Let’s talk a little more about water pressure. I have found that most places I go to do not have enough pressure. So, what I do is fill my fresh water tank and use my water pump and the pressure is always perfect! Plus, you never have to worry about the pressure being to high or low anymore with all the things you mentioned in the video. If I’m at a place for a long period of time and my tank runs empty, then grab the hose and fill it back up. I have found this to be the best way for us.
Jared I cannot begin to thank you enough. We decided a few months ago we wanted to take our kids on an adventure and start full time rving. Your videos have educated and inspired me, so thank you! See you on the road!
I have the same awning as you. That awning is supposed to be self shedding. The arms will "buckle" on purpose to dump water. Pulling one side down works better, though. I always pull the back side down, so the excess water is going away from where people walk. Not only does it make it less likely to get soaked, but it means most of the mud is at the back of the campsite.
Yep, my understanding is that the whole shock absorber design was invented because people didn't know you had to tilt them, so they came up with the auto dumping design. Plus, most of the new awnings are so high off the ground that you need a step ladder to reach them to try and lower one side.
Jared. Wife and I gave up the RV hunt about a year ago. It was paralysis by analysis. We were both 70+ with no experience and were just overwhelmed . But about 4 months ago we were just randomly watching one of your videos and we said, “Why not, now?”. I will say this is inspired by the grandkids as well. So we are waiting on our ordered TT. I’ve ordered probably 40% of the stuff we need and it’s filling up the garage.Bought stuff on your list. There will be more. It would be great if you could do a video explaining the transition from the beginning RV (blue Camco) filter to the single larger filter and then double filter you showed in this video. Cost analysis, how long the filters last, pros of spending the extra $ etc. We’ve already have the beginners to start with. Anyways thanks for your experience. We have a short window still left but it’s not too late.
Congrats, use the wait time to read up on things, and make sure your dealer gives you a VERY thorough orientation, have them hook up the water with you, both city water and tank filling hook up the power, test EVERYTHING, the heat, the air conditioning, the stove, oven, microwave, the hot water, the fridge, the lights, the stabilizers, the waste dumping hose connection, the low point drain. Is there a fuse or breaker for the 12V system? Where is it? How do you reset it? Where are the batteries? Where is the low point drain? How do you operate the slides, the awning, the steps, the weight distributing hitch? Make sure they have a FEW HOURS dedicated to explaining this all to you. Before you leave the lot is the time to find out that the microwave doesn’t work when the hot water or electric fireplace is on (common issue people run into) or that there’s no power to the outlet in the bathroom, etc etc. I am active on a forum for our type of RV and we see questions by new owners every day that are very basic and should have been covered by the dealer. Come with a list of questions. I’ll say it again, do this before the last paper is signed and while you still have leverage over the dealership, while it is still in their interest that you are satisfied. Don’t let the excitement of your new toy blind your judgement and let them rush you. You’ll get off on the right foot and be set up for success. I hope this helped. Happy travels!
To add to Jeremy's comments... I took a video of my walk through so I would remember everything I was shown. So thankful that I did. I've been living full-time in my 5th wheel for a year now and these videos have helped me so much!
Watt hours vs. Amp hours, yes, you are providing good information and I totally agree with the sentiment. After all, what you really want to know is how much power (Watts) you have, not how many electrons (Amps). Thanks for the video.
Thank you for this video, especially the part about awnings and rain. I am relatively new to using a 5th Wheel, and the other evening, I was sitting inside enjoying some southern coastal summer rain in the Oregon forest with my awning fully extended, and boom, there was a thunderous sound. I thought it was thunder, but then, looking out, I saw the awning sag toward one side and then dumped a large amount of water onto the ground. I thought that somehow the awning couldn't drain the water due to some blockage and I had damaged the retracting arm. Still, I was able to reset it only to have it happen a week later again with another unusual summer downpour, which is why I searched for and found your video with your excellent advice about retracting it to a minimum when rain is in the forecast. Thanks to your viewers who shared information about the self-shedding quick-release dump feature. Many thanks, and from now on, I will retract more and release before it releases on its own, which seems to stress the hardware more than it should .
If you have an "old fashioned" 6 gallon water heater in your Reflection, before turning on the water heater install a pressure meter anywhere in the cold water system (even attached to the low point drain for a short time for testing). Then turn on the hot water heater and monitor the pressure--I think you'll be shocked at high it increases due to the hot water expansion. Cracking open a hot water faucet for just a moment will drop the pressure back to the inlet pressure (which is controlled by the exterior pressure regulator). I installed a small expansion tank to alleviate the problem in the hopes of avoiding a water leak. (I've also replaced all the soft hose lines in my Reflection with Pex--except for the black tank lines.)
One thing I didn’t realize is that when your rv batteries are low, don’t push the button to roll the awning in. I did and didn’t clue in that even though it took about 3 minutes to roll in u burned out the awning motor. Now it will cost Over $800 to replace that tiny motor. Lesson learned…. Hook up to a running truck before bringing in awning on low battery days! Love you videos. Always insightful!
Another great video. Regarding the awning, we made a support with pvc pipe and fittings. Used two ratchet straps to anchor to stakes. Held up under 30-40 mph winds in Sturgis. Maybe sometime I’ll do a video on the contraption.
I’ve woken up more than a few times to a middle-of-the-night wind storm that sounded like it was going to rip our awning off the side of the camper. We have a pretty traditional style awning so our method is to swing the legs down to the ground and then ratchet strap to those large corkscrew anchors or, better yet, to the truck or a tree or something else solid.
Until I learned the awnings were tilted for rain, I thought all the awnings were poorly made and all the tilted awnings in the campground were broken already. Then I learned!!!
Thanks for another great video. I watched it a few months ago, and during my last trip, we encountered a couple of rainy days. I pitched and slanted the awning as you demonstrated and it working perfectly. Thanks again. 😀
Another great video! Might want to mention that with awning arms like that you can retract the awning with the arm bent down on one side without try to push that arm straight.
