Passin__Through
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Re: A terrible dinette table. Opinions on modification?
Have you thought about using a locking turntable bearing, or perhaps a flat-mount slide bearing? A slide bearing would require some sort of fabricated locking mechanism though. A turntable bearing would allow you to rotate the table so the corners should be out of the way when you sit down. With a slide bearing the table could be just pushed toward the opposite side, the slid back after you are seated. Wishing you good luck in overcoming this challenge.554Views0likes0CommentsRe: Installing a Water Accumator Tank
A very desirable mod I did to our 5er also. I was able to install a 5-gallon accumulator tank in the empty space below the refrigerator, and included a ball valve in the line which I shut off for travel. Not having the pump come on each time a tiny amount of water is used is great.533Views0likes0CommentsRe: Looking for next travel trailer
"Tell us how you bake the brownies in that RV oven? I used it to make canned biscuits and it burned them on the bottom but not very brown on top. Whats the secret?" Oklatraveler, get yourself a pizza stone or a piece of unglazed tile and put it in the oven on the rack just above the burner. It will act as a heat diffuser and minimize the burning of the biscuit bottoms. I found a porcelainized metal drip pan at a thrift shop and use it instead of a tile. Works just fine, much lighter than a tile, and won't break (as the tile did). Bake the biscuits at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes or so. Then break out the butter and the Boysenberry jam and I'll be right over!:D Didn't intend to hijack the thread - but if I can get some biscuits out of the deal........... .619Views0likes0CommentsRe: Bathroom Dry Pipe
StirCrazy wrote: neat idea, but if your tanks are exposed would it not be easier to just add a tank rinser? thats what I did on my old trailer... worked great. Steve A tank rinser is installed and used every time the tank is dumped. The pipe lets me add water to the black tank, easily and quickly, so I can get maximum flow when the dump valve is opened. It is also faster to refill the tank with more water if a second dump is desired. I just wanted to put this idea out there in case someone might find it beneficial to them in their particular situation, as I do in mine. If it works for anyone, that is great. If it doesn't, then by all means don't use it. Just have as much fun as you can while enjoying this great activity of RVing.924Views0likes0CommentsRe: Bathroom Dry Pipe
4x4van wrote: Also not sure of the need for the cap on the faucet. Wouldn't simply closing the 1/4-turn faucet accomplish the same thing as the little black cap? Yes. The black plastic cap is merely a redundant device to secure the water line, on the off chance that little fingers of the grandkids might turn on the valve out of curiosity before Grandpa gets there to hook up the vinyl tube during the dumping process. The possibility is very, very remote however. In reality, I think it just gives the thing a more finished look. :B924Views0likes0CommentsRe: Bathroom Dry Pipe
I guess I wasn't too clear as to the purpose of the pipe. It is for putting additional water into the black tank prior to dumping in order to get as much solid material out as possible, then adding about 5 gallons of water after dumping is complete. It is not for flushing the toilet. K Charles wrote: Every camper we ever had the water goes down when you flush the toilet. If you want more water you move the pedal, or lever, the other way. My toilet operates like any other, but filling the tank via the pipe I installed is much faster. To use it, the water pump is turned off (saving onboard water), the toilet flush pedal is depressed and held down, the vinyl tubing is directed into the toilet drain opening, and the bibb turned on. I can sort of gauge the black tank level by the sound the water makes as the tank is filled. When I can see the water in the waste pipe, or it sounds like it is close, I shut off the bibb, go outside, open the tank drain valve, and turn on the black tank flush. The pipe makes a secondary fill and dump, if necessary, much faster as well. Sorry for any confusion. I am happy to answer questions anyone may have.135Views0likes0CommentsBathroom Dry Pipe
