It can be easy to ignore our storage batteries, even though they serve as an important part of the Airstreaming experience.  They get placed in cramped storage areas and are forgotten until they do not respond appropriately when we call on them to use some of their stored energy.   If we understand the battery processes more fully, we will be more attuned to their maintenance needs and will receive better service over a longer time.  The author wishes to thank Larry Jones, WBCCI #  9805, for the column idea and T J Byers for the technical data. Lead-Acid batteries are composed of multiple cells consisting of lead plates, suspended in a diluted sulfuric acid solution called electrolyte.  Each cell produces a certain number of volts.  In a typical 12-volt battery there are 6 cells connected in series, each producing 2 volts. Battery energy is stored in a reversible electrochemical process to be released as needed.  As voltage is used from a lead-acid battery, sulfuric ions are removed from the liquid sulfuric acid solution and embedded in the lead plates.  As the battery reaches a discharged state, it requires charging to reverse the process and complete the cycle so the battery is ready for reuse.   Charging begins when you apply voltage across the plates of the cells.  With “full rate” charging a fast chemical reaction changes the electrolyte and plates in the cells.  Sulfate ions are removed from the plates and re-suspended in the sulfuric acid liquid solution.  In time the energy absorbed by the battery saturates the process and equalization occurs as 70 – 80% of the charge has been replaced in the battery and the resting battery measures approximately 12.6 volts..      If the battery charging continues at a fast pace, electrolysis occurs and the water in the sulfuric acid breaks down into its components of hydrogen and oxygen.  This gassing (sometimes called boiling) occurs after equalization under continued full rate charging.   If full-rate charging continues the battery will be permanently damaged. Most automatic battery chargers are designed to sense equalization and reduce the charging current to keep electrolysis at safe levels.  This reduced charging current, called the “finish current”, slowly replaces the remaining 20 – 30% to bring the battery to a fully charged state, measuring approximately 13.2 volts at rest.  The battery can then be disconnected from the electrical current and is ready for reuse. Unfortunately batteries in a resting state lose up to 10% of their charge per month.  To offset this they are usually left on a “trickle charge” to equalize input and natural loss.  For a large cold cranking amps (CCA) battery the maximum full rate charge is 15 to 20 amps, the finish charge is 2 to 5 amps, and the trickle charge is 1 to 2 amps.  Lesser amp batteries charge at a slower rate.  To reduce complexity and increase reliability many automatic chargers combine the finish and trickle charge, allowing 2 amps to serve both purposes.   No smoking, sparks, or flames should be near charging batteries because of highly explosive hydrogen and oxygen that are byproducts of the charging process.  Although most of us are aware of this caution and also know not to drop a wrench and cross the positive and negative poles, there is one associated safety tip that rarely gets mentioned. When dismounting a battery from its normal installation, always put the wrench on the negative bolt first and remove the terminal from the battery negative pole.  Then remove the positive terminal.  There was a “mechanic” who used a wrench to loosen the positive terminal first.  While still touching the positive terminal, the back of the wrench grounded on a piece of the vehicle metal, producing a direct short.  The resulting sparks ignited some hydrogen in one of the cells and blew a large crack in the side of the battery, necessitating a new battery.  Had he followed the safety tip, this dangerous and costly mistake would not have been possible.  Remount the battery in reverse order, i.e. reconnect positive first, then negative.    Occasionally you need to replace the battery water that is naturally lost to evaporation and gassing.  Most batteries have two caps raised above the top surface of the battery each covering three cell-access holes.  After removing the caps be aware that moisture on the cap covers or on your fingers is an acid that can eat holes in your clothing.  Do not overfill the cells as the water level should be about 1&1/4” below the battery top surface.  If you do not perform this maintenance, it exposes the top of the battery plates to air and they become oxidized.  Upon subsequent refilling, the battery will never again reach 100% recharge.  Take care of your batteries and they will serve you faithfully.  If you ignore your batteries you will soon be revolting. 

Other Battery Facts: 

BATTERIES : STARTING AND DEEP CYCLE - Most batteries are killed prematurely by Sulfation which is a normal deterioration of the plates.  Its causes are : 1) extended shelf storage, 2) extended inactivity 3) terminal corrosion, 4) high temperatures above 90 degrees, and 5) undercharging.  Maximum charging voltage is 14 volts.  Electrolyte is 36 % sulfuric acid.  1 to 4 amps is trickle charge.  Never run deep cycle batteries flat!  

