Several fix it questions

[shanks]

I had my 2006 Fleetwood E2 out a couple of weeks ago elk hunting and am heading out again on Sunday for another week of chasing elk. I noticed several minor items that I need to fix before I leave.

1. Some wasps decided to make a nest inside the cover where the heater exhaust exits the PU. I removed the cover and got rid of the wasps but now the sealant around the cover is gone. What kind of sealant should be used to reseal?

2. I have a dual propane tank setup on the tongue. One of the hoses is leaking between the tank and the tee. Where can I find a replacement? Are both tanks supposed to be turned on at once or should they be used one at a time?

3. I did not charge the battery before the last trip and it only lasted a couple of days. I took the battery out yesterday and hooked it to a charger in the garage. How long should I leave it on the charger? My brother has a 2008 E2 and the dealer told him to plug the PU into the house for three days and the battery would be charged. Is this true?

4. On the last trip the sliding portion of the screen door wouldn't stay locked in position. The frame is too flexible at the top where the locks are. Any suggestions how to stiffen it up? Or do I need to get a new sliding panel?

5. I will probably start winterizing the PU when I get home. If I blow out all of the water lines with a compressor is there really a need to fill the pipes with antifreeze? It seems to me that if there is no water in them there shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks in advance.

Shanks

[ScouterMom]

1. Some wasps decided to make a nest inside the cover where the heater exhaust exits the PU. I removed the cover and got rid of the wasps but now the sealant around the cover is gone. What kind of sealant should be used to reseal?

This stuff is similar to what my Starcraft had on it.  It works, but you could use alm,ost any kind of foam weatherstripping with some caulk, too.  This hads the advantage of being able to fit and fill gaps on sometimes older campers with seams and dings.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100353483&N=10000003+90075+502027

2. I have a dual propane tank setup on the tongue. One of the hoses is leaking between the tank and the tee. Where can I find a replacement? Are both tanks supposed to be turned on at once or should they be used one at a time?  


I got replacement hoses ( and a new dual regulator) for mine at Menards, only because the store where I work didn't have the dual regulator I needed, along with the other parts I needed.  There is a common brand name of propane fittings called "Mr Heater"  most home improvement stores carry this brand, but they may not stock every item in the line.  These are great, though, because they clearly give the sizes of the fittings (3/8, 1/2, male, female, etc) and length of the hoses, and on the back of each package they tell you what that part is used for and what OTHER parts you need to set up your connection between the tank and whatever you are hooking up.  

For example, they will diagram the hose in the package, and what it hooks to - one end directly to the tank, and the other to a 'T', or a regulator, or to an appliance, camper or grill.  then they give you the part numbers of the 'T', or single or dual regulator or any other parts shown that you may need to hook it up.  

If you have a dual regulator, you should have both tanks open.  I don't remember whether it pulls from both tanks equally, or if it switches over when one empties, but the idea is that you don't have to get up in the middle of the night to switch tanks outside when the furnace shuts off from running out of propane! (and it can't do that if one tank is turned off)

I don't have a battery on mine, so someone else can tell you about that.  the screen I can't picture, so I'm lost - is the frame of the screen not staying int he track of the door frame? maybe the door frame is wider at the top?

I also don't use the water tank on mine, but occasionally use the hose hookups.  And in my other camper, I never put antifreeze in the lines.  All I had was a sink, so I drained the lines, and let them dry out, and left them open.  I stored my camper inside, so I didn't worry about bugs in the lines, and then in spring, I would flush the lines well and use them.  never had any problems.  but the additional lines for showers and toilets might cause more water to stay in the line.  You just don't want a line to freeze solid and burst, then thaw - you'll have water all over the inside of your camper and water damage.

Happy camping!

[PM3579]

I pull the battery after every trip since the pup is stored at the dealer. It is stored inside and once a month I charge it for 24hrs. The charger startes out at full charge and reduces down to 0 on the amp guage. Just keep an eye on your amp meter. As far as the batt charging off the shore power I'm not sure, check your owners manual on the converter. The cost of a stand alone charger vs the price of the converter-charger in the pup,I"ll use the stand alone with a guage.

I had a problem  like this with my door on my 06 santa-fe. I found that I had moved the top of the panel into the middle track of the door, this might not be your problem but I hope that it's this easy.

You will still have water in your p trap,water pump,and maybe a little in the faucets, antifreeze is really cheap insurance if your winters are any thing like northern Indiana. :usflag:

[tlhdoc]

1. Some wasps decided to make a nest inside the cover where the heater exhaust exits the PU. I removed the cover and got rid of the wasps but now the sealant around the cover is gone. What kind of sealant should be used to reseal?  
 
Not sure on the sealant, but you can purchase a bug screen for your vent to prevent it from happening again.
 
