Escapees November-December 2023

mark, my words

GreyWater Draining Slowly Q. I have a Puma 20-foot travel trailer. This is my second travel trailer, and, prior to that, my husband and I had two di ff erent motorhomes. In each one, we had the problem of the grey water draining very slowly and sometimes would not even completely empty. I know I am supposed to drain the grey water after the black water, but it drains so slowly and the drive at the dump station starts backing up with impatient camp ers. What’s the deal with this and is there something that can be done? Janice A. There are some RVs with poorly designed drain systems that simply won’t dump properly, but it is much more common for dumping problems to be caused by the buildup of gunk in the tank or pipes. Over time, soap residue and oily solids can build up in the grey water tank and drain pipes and restrict the fl ow of water. These solids, which are kind of like the blockages that build up in your arteries from too much cholesterol, are caused by what you put down the drains. That’s why, in an RV, it is important to minimize the amount of oils and grease that get washed down the drain. I always wipe oily or greasy pans and dishes with paper towels fi rst, to get rid of as much residue as possible before rinsing or washing them. This includes things like creamy salad dressings and buttery sauces. It all will slowly build up in your pipes. To clean the existing deposits, you can try one of the RV tank cleaning products on

TVs Stored in Freezing Temps

Q. Can LCD or LED TVs be left in campers in cold or freezing temps without damage? Phil

A. In general, LCD screens are rated by the manufacturer with an operating temperature range and a storage tempera ture range. Most will operate safely between 32F and 100F. Most will tolerate storage temps between -20F and 140F without damage. Check the owner’s manual on your LCD TV to make sure,

Traveling with the Furnace On Q. I am curious if I can go down the road with my heater running in the winter. I have a fi fth-wheel with electric tank heaters, and the lines and basement are heated by the furnace. Will the pilot light be blown out during travel? Roger A. In general, the typical RV furnace will run fi newhile the RV is traveling down the highway. The furnace uses a fan-driven forced-air system to bring in combustion air and exhaust the combustion byproducts through a vent on the side of the RV. As long as you have propane and battery power to run the furnace, it will operate just fi ne and will keep your RV warm as you travel, but there are some issues that you need to consider. Having the propane turned on at the tank and having a propane appliance operating while traveling can increase the risk of a fi re or explosion in an accident. Many RVers choose to travel with the propane system shut off at the tank for safety reasons. Also, when you approach any kind of fueling station, you must shut off all appliances that produce a spark or operate with an open fl ame. That includes the furnace, water heater and refrigerator. In the case of propane refueling, all appliances and the propane main supply valve must be off, and all occu pants must exit the RV during the fueling process.

the market, but I have found them to be only partly effective. The real answer is to get some high pressure water up into the tank and pipes to blast the residue

loose. This is dif fi cult for the average RVer to accom plish. There is a service called “All Pro Water Flow,” that specializes in pressure cleaning RV holding tanks. Their system is generally very effective, and they are a mobile service: they come to you. Check them out: www.allprowater fl owltd.com

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR MARK? Submissions must not contain commercial advertising or consumer advocacy issues. Due to the large volume of material and correspondence submitted, we may be unable to reply or acknowledge receipt of your material. Material will be edited. Questions and answers with the highest general interest may be repeated in subsequent issues. Questions can be sent by mail to “Mark, My Words” Column, 100 Rainbow Drive, Livingston, TX 77351-9300 or to techquestions@escapees.com.

November/December 2023 ESCAPEES Magazine 7