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How To Stay Warm In Your RV

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A lot has been said about how to keep your RV warm in the colder months so pipes don’t freeze, sewer lines flow, and water comes out of the faucet.  But very little time has been devoted to discussing how to keep yourself warm and cozy. Let’s take a minute to discuss that part of RVing.

I suppose many of you would say just turn up the heat and use more propane or add a fireplace to the RV if you do not already have one.  Maybe just add a BIG space heater.  Well, while those are good ideas you may have forgotten warmer air holds more moisture and adds to Mold growth.  Mold and moisture entering the walls of an RV are the death of the RV.  Most of us have a real investment to protect so raising the inside temperature is not always a good idea.

I suppose one way to keep warm is layering clothes but how many layers do you want on, just to read a book or watch TV? If you set the furnance to 69 or 70 degrees to keep air moiture down you will get cold in the feet and outer parts of the body. So you need to put on some socks and add some Snoozies to your feet

Snozzies To Keep Your Feet Warm

Polyester

Made with a brushed fleece exterior in colorful and fun printed patterns and then lined with a soft Sherpa fleece inside.

Non-skid sole so you can feel safe wearing them on wood or tile floors.

S (5-6), M (7-8), L (9-10), XL (11-12).

Keeps feet warm even on the coldest of days.

Many patterns to choose from.

Now that we have the feet warm we need to get the rest of the body warm.

Sunbeam Fleece Heated Throw Electric Blanket

This type of blanket heats just you and not the whole RV which saves on electric cost.

You say your ears are cold.  Then let’s look into solving that problem.

Personal Heater

Self-Regulating Ceramic Element

Automatic Overheat Protection

Maximum Heat Power: 1.50 kW

Lower power usage saves on your energy bill and helps to eliminate tripping the circuit breaker if multiple heaters are used in an RV setting.

Energy-Smart, uses only 200 Watts

3.8″ x 4.3″ x 6.1″ tall. Fully assembled.

ETL listed

Safe ceramic element, overheat protection, and cool-touch housing.

This type of heater does not heat the whole RV just you.  That will save the bucks.  This is a personal heater and can be used at bedtime as well to heat you while you sleep.

What if you read in bed under the covers and, of course, the bed is cold when you get into it and anytime you would move your feet you would freeze.  What to do?

Heated Mattress Pad

A heated mattress pad sends heat up through the sheets to you rather than down through the blankets to you. So it uses your own body heat as well as its’ own heat to keep you warm and cozy.  If you move your feet they are still warm as the heat from the pad rises.  This is a very efficient system and the cost of operating the Heated Mattress Pad is also very low.

You turn of the mattress pad about 15 minutes before going to bed for a warm reception when you crawl in.

You could add a pair of nighttime Sweats to your wardrobe and put them on during the evening hours to help keep you warm.  There are hundreds of styles and as many prices for this type of clothing and you can even shop online to save a buck or two on gas.

Until Next Time

Don’t forget to join the Weekend RVers on Facebook a no DRAMA place with Hints, Tips, Free Stuff, Recipes, for every kind of RVer.


And finally, please remember that this blog is an Amazon affiliate. When you order something through any of the Amazon links, it doesn’t add anything to your cost, but I do earn a small commission on everything you buy. Just click on a link, then shop as usual.

Top 10 Most Requested RVer Gifts

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Here is a list of the Top 10 Most Requested Gifts, that RVers are asking for on Facebook.  I sure hope I get some of these for the 2016 camping season.

