Community Forums

05monacoer · 01-11-2012, 07:15 AM

Still somewhat new to RVing and always enjoy hearing the favorite tips or tricks from the old timers. Interesting one the other day was to put unused ice cubes down the toilet before departing camp. Cubes will slosh around to help clean the tank as we drive! Pretty creative. Thought it might be fun and helpful to start a thread where folks post a few of their favorite Class A tips or tricks.
Looking forward to reading yours!

BpK9Miami · 01-11-2012, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 05monacoer

Interesting one the other day was to put unused ice cubes down the toilet before departing camp. Cubes will slosh around to help clean the tank as we drive! Pretty creative.

When I was leaving Texas, one of my neighbors, a 5th wheel guy who's been on the road forever, told me that tale. I tried it using two bags of ice cubes (after draining the tank upon departure), and dumped it at the end of the day....incredible how it worked! I thought it was an old wives tale but alas, I am now a believer...

Long Island Mac · 01-11-2012, 07:40 AM

If TOWING a TOAD... make sure the headlight controll (if has auto on) is OFF. I dive with a full cover over grill, hood and windshield) and headlights came on, drained battery. Fellow camper had same thing happen on first tow with his new p/u. This was first tow with the new car. Old Saturn didnt have that problem. Sold it with 115,000 miles for 1700. Maybe should have kept towing the ol' girl!!

sdennislee · 01-11-2012, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Long Island Mac

If TOWING a TOAD... make sure the headlight controll (if has auto on) is OFF. I dive with a full cover over grill, hood and windshield) and headlights came on, drained battery. Fellow camper had same thing happen on first tow with his new p/u. This was first tow with the new car. Old Saturn didnt have that problem. Sold it with 115,000 miles for 1700. Maybe should have kept towing the ol' girl!!

I bet this has happened to more people that are willing to admit.

05monacoer · 01-11-2012, 08:02 AM

For that very reason, I recently put a manual cut off switch on my Saturn battery and cut off before every tow. Cheap and easy self-install... and no possibility of a dead battery!

KBolin · 01-11-2012, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 05monacoer

Interesting one the other day was to put unused ice cubes down the toilet

As apposed to used ice cubes? lol

Neumann · 01-11-2012, 12:45 PM

Have heard about the ice cube trick. Would guess it's better in the black tank than the gray.
I use one cup of Dawn dishwashing soap & 12 gallons of water in gray & black tanks twice a year. Make sure the tanks are empty first. I drive about 200 miles and then dump the tanks.
My gray guage was not working years ago but now has for years with no trouble. Dawn is a great grease cutter.

Hal

rdownward · 01-11-2012, 01:10 PM

Keeping your roof vents closed tight while driving down the road will prevent a vacuum occuring which could suck odors from the holding tanks into the interior of the coach. If you must travel with an open roof vent, open a window a crack to avoid the vacuum situation. Now, if you follow the advice of the previous posts, you probably won't have to worry about holding tank odors anyway!

Lincolnboy2 · 01-11-2012, 01:23 PM

Use quick connect brass fittings on your water hook-ups. Lots easier and less knuckle gnarling.

RickO · 01-11-2012, 01:41 PM

Dawn in both holding tanks instead of chemicals...
Ice trick works great...
No need for RV toilet paper...
Ditto to the quick disconnects on water connections (and keep a spray bottle of bleach/water to spritz all connections...
Don't use dryer sheets to remove bugs from full body paint... just re hydrate them well...

Rick

Mr_D · 01-11-2012, 02:14 PM

And Dawn isn't a "chemical"?

Do you realize that bleach mixed with water has no disinfectant properties after 24 hours according to our health department? They require tables to be cleaned with bleach water and the bleach must be mixed daily. I use straight peroxide instead.

RickO · 01-11-2012, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

And Dawn isn't a "chemical"?

Do you realize that bleach mixed with water has no disinfectant properties after 24 hours according to our health department? They require tables to be cleaned with bleach water and the bleach must be mixed daily. I use straight peroxide instead.

Points well taken Mr_D. Rather than the word "chemical" I should have used the term "commercial holding tank chemicals".

As for the bleach mixture... is the stuff in my bottle impotent 24 hours after I mix it?

Thanks

Rick

jlyon69 · 01-11-2012, 02:33 PM

If you use a product called "RV-DIGEST-IT" by a company named Unique, you can throw away your ice cubes, bleach, Dawn, and all the other stuff....oh yeah, all that cheap high priced RV TP too and use the good stuff!

RickO · 01-11-2012, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlyon69

If you use a product called "RV-DIGEST-IT" by a company named Unique, you can throw away your ice cubes, bleach, Dawn, and all the other stuff....oh yeah, all that cheap high priced RV TP too and use the good stuff!

I assume you're only talking about holding tank maintenance and not an application of bleach to disinfect fresh water hook ups?

Rick