My Gravity Lesson while Winterizing my RV: Since 2001, we had an old 1986 Empress 26 ſt motorhome. It was a very simple water


system in it. To winterize, I had ready access to the water pump and ran a tube to a jug of RV antifreeze; simple. Earlier this year the old Empress was starting to have issues that happen with 200,000


km’s so we got a new motorhome, a 27 ſt. 2008 Jayco Greyhawk Sport. Love it. But it has a water system that has a control panel of various shut off valves to run the various functions. Today was the day to winterize so I got my jugs of RV antifreeze, read the manual,


hooked up my “custom hose piece” of cut hose with the female leſt on, screwed it to the city water connector, put the other end in the RV antifreeze jug and turned on the water pump, and nothing happened. My pump was running and running but nothing was getting sucked up to go through the lines. I couldn’t figure out why it was not picking it up. Te manual said something about priming and it discussed shutting the valves for the


low point water tank drain open and closed while running the pump. Tat didn’t work either. So I phoned the brother-in-law who has had experience with different trailers in the


past five years. He came over and I showed him all the things we had done and water heater bypass was correct etc. Everything looked good. So we go outside to the connector and the panel and the first thing he did was take the


RV antifreeze bottle up on his shoulder, we stuck a funnel in the end of the RV antifreeze pick up “custom hose”, he poured it in and I went inside and turned on the water pump. Well the system started to pick up the antifreeze right away and pink was pouring out of the faucets immediately. Needless to say I was very happy, so we ran the antifreeze through all the lines and drains. I should’ve thought of needing gravity and the whole suction situation from siphoning


gas in the old days where, whatever you were siphoning from had to be up higher than the tank you were draining in to. Tis sounds so simple, but I forgot it today. So remember, if you go to pull the RV antifreeze into your system, and you turn on


the water pump and nothing happens, get the RV antifreeze jug off the garage floor and up it in the air above the hose connector point on the side of the trailer, and pour the antifreeze down the hose piece toward the water connection. Turn on the pump and it will take the pink fluid and send it through the lines. Just a reminder.


Lain Strathern Lain.s@telus.net


Wheelchair Liſt: For a great number of years, my wife Delores and I RV’d all over Canada, Northwest


Territories, Yukon, Alaska and the western United States. Over the years we had several types of RVs including hardtop campers, truck campers, motorhome, 5th wheels and more recently a 24 foot Cougar trailer. Approximately three years ago, Delores suffered a severe stroke loosing her total right


side and her speech. With much physiotherapy and speech therapy she has regained some mobility and some speech. She still really struggles however and she is virtually in a wheelchair all during her waking hours. She resides in a care home as she requires 24 hour care. Tis however has not totally stopped our enjoyment of camping in our recreational


vehicle. Te trailer has two doors, one to enter the coach and the other to enter the front bedroom. Trough research, I was fortunate in learning of a liſt that could be installed on the trailer; that with some modification, liſts Delores from the ground level up to the floor level of the trailer (using the bedroom door) while sitting in her wheelchair. With help, she then stands and steps into the trailer. When I purchased the trailer, I had Country RV of Kelowna BC install thick plywood


behind the wall paneling so I could install several grab-bars for Delores to hold onto as she enters the trailer, and also in the bathroom. When in the lowered position, the chairliſt platform folds under the trailer and out of


the way. Tere was a need to obtain an over-width permit for BC and Alberta as the total width of the unit now exceeds the 8 ſt. 6 inches by an insignificant amount of about two inches. However that’s the law. Can Am Mobility was able to order the liſt from the manufacturer in the US and install it. I thank both Country RV and Can Am Mobility in Kelowna for their help. Without it


we would not be able to continue to enjoy our RVing experiences.


Al Harrison Ath12@telus.net RVT 156 • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 13


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48