10. The Cuisinart Griddler Gourmet.

Cuisinart Griddler Gourmet
  • Multiple cooking options: One set of reversible nonstick plates – Grill and Griddle
  • Open it to use as regular grill or griddle. Close it and it’s a panini press or contact grill
  • Extra-large, nonstick grill plates and griddle plates let you cook more servings of a wide variety of foods in less time.
  • Pop-out plates are easy to remove and dishwasher-safe. Housing wipes clean with a damp cloth
  • Includes: scraper for cleaning frill and griddle plates, two removable drip cups, and instruction/recipe book.
BBQ Accessory Organizer
  • The BBQ Accessory Organizer will have you cooking like a pro with all your accessories grill-side and close at hand.
  • Features four double-sided hooks for holding your most important barbecue tools.
  • Includes a mounted paper towel holder, a must have when grilling up your favorite messy sauce or marinated recipes.
  • Attached shelf to hold spices, food, and all your cooking gadgets; shelf also functions as a cover for the paper towels against the weather.
  • Large 3-1/2-Inch screw clamp mounts to any grill or table; made of painted steel for strength and durability.
Gerber Multi-Tool
  • Suspension Multi-Plier multi-tool with 12 integrated components
  • Saf.T.Plus component locking system guarantees safety
  • Lightweight open-frame stainless steel handle
  • Includes a ballistic nylon sheath
  • Weighs 9.6 oz; Closed Length: 4 inches; limited lifetime warranty.
RV Heated Hose
  • Thermostatically controlled2
  • Solid brass couplings.
  • Quality, double walled hose.
  • Turns itself off during warmer weather.
  • MET Listed
Heavy Duty X-Chocks
  • Provides added stabilization and prevents tire shifts by applying opposing force to tandem, tire applications.
  • As opposed to other chocks, the X-Chock works with the tires natural movement instead of against them.
  • Rust inhibitive coating.
  • Plated ratchet wrench with comfort bumper included.
  • Lightweight and easy to store.
Anderson Levelers

4. Hand Operated Can Opener (GOOD One)

Hand Operated Can Opener
  • Manual can opener safely and efficiently opens cans of all sizes.
  • Powerful stainless-steel cutting mechanism; ergonomic rubberized handles.
  • Magnetic lid lifter eliminates handling sharp edges and releases lids with the touch of a button.
  • Hinged design opens wide for easy cleanup by hand; compact size stores efficiently.
  • Measures approximately 7 by 2 by 3 inches; 5-year limited warranty.
Oxygenics Shower Head
  • Put jet engine power in your shower with this attractive handheld shower head.
  • Patented technology increases oxygen content in your water and self-pressurizes for the best shower experience possible.
  • Comfort control adjusts from soft to stimulating.
  • No clogging guaranteed. Includes wand, 60 inch hose, wand holder, comfort regulator, washers, teflon tape and easy installation instructions.
  • Limited lifetime warranty. Oxygenics BodySpa Kit has shutoff valve; water-saving, self-pressurizing, handheld shower, WaterSense 2.0 GPM, White or Brushed Nickel.
Portable Ice Maker
  • Convenient, compact design is ideal for use in small kitchens & other compact spaces like RVs, boats & more.
  • Produces 26 pounds of ice a day – never run to the store for a bag of ice again.
  • Offers an easy-to-use LED control panel that allows you to choose from 2 ice size settings.
  • Portable ice maker requires no installation – just plug in unit, add water & wait up to 15 minutes to enjoy fresh ice.
  • Flawless design boasts an excellent reputation, offering consistent & dependable ice production that has been continually perfected.

And the number one request RVer Christmas Give this year is……………..

1. The  Hamilton Beach Single Serve Coffee Maker

  • Brew using single-serve packs, coffee grounds or soft pods
  • Compatible with K-cup packs
  • Better coffee extraction than the leading competitor
  • Adjustable cup rest allows for standard-size cups or travel mugs
  • All removable parts are dishwasher safe

Here is a couple more items that just missed the Top 10 but are just great gift items for the RVer in your family.

NuWave Induction Burner 2
  • The PIC2 has 6 different pre-programmed temperature settings, but has the flexibility to cook at 52 different temperatures between 100F and 575F, adjustable in 10-degree increments.
  • The PIC2 is equipped with programmable stage cooking functionality with up to 100 hours of program memory and performance.
  • Versatility to boil, simmer, deep-fry, stir-fry, saute, steam and sear, slow cook, barbecue, melt and grill.
  • Uses up to 70% less energy than conventional gas or electric ranges. Lightweight and portable.
  • The PIC2 boasts state-of-the-art safety features such as automatic shut-off when an induction-ready pan, (pan sold separately) is removed from base.

