This is Eric Stark with The Smart RVer Podcast, Delivering the Smarts you need to enjoy the freedom of the RV Lifestyle without the fear of breaking down!
Episode Summary: Are electric waste valves for RVs worth the investment? Eric Stark dives deep into this topic, exploring the pros and cons of these systems that aim to make waste disposal simpler and more efficient. He discusses various brands, including Drain Master, Valterra, and Barker, highlighting their features, ease of installation, and overall reliability. Alongside co-host Alexis, they also touch on the importance of enjoying the RV lifestyle, including tips for calming passenger nerves during travel and finding free activities to enhance your adventures. With insights into the exciting state of Pennsylvania and a look at the growing trend of mini-split air conditioning systems in RVs, this episode is packed with valuable information for RV enthusiasts looking to make informed decisions.
Enjoying the RV Life: Tips for Passengers to Calm Their Nerves: Alexis and Eric talk about staying calm while being a passenger in an RV. It can be hard to remain calm when you’re not in control, but it's important for the overall enjoyment of the trip, the peace of the parties involved, and, most importantly, the sanity of the driver. Eric also shares a Money-Saving Tip to save some cash while RVing.
Check out the full article on TheSmartRVer.com. Wholesale RV Extended Warranties for LessStaying On The Road: Eric and Alexis discuss electric waste valves and how they are so much better than manual contraptions! They discuss the ins and outs of how the valves work and how they can make RV life better and easier.
Check out the money-saving tip about wholesale warranties!How to Repair a Problem Valterra RV Waste ValveThe Next Stop: Exploring Pennsylvania: A Traveler's Guide to History and Nature: Alexis and Eric travel to Pennsylvania to discuss what you can do in the great state. The history itself can keep a history buff busy for a long time! There are also many places to hike, bike, and do other outdoor activities. There's an endless amount of activities to keep anyone, young or old, entertained.
RV Envy:The Rise of Mini Split Air Conditioning Systems: Eric talks a little about mini split A/C’s for your RV. It’s an option to keep your RV cool and livable, especially when you can’t get access to or work your main AC unit, if you even have one. Be sure to send Eric information about mini splits if you have further helpful information, and he’ll feature your information on the Podcast! Contact Eric
Electric waste valves for RVs take center stage, as Eric Stark and Alexis explore their functionality and significance in enhancing the RV experience. Stark articulates the advantages of switching from manual to electric valves, particularly for those who may struggle with the physical demands of traditional systems. He discusses the ease of operation, safety considerations, and the long-term benefits of investing in a reliable electric waste valve. The episode features a detailed comparison of brands such as Drain Master, Valterra, and Barker, with insights into their installation processes and customer support. Stark’s candid assessment of each brand's strengths and weaknesses provides listeners with valuable information for making informed decisions about their RV maintenance.
Beyond the technicalities of waste management, the conversation seamlessly transitions into the broader context of enjoying the RV lifestyle. The hosts share personal stories and relatable experiences that highlight the importance of communication between drivers and passengers, especially during stressful travel situations. Stark and Alexis emphasize strategies for calming nerves and fostering a positive atmosphere in the RV, transforming potentially fraught moments into opportunities for connection and enjoyment. Their engaging dialogue balances humor with wisdom, making the episode both entertaining and informative.
The episode also serves as a travel guide, spotlighting Pennsylvania as an ideal RV destination. Alexis takes the lead, discussing the state's rich historical landmarks, natural beauty, and culinary delights. From the Liberty Bell to the picturesque Pocono Mountains, the hosts inspire listeners to explore the diverse attractions Pennsylvania has to offer. They encourage RV travelers to seek out free activities, reinforcing the idea that unforgettable experiences don’t always have to come with a hefty price tag. Overall, this episode encapsulates the essence of the RV lifestyle, blending practical advice with storytelling and travel inspiration that resonates with both seasoned RVers and newcomers alike.
Takeaways:
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Companies mentioned in this episode
12 volt electric waste valves and are they worth the money?
Eric Stark:And how do you choose which one to buy?
Eric Stark:That's going to be our discussion today.
Eric Stark:And staying on the road.
Eric Stark:But before we get into that, we're going to talk about enjoying the RV life.
Eric Stark:And a much better way to enjoy it is calming your nerves while riding as a passenger.
Eric Stark:And then in the next stop, we're going to talk about the great state of Pennsylvania or the exciting state.
