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Forgotten:
In the last edition, RVT#66 page 43, in the recipe Stew With A Difference, I forgot to list 1/2 cup of diced onions.
Don Goldstone
goldston@imag.net\
Don,
I just have to let you know I am the only one around here allowed to experience Memory Loss and at my female age I have the number one excuse!!!
Also, if you can believe it, I discovered my Mom reads your column BEFORE she reads MINE! Well Done!!!
- Sheila :>) RVT Editor and Chief
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Gold Show 99:
I'd like to invite your readers to the Washington Prospectors Mining Association's 4th Annual Washington State Gold and Gem Prospecting and Mining Exhibition. Gold Show 99. The Show will be held at the Evergreen Fairgrounds in Monroe, Washington on Saturday and Sunday, February 20 and 21, 1999. Gold Show 99 hours will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Gold Show 99 will include gold prospecting clubs, gold prospecting equipment manufacturers and retailers, gem and mineral clubs, jewelry and gem merchants and other participants. It's going to be the best Gold Show before the start of the next millennium!
Chuck Cox
Seattle WA
auminer@wolfenet.com
206-784-6039
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Weight checking:
It is important to know how much your loaded unit weighs before you head out. I use a Weight Checking Form with MS Excel. I plug in the weights at a scale or after weighing and loading the balance at home. If any part goes tilt - I start unloading or shifting.
If anyone wants to obtain a copy they can Email me at thompsrj@direct.ca and I will send them a Excel file. The formula’s etc. are included.
Sheila, I usually find that The RV Times and its articles are excellent. I await each edition. Keep up the good work.
Bob and Honora Thompson
Burnaby BC
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Automarket now including RVs:
Sheila, we would like to inform your readers that in November 1998 the KS Automarket at 5689 Byrne Rd in Burnaby BC welcomed Roger Leroux and Brian Jones (30 years of combined experience) from Ocean Park RV Ltd. to our organization.
The KS Automarket has been involved in retail, wholesale, and export of new and used cars for the past four years, and in November expanded to include RV’s as well.
Services available at the new Burnaby RV Centre, a division of KS Automarket, include financing, warranties, consignment and trades.
Ken Shalinsky
President KS Automarket
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Thank-you:
I wanted to send a note of thanks about an RV dealer in Utah. They had an opportunity to sell us a part we did not need but had expected to replace through my own carelessness. The dealer treated us very well, explained the problem and solution, and charged us fairly for their time. The RV dealer is
Tips RV
2811 North Fairfield Road
Layton, Utah, 84041
On our summer holidays in June, 1997, we were driving one day from Idaho to Utah. When we started the day, I emptied the hot water tank to reduce the trailer weight but forgot to turn off the water heating system. On our arrival in a campground near Layton, Utah, I discovered that the water heating system was no longer working. We looked for a repair shop and decided to take the trailer to Tips RV in Layton. They were able to quickly and easily diagnose and fix the problem. All it required was to reset the control board in the water heating system.
Tom & Sharry Friedrich
tfriedrich@uniserve.com
Abbotsford BC
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Lake Chapala, Mexico:
I read an interesting article in the latest Canadian MoneySaver magazine about Lake Chapala, Mexico, and thought it might be interesting to do the snowbird thing there. However, upon checking with the local Alberta Motor Assoc'n maps discovered that there are almost no campgrounds between the US border and Lake Chapala, although I understand there is a trailer park in Ajijic (one of the towns along the north shore of L.C.).
Have any of your readers taken that trip? I'd be interested in hearing from them about the logistics — insurance, camping fees, toll-road fees, etc etc. (The author of the MoneySaver article suggested that one should cross into Mexico at McAllen, TX and then head down to L.C. via Guadalajara, but he himself is not an RVer, so is not likely up-to-date on the details we'd want to know about.)
Any info your readers can provide would be of interest.
Vic Stobee
vastobee@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
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Fulltiming and US Tax Laws:
We are contemplating full-time RVing and spending four to five months of the year in the US. We have been led to understand that Uncle Sam has some tax laws that can hit fulltimers with a tax bill.
Anyone have any experience or knowledge about this. We will appreciate any info that anyone can give us.
