This video shows you how we pack the truck and trailer as full-time RVers who take extended trips. Then I break down how our actual real-world weights compare to our truck and trailer max weight specifications. Over the years we have acquired a fair amount of stuff. To help take as much weight off the … Read more
In this video, I give you a look at how I have the bed of my Ram pickup truck organized for our extended snowbird trips south. Being gone for 6 months means we have to take a lot of stuff! On top of that, Anne and I are full-time RVers. To reduce the cargo weight … Read more
In this video, I take a cheap battery monitor w/shunt I had kicking around and repurposed it to show amps and volts coming off a 600-watt solar panel array. I wired it up to be able to be easily connected in line with the solar panel output cable. The main reason for this meter is … Read more
In this video, a few tips and tricks for bringing water to and filling the RV tank at our boondocking campsite. I demo myself filling my Aquatank 30-gallon water bladder at a State Park water spigot with no threads for the hose. For that, I use a rubber connection device called a Water Bandit. So … Read more
A couple of little boondocking tips to do with water. First, a quick and easy way to top up gravity fill freshwater tanks using a siphon hose called a FloTool. Second, the way I keep tabs on our water heater temps using a fridge thermometer with its probe stuck under the water heater styrofoam casing. … Read more
Over the 2021 summer months, I’ve been applying loads of TLC maintenance to our 10-year-old Keystone Cougar fifth-wheel trailer. Projects have included a new slide-out roof membrane, a new air conditioner gasket, coating of the main rubber roof, and reseal of the rear slide-out window. Next on the to-do list? Repairing some minor wood rot … Read more
In this video, I show off my latest little gadget called the Flowtool Shaker Siphon. The shaker siphon is a handy low-cost tool for transferring liquids via gravity siphon. Recently I needed to remove 25 gallons of marine gas out of my wife’s boat as it had gotten too old and needed to be disposed … Read more
In this video, I pull out one of my slide-out windows and inspect it for any leaks or water damage. Then I remove the old butyl tape sealant, clean, and reseal with fresh butyl tape from Alpha Systems. The job is fairly straightforward, and the window was small enough to do myself. First, I unscrewed … Read more
The last week of June 2021 saw an unprecedented heatwave in the Pacific Northwest. Even here in the usually mild oceanside town of Campbell River on Vancouver Island, the temps reached over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. To combat the abnormally extreme heat in a campsite with zero shade, I had to use all my RV cooling … Read more
After cutting up the EZ Snap shade material for my RV windows, I had a little bit leftover. So, I used a small rectangle of it with 6 snaps to cover my shower skylight. It makes a huge difference in the amount of heat that can come through but still lets in a reasonable amount of light. … Read more
In this video, I remove a valance and a set of RV day/night shades from one of my slide-out rooms windows. Recently the blind stopped functioning correctly after one of the strings broke. I show you the contents of the United Shade repair kit I bought and how the shades come apart and the restringing … Read more
In this video, I install a gadget called the RV Bug Stop onto my Challenger RV screen door. Then give you a quick demo of it in action. The device is an aluminum bar with a plastic hook and internal spring. RV Bug Stop sucks the middle door slider closed automatically. No more forgetting to … Read more
This video shows you how I remove old faded, cracked decals from our 2011 Keystone Cougar fifth-wheel trailer. First, I hit the decal with a bit of heat from my heat gun set on low. If I can, I try and peel the graphic off by hand, which tends to take the adhesive with it, … Read more
Recently I repaired my broken RV wireless remote control system by upgrading it to a newer generation called the Lippert Linc system. To do it I had to upgrade both the control board and the remote. My 2010 Keystone OEM wireless remote system failed when suddenly it would not retract things. The OEM wireless remote … Read more
In this video, I install several more exterior window shades. This time on the passenger side of the RV, which is exposed to the mid-day sun at our summer campsite. Outside window shades block heat/UV before it enters the windows keeping the RV cooler plus enhancing our privacy. I again went with the EZ Snap window … Read more