Let’s talk about Electronic Trailer Brake Actuators.  These controllers are the means by which electric power is applied to the trailer brakes when we step on the tow vehicle brake pedal.  The electronic versions are necessitated by the advent of anti-lock braking systems which do not allow tapping of the hydraulic lines. I was not happy with the service I was getting from a new unit made by a Michigan-based brake controller manufacturing company.  The unit had been given the green light in a Trailer Life article before I purchased it.  I called their Technical Service Department twice, finally sending the unit back to them.  A letter sent with the unit contained this description of the problem: ” The Problem with the electronic brake control is that I can get it to function perfectly on the highway/interstate, but the trailer wheels lock up when I get in city traffic.  If I back off on the right adjustment knob I can get it to function perfectly in the city, but when I get to the highway/interstate I seem to have no noticeable brakes from the trailer.  If I increase the right adjustment I can again have good high speed brakes.”  I felt that this situation was dangerous.  The engineering company sent me a new unit but it functioned similarly.  Then I read an article in Carolina RV Traveler that indicated there were controllers on the market that did not utilize a pendulum device and did not need to be leveled to function properly.  These new controllers were manufactured by Jordan Research Corporation (1-800-533-0306 for more information) and did not depend on inertia to move a pendulum to send more current to the trailer brakes.  Instead when the stop light switch activates the brake light, it takes approximately 3 seconds to ramp from minimum current to maximum current for the trailer brakes.  As long as you keep your foot on the brake, three seconds later you will have maximum trailer brakes.  Maximum current is regulated by one adjustment.  There is a manual override to deliver full trailer brake power in an emergency. Since I could mount the controller at virtually any angle, I choose to mount it on the top front of the plastic center console (in front of the cup holder) on our Suburban.  That way either of us could touch the emergency override, even if our shoulder harness locked up in a sway situation.  In my old mounting under the dashboard it was much harder to reach - impossible if the shoulder harness locked up! I have been pleased with the Jordan actuator.  If I set it for high-speed travel so I have good trailer brakes, a subsequent stop at slower speed does not snap the trailer brakes on.  Nothing is thrown around the trailer and my nerves are not jangled in the process.  A longer-than-three-second application may give me slightly too much brakes, so I try to pump the brakes in two-second intervals.  Remember the brakes come on initially at minimum current and immediately start a three-seconds-long progression up to maximum current.  So far the controller is functioning well with my  six wheel, thirty-four foot trailer!   I feel it is an improvement over my previous pendulum-actuated controller and a necessity on a heavy trailer.

Since a brake is a heat machine, it must absorb the heat energy of stopping.  When two identical vehicles stop from 55 mph with one utilizing a light touch and the other braking abruptly at the last minute, the total heat generated in the brakes is the same.  The driver who brakes with a light touch has brake drums that must get rid of 500 degrees of heat concentrated at the drum surface over each of the four units of braking time.  The driver who brakes abruptly has brake drums that must get rid of 2000 degrees heat at the brake drum surface over a period of one unit of braking time.  This temperature is higher than design specifications and is too fast for transfer and heat dissipation.  The result is short lining life and early drum failure.  This is especially true of trailer brakes.  Adjust your brake controller so the trailer brakes come on just before the tow vehicle, but not so soon that they do more work than the tow vehicle’s brakes. 

FRIDAYS WITH PHRED…

We need to talk about breakaway switches.  These little jewels are supposed to apply the trailer brakes if the trailer and tow vehicle ever separate for any reason.  They require twelve volts from the trailer battery and a splice into the hot line leading to the trailer brakes and there is a little shaft or pin that a cable pulls when the units separate.  When the pin is pulled the contacts come together and trailer battery twelve volts is applied to the trailer brakes line, stopping the unit.  You test the switch by pulling the pin and starting to drive away.  If the brakes don’t stop the trailer wheels, the switch is bad.  Make sure you replace the pin even if the switch is bad since the trip home from the rally may vibrate the contacts together, resulting in brakes when you don’t need them.   Since mine would not apply the trailer brakes, I went shopping for a new one.  There are two types generally available: black plastic with a plastic pin for about $9.00 which was the type I was replacing on my trailer or a Tekonsha metal canister type with brass pin for $13.95.   Since I was fortunate enough to have an old one of each I tore them apart to see their design.  I highly recommend the Tekonsha for its design and premium parts.  I feel it will easily last more than twice as long as the black plastic one and is repairable when it malfunctions.    Unit replacement is easy.  Since there is no polarity, do either wire, one at a time and make sure your connectors or wire nuts are secure and taped well. CAUTION:  Disconnect the seven-way plug from the tow vehicle before testing so trailer battery feedback will not damage your electronic brake controller in the tow vehicle. Breakaway Switch Testing  Gene Poast, WBCCI #  9870, confirmed the technical details with Tekonsha who makes brake controllers.  Some states, notably NY are requiring a test of the trailer breakaway system as a part of obtaining a yearly trailer license. The method they are using in some cases is to jack up one wheel, spin the tire/wheel, pull the breakaway cable, and observe that the wheel stops spinning. There are two significant problems with this procedure: (1) the trailer wheels should never be raised by placing a jack under the axle. It should be placed under the frame as explained in the owner manual. (2) If the breakaway switch is activated while the umbilical cord is connected to the tow vehicle, there is a very high probability that the trailer  electrical system will feed back into and burn out the brake controller.  The procedure that should be followed would be to disconnect the electrical cord from the tow vehicle, jack up one side of the trailer at the frame until at least one wheel is off the ground, spin that wheel, pull the breakaway cable, and observe that the wheel stops spinning.

