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RV stuff I fixed all by myself. — 21 Comments

  1. I dot think I am subscribed, I just check your blog every few days. But I’m still here!

    As for the water heater, draining the water out actually restores the air pocket at the top of the tank. You want that there to act as a pressure snubber. It soaks up water pressure spikes that might pop the temperature/pressure valve open for no good reason. Eventually the trapped air will all dissolve into the water and you will need to replace the air pocket again. That’s a great time to drain all the junk from the bottom of the water heater.

    Seeya!

    • Thank you for still reading! Are you snowed in? You must be snowed in. πŸ˜‰

      Ok, so either I misunderstood him, or I remembered the water heater air bubble thing wrong. Thank you for the correction! Mine doesn’t seem to be set up for draining… the main valve is over the electronics. ??? There is a small one down below, but it takes HOURS. It’s so small I’m not sure any stuff came out other than water.

  2. I also get really excited when I successfully fix (or build) something. I call it experiencing a fit of competence.

  3. no smoking and congrats on fixing stuff yourself, just a note of warning, should you ever get a “manly” man around interested, play dumb, a lot of guys (sorry if I offend any male readers) are scared by a woman, who generally can take care of things themselves. I’ve had a guy tell me he was breaking up with me, because I “didn’t” need him..lol.. sorry about that, grew up with 3 brothers none of which has the slightest idea of how to fix things.

    • That’s been my experience, too, Carmen. Some men are turned off by a smart woman with some mechanical ability. (Paradoxically, the same man will also find the photo of me driving a Bobcat a turn on.)

      Why the dears translate intelligence and ability into not being needed is perplexing to me. The “protective” masculine factor alone is enough to make me swoon. And who else would lift the heavy things, kill or relocate the indoor bugs, and chop off the heads of all-too-close rattlesnakes?

  4. Sorry to hear that your online dating turned out to be a flop. With the type of guys it seems you are looking for, you might have better luck if you relocate yourself nearer to somewheres more, say, “cosmo”? But, then again, we are guys and we do “guy” things. We shit with the door open. We make our own beef jerky. We piss behind dumpsters. We fart in bed and pull the covers over our heads, and we wrestle rhinoceroseses to the ground. That’s just what we do.

    • Thanks, Scooter. Yes, resuming dating after relocating to a more populous location is a good idea. I don’t really want a “cosmo” guy. No “skinny jeans” on my man.

      Most of those things are your list aren’t a problem (except maybe the door thing, and the fart/covers thing). It’s the not moving past emailing that’s the problem. AKA: “not owning a pair”.

  5. I’m still here, and you are in my blogroll. Keeping my blog updated has been a tedious thing. Twitter and Facebook are where I hang these days, but when I see that you’ve made a blog post I dodge over to read.

    • Thank you, MB. You have been a loyal reader – thanks for hanging in there! And for the blog roll addition! πŸ™‚

      Did you make it to Dallas last weekend? I saw your post about missing Texas Becky, but couldn’t tell if you were there and she wasn’t, or vice versa. I’m sorry I missed it, but glad I didn’t drive in the storm. (Of course, today is supposed to be in the 80’s – for the second day in a row. And my new coworkers just said we’re getting 40 MPH winds tomorrow. Whatever.)

  6. I believe I have subscribed. In response to above everyone wants to feel needed. I protect and fix things so my manly feelings get hurt when Eliza says ” just call the guy” my feathers poof up like a peacock impressing a possible mate. Men also like women who can care for them as well. Finding someone you click with is never easy however not being close to people does make the pool you men swim in smaller. Even in a big pool it is still an effort. Don’t give up hope and it will happen.

    • Thank you for subscribing! πŸ™‚

      There have been times I could’ve probably said “ooh” and “ahh” a bit more in reference to successful handyman projects. I’m working on being more conscious of that.

