Q. I have a water heater in my RV. Every year I drain it for storage. When I do, I notice that the anode rod, which is also the drain plug, has been in different stages of decomposition.

Mark says: Nice to drain the water heater and fixate on the anode rod. Many people don’t even know it’s there. Anode rods are used in suburban water heaters because they have steel tanks. The anode rod attracts minerals and deposits that could be harmful to tank linings. These deposits corrode the dipstick instead of damaging the tank. I would replace the rod when it is 75% consumed.

Q. I’d like to hear your thoughts on the pros and cons of towing a trailer behind my F / Wheel because I miss my Harley-Davidson during long winter stays in the South! Are you also aware of the state laws that prohibit this? Thanks in advance for your reply.

Mark says: It’s quite common for people to tow things like boats and small trailers behind their trailer. Some concerns are the hitch at the rear of the trailer, it must be capable of supporting the additional weight, and the tow vehicle you are towing with must have a trailer rating capable of towing the full amount of weight. If you exceed the vehicle’s Gross Combined Weight Rating, your insurance or vehicle warranty may be voided in the event of an accident or breakdown.

As far as the legal issue goes, here is a link showing each state’s laws for towing trailers. You will notice that one of the criteria is towing two trailers. The only thing I’m not sure about is that if it’s legal to tow two trailers in the state you live in, can you tow that setup across the out-of-state border and still be legal? You may want to contact the highway patrol and ask that question.

Q. Where can I get instructions on how to use the microwave / conventional oven in our motorhome? It was installed to replace the original, but the instructions were lost before purchasing the used motorhome. Until now, the oven has only been used to heat something.

Mark says: Try to identify the manufacturer of the convection oven and go to their website. Often they will have the owner’s manuals available for download.

Q. I have a 27ft Dutchman travel trailer that I bought new in 2002. To date, I have blown 7 tires. I am now on Goodyear radials having replaced the OE Carlyle tires. My question is this: Do the tires on a trailer require balance and alignment like a car? I find it incredible that he had so many blowouts.

Mark says: My first thought would be that the tires are overloaded. If you haven’t already, move the trailer to a scale where you can weigh each wheel position separately. Compare the weights to the weight rating of the tires when properly inflated.

I’ve heard a lot of people complain about Carlyle tires, but seven blowouts indicate some other kind of problem. Balancing the tires can’t hurt, but it’s not absolutely necessary. The alignment of a trailer is generally related to the change of one of the axles. If you stop in front of and behind the trailer, look to see if both axles (tires) are aligned with each other. If one tire sticks out more than the other, take it in for an inspection.

I still don’t think this is what is causing the problem. Weigh the wheel positions and try to distribute the weight on the trailer so that neither tire is overloaded. Another important factor is making sure you use replacement tires specifically designed for trailers. The side walls are designed to resist the twisting and bending that occurs when you make turns, etc.

Q. I just signed up for your newsletter, hoping to receive helpful information as I re-engage with motor homing. I sold my 24 ‘C-class and am buying something newer and more efficient, bigger too. I lean towards the Class B + Phoenix Cruiser, 27 ‘with 2 slides. It comes as gasoline or diesel. I have been told that the added cost of a diesel engine outweighs any gas mileage benefit, unless you keep the platform for many years. But I also wonder if other things have been taken into account, such as the cost of maintaining the engine, the cost differential for the type of fuel (as gasoline prices increase, will diesel increase at the same rate, more slow, faster – is there a resale advantage for either?

I have not yet found a discussion on these topics anywhere. The dealer I have been working with just gave me the answer above … it is not profitable unless it sticks for many years.
I am an older woman, single, and I want to tour with my dog ​​for the next 2 years or so. I hope that several friends will join for certain sections of the trip. I will appreciate a good orientation.

Mark says: Gas versus diesel is an old discussion and one that a lot of times heats up. If I had asked myself this question several years ago, I would have responded similarly to the seller, because the cost difference was quite significant. Tody RVs offer many gasoline models in the same price range as many diesel products. Mainly due to advances in the chassis itself that drive prices up.

What I can tell you is that a diesel will last longer than a gasoline engine, so if you plan to keep the RV for a good amount of time, it would be worth the investment. I have no idea what is going to happen to the types of fuel or the cost comparison between gasoline and diesel.
As for maintenance, it used to be that a diesel required less, considering there are more filters, etc. on a diesel, but today gas engines can exceed 100,000 before a tune-up, with nothing more than routine oil changes, air filters, etc.

This probably doesn’t help much. If you want the opinions of other people, I recommend that you go to the open roads forum and post this same question in the corresponding forum. You will surely get a lot of answers. Here is a link http://www.rv.net/forum/

Q. I’m writing to ask which of your DVDs you think would be most helpful to someone who needs help understanding RV electrical systems and learning how to use them for simple projects like a refrigerator baffle compartment fan, adding a plug receptacle of 12v to charge things like cell phone, etc.
If it’s not one of your DVDs, if everyone knows a book, I’d really appreciate the advice. Thank you.

Mark says: I don’t think any of our DVDs are useful in these areas. There are a couple of books that you may find helpful. The RV Manual and RV Repair and Maintenance. Here is a link where they are available. http://www.trailerlife.com/bookstore/index.cfm?a=d&subcat=1

Q. We have a 23 foot 2003. Komfort trailer with air conditioning, microwave, radio and TV. Could you tell us how to determine what size generator we need for the trailer?

Mark says: The easiest way to determine what size generator you need is to calculate how many watts you plan to use at any given time. I include 2 links that will tell you how many watts everything uses and then there is a link where you can plug in those figures and it will tell you the size generator you will want to get.
http://www.funroads.com/service/loadmngbasics.jhtml
http://www.cumminsonan.com/portable/select/
http://www.cumminsonan.com/rv/select

Q. I have a refrigerator that is freezing. It happened after we thawed it last August. As of May 1, after turning it back on, it still freezes. some help?

Mark says: Here’s a possibility. Look inside the refrigerator compartment towards the back and you will see some fins. On one of those fins there will probably be a small piece of plastic. You can slide it up or down on the fin. That will control the temperature inside the refrigerator compartment. If it is knocked or moved from its original position, it can cause it to freeze in the refrigerator. The problem is, I don’t remember which way to slide it so it stops freezing. Get a small fridge thermometer and experiment with it to see where it should fit. It will take quite a while in each position, so be patient. You want the temperature in the refrigerator to be between 36 and 37 degrees. Food can start to spoil at 40 degrees.
Hopefully this will fix the problem.

Copyright 2007 by Mark J. Polk Owner of RV Education 101