Eric Stark:Everybody want to look at that?
Eric Stark:Then RV envy is going to be about many split air conditioning systems.
Eric Stark:Actually, it's going to be more like questions for you because I need some answers.
Eric Stark:This is Eric Stark with the Smart RVer podcast, delivering the smarts you need to enjoy the freedom of the RV lifestyle without the fear of breaking down.
Eric Stark:Let's talk everything RV.
Eric Stark:This is episode 164, so let's dig right into it.
Eric Stark:And Alexis is here in our reconfigured studio for the afternoon.
Alexis:Hello.
Eric Stark:And how's Alexis today?
Alexis:I'm doing very well today.
Eric Stark:Very well.
Eric Stark:That's good.
Alexis:Had my coffee.
Eric Stark:Had her coffee.
Eric Stark:Got a bottle of vodka on the side there.
Eric Stark:You know it or whatever.
Eric Stark:Jungle juice, something.
Eric Stark:All right, well, maybe not.
Eric Stark:No, Alexis isn't that way.
Alexis:Not today anyway.
Eric Stark:She keeps her bottle under the table.
Alexis:That's right.
Alexis:Yep.
Eric Stark:All right, so let's see.
Eric Stark:You know, one thing I want to talk about and it ties in with our money saving tips is the wholesale warranties.
Alexis:Oh, yeah.
Eric Stark:Now I've brought those up once or twice in our episode.
Eric Stark:So we're doing an affiliate marketing thing with them.
Eric Stark:So we get paid when you use our link to check out their website.
Alexis:Yes.
Eric Stark:And when you sign up, not to go to their website, but sign up.
Eric Stark:So what's cool about them, though?
Eric Stark:So this one was a hard one for me to do because it's a warranty.
Alexis:Right.
Eric Stark:I hate warranties, especially add on warranties or extended warranties when you're at the dealership and they want to sell you this warranty for, you know, X amount of thousands of dollars.
Eric Stark:And you know, they tell you it covers everything under the sun.
Eric Stark:Anything breaks in your rv, they're going to fix it.
Eric Stark:No matter when and where, it doesn't matter.
Eric Stark:You're covered.
Eric Stark:It's peace of mind.
Eric Stark:They talk right to your wife and don't you want peace of mind when you leave with your RV today and she's really.
Eric Stark:What can go wrong?
Eric Stark:Oh, everything can go wrong.
Eric Stark:You know this RV is going to break the moment you pull it out of here.
Eric Stark:And you really need that warranty.
Eric Stark:Oh, my word.
Eric Stark:We better get it right.
Alexis:It's exactly what happens.
Eric Stark:Well, not in my house.
Eric Stark:We both tell them to shove it at the same time.
Eric Stark:That's true, but wholesale warranties is a different gig.
Eric Stark:These guys are honest, they're transparent.
Eric Stark:You can buy a warranty from anybody.
Eric Stark:It doesn't have to be from the dealership.
Eric Stark:So don't let them fool you with that.
Eric Stark:Yeah, and one thing that I remember is that the dealership, let's say your payment is X amount of dollars and the warranty is X amount you're going to be paying on that warranty for the entire length of the loan.
Eric Stark:That's a lot of extra payments, a lot of extra interest.
Eric Stark:Now, the dollar amount might add up to what they quoted you, $5,000 or whatever for the warranty, but you're paying a lot of extra interest, and you're paying on after the loan or after the warranty is over.
Eric Stark:Why would you do that?
Alexis:Yeah.
Eric Stark:Now, wholesale warranties, they get that people want to throw it in with the financing, so they'll finance it for you.
Eric Stark:They offer financing.
Eric Stark:So if you want to make payments, no problem.
Eric Stark:But you make it for the life of the warranty, not the life of the loan.
Eric Stark:But anyways, kind of go along on this.
Eric Stark:I just wanted to mention them.
Eric Stark:And, you know, use the link.
Eric Stark:If you go to the description in this podcast, there's a link there.
Eric Stark:Take that to their website, fill out the form, Someone will contact you.
Eric Stark:And these guys tell you everything that'll be covered on your new RV or your used RV.
Alexis:Yes.
Eric Stark:And they do cover used RVs.
Eric Stark:They go back to so many years.
Eric Stark:I don't know the exact years, but they will cover it and they'll have the RV inspected.
