Category Archives: Camper Upgrades

Battery Water Filler

Camper Upgrades

Adding water to flooded RV batteries can be somewhat difficult as the above picture shows on our 2014 Milan 26RLS. The battery bank is behind the propane tanks and the front of the trailer slopes forward over the batteries. This isn’t a problem if you have sealed batteries that do not require topping of the water. I prefer flooded batteries that can be tested with a battery hydrometer as I shared in this post with instructions on using a battery hydrometer. The downside of these flooded batteries is they periodically need to be topped of with distilled water. As with most things in life, there is a proper tool to add distilled water to a flooded battery — the battery water filler. Continue reading Battery Water Filler →

Favorite Camper Gear of 2018

Camper Upgrades

This topic is a favorite on backpacking blogs. Although it is only August, I thought I’d be the first!

Actually my favorite backpacking gear hasn’t changed in years, so there is no use posting that (again).

Since I just finished all my Christmas shopping (yes, I don’t have to worry about it or stress out like most folks do), I thought it might be helpful to share the most popular items that PopUpBackpacker readers are buying – and there isn’t anything related to backpacking – because the majority of readers here buy stuff for their campers, so all the items on this list are camper related. I approve – too many backpackers are obsessed with gear and are in a constant loop of new gear purchases.

Camping stuff, on the other hand, are usually purchases that are made for the long haul. Readers might find some of the stuff interesting or even a great Christmas gift idea. Since Christmas is several months away, might as well start thinking about it before it creeps up on you and you freak out. And to be upfront, there are product links in this post that will earn me a small commission if you purchase something. Don’t buy any of this stuff if you don’t need it! Continue reading Favorite Camper Gear of 2018 →

Get Ready to ‘Flip Your Lid’ (How to Replace an RV Vent Lid)

Camper Upgrades

Last week was time to wash and condition our membrane roof and to clean the solar panels. While I was on the roof getting ready and inspecting everything, I noticed a small hole in the corner of one of the plastic roof vents. The lid was falling apart due to UV exposure. Checking the other two vent lids, they were also getting brittle and needed to be replaced. So I ordered three lids and postponed the roof and solar panel cleaning.

Hole in the vent lid as seen from the inside of the camper.

Roof vent lids are easy to replace.

In this post I’ll go through the step-by-step instructions. Continue reading Get Ready to ‘Flip Your Lid’ (How to Replace an RV Vent Lid) →

Extended Dual-Run Fuel Tank for Honda Generators

Camper Upgrades

Recently I wrote about our Honda “EU” series generators for use in extremely hot weather to run our camper’s air conditioner. One thing I didn’t discuss in much detail was the limited fuel capacity their built-in gas tanks have. At the time I mentioned I would be purchasing an after-market extended run fuel tank. The generators barely had enough fuel capacity to run through the night, and had it been hotter or more humid they would have run out of fuel.

Disclaimer: Usually I include a disclaimer if I receive any commission from any links in a post. After researching tanks, I only found one that I was comfortable buying – that is, given my professional experience working with fuel systems, the one I bought was the only one I felt was safe. I paid the regular price, I don’t know the seller, and there is no financial benefit for me to review the product. I could have linked to some tanks that might generate income for me, but I am unwilling to do that.

This post will review the extended run fuel tank and accessories. Continue reading Extended Dual-Run Fuel Tank for Honda Generators →

“Are we out of propane, Again?”

Camper Upgrades, ,

Ah, it’s a common malady for some campers. Running out of propane on a camping trip is truly inconvenient – especially if it happens during the middle of a cold night and your furnace quits running.

Most portable propane tanks usually don’t have gauges. If they do, they don’t work well – probably better to say they don’t work at all. So what is one to do? Continue reading “Are we out of propane, Again?” →