us NEED it? Probably not. But I need it occasionally for stuff "other than camping". It means a lot for resale value. It's incredibly useful for occasional mud, snow, sand or loose gravel.
It's incredibly not useful when you use it to get MORE stuck. :)
Another round of beers? :)
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K3WE
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01/24/23 01:41pm |
Tow Vehicles
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DISCUSSION: 8 ft + crew cab vs. SUV
#1. This is not a question; pretend we're having a beer by the campfire. The goal is fun discussion and sharing of experiences. People regurgitating "canned answers" and telling me I have to make the decision will be flamed. (mild sarcam).
I've towed a 30 & 32 ft TT for ~20 total years with 0.5-ton and 3/4-ton Suburbans (That's a great subject too). I'm thinking about switching to a pickup truck- and convinced I want a crew cab AND the 8-ft box. (Please don't SUGGEST the shorter box unless you have some stories to go with it. I get it that it's a compromise)
Of course, that will be less fun in tight, city areas, mall parking lots and will put a dent in my backing ability (which is OK)...
But all this does give me a tiny tinge of fear (not of bad things, but little things).
If anyone has similar (or perhaps the reverse) experience, I'd love to hear your thoughts, what you liked, what you disliked. (Again, the seating and heating are obvious changes...I want to hear THOUGHTS, not the obvious stuff.)
PS, apologies for sounding crabby...But, I'll give you one of the beers when someone chimes in WITH the same old obvious, canned responses. :-)
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K3WE
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01/23/23 09:48am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Shore power question
20 years ago, I cooked a set of batteries, when plugged in to the house. Thus, the rule is “factually real”
New camper with one-year plug in- batteries OK.
This is consistent with old chargers often being bad for extended use and new ones generally being ok.
Double check the model if you have concerns.
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K3WE
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12/26/22 06:28am |
General RVing Issues
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“New” vs.”Old” Ovens
It seems as though the oven burner in our new camper (2019) is located ~2” higher than it was in our 2001. This makes the already small oven about 80% useless.
Has anyone else noticed this?
Is anyone aware of a reasonable way to move it?
An electric toaster oven is an ok choice, except we sometimes dry camp.
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K3WE
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12/04/22 05:29am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: charging an EV at a campground
Interestingly, no one has brought up electric space heaters.
Campgrounds often ask that you not use them. This is because of capacity and expenses.
Of course, saving on LP is nice...and don't forget electric water heaters.
Additionally, space heaters are a steadier load that will also peak at night.
I dislike absolute black and white thinking, but its fair to say that EVs present a new challenge to many underpowered RV parks, (and homes and power grids).
No such thing as a free lunch.
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K3WE
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09/04/22 08:07am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Vinegar Treatment
Clicky
That was interesting- no cautions on the vinegar, but it says bleach is dangerous.
I’m surprised to see that vinegar would be so tough on the anode rods, but chemistry is chemistry.
One note: the clicky is more about the sulfur bacteria & odors. Not really my issue, in spite of the overlap.
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K3WE
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07/19/22 09:33am |
General RVing Issues
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Vinegar Treatment
We spent 12 months in an area with slightly hard water, and it seems like there’s a bit of gunk in all of our faucets and hot water tank.
I’m curious to hear from folks who do vinegar treatments- in particular if there’s tricks to clean the hot water tank and quantities and times.
I can imagine a couple of tricks to hit the water heater well, and then maybe rerun stuff through the cold side.
Beer discussion always welcome.
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K3WE
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07/17/22 09:04pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: TV & 30 ft TT to Mini Van and 17 ft TT
Been busy working on the real camper, leaving Monday. Will probably buy $5.00
gas at some point.
:-(
While replacing a tire, I found a second one ready to do the China-bomb thing…so I replaced the rest (cuss words).
Water tank Cloroxed, TPMS installed.
Opened beer and caught up.
One post was a shred ugly (discussing male anatomy)…unfortunately the bulge in my pants is NOT a wallet, so forgive me for thinking cheap).
One angle on this is DW or me occasionally camping for a weekend alone. She doesn’t drive, nor do the hitching. Another option that has emerged is JUST getting the mini van. Forget a TT to go with it. Who knows- fun discussing.