2. I have a dual propane tank setup on the tongue. One of the hoses is leaking between the tank and the tee. Where can I find a replacement? Are both tanks supposed to be turned on at once or should they be used one at a time?
 
An RV dealer, propane dealer, farm supply etc. should have the hose that you need.  Both tanks should be turned on.
 
3. I did not charge the battery before the last trip and it only lasted a couple of days. I took the battery out yesterday and hooked it to a charger in the garage. How long should I leave it on the charger? My brother has a 2008 E2 and the dealer told him to plug the PU into the house for three days and the battery would be charged. Is this true?
 
You should charge the battery after every trip and if it has been a while since you camped recharge the battery before your trip.  Also if you should disconnect the battery from the camper so that there isn't anything draining the battery (propane detector).  The time that it takes to charge your battery depends on the size of the battery, what the voltage is and how many amps your charger is.  A 3 stage smart charger is the best way to charge your battery.  Some of the new converters have a 3 stage charger built in.  Check the paper work on your converter and see what is says.
 
4. On the last trip the sliding portion of the screen door wouldn't stay locked in position. The frame is too flexible at the top where the locks are. Any suggestions how to stiffen it up? Or do I need to get a new sliding panel?
 
Is this the first time you have had trouble with it?  Did you have any trouble putting the door in place?  If it is under warranty I would take it back to the dealer.  You could also call them and see if this has been an on going problem with some of the PUs they sell.
 
 
5. I will probably start winterizing the PU when I get home. If I blow out all of the water lines with a compressor is there really a need to fill the pipes with antifreeze? It seems to me that if there is no water in them there shouldn't be a problem.
 
I know people that do just what you say, but I am not willing to take the chance.  It only takes a few drops of water in the faucet to crack it.  You can pump antifreeze through the water lines and then blow that out.  If you have a water heater you need to bypass the water heater before pumping antifreeze through the lines.

[AZsix]

I have two tanks but have never turned both of them on at the same time. If I was needed heat and wasn't sure how much propane I had in one tank I would turn both on but I haven't been in that situation as of yet. I have never had a problem only have one tank open at a time.

[markwi]

I set up duel tanks after we ran out of gas on a camp out in early may. It was cold, raining, and dark. I had to kneel in a water puddle to change it out . No more of that. I turn on both tanks, when the first one goes empty it switches to the new tank.   I stay warm and dry. Mark

[wavery]

The answer to the propane question has to do with a few factors.

Some regulators have no switch on them for switching tanks. Some regulators have a manual switch (as in...you have to flip the switch manually) and some regulators have an automatic switch (when the pressure drops, it switches tanks automatically). I've never seen an automatic switch on a PU. You may have one but I doubt it.

If you take your tanks to a place to have them filled it may be easier to open both tanks together and let them self equalize. This is a little risky because if you run out of propane....you are out. The solution is to fill them early and don't let them get low.

If you exchange your tanks, it may be better to use one tank at a time to get the maximum use from each tank. If you think that you are running low, switch to the full tank before going to bed then switch back to the other tank until it is empty.

It really doesn't matter which system you use as long as you have thought it through and know the pros & cons of each.

We use one tank at a time. When one runs out, we switch to the other then stop and get them both filled on the way home.

[dkutz]

The answer to the propane question has to do with a few factors.

Some regulators have no switch on them for switching tanks. Some regulators have a manual switch (as in...you have to flip the switch manually) and some regulators have an automatic switch (when the pressure drops, it switches tanks automatically). I've never seen an automatic switch on a PU. You may have one but I doubt it.

If you take your tanks to a place to have them filled it may be easier to open both tanks together and let them self equalize. This is a little risky because if you run out of propane....you are out. The solution is to fill them early and don't let them get low.

If you exchange your tanks, it may be better to use one tank at a time to get the maximum use from each tank. If you think that you are running low, switch to the full tank before going to bed then switch back to the other tank until it is empty.

It really doesn't matter which system you use as long as you have thought it through and know the pros & cons of each.

We use one tank at a time. When one runs out, we switch to the other then stop and get them both filled on the way home.

HEy Wayne did you change your sig? .......

[wavery]

HEy Wayne did you change your sig? .......

No......why? :confused:

[markwi]

wavery, I put duel tanks with automatic switch over on my 97 1007 Jayco and my 07 1008 also has it . Works great. You just have to check the valve, it will show red when the switch was made. Than I can pull the tank and get it filled .Mark

[wavery]

wavery, I put duel tanks with automatic switch over on my 97 1007 Jayco and my 07 1008 also has it . Works great. You just have to check the valve, it will show red when the switch was made. Than I can pull the tank and get it filled .Mark

That's the ideal set-up..... :sombraro:

[popedwayout]

I have an automatic switch on my PU and it works great.