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by RV Education 101
Inside this Issue: Mark’s Editorial (Pg 2)
This Week’s Q & A (Pg 3) This Week’s RV News (Pgs. 5-6)
Feature Article “Polk’s Top 10 RV Buying Tips” (Pg 7) This Week’s RV Buzz Quick Tips (Pg 9)
Article “How to Extend the Life of your Engine” (Pg 11) RV How-To Videos for the Do-It-Yourselfer (Pg 14)
RV Play & Learn Crossword “Cold Weather RVing” (Pg 15)
U of RV Journal #119 14 November 2011
Learning RVs the Easy Way
From the industry leader in RV Education
RV University this Week
Your RV
University
Weekly
E-newsletter
is here!
Hi Folks,
I would like to start off by thanking everybody who commented on our new
e-news format. I think the over-all consensus was the format is acceptable
with a few minor modifications. The biggest complaint we received was the
black lettering on the gray background, and links being difficult to view. I
agree on both counts and we will work on improving the new format as me
move forward.
I think one of our readers summed it best saying, “I thought the newsletter
was very well done and the format appealing to the eye. But it really is the
content that you provide that is important.”
All of your feedback & comments are greatly appreciated.
In a couple of weeks I’ll be heading to the 49th National RV Trade Show in
Louisville, Ky. I always look forward to seeing new products , getting current
updates on the “state of the RV industry”, seeing old friends and networking
with industry colleagues. I will update you on what I see and hear at the
show.
Remember: Don't give up on your dreams of exploring the country in your
RV; instead plan to make your dreams come true. Plan your RV trip, load it
up, hook it up, fuel it up and
Keep an eye out next week for our “RV How-To” e-news special edition.
Until next week, plan your trip, travel safe and enjoy your RV experiences.
Remember, getting there is half the fun!
Mark Polk
2
The moment one gives close attention to any thing,
even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious,
awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.
~Henry Miller
Question: We purchased a 29' travel trailer and
would like to purchase a generator, but I have no idea
what size generator we need to run everything in the
new trailer. If you have any information I would
appreciate the help!
This Week’s RV Bulletin Board
Answer: This is kind of like a trick question because it’s not always possible
to run everything in your travel trailer even when you are connected to a
campground electrical service. For example if you are running the roof AC
(13 amps) the water heater in the electric mode (9 amps) and the microwave
(12 amps) you will exceed a typical 30 amp electrical system found on many
travel trailers.
With that said , it really depends if the travel trailer has a 30 or 50 amp
electrical system. Let’s say it has a 30 amp electrical system, which is
basically capable of using up to 3,600 watts before encountering any
problems. 120 volts X 30 amps= 3,600 watts. Generators are rated in
kilowatts. One kilowatt is equal to 1000 watts, so if you want to be able to use
your trailer’s electrical system the way you normally would when plugged into
a 30 amp electrical service, I would recommend a 4KW or 4,000 watt
generator. 4,000 watts divided by 120 volts = 33.3 amps. Anything over this is
probably overkill.
3
Try to find a
generator that has
a built-in 30 amp
receptacle that
you can plug the
RV power cord
directly into. This
way you have
electricity from the
generator going
directly to the RV
through the RV
power cord. Some
generators just
have a couple 15
amp household
type receptacles.
In this case if you
plug into one
receptacle you
would be limited to
a 15 amp circuit.
Portable
Generator
tip
In an effort to make it easier for you to
learn about your RV we took six of
our individual DVD titles and put them
together in a full set. It is equivalent to
over five hours of one on one RV
instruction. Included in the set:
1) RV Care & Maintenance DVD
2) EZ RV Upgrades DVD
3) RV Awning Use, Care DVD
4) RV Campground Basics DVD
5) Deep Cycle Batteries DVD
6) RV Safety Features DVD
A $150.00 value for only $99.95
Click for more information>
Read the new Onan
Generator Handbook
online
4
RV News for the RV Consumer
Read my “Why are State Parks Taking the Budget Hit” article
United States Dedicates 397th National Park PATERSON, N.J. - U.S.
Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) joined National Park Service Director
Jon Jarvis and several others at Paterson Great Falls National Historical
Park for a signing ceremony to officially dedicate the site as the United
States’ 397th National Park, reports Paramus Post.
“I’m incredibly proud, as a New Jerseyan and as the son of immigrants, to
witness today’s declaration of Paterson Great Falls as a National Historic
Park,” said Senator Menendez, who fought to get the legislation
authorizing the new park approved by the Senate Energy and Natural
Resources Committee.
Budget Cuts Close Another CA State Park
The park, along with one-fourth of the state's 278
parks, have been earmarked for closure by the
state's Parks Department as it works to ax $11
million from this year's budget and that same amount
from the next year's budget.