Rhonda and Jim McDougall
jim_mcdougall@bc.sympatico.ca
or 7062 West Coast Road
Sooke, BC V0S 1N0
Dear Rhonda & Jim;
Sheila passed along your request for information.
First of all, the amount of time you can spend in the US can be arbitrarily set by the US Immigration Officer at the border. Under current laws they can refuse you entry or set the amount of time you can stay in the US based on nothing but how they feel at the time. When crossing you must make sure you have plenty of identification, preferably a passport, as well as rent or property tax receipts, or something similar to provide proof of residency in Canada. Maximum length of stay is 183 days based of a formula that takes in your stay over 3 years.
For anyone staying 4 months or more I would strongly suggest that a "Closer Connection" form be filed with the IRS. At the moment, except for some specialty qualifications where a work visa may be issued, Canadians are not allowed to do any type of work in the US, including working in campgrounds etc in return for a site.
At the moment there are a number of changes that could possibly affect length of stay and border crossings. To keep up with the changes, not only in US laws, but in many other areas, including benefits, that affect "Snowbirds", I would suggest joining the "Canadian Snowbird Association. I am not a spokesman for them, but have been a member for a number of years and found the benefits and information really worthwhile. The yearly membership for a couple is $15 and well worth it.
They can be contacted at 800-265-3200 or write to them at
CSA 180 Lesmill Road, North York ON M3B 2T5
Hope this has helped. If you have any other questions or if there is anything else I can help with, don't hesitate to ask.
Take care & good travelling.
Jim Lister
RV INFOrmation Services
<www.eagle.ca/rvinfo>
jim.lister@sympatico.ca
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A New Concept?
Canadian winter home-bases for full-time RVers:
The current limp status of the Loonie has left many full-time RVers in a dilemma — do we pay the exchange and head south as usual, or do we seek alternatives? My present solution is to "drip" through the winter on Vancouver Island. Not nearly as good as Tucson, but a lot easier on the bank account.
With Canada’s harsh winters, it would not seem possible to contemplate full-timing year-round, especially in central Canada. But perhaps, with some creativity, there is a way to home-base here in comfort . . . read on.
Small towns across Canada are fighting to survive. They are facing the loss of tax base, local industry and thus the ability to provide services. The causes are almost universal — young people are seeking their futures in the larger urban communities, and even smaller companies are bent on "centralizing" their operations.
Smaller communities may be potentially attractive to us for the following reasons;
1. Since they are seeking alternative strategies for survival, they will likely be more receptive to new ideas.
2. Small communities have smaller bureaucracies and smaller populations to canvas for consensus on new proposals.
3. Property values are often severely under-values — many towns and villages will sell you a lot for as little as one dollar in hopes you’ll become a much-needed member of the tax-paying community.
4. Most of these communities still have the main facilities intact and are very pleasant places to live.
5. Small communities tend to be accepting and friendly.
6. Building restrictions are not likely to be as much of a problem so long as the community is approached with a reasonable plan for development.
I have seen small RV cooperatives being established with great success. Their one downfall for full-timers lies in the fact that it is not practical to live in the RV in these locations in winter. Most of these cooperatives restrict the type and height of building on your property to retain their tax assessment with the local community. Thus, most of these properties are restricted to "fair-weather" occupancy. Well, when the weather’s good, I want to be exploring and traveling, not sitting parked on my very own RV site!
My theory is that I would like to have a home-base in Canada equipped so that I could winter comfortably in my RV. I envision a building capable of protecting the RV sufficiently so that it would remain comfortable even in the most extreme weather for the location. Additional space could be added to meet your needs for additional living, storage, recreation and work space.
In severe climates, the shelter would need to be insulated and at least partially heated with sufficient ventilation to remove the exhaust from the propane appliances in the RV.
There are some ideas here that will require decisions from regulatory bodies and insurance agencies and this may be the greatest hurdle. I feel that the use of steel for the primary structure and in-floor heating would be a large step towards solving some of the potential problems.
I am convinced that a proposal of this nature would be much more attractive to the community, if presented by a cooperative asking to develop several sites of the same type. So what is the plan? There isn’t one yet, but I am very interested in hearing from others for their ideas and especially from those willing to undertake a membership in the cooperative. I need help to research the viability of establishing Canadian winter home-bases for full-time RVers!
