As a follow-up to our recent video on wintering in an RV, we found that connecting our rig to a large external propane tank was a little bit more involved than we expected. If youre planning to spend the winter in a cold climate, or simply want to avoid running out of propane while parked in one place for an extended period, we offer some useful information based on our recent experience. Were using our Extend-a-Stay (also known as a Stay-a-While or an Extend-a-Flow) to connect to a large external propane tank. Theres a fair amount to know about propane, and we are certainly not experts. But we do know more about it today than we did yesterday! "Inch water column" (also referred to as " WC or "inches of water") is a unit of pressure measurement, commonly used for propane and other gases. RV appliances require about 11" WC, which equals only about 0.4 PSI! Weve been RV snowbirds for 8 winters in a row, mostly in the Desert Southwest. This year, for the very first time, well be spending the winter in the RV in a northern location. Granted, the Lower Mainland of British Columbia isnt exactly Manitoba when it comes to winter, but were far enough up in the mountains to get some freezing temperatures and snow here. Luckily, Birgit & Greg, whose site were using, were nice enough to let us tap into their super-size external propane tank (well be paying for the propane we use, of course). There are lots of RVers who know way more than we do about RVing in REAL winter deep <b>…<b>

Corian is a great material, but it isnt impervious to staining and discoloring. Heres a quick, easy tip for whitening a Corian or similar solid-surface kitchen or bathroom sink. Whether in your RV or in your house, this simple technique will rejuvenate even the dingiest and most discolored sink. When our RVs sink first began getting dingy and stained, we tried whitening it with bleach, which wed heard was very effective. Bleach is just so smelly and toxic that we decided to stop using it. Then our dear friend (and fellow RVer) Orene began waxing poetic about the wonders of Oxiclean. Wed originally been turned off by the in-your-face advertising for the product by pitchman Billy Mays, so we had never tried it before. Orene insisted we take a small ziploc bag of it back to the RV and now we wouldnt be without it. Thank you Orene! Be sure to confirm that all methods and materials used are compatible with your particular RV. Every type of motorhome, motorcoach, fifth wheel, travel trailer, bus conversion, camper and toy hauler is different, so your systems may not be the same as ours. RV Geeks offers basic DIY (do it yourself) RV service, repair and maintenance tips from full-time RVers who have been handling most of their own maintenance since hitting the road in 2003. RVgeeks is proud to be affiliated with RVtravel.com. www.rvtravel.com While were not RV technicians, were very mechanically inclined and have learned a lot about RV systems over the years. We handle <b>…<b>

As a follow-up to our videos about RVing in the winter and connecting to an external propane tank, we thought wed share one of our "Now We Know" video vlogs about what our winter is like so far. The Lower Mainland of British Columbia, where were spending the winter, is generally known for overcast and wet, but mild, winters. So we were expecting it to be chilly and damp, with the occasional light snowfall that melts within a few days. But this is supposedly a "La Nina" year, which means the Pacific Northwest generally experiences colder-than-normal winters, with more precipitation than usual. We just got hit with about 2 feet of snow, and the forecast is for more over the next few days. Today we decided that wed better dig out, before we were unable to get out the door. lol All of the preparations we outlined in the other two videos are being put to the test, and were happy to report that were warm and comfortable, and everything is working great. That doesnt mean we wont be going back to snowbirding next winter. Watch our video about HOW TO: RV in the Winter: www.youtube.com Watch our video about HOW TO: Connect to External Propane: www.youtube.com Be sure to confirm that all methods and materials used are compatible with your particular recreational vehicle. Every type of motorhome, motorcoach, fifth wheel, travel trailer, bus conversion, camper and toy hauler is different, so your systems may not be the same as ours. RV Geeks offers basic DIY (do it yourself <b>…<b>

We returned from a 5-week trip away from the RV to find the drain pipe from the kitchen sinks leaking. Since weve already completed the repair, we decided to create a new video series called "Now We Know" which will be more casual, unedited, vlog-type informational videos about general RV topics, rather than "How To" videos. Our kitchen is in a slide-out, and we always wondered how the sink drains connected from the slide-out to the RV. Once we removed the access panel to find the plumbing, we learned how Newmar uses a flexible drain pipe to connect the slide-out plumbing to the RV. Before you write about it… we know that our front curb-side slide makes huge "snap, crackle, pop" sounds when it runs (the counter and woodwork creaking). Its done that for years… but it works fine! Just sounds particularly bad on video. lol Your camper, 5th wheel or trailer may have a different mechanism, but this view into the plumbing of our motorhome might give you some insight into how RV manufacturers connect slide-out-mounted plumbing into the RV, allowing the flexibility required to install plumbing into a slide-out at all. Be sure to confirm that all methods and materials used are compatible with your particular RV. RV geeks offers basic DIY (do it yourself) RV service, repair and maintenance tips from full-time RV years who have been handling most of their own maintenance since hitting the road in 2003. RVgeeks is proud to be affiliated with RVtravel.com. www.rvtravel.com