Good tip on the awning. Over 12-years ago, when we first starting camping with a small 18-footer trailer, I forgot to bring in the awning at night and in the middle of the night a storm came through and the wind pushed it around and we woke up thinking a bear was pushing on the trailer! We never left it out after that! (And after rain, it's important to dry out your awning as soon as possible else mildew can grow in there.)
Just a heads up folks. Awning material has a really long lead time. Just had ours replaced. It was ordered beginning of February, material didn’t arrive until April 29. With those long lead times I’d error on the side of caution when leaving my awning out. And thanks for the link to the pressure regulator! Going to purchase one
Wow that’s nuts! I wonder if it’s supplier dependent? I just ordered two from an aftermarket supplier (still based in Elkhart Indiana where most rv manufacturers are) two weeks ago and I had them in 3 business days. Maybe because it wasn’t through the RV manufacturer?
Jared, as usual, another fine video. Nice tip on your awning, we will adopt that for our rig. I do have to counter your idea for measuring everything in watts. Watts are a function of voltage and amperage, per Ohm's Law and Watt's Law (aka The Power Formula). The problem is that DVOMs don't measure in terms of wattage, they measure in volts, ohms, and amps. So if you are troubleshooting your system, trying to figure out if you have a parasitic draw issue or some such, you would have to know the wattage of every item in your rig. Bulbs, pumps, motors, TV's, inverter/chargers, the list goes on and on. Then you still have to do the math to figure out if you have a problem. However, if everything is still measured in terms of amps, the math for Ohm's Law is simple and universal. I struggle with the concept that people who use golf cart batteries don't know they are only 6-volt, and that you need 2 in order to make a 12-volt system work. I know Tesla owners will be up on arms over this, but since they are not in 12-volt systems, either, (at 350-375 VDC), wattage is easier for them since the voltage is so high. But we are talking RVs. The 12-volt side is easy math to do if you know your times tables.
How are you wiring the 2 6-volt batteries to make 12 volts? Is that series or parrellel? I've forgotten, one way yields 12 volts, the other allows more amps at 6 volts.
Pressure regulators - There is a lot of confusion among RV'ers with tankless water heaters. These new water heaters need to sense a flow rate to activate. Many people are having problems with using pressure regulators because they think it creates too low of pressure for the water heater to kick on. Many people stop using the regulators all together because they cannot get hot water with it installed. What these people are missing is that they need a high-flow pressure regulator. Lots of confusion between pressure and flow.
@@jimbeaver27 our tankless actually doesn't turn on at the kitchen sink with the standard (government mandated) flow regulator. Once the flow regulator is removed it activates the water heater. There are also problems with waterfall faucets used on higher end models, as they don't have enough flow either.
Another thing with amp hours is what an amp hour really is. Typically a lot of people believe a 115 amp hour battery will last 1 hour at 115 amps of draw or it will last 115 hours if only 1 amp is being drawn. However this is not so. The industry rates it like this: Its based on a 20 hour period. 115 divided by 20 will give you 5.75. So that means if you are drawing 5.75 amps, in 20 hours the battery will be dead. This being if you start at a full charge of 12.7 volts. Two 12 volt batteries wired parallel will double this equation.
I'm in the market to buy my first RV and I've been trying to educate myself as much as possible before buying by either watching UA-cam videos like yours or reading various blogs thank you immensely you have a new subscriber here.
I agree with the Ah / Wh conversation, and the change will happen because of further electrification. If you make the change in your videos and posts, you will see the change in time. Perhaps a bit of work to update comments in older posts, but worth it in the long run. Awning lessons are hard to learn - it is annoying, but we just got used to closing them up (we have a rear door, so an additional awning there) even for a short hike, as wind comes up any time! The regulator issue is easily solved by boondocking. That said, this is one element that I find so many dealers are not prepared to facilitate.
My awning has a sensor that automatically rolls it in if it senses wind and has three settings for the wind, it’s great not having to worry about it and yes I have tested it to make sure it will retract. Don’t forget that just because all the hoses etc outside can handle the water pressure doesn’t mean the internal connections to the faucets can handle the pressure without leaking.
@@CozyQueenAdventures it’s called a Solera Smart Arm and has this sensor as one of its options that can be bought from Solera. I don’t think it would work with any other type of awning other Han the smart arm.
Love your B~roll in this video. Very crisp and good use of slo mo. Appropriately placed in the edit to correspond with your speaking points. Great video!
Watt hours is definitely the way to go. EV batteries are rated in kWh. I'm just starting in RVs and I've learned so much from your videos. Also spent a lot too! I noticed your water filter is laying in the bay. Any issues with it at that orientation vs standing upright and fixed? I built a 3 stage filter set up from similar components.
Great video! I like the Bottle Jack Buddy. It's a nifty 100% USA made bottle jack accessory (for like $60 bucks). Powder coated and goes right on your bottle jack piston and then hugs the axle. Probably the safest and easiest way to jack up an RV to change a tire quickly.
When we picked up our new TT and were doing the walkaround they told us that the manufacturers still consider the awning to be a "sunshade" and should be retracted in heavy rains.
3:47 but wouldn't it be better to shed the water away from the entrance? Better to lower the rear end of the awning than the front imo, but this is still a great tip
You have your awning bent toward the front where the door and the entrance is. That means the water is going to shed and you're going to be walking through mud or getting dumped on if you're trying to get into the rig. You should have the opposite so it sheds toward the back of the rig where you never go. I learned my lesson the very first time right after I bought the thing it was raining like crazy and I noticed it was holding a lot of water so I figured out the bend the frame trick toward the back of the rig and gallons of water came dumping down almost on top of me. Also everybody's buying these fancy schmancy pressure regulators you could just get a cheaper one without a gauge because most places don't have that higher pressure. Never had a problem with hoses bursting.