Send all correspondence to
C.J. Beuhler
PO Box 3445
Courtenay BC V9N 5N5
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Help needed:
We are trying to find out when the GEM flea market in Quartzite, Arizona is on in 1999. Any of your readers know the answer?
Corey Strickler
cincor@intergate.bc.ca
Corey,
The GEM Show is on from 16 Jan. to 14 Feb., 1999. For more information, they can be contacted at 520-927-5213.
The fleamarket Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show is on from 30 Jan. to 07 Feb. 1999 and you can contact them at 800-969-5464.
Jim Lister
RV INFOrmation Services
www.eagle.ca/rvinfo
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Previous Issues' Letters:
RV Times 66 Nov. Dec. 98
RV Times 65 Sept. Oct. 98
RV Times 64 July August 98
RV Times 63 May June 98
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Battery & Propane:
We don't often boondock, but several times this year we visited dog shows that had no hookups. Although we felt we'd used very little battery power, after four days our battery was completely dead — not even enough power to run the fridge on propane. A fellow RV'er who had had the same problem clued us in to the cause — the climate control switch on the refrigerator. We'd inadvertently switched it to the "on" position and it draws power continuously. After switching it back to the "off" position, we've had no further problems.
On the subject of refrigerators and the on-going controversy about running with the propane turned on - we travelled from 8 am to 7 pm in 80 to 90 degree temperatures. We turned the propane on when we stopped for lunch for an hour, but we've never run with it on. When we arrived at our destination, everything was frozen solid and there was just a bit of moisture in the ice cube trays. We have a Dometic fridge, but I'd assume that all brands would be just as efficient.
Marilynn Jack
mjack@wave.home.com
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Needing help:
Both my wife and I enjoy your RV Times and perhaps your readers could help us or make some suggestions.
We had intended to sell our "condo" about five years from now and with the equity buy an RV and travel to Mexico with the intention of trying to help some of the Mexican children, which as you know, can use clothing, books, toys, etc.
As luck would have it, the condo we bought three years ago turned out to be "leaky" and what was once worth $145,000 is now $103,000 with a $20,000 repair bill added, payable this year.
At the same time, my wife lost her business because she had a triple heart by-pass with on going complications and one year later I had to take a permanent disability pension. Unable to keep up with mortgage and repair bills, we are now facing foreclosure by January 5, 1999 and will be asked to leave shortly thereafter.
Now here is where your readers may be able to help. Sad as it is I know that many older RVers lose their license and can't drive their rig anymore. Most would probably sell them right away but many don't require the immediate cash, so they store them.
Perhaps we could buy one on a rent-to-own basis? It would have to be an older but still serviceable unit and be big enough for two people to live in permanently.
If your readers have any other ideas or require further information, they can reach us at 1-604-942-5455 or Email at <glenn@towncore.com>.
So we will just sign off for now with a Happy New Year to you Sheila and to all RVers.
Brenda and Wayne
"Mexico or Bust"
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Tow Vehicles:
On finishing putting my 5th wheel RV to bed for the winter and while cleaning it out I ran across a copy of your RV Times that I had picked up while traveling in BC, which I do about every other year.
I read a letter from John & Barbara Hunt to where they were wanting some input on what type of tow vehicle to get to pull their 27 foot 5th wheel.
For about ten years I pulled my 29 ft 5th wheel with a 3/4 ton Chev. It had a 350 engine with a three speed automatic trans. and a 4:10 rear end. It was a 1989 model.
Then in 1996 while the wife and I were going across the US, the trans. went out and instead of getting it repaired, we traded it for a one ton dual pickup with a diesel engine. Yes, I like the diesel pickup very much and it does have a few drawbacks from a gas power pickup. I notice that in climbing the mountains, the gas goes up a little faster than my diesel one.
My gas engines that I have had over the years all had 350 engines and I know with the larger ones that you have more power.
I had over 170,000 miles when the trans. went out and never had any problem with the engine.
I do not see where they would need a four wheel drive pickup to pull their RV. I have seen people with units as long as 36 foot being pulled by two wheel drive gas and diesel units.
I have always used a two wheel drive pickup in pulling my RV all over the US and Canada.
When people ask me about getting an RV, I always tell them to go to an RV Show where they can compare one unit against another and see which unit they like best.