B. Halogen, Infrared & Convection Oven

Halogen, Infrared & Convection Oven
  • 16-quart countertop oven bakes, boils, broils, air fries, steams, grills, and roasts.
  • Cooks up to 3 times faster than a conventional oven; no need to defrost frozen foods first.
  • Uses halogen, infrared, and convection heat; food stays moist on the inside and browned and crispy on the outside.
  • Adjustable temperature; 60-minute timer; stay-cool handles; 2 stainless-steel cooking racks included.
  • Measures approximately 15-4/5 by 13 by 12-1/2 inches; 1-year limited warranty.


C. Cordless Ultra-Compact Vacuum Cleaner

Cordless Ultra-Compact Vacuum Cleaner
  •  Ultra-compact, cordless vacuum cleaner with high-performance motor.
  • 4-foot flexible hose, long crevice tool, nozzle/brush tool, and pet-hair cleaning tool.
  • 3-stage filtration system for clean air exhaust; easy-empty dirt canister.
  • Charger, storage caddy, and dishwasher-safe filter included; Energy Star approved.
  • Measures approximately 12-1/5 by 6-2/5 by 10 inches; 2-year warranty.

Well, there it is the Top 10 most requested Holiday Gift items currently on the RV Facebook pages.  

Until Next Time

Don’t Like Your RV Faucets? Change Them!

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As you might have guessed, RV manufactures do not use the best or the most expensive faucets when building your RV.  You might just love your sticks and bricks faucets and hate your RV faucets. What can you do with those RV faucets?  Replace them with new faucets.  You can use regular sticks and bricks faucets.  The only thing you need to do is measure the spacing between the handle holes.

Faucet Hole Spacing

Be sure to turn off the water to the RV and relieve the pressure (if any) in the hot water tank. Then turn on the hot and cold handles of the faucet you want to replace.  Clean out the stuff underneath the sink. Get a flashlight and look up underneath the sink and see how the water lines are hooked to the current faucet. You may have to get yourself up under the sink bottom to see what is going on. But you should see something like the photo below.

Faucet Water Connection Under The Sink
Sometimes a red plastic pipe is used for hot water and a blue or white plastic pipe is used for cold.
The fittings should only be hand tight.  If they are on the faucet stem harder than hand tight use a Channel Lock Pliers
Channel Lock Pliers 
and carefully loosen the fittings. Now you should see two black or blue flat plastic nuts with wings sticking out. See photo above for the flat nuts above the white water line.  Use you channel lock pliers to loosen and then remove these nuts.  What you have left should look like below.
Bottom of faucet shafts without water lines or black plastic wing nuts
Now you can pull the faucet out from the top.  Clean off the area where the old faucet was and get ready to install the new one.
For the kitchen faucet you can use. (Low Cost Kitchen Faucet )
Low Cost Kitchen Faucet 
You can also use a kitchen faucet with an integrated sprayer. (Kitchen Built-in Sprayer Faucet)
Kitchen Built-in Sprayer Faucet
You should double check the water feed line spacing before you make your purchase.
Here is a chance to put the faucet of your choice in the color and style you want into your kitchen.
So how do you put everything back together? Clean the area that the old faucet sat on with your favorite cleaner.  You want to make sure there is nothing on the top of the sink where the new faucet will be going.
Put the new faucet together according to the manufacturer’s instructions.   Then apply some Kitchen and Bathroom Caulk
Kitchen and Bathroom Caulk
around the bottom of the faucet (unless the faucet manufacturer says not to.)
and put the water stems into the holes in the top of the sink.
Bottom of faucet shafts without water lines or black plastic wing nuts

 
Put the black flat nuts back on and tighten them down tight.  You can use your pliers to tighten the black nuts down to be sure they are tight.  Then put the water lines back on.
Faucet Water Connection Under The Sink
Caution If the faucet stems are metal you may need to use plumbers tape.
Plumbers Tape
Just wrapped the tape around the metal stem before you screw the plastic water line back on.  If the faucet stem is plastic you should not need the plumbers tape. Make sure the new faucet is turned off and then turn on your RV water CHECK FOR LEAKS and enjoy your new faucet.
For the bathroom sink you can just follow the above instructions for that sink as well.  The bathroom sink is where you can get fancy and make something that is really yours.
Bathroom Faucet
Brass Bathroom Faucet

Until next time.