      BUT, whatever I lack in the compliment department, I make up for in the care-taking! I’m all about getting my mate to eat healthy, take vitamins, meditate, and I’d love to have a partner who would get me out exercising more! I’ll do all the laundry because I’m totally picky about it. I’ll do the shopping for healthy stuff. Hopefully, my man will squish (or relocate bugs), take out the trash, and do the heavy lifting. πŸ™‚

  7. > a lot of guys are scared by a woman

    This is a good filter then. I can’t imagine wanting a significant relationship with someone so fragile. How could that work?

    > They just stop replying, or send one random sentence

    Hmmm.. it could be any one of a thousand reasons, but this is a way of being let down gently, eh?

    > it’s an awesome moment of pure pleasure.

    Yes, that’s why men enjoy fixing stuff. Yes, we like positive strokes after we fix things too, who doesn’t? But it isn’t why *I* fix things. Has nothing to do with getting frisky. We do that anyway.

    Here is an example of joy by fixing things; I worked as a GIS programmer. I won’t get too specific in order to protect something, somewhere I think. An engineer client came into my office, said “I have this report I’d like to automate, I wonder if you can help?”.
    I: “I think so, gimme a coupla days and I’ll have something for you”.
    So he comes back, sits down, and I run out this report and give it to him. He reads it.. his eyebrows go up.. he shoves his chair back! “Do you know what you just did!?”
    I: “well, yeah…”
    He: “DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU JUST DID!!??
    I: “Whaaa…
    He: “I spend two weeks EVERY MONTH creating that report! EVERY MONTH!! And you just automated it!!

    Of course the story degenerates after that high point. “Give me another coupla days and I will polish it up for you, make it easier to run, make it look better”.

    He: “No– I can do that… thanks!”

    Which meant he took MY work, polished it up, presented it to HIS boss, took all the credit, never mentioned me, boss takes it to the council,
    “See what we can do without Information Services? I told you we don’t need them and their charges!”

    I guess nobody ever promised that the one with integrity would win.

    • Hmmm, your story doesn’t seem to have the same happy ending… but, you say you found it enjoyable. Well, you can come fix stuff at my house and I will refrain from offering praise if you want! LOL

  8. I agree online dating stinks, most of the girls I have talked with just want to chat and not to meet up.

    • Several men had written that same complaint in their profile. I’m starting to wonder if anyone ever meets up. How do these folks end up getting married????

  9. Hey, if you send me a pic of the water heater I can get more info for you. Also, what brand heater is it?

    Andy G!

    • It’s an Atwood, 6 gal. I have a manual/diagram. I had to order some funky pair of fuses for it last year. I ordered the number listed in the Winnebago Owner’s manual from Camping World. The part came (probably from China) and only one of the two fuses was the same design. Still have that (useless) little bugger.

  10. The Atwood WH should have a nylon plug that takes a 3/4 or 7/8 socket in the lower left corner. If it has anything else there it is wrong. A metal plug can corrode in place and never come out. An anode rod is un-needed due to the Atwood’s construction. A metal plug with a drain valve has two issues: it might corrode in place, and you will never get enough flow from that little valve to properly flush the heater. Get a heater flushing wand. Turn off the heater and let it cool off. Remove the drain plug. Stand back. Open the temperature/pressure safety valve. Let it drain. Put the wand on a hose, shove it in the drain hole, turn the hose on, and power wash the inside of the tank. Move it around a bunch. Shut off and remove the wand. Let the water out. Reinstall the plug. Snap the valve shut. Fill the heater by leaving a hot water tap open. When all the air has been expelled from the tap, you are done. There will still be an air pocket at the top of the tank. Turn on the heater.

    • Yikes. That sounds like a lot of work. There are parts in front of the drain that make it difficult to access with tools. I was able to get it to drain when I did it a few weeks ago, but it was slow going. It seemed to fix it – the heater doesn’t drip anymore.

  11. It’s actually quite fast and easy once you’ve seen it done. Honest! I reach the plug with a socket on a 6″ extension and a socket wrench. Just gotta pick the right size socket. (That’s why I write the size down inside the heater compartment.) See, I ain’t as dumb as I look! πŸ˜‰