Editor's Note: Dave has a wealth of RVing knowledge. We'd like to share more of that with you on the topics you are most interested in. Please let us know in the comments below what you would like to see in future blog posts.
New Years is a time to reflect back upon the year that has passed and a time to anticipate what the coming year holds. Now that February has arrived and we are a month into the New Year, I have been thinking about the thousands upon thousands that have read my blog entries over the years.
I really have no idea who my readers are. Are you young, old, male, female, longtime RVers, just entering the lifestyle, live in the northwest, live in the east, belong to an RV club, maybe you live abroad, pet owner, fulltime RVer, or some may just be looking for interesting places to travel? I suspect there is a mix of everyone I have just listed. I have been camping and enjoying the RV lifestyle my entire life. I can remember the days before RVs had gray tanks, you didn’t need a battery to operate your furnace or refrigerator and most travel trailers were pulled by cars.
Looking for some new destinations in 2021?
Want to learn more about dry camping (boondocking)?
On the RV industry side of the equation, I have held every position in an RV dealership (including ownership) other than bookkeeping (my wife handled that end of things), so I understand how the industry (sales and service) works, its strengths and weaknesses. In addition, I have served as the President of the local chapter of the RVDA (Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association), on the MHRV Show Association board of directors and currently as their Show Director. In recent years I have been presenting RV lifestyle seminars at shows and RV conventions.
Dave sharing his RV knowledge at an RV convention
In the years I have been blogging, millions of new RVs have been purchased, some by those already enjoying the RV lifestyle and others just joining in the fun. While I don’t have statistics to confirm it, I am certain there have been at least a million first-time RV owners join the RV lifestyle since the onset of the COVID pandemic. That said, I would love to help my readers (whoever you are - young, old, seasoned or new to the RV lifestyle) reach your New Years RV resolutions by addressing blog topics you are looking to tackle in the months to come. Maybe it is: camping more often, being a better dry camper, tow vehicles, finding out of the way places to explore, keeping certain parts of your RV maintained, activities, conserving water, diagnosing appliance issues, safety, what type of RV is best for me, etc.
Need to learn more about your electrical systems?
Please use the comment box at the bottom of the page to give me a rough idea of who you are, what type of RV you have, and what you would love to learn more about in future blog posts. Or you can drop me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. While it is unlikely I can respond to everyone’s request, I will do my best to write entries that address the subjects I am qualified in and of interest to many. Hope to hear from you soon and may the balance of 2021 hold many memorable trips in your RV right here in the Pacific Northwest or wherever you call home.
What tips and tricks would you like to learn more about?
Comments
Quoting Clifford Hackney:
Quoting Michele Tonnemaker:
Regarding your batteries I expect you were drawing more amps out then you were putting back in. The furnace probably draws 6-7 amps when running and given the age of your RV you probably have a "dumb" charger which typically only charge at 3 amps per hour. If you do have dumb charger you didn't do yourself any favors by leaving it plugged in continuously. Read this https://www.doityourselfrv.com/rv-power-converter/ to learn more. To check the batteries take them to a automotive battery distributor and have them load tested.
Quoting Mike Swanson:
Glad you enjoy the information we provide.
Regarding the low point drain caps: Feel free to install valves if you find them more convenient. Take the caps down to your local home improvement store and they should be able to help you find suitable valves to fit your RV.
Quoting Mike Swanson:
Glad you enjoy the articles. Be on the lookout for more do it yourself type articles in the months to come.
Quoting Eric:
I agree that cable controlled valves can be a problem. Where you can gain access use WD40 or a similar product to lube the cables and the metal "stem" of the valve. Another old trick is to dump a little vegetable oil into the gray and black tanks to lube the blade of the valve.
Quoting Mike Andler:
Love it! Three generations camping together. Thanks for sharing.
Dave
Quoting Rick Sleister:
Watch for an article on batteries and systems hooked to the batteries in future articles.
Quoting PAULINE BRUCE:
The Class B choices are very expensive and usually do not have a place for the occasional guest to sleep.
Our first trip in the 5th wheel was to follow the Amgen-Tour of California, bicycle race in May of 2019. In and out of Lake Tahoe was an adventure.
Looking for more Ski Resorts that have power hook ups like Mt Bachelor in Oregon and Stevens Ski Resort in Washington. We normally boondock at Hyak Ski Area, Snoqualmie Pass.
RSS feed for comments to this post