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RV Doctor ColumnRV Doctor #291 Dear RV Doctor, which type of battery is best for a travel trailer, a heavy duty car battery or a deep cycle marine type? I am not worried about the recharge time as much as the supply capacity. Here's the need; I will use a 300-watt inverter to power a CPAP breathing machine. The CPAP does not list the watts or the amps, only 120-volts, but my guess is it's around 150-watts. The CPAP has a small motor for pumping air and some electronics for controlling the unit. Robert Lawson, (Sewanee, TN) Dear Robert, typically the best battery for continuous, low current use is a true deep cycle battery - the largest that will physically fit in the location. Many serious RVers prefer a series/parallel configuration using 6-volt batteries when possible. Second choice would be the RV/Marine battery, sometimes erroneously referred to as a deep cycle battery. Avoid using an automotive start battery entirely. Though you state it not being a worry, it is vital you also consider the proper charging of your battery system. Oftentimes, RVers will know and understand the advantages of large battery banks and then wonder why the system never seems to attain full charge. It is quite important to realize that a larger battery system requires an up-to-date, state-of-the-art charger to keep everything performing at an optimum. In other terms, it does little good to have a huge swimming pool but not have a pump big enough to fill it completely with water. Besides, true deep cycle batteries last longer when fully charged, depleted, and then fully charged again. It actually shortens a battery's life to only partially recharge it after each cycle. It sounds like the CPAP is quite sophisticated and contains sensitive electronics so be sure your 300-watt inverter is a true sine wave output inverter. Dear Gary, I have a 1978 Avion 26-foot travel trailer that has developed a leak in the gray water holding tank once it reaches about half full. What is the best way get access to this tank? I suspect drilling out the rivets that hold the roadside panels on, is that correct? Cory La Rue, (Hayden Lake, ID) Cory, you are correct in realizing that some of the panels must be removed in order to gain access to the enclosed holding tank. It was my understanding, however, that the sections would not have to be drilled out. It is a requirement that all holding tanks be removable without first removing structural components. Perhaps the panels do not count as structural components. But regardless, the tank exits through the bottom so those panels will have to come down one way or another. Keep in mind, since you will be going to quite a bit of trouble just to gain access, that the only viable method of permanently repairing thermoplastic holding tanks is by professionally plastic welding the crack or a patch. Let me know if you need more advice once you find the source of the leak. Dear RV Doctor, we winterized our camper and have a question about the RV anti-freeze. Will RV antifreeze damage the hot water heater if left in it? We are unable to locate the drain on the water heater to drain it and it has been sitting all winter. Elizabeth McCumbee, (Chadbourn, NC)) Elizabeth, typically the water heater is by-passed during the winterization process. It is usually flushed out, drained completely and left empty during the winter thereby eliminating the need to completely fill the tank in order to get anti-freeze throughout all the hot piping inside the RV. By-pass kits are readily available at any well stocked RV parts store and will fit any water heater. If, however, you do have anti-freeze liquid in the water heater now, it certainly will not hurt it. If it is full it will be best to find the drain plug and gravity drain the entire heater. You didn't state which brand of heater you have, but most will have a drain plug or a drain valve located at the lower reaches of the tank, accessible behind the external door on the side of the RV. Some brands will have an anode rod located there which serves as a drain as well. Simply remove the plug or open the valve to start the draining process. Open all the hot faucets inside the coach to allow air to enter as the liquid drains. Be sure the water pump is off and no city water is connected. You might also open the P&T relief valve located there as well. The other alternative is to hook the rig up to city water and allow the anti-freeze to simply flow through the heater, through each hot faucet and into the holding tank. This method of flushing the heater will take a little longer, but will still get rid of the anti-freeze. Keep the unheated water running until it flows clear through all the hot faucets. Now you're ready to go. If indeed the heater was filled, it's still advisable to next year invest in a permanent by-pass kit to save on the cost of the anti-freeze. Dear RV Doc, I just purchased a used 1987 Bounder. The tires have new tread, but the sidewalls are cracked. Do these tires need to be replaced? Johnnie Marino, (Santa Ana, CA) Unfortunately, yes. Quite the opposite from regular automotive tires, RV tires usually "age" out instead of wearing out. RV tires over 8 or 9 years old, in most cases, should be replaced regardless of how good they look. The fact your sidewalls have UV and ozone cracking is basically a mandate that they be replaced assuming they are the original tires. To be sure, have your local tire dealer inspect them for the date code to verify, but still, with cracked sidewalls, they would not be considered safe at any age. Dear Gary, I have purchased a trailer with a roof top air conditioner. I was wondering if there is a way to test my air conditioner....but it won't come on because it's still too cold out. Is there a way to by-pass the thermostat so it comes on to see if it works? Mike Roy, (Worcester, MA) Mike, to "trick" the thermostat into thinking it's hot enough to call for cooling, boil a dish rag or washcloth in a pot of water on the stove, then, (while wearing protective gloves, please), wrap the hot rag around the last four inches or so of the capillary tube portion of the thermostat as it is positioned in the flow of return air. It will be necessary to first remove the interior shroud assembly. Do not allow the air conditioner to run too long with the shroud off, since there will be no filtration of the return air. It may take a few applications of the hot rag to raise the temperature of the thermostat enough to kick in the compressor, but be persistent. And do not attempt to heat the capillary with any form of open flame.
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