I enjoyed reading your magazine and will look for another issue when I am in BC.
Ejnar B. Middendorf
President Special Military Active-Retired
Travel Club, Midway USA Chapter
Mulvane KS
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Comments:
Just some comments and input on your Nov./Dec. RV Times.
Page 6 - "sani dumps in Kelowna":
Two in my area I know about (west of the bridge into the Westside)
First is at the Mohawk across the street from us on Highway 97.
Second is in Westbank at the only Esso station in Westbank (2551 Hwy. 97).
Page 10 - "which cleaner works":
A couple of years ago we purchased a product called 4U and have had great success with it. I have never heard any complaints about it and have had people phone from WAY out of town and asked me to ship them some of the stuff (which I do). It's a new product in the sense that not too many people know about it. You buy it in a concentrated form and use it diluted on anything from grease to light cleaning of windows. Our shop seems to chew it up quite good. Excellent product — have used it myself.
Page 14 - "I'm Mad!":
One thing that should be added to that article is not only is it STUPID to do that but it is also unhealthy and rude. It also produces negative side effects on the holding tanks on the unit! Ever used a dry black water holding tank? To make it clear - the solids accumulate on the bottom of the tank and the fluids (chemicals break it down). No fluids in the tank (as the valve is open), means no breakdown of the waste which means problems later. If it is allowed to dry out, then you REALLY have problems (clogging of tanks, level sensors do not work, fluid does not flow). In addition, with some fluids in the tank sloshing around as you travel, it breaks down the waste even better. I encourage your readers not to do it just for this reason alone.
Page 21- "bed liners":
Laying rebar or rolled metal into the grooves and placing the plates on and bolting them down without cutting the insert is one solution. The other is to simply remove the liner - it wears the paints in the box and crap gets in behind the liner and oxidation is possible.
Craig Musgrove
Parts and Service, Westgate RV Centre
Kelowna BC
Westgtrv@silk.net
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Need some advice!
We enjoy your RV Times very much, and read it literally from cover to cover. I have a question and I wonder if you could give a bit of help.
Every year about this time we hear from various people that they are heading south for the next X number of months. We have only a 13-foot Trillium trailer, pulled by a Dodge Caravan, but we'd like very much to try a one-month jaunt this winter into Arizona. We would probably leave Abbotsford, where we live, around the middle of January -- Lord willing, especially re the weather!
We have heard a lot about Arizona, and it all sounds so interesting, we're in a bit of a quandary. With our rig, we need electricity and water plus bathroom/shower facilities. We are in our 70's, enjoying good health, but not very flush financially, so budgeting is important. We would like to see as much of Arizona as possible, but realize that's a tall order. Would it be possible to perhaps find four locations in different parts of the state where we could park our trailer in an RV park, and make day jaunts from those locations to spy out the rest of the land? Do you know of any parks that you could recommend, or do you know people we could possibly contact by e-mail who do? Any help you might be able to give would be greatly appreciated.
Fred Moore
fredmor@uniserve.com
Fred,
Next time you are surfing the web, try: www.rv-arizona.com/
- Sheila
Hi Fred;
Sheila passed along your message re: Arizona. Been six years since I was in that area so can't really offer any recommendations. That being said however, can offer some contacts. The Arizona Office of Tourism will be happy to send up an information package. You can call them at 1-800-575-5063 or find them on the web at <www.arizonaguide.com>.
For campgrounds, the best idea is to pick up a Trailer Life Campground / RV Park Directory or a Woodall's Directory. Most RV dealers and retail bookstores (and Sheila says even Husky Camper in Port Coquitlam) carry the directories for a cost of around $20. They list and rate the majority of private campgrounds in the US, Canada and Mexico, complete with details on facilities, prices, nearby attractions, directions, maps, RV service centres, etc. You can also contact KOA (considered one of the best of the campground chains) on the web at <www.koakampgrounds.com> for information and a directory.
The three main areas are Tucson in the south, Phoenix / Tempe / Mesa in the centre and Flagstaff / Grand Canyon area in the north. The Phoenix / Tempe / Mesa area is the main "Snowbird" concentration and reservations as early as possible are recommended. This year, because of the dollar's drop and medical insurance costs, a large number of the parks are offering the Canadian dollar at par to encourage Canadians to continue coming. Once you have a directory, I would suggest calling a few (most have toll free numbers) to see which are offering the reduced rates.