John Plaxco , WBCCI # 4736 , also discussed the wisdom of periodically testing the trailer breakaway switch .  He suggested that before starting out for the day, one should pull the breakaway switch and move the trailer forward slowly.  If the switch is working correctly, the trailer brakes will lock down solidly and stop the whole rig.  He also cautioned us to make sure that the seven-way plug is disconnected before the test is initiated.  So be advised and save purchasing a new electronic brake controller, but do test that breakaway switch!

Additionally John suggested that the breakaway switch cable should be shorter than the safety chains.  The theory is that if the trailer disconnects from the tow vehicle near the hitch ball, the hitch should fall onto the crossed safety chains.  Before the chains get pulled to their full length, the breakaway switch should pull because it is shorter than the safety chains.  In this event the trailer brakes will be applied and you can steer the trailer safely to the roadside with the safety chains still attached to the tow vehicle         

 In a worst-case-scenario, if the trailer should eventually become totally detached, the brakes have been slowing the trailer as the safety chains slowly break or disconnect.  This extra several hundred feet of braking application has slowed the trailer significantly before it is totally out of control – an extra margin of safety for highway motorists around your trailer!

 FRIDAYS WITH PHRED… 

This column was prompted by a question that I asked Jamie King, WBCCI #7018:  “Can you give me a layman’s explanation of cavitation in diesel engines?”  What follows is his response by e-mail:

 Fundamental facts: 

1. Air dissolves in water.  If it didn’t fish could not breathe.  So the water in your engine coolant system has air dissolved in it.  More air can dissolve in water under pressure.  Your cooling system has fifteen pounds of pressure depending on your radiator cap specifications.

 2. Air that is dissolved in water comes out of the solution as tiny air bubbles when the pressure is suddenly dropped.  Think of opening a cola-type beverage.  Or all those tiny bubbles in a freshly opened bottle of champagne. 3.  Engine block pressures change during the compression and exhaust partsof the power cycle.  During compression and ignition the pressures inside the cylinders are very great, and the walls of the cylinders actually are pushed out a bit by those pressures, squeezing the water in the coolant channels.  Then when the exhaust opens the pressure in the cylinder drops suddenly, and the cylinder walls actually shrink slightly.  This movement of the cylinder walls puts high-then-low pressure changes on the water in the cooling system on the outside of the cylinder walls. 4.  The tiny air bubbles that form explosively in water when the pressure suddenly drops can easily pit the cast iron cylinder walls.  They can even pit steel.  This pitting of a solid surface is called cavitation.   The Problem:  The high compression ratios and high combustion pressures in a diesel engine result in tiny air bubbles being formed explosively in the cooling system fluid inside the engine block, around the outsides of the cylinder walls.  (The same thing happens in gasoline engines, but to a much lesser degree because the compression and combustion pressures are much lower).  These air bubbles pit the metal, and will eventually result in tiny pinholes in the cylinder walls.  Your engine cylinder walls will eventually look and act like a showerhead! 

The Solution:  An additive is added to the coolant that changes the solubility of air in the water, much the same as a detergent changes the solubility of grease in water.  Since the additive enriched coolant is now less likely to explosively “un-dissolve” making bubbles, cavitation is less likely to happen and cause pitting damage.  These additives are readily available and easy to use.  You put the recommended amount in with the antifreeze and water once every two years when you change your coolant.

