FlickerTales

RV Seat Belts

If you need additional seat belts for your RV or replacement parts here is a source.
http://wescoperformance.stores.yahoo.net/rv-seat-belts.html

Tornado Hits Canton, Texas Open Market

An apparent tornado hit Canton, TX, home of the worlds largest open air market.  Several vehicles, including RVs were tipped over.

http://www.valleymorningstar.com/news/apparent_25246___article.html/canton_hits.html

http://www.rvnewsservice.com/twister-turnover-doesnt-faze-rver/

Info on First Monday Open Air Market
http://www.firstmondaycanton.com/

Overnight Parking

Sometimes we need to find a place to park overnight while on route to a destination.  Here are a couple of WEB links that list Walmarts, Cracker Barrels, Flying Js and others that allow overnight parking in their lots.

Yahoo Groups Walmartrving - There is a downloadable pdf of Walmart Locations
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/walmartrving/

Overnight Parking
http://www.overnightrvparking.com/index.php



WEB Site With Useful RV Information

Here is a link to a WEB site with a lot of useful information, especially someone just starting out.  It covers all aspects of using your RV.  It is somewhat dated, but very complete.
http://www.timberman.com/main.htm

Digital TV in RVs

On February 17, 2009 Regular TV stations will be required to switch to Digital Transmission.  The government is issuing $40 coupons good for the purchase of a Digital to Analog Converter Box.  These will work fine in your RV with the typical bat wing antenna from Winegard.  Low power TV stations (LPTV) will not be required to switch to Digital.  These are the low power translators and TV staions that only serve a small community.  Since these are usually in remote areas where RVs camp, it is advantageous to have a feature called Analog Pass Thru in the converter.  This allows you to continue to watch Analog TV Stations.  If you don't get a converter with Pass Thru you can use a Splitter and A/B Switch.

Link to apply for $40 coupon - two per household
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/index.html

Link to info about LPTV and Pass Thru Converters & how to configure splitter & A/B switch
http://www.lptvanswers.com/

Map of LPTV stations - also useful when camping in areas where you can't get Ch 2-13
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/LPTVmap.html map

WIT Club News article on DTV in April Issue
http://www.winnebagoind.com/resources/service/pdfs/2008-04%20Digital%20Television.pdf


Another Motorhome Fire Video

Here is a motorhome fire as viewed from a fire truck.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtDQtpfODQI

Home Made "Sewer Solution"

Here is a link to plans to make your own water powered RV waste pump.  This will allow you to pump your holding tanks to a sewer clean out at home at a distance of 70' feet or more

http://cabotumc.dns2go.com/ss/sewer.htm

Cigarette Lighter Power Sockets

If you have had problems in your motorhome with 12 volt cigarette lighter sockets not fitting the plugs on inverters, cell phone adapters or other 12 volt appliances, here is a good article.  There are actually 2 sizes of sockets and plugs.  Also, absolute maximum power should be less than 240 watts.  That is 12 vdc fused at 20 amps.  Most are fused at 7 amps.  Thus the largest inverter than can be plugged in is 240 watts if fused for 20 amps and 140 watts if fused at 7 amps
Cigarette Lighter Socket & Plug Info

Dimensions is Now Part of Sensata Technologies

The company making most of the inverters in Winnebago motorhomes, Dimensions, is now part of Sensata Technologies.  Here is the RV inverter WEB site

http://dimensions.sensata.com/Standby_Power_Systems_for_RV_Motorhomes.html

How to Add a Lock to an RV Drawer

Here is a good how-to article on how to add a positive lock to RV drawers to prevent them sliding out
http://rvtravel.com/blog/rvnow/2008/04/stop-tossing-your-drawers-on-rv-floor.html