I’m chicken, so I always just fill my water tank and run off the tank with the pump in the motorhome. I always have the same pressure. Thank you for the video.
We left our awning out during Florida rainy season and came home to a broken awning. Also, love the tip about the pressure regulator and freezing weather! Miss bumping into you out on the road!
@@AllAboutRVs Yes - house done and we're working to get it customized to our liking - but it's a tough battle to customize a cookie cutter house. Daughter is craving life on the road again but son absolutely loves the space and stability of 'sticks n bricks' life. We'll be back on the road someday - but will live through others in the meantime ;)
I enjoy your videos and learn lots. Hoping to expand how often and far we travel as we get closer to retirement. We have our longest trip (distance) planned for June. Normally we just go to one campground for 10-12 days. 1) No issues with Amp Hours over Watt Hours as we are on Shore Power nearly 100% of the time (Campground Power Outage!) 2) Awning. We always set our so that water can easily shed when we set it up. We even chose which way we want the water to go. One of these days we may get caught leaving our Awning out, as it is not easy to put In and Out, and we always have things below it (i.e. Toaster, Kettle ...) 3) We have only once had Water Hookup, but we do have a regulator. We almost always camp on Electricity Only camp sites. I know you are Full Time Campers. What percentage of your time do you spend on Full Hookups. Partial or Boondocking.
They make a wind sensor for awnings. Depending on the awning you have you may be able to add the sensor. I had to replace one of the arms to add the sensor but it's saved my awning more than once!
Haven’t read All the comments yet, but do suggest trying to always make the sloped side of the awning on the side farthest from the entry door - For two reasons. 1, on a non-fifth wheel RV, sloping the side closest to the door, can cause the door to rub on the awing whenever open/closed - which is Bad for the awning. 2, the closer to the door the water is draining off the awning, the more water here will be near the entrance/tracked in. But, sometimes the natural slope of the ground Will require sloping the awning on the door side, to keep the water running off the awning from running Towards the entrance of the RV. Each RV site, can require a Different technique…
My batteries do not have AH ratings on the label. And yes, I asked on several levels. They are 12V group 27 DC marine from Walmart. HELP if you have a few moments. I find your videos VERY helpful and have saved many😊
From what you say, I'd guess 100Ah, or 1200 watt hours. It's very important to know that standard batteries should not be taken below half. So you're really looking at 600Wh.
It would be SO COOL if the industry would talk watt hours...its not so much confusing IF you really get it...but the way they rate appliances and such, or battery/generators, its not consistent.
Power in a battery is volts (6, 12, etc.) and how many watts, and for how long the battery will last. It's REALLY easy not to "times things" or do long division, if you decide to compare everything in ONE voltage. For ease and convenience let's go with 12V. A 12V setup will deliver 1/10 the power of a 120V setup of similar wattage. A 6V setup will deliver 1/2 the power of a 12V setup of similar wattage. A 24V setup will deliver 2x the power of a 12V setup of similar wattage. Batteries connected in series (plus to minus, next plus to minus) - ADD the voltages. 2x6V=12V, etc. Batteries connected in parallel (plus to plus, minus to minus) - Add the wattage. 2x235W batteries in parallel=470W, You can either do that, or always express the energy as you suggest, in WH or KWH, but then you're ALWAYS doing the math, on the battery side AND on the load side. Save yourself the "effort" and settle on a standard voltage. Then you can just compare amps. 12V works for 12V systems. 24V works great for 24V systems. If you have an inverter to go to 120V then it's 1/10th the amps of 12V or 1/5 the amps of 24V. If you use an inverter, downconverter, MPPT, or transformer realize you will lose between 8-15% of the power, which will come out as heat. If the device (inverter, transformer, etc.) is INSIDE the RV you will lose an additional 10-20% because your cooling system will need to evac that hot air outside. I'm in Arizona. In an Alaskan or Michigan winter that might be considered "free heating." When siizing your cables, size them for amps. If they are not big enough (gauge wise) and you don't want to rewire, see about switching to a size up in Voltage. So if you have a 12V system and too many amps are running through your wire... switch it to a 24V system and your amps will go down 50% (and so will heat loss in cables)... but devices that don't work on 24V will need something to convert 24V-->12V. I've avoided adding "AC" or "DC" because it's all DC except for what comes out of the inverter (AC) and what some specific appliances need (microwave, residential fridge or freezer - AC). No need to bother with all that jargon and math for two appliances. Strings of batteries -- you put some number of batteries in series to get a higher voltage. That's a string of batteries. It's easy to wire, effective to use, until one fails. What you can do is have multiple strings of the same voltage, and wire them in parallel. That way you get the total voltage of one series, but double the amps (and wattage and KWH) of one string. That and a good BMS that alerts you is reliable, redundant, and easy to maintain. Before I hit that "submit" button... remember you need more Volts than a battery (or string) to charge it. So your typical car alternator floats at around 14-15V to charge a 12V battery. Your typical solar setup needs to generate a bit more than 24V to charge a 24V string of batteries, and same for 48V. If you anticipate traveling where 100% sunlight AND cool temps aren't a full-time thing, downsize your battery voltage and let your MPPT controller have an easier time charging 24V strings from 48V cells. Batteries derate in heat. Transformers derate in heat. Solar cells derate in heat. Circuit breakers derate in heat. What that means is if you need a certain number of watts every hour... ensure your system can provide that PLUS the amount it will lose to functioning in heat. See comment above "but if you put them inside you'll have to cool them." That can be a 15%-20% loss and most electricians suggest using the 20% number for safety. I hope that helps people understand how to (not) work the numbers:)
The awning arms are designed to spring down under rain weight to unload the sitting water. It is better to tilt the awning under constant rain so at least you know where the water is going. Would be funny to be standing in the wrong spot at the wrong time!
