Living the Solo RV Life
Todays video is all about how you can FREE beach camp too! Ed and I stayed on the beach, beachdocking for 6 days. We learned alot about our capabilities that we want to share with you. No you don’t have to spend a ton of money to do this but…. there are things we can access to make it easier though. But we had an amazing time.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel if you haven’t already.
Enjoy Your Weekend!
Ed, Dora, Mason & Missy
Todays video is all about how you can FREE beach camp too! Ed and I stayed on the beach, beachdocking for 6 days. We learned alot about our capabilities that we want to share with you. No you don’t have to spend a ton of money to do this but…. there are things we can access to make it easier though. But we had an amazing time.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel if you haven’t already.
Enjoy Your Weekend!
Ed, Dora, Mason & Missy
Here are some tips to help reduce anxiety on RV travel days:
1. Plan ahead and make sure to give yourself plenty of time. Being rushed can increase your stress levels.
2. Break up your travel days into smaller sections and take frequent breaks. This will help you stay focused and relaxed.
3. Before you leave, make a list of the items you need to bring with you and double-check it to make sure you have everything.
4. When you arrive at your destination, take a few minutes to relax, take a deep breath, and take in your new surroundings.
5. Stay hydrated and keep healthy snacks on hand to help keep your energy levels up.
6.Play some calming music while you’re driving to help keep your anxiety levels in check.
7. Bring something to occupy yourself on the trip. Whether it’s a book, a crossword puzzle, a tablet, having something to keep your mind occupied can help you stay calm.
8. Avoid caffeine and alcohol on the day of travel. These substances can make you more jittery and anxious, so it’s best to avoid them on travel days.
9. Try to remain mindful throughout the journey and practice some calming breathing exercises.
We hope these tips help you reduce your anxiety on RV travel days.
Good luck and have a safe journey!
Dora, Ed, Mason & Missy
Did you know Ed started a new channel? Our shorts YouTube channel, @itsagoodlifervshorts features a variety of brief and engaging videos on a range of topics, from funny skits to educational content. Our goal is to provide viewers with quick bursts of entertainment and information that can be easily consumed on-the-go.
Subscribe to our channel for regular updates and join the community of short video enthusiasts!
As our thumbnail shows, we are sleeping together again! LOL It’s because our gate closed and we can actually sleep at the same time. No more opposite shifts for a while. Living the RVlife as Gate Guards, we can try different things. Since our gate closed after 8 weeks we decided to take some time for ourselves and that will be coming up next!
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel if you haven’t already.
Enjoy Your Weekend!
Ed, Dora, Mason & Missy
It’s a common joke in the RVing community that the holding tank sensors are only accurate until you use the tank for the first time. If anything sticks to the sensor, it will give a false reading of being more full than it actually is. Sensors may indicate a nearly full tank even right after you’ve emptied it. When doing research for this blog post, we found that the sensors are placed in the lowest point of the tank. Where the heavier objects will set, stick to your sensors then giving false readings.
If your black water tank shows full when it is empty, it could be one of four reasons. The sensor could have built up debris, preventing an accurate reading. The tank could also have a pressure build-up because of clogged vents. You could also have a wiring issue or a faulty black tank sensor. More than likely what we’ve found is there is a build up of debris.
When a sensor inside the tank gets covered by food particles or toilet tissue it completes the circuit and relays the information to the monitor panel. It is possible for the holding tank to be empty but still register as 1/3, 2/3 or full because the tank sensor for a certain level in the tank is covered by debris. If the tank sensors are not displaying the proper amount of content in the tank you don’t know how much is in the tank until it is completely full. When the gray water tank is full, the the water backs up through the shower/tub drain. When the black water tank is full the wastewater come back up into the toilet. These are two problems all RV owners can do without.
There are a couple things we as owners can do to correct false tank sensor readings. We try to flush and rinse the black tank every time we empty it. You could use a flush that is built in the tank or purchase a wand that has a nozzle that sprays high pressure streams of water in every direction inside the tank. After we empty the tank, we flush the tank for several minutes. This cleans the tank sensors and helps prevent build-up on the sensors that can result in false tank readings.
Another method to clean tank sensors is to add a tank sensor cleaner to the holding tank after the tank is emptied. Add enough water to completely cover the bottom of the holding tank and add the sensor cleaning treatment according to the instructions. As you drive or tow the RV, the cleaner moves around and cleans the sides of the tank and the tank sensors. But if your not traveling, the sensor cleaning treatment will continue to work as the tank levels rise too.
Tip: Every time you empty the holding tanks add enough water to completely cover the bottom of the holding tank and then add the holding tank treatments. This will keep the holding tank cleaner and help prevent clogs and other holding tank related problems.