Eric Stark:Now, you pay for that, but it's well worth the money because you know where you stand before you ever get into it.
Alexis:That's great.
Eric Stark:And they inspect it for everything that they're going to cover.
Eric Stark:So you might be buying a dead horse as far as an extended warranty goes.
Eric Stark:So they let you know that up front.
Eric Stark:So check that out.
Eric Stark:Go to our description of this podcast.
Eric Stark:It's also on the Smart rver website as well.
Eric Stark:Link there.
Eric Stark:Use that.
Eric Stark:It's an affiliate, like I said.
Eric Stark:That way we get our $0.03 if you do sign up.
Eric Stark:All right, let's move on to enjoying the RV life.
Eric Stark:That's an interesting subject.
Eric Stark:Calm your nerves.
Eric Stark:Is riding as a passenger.
Alexis:Yeah, that's a.
Alexis:That's a good one.
Eric Stark:You know, my Wife and I were going where somewhere the other day, and yeah, the weather is kind of inclement and, you know, animals and stuff.
Eric Stark:I know she's using that emerge or that imaginary brake pedal quite a bit.
Alexis:Oh, no.
Alexis:Yep.
Eric Stark:I think that's pretty funny.
Eric Stark:So she hadn't heard this podcast yet, so maybe she needs to hear this for you, Karen.
Eric Stark:So, Alexis, What?
Eric Stark:As probably a passenger quite often.
Eric Stark:Probably, yes.
Eric Stark:What points in this article stood out to you?
Alexis:Well, one that really made me laugh was the second one.
Alexis:Communicate effectively with the driver.
Alexis:I just like how proper that said it.
Alexis:You know, instead of screaming at them, what are you doing?
Alexis:You know, clear communication is the key here.
Eric Stark:Especially here with animals crossing the road all the time.
Eric Stark:It's not like.
Eric Stark:Or look out.
Eric Stark:Look out for what?
Alexis:Yes, exactly.
Eric Stark:All right, that makes sense.
Alexis:I like that.
Alexis:Discuss your preferences and concerns before the journey hole gets an earful every time.
Alexis:So he knows how I am?
Alexis:No, I thought that was fun.
Alexis:And then number four, practice relaxation techniques.
Alexis:So maybe the passenger needs to just calm down a little bit because the driver usually is pretty good.
Alexis:We just get, you know, scared.
Alexis:Another good thing was number one.
Alexis:I know I'm going back now, but familiarize yourself with the rv, so know it before you go because then you'll feel more comfortable.
Alexis:Probably sorry I made you turn it over.
Eric Stark:That's all right.
Alexis:But yeah, and know what it does, how it works, how it kind of.
Alexis:You could even drive it.
Alexis:So, you know, kind of.
Alexis:Okay.
Alexis:It breaks differently than a car.
Alexis:It does this differently.
Alexis:We have to turn like this.
Alexis:So when you're actually in the passenger seat, you don't freak out.
Eric Stark:Right.
Alexis:What do you think is a good one?
Eric Stark:Well, I was thinking, you know, like pull or driving a motorhomes, different because they're bigger.
Eric Stark:And sometimes you, you, you swerve a little bit.
Eric Stark:Maybe you're dodging something, maybe you're falling asleep, whatever.
Alexis:Yeah, whatever.
Eric Stark:You swerve a little bit.
Eric Stark:It kind of moves the motorhome a lot more than, let's say, a pickup truck.
Alexis:Yeah.
Eric Stark:So getting used to that every time the motorhome moves is not the end of the world.
Alexis:Exactly.
Eric Stark:But by the same took.
Eric Stark:Whether it's a motorhome, maybe going down a steep grade, or someone's pulling a trailer and going down a steep grade or up a great or unique situation, when there's beads of sweat across the driver's forehead, it's probably not the time to say, hey, what do you think about going to.
Eric Stark:And, you know, talking about something, probably think of my new purse.
Eric Stark:Probably not the best time because you're going to get a.
Eric Stark:An answer like, shut up.
Eric Stark:I'm trying to pay attention here.
Alexis:You know, and that would be fair, right?
Eric Stark:So anyways, yeah.
Eric Stark:So you know sometimes that it's a long drive having some of the stuff out on the table.
Eric Stark:And I know, like people have been married for a long time, they kind of get it.
Eric Stark:They understand each other's little things and they work around that, you know, which is good.
