RV University This Week 01/31/2011
- Monday, January 31 2011 @ 02:15 pm UTC
- Contributed by: RVED101
RV University this Week
Your weekly source for interesting
RV articles, tips, tricks, video clips and advice
RV Education 101
U of RV Journal #88 - January 31, 2011
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
~Mark Twain
by Mark Polk
Hi Everybody,
Well the countdown is on to the Super Bowl and to the launch of our new "Mark's RV Garage" Internet TV show. I am excited for both the Pittsburgh Steeler's opportunity for an unprecedented 7th Super Bowl championship, and for the first episode of our new show.Working on the new show is a lot of work and a lot of fun at the same time. There is definitely a learning curve involved with attempting to produce any type of show, even an RV how-to Internet based show . We learned a lot working on the first episode and hopefully future episodes will improve as time goes on.
The current episodes of Mark's RV Garage will be announced HERE with the first episode airing 7 February 2011. The show is streamed video, which means you will need an Internet connection to view it. We will be working on additional distribution channels to increase viewing options as time goes on. Each episode will be archived for easy retrieval and viewing. We are proud to offer our readers this new Internet based RV how-to show in addition to our other comprehensive online RV training programs.
Until next week, plan your trip, travel safe and enjoy your RV experiences. Remember, getting there is half the fun!
Mark Polk
**REMINDER! Like the RV Education 101 Facebook page. We post helpful RV information often and would also appreciate feedback, tips, RV related photos and comments from you!
Mark’s RV Garage Internet TV Show
Check out this week's poll: " Do you plan to use your RV more in 2011 than you did in 2010? " To participate in the poll, look on the left hand column (here at RV University) towards the top
Division of Tourism considers new discount program
A statewide program that could impact Northwest Missouri tourism and sales tax revenue.Participating destinations also would be able to post special offers on the Roadtrip Rewards site, where millions of McDonald’s customers could find them, and make plans to visit and redeem their rewards throughout the summer ...
Heater may have caused RV fire
An RV fire which started on a Sunday morning is being blamed on an unattended space heater, the Ruston Daily
Leader reported.........
IE hiring to improve with big RV contract
Riverside-based MVP RV has inked a deal to manufacture 30,000 of its recreational vehicles
for export to China........
by Mark Polk
Mark's RV Quick Tip:
How to live with 30 amps:
One of the hardest things for RVers to get used to is how to live with 30 amps. People are accustomed to 100 or 200 + amp systems in their home. You don't need to be concerned with what you are using or how much you are using, everything just works.
Depending on the type of RV you have, or purchase, it will either have a 30 Amp or a 50 Amp electrical system. The majority of RV’s are 30 Amp systems so that is what we are going to discuss today. Campgrounds provide you with an external 120 volt electrical source to plug in to. Your RV has a heavy-duty power cord that is normally about 20 to 25 feet long. The plug on the end of the cord is a 30 Amp RV plug. When you plug into the proper campground electrical source it will supply 120 volts AC throughout your RV.
You need to have a 120 Volt AC power source if you are going to use the microwave, roof air conditioner, the refrigerator in the electric mode, the 120 volt electrical outlets, and any other 120 volt AC appliances and electronics. This is where things start to get different from the electrical system in your home. Just because we have all of these 120 volt AC appliances doesn't mean we can use them all at the same time. RVers need to learn how to live with 30 amps. It’s not that difficult, and with some simple math formulas and a little practice you will catch on quick.
You can calculate what you are using in watts or in amps.
Amps X Volts = Watts
Watts divided by Volts = Amps
An RV with a 30 amp electrical system X 120 volts = 3,600 watts.
What this means is you don't want to exceed 30 amps, or 3,600 watts at any given time. If you try to use too much electricity or run too many appliances the RV will let you know by tripping a breaker in the power distribution box and hopefully no harm will be done.
To demonstrate how easy it would be to exceed 30 amps lets say you are using the microwave, which draws about 10 amps, the coffee maker is brewing a pot of coffee, another 7 amps, and you turn the A/C on. Keep in mind that many RV appliances require more amps to start the appliance than they do to run the appliance. A roof air conditioner can draw 16 amps to start, but might only use 13 amps once it is running. So we were drawing 33 amps and risking damage to the air conditioner when the compressor initially engaged. This is just one example of why it is important to manage the electricity you are using in your RV.
...with Mark Polk
Q. Is there any way I can look up what a trailer has or determine the value by information on the title?
I am trying to look up the value of a travel trailer so we can sell it, but it is in a different state and we cannot travel there to make any arrangements. I did discover that the manufacturer is out of business now. The trailer park where it is located is not very helpful they just want the monthly rent.
All I really know about the trailer is that it didn't get towed much, it only stays at the park. On the title the year is 2000, Make is Elite and Model was left blank, the body is listed as TL and Wt-L-Shp is 6200. That is all the information I have to go on besides the ID and title number. I have been looking at the blue book value and there are tons of extras that could affect the value, that is why I was wondering if I could find any information by using the ID number on the title.
This maybe a subject for a newsletter, "how to sell a trailer from another state".
Thank you for your help.
Mark Says:
You really can't determine much from the ID or title number. In addition to the year and name of the manufacturer you need more specific information like the make and model number of the travel trailer.
I recommend contacting the park where it is located and ask an employee to go to the unit and write down any and all information they can. There is usually a model number located by the entry door and a data plate on the left front corner (by the A-frame) with the name of the manufacturer, year, and other pertinent information.
This information would give you a general idea of the trailer's value, but as you mentioned options on the trailer can and do affect the pricing as well.
If the park employees are not willing to help, as you mentioned, another idea is to pay a local RV dealer a reasonable fee to have a qualified employee go to the RV park and appraise the unit for you. They can determine what the trailer is worth based on the condition and optional equipment. Ask them to give you a retail value if you were to sell the trailer and a dollar amount they might be willing to pay for the trailer to take it off your hand and re-sell it.
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Marks Recommended 10 minute RV Essential Items
Deep Cycle Battery Care & Maintenance for RV's and Boats
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About us:
Our goal with RV University This Week is to provide you with helpful information to make all of your RV experiences more enjoyable. I left my position as an RV Sales and F&I manager in 2000 to start my own company, RV Education 101. We produce educational videos, DVDs and e-books on how to use and maintain your RV. The reason I left my job was due to my concern about the lack of educational and safety awareness material available to the RV consumer, in other words, you. We are a small company. My wife Dawn left her position in RV sales to help start the company and is our Sales and Marketing Director. We currently have a 35-foot Class A motor home. We have two boys, Tyler 13 and Josh 19, both avid RVers and two dogs, Gracie and Buck. Gracie is the good one. If you would like to learn more about us and RV Education 101 feel free to visit http://www.rveducation101.com
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