We demonstrate how to make the windshield of your RV or car cleaner and clearer. Well show you how to improve the clarity of the glass and improve visibility. After a little time goes by, every windshield gets a little hazy. That goes double for autos that are towed right behind a large motorhome. Using our toad (towed car), we show you how to use fine steel wool, Rain-X and Invisible Glass to make your view just a little bit clearer. Although our cars windshield has a lot of little nicks from over 8 years of being towed around North America, we still want to keep it as clear as possible. Regular washing cant remove the fine dirt that gets into the pores of the glass, so we use a little detailers trick that we learned years ago: 0000 steel wool. While youd expect that steel wool would scratch the glass, its exactly the opposite. Just like furniture makers use extra-fine steel wool to rub out the surface of the wood after each coat of stain, it polishes glass the same way. Everybody weve told about this little detailing trick seemed really surprised that steel wool does not scratch glass. Be sure to confirm that all methods and materials used are compatible with your particular RV or automobile. RV Geeks offers basic DIY (do it yourself) RV service, repair and maintenance tips and tricks from full-time RVers who have been handling most of their own maintenance since hitting the road in 2003. RVgeeks is proud to be affiliated with RVtravel.com. www.rvtravel.com While <b>…<b>

Some useful Maintenence tips by Mark Polk on how to maintain and extend the life of your RV exterior.

Allen Bittner and your RV Tip of the Week!

Weve been RV snowbirds for 8 winters in a row, mostly in the Desert Southwest. This year, for the very first time, well be spending the winter in the RV in a northern location. Granted, the Lower Mainland of British Columbia isnt exactly Manitoba when it comes to winter, but were far enough up in the mountains to get some freezing temperatures and snow here. We show you all the steps were taking to winter in our motorhome. Well demonstrate how to keep the water hose from freezing and how to keep ourselves warm too. Well cover water hose insulation, heat tape, the differences between all five sources of heat we have available, moisture & humidity control, and even pest control. SInce this is our first time dealing with winter in the rig, weve done a lot of reading and learned a lot from our friends and neighbors up here in beautiful, friendly BC. The site were on has 30-amp electric, so we have to be particularly aware of our power usage. Luckily, Birgit & Greg, whose site were using, were nice enough to let us tap into their super-size external propane tank (well be paying for the propane we use, of course). So propane shouldnt be a problem, but well still want to keep our usage to a minimum, since its expensive, and propane use can cause excess moisture to build up in the rig. There are lots of RVers who know way more than we do about RVing in REAL winter deep freeze conditions, but we wanted to give other cold weather newbies a feel for some of the steps <b>…<b>

We demonstrate how to thoroughly flush and clean an RV hot water heater. Rust, lime scale and other debris can build up in the hot water tank on your motorhome, travel trailer or 5th wheel. Left alone, this can shorten the useful life of your hot water heater. Simple annual maintenance and care of your RVs hot water system will save you money by extending the life of the heater. We recently flushed the Suburban hot water heater on our Newmar, so rather than do it again, weve borrowed our friends Atwood water heater to demonstrate how to do it. Only a few simple items are required, including a wrench to remove the drain plug or anode rod, a tank flush wand, and some white vinegar (12 gallon for every gallon of tank capacity). If you have a Suburban brand water heater, be sure to have a new replacement anode rod on hand as well (magnesium, aluminum or zincaluminum). The small amount of time required to do this simple but essential maintenance will pay for itself with years of extra service from your RVs hot water heater. Be sure to confirm that all methods and materials used are compatible with your particular RV. RV Geeks offers basic DIY (do it yourself) RV service, repair and maintenance tips from full-time RVers who have been handling most of their own maintenance since hitting the road in 2003.

We demonstrate how to properly service, maintain and equalize the 6-volt deep-cycle golf cart batteries in an RV. The "house" batteries are one of the most misunderstood systems on any RV. The proper care and maintenance of your battery bank will help it perform better and last longer. Flooded, lead-acid batteries are the most common type of battery used in an RV. Keeping them clean and the water level correct should be part of your routine maintenance. During the normal operating process, the batteries discharge and re-charge over and over again. This can cause sulfation, which is the process of sulfates in the electrolyte (acid) coming out of suspension (suspended in the liquid electrolyte) and attaching to the lead plates instead. Equalizing the batteries solves this problem by "boiling" the batteries at higher voltage to break the sulfate loose from the lead plates, and putting it back into suspension, where it belongs. Be sure to confirm that all methods and materials used are compatible with your particular RV. RV Geeks offers basic DIY (do it yourself) RV service, repair and maintenance tips from full-time RVers who have been handling most of their own maintenance since hitting the road in 2003.