There are, of course, many other campgrounds throughout the State in less touristy areas, usually at lower cost. I would suggest phoning the tourism office for the package, pick out some of the areas you would like to see, then check out the available campgrounds listed in one of the directories. I'm not sure about Arizona's package, but many of the States also include information on campgrounds located in each area.
If I can help with anything else, or you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck and enjoy your trip. The Trillium is a good little trailer. I used to have a 13ft Boler and hauled that around with a van for a few years. Great fun !!
Take care & good travelling.
Jim Lister
RV INFOrmation Services
<www.eagle.ca/rvinfo>
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GCVW:
Would someone please explain what is so complicated about calculating the GAWR/GCVW?
Why are the RV dealers not made responsible for seeing that any camper, trailer or 5th wheel is within the specified limits? The US is far more aware of the abuse of the GAWR, which is probably why campers have to be licensed.
Also, a few weeks ago, parked alongside me when I was in Parksville, was a 3/4 ton long box pickup with a 10-1/2 ft. camper weighing at least 2500 pounds, on PASSENGER TIRES! The shop that put that unit together should lose their license!
A suggestion to "I'm mad", why not phone in the license number to the RCMP?
John Penney
jpenney@nisa.net
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Sites & Solar:
Just a small memo from your friends in Alberta. Enjoy reading The RV Times. It is informative and has great stories; can’t wait to see the next issue.
We have purchased a 28 ft 5th wheeler this past summer. It will be towed behind a Dodge 3/4 ton with a Cummins diesel engine. Though we are not new to camping or trailering, this is the largest trailer that we will be towing and it is our intent to retire in a not too distant future, travelling the country.
Our immediate holiday will be in the BC Shuswap lakes area around Salmon Arm. I am sure that many happy travellers/campers must have enjoyed this area in the past. As a result, we have some simple questions we are hoping they will answer, concerning good spots for trailer parking (possibly shade spots) near the large Shuswap, close to boat launching areas, with complete hookup, advance reservations, etc. Sure would like to hear from anyone who has had a good vacation there. We will be going there in July, 1999 travelling on the TransCanada Highway west.
Our next simple request is concerning the trailer itself. During our future travels we intend on doing a lot of boondocking; We will be dependent on trailer battery energy as well as propane that we will haul. There appears to be several articles on solar panels to maintain battery charging and to power the trailer lights and possibly the cooling system/heating system blower. Our trailer consists of one RV battery, however there is room for another in a remote location. The question I have is to anyone who has experiences or is experiencing the use of a solar panel and may perhaps recommend a size that I should purchase, and to enlighten me of any dangers, advantages/disadvantages of having one, what I should do as I connect to the system; anything that I should be aware of coming from an owner/traveller. I appreciate all the advice you can offer.
Stan Cencek
Edmonton AB
Dear Mr. Cencek:
Your letter regarding solar power for boondocking was passed on to me by Sheila from The RV Times. Although I don't currently use solar power, I plan to in the near future. From an environmental and noise pollution standpoint, it is certainly the best way to go, with more advantages than disadvantages.
As most solar systems are modular they can be set up in just about any combination to meet your needs. Solar panels are rated in wattage to produce a certain amount of amps per day. A single 50 watt panel, for instance, will produce about 15 to 18 amp hours (Ahr) per day in summer and 7 to 9 Ahr/day in winter, depending on the amount of direct sunlight. You can get an idea of your requirements by taking the amount of wattage needed for a particular item and multiplying it by the number of hours per day used. An example would be running an item rated at 12 watts for 6 hours during the day, which would equal 72 watt hours. A 50 watt panel with at least two hours of sunlight would then be sufficient. The other method of measuring is using amp hours. You can calculate approximately by taking the watts and dividing that by the volts. In the above example 12 watts divided by 12 volts equals 1 Ahr, times 6 hours equals 6 Ahr / day. If the item was a toaster, for instance, you would divide the watts by 120 volts. As well as power needed, the amount of space available to mount the panels is a consideration. The most popular units for RVs seem to be the 50 watt, which can be expanded, or the 75 watt modules.