I’m a retired insurance agent and the number one claim I had for RV’s was the destroyed awnings. I am very selective about using my awnings because like you said you never know when the wind is going to kick up. In my opinion NEVER leave the awning out when not at the campsite, that’s when things happen. Another thing, I saw the way you had your awning tilted for the accumulating rain. Wouldn’t it be better to tilt on the other side away from your entry door? Could be pretty wet over there going in and out.
I was going to say the same thing about tilting the opposite side (opposite of the entry door.) When our awning is tilted on the door side, the door will touch/sweep the awning when it's opened/closed (unnecessary wear on the awning.) But, even without that concern, tilting your rainwater in the door side means that you are kinda dumping water on your head as you approach/depart the camper, and pool ground water near your entry steps, too.
Thanks for the tips and recommendations. I have the regulator like you have, but will be getting one of the pressure dials to know what the pressure is at the source.
Pressure in a campground can also fluctuate! I like the initial testing, though. That's a great idea. I have such a hard time "understanding" my pressure regulator (just like yours). There's a screw in there to adjust it, but... sometimes it has no effect, and I'm wondering, always, "the number went down, is that good? Should it go up, because I'm 'restricting' more?"
I’d like to see a campground with over 60 lbs water pressure? Most campgrounds atleast in Michigan are less than 40lbs. The awning tip was kinda strange also? Tip one end down so water runs off on this style awning doesn’t make sense with the gas piston struts? They release when the water weight overloads the pistons just like pulling down on a SUV back hatchback door?
Good advice. I destroyed a green Clear2o pre-filter by mistakenly installing my water pressure regulator after the filter and connecting to a 90psi water spigot at the Valley of Fires campground in NM. It could have been much worse, if I left off the regulator and one of the pipes burst inside the walls of my MH instead of the filter rupturing. I won't make that mistake again.
Here is a thought to consider- we love boondocking. I put my water filter in my RV after the tank and pump and city/Rv water selector as when I fill my tank I want chlorinated city water in my tank to prevent anything from growing. If you filter it in the line before it entered your RV of fills your tankfilling your tank then there is no chlorine to prevent things from growing in your tank and you could end up using less than totally clean and pure water. Any thoughts about this being another thing many RVers do wrong?
With regards to batteries, whether watt hours or amp hours are used is not the biggest issue...the real issue is what percentage of amp hours or watt hours can actually be used before rwcharging...for example, with a lead acid battery you can use a max of 50%...if more is used it will harm the battery
I've often wondered if anyone ever developed a sensor that would automatically retract the awnings if the wind picked up and jostled the arms too much.
I've always looked at the relation that Amp hours and Watt hours have in common with one other thing... The Metric vs Standard debate. One statement is true about both of them and that one of them are a lot easier to understand. 10.5mm is just that, 10.5mm. Now, if you convert it to standard we don't say .4134" well, I do because I'm a machinist but people would just say 13/32". Then we have weird fractions, when will you ever use 7/9ths? Fractions are idiotic when you think of it and metric is king.
My awning won't work like yours...I pull one side down and it goes right back up. I miss the old style with a locking knob...far superior to this new system
always tilt your awning toward the back of your camper not the front, most times your going out to get in your vehicle and you dont want the downpour draining on your head.
got a 10kwh system and when asked to translate in amp hours so I did the reasonable thing and said I have about 200 Ah @ 48, they were adamant that it's basically useless for the stuff I'm trying to power. Well I believe it's useless to even try at this point. I simply started claiming I have 800Ah to make it easier.
Jared great video. I was told by an rv sales person that if you put the kink in the Awning arm that you want to make sure and push it back up right before you bring your awning in. Also I noticed that you were using a ZeroG hose from the Spicket to your filter instead of a white hose. Can you do that because of your filter which then takes out any impurities and therefore you don’t need a white hose.
Let’s talk a little more about water pressure. I have found that most places I go to do not have enough pressure. So, what I do is fill my fresh water tank and use my water pump and the pressure is always perfect! Plus, you never have to worry about the pressure being to high or low anymore with all the things you mentioned in the video. If I’m at a place for a long period of time and my tank runs empty, then grab the hose and fill it back up. I have found this to be the best way for us.
Jared I cannot begin to thank you enough. We decided a few months ago we wanted to take our kids on an adventure and start full time rving. Your videos have educated and inspired me, so thank you! See you on the road!
I have the same awning as you. That awning is supposed to be self shedding. The arms will "buckle" on purpose to dump water. Pulling one side down works better, though. I always pull the back side down, so the excess water is going away from where people walk. Not only does it make it less likely to get soaked, but it means most of the mud is at the back of the campsite.
Bingo...
Came here to say this… both this’s actually.
I’ll cut slack on the direction he tilted it since the rear of the awning was up against a tree
Yep, my understanding is that the whole shock absorber design was invented because people didn't know you had to tilt them, so they came up with the auto dumping design. Plus, most of the new awnings are so high off the ground that you need a step ladder to reach them to try and lower one side.
Jared.
Wife and I gave up the RV hunt about a year ago. It was paralysis by analysis. We were both 70+ with no experience and were just overwhelmed . But about 4 months ago we were just randomly watching one of your videos and we said, “Why not, now?”. I will say this is inspired by the grandkids as well. So we are waiting on our ordered TT. I’ve ordered probably 40% of the stuff we need and it’s filling up the garage.Bought stuff on your list. There will be more. It would be great if you could do a video explaining the transition from the beginning RV (blue Camco) filter to the single larger filter and then double filter you showed in this video. Cost analysis, how long the filters last, pros of spending the extra $ etc. We’ve already have the beginners to start with. Anyways thanks for your experience. We have a short window still left but it’s not too late.