Eric Stark:But you know, sometimes kids have their little fears and they don't know how to express it.
Eric Stark:So you got to kind of work that into it.
Eric Stark:Think about it.
Alexis:That's.
Eric Stark:Yeah, it makes it for a more pleasant drive period.
Eric Stark:You know, really have someone either harping at you or the entire time or they're just over there, coward in their seat, miserable, you know, so that makes a lot of sense to me.
Eric Stark:Calm your nerves when you're riding as a passenger.
Eric Stark:So go to the website, the smart rver.com and join the RV lifestyle.
Eric Stark:Look for the article calm your nerves riding as a passenger.
Eric Stark:So you can read this while you're riding each time.
Eric Stark:That'll distract you.
Eric Stark:Although you might get sick from reading it and then throw up.
Eric Stark:Then we got a whole other situation we'll talk about.
Eric Stark:That's all right.
Eric Stark:Yeah, that's another one.
Eric Stark:How to clean up.
Eric Stark:Throw up while you're driving.
Eric Stark:Oh, no.
Eric Stark:All right, so now that takes us to money saving tip number four.
Eric Stark:We can actually call it number five because we talked about wholesale warranties.
Eric Stark:They're just a big giant money saving tip.
Eric Stark:But number four, enjoying free activities.
Eric Stark:So, you know, to save some of that cash that you work so hard to get.
Eric Stark:You know, traveling in RVs can be fun.
Eric Stark:It is an added expense.
Eric Stark:No matter how you slice it.
Eric Stark:It costs you something to go on a trip.
Eric Stark:You're buying food, which, yeah, you eat at home, but you probably buy more.
Eric Stark:Different types maybe.
Eric Stark:Don't worry about the cost of it so much.
Eric Stark:It's not so much a price point for you.
Eric Stark:I just want this.
Eric Stark:We're going on a trip, you know.
Alexis:Right.
Eric Stark:And you know, fuel other things.
Eric Stark:You can get a flat along the way.
Eric Stark:So there's expenses involved.
Eric Stark:So it's like, what can we do to, you know, save a few bucks while we're traveling?
Eric Stark:So, you know, it's looking for things that are free, attractions that are free, activities that can be free.
Eric Stark:You know, sometimes we go to the same place because we really like it there and there's all these activities.
Eric Stark:But all these activities can cost a lot of money.
Alexis:Yeah, exactly.
Eric Stark:You know, like if you go to Anaheim, go to Disneyland all the time, you're talking a million dollars a day.
Eric Stark:But are there other things you can do that would save you some money?
Eric Stark:It's those free activities.
Eric Stark:You know, you can camp.
Eric Stark:Camp at the beach.
Alexis:Yeah.
Eric Stark:You know, you can camp up in the mountains.
Eric Stark:Dry camping with, you know, the forest.
Alexis:Right.
Eric Stark:You know, you can watch the animals shoot.
Eric Stark:Squirrel.
Eric Stark:No, you can watch the animals do different things.
Eric Stark:You know, you can just hike, whatever.
Eric Stark:You can bring bicycles.
Eric Stark:A lot of other things we've talked about you can do there.
Alexis:Yeah.
Eric Stark:So it's.
Eric Stark:It's looking for the things that are free.
Eric Stark:You know, a lot of cities have tours that are free.
Eric Stark:There's museums that are free, or maybe they cost a buck to go in or two bucks.
Eric Stark:You know, they're not real expensive.
Eric Stark:And some of these small museums are actually pretty cool, you know, public beaches, libraries.
Eric Stark:Libraries?
Eric Stark:What on earth would you go to a library for, Alexis?
Alexis:I have no idea.
Eric Stark:You got the Internet, man.
Eric Stark:They should just close down all libraries.
Eric Stark:Oh, wow.
Eric Stark:Parks.
Alexis:Quite the opinion.
Eric Stark:Shut them down, then parks now shut down half of those.
Eric Stark:The other half probably are okay, so parks you can go to, they're free.
Eric Stark:Just be cautious.
Eric Stark:You know, art exhibits, if you like.
Eric Stark:Art or exhibits.
Eric Stark:Art exhibits, splash parks.
Eric Stark:Some of those are free.
Eric Stark:So there's a lot of things.
Eric Stark:So you can look for free activities in an area.
Eric Stark:Search the Internet, you know, search in free activities in such and such city.
Eric Stark:Wherever you're going, there's things will come up and it'll save you a few bucks.