When doing your calculations, don't forget about the so called "phantom" items. These include monitor panels, fridge controls even when operating on propane, propane or CO detectors, clocks, etc., which can add up to approximately 0.75 to 1 Ahr / day. Most RV setups though, are used mainly to recharge batteries, as opposed to actually running all the equipment. To that end you should be using two 6 volt deep-cycle batteries in series. Golf cart batteries producing 220 amps seem to be the norm as they stand up to a lot of use and abuse. You can also get 350 amp capacity 6 volt batteries, however they are quite a bit heavier, adding about an extra 30 lbs each over the 220 amp ones.
If you are planning to use any 120 volt appliances you will also need an inverter. Inverters convert 12 volt DC power from the batteries into 120 volt AC power. Again, you will need to calculate your needs to determine the size of the inverter. A good rule of thumb is to determine the highest wattage requirements, based on the total wattage for all the 120 volt appliances that you plan on using at the same time, and then choose an inverter that is rated about 25% higher. When selecting a particular brand, check for a sinusoidal, or sine, waveform. Most of the cheaper units put out a square waveform that won't operate many types of appliances. A semi-sinusoidal waveform will operate most appliances, except for some digital clocks, laser printers and a few types of microwaves, and can be a compromise solution if cost is a major factor. One other point to note is, to select an inverter that produces its best efficiency at the power level you will be using the most. That will help in keeping battery power from being wasted inside the inverter.
Jim Lister
RV INFOrmation Services
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On reading Issue 66:
Just had to write and tell you I love The RV Times. Actually, it's my favorite magazine, and how often does one's favorite magazine come free, though I sometimes wish there was more of it, and that it would come out more often. This thought really came to me Sheila when I read your list of stories that you haven't been able to fit in! All these stories looked so interesting to me, I just can't wait to read them!
Just a couple of things I wanted to mention. After reading Kathie Scott's article on "Seeing Beautiful BC", (Issue 66, page 41) we checked out both of the RV Resorts she mentioned. Ridgeview Resort is looking really good; there are tremendous views; and once the landscaping is all finished it will be fantastic! Lots of amenities here! I must mention also it should not be hard to find Westside Road, when driving Highway 97 either heading north or south, just look for the signs for Bear Creek & Fintry Provincial Parks and turn west at the sign. Coming south on Highway 97 from Kamloops to Vernon look for the sign to Fintry Provincial Park to the south.
We also checked Swan Lake Recreation Resort (Nov. 12) and the owned section is not ready yet! It seems they are having zoning problems. It is not certain whether they will be able to have park models. We are going to check back in January. Ridgeview does allow park models, they allow the largest ones which I think are about 520 sq. ft.
Because we were interested in this type of living accommodation, we went to Kelowna to check out park models. We checked out some seasonal ones at an RV lot, and the fellow there recommended we look at Security Homes where they make RV's and park models. When we arrived at Security we were taken on a tour of their factory. We saw some at full completion and some at various different stages of completion. We did not find one that was the exact layout that we wanted, so the fellows there showed us numerous plans on paper. We said we would like 2 bathrooms, and though they were surprised by this, they figured a way it could be done and sent us home with lots of plans to play around with!! Excellent!!
There is just one more thing I wanted to mention. This was the first time I read an article in your magazine that made me angry, so I just had to comment on it!! Nick Morrie's 2 bits on Adventure Camping (Issue 66, page 12) sure got me going!! I am definitely NOT a fan of diesel noise; however, I do love adventure camping which I classify as camping peacefully in the forest, with as little man-made noise as possible!! And yes, I do love the noise of children laughing and playing, that's what camping is all about. I do, however, make exceptions. I do not like children when there are 10 or so camped next to us and they are running all over the campground under supervised (while their moms and dads relax and partake of the bubbly) and decide to take the hose which has been attached to the tap and not the RV and hose me down with it. I don't care how hot it is. I don't like those kind of children playing!! I am also NOT a fan of a noisy generator, but come now, Mr. Morrie, there is no real reason for this noise any more now that we have solar panels and inverters to do the job with no noise, and so much more in tune with the environment, and you don't even have to pay for gas to run them. Well, Mr. Morrie, if you think diesels, noisy kids, and doggy-do are adventure, I guess I'll find more adventure in my backyard. I think I'll stick to the quiet camp and in the woods and hope you don't come there and disturb the peace and quiet!!!
