Garbage Disposal Macerator Replacement

The first one lasted over two years sitting outside and transporting all of the melted chocolate ice cream to its forever home.  But no more.  The garbage disposal macerator I introduced here met its match after some rain.  At a campground with a very soggy site, it got a little too much water into its…

Tired of your RV Water Pump? Here’s a fix for it.

It’s been a while!  Between lots of work, travel, holidays, RV projects, etc., I haven’t written anything here in a while.  But this time I’m writing about something I wish I’d done a long time ago, before I was also fighting a water leak: getting rid of the noisy, pipe-rattling water pump that slows to…

Electrical Myths, Part 4: AGM Batteries Don’t Need Venting

Ok, here’s one that comes up all the time.  You’re looking to add to your battery bank, possibly in conjunction with a solar install, and are eyeing a non-vented space.  AGM batteries to the rescue?  Not so fast.  AGM batteries must still be vented.  Here’s why:

10 Cold Weather RVing Tips for Water Management

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas….aaahhhh! Not so fast, but days are getting shorting and cold weather is approaching.  This marks the start of a series of cold weather RVing tips, in the form of a “top 10” list based on my 11 winters in an RV–including temperatures approaching -30°F, and seeing just…

Recipes and Links from Cooking Seminar at the National HDT Rally

For the third time, I’ve stumbled my way through a 2-hour cooking seminar without knowing how to cook.   The 2017 National HDT Rally was the biggest yet, and the cooking seminar was no exception. In part because of the size of the crowd, the location was moved–there was a lot more seating, but no permanent…

5-minute modification: Replacing 12V Power Outlet with USB Ports

Every once in a while, you have a nagging project that you put off because it’s easy.  This is one of those.  I’d had a problem with the mount for the factory 12V power outlet on the dashboard of the Grey Ghost–the mounting tabs had worn to where it didn’t stay put.  Since there’s a…

Garbage Disposal Macerator Update

As I close in on 2 years using this macerator setup, built around a garbage disposal and first outlined back here, I can say I’m still pretty happy with it.  I recently even pulled it out at a dump station, when the RV at the station decided to have lunch, clean house, and walk the…

Make the Water Pump Run Less Frequently

More than likely, you’re used to the water pump cycling on as soon as you turn on a faucet.  Even if you just need enough to swallow a pill, or that tablespoon for your cookie mix, you’re worried about waking up the poor soul whose pillow is right above the water pump. It doesn’t have…

Making Your Water Pump Quieter with Flexible Hoses

This is perhaps the simplest of the modifications, and perhaps the best bang for the buck.  This simply involves replacing the rigid pipe connections to your water pump with flexible hoses, so that the pump’s vibrations don’t rattle your pipes as much. Here’s what you need: 2 hoses with 1/2″ NPT ends. 2 1/2″ NPT…