Congrats, use the wait time to read up on things, and make sure your dealer gives you a VERY thorough orientation, have them hook up the water with you, both city water and tank filling hook up the power, test EVERYTHING, the heat, the air conditioning, the stove, oven, microwave, the hot water, the fridge, the lights, the stabilizers, the waste dumping hose connection, the low point drain. Is there a fuse or breaker for the 12V system? Where is it? How do you reset it? Where are the batteries? Where is the low point drain? How do you operate the slides, the awning, the steps, the weight distributing hitch? Make sure they have a FEW HOURS dedicated to explaining this all to you. Before you leave the lot is the time to find out that the microwave doesn’t work when the hot water or electric fireplace is on (common issue people run into) or that there’s no power to the outlet in the bathroom, etc etc. I am active on a forum for our type of RV and we see questions by new owners every day that are very basic and should have been covered by the dealer. Come with a list of questions. I’ll say it again, do this before the last paper is signed and while you still have leverage over the dealership, while it is still in their interest that you are satisfied. Don’t let the excitement of your new toy blind your judgement and let them rush you. You’ll get off on the right foot and be set up for success. I hope this helped. Happy travels!
To add to Jeremy's comments... I took a video of my walk through so I would remember everything I was shown. So thankful that I did. I've been living full-time in my 5th wheel for a year now and these videos have helped me so much!
Watt hours vs. Amp hours, yes, you are providing good information and I totally agree with the sentiment. After all, what you really want to know is how much power (Watts) you have, not how many electrons (Amps). Thanks for the video.
I completely agree with you on Watt Hours, please make this the new standard.
Thank you for this video, especially the part about awnings and rain. I am relatively new to using a 5th Wheel, and the other evening, I was sitting inside enjoying some southern coastal summer rain in the Oregon forest with my awning fully extended, and boom, there was a thunderous sound. I thought it was thunder, but then, looking out, I saw the awning sag toward one side and then dumped a large amount of water onto the ground. I thought that somehow the awning couldn't drain the water due to some blockage and I had damaged the retracting arm. Still, I was able to reset it only to have it happen a week later again with another unusual summer downpour, which is why I searched for and found your video with your excellent advice about retracting it to a minimum when rain is in the forecast. Thanks to your viewers who shared information about the self-shedding quick-release dump feature. Many thanks, and from now on, I will retract more and release before it releases on its own, which seems to stress the hardware more than it should .
Thank you so much for the awning instruction.....we finally got the tilt!!!!!!!!
If you have an "old fashioned" 6 gallon water heater in your Reflection, before turning on the water heater install a pressure meter anywhere in the cold water system (even attached to the low point drain for a short time for testing). Then turn on the hot water heater and monitor the pressure--I think you'll be shocked at high it increases due to the hot water expansion. Cracking open a hot water faucet for just a moment will drop the pressure back to the inlet pressure (which is controlled by the exterior pressure regulator). I installed a small expansion tank to alleviate the problem in the hopes of avoiding a water leak. (I've also replaced all the soft hose lines in my Reflection with Pex--except for the black tank lines.)
One thing I didn’t realize is that when your rv batteries are low, don’t push the button to roll the awning in. I did and didn’t clue in that even though it took about 3 minutes to roll in u burned out the awning motor. Now it will cost Over $800 to replace that tiny motor. Lesson learned…. Hook up to a running truck before bringing in awning on low battery days! Love you videos. Always insightful!
Thank you so much for the explanations. I can't tell you how often I get all the electrical stuff confused.
Another great video. Regarding the awning, we made a support with pvc pipe and fittings. Used two ratchet straps to anchor to stakes. Held up under 30-40 mph winds in Sturgis.
Maybe sometime I’ll do a video on the contraption.
I’ve woken up more than a few times to a middle-of-the-night wind storm that sounded like it was going to rip our awning off the side of the camper. We have a pretty traditional style awning so our method is to swing the legs down to the ground and then ratchet strap to those large corkscrew anchors or, better yet, to the truck or a tree or something else solid.
I am a seasonal camper, have my awning tied down with straps and a pair of spiral stakes. Has worked well for the past 3 years
Until I learned the awnings were tilted for rain, I thought all the awnings were poorly made and all the tilted awnings in the campground were broken already. Then I learned!!!
Ours won't stay down. What do we need to do that? Tighten it up?
Such a simple, great idea...the pressure-test gauge used before hooking to the water-system.
Thanks
Thanks for another great video. I watched it a few months ago, and during my last trip, we encountered a couple of rainy days. I pitched and slanted the awning as you demonstrated and it working perfectly. Thanks again. 😀
Another great video! Might want to mention that with awning arms like that you can retract the awning with the arm bent down on one side without try to push that arm straight.
Good tip on the awning. Over 12-years ago, when we first starting camping with a small 18-footer trailer, I forgot to bring in the awning at night and in the middle of the night a storm came through and the wind pushed it around and we woke up thinking a bear was pushing on the trailer! We never left it out after that! (And after rain, it's important to dry out your awning as soon as possible else mildew can grow in there.)
Thanks for all your videos...I m a newbie and have learned so much from you!!
Thanks for getting rid of that annoying background music while you explain things. Loved the video!
Just a heads up folks. Awning material has a really long lead time. Just had ours replaced. It was ordered beginning of February, material didn’t arrive until April 29. With those long lead times I’d error on the side of caution when leaving my awning out.
And thanks for the link to the pressure regulator! Going to purchase one
Wow that’s nuts! I wonder if it’s supplier dependent? I just ordered two from an aftermarket supplier (still based in Elkhart Indiana where most rv manufacturers are) two weeks ago and I had them in 3 business days. Maybe because it wasn’t through the RV manufacturer?
Fantastic information and I totally agree with the battery amp hour standard.
Jared, Thank you for your videos. I just bought a new 5th wheel and your section on the canopy will help. Keep up the great work.