Well, I'm glad I got that off my mind, I feel much better now!
Joy Balla
Salmon Arm BC
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Proud of my diesel:
Re Issue 65, pg. 10 & 12 regarding the articles bashing diesel trucks, written by people who don't want their peace disturbed, I offer the following.
I'm the owner of a 1997 Ford F250 power stroke diesel and I'm proud to say it meets and exceeds California emission standards. It will and does out pull and perform anything on the road in its class. Fuel economy has far exceeded my wildest dreams and it has a towing capacity in excess of 13,000 lbs. On a recent trip down Baja, we averaged in excess of 17 miles/Canadian gal. to a maximum of 20 miles/gal. on the Magdelena Flats and it's improving with time. That's not with one, but two of us traveling with similar units. The only unit we couldn't catch on a hill was a V10 Dodge, average 7-9 m.p.g., as catalogued by its owner.
I've previously owned a 3/4 ton Ford F250 gas 460 cu. in. with 4/10 gears, 1989 model being the latest, and diesel outperforms by a wide margin.
As for the noise, inside the unit it is quiet on the highway and quieter when warm. In camps people with barking dogs, folks yelling at their children, coupled with boats, motorcycles, little wagons, teenagers with rap music and boom boxes, power saws, generators and campfire parties, I hardly notice the few seconds it takes for a diesel to drive by my camp. To my ears, it means getting there. We travel extensively in remote areas on logging roads and steep terrain 11, 12, 13 and 17% grades, Deadman’s Canyon for one and we have enough re-track in the engine and transmission to hold back our 28 ft. fifth wheel approximately 8,000 lbs. and the truck 4,600 lbs. and we never or rarely touch the brakes, thus increasing the safety factor of never boiling the brake fluid, hence no runaways.
Now dear diesel bashers, this is all on a truck equipped direct from the factory with no add-ons, c/w 4x4 automatic transmission and turbo charger, 4-10 rear axle, posi-track and off road package. As for 4x4's not having a towing advantage on very steep grades, 4x4 low range will bring you down a very steep hill at 5 m/p/h with no brakes at all. If it snows and you gotto go, if you ski, if you frequent forest service sites, if you get caught on a wet muddy wash out in Mexico, etc. etc., I'll have a 4x4 thanks. What about the volatility of gas? Maybe a fuel leak driving through Salmon Arm last summer? Boom!!!
So folks, if you want to make your decision to holiday, buy the equipment that takes you where you want to go, instead of going only where your equipment will take you. As for people who don't like diesel, where have you been? How many gas jobs are pulling 53 ft. vans down I-5? Sorry again folks, but diesel is here to stay. Just get the one you like, Ford, Chev, Dodge etc. and check around. Mercedes, Volkswagon, Izuzu and Nissan have been making diesel cars and light trucks for some time.
So in summary, diesel truck operators have better emission control, use less fossil fuel, pollute the environment less, are safer on the road, saving lives and insurance costs and causing less congestion of the hills. The extra maintenance, keeping oil, air and fuel clean is worth it. THE DEFENSE RESTS!!!
William E. (Bill) George
Surrey BC
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Black/grey holding tanks:
When parked on full hook-up site, what is the recommendation on tanks?
1 Leave open at all times to septic?
2 Drain when 3/4 full?
Jim McLachlan
Gibsons BC
jmclachlan@mail.canfor.ca
Hi Jim,
Number 2 is the answer - three quarters to full, and them empty. This creates the flushing action that you need to make sure the tank is emptied completely. You can keep the gray water valve open but the black water valve must remain normally closed and then empty when appropriate.
If you leave the black valve open, the solids will slowly build up over time and then you may get in trouble or at least have a lot of work to clean it out.
It is a good practice to fill the tank with water once every week to 10 days (depending on usage) and then give it a good flush to keep it clean.
Another point: If you are camping in the winter it is recommended that you put a "heat tape "on the pipe from the tank starting right at the tank with the sensor located before the valve to sense the temp of the waste in the tank to keep it from freezing.
Steen Salomon
candan@candan.com
Candan RV Center
Langley BC
Dear Jim,
More than you wanted to know about sewer gas.
