RV FAQ with Mark Polk

RV FAQ with Mark Polk

RV FAQ with Mark Polk
Question #1:
I have a question regarding the water heater in our used Southwind Class A we bought two years ago. We have taken it out twice this year and have had a metallic or sulfur smell, and taste, when using city water, a stronger odor and taste seems to come from the hot water. We have stayed at these same campgrounds over the years and know the water to be OK. We did not have this problem in the motor home last year. I winterized the water system last fall, using the water heater by-pass, and completely drained the system this spring with the by-pass valve still on. I thought it might have been the water hose I was using, but I have used two different hoses, still getting the bad smell and taste. I connect a filter from the campground faucet to my hose, and have an inside water faucet with its own filter. This one does not have the odor or bad taste. I did try one experiment, putting the hot water heater on by-pass then running the hot water. The odor and taste was almost gone. When I returned the by-pass to normal it returned.

Could this be a sign that the water heater is going bad, or could algae form in the water heater. I have always left water in the tank between trips, without ever having this problem. I hope the information I provided would be helpful in trying to give me some ideas of what could be causing this problem.

Mark says:
The problem you are experiencing is not that uncommon. The rotten egg, or sulfur smell on the hot water side of the RV water system is normally caused by hydrogen sulfide gas and is referred to as sulfur water. Lots of water supplies have significant amounts of sulfur that can produce this type of odor. It shouldn't be harmful but it is a form of bacteria and the smell let's you know it is time to flush the water heater, and sanitize the water system to help get rid of the odor.

You will want to thoroughly flush the water heater prior to sanitizing the system with chlorine bleach. When you sanitize the water system leave the water heater OUT of the bypass mode so the chlorine solution can fill the water heater tank and all of the hot water lines, since this is where the odor is coming from.

Here are a couple of links to my how-to videos that should help solve the problem. Another tip is to always empty the water heater tank after a trip and drain the water from the water lines. Note: Let the water cool and relieve the pressure before you drain the tank. Try to flush the water heater twice a year, especially before storing the RV for winter.

Water Heater Maintenance Video Tip

Sanitizing Your Water System Video Tip

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Question #2:
Our fifth-wheel stays on a seasonal site up here in Canada. My question is, Is there a way to lubricate the hardware of my awning? It squeals when I open or close it. I have looked for an access screw but don't really know which it could be if there is one, would I just put some oil between the arm and roller?

Mark says:
You won't find any real lube points, but by all means go ahead and lubricate any and all moving parts of your awning hardware. Just be sure and use a silicone spray lubricant when you do it. WD 40 won't last as a lubricant and products with a grease base just collect dirt and other debris, creating new problems for the awning.

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Question #3:
I am considering the purchase of a diesel pusher motorhome. I am in the process of doing my due diligence since my last RV was a 30ft travel trailer. I have seen several articles recently about problems with diesel fuel degrading while the MH is stored. Is it better to store the MH with very little fuel in the tank and tank up with fresh fuel at the start of each trip? What about additives or a "scrubbing" system to keep the fuel from degrading? Thanks for any advice and recommendations you can give.

Mark says:
Diesel fuel can last for up to 2 years easily with little or no problem. The biggest problems with diesel fuel are collecting water and growing some strains of algae. But if you use a good conditioner with anti-algae biocide and/or stabilizer there is no problem with fuel lasting and being safe to use. You also want to change the fuel filters/fuel water separators at the recommended service intervals. Excessive water can damage fuel injectors and injector pumps.

Always top the fuel tank off completely prior to storage; if you don't it will collect condensation from the moisture and air space in the partially filled tank. I highly recommend adding a quality fuel conditioner/preservative additive to the full fuel tank and running the engine long enough to get it through the entire system (to include the generator if diesel powered) prior to storing the RV for extended periods of time.

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Question #4:
At different times during the camping season or even if the campground has no electric sites available, it's nice to camp primitively and have peace of mind your battery will hold up.

I've had different recommendations from RV suppliers and stores on what size of solar panel we require. We have an expandable 19 ft trailer equipped with the standard accessories such as automatic monitor for the fridge, demand water pump; bunk fans w/lights, electronic control for the water heater, propane leak detector and interior/exterior lighting. Do I need to consider the battery draw of all these accessories when sizing a solar panel? Wouldn't it be better to install a second deep cycle battery because the cost seem to be very close? I've priced a 15 watt solar panel at $100 where another battery is $110-130. Then I hear that the solar panels only last 5 years as do batteries if treated properly, so what would you suggest?

Mark says:
It really depends on what you are trying to do. There are solar panels that can be used to actually run 12 volt and 120 volt devices in the RV, and there are solar panels designed to recharge a battery when there is no other method of recharging it. It sounds like you are more interested in recharging the battery, as you use the battery to supply power to some of the 12 volt devices in your RV.