Read the Story>
Read Mark’s
Articles on
State Park
Closures
Read my “Let your Voice be Heard on State Parks” article
5
RV News for the RV Consumer
Durango, CO KOA Selected
as 2012 KOA Campground
of the year
Own a Motorhome? Membership in FMCA brings with it a wealth of
benefits and services, all specially designed to meet
the needs of motorhome owners. The value of these
benefits and services far exceeds the cost of the
annual dues. Click for info
Would Permanent Daylight Savings Boost Tourism?
The tourism argument is that extra daylight in the evening hours would
make people more likely to visit parks and other attractions. "In a
nutshell, it would extend the spring and fall shoulder seasons for the
tourism industry," said Kurt Janson, policy director at the Tourism Alliance
a lead organization in the United Kingdom's Campaign for Daylight
Saving. "There would be more usable daylight in the evening hours,
when people are out and about and attractions are open.“
Read the Story>
A KOA Campground, owned by Carol and Jay Coates, was selected
Monday as the Kampgrounds of America 2012 Campground of the Year.
The award was presented during the opening day of KOA's annual
convention at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
The Coates have owned the Durango KOA for the past 20 years. During
that time, they have worked tirelessly to make the Durango KOA one of
the jewels of the Kampgrounds of America system of more than 475
campgrounds in North America, said Pat Hittmeier, KOA president.
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This Week’s Feature Article
Buying an RV is a major investment, similar to your home or automobile. It
is extremely important that you make educated, well informed RV buying
decisions. When you purchase an RV it's easy to overlook something,
forget to check something, or most importantly not be properly informed
about something. Whatever the case may be you don't realize it until after
you buy it, and then it’s too late. For those of you in the market for an RV I
want to offer my top 10 tips to assist you in buying your RV.
Read the Article> 7
RV Buying Resources
Insider’s Guide to Buying an RV book
Insider’s Guide to Buying an RV E-book
RV Buyer’s Survival Guide book
RV Buyer’s Survival Guide e-book
Learn everything you need to know about buying an RV before
you buy it & save thousands of dollars in the process.
Click Here for
more great RV
Buying Resources
8
RV Buzz Quick Tips
RV Buzz Tip #1
RV Buzz Tip #2
Click to Research Vehicle Tow Guides 1999 thru 2011
RV Buzz Tip #3
Did you know that your tires can lose up to 2 psi
of air pressure every month? That means if the
RV is in storage for 3 or 4 months the tires
could be seriously under inflated. Try to get in a
habit checking tire pressure before each trip
you take with your RV. Don’t forget to check
your automobile tires periodically too.
Performing routine maintenance on your
generator assures years of reliable service.
Maintenance schedules for generators are
based on usage. Monitor the hour meter gauge
and refer to the generator owner’s manual for
recommended service intervals. It’s nice to
know that the generator will start and run
properly when you need it.
Every single component in a towing system
has a weight rating. This includes the vehicle,
the receiver on the vehicle, the hitch, hitch
balls, ball mounts and safety chains and
cables. Never exceed the lowest rated
component in the towing system. This applies
to a truck towing a trailer and a motorhome
towing a dinghy.
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Stay Connected to RV Education 101
10
How To Extend the Life of your Engine
To learn more about this product click to watch the video
There are probably more than 20 ways you
can extend the life of your RV or automobile
’s engine, but we are going to narrow the list
down to what I consider to be my top 7.
When all you hear every day is how poorly
the economy is doing it only makes sense to
buckle down and take better care of what
you already own.
A little bit of Preventive Maintenance (PM) now can pay big dividends in the
long run. What’s that old saying? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure! So what can we do to extend the life of our vehicle engine? Let’s take
a look.
1) Routine Oil and Oil Filter Changes: This is number one on my list. I
have known people who I think change their engine oil and filter more
frequently than is needed, but it is usually the other way around. You should
follow the vehicle manufacturer guidelines for changing the engine oil and
filter. If at all possible try to change the oil and oil filter prior to any long term
storage. Acids accumulate in used oil and can corrode the engine bearings.
Don’t forget the generator oil and filter too.
2) Help your Engine Breathe: A dirty or clogged air filter can rob life from
your engine. When the engine can breathe properly it not only lasts longer
but it is more fuel efficient. Recommendations for checking and replacing air
filters are normally based on driving conditions. It only takes a couple
minutes to check the air filter. I check mine when I change the engine oil,
and it gets replaced if it’s dirty.
Continued next page
11
How To Extend the Life of your Engine cont.
3) Pay Attention to Service Intervals: The manufacturer
recommends service intervals for a reason. You guessed it, to
maximize efficiency and extend the life of the engine. Whether it’s a
diesel or gasoline engine it’s important that you pay attention, and
follow these recommended service intervals. If you don’t perform
your own routine maintenance find a local dealership or repair shop
you can trust and set the vehicle up on a routine service schedule.
