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>

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>

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 a clever and easy way to add air to high pressure tires on a diesel pusher motorhome using the on-board air system. With lots of modern equipment, full-wall slide-out mechanisms, tile floors, etc, newer diesel pusher RVs are heavier than ever. The front axle in particular, supported by only two wheels, places heavier demands on tires, and often requires very high air pressures as a result. Checking tire manufacturers tire pressure charts shows that the greater the weight placed on a tire, the higher the air pressure needs to be. Since the maximum air pressure available from a diesel air system is about 120 PSI, that can make putting air into your tires a challenge, mainly because the system does not STAY at 120 PSI. Truck and RV air systems are designed to routinely cycle up and down between about 90 PSI and about 120 PSI. If your tires and weight require 110 PSI, and your air compressor is currently at 105 and not running (air pressure cycle is on the way down), there is no way to get 110 PSI into your tire from a 105 PSI source. It will let air OUT of your tire instead! We demonstrate how to assemble a simple, elegant and inexpensive solution to this problem from parts available at a typical home improvement store. 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 <b>…<b>

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.

We demonstrate how to replace a plumbing vent cap on the roof of an RV. Sun and age can lead to cracked plumbing vent covers on the roof of an RV, travel trailer or fifth wheel. Installing a new vent is a quick easy job, completed with just a few simple tools. Older style roof vents may not match replacement vents, which makes it impossible to simply snap a new cap onto an older vent base. This means having to replace the base, even if its in good condition. A little Dicor (readily available from Camping World or RV parts & service facility) will seal the new vent. ensuring that your camper stays dry. This is a quick, easy repair, completed without special skills in under half an hour. A new roof vent cover currently costs about $3, and a tube of Dicor should be about $10 at your local camping store. This was done on the fiberglass roof of a Newmar Mountain Aire diesel pusher. Be sure to confirm that all methods and materials used are compatible with your particular RV. RVgeeks 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 replace a plumbing vent cap on the roof of an RV. Sun and age can lead to cracked plumbing vent covers on the roof of an RV, travel trailer or fifth wheel. Installing a new vent is a quick easy job, completed with just a few simple tools. Older style roof vents may not match replacement vents, which makes it impossible to simply snap a new cap onto an older vent base. This means having to replace the base, even if its in good condition. A little Dicor (readily available from Camping World or RV parts & service facility) will seal the new vent. ensuring that your camper stays dry. This is a quick, easy repair, completed without special skills in under half an hour. A new roof vent cover currently costs about $3, and a tube of Dicor should be about $10 at your local camping store. This was done on the fiberglass roof of a Newmar Mountain Aire diesel pusher. Be sure to confirm that all methods and materials used are compatible with your particular RV. RVgeeks 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 remove, clean and reinstall a Fantastic vent fan in your RV. The fans are used so often and move so much air, that they get really dirty. Once a year or so, we like to remove and super-clean ours. Well show you how to make your Fantastic fans look like new. Having an exhaust fan in your motorhome, travel trailer or fifth wheel is terrific for saving on air conditioning use in the summer, and for removing moisture from the camper in colder weather. Removing and replacing the fans to give them a really good cleaning requires no special tools or knowledge, and can easily be completed in a half hour or less. Be sure to confirm that all methods and materials used are compatible with your particular RV. RVgeeks 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 dump RV waste water holding tanks and thoroughly clean the black tank. Keeping your sewage tank super clean requires following a few simple procedures which will make it stay odor-free. Lots of RVers think their black tank is clean when they just empty it and flush out the sewer hose with water from the grey tank. Even those RVers who use a black tank flush system often dont utilize the most important piece of equipment necessary to monitor the cleanliness of the black tank: a clear sewer elbow. And even using a clear sewer elbow on your camper isnt enough. As we demonstrate, using a black tank flush connection, and plenty of water STILL wont do the job. Using the proper technique is essential for maintaining the black tank and keeping it clean and odor-free. We go through the step-by-step instructions for making sure that your RV holding tanks stay clean and fresh, making your motorhome, travel trailer or fifth wheel a nicer place to be. Well also cover a few basics about sewer connections, flush valve use, toilet chemicals and special techniques for cleaning and deodorizing a problem sewage holding tank. In addition, well review some details that every RVer should know about when and where to empty their black tank. Be sure to confirm that all methods and materials used are compatible with your particular RV. RVgeeks offers basic DIY (do it yourself) RV service, repair and maintenance tips from full-time RVers who have been handling most of <b>…<b>