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RV Doctor ColumnRV Doctor #289 Dear RV Doctor, I seem to be having a hard time cleaning the black streaks from my travel trailer. It has aluminum sides. I understand the importance of keeping the roof clean. Here is the problem; all of the different brands of black streak remover I have tried so far, all seem to remove the wax from my trailer. And I end up with streaks where the wax has been removed. Eventually, after several washes, the entire RV needs to be rewaxed. I even tried diluting the cleaners and have had no better luck. Can you recommend a brand that will not remove the wax or can you suggest a better type or brand of wax? Albert Szczepanik, (Seven Hills, OH) Albert, welcome to the somewhat perplexing world of exterior RV care. Here's why it is so perplexing and why there seems to be such disparity among the many products on the market. Simply put, all black streaks are not created equal. They will vary in composition and density depending on the geographical location, the amount of ozone and other contaminants in the air, the age and prior maintenance record of the RV and finally, the type of roof and siding on the RV. Bottom line; there is no single product that is considered the "best." Some will work great in some sections of the country and not so good in others. That's why the chatter around the campfire will usually consist of conversation such as, "I really like brand X." "Brand X? I tried that a few times and it just made it worse! Try brand Y instead." "I'll never use that brand Y. It cost too much and didn't do a thing on my rig." Ahhh, subjectivity. Don't you just love it? Another dilemma of sorts is that regardless of which product you use, all will remove some of the wax if indeed it removed the black streaks. Typically, the black streak also penetrates the surface of the thin layer of wax. If the black streak goes, so goes the wax. To minimize your labors, be sure to wash your rig at least three to four times a year. Also, avoid using dish detergent or other cleansers that are not designed for RV or automotive use. While they may easily remove road grime and dirt, they will also remove the wax finish. RV-specific wash additives will not usually remove the wax. I also recommend you invest in a high quality coach cover and be sure to use it during periods of non-use. Besides minimizing the damaging effects of ozone and ultraviolet bombardment, the time you will save in washing and waxing and cleaning black streaks will more than pay for it; especially if you spread the cost of that cover over a few years of usefulness. If you are a full-timer, consider traveling with cleaner and wax and regularly clean and wax while on the go. Performed often and in segments, i.e., front cap at one campground stop, rear cap at the next, right side at the next, etc., the job won't seem so daunting. And intimidating it can be if you let exterior maintenance slide for a few months. By the way, the consequential streaks you have left where the wax was removed are usually indicative of aluminum oxidation. According to the experts, oxidation will occur on a painted aluminum surface in two to three years or so, depending again on your geographical location. Oxidation is virtually unavoidable so it may be necessary to polish and buff the surface to a flat, smooth finish and then apply an even coat of new wax. Many have had success using Meguiar's Cleaner/Wax, #A1216L. Because this wax contains restorative properties, it may not be suitable for your regular waxings. It will, however, be useful in the initial fight against surface oxidation. For regular maintenance, I would suggest you start with Protect All, All Surface, Polish, Wax & Treatment. If that doesn't do the trick, reread the top portion of this response once again. There are many others on the market. Try each of them to determine which works best in your specific situation. Then, grab that cold one and put in your two-cent's worth at the next campfire. Dear Gary, I have an RV which is permanently hooked up to a septic system. Is it better to fill and drain the gray water tank or is it okay to let it run free all the time? I'm concerned about the drain valve maybe drying up and malfunctioning from non-use. John Drazil, (Ramsey, MN) John, since you are permanently connected, it is quite common to connect the sewer hose and to leave the gray water holding tank termination valve in the open position. It is not advised, however, to do this with the black tank. Always fill the black tank at least three-quarters full and then evacuate it. Due to the solid nature of the waste, it will not drain properly and blockages will result if the valve is left open while connected to the septic system. To minimize the chance of the "O" rings drying out over time, remove and disassemble both tank valves once or twice a year. Clean the moving parts along with the flanges and lube the blade with a thin coating of white lithium grease. After carefully reinstalling the assembly, work the valves a few times to get some of the grease into the valve pocket. I would further suggest you allow the gray tank to fill up at least once a month and then evacuate. This will provide some exercise for the valve. Dear RV Doctor, this past weekend my fiancé and I were preparing to load up the Winnebago and head home. All of a sudden we smelled the strong odor of ammonia. Five minutes before that I had restarted the refrigerator on propane. I opened the freezer and was almost knocked out by the overwhelming odor. My first guess would be a problem with the refrigerator (duh). Where should I start looking for the problem? What should I look for? I'm guessing the fridge is original equipment making it about 16 years old. It also didn't work very well on AC. Should I just start shopping for a new fridge? Danny May, (Simi Valley, CA) Danny, unfortunately you have a leaking cooling unit which literally renders the refrigerator inoperable. At a minimum, the entire cooling unit will have to be replaced. Though cooling units can become internally blocked by operating off-level, the release of ammonia is quite indicative of a hole somewhere in the piping. Because of the corrosive nature of pure liquid ammonia it may, over time, eat through the sodium chromate protection and the walls of the piping. The process is accelerated when the unit is operated off-level. Off-level operation on either LP or electricity results in over-heating the components. If the leak point is situated at or near an exposed section of piping at the rear of the refrigerator, a bright yellow residue is usually visible. If the leak is in an internal section of pipe hidden by insulation you may not find it, but any indication of an ammonia smell confirms a leak indeed. Typically, RV service centers replace the cooling unit with a refurbished unit, sending the damaged unit back to the supplier to be repaired, recharged and placed back into inventory. The entire replacement can take anywhere from two to four hours to complete. Cooling units cannot be repaired in the field - they must be replaced. Though an expensive venture, RV owners must often contemplate a complete refrigerator upgrade versus the cooling unit replacement. It depends on the age of the refrigerator and how fond you are of your existing unit. For your sixteen year old refrigerator, seriously consider a complete refrigerator replacement. You will then have a new unit warranty and all new parts. With a cooling unit replacement only, the original components are still aged and non-warrantable. Weigh the cost differences in your area and don't be afraid to shop around for better prices if possible.
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