B+ motorhomes

[Daniel_C_]

I just bought a Trail Lite B+ 211s with 8.1 Chevy
engine. This is my fifth motorhome (others range
from an old 20' Vagabond, and three Winnegagos, from 19 to 32'. This vehicle is fantastic. I am
using it as a mobile office (and sneaking in a fun
journey from time to time). It gets about 9.5mpg
and I believe I could pull a bus behind it if I wanted! I paid low $40's which is about what I had expected to pay for a five or six year old Chinook with a nicer interior, but fewer features
(slide). I am delighted thus far.

[burlmart]

Gene

Thanks so much! You always have such good leads and info!

I now have some new creative ideas to work with!

[Gene_in_NE]

burlmart - The individual that did quite a bit of customizing on his B+ was Gary Swanson. His pictures were at Click Here. He discusses his changes in this "B+ Motorhome" topic. I had a hard time finding it today. Finally found it on page 45 for me and is dated 09/23/03 at 11:13 PM. Maybe Gary would respond to a PM and fix the link.

On edit may have correct the URL myself.

[burlmart]

Thanks, TonyTiger, I will try to locate that info.

It turns out that the best dimensions of a cushion to cover the dropped down dinette table top are 25"x38" and 5" thick; these are almost identical with about 3 standard portable baby crib cushions (24"x38"x2").

Anybody know where, besides WalMart online, you can go and find these items around town?

[TonyTiger]

A while back in this thread, someone discussed how to convert the dinette to three sided seating. I know that's not what you wanted to do but they also discussed how they made a cushion. It might help.

TT

[burlmart]

We were thinking of making a one-piece cushion for the dinette/bed center cushion so we could leave the two dinette seatback cushions in place when converting to a bed. Has anyone tried this with good results?

We spent morning looking at Pier one, WalMart, Hancock Fabric, Lowes, and Michaels (home decor/hobbies shop) with no luck at finding right size foam or else a close sized substitute cushion.

Another option is to order two extra dinette chairback cushions from R-Vision (or Monaco now?) that duplicate the two we have.

Has anyone ever ordered replacement cushions from the manufacturer, and if so, what is procedure and reasonability of cost?

[Gene_in_NE]

Rodger - Thank you for your comments. I will do my best to follow your directions.

The current discussion of smell in your black water tank is not unique to B+ size motorhomes, but since it was brought up by an owner of a B+ it might get more attention in this thread. A couple years ago, I read this posting and it might be time to bring it up again. The posting discusses how to treat our storage tanks. It is called the The Geo Method about half way down page 2. I try to follow this and have had no problems.

[burlmart]

I wonder if chinooks ever stink???

I typed several combos of keywords in Google and this has led back to different forum threads where people have similar problems with a diverse range of solutions.

While I am not positive, I think our problem occurs as follows

a) initiated with travelling with a substantial amount of BW
b) strong odor was released with first flush shortly after parking (it was not noticed as coming into coach during travel, as some people have reported)
c) a little while later and an extra 8 oz bottle of chem, and all was settled again
d) the travel to the campground on a basically empty BW tank (except for the 8 oz chem and a gallon of water) and the first flush after arriving does not create a strong odor

At the moment, my theory is that with a tank somewhat filled with 'stuff' that creates proportionate amounts of odors especially after it is set into motion either overwhelms the vent pipe fume flow rate, or as one post mentioned, some aerodynamic oddity forces air down into the vent pipe during travel.

A low fume thru vent pipe flowrate could be due to blockage. Otherwise, it could be enhanced with a better cap that draws fumes out when in motion.

Of course, better methods of controlling odors produced in the BW could solve most of the problem as well. I have once heard of calgon method, and just read of two cups of vinegar method.

Edit add-on:

The calgon thing is explained at this link
http://rvtowingtips.com/geo-method.html

[cheeze1]

Burl, the only thing that bothers me about that theory is the effect of the rain cap on the vent pipe.
As I'm sure you know, the purpose of the vent pipe in a house is to allow Mama Nature to exert her 14.7 lbs/sq/in on the fluids in the system. This also prevents our black and grey tanks to become pressurized, allowing the free flow of liquid.
Now, from what I know based on my 'wannabe engineer' background, the venturi and Bernoulli's principles, would, I believe, state that in motion, there would be negative pressure in the vent pipe. But this might change if there is a rain cap on the top, possibly resulting in little pressure effect on the fluid or vapors in the tanks.
As for checking your vent pipe, if the cap is removable, maybe send a small shop vacuum hose down the length BEFORE hitting 'liquid' and see if there is blockage? Birds will try to build nests in the most unexpected places!