Severe Weather!! — It Happens

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When you are asleep do you worry about this,
or maybe this
or even this?
 Well I did!!
At the beginning of camping season and at the end of camping season are the most dangerous times for storms expected, or not.  And if predictions are correct and this is an El Niño year then things could get really bad or not.
What  is an El Niño?  El Niño is an ocean-atmosphere climate phenomenon that is linked to the periodic warming of waters across the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. This warming is part of the natural climate system. On average, an El Niño event occurs every 2 to 7 years and typically lasts about 9 to 18 months.
So why should you worry or even be concerned about an El Niño ?  During periods of El Niño  warm water builds up off the South American coast and this sends more than the normal waves of moisture into the US.  These waves of moisture can, and do cause more storms, some of which are more severe than storms in a non El Niño year.  This translates into more severe thunderstorms and more than normal tornado’s
While you can use your phone most of the time for weather alerts and weather radar, when you are out camping your phone may not get a signal or changing weather conditions may suddenly make your phone not work.  And the basement of a 5er is not a safe place to be.  So what is a person to do?
During the check-in process to get your RV site, you should ask, where do we go in case of severe weather and do you have a method of alerting the campground of approaching bad weather?
In most cases the park will have a severe weather location, like a cement block bath house or  underground facilities.  But most will not have a warning system.  It is left up to you to know when bad weather is approaching and it is time to take cover.
So now your phone has no bars and the park has no way to tell you that a large thunderstorm is approaching your RV site.  Now what are you going to do to keep you and your family safe?  Buy a weather radio with built-in weather alert.  Our government built, many years ago, a National Alert System to let citizens know about disasters before they happen.  That was the old weather radio that went off (with its built-in siren) all the time for just about any reason (some good, mostly bad).  After a lot of citizen complaints over many years a new system of alerting people was developed by the government that had a better built-in method of stopping false alerts and added text messages to each alerts displayed on a screen on the new generation of weather radios.
Midland WR120EZ NOAA Weather Alert All Hazard Public Alert Certified Radio with SAME

RadioShack SAME Weather Radio 12-991

I could go into detail on how this type of radio works but this is not a DIY Blog. This type of radio can be programed simply, thanks to SAME(Specific Area Message Encoding) technology you will only receive alerts for the locations that you have entered into the radio and you won’t have to worry about false triggers or deal with an event that has nothing to do with your area. Also some weather radios like the ones pictured (above and below) you can customize some of the alert types, so it only alerts you to the alert types that you have selected.  For example, if the National Weather Service issues a thunderstorm watch and you have only thunderstorm warning selected. The radio wont alert you unless a  thunderstorm warning alert is sent. Most of these radios have battery back-up and you can attach your HDTV antenna to them to extend the pick-up range of this type of weather radio. You should never leave home to go camping with out one of these special SAME radios.

RadioShack 7-Channel Handheld Weather Radio with SAME
La Crosse 810-805 NOAA/AM/FM Weather RED Alert Super Sport Radio with Flashlight

Here are two that operate on just batteries and can be carried on the hiking trail or just outside around the campground.

No matter which one you choose like a smoke detector or gas detector your RV is not complete and you are not fully protected nor safe until you have at least one WEATHER RADIO.

Until Next Time

Is Your Pet Safe in Your RV When You’re Gone?

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This has been a major question with RVers traveling with their pets.  For some it was a reason not to go to a museum or sight-see some special area because there was no way to know. We have all read the horror stories of an RVer coming home to find their pet in a fight for its life or dead because of overheating in a hot RV.  Or worse yet did the power at the RV  park go off and come back on and reset everything, so that the air conditioning or heating system is not set to the right temperature?
With modern technology it should be simple and affordable to know if your pet is safe, while you are out enjoying the sights near where you are camping.  Lets look at some things that may work for you.
1. You will need an Android Smartphone that you will leave in the RV full time.  I would suggest a low cost  pay as you go Verizon phone.  The reason for Verizon is that, a Verizon Phone will work in more places than any of  the other Wireless Phone Companies. And for an RVer who is moving all the time you never know where you will be.