Jared, as usual, another fine video. Nice tip on your awning, we will adopt that for our rig. I do have to counter your idea for measuring everything in watts. Watts are a function of voltage and amperage, per Ohm's Law and Watt's Law (aka The Power Formula). The problem is that DVOMs don't measure in terms of wattage, they measure in volts, ohms, and amps. So if you are troubleshooting your system, trying to figure out if you have a parasitic draw issue or some such, you would have to know the wattage of every item in your rig. Bulbs, pumps, motors, TV's, inverter/chargers, the list goes on and on. Then you still have to do the math to figure out if you have a problem. However, if everything is still measured in terms of amps, the math for Ohm's Law is simple and universal. I struggle with the concept that people who use golf cart batteries don't know they are only 6-volt, and that you need 2 in order to make a 12-volt system work. I know Tesla owners will be up on arms over this, but since they are not in 12-volt systems, either, (at 350-375 VDC), wattage is easier for them since the voltage is so high. But we are talking RVs. The 12-volt side is easy math to do if you know your times tables.
Virtually all RVs will have some minimal parasitic draw from the CO/ smoke detector.
How are you wiring the 2 6-volt batteries to make 12 volts? Is that series or parrellel? I've forgotten, one way yields 12 volts, the other allows more amps at 6 volts.
@@Tsch6373 hi! It's a series connection to make 12 volts.
Pressure regulators - There is a lot of confusion among RV'ers with tankless water heaters. These new water heaters need to sense a flow rate to activate. Many people are having problems with using pressure regulators because they think it creates too low of pressure for the water heater to kick on. Many people stop using the regulators all together because they cannot get hot water with it installed. What these people are missing is that they need a high-flow pressure regulator. Lots of confusion between pressure and flow.
geez it would have to be just a trickle of water to keep the water heater from working
@@jimbeaver27 our tankless actually doesn't turn on at the kitchen sink with the standard (government mandated) flow regulator. Once the flow regulator is removed it activates the water heater. There are also problems with waterfall faucets used on higher end models, as they don't have enough flow either.
Nice to see another Botkin out there !
What do you recommend for very low flow water from the source?
@@janetwisecarver7804 tank with pump?
Don't forget to straighten out any slant you have put in the awning back to normal BEFORE YOU PULL IT BACK IN!
Stopping by to say that you're pretty much the best at this. Great video.
Thanks Jason, you’re too kind.
About the awning....OR you could follow manufactures warning ☺(at least on my class A's awning) and "do NOT leaving awning out during rain"
Another thing with amp hours is what an amp hour really is. Typically a lot of people believe a 115 amp hour battery will last 1 hour at 115 amps of draw or it will last 115 hours if only 1 amp is being drawn. However this is not so. The industry rates it like this: Its based on a 20 hour period. 115 divided by 20 will give you 5.75. So that means if you are drawing 5.75 amps, in 20 hours the battery will be dead. This being if you start at a full charge of 12.7 volts. Two 12 volt batteries wired parallel will double this equation.
I've got a restrictor that drops water pressure to 20lbs. I've got a gauge installed after the restrictor to make sure that's true.
I'm in the market to buy my first RV and I've been trying to educate myself as much as possible before buying by either watching UA-cam videos like yours or reading various blogs thank you immensely you have a new subscriber here.
One note about awnings. Be watchful of snow load since snow doesn’t shed no matter how much you lower one end
I agree with the Ah / Wh conversation, and the change will happen because of further electrification. If you make the change in your videos and posts, you will see the change in time. Perhaps a bit of work to update comments in older posts, but worth it in the long run.
Awning lessons are hard to learn - it is annoying, but we just got used to closing them up (we have a rear door, so an additional awning there) even for a short hike, as wind comes up any time!
The regulator issue is easily solved by boondocking. That said, this is one element that I find so many dealers are not prepared to facilitate.
My awning has a sensor that automatically rolls it in if it senses wind and has three settings for the wind, it’s great not having to worry about it and yes I have tested it to make sure it will retract. Don’t forget that just because all the hoses etc outside can handle the water pressure doesn’t mean the internal connections to the faucets can handle the pressure without leaking.
Which is precisely why he's using a pressure regulator...
Where did you get the sensor for the awning?
@@CozyQueenAdventures it’s called a Solera Smart Arm and has this sensor as one of its options that can be bought from Solera. I don’t think it would work with any other type of awning other Han the smart arm.
Thank you @ Bud Lamy. We will check it out. We want to change our awning arms eventually. Having that sensor would be great!
Thanks on the watt-hours!! My science geekiness was going off on that. So simple. Apple to apples
Love your B~roll in this video. Very crisp and good use of slo mo. Appropriately placed in the edit to correspond with your speaking points.
Great video!
Thank you!
Watt hours is definitely the way to go. EV batteries are rated in kWh. I'm just starting in RVs and I've learned so much from your videos. Also spent a lot too! I noticed your water filter is laying in the bay. Any issues with it at that orientation vs standing upright and fixed? I built a 3 stage filter set up from similar components.
I like the water pressure gauge. Good to know what is going into the water pressure regulator and upstream stuff.
We like to lower our awning on the side away from the entrance. So puddles don’t form and so I don’t wack my head on the lowered bars.
Great video! I like the Bottle Jack Buddy. It's a nifty 100% USA made bottle jack accessory (for like $60 bucks). Powder coated and goes right on your bottle jack piston and then hugs the axle. Probably the safest and easiest way to jack up an RV to change a tire quickly.
Loved your awning tip!
I always tilt my awing if rain is expected or not. However I usually y pull down the end nearer to the e rear .
When we picked up our new TT and were doing the walkaround they told us that the manufacturers still consider the awning to be a "sunshade" and should be retracted in heavy rains.
3:47 but wouldn't it be better to shed the water away from the entrance? Better to lower the rear end of the awning than the front imo, but this is still a great tip
You have your awning bent toward the front where the door and the entrance is. That means the water is going to shed and you're going to be walking through mud or getting dumped on if you're trying to get into the rig. You should have the opposite so it sheds toward the back of the rig where you never go. I learned my lesson the very first time right after I bought the thing it was raining like crazy and I noticed it was holding a lot of water so I figured out the bend the frame trick toward the back of the rig and gallons of water came dumping down almost on top of me. Also everybody's buying these fancy schmancy pressure regulators you could just get a cheaper one without a gauge because most places don't have that higher pressure. Never had a problem with hoses bursting.
