New video on winter RVing

[bcbounders]

Hi all,

After 8 years of full-timing (and snowbirding!), we're just starting our very first winter up north. We posted a new video today about the steps involved in preparing to live in the RV in cold weather. Some of it is based on things we've learned on the forums, but since a picture is worth a thousand words, we thought a video would be a great way to sum it all up and share.

It's on our RVgeeks YouTube channel:

HOW TO: RV in the Winter - YouTube

Hope you like it.

[W4MBG]

excellent! will be watching the rest as well. great job!

[bcbounders]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W4MBG excellent! will be watching the rest as well. great job!

Thanks! Glad you liked it... and I hope you enjoy the rest of the videos, too!

[Fencebuster]

We love your videos. Have learned a lot and are so very grateful you have done more. They are some of the best we've seen.

[bcbounders]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fencebuster We love your videos. Have learned a lot and are so very grateful you have done more. They are some of the best we've seen.

Thank you very much! I'm glad you're enjoying them and getting something out of them. I've learned so much from others over the years that I felt like this was a great way to give back. I hope you continue to find them useful!

[Dave1956]

Great stuff! Thanks for making these videos. I am watching a bunch of them.

[YC1]

I just watched all of the videos. You did an excellent job of highlighting and editing. Excellent and valuable information. What program do you use to edit the video with. I have given serious thought to producing trouble shooting videos for the electrical systems.

Thanks for the great information. I really like the one about cleaning the windshield. My window is huge and a real pain to clean properly.

[bcbounders]

Quote:

Originally Posted by YC1 I just watched all of the videos. You did an excellent job of highlighting and editing. Excellent and valuable information. What program do you use to edit the video with. I have given serious thought to producing trouble shooting videos for the electrical systems. Thanks for the great information. I really like the one about cleaning the windshield. My window is huge and a real pain to clean properly.

So glad you liked them... and that you GOT something out of them, too! The glass-cleaning trick is one of my favorites, too. So many people are incredulous that you can use steel wool on glass and not scratch it to death!

I'm a Mac user... so I use iMovie to edit all my video. There are more complete, more advanced programs... but iMovie is just easy, came with my computer, and integrates with YouTube really well.

[Skunkhome]

Really liked the video. Only have one concern about the 0000 steel wool. It is extremely flammable and can/will catch fire with the slightest spark. Care must be taken in storage and used to protect it from sources of spark such as electrical sources both 12v and 110v. I usually keep it stored in a tin or Tupperware container. Other grades of steel wool such as #1 are not as prone to ignition and still deter rodents but is not suitable for cleaning glass.

[bcbounders]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skunkhome Really liked the video. Only have one concern about the 0000 steel wool. It is extremely flammable and can/will catch fire with the slightest spark. Care must be taken in storage and used to protect it from sources of spark such as electrical sources both 12v and 110v. I usually keep it stored in a tin or Tupperware container. Other grades of steel wool such as #1 are not as prone to ignition and still deter rodents but is not suitable for cleaning glass.

Wow! You learn something new every day! I just Googled this and found the following video:

BURN STEEL WOOL - YouTube

And this website showing how LITTLE it takes to get steel wool burning!

Starting fire with Steel Wool | Practical Survivor

I HAD NO IDEA!

Thanks for the info!

[Skunkhome]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcbounders Wow! You learn something new every day! I just Googled this and found the following video: BURN STEEL WOOL - YouTube And this website showing how LITTLE it takes to get steel wool burning! Starting fire with Steel Wool | Practical Survivor I HAD NO IDEA! Thanks for the info!

John, I am thinking that even putting it in a zip lock bag would practically eliminate the danger of ignition. If it gets hot enough to burn through the plastic you already have a big problem regardless of the steel wool.

[ottffss]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skunkhome John, I am thinking that even putting it in a zip lock bag would practically eliminate the danger of ignition. If it gets hot enough to burn through the plastic you already have a big problem regardless of the steel wool.

What skunk said. You need a spark to ignite the wool. A spark is not going to penetrate the bag or originate inside the bag. And double ditto with cherries on top on the much bigger problem if the wool ignites via heat.

[bcbounders]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skunkhome John, I am thinking that even putting it in a zip lock bag would practically eliminate the danger of ignition. If it gets hot enough to burn through the plastic you already have a big problem regardless of the steel wool.

Good point, Skunkhome. And for storing the steel wool, I would think that would be a great approach. However... I am using it to block mice from coming in around my sewer hose (a technique that many on these forums have advocated... probably without knowing the possibility of ignition). Mice won't chew/push through steel wool (maybe they know their teeth could cause a spark and set them & the steel wool on fire, LOL!), so it helps keep the nasty critters out! Putting it in a plastic bag in that scenario would mostly defeat the purpose.

I've read that mice also don't like the smell of peppermint... and that putting peppermint oil on cotton balls, then scattering them around any openings that mice use to enter the coach helps repel them. I may have to give that a try. Unless peppermint oil is ALSO highly flammable!

[SVTotem]

Perhaps using bronze wool rather than steel wool will solve your spark concerns. It is available at boating supply stores.

Not known by many is steel wools ability to burst into flame when subjected to a stream of pure oxygen. Anyone with medical oxygen on board should be aware of this regardless of the intended use of the steel wool.