First of all I want to thank everyone here for several years of entertainment, education, and ideas gained from reading this forum. Although I rarely post, I look forward to visiting the website several times a week. Here is an addition that has made the draining and flushing of my 5th-wheeler’s black-water tank quite a bit easier. I installed a dry pipe in the bathroom right next to the commode. It is used to fill the tank with additional water just prior to dumping, and to add 5 gallons or so to the emptied tank to prevent the dreaded “poo pyramid” before the next dump (no pun intended). The pipe is “dry” since it is only charged with water when the black tank is emptied. I used ½” sch.40 PVC pipe to run a line from near the dump connection on the street side, across the underbelly, then up into the bathroom next to the commode where a ½” FPT brass quarter-turn hose bibb controls water flow. The street-side end of the pipe has a ¾” female hose fitting to which my utility hose is connected. In use, a short length of ½” I.D. vinyl tubing is attached to the bibb and pointed straight down the toilet’s open waste valve to add water to the black tank. The tubing must be hand-held during this operation to prevent overfilling of the tank. Mine also has enough curl to it to prevent it from staying in the toilet and thereby eliminating the possibility of a cross-connection with fresh and waste water. When finished the utility hose is stowed and water in the pipe is allowed to drain out for a few moments, the FHT connection is plugged, the bibb is capped (even though it is unnecessary), and the vinyl tubing is put into a large ziplock bag and stored behind the commode. The vinyl has never gotten dirty so I have no qualms about storing it this way. One caution – after pressurizing the pipe, be very careful opening the quarter-turn valve to fill the black tank. The line will have air in it and can splash water in the commode which can then land in places where it doesn’t belong. Guess how I found this out. In addition, since my utility hose is also used for the tank flusher, I put a hose-end ball valve with a quick-connect fitting between the utility hose and the dry pipe inlet. When a hose switch is needed, I just turn off the ball valve to keep the line full of water, then attach the hose to the tank flush inlet via a brass 90-degree ell which is also equipped with a quick-connect fitting. A reconnect to the dry pipe will let a small amount of air back into the line but I can usually hear it coming through the pipe and close the valve a bit to eliminate splashing. Here are some pictures that should make things more understandable than my poor efforts at written explanation. I didn't like having to make multiple trips with a 5-gallon water bottle to put in the toilet prior to having to dump a short-filled tank, nor dragging a long hose inside to do the job. Perhaps someone else can benefit from this idea. Hole in the floor for 1/2" PVC pipe. Detail showing homemade drop-ear ell, bibb and cap holder Sprayed with satin finish black paint for plastic. The white cap is screwed to a 3/4"MHT x 1/2"MPT connector and used to just keep crud out of the line when not in use.5.8KViews0likes19CommentsRe: Need good quality but inexpensive in line check valves
If you have the space available you might try putting a second plastic check valve in tandem with each of your existing check valves. This double-check setup could solve your problem very inexpensively. In my prior life I worked in an oil refinery and saw many, many tandem check valve setups in various piping systems. Hope this helps.679Views0likes0CommentsRe: Over or Under?
Over, under, right, left, up, down......, my head hurts. Never had this problem with corncobs - or old Monkey Ward catalogs! Wait a moment... all those corncobs rolling around will play Hob with weight distribution, causing wide variations of tongue or pin weights, tire loading (and inflation pressure requirements), and general enjoyment of the towing experience. Not to even mention the effect of possible static electricity buildup that could cause transient magnetic fields that would......................... Never mind. I think I better go back to bed. Grit Dog, GREAT way to add a bit of humor to our day. Thanks!:B291Views0likes0CommentsRe: Self-adjusting Drum Brakes
Thanks to all who responded. I decided to order the Lippert brake assemblies which are due to arrive in a few days. Also ordered new grease seals so I can repack the bearings. Thanks especially to Mexicowanderer for the tip about wiping down the adjusting parts and pivots with anti-seize. Never would have thought of that myself. If I happen to get a visit from the folks at Publishers Clearing House with a huge check made out to me, I'll make an appointment right away to have disc brakes installed on my 5er. :)494Views0likes0Comments
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