We are on week 8 here at the gate. It’s lasted longer than we originally thought but we are ok with it since it is an easy gate plus it gets us closer to the date we have planned to head off and enjoy some Ed & Dora time. But with all that said, we are crazy bored. Not complaining but stating a fact. So…. we have found ways to entertain ourselves. You tell us, is it a Harley?
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel if you haven’t already.
Enjoy Your Weekend!
Ed, Dora, Mason & Missy
Gray Tanks on Full Hook-Ups: Leave Open?
As RVers, there are so many different opinions on if you should leave your Gray Tanks open while you are at a full-hook up site. Well to be honest, we leave ours open for convenience. Not to worry about the washing machine filling up one of our tanks and it backflowing. But we leave them open until a day or two before we plan to dump our black tank. This allows us to dump our black tank and then use the soapy gray water to rinse the sewer hose.
Your kitchen gray tank needs a good flush now and then too. Food particles from washing dishes can collect in the bottom of your gray tank. It’s essential to fill up your gray tank regularly to flush it out. You don’t want rotting food particles sitting in your gray tank. That can lead to smells that could even compete with black tank odors. We suggest adding this cleaner to your list of items of must haves. This cleaner states that it is specifically for your Black Tank but we use it for all our tanks to keep them fresh. Tank Cleaner by Unique. We are not sponsored by the company. We just love their products for all of our tanks.
Tip: If you’re going to leave your gray tanks open, create a “U” shape, like the picture below, with your sewer hose and ensure some water gets in there. This prevents any smell or sewer flies from being able to enter your system.
Yes the title is right. The storm name is really kind of funny because the Elliott’s definitely can dish it out. We are on week 5 of our gate when Winter Storm Elliott hit the country. Even though we are in South Texas, we still experienced high winds and freezing temperatures. But thankfully the super cold temps only lasted about 4 days and we are back to our normal temperature for the winter.
Unfortunately the mice seem to continue to show their faces. What do you do to prevent or deter mice from coming in your RV? If you have some tips or tricks we’d love to hear about them!
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel if you haven’t already.
Enjoy Your Weekend!
Ed, Dora, Mason & Missy
The reason for these posts are to help others so they don’t do what we do OR what we’ve seen other RVers do. OR… if you are new to RVing you can learn from our mistakes because there is so much to learn. One thing people constantly wonder about is whether they can leave their black tanks open. Today we’ll take a look at how you should handle your black tanks. So let’s get started.
Do you leave your black tank valve open or closed? A black tank holds any water that has passed through a toilet. This includes human waste that you need to dispose of in a sanitary manner.
Many RV parks have full hook-up sites. Keeping your RV connected to the sewer drain and being able to empty your tanks quickly, can save you a lot of time. RVers love full hook-ups because of the convenience. You won’t have to worry about dumping your tanks into a portable tote or finding a dump station. You can quickly and easily empty your tanks without having to pack up your entire site each time. However the convenient full hook-ups may make people wonder about leaving their tanks open. Let’s see why you should keep them closed.
Black Tanks on Full Hook-Ups: Leave Closed
It’s a common mistake many RVers make to leave their black tanks open when using full hook-ups. Leaving your black tanks open allows any liquids that enter your tank to drain out immediately. This becomes a problem as any solids in the tank get left behind.
A “poo pyramid” can form in a tank as the solids gather over time. It doesn’t take long for these solids to combine creating a mass that’s too large to pass through the valve for dumping. This will clog your tanks and cause a frustrating and disgusting situation.
You can reduce your chances of a “poo pyramid” by keeping your black tank closed and using a lot of water with each flush. This will help solids break down while they’re in the tank. When you empty the tank later, the force from the water rushing out will wash out the solids as well.
So how long does it take to fill your black tank? The amount of time it takes for you to fill up your black tank varies from one RV to the next and one camping style to the next. Black tanks come in a range of sizes, typically from 20 to 60 gallons. Check the owner’s manual for your RV if you aren’t sure what size tanks you have. Another factor to consider is how many people will be using the restroom in your RV.
Just for reference, when your toilet ‘burps’ or bubbles when flushed, you know its time to dump your black tank. A clog or your tank is full is creating negative air pressure, Instead of air flowing through the lines, the air pushes back and causes the gurgling sound. Sometimes, you’ll also see the toilet water bubble. This is probably the most accurate way to determine when you need to dump your tank because you can’t always count on tank sensors.
Tip: Keep the black tank valve closed until the tank is at least 2/3 full. (Dumping the tank when it is less than 2/3 full will not allow the tank to empty properly). Always drain your black tank first. After dumping its a good time to rinse the tank with the sprayer wand or run a lot of water through while the valve is open.
Not Your Average Explorer 