Escapees March-April 2019 Vol 40 Issue 5

Mark, My Words

  Q. I would like to remove the old vent cover in my bedroom and install a Maxx Standard 4500K ventilator fan with remote. There is a 12VDC light nearby that I plan to tap into. How do I tap into the line, remove the old fan and install the new fan? What tools and material do I need?  A . The best guide for installing that fan is by using the instructions that came with the unit. They include a list of tools and materials and are thorough. If you don’t have the instructions, contact the manu- facturer for a copy: MaxxAir Vent, Airxcel RV Group, PO Box 4020, Wichita, KS 67204 (316-832-3400). The biggest hassle is usually removing the original vent, as you have to go on the roof and remove the old caulking and sealing material to gain access to the many screws that hold the vent flange to the roof. Once you get that done, the rest of the removal is easy. Getting 12V power to the fan is more of a figure-it-out-yourself kind of problem. What I have done in the past is: remove the original vent and the light fixture, then see if it will be possible to use an electrician’s snake or a piece of stiff wire to pull some new 12V wiring back from the light fixture opening. Be sure the wire is properly routed so that it won’t pinch or short out on anything. Sometimes, drilling a hole is necessary to get the wire into the vent opening safely. Then, installing the new vent is straightforward. If this project is outside your com- fort zone, you may consider having an RV shop do the work.

                    

    Q. How do you determine if you have the correct tire pressure for your conditions (load, speed, etc.)? I have always set cold to manufacturer’s specifications, then gauged them after they are warmed up to operating temperature. Depending on the pressure, I adjust the pressure as necessary.  A . Tire pressure needs to be set to the correct value to properly support the weight that the tire is carrying. The only way to determine what the tire pressures should be for your coach is to weigh it on individual wheel scales. Then, armed with the actual weights that the tires are carrying, you can set your tire pressure by the manufacturer’s load-inflation chart for your tires. There is no other way if you want to do it correctly. Once you know what the pressure should be, your tires should be brought up to that correct pressure before the day’s driving. In other words, the pressure should be set with the tire at ambient temperature. Once you start to drive, the tire will heat up and the pressure will increase. That pressure increase is expected and is taken into account by the tire engineers when they develop the inflation charts for the tire. You should never attempt to adjust the pressure on a warm or hot tire, and especially don’t lower the inflation pressure on such a tire. If you do so, you will wind up with an under-inflated tire and that can lead to tire damage or failure. Always set pressure on a cold tire, and don’t be concerned by the normal and expected pressure increase while the tire is rolling down the road.

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                                                                                

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