What did you do to your camper today?

[Mch5jdm]

Originally Posted by RandK-M

Winterized yesterday, but did it differently than I usually do. This year no antifreeze in the lines. I hooked my compressor up to the city water, set it for 40lbs and just blew it all out. I had the compressor hooked up for about an hour while I did other cleaning and opened all the faucets and low point drains every 10 minutes or so. I also blew out the pump through the antifreeze suction port to make sure that was good.


I was impressed that when I was done, I removed the water filter housing, which was full when I started and not a single drop of water was in there. Just as a test, I charged again with air and let it sit overnight. Then today I checked the low point drains and they were bone dry, not even a mist just air. Same with all the faucets. Plus it was a good test of the plumbing since it completely held all the air over night.



Maybe I just have a sensitive taste and smell, but every year I can detect the antifreeze for the first few trips, even after several flushes and sanitizing with bleach.


I still dumped antifreeze into all the traps and toilet and about 3/4 gallon in each tank for the valves.


Ray

Used air this year too. But I am still nervous.

[Phat Steve]

Dont worry this will be my 4th year winterizing and I have always only used air. Just make sure u blow everything out completely and there will be nothing to freeze. I even put air through my freash water tank with drain open to push air out of pump. I even hook air to black tank flush to drain the jet nozzle and the backflow preventer. Only place I put pink stuff is in the p traps and one gallon in black tank.

[ependydad]

Firmly entrenched in the mid-2000s and mounted our Wii below the TV cabinet. I used plastic pipe strapping (I think that’s what it is called). My only concern is the screw head’s pulling through while traveling. Otherwise, I was able to drill a hole in the bottlm of the cabinet and feed the wires inside for a nice clean install.

Tomorrow I tackle down trim on our bunk bed conversion project and will also try to install a fan housing replacement (warranties by Dexter).

[robbiels7]

Originally Posted by ependydad

Firmly entrenched in the mid-2000s and mounted our Wii below the TV cabinet. I used plastic pipe strapping (I think that’s what it is called). My only concern is the screw head’s pulling through while traveling. Otherwise, I was able to drill a hole in the bottlm of the cabinet and feed the wires inside for a nice clean install.

Tomorrow I tackle down trim on our bunk bed conversion project and will also try to install a fan housing replacement (warranties by Dexter).

Not as fun as Wii but I go further back with the game cube in the camper.[emoji1]

[K2Kevin]

Originally Posted by robbiels7

Not as fun as Wii but I go further back with the game cube in the camper.[emoji1]

Ive also thought a Game system might be a nice addition to the camper for those rainy days and cold nights for my Son. We did win one of those "All-in-One" Genesis Retro game systems at a place while camping in the Wisconsin Dells, unfortunately it was DOA. Ive been thinking about using our old XBOX or Wii. Every time I give some real thought, I always fall back on the idea... we are camping and its good to get away from video games, and never do it. Still might, just because I think it would be cool

[robbiels7]

Originally Posted by K2Kevin

Ive also thought a Game system might be a nice addition to the camper for those rainy days and cold nights for my Son. We did win one of those "All-in-One" Genesis Retro game systems at a place while camping in the Wisconsin Dells, unfortunately it was DOA. Ive been thinking about using our old XBOX or Wii. Every time I give some real thought, I always fall back on the idea... we are camping and its good to get away from video games, and never do it. Still might, just because I think it would be cool

We do have it as a back up . Like you said rainy days. We do have board games also. As long as you make it a family event no harm. We actually fired it up Friday night after we set up and grilled out we all were wiped out and some brain frying video games was the cure.

[K2Kevin]

Originally Posted by robbiels7

We do have it as a back up . Like you said rainy days. We do have board games also. As long as you make it a family event no harm. We actually fired it up Friday night after we set up and grilled out we all were wiped out and some brain frying video games was the cure.

Wiped out! I can relate. Nothing like a long hot summer day, in the sun, swimming, boating etc. Cooling down in the RV and video games might be a good distraction allowing us parents to chill a bit.

[robbiels7]

Originally Posted by K2Kevin

Wiped out! I can relate. Nothing like a long hot summer day, in the sun, swimming, boating etc. Cooling down in the RV and video games might be a good distraction allowing us parents to chill a bit.

For sure!

[Kaadk]

I put one of these in the trailer, and then the kids can bring the Switch from home and plug it into the trailer's TV without having to drag the dock around:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It only got used for the first time this past camping trip when it was cold and raining out.

[itat]

The forecast here changed quickly yesterday from an overnight low of 3°C to a low of 0°C or lower so DS and I ran over to where our TT is stored after I got off work and we put antifreeze in the water lines. The pump doesn't do a good job sucking anti-freeze out of the upright jug so I'll need to make some kind of container with a opening at the bottom for next year. I still need to do the rest of the winterization tasks including giving it a good wash and touching up some self-leveling sealant on the seam where the front wall meets the roof. Hopefully it warms up a bit for the weekend. I guess I procrastinated too long!

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

Hello all. Lately the motor on my rear stabilizing jack has been spotty in its operation at best. I could usually turn the manual crank a turn or two and it would once again regain function. Finally it just quit working all together.

