Dear Readers: In the November issue of RV View I addressed a question from Mike Davis about hooking up Direct TV via a standard cable connection on the RV. Here’s his original question:   Dear Gary, why can you not hook up Direct TV through the standard cable hookup on the RV, and how can you get around this? --Mike Davis, Idabel, OK     I must admit I ...

  Dear RV Doctor, I have a 1994 Flair motorhome and my electric bill at the RV parks are about three times higher than my neighbors who seem to be using more electrical items. I’m not using the air conditioner and I have a new TV. My refrigerator and converter should be the only things drawing 120-volts AC. All my lights are 12-volt DC. My electric bill runs about $130 a month while ...

  Dear RV Doc, I am a new RV enthusiast who recently bought an older motorhome. The coach is in excellent condition but is beginning to show a little oxidation in the paint. I want to do whatever is needed to preserve both the beauty and the value of the coach as far as exterior maintenance is concerned. After receiving much well intended advice from various people, I am in a dilemma ...

Dear RV Doctor, I currently have two 12-volt deep cycle batteries but will need to replace them probably this year. I have heard that it is better to use 6-volt batteries. I noticed in your reply to another question in an earlier column that it would be better, but you mention using them to replace one deep cycle 12 volt battery. Is it still better if you use two 6-volt batteries to replace ...

Dear RV Doc, I have a Holiday Rambler with a 12-foot slideout. It uses a rack and pinion drive but the bottom of the frame is covered so it’s hard to see or get to. Many times the unit just clicks after deploying the switch when trying to extend out or retract in. Using the manual crank to move the slide a few inches will then enable the electric motor to drive the slide in or out the ...

Dear Gary, why can you not hook up Direct TV through the standard cable hookup on the RV, and how can you get around this? --Mike Davis, Idabel, OK Mike, you can’t use the standard cable hookup to go between the dish and receiver because it will block the DC voltage needed to power the dish LNB. What I recommend is that you run a satellite-rated coax cable from the receiver to ...

Dear RV Doctor, this may be a common problem other owners of older trailers are facing. We bought a second-hand fiberglass Burro trailer which we are very happy with but would like to upgrade the trailer to include a toilet and shower with a black and grey water system. The manufacturer has gone out of business so we have called the two other competitors of small fiberglass trailers, Scamp ...

Dear RV Doctor, I have heard of running the roof air conditioner off the generator while traveling. Is it safe to run the furnace off the generator while traveling? We travel to Florida every March and sometimes the first morning is quite cold, even after preheating the coach for several hours before leaving. The dash heater could not keep up with the heat loss while traveling. Riding in ...

Dear RV Doctor, I watched one of your television shows where the family with a hybrid trailer needed a stronger battery. You replaced their 12-volt battery with two 6-volt batteries. I have a 26-foot RV and it has only one 12-volt battery. Would it be better for me to use two 6-volts? Would I get more amps with two 12-volt batteries instead? I also have a converter but no inverter in my ...

Dear RV Doctor, My wife and I have been RVing for about five years but we used a tent for 25 years before that. We started with a bumper-pull trailer and loved it. We had no problems with getting it very stable. Last year we decided to upgrade to a fifth wheel, which is when our problems started. We cannot seem to get it stable. No matter what I do, we still have a shaky RV. I do have ...