Eric Stark:And, you know, sometimes we spend a lot of money.
Eric Stark:We just, well, we're on a trip, it's okay.
Eric Stark:Then we get home, we're like, man, this trip was a fortune.
Eric Stark:I didn't realize how much money we spent.
Eric Stark:You know, especially if you're traveling a lot and you're not don't have just this open budget, you know, which is most people.
Eric Stark:Everybody's on a budget.
Eric Stark:So you can do these things to help save that budget and maybe travel a little bit more, because you're saving some money on these trips.
Eric Stark:Because we want everybody to travel more.
Eric Stark:Enjoy that rv.
Alexis:Yeah.
Eric Stark:All right, so a key takeaway from this is using free public whatevers.
Eric Stark:Anything that's free, take advantage of it, and you'll make your money stretch a little bit further.
Eric Stark:Now that brings us to staying on the road.
Eric Stark:And so today we're going to talk about electric waste valves for RVs.
Eric Stark:And are they worth the money in?
Eric Stark:And how do you choose the right one?
Eric Stark:Now, this is a interesting topic if you're into waste.
Eric Stark:So why would you need a waste valve?
Eric Stark:Or, you know, we know waste valves, what their purpose is, to hold the waste in the tank.
Eric Stark:Then you put your sewer hose on there and it's time to drain it.
Alexis:Yep.
Eric Stark:Pull that handle and you know, all that beautiful stuff goes into the septic system somewhere, hopefully, and not on the ground.
Eric Stark:And, you know, hopefully the handle doesn't pull out when you pull on it.
Eric Stark:Hopefully the handle moves.
Eric Stark:There's all these hopefuls here that it's working properly.
Eric Stark:If, you know, the handle pulls out the valve.
Eric Stark:Stuck.
Eric Stark:Now you got a stuck valve with a full waste tank.
Alexis:Not good.
Eric Stark:So that could become really ugly.
Eric Stark:And we actually have a YouTube video, and we've talked about how to work around that.
Eric Stark:We'll have to put the link to that video in this description as well.
Eric Stark:So there's workarounds, but, you know, it's nice not to find yourself in that position in some valves.
Eric Stark:Well, I can't say an electric waste valve is going to always stop that from happening, but it can certainly slow it down or change the course of it happening.
Eric Stark:But also, some valves are hard to get to.
Eric Stark:They're way underneath the motorhome, or they got those cheesy aluminum extension handles that Volterra makes.
Eric Stark:These things are horrible.
Eric Stark:They, you know, they're.
Eric Stark:They strip out just by looking at it.
Eric Stark:They're.
Eric Stark:They're horrible.
Alexis:They're bad.
Eric Stark:They're always loosening up.
Eric Stark:Yeah, I have a solution for that.
Eric Stark:I got to work on that one of these days.
Eric Stark:But anyway, back to reality here.
Eric Stark:Then you have the cable valves which Bristol and Volterra make.
Eric Stark:And they work good until they don't work good or until the factory doesn't install it correctly because they just want to slap it in and say it has these valves and make it work.
Eric Stark:Because they can get really hard to push and pull over time or even just a bad installation.
Eric Stark:They're really hard to use.
Eric Stark:And let's face it, some of our fellow RVers have arthritic hands.
Eric Stark:It's hard to do these things.
Eric Stark:Bending over while you're pulling on something that's really hard to pull can be difficult.
Eric Stark:So that's where electric waste valves come in.
Eric Stark:And so these things, if you buy the right one, install it correctly, can be a lifesaver for time.
Eric Stark:They make life so much easier.
Eric Stark:They can actually help you avoid problems for many years to come if you Buy the right one.
Eric Stark:And it's interesting.
Eric Stark:The right one.
Eric Stark:And so we're going to kind of go through this here.
Eric Stark:We're not going to get into all the technical nuts and bolts of these things because my mind's already made up which one's the best.
Alexis:Okay.
Eric Stark:It's the most expensive one and it's the one that's not readily available.
Eric Stark:How do you like them apples, huh?
Alexis:That's kind of a downer.
Eric Stark:It is.
Eric Stark:I know.
Eric Stark:You know, sometimes we just have to face reality.
Alexis:You're right.
Eric Stark:And in the world of electric drain valves or waste valves.
Eric Stark:Yes.
Eric Stark:It gets ugly sometimes, especially when there's a lot of splashing.