After insuring I did not have an electrical issue, I was faced with buying another motor and reduction gear assembly for around $190. I had decided to do that when my neighbor came over to bring us some extra crabs they had after going crabbing that morning and asked me what I was doing.

When I explained it to him he said he had the same trouble with his front tongue jack a few months back. His friend told him to try taking it apart and see if it wasn't caused by rust in the motor. He suggested I try the same.

With absolutely nothing to lose I took it off today and took it apart. Voila!, there was rust inside. One of the brushes, located right at the bottom of the motor when it was installed had gotten wet and the spring that holds the brush against the armature had rusted and the brush was not making good contact with the armature. There was also a black band around the armature where the brushes had been arcing.

I cleaned off the stripe with some #0 steel wool. I also used WD40 on the brush guide. I called the motor maker (Klauber) and they told me they do not sell parts. Then I decided to lengthen the spring and pulled it a bit to give it the tension it had at one time.

After putting it back together it works perfectly. Total Cost, 0 money and about 1.5 hours work.

The spring may not last forever and if it loses tension I will search around town for some spring I can use as a replacement. At least I now know the motor works.

That sounds real similar to one of the first problems I had here on the forums, where water was getting into the rear stabilizer motor.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...tml#post103139

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by itat

The forecast here changed quickly yesterday from an overnight low of 3°C to a low of 0°C or lower so DS and I ran over to where our TT is stored after I got off work and we put antifreeze in the water lines. The pump doesn't do a good job sucking anti-freeze out of the upright jug so I'll need to make some kind of container with a opening at the bottom for next year. I still need to do the rest of the winterization tasks including giving it a good wash and touching up some self-leveling sealant on the seam where the front wall meets the roof. Hopefully it warms up a bit for the weekend. I guess I procrastinated too long!

I’ve always found that as long as the bottle was near the height of the pump, it would suck just fine. I’d setup a table out there and putter along.

[Teamfour]

^^^ this. I set the jug on the floor next to the pump and it will empty a one gallon jug in seconds.

[itat]

Unfortunately, mine wouldn’t. My pump is on the floor in the rear passenger-side corner and it won’t suck antifreeze out of the jug when the jug is sitting upright. I had to use an empty jug and fill it 1/3 full and tip it over to lower the jug opening. It would stop sucking the antifreeze when up put the jug upright after it started pumping. It’s a fairly new Shurflo pump so it must be leaking air somewhere. Never have a problem sucking water from the FW tank.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by itat

Unfortunately, mine wouldn’t. My pump is on the floor in the rear passenger-side corner and it won’t suck antifreeze out of the jug when the jug is sitting upright. I had to use an empty jug and fill it 1/3 full and tip it over to lower the jug opening. It would stop sucking the antifreeze when up put the jug upright after it started pumping. It’s a fairly new Shurflo pump so it must be leaking air somewhere. Never have a problem sucking water from the FW tank.

If you have separate suction valves for AF and FW tank, make sure the FW tank valve is really closed. If you have a 3-way valve that selects between them, make sure it's fully turned to the AF line and away from the FW tank line. It doesn't take a lot of air to mess up the suction.

[Phat Steve]

Well I have finished the waxing project. The whole trailer is done by hand lol. It took 5 nights after work till dark. Not that bad. My wife says now I am warmed up for her car. Leaving for the Poconos around lunch time tomm, hopefully not the last trip of the year.

[itat]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

If you have separate suction valves for AF and FW tank, make sure the FW tank valve is really closed. If you have a 3-way valve that selects between them, make sure it's fully turned to the AF line and away from the FW tank line. It doesn't take a lot of air to mess up the suction.

I installed a 3-way valve this year but I had the same problem last year when the tube was connected directly to the pump.

[OKI Marine]

Originally Posted by Phat Steve

Well I have finished the waxing project. The whole trailer is done by hand lol. It took 5 nights after work till dark. Not that bad. My wife says now I am warmed up for her car. Leaving for the Poconos around lunch time tomm, hopefully not the last trip of the year.

What did you use on it? Looks great

[K2Kevin]

Originally Posted by itat

Unfortunately, mine wouldn’t. My pump is on the floor in the rear passenger-side corner and it won’t suck antifreeze out of the jug when the jug is sitting upright. I had to use an empty jug and fill it 1/3 full and tip it over to lower the jug opening. It would stop sucking the antifreeze when up put the jug upright after it started pumping. It’s a fairly new Shurflo pump so it must be leaking air somewhere. Never have a problem sucking water from the FW tank.

It sounds like the wintering kit is on the wrong side of the pump., Very strange. Are there arrows on your pump where the hose is connected for wintering?

[itat]

Originally Posted by K2Kevin

It sounds like the wintering kit is on the wrong side of the pump., Very strange. Are there arrows on your pump where the hose is connected for wintering?

Nope. It’s definitely on the suction side of the pump. As I said, I didn’t have the kit installed last year - disconnected the line from the FW tank and attached the AF line directly to the pump - and it did the same thing then.