Rodger, tho' I'm sure you can quote many topics covered in this thread (which maybe should be its own forum) that were somewhat better somewhere else, the fact that so many of the responders are B+ owners helps keep the specificity of these topics within our group. In addition, you of all people know quite well how frequently this thread had long 'stretches' where a number of us, myself included, exchanged volumes of info and advice on which vehicle/mfr would be the best for our specific needs. The number of B+ type vehicles available seems to have increased, which makes this very long running thread that much more valuable. Besides, class C's as a group are different than B+'s, being much more massive in most dimensions. Perhaps we are a vehicle type without a good name. How about "Wannabe Chinooks"? :);):B:W

[burlmart]

I did a search using sewer odors and this interesting link came up

http://www.campingworld.com/forums/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/16281731/gotomsg/16285405.cfm#16285405

In this post, mention is made of downward air pressure during motion as follows:

"With the Fleetwoods, the Black water vent on top of the RV is designed to prevent water from pouring in when it rains. The Air Intake or Exhaust Cap on top of that Vent Pipe, Faces Downward, as usually next to the outside wall of the RV. This causes the Upward Wind Travel to pressurize that area and push air down the vent cap when traveling... or even during a slight wind traveling from that direction..."

This could be what some of us are experiencing. What do you think?

[My_Roadtrek]

I can cite numerous posts that should have been asked in a different forum, but they weren't, and I wont bother to name any.
Remember I'm butting out, and leaving it up to you guys to take this thread where ever it wants to go. It's up to you guys, just keep it RV related, and friendly.:B


Good luck, and please notify me if anyone gets out of line.
Rodger (CVC Moderator)

[burlmart]

Cheeze1

On my 213 B+, do you know what path the vent pipe for BW runs from tank to roof, and more importantly, how do/did you determins if it is clogged.

Rodger

In the past, found very specific B+ tire info that helped me immensely in understanding what our units require; I think it was Gene in NE who gave his scale wt readings that indicate lower pressures were warranted and this also implied (I think) that any alignment place should be able to do front end alignments on our units, as they are no heavier in front than a common chevy 3500 van. I spent many posts on a tire/air compressor forum getting other tire info, but this B+ specific tire info helped me to ask right questions.

Perhaps as a moderator, spelling-out which forum is most appropriate for a task-specific question is a means of keeping B+ on track, but then we would all be asking you for directions. I have seen lots more wandering than is going on here in other forums, like when I first got an RV and read post-after-post about water sanitation on a forum for beginning campers.

As for RV parks, briefly mentioning where we have travelled adds a friendly non-tech flourish to our posts. As for discussing the weather where we live, that info is very useful when handling water, tires, etc., both a) when the seasons change on our exposed B+, and/or b) we travel to other climates on an excursion.

I do agree that such talk must be limited before we have a chat club, and your point of staying in closer to the tech/specifics is well taken Rodger. As it stands, long periods of no-posting that we see here kinda tells me we are not in much danger of becoming a social club. Thanks for your efforts and advice.

[My_Roadtrek]

Rodger, you are a nice person and moderator, but we are all talking about problems with our B+'s. I don't see how we are off topic, since our point of reference is the same, and in Burl's and my case, exact same models.

You keep telling me that, but this is not a topic specific to B+'s. Topics about chemicals, batteries, tires, camp grounds, RV parks, etc., should be discussed in the appropriate forums. I don't see why this is so difficult to understand. If I use your logic, then any RV problem, could be B+ related, and should be allowed to be discussed.

This thread is for specific problems concerning Class B+'s, not general RVing issues. An example would be "My Trail Lite model .... has this problem, does anyone have an answer?

Also this thread has become almost like a "Chat Room" between a few members, with posts that could, and should have been, handled through PM"S.

Maybe this thread has ran it's course, and should be closed, and future B+ posts be moved to the Class C forum, where they belong anyway.

On edit.

I have discussed this thread with Admin, and some of the other mods. It has been decided that, since it has become almost impossible to keep it on the topic of B+'s, to just let it run, and hope for the best. As long as the topics are RV related, and friendly, I will butt out. (which will make Charlie happy. :B:B:B) It would be nice though to try and keep it related to B+'s. Talking about toilet chemicals, tires, RV parks, etc. should be discussed in the proper forums.

Thanks,
Rodger

[cheeze1]

Burl, I think that because there are short times that the opening to the tank is open during flush, and the fact that the chemicals are designed to break down the waste as well, are 2 reasons we need the chemicals. The only thing, AFAIK, regarding the vent pipe is if it's clogged.

Rodger, you are a nice person and moderator, but we are all talking about problems with our B+'s. I don't see how we are off topic, since our point of reference is the same, and in Burl's and my case, exact same models.

[My_Roadtrek]

Lots of info on the forum about tank chemicals, and vent systems, do a search, and you will find a lot to read.
Lets not get too far off the topic of B+'s.

Thanks

[agoaliemom]

It is my understanding that the chemicals also help break up solids and tissue to make it easier to dump (as well as neutralize the odor), but I don't know if that is true. I use the same chemicals you mentioned.

I do know that in our other RVs we had this same problem and we just learned to live with it. Apparently, it's not normal, so I am anxious to see what the remedy is. I know that on our current B+, sometimes there is that same odor and sometimes not.