Eric Stark:So the first one on my list, and this list is not in the order you think.
Eric Stark:The first one is Moto Drain.
Eric Stark:And it's not the one that I would go with.
Eric Stark:It's an okay looking valve.
Eric Stark:It's made by Bristol LaSalle Bristol.
Eric Stark:And I'm sure it works well.
Eric Stark:It will accommodate a 3 inch valve, an inch and a half valve.
Eric Stark:No, it won't work with an inch and a half, three inch valve.
Eric Stark:And that's okay.
Eric Stark:Let me get that out of the way first.
Eric Stark:You know, having three inch drain valves on both sides rather than three inch an inch and a half or three inch and a two inch.
Eric Stark:Having two three inch valves.
Eric Stark:Especially if you can get three inch plumbing all the way to the gray water tank.
Eric Stark:When the tank drains, it actually creates a vortex and just sucks everything out.
Eric Stark:And Drain Master has pushed that.
Eric Stark:They're kind of the creator of that, the brains behind it.
Eric Stark:So if you have to, if you can't do that, that's fine, then you're.
Eric Stark:Then you can use an inch and a half valve with two brands, but not all three.
Eric Stark:But I would, no matter what, just go with two 3 inch valves.
Eric Stark:Just make it simple.
Eric Stark:And you can get adapters to do that.
Eric Stark:You can go from inch and a half to three inch, that's not a problem.
Eric Stark:But having three inch plumbing out of that gray water tank will make all the difference in the world.
Eric Stark:And I don't even know why they go with inch and a half.
Eric Stark:One of those things that probably happened somewhere and that's just what they always do now.
Eric Stark:That's what we always do.
Alexis:And to work with it, you know.
Eric Stark:You can tell it, you know, the plumbing, sometimes they run inch and a half all the way out.
Eric Stark:Sometimes they go inch and a half to three, you know, So I guess that's a visual.
Eric Stark:It's inch and a half.
Eric Stark:It must be Gray water or it's 2 inch, it must be gray water.
Eric Stark:But that's it.
Eric Stark:It's just a visual black eye candy, I guess.
Alexis:Yeah.
Eric Stark:That doesn't sound very good.
Eric Stark:Did it?
Eric Stark:We better retract that backwards there.
Alexis:Good job.
Eric Stark:All right, so Moto Drains might made by La Salle Bristol.
Eric Stark:It's kind of a, I don't know, kind of a rough looking thing.
Eric Stark:It's not, I don't know, it's not pretty, I guess is really it.
Eric Stark:And so that's kind of a turnoff in itself.
Eric Stark:I'm sure it's a decent valve or a motor because Moto Drain, Valterra and Barker are all add ons.
Eric Stark:Well, Volterra, they sell theirs complete.
Eric Stark:But you Barker, you use whatever valve you had and add the motor to it.
Eric Stark:So you're still stuck with the.
Eric Stark:An inferior valve, if you will.
Eric Stark:I mean, Valterra makes a good valve, so does Bristol.
Eric Stark:But they do have their problems, you know, which everybody who's had an RV for any length of time knows.
Eric Stark:The handle breaks, it gets stuck, something goes wrong, they leak, you got to replace seals, the list goes on.
Eric Stark:It's something that you see and use and you go, I know I'm gonna have to deal with this one day.
Eric Stark:Then that day comes and it's usually when you're not ready to deal with it.
Eric Stark:So that's motodrain's deal.
Eric Stark:And then Volterra, they have their three inch, an inch and a half complete valve.
Eric Stark:And it's basically an add on to their valve, though it's not a ground up rebuild.
Eric Stark:So it's put onto their valve.
Eric Stark:And Valterra is like the brand that's out there.
Eric Stark:Bristol's the second.
Eric Stark:I mean there's two basically Camco has one, but Volterra is number one.
Eric Stark:They've been doing this forever.
Eric Stark:Yeah, you go back in time, they're called Ananda.
Eric Stark:You know, they're on carpet cleaning machines, other stuff.
Eric Stark:So that's way back, but they've been out there.
Eric Stark:So the manufacturer been using them.
Eric Stark:Just like Los Al Bristol, but not to the same degree.
Eric Stark:So their valves, the electronic portion of is probably okay.
Eric Stark:We have to think about this though.
Eric Stark:Valterra has hundreds of items and now they're owned by Dometic, who already had hundreds of items.