4) Keep it Running Cool: Just like clean engine oil lubricates
moving parts and extends the engines life, clean engine antifreeze
helps the major components of the engine stay cool and extends the
engines life. Follow the engine manufacturer guidelines for flushing
and replacing the coolant (make sure you use the proper type of
coolant for the engine) and every time you lift the hood check the
coolant level and inspect coolant hoses for any damage. Coolant
hoses deteriorate from the inside out. Inspect all hoses for wear,
cracks, soft spots, brittle areas and leaks. Replace any damaged
hoses or clamps as required.
Read my “Why Replace your Automobile Antifreeze “Article
5) Perform Pre-Trip Checks: Before moving the RV make the
following checks concerning the engine. Check all fluid levels in the
transmission, power steering, engine coolant, engine oil, windshield
washer and brake fluid. Consult your vehicle owner’s manual for
proper levels. Start the engine, allow it to reach operating
temperature and check for proper readings on all gauges. Look
under the vehicle for any signs of leaks. Have any leaks checked
out and repaired before using the vehicle.
Continued next page
12
6) Driving is Important Too: Smart drivers can extend the life of their
vehicle engine. Watching RPM’s, knowing when to shift gears and
monitoring gauges all contribute to extending the life of your engine. Always
warm an engine up before driving. Don’t race a cold engine; accelerate
slowly until the engine is up to operating temperature. Avoid quick starts and
fast stops whenever possible. Always monitor your gauges and if a gauge is
reading outside of the normal operating range pull over when it is safe and
have it checked/repaired.
7) Proper Storage Procedures: Proper storage procedures can extend the
life of your engine, whereas improper procedures can harm the life of your
engine. I already mentioned that changing the oil and oil filter prior to long
term storage (say 4 or more months) can help you engine. Acids accumulate
in used oil and can corrode the engine bearings. Start the engine
periodically when the motorhome is in storage and run it until it reaches
operating temperature. Fill the fuel tank and add a fuel preservative to the
tank. Run the engine and generator long enough to get the preservative
through the fuel system. Protect the engine compartment from critters.
Squirrels and mice love to chew on plastic, rubber and anything else they
can find, and a vehicle engine compartment makes a safe and cozy winter
home. If the motorhome is stored outside I recommend starting the engine
more often to deter these critters from calling it home. Exercise the
generator on a regular basis. When you run the generator make sure there
is at least a ½ rated load on it. Check your generator owner’s manual for
instructions on exercising it.
I mentioned earlier that there are many other factors that can help extend
the life of your engine, but I think these are some of the most important. If
any one of these items is not properly maintained it could end up costing
you thousands of dollars in repair bills. Maintaining your RV & auto’s engine
is not that difficult to do and in times of uncertainty it is what I would call
cheap insurance. RV101
How To Extend the Life of your Engine cont.
13
U of RV “How To” Videos
Click Here
to Play
Discover some EZ to use
RV sewer hose fittings
Click Here
to Play
Discover the Benefits of a
Digital Tire Pressure Gauge?
Digital Tire Pressure Gauge
14
Cold Weather RVing Crossword
Play & Learn RV Crossword Puzzle
Click
To Play
15
We hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of the U of RV e-newsletter.
We want our e-newsletters to be fun & enjoyable to read, but more importantly
we want them to be educational. If there are topics you would like to see in
future issues e-mail me at [email protected] and let me know what
they are.
Keep an eye out next week for a special “RV How-To” e-news edition.
Happy RV Learning
Mark & Dawn Polk
ENJOY YOUR RV: Don’t
give up on your dreams of
exploring the country in
your RV; instead plan to
make your dreams come
true. You worked hard to
buy the RV, now you need
to work just as hard on
enjoying your RV. Plan
your RV trip, load it up,
hook it up, fuel it up
and…
U of RV E-Newsletter
16
Our goal with this RV e-newsletter is to provide you with helpful information to
make all of your RV experiences more enjoyable. I left my position as an RV Sales
and F&I manager in 2000 to start my own company, RV Education 101. We
produce RV educational videos, DVDs and e-books on how to safely &
properly use and maintain your RV. The reason I left my job was due to my
concern over the lack of educational and safety awareness material available to
the RV consumer, in other words, you.
My wife Dawn left her position in RV sales to help start the company and is our
Sales and Marketing Director. We currently have a 35-foot Class A motor home.
We have two boys, Tyler 14 and Josh 21, both avid RVers and three dogs, Roxie,
Gracie and Buck.
Copyright , Mark J. Polk except where indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved
worldwide. Reprint only with permission from copyright holder(s). All trademarks
are the property of their respective owners. All content provided as is. Not all
content is the opinion of the e-newsletter editorial staff or RV Education 101.
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If you would like to learn more about us and RV Education 101 please visit
www.rveducation101.com
RV Education 101
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17
2011 Media Kit
www.koa.com
www.campingworld.com
www.equalizerhitch.com
www.dicor.com
www.direclink.com
www.maxxair.com
www.valterra.com
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