2 Questions

bend302 · 12-16-2010, 09:22 PM

I am new at this RVing thing and had to drive my 2005 35 foot Georgetown in some slop..So, how do you wash these things. It is way too cold here but we are heading South soon. However, I heard that campgrounds don't allow washing,,, Help

Second question: Where is the furnace filter There is an air intake but it looks like screws with wood plugs hold it in place...

Thanks

donn · 12-16-2010, 09:47 PM

Take it to a car wash and do it.
Second there is no such thing as a furnace filter on an RV furnace.

LadyWindrider · 12-16-2010, 10:07 PM

Be careful in the car wash. Check and check, and did I say CHECK roof clearance. Better to get a long handle sponge or brush, bucket of soapy water, water hose, and have fun. Even better if it's 90 degrees outside. You think washing it it will fun, just wait till you wax it....... Just had a thought. I know some truck stops will wash tractor/trailer. Might be worth a phone call to see about a camper. Also if your dealer is close, they may wash it for a price.

As for furnace filter, never seen one in an RV furnace. The AC will have one, but never a furnace as far as I have seen, and I have seen or been around a couple dozen.

dlitten · 12-16-2010, 11:56 PM

Ditto on the clearance. I once was using an Rv wash and after finishing, decided to let the wife pull it out of the bay instead of me. Good thing too. The edge of my rack near the ladder caught the water hose and I just happen to see it pivot as if you were walking with it and spraying your veicle. I had her stop and then had to climb on top of the RV to unhook it. She always pulls it out now why I watch from the exterior.

rockwood06 · 12-17-2010, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bend302

I am new at this RVing thing and had to drive my 2005 35 foot Georgetown in some slop..So, how do you wash these things. It is way too cold here but we are heading South soon. However, I heard that campgrounds don't allow washing,,, Help

Second question: Where is the furnace filter There is an air intake but it looks like screws with wood plugs hold it in place...

Thanks

There is a reason why there is no filter for the furnace, but there is one for the a/c in an RV. The furnace is a sperate unit from the a/c system, the furnace has no coil in it only a heat exchanger, an a/c unit has an evaperator coil which needs to be kept clean so that air can bass though it, this is where the heat is removed from the air. If the a/c system has a blocked coil this is the start of most a/c failures the coil will start to freeze up and reduce air flow then cause other parts of the a/c system to work harder until it stop operating.

If you have gas heat in your home with an a/c system the evaperator coil is setting on top of the furnace, you should have a filter in the system. This is a combine system. If you have a heatpump in your RV or this unit will have a filter in it, the heating mode and cooling both use the coils there is no heat exchanger like a gas fired furnace.

donn · 12-17-2010, 09:13 AM

Rockwood, that makes no sense at all. All home furnaces have a filter in the system. It does not matter one whit what the hear source is, or if there is AC attached, a filter is standard. The reason I suspect that manufacturers do not use a filter in the furnace system is cost. Trying to find a filter small enough to fit in the space would be a challenge and probably costly as it would be a specialty item.

grhodes50 · 12-17-2010, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bend302

I am new at this RVing thing and had to drive my 2005 35 foot Georgetown in some slop..So, how do you wash these things. It is way too cold here but we are heading South soon. However, I heard that campgrounds don't allow washing,,, Help
Thanks

I know of a truck wash on I-35 located on the north side of OKC. I have seen MH's lined up for a wash. Maybe you can ask around your area and find the same.

rockwood06 · 12-17-2010, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donn

Rockwood, that makes no sense at all. All home furnaces have a filter in the system. It does not matter one whit what the hear source is, or if there is AC attached, a filter is standard. The reason I suspect that manufacturers do not use a filter in the furnace system is cost. Trying to find a filter small enough to fit in the space would be a challenge and probably costly as it would be a specialty item.

You can get a filter for most any system, it is called filter media it can be cut to size. I have two Carrier heatpump units in my house and can not buy a filter to fit it from lowes or any where else they are an odd size, i can get them from Carrier but why i can use filter media. We use it work to keep the pollen from being pull into our boiler room during the Spring.

As far as filter in your home unit they should be there, but i did not say that home furnaces with out a/c units did not need them. You would not believe how many people do not think about checking there filters.

If you do not have a filter in your RV's heating system, before it is fired up it should be taken apart and cleaned, dirt will collect in it over the Summer and we all know that most campgrounds are dusty just look at your a/c filter.

kvtaylor · 12-17-2010, 11:40 AM

A lot of people just use a pail and water to clean their RVs. Then maybe spray them down early in the mornings (I don't do that! ha) There are wash and wax wax products on the market that don't require you to wash the coach before waxing. one is called Fast Wax made in North Carolina. I have never taken our coach to a car wash. The main thing is to get the grimy road dirt off the coach and a pail of water and a long brush does that.

And as others have said, there are no filters in the heating systems. Only the A/C have them.

bend302 · 12-17-2010, 04:17 PM

Thanks...Maybe I'll get a bucket of soapy water and a long brush and an umbrella and wait for rain.

Wow, no filter on the furnace...I will have to research that a bit as DW is allergic to most things that are green or have fur. I will check w/mfgr and see if filter media on the heat vents will cause too much back pressure.

Thanks again, folks good info.

3 Happy Campers · 12-17-2010, 04:29 PM

We are heading out tonight for a trip to FL.
I washed the 5er back in Oct but plan to stop at a Blue Beacon truck wash before we get to the resort.

They have a whole package just for RVs.
What’s great is you drive into an enclosed building & two or three guys wash the whole camper for you.
Cost is $27 to $35. You can’t beat that!

Home

rockwood06 · 12-17-2010, 04:30 PM

I had to find out more about this issue, i called tech support at Suburban and here is the phone number if you would like to check it out 423-775-2131. I spoke to Don one of the techs and ask him why is there not a filter in Rv furnaces and his reply was " the furnace in an Rv has a low air flow volume, in other words the CFM is low and if a filter was used it would restrict the air flow too much and would cause the blower motor to over heat and fail along with other things", he all so said that the furnaces in Rv's are used for a short amont of time and not like those in homes which require a higher CFM and continues use.

**Herk7769** · 12-17-2010, 06:08 PM

I put square filters in the floor registers. You can buy them cheap and they keep the dog's food (and other loose trash) from dropping into the duct work.

bend302 · 12-17-2010, 10:41 PM

Hey, 3 happy campers, that is a great suggestion..THANKS I will look for a Blue Beacon...

kenandterry · 12-18-2010, 09:49 AM

Being Canajun eh, are these Blue Beacon places a chain of locations throughout the USA? Hadn't heard of these before, but definitely will keep them in mind for future travels if they're popular. Are there any other RV washing centres? My friends talk about Flying J locations, but their TV's are diesel and I think that's why they stop at them.

donn · 12-18-2010, 10:12 AM

any major truck stop will have a truck wash. Just be mindful that a trucker should have priority, as he is trying to earn a living.

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