I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM THOSE WHO HAVE PULLED A CAMPER WITH A MINI VAN…and, he’ll, making an EV work…we all like to mess with stuff.
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K3WE
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06/11/22 03:50pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: TV & 30 ft TT to Mini Van and 17 ft TT
Quote = Craig
***Reply
You are covering alot of ground and many topics in this friendly talk.
***Yes, and am enjoying the broad topics.
For me its what do I want, how do I want to travel those kind of things. Yes fuel is up but so is everything else. I used to go to the grocery store and walk out spending only 50or 75 dollars now its 100 or 125.
***For us, it’s the WIDE variety- There are times, it would be nice to have an economy bed on wheels. Other times, a camper is nice.
DW and I used to have a 35' 5th wheel 1ton dually. Thought we did not need a set up that large. So what did we do we downsized to a 29' MH. After one year of traveling we realized we made a mistake. Not in the fuel milage area, not is the length area, nor the comforts. We messed up in the storage area! We found out the way we like to travel there was not enough room for clothes, pots and pans, tools that kind on thing.
***Yep, fuel mileage is strongly tied to wind resistance, so 25 ft…35 ft often has similarly bad mileage.
So what did we do we up sized to 37' Mh now when we go for months at a time we have room for cloths, pots and pans etc.
***Ironically, 4 years ag, we went from a 27 ft, half bunkhouse, no slide, to a 30 ft rear living with slide. WE REALLY MISS THE STORAGE WE HAD WITH THE BUNKS LOL. (This is a whole other discussion topic!)
I guess all that you are talking about really depends on what type of rving you are planning on doing.
***Being redundant, we do a huge variety of things- AND find campers to be wonderfully flexible. The flip side is a favorite joke about the two things I dislike about most campers: 1. Too big on the outside, 2. too small on the inside :). The 30 ft camper occasionally challenges us on state/national park campsites.
Either way enjoy
***Yeah, my idea is struggling a bit that mini vans are a but limited on towing capacity. I’m not a member of the weight police, but conversely understand that the 80% rule has numerous advantages, including some comfort and wear and tear.
***I should confess that I have also considered getting a 4-door, 8 ft pickup and doing a camper shell, but that shoots the fuel economy and the flexibility of city parking.
***PS- were happy with our current set up, but it’s fun considering all the alternatives.
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K3WE
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06/07/22 04:24am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: TV & 30 ft TT to Mini Van and 17 ft TT
Skibane: I was disappointed to see towing capacities closer to 3500 lb.
Burbman: Thank you for the very relevant story.
KD4UPL: Yeah… but it’s gotta be a little better than 3/4 ton truck and ‘real’ TT :)
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K3WE
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06/06/22 07:01pm |
General RVing Issues
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TV & 30 ft TT to Mini Van and 17 ft TT
First of all, I’m looking for a friendly DISCUSSION (As if friends were having a beer around a fire.)
Obviously, gas is up, but both I and the DW have wondered about “something minimal you could sleep in”.
But dang, we sure like the bathroom, kitchen and fridge.
Our camping varies widely.
I had these ‘crazy thoughts:
-A mini van could work as a self-contained camper (No kitchen & bath, but a good place to sleep).
-And it could pull a small camper. Note: I have edited this to a 17 ft TT from 19 ft- towing capacity is around 3,500.
-And maybe get ~15 MPG towing.
-And it’s a very useful and comfortable and adaptable buttocks, cargo, AND grocery hauler for the rest of the time.
-Sometimes camp with the van only, others, take a small TT.
Another edit- no real plans to plumbing/fridge/stove to minivan.
Anyone have thoughts or even relevant stories?
Again, not looking for ANSWERS as much as a fun DISCUSSION.
Edit #3- Thanks for the comments.
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K3WE
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06/06/22 04:30pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Practicality of non-propane Camper
Very simple: Do you want, or need to camp with batteries/no electrical hookup?
Typical battery setups fall way way way short on heating, cooking and AC .
Being slightly more complicated: 20 and 30 Amp hookups also fall a little short sometimes...It can be done, but you'll have to stagger things.
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K3WE
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05/07/22 06:31am |
General RVing Issues
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