If recharging the battery is your primary concern the first step is to get an idea of how many amp hours you will use in any given day. There are a couple ways to do this. You can find a sample sizing chart that will give you the approximate amps for different devices and the amount of time you plan to use each item every day. Or as a general guideline, let's say that if you are conservative you will use roughly 35 amp hours a day. To further illustrate this (and to keep it simple) let's say you have a 105 amp hour battery in the RV. This means that mathematically it could last for 3 days at 35 amp hours a day, but you want to charge it every day to prevent it from completely discharging.

Now let's look at what a 100 watt rated solar panel would do to recharge the battery based on this situation. For starters a 100 watt rated panel will actually produce about 80 watts when you factor in all the variables. So, 80 watts divided by 12 volts equals 6.7 amps. If you plan on 6 hours of sun per day, a 100 watt panel would give you roughly 40 amp hours per day, or about the same amount you are using, if you are conservative. If you plan to use more than 35 amp hours a day you would add to the wattage rating of the solar panels required to recharge the battery on a daily basis.

Now let's look at what adding an additional battery to the equation (and not using a solar panel) would do. First, the majority of deep cycle batteries are rated by group size, for example Group 24, 27, and 31. Each battery size or rating offers a different amp hour rating i.e., Group 24 (70-85 AH), Group 27 (85-105 AH), Group 31 (95-125 AH).

If you connect two 12-volt batteries in parallel the voltage stays the same, but the AH capacity is doubled. So adding another 105 AH battery in parallel would give you 210 AH capacity when dry camping. Parallel wiring connects all of the positive sides of each battery together and all of the negative sides together. One important consideration is that both batteries should be the same type, size and age. So in reality you would probably need to purchase both batteries at the same time (costing more). Another consideration is, even though you have 210 AH (which will last much longer) you still need a method of recharging the batteries.

It can get complicated and as I mentioned it really depends what you want to do so you benefit the most both time wise when camping and cost wise when you configure it.

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Question #5:
First, thank you so much for this site and your book about caring for RV's. I have bought my first RV, it is not new, but in very good shape both mechanically and system wise, and just the right size for me. I am learning with it and want to treat it right. I am a single RV'er now that my husband is gone, and I did not understand how much of the "taking care" he did on the travel trailer (TT) we had, but I am learning now!

I live in Florida, and since I still work, may not be able to leave with my 21 foot Allegro should a storm hit. Tom had an area set up for the TT with 6 ft. anchors in place and attached heavy chains from them to the frame, lowered the front rock cover and did other things I don't know. I live in a housing development now, and cannot get the RV in the garage. It is too tall. What can I do to prepare it for a hurricane? I want to take as good of care my RV as I can, I am just not sure what to do except make sure the windows and vents are closed, close up and secure things inside, and fill all the tanks to add some weight.

I would appreciate knowing what other precautions to take. I am probably not alone in this, Southerners like their RV's as we can go with them almost year round. I hope you will give us some hints, and it might be a good article for us coastal folks!

Mark says:

I have a few suggestions that may be helpful.

Of course moving the RV inland, away from the storms projected path would be the best scenario, but as you mentioned you work and would not always be able to do that. One thought I had was for you to find someone who is willing and able to move the RV for you before a storm hits. You could select a couple of campgrounds that are inland in advance, and depending on the storms trajectory move it to the most logical one. You would want to do this early enough so you can get a spot at the campground. Call a couple of local RV dealers and ask them for some good references of people who might be able to help you with moving the RV in the event of a hurricane. In this case you would want to pack the RV with food and clothing since you might need it for shelter after the storm.

If for any reason that scenario does not work and you must leave the trailer at your residence there are a few things I can think you should do.

Close all of the windows and overhead roof vents<

Fill the propane but keep it turned off, and fill the fresh water holding tank with potable water. You may need this water after the storm. Do not fill the gray and black tank. You may need to use the RV after the storm and would want these tanks to be empty.

Make sure the battery is fully charged so you can use the 12 volt devices if you lose power after the storm is over.

Wind from a hurricane is unpredictable, but if the bulk of the wind is hitting against the front or rear of the RV, as opposed to the larger sides of the RV, there might be less damage or chance of serious damage. This translates to keeping one side of the RV close to the side or end of the house to help protect it from the high winds.

Avoid parking it in lower elevations. Water can flood low areas in a few hours during a bad storm, causing serious flooding.

If there are trees in the area that could damage it either move the RV to another location or keep the tree limbs trimmed.

Make sure any loose items in the area around the RV are secured prior to the storm.

As a precaution make sure your RV insurance is up to date and that it is covered in the event of a hurricane. The insurance company might offer some additional suggestions to protect the RV.

These are just a few ideas to help prepare your RV for a hurricane. You may want to ask the local RV dealers in the area if they have any suggestions too.