I’m chicken, so I always just fill my water tank and run off the tank with the pump in the motorhome. I always have the same pressure. Thank you for the video.
Amp hours! Thank you for talking about/explaining this!
We left our awning out during Florida rainy season and came home to a broken awning. Also, love the tip about the pressure regulator and freezing weather! Miss bumping into you out on the road!
Thanks! Sorry about the awning. Hope you guys are doing well. Did your house get done?
@@AllAboutRVs Yes - house done and we're working to get it customized to our liking - but it's a tough battle to customize a cookie cutter house. Daughter is craving life on the road again but son absolutely loves the space and stability of 'sticks n bricks' life. We'll be back on the road someday - but will live through others in the meantime ;)
Fantastic!
Thanks
I enjoy your videos and learn lots. Hoping to expand how often and far we travel as we get closer to retirement.
We have our longest trip (distance) planned for June. Normally we just go to one campground for 10-12 days.
1) No issues with Amp Hours over Watt Hours as we are on Shore Power nearly 100% of the time (Campground Power Outage!)
2) Awning. We always set our so that water can easily shed when we set it up. We even chose which way we want the water to go.
One of these days we may get caught leaving our Awning out, as it is not easy to put In and Out, and we always have things below it (i.e. Toaster, Kettle ...)
3) We have only once had Water Hookup, but we do have a regulator. We almost always camp on Electricity Only camp sites.
I know you are Full Time Campers. What percentage of your time do you spend on Full Hookups. Partial or Boondocking.
They make a wind sensor for awnings. Depending on the awning you have you may be able to add the sensor. I had to replace one of the arms to add the sensor but it's saved my awning more than once!
Haven’t read All the comments yet, but do suggest trying to always make the sloped side of the awning on the side farthest from the entry door - For two reasons. 1, on a non-fifth wheel RV, sloping the side closest to the door, can cause the door to rub on the awing whenever open/closed - which is Bad for the awning. 2, the closer to the door the water is draining off the awning, the more water here will be near the entrance/tracked in. But, sometimes the natural slope of the ground Will require sloping the awning on the door side, to keep the water running off the awning from running Towards the entrance of the RV. Each RV site, can require a Different technique…
Thank you! Your videos are always so informative!
You always share great information! Thank you!!!
My batteries do not have AH ratings on the label. And yes, I asked on several levels. They are 12V group 27 DC marine from Walmart.
HELP if you have a few moments. I find your videos VERY helpful and have saved many😊
From what you say, I'd guess 100Ah, or 1200 watt hours. It's very important to know that standard batteries should not be taken below half. So you're really looking at 600Wh.
ProjectFarm did a test of all the best hoses. The Zero G and the Flexzilla I believe both didn’t burst until about 650psi
Great video, thank you !!!
Also Project farm on youtube did a water hose test and did burst test the hoses including the zero g :)
Just make sure that if you pitch the awning that you push the arm back up straight before you bring it in.
Thank you. You do makes some great informative videos.
Another tip...tilt the awning away from the door!!.😂😂😂
Great and informative video.
Love your videos. Keep up the good work brother!
It would be SO COOL if the industry would talk watt hours...its not so much confusing IF you really get it...but the way they rate appliances and such, or battery/generators, its not consistent.
Great tips. Looking forward to more.
i like watching your videos as we too have a Reflection by Grand Design and can relate to everything you show
Power in a battery is volts (6, 12, etc.) and how many watts, and for how long the battery will last.
It's REALLY easy not to "times things" or do long division, if you decide to compare everything in ONE voltage. For ease and convenience let's go with 12V.
A 12V setup will deliver 1/10 the power of a 120V setup of similar wattage.
A 6V setup will deliver 1/2 the power of a 12V setup of similar wattage.
A 24V setup will deliver 2x the power of a 12V setup of similar wattage.
Batteries connected in series (plus to minus, next plus to minus) - ADD the voltages. 2x6V=12V, etc.
Batteries connected in parallel (plus to plus, minus to minus) - Add the wattage. 2x235W batteries in parallel=470W,
You can either do that, or always express the energy as you suggest, in WH or KWH, but then you're ALWAYS doing the math, on the battery side AND on the load side. Save yourself the "effort" and settle on a standard voltage. Then you can just compare amps. 12V works for 12V systems. 24V works great for 24V systems. If you have an inverter to go to 120V then it's 1/10th the amps of 12V or 1/5 the amps of 24V.
If you use an inverter, downconverter, MPPT, or transformer realize you will lose between 8-15% of the power, which will come out as heat. If the device (inverter, transformer, etc.) is INSIDE the RV you will lose an additional 10-20% because your cooling system will need to evac that hot air outside. I'm in Arizona. In an Alaskan or Michigan winter that might be considered "free heating."
When siizing your cables, size them for amps. If they are not big enough (gauge wise) and you don't want to rewire, see about switching to a size up in Voltage. So if you have a 12V system and too many amps are running through your wire... switch it to a 24V system and your amps will go down 50% (and so will heat loss in cables)... but devices that don't work on 24V will need something to convert 24V-->12V.
I've avoided adding "AC" or "DC" because it's all DC except for what comes out of the inverter (AC) and what some specific appliances need (microwave, residential fridge or freezer - AC). No need to bother with all that jargon and math for two appliances.
Strings of batteries -- you put some number of batteries in series to get a higher voltage. That's a string of batteries. It's easy to wire, effective to use, until one fails. What you can do is have multiple strings of the same voltage, and wire them in parallel. That way you get the total voltage of one series, but double the amps (and wattage and KWH) of one string. That and a good BMS that alerts you is reliable, redundant, and easy to maintain.