An interesting related problem from one who has experienced it:  In a fuel-injection system there is also a lot of pressure change happening.  While the injection pump is forcing fuel through the injector nozzles into the cylinders, the pressure in the fuel lines is high.  Then the pump suddenly doesn’t push (between injection strokes) and the pressure in the fuel lines drops suddenly.  The tiny air bubbles can form explosively and can pit their way right through the steel fuel line anywhere between the injection pump and the engine injectors!  Then you have another showerhead problem, but this time you’re spraying hot fuel instead of water.  The only solution to this one is to make sure your injection pump is working properly and not letting the pressure drop too much too suddenly.  It’s worth checking every 50,000 miles or so to avoid spraying hot fuel onto a hot exhaust pipe!

FRIDAYS WITH PHRED…

Your Zip Dee awning should be lubricated every month only with Silicone Spray.  Spray all moving aluminum parts (inside tubes, exterior of parts sliding inside, all pivot points, z-lock etc).  Clean with a Zip Dee cleaning product by wetting both sides and scrubbing each.  Then roll up the awning and allow the cleaning solution to “soak” for a few minutes.  Then open the awning and rinse both sides, finally allowing it to dry.  Call Zip Dee at 1-800 338-2378 with any questions.

Neil Guthrie, WBCCI # 21633, wanted to remind awning owners to tilt their open awning from front of the trailer to back, setting the rear support slightly lower than the front support.  Very heavy rains can bend the supports when a heavy puddle of water collects on the top center of a level awning.  When tilted from front to back the water not only runs down the awning but also runs from front to the lower back end.  Therefore the puddles do not have a chance to form.  Longer awnings that could potentially hold more water come from the manufacturer with a center support bar that is designed to lessen the ability of water to puddle in the middle of a level awning.  Don’t depend on this to save you in a downpour!

Changed your automatic transmission fluid recently?   The severe workload placed on the transmission while towing or motor homing begins to deteriorate the transmission fluid first, and then affects the transmission itself.  Most of us are using DEXRON III transmission fluid, which has a reasonably long service life if kept in the 180 to 220 degree temperature range while in use.  However towing up hills and using lower gears going down hills or using an exhaust brake on a motorhome heats the fluid up rapidly.  This causes the fluid to loose viscosity or thin out and shortens its service life.  So check your manufacturers recommended severe duty change interval and change the fluid to make sure your transmission stays healthy.  If you are looking for extended drain intervals under severe duty, investigate TranSynd, a DEXRON III licensed product by Castrol.  It is a pure synthetic base oil that will not change viscosity, allowing extended drain intervals.  More information is available at www.allisontransmissions.com.

Fridays with Phred…

The 12-volt electrical system in our tow vehicle is usually so reliable that we don’t give it a second thought as long as the engine doesn’t crank slowly when we first start it.  Even then (when it cranks slowly) we make a mental note to later charge the battery, have it load tested, get the voltage regulator and alternator tested, and/or buy a new battery.  If the technician says one of the parts is responsible we have a new one mounted and go on our merry way.  Beware!  When you are planning to tow the Airstream a slow cranking speed cannot just be put off until you get home from the rally.  If the alternator is the reason you have a slow cranking speed you are in danger trailering with your rig.  With a non-functional alternator the electrical usage with engine, electric brakes, windows, fan, radio, lights, etc. will deplete the tow vehicle and trailer battery to the point that an application of the brakes in a “must-stop” situation will result in no trailer brakes and the probability of a dead engine when you finally come to a stop.  That is, if you make the stop safely!    After about 80,000 miles it has been suggested that you buy a new alternator with similar or higher Amp output and mount it while the engine is cool, sitting in your garage.  If you choose not to do that, start watching your dashboard Voltmeter as frequently as you watch the oil pressure and temperature gauge.  As long as your voltmeter is reading about thirteen volts you should be fine.  It is better to be alert than sorry.

At about 25 years old, my husband Fred Ettline first experienced an Airstream with his then in-laws.  They swept him away in their silver bullet, traveling across the country and into Canada for Expo ‘67 in Montreal.  They even let him drive.  In short, they gave him Airstream fever.

“I liked that with the Airstream you could go anywhere, do anything, and stop whenever you wanted.  You never had to find a hotel and unpack.  It was liberating,” says Fred.  So, at 29 years old, Fred purchased a 1968, 30-foot Airstream, the first of several Airstreams he has owned since then. 