  • The phone needs to have bluetooth
  • Temperature Monitoring Feature (SamSung Galaxy 3 for example)
  • The phone must be rechargeable
  • You need to have both the AC and DC charger for the phone
The Verizon Moto G Prepaid Phone is an Android Smartphone that has most of the features you need.
Verizon Moto G Prepaid Phone

You will need to locate the phone where you get the best signal from Verizon and that is also near an AC power outlet.  You will also need to download from the Google Play Store an Application called
“Temperature Surveillance” located here Temp Surveillance .  The way this system works is the phone monitors your RV with your Android Smartphone. The day to day phone you normally carry with you will get an text message (SMS) if the RV  gets too hot, too cold or if a power failure occurs. The text message you will receive will  contain information about the RVs temperature and if there is a power failure or not in the RV.  All you have to do is tell the App the temperature limits high, low, and the telephone number where you want to receive the text alarms. Then just leave the RV Android phone plugged into the AC  in the space you want to monitor and you are done.

Positive: Simplest and cheapest method to monitor RV Temperature.
Negative: May not work with all cheap smartphones.
2. You will still need the Verizon phone above.  However for those smartphones that can not use the Temp Surveillance App here is another choice. The Elertus™ sensor monitors and sends alerts to your phone the instant an important door is opened/closed, a light is turned on/off, if temperature or humidity levels hit critical trigger points, or if the sensor is moved. In this case the Verizon RV Smartphone will have to be used as a Hotspot.  The Elertus will call your daily carried phone and report what the problem is.  This gives you time to get back to the RV and correct the problem.
 Some of the features of the Elertus are listed below.
  • 100% wireless, place it anywhere
  • No fees or subscriptions!
  • connects via wifi
  • temperature (-20°F to 150°F)
  • humidity (0 – 100%)
  • movement (accelerometer)
  • door sensor (open/close)
  • light sensor (on/off)
  • connection loss (wifi)
  • battery (0 – 100%)
  • free mobile app
  • access from anywhere
  • manage multiple sensors (ten per account)
  • alerts multiple users

To get more information on the Elertus system go here Elertus System of Remote Sensing

Here again the sensor sends information to you about the temperature in the RV and if power has failed.
3.  Another system (we are getting pricey folks) is Temperature Alert .  This unit would use the RV Wireless Phone as a HotSpot and send you text messages about the temperatures in your RV.
Temperature Alert Wi-Fi

The system does work well, but for some of us, it is a bit pricey.
The above unit is Temperature Alert Wi-Fi here is the Temperature Alert Cellular version of the same unit.

Temperature Alert Cellular

There are two more systems coming online later this fall
4.  The Wimoto THR001 Thermo Bluetooth Smart Thermometer Sensor.  This sensor will send the temperature information by Bluetooth to a device that will post the information to the Web using your RV Phone as a HotSpot.  Some of the features are listed below the picture.  This unit will be available later this Summer or early next Fall.

Wimoto THR001 Thermo Bluetooth Smart Thermometer Sensor

Some of the features are listed below;

  • Both infrared non-contact and needle probe thermometer in one. Infrared range 0 to 212 Fahrenheit. Probe range is -50 to 500 Fahrenheit.
  • Relays information to Bluetooth 4.0 SMART Ready devices such as iPhone 4S/5/5C/5S and certain Android phones and tablets with up to 100ft range
  • Acts as a datalogger when no smartphone or tablet in range and records information periodically for up to a month at a time.
  • Runs for 1-3 years on a single battery (user changeable) and weather resistant
  • Integrates with Wimoto Cloud Cube for real-time, always-on updates via the Internet

The thermometer sensor will send its information to the Wimoto Cloud Cube which will send the information to the internet and then be passed on to your everyday carried Smartphone.

Here is what the company said about the Cloud Cube; “Connects Wimoto Bluetooth SMART sensors to the Wimoto cloud service via Wifi. Extends the range of Wimoto sensors so that can be accessed from anywhere you have Internet connectivity.”  Here is a link to the Wimoto Cloud Cube that will be available late Summer 2014 or early Fall 2014.These are some of the best ideas currently available or that will be available soon.  It is important for all pet owners to enjoy RVing and that can be difficult when you are afraid to leave your pet behind in your Rig and strike out for adventure.

How hot is it in your Rig?  Now you will know.

Until next time.