Before I hit that "submit" button... remember you need more Volts than a battery (or string) to charge it. So your typical car alternator floats at around 14-15V to charge a 12V battery. Your typical solar setup needs to generate a bit more than 24V to charge a 24V string of batteries, and same for 48V. If you anticipate traveling where 100% sunlight AND cool temps aren't a full-time thing, downsize your battery voltage and let your MPPT controller have an easier time charging 24V strings from 48V cells.
Batteries derate in heat.
Transformers derate in heat.
Solar cells derate in heat.
Circuit breakers derate in heat.
What that means is if you need a certain number of watts every hour... ensure your system can provide that PLUS the amount it will lose to functioning in heat. See comment above "but if you put them inside you'll have to cool them." That can be a 15%-20% loss and most electricians suggest using the 20% number for safety.
I hope that helps people understand how to (not) work the numbers:)
The awning arms are designed to spring down under rain weight to unload the sitting water. It is better to tilt the awning under constant rain so at least you know where the water is going. Would be funny to be standing in the wrong spot at the wrong time!
We bring our awning in whenever we leave the campsite and at night. Wind gusts can pop up when you’re gone an
@@philipgerry5228 yup. And with all the supply chain issues and price increases , replacement parts are harder to come by!
Beautiful park!
Love the video.
Thanks - always enjoy your videos
I’m a retired insurance agent and the number one claim I had for RV’s was the destroyed awnings. I am very selective about using my awnings because like you said you never know when the wind is going to kick up. In my opinion NEVER leave the awning out when not at the campsite, that’s when things happen. Another thing, I saw the way you had your awning tilted for the accumulating rain. Wouldn’t it be better to tilt on the other side away from your entry door? Could be pretty wet over there going in and out.
I was going to say the same thing about tilting the opposite side (opposite of the entry door.) When our awning is tilted on the door side, the door will touch/sweep the awning when it's opened/closed (unnecessary wear on the awning.)
But, even without that concern, tilting your rainwater in the door side means that you are kinda dumping water on your head as you approach/depart the camper, and pool ground water near your entry steps, too.
My favorite RV mishaps are those that deal with poop
Id saying buying an RV is the first thing we get wrong.
Thanks for your *guidance* Sir.
🙏🦉
Thanks for the tips and recommendations. I have the regulator like you have, but will be getting one of the pressure dials to know what the pressure is at the source.
Pressure in a campground can also fluctuate! I like the initial testing, though. That's a great idea. I have such a hard time "understanding" my pressure regulator (just like yours). There's a screw in there to adjust it, but... sometimes it has no effect, and I'm wondering, always, "the number went down, is that good? Should it go up, because I'm 'restricting' more?"
Great thoughts. Thanks
Great tips Jared
I’d like to see a campground with over 60 lbs water pressure? Most campgrounds atleast in Michigan are less than 40lbs. The awning tip was kinda strange also? Tip one end down so water runs off on this style awning doesn’t make sense with the gas piston struts? They release when the water weight overloads the pistons just like pulling down on a SUV back hatchback door?
Good advice.
I destroyed a green Clear2o pre-filter by mistakenly installing my water pressure regulator after the filter and connecting to a 90psi water spigot at the Valley of Fires campground in NM. It could have been much worse, if I left off the regulator and one of the pipes burst inside the walls of my MH instead of the filter rupturing. I won't make that mistake again.
Good information as always.
Here is a thought to consider- we love boondocking. I put my water filter in my RV after the tank and pump and city/Rv water selector as when I fill my tank I want chlorinated city water in my tank to prevent anything from growing. If you filter it in the line before it entered your RV of fills your tankfilling your tank then there is no chlorine to prevent things from growing in your tank and you could end up using less than totally clean and pure water. Any thoughts about this being another thing many RVers do wrong?
Jared For President!
Good information
Thanks
Great job again 👏
Great info!
Another awesome video. 🙏🏼⛺️😎
Thanks
With regards to batteries, whether watt hours or amp hours are used is not the biggest issue...the real issue is what percentage of amp hours or watt hours can actually be used before rwcharging...for example, with a lead acid battery you can use a max of 50%...if more is used it will harm the battery
I've often wondered if anyone ever developed a sensor that would automatically retract the awnings if the wind picked up and jostled the arms too much.
They are available from Amazon. I have them on my Solera covers. Easy to wire in.
I've always looked at the relation that Amp hours and Watt hours have in common with one other thing... The Metric vs Standard debate. One statement is true about both of them and that one of them are a lot easier to understand. 10.5mm is just that, 10.5mm. Now, if you convert it to standard we don't say .4134" well, I do because I'm a machinist but people would just say 13/32". Then we have weird fractions, when will you ever use 7/9ths? Fractions are idiotic when you think of it and metric is king.
Project farm channel test hose great video
My awning won't work like yours...I pull one side down and it goes right back up. I miss the old style with a locking knob...far superior to this new system
You should slant awning away from door if possible
Thanks god bless
Not to mention that lead acid batteries can only be discharged to 50% of their capacity.
True.
we have a flexzilla hose. It's the kinkinest dang hose I've ever owned...
I loved it too
always tilt your awning toward the back of your camper not the front, most times your going out to get in your vehicle and you dont want the downpour draining on your head.
got a 10kwh system and when asked to translate in amp hours so I did the reasonable thing and said I have about 200 Ah @ 48, they were adamant that it's basically useless for the stuff I'm trying to power.
Well I believe it's useless to even try at this point. I simply started claiming I have 800Ah to make it easier.
Jared great video. I was told by an rv sales person that if you put the kink in the
Awning arm that you want to make sure and push it back up right before you bring your awning in. Also I noticed that you were using a ZeroG hose from the Spicket to your filter instead of a white hose. Can you do that because of your filter which then takes out any impurities and therefore you don’t need a white hose.
Good question, the Zero G is drinking water safe like a white hose.
Shouldn't you use RV hose?
When is doubt, Don't Roll it out!