I’ve accused him of loving to tinker with Airstreams as much as he loves to travel.  Over the last 38 years, his tinkering has taught him many lessons and he has learned much from fellow Airstreamers as well.  Indeed, shared knowledge is one of the great things about joining the Airstream community.  Fred’s desire to teach what he has learned about Airstreams resulted in his long tenure writing the “Phred Sez” column for the Wally Byam Caravan Club International’s membership magazine, the Blue Beret.  It also resulted in publication of a book, Phred Sez, The First Ten Years, that is a compilation of indexed Phred Sez articles.  (The book is only available on a data CD.)

In a special Friday series, Fred will be sharing some of his articles in this blog starting May 15, 2009.  We hope you will read along weekly as he discusses topics ranging from awning maintenance, to cavitation in diesel engines.  He’ll also be telling you basic things like how to get rid of those pesky ants that can find their way into your Airstream.   So… see you back here this coming Friday, May 15, 2009  for some thoughts from Phred Sez on alternators and trailer brakes.

Exotic animals stretch out their legs and chase us across the rural countryside. Their pace is spurred by their appetite. Humans mean food.

Acres of exotic animals conjure images of the African Serengeti. But we are in northwestern South Carolina outside the small town of Inman where we have discovered Hollywild Animal Park. There’s no glitz about Hollywild. Yet, this down-to-earth home to stars attracts 150,000 visitors a year.

Hollywild is not a zoo. It is not a theme park. It is the residence of over 500 exotic and farm animals, many of whom have appeared in commercials, films and TV shows. These “ZooperStars” as the folks at Hollywild call them can be seen in over 60 movies including such films as The Big Chill, Last of the Mohicans, and Days of Thunder.

The true adventure at Hollywild starts with the riotously fun safari bus ride. A windowless old school bus painted with tiger stripes has been retrofitted with a two-sided wooden bench that runs from front to back of the bus. It’s a little homemade looking and the ride is bumpy but that’s part of the fun. Thoughts of the rough ride fade as the adventure gets underway and the excitement begins.

Early in the day, the animals are lively and seem to be expecting the bus. The driver hands each of us a hunk of old bread to feed the variety of beasts that roam the open spaces. With this simple act, we become more than observers, we become a part of the action. Herds of emu, and deer are the first to seek our generosity as the bus makes a stop for us to toss or hand them food.

Nervous giggles and shrieks fill the bus as animals move in close enough to touch. A nervy emu startles a middle-aged woman by snatching a whole hunk of bread right out of her hand. Enlightened by her experience, everyone learns to ration their bread to last through the safari rather than holding their whole stash too near the edge of the bus.

Buffalo, ostrich, llamas, zebras, camels and other creatures run alongside the bus as it tours over the hills and through pastures. The scene conjures images of the pied piper calling all animals with the sound of an old school bus engine. Grins spread across every face on the bus as it bounces along with a gathering entourage of assorted beasts.

Over the hill comes a HUGE, surreal looking white bull jogging directly toward the left center of the open-air bus with amazing agility — his massive body and wide span of horns a sobering presence as the bus slows to a halt. I feel myself scoot further back on the bench as he stops right in front of me. Slowly my nerve returns and I discover just how big a tongue can be as the bull suddenly swipes into his mouth the piece of bread I’d placed on the ledge in front of me. I delight in this close encounter but remain one with the back of the bench.

Wandering the park after the safari ride means the opportunity to visit and feed animals that dwell in the more contained exhibit areas. This casual environment offers the chance to interact with the creatures to a greater degree than in a traditional zoo yielding plenty of opportunities for laughter and learning for all ages. We discovered that camels are perfectly willing to seize a whole bucket of food if given a chance so visitors do well to keep their feed buckets out of reach — that is unless motivated to play tug-of-war with a dromedary.

A particularly curious camel takes a liking to my husband’s hat.  It is a close call but Fred manages an evasive move just in time to avoid leaving the camel a baseball cap souvenir of our visit. Despite our failed attempts to help, we discover that a baby goat can untangle his horns from the fence without our help, and, that a deer in the Enchanted Deer Forest section of Hollywild will eat right out of our hands.

We still grin every time we think about our visit to Hollywild. Hollywild reinforces our conviction that traveling can lead to unanticipated adventures in the most unexpected places. Not far from I-26 or I-85, the 100-acre Hollywild Animal Park is convenient yet off the beaten path. Their website gives detailed directions and seasonal hours. Who knew that a bit of stale bread and an old school bus in South Carolina could lead to such rollicking safari adventures?