Eric Stark:Actually we're talking thousands of items between those two brands.
Eric Stark:And they own Go Power.
Eric Stark:And Volterra has a habit of, well, making things not so good sometimes.
Eric Stark:And now if they changed any of this, if they took Volterra's Formula and put Dometic's formula there.
Eric Stark:It's not going to be a good valve, but if it stays Volterra, it will be as good as Volterra makes.
Eric Stark:Volterra is.
Eric Stark:They make good products and they make lame products.
Eric Stark:They're kind of like some of the other brands out there.
Eric Stark:They make good products, they make lame products.
Eric Stark:But this valve is an okay valve.
Eric Stark:It's just, you know, there's going to be a problem with it because it's that typical Volterra valve.
Eric Stark:But if you want to go simple, they're less expensive than drainmaster.
Eric Stark:They're similar to Barker.
Eric Stark:So it's entirely what your budget is, what you want to do, maybe how you feel about it, maybe you think, Eric, you're full of it.
Eric Stark:And we're just going to go with that anyways, it might be Moto Drain is going to be your flavor.
Eric Stark:Moto Drain was actually kind of hard for me to find too.
Eric Stark:That's not all over the Internet.
Eric Stark:That's.
Eric Stark:Yeah, that was a little tough.
Eric Stark:But Barker is the next Den now.
Eric Stark:Barker Manufacturing, they make great products.
Eric Stark:They make jacks and metal stuff and things, and everything they make is good.
Eric Stark:I like Barker.
Eric Stark:Well, I like Valterra, too.
Eric Stark:I like lasalle Bristol, but I like everybody today.
Eric Stark:But Barker, theirs is definitely an add on.
Eric Stark:You just put it onto a Volterra or Bristol valve.
Eric Stark:So you still got the same valve.
Eric Stark:It's just electric now.
Alexis:Okay.
Eric Stark:So you still have that future problem of the valve failing.
Eric Stark:And the Barker motor will probably last for a long time to come.
Eric Stark:So it's kind of you sitting here.
Eric Stark:Look at this.
Eric Stark:How do we choose, you know, exactly?
Eric Stark:It might be what will fit in the space, because that's a consideration too, you know, Barker adds quite a bit to the valve.
Eric Stark:The Volterra valve becomes bigger.
Eric Stark:The Moto drain makes it wider.
Eric Stark:Now, here's the best valve.
Eric Stark:And like I said, this might be a tough decision for some, especially if money's the issue.
Eric Stark:But if money's the issue, just go with what you think is going to be best for you and what will fit.
Eric Stark:And to even make sure it's going to fit.
Eric Stark:If you have like an underbelly, you're going to have to drop it.
Eric Stark:Don't assume, because these valves do need to be mounted certain ways.
Eric Stark:You got some adjustment, but maybe not as much as you think.
Eric Stark:But now Drain Master, these guys got it figured out.
Eric Stark:Drain Master's been around for I don't know how long now, how many years.
Eric Stark:I remember meeting the owner At a trade show in California.
Eric Stark:I think it was an FMCA rally.
Eric Stark:Wow.
Eric Stark:@ the time, you know, we're talking, I'm listening to his story about how he came about with this valve because he was an RVer, got tired of all the problems with valves and he said, I'm going to make a solution to this.
Eric Stark:Now he is an inventor type of guy, very smart engineering mindset.
Eric Stark:You know, everything gets thought through, through and through and through.
Eric Stark:No stone is left unturned.
Eric Stark:With Doug.
Eric Stark:Now he's not doing so good today, but he's still involved in the company.
Eric Stark:But they haven't changed.
Eric Stark:His daughter's running the company now.
Eric Stark:It hasn't changed.
Eric Stark:The quality is still there.
Eric Stark:And their website displays that.
Eric Stark:Just the way their documents are put on a website is like no other website.
Eric Stark:Everything's named, numbered, organized, you know, you don't need to know the name of it.
Eric Stark: website and look at document: Eric Stark: You go there, find: Eric Stark:It's what you need.
Eric Stark:Other websites, well, you know, it's the third one down and I think it says this, maybe it says that.
Eric Stark:And there's five of them that all have the very similar names.
Eric Stark:So now you're not sure.
Eric Stark:You know, everything about this company is thorough.
Eric Stark:So their valve, you know, they have reports of them lasting 25 years and that's unheard of