1. Hook up your hose, lay it on the ground and close both valves. (Do not use planks, caterpillars, old gutters or rocks to achieve a level fall from your valve to the inground connection. These devices will only ensure that sewer gas from the inground pipes is able to flow up into your tank, out the vent and stink up the campsite. Look under your sink. That bend in the drain pipe is called a P trap. It always has water in it and so acts as a valve to obstruct the backflow of gasses. Having a little belly in your drain hose will achieve the same thing. Just make sure your hose doesn't have any pinhole leaks in it which would allow waste water to pollute the ground.)
2. When your black water tank is almost full, open the black valve and flush the contents down the drain.
3. Close the black valve and open the grey water valve. This will rinse your hose out with better-smelling water.
(Footnote 1. Just because you have a 20 ft hose doesn't mean you have to put it all down the drain. If you do so, you will probably block the main drain with it and cause artesian sewer connections throughout the campground. Only put about 2 ft of hose into the ground. Leave the rest on top where it will stay cleaner and safer.)
(Footnote 2. The water in the P traps of unused sinks, showers and baths will evaporate over time. This will allow sewer gas from the holding tanks to invade the RV or home. If you use any type of extractor fan, you will actually pull sewer gas into the space. To prevent this, either put plugs in these drains or keep filled with a cupful of water. I've heard that a spoonful of vegetable oil floated on the surface will also prevent evaporation. This is a common problem with RVs in storage or those which have had the shower converted to a clothes closet.)
Bon chance.
John Allen
jallen@uniserve.com
Sasquatch Springs RV Resort
Harrison Hot Springs BC
Mr. McLachlan,
To our customers who use full hookups, at Fort Victoira RV Park we recommend to RVers to keep their black water tanks closed at all times until emptying is required. This way a proper head (mass of water) is built up which is used to carry away all the solids in a big whoosh when emptying the tank. Otherwise if the tank waste valve is left open, at each flush the little water there is trickles away leaving some or most of the solids behind. This accumalation will eventually plug the waste valve outlet.
The gray water holding tank on the other hand may be left open at all times as there are very little solids from the kitchen and none from the shower. It actually would be very inconvienient to have to open the gray water tank valve in the middle of a shower.
Hope this helps. Maybe I'll add a page to our web site one day that offers help and links for Help and Suggestions to RVers. In the meantime if you wish you could take a look at our web site www.fortvicrv.com to see how we operate.
Martin Knight
Resident Manager
info@fortvicrv.com
Fort Victoria RV Park
Victoria BC
Jim,
Sheila asked me if there was anything missed.
I believe heat tape is only necessary if the unit does not have enclosed and insulated holding tanks.
As far as sewer gas is concerned, it's not a problem if you keep the valve closed until it's time to dump.
Although the grey water valve can be left open in summer without a "gas" problem because of the "traps", in the winter it too should be left closed until ready to dump. Otherwise the trickle of water, because it is small and not fast moving, can freeze and build up ice in the pipe eventually blocking it.
Jim Lister
jim.lister@sympatico.ca
RV INFOrmation Services
Cobourg ON
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Recreational Vehicle Decals:
Directive from Province of British Columbia Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Safety Engineering Services Division:
Holders of Recreation Shop Permits should be aware of the procedure for the above decals which has been extended to cover private sales.
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE VENDOR TO ENSURE THAT ANY RECREATIONAL VEHICLE BEING RE-SOLD IN BRITISH COLUMBIA SHALL BE INSPECTED AND RE-DECALLED.
This applies to private sales and commercial sales regardless of the type of business making the sale. This check and application of decals can only be performed by a shop which has a valid annual permit.
This is required whether the unit was originally approved by Canadian Standards Association, the Fire Commissioner or the Gas Safety Branch.
This safety check should include all items of safety, i.e., leak test, appliance operation, venting, etc. The object is to ensure that the system is safe.
Any item found unsafe should be brought up to the present requirements.
A recreation vehicle which is brought in for repair does not need to be redecalled; however, the shop should record in its log and on a new recreational vehicle form what work was performed and shall be signed off by the licensed fitter.
M.G. Cherry, P.Eng.
Director and Chief Inspector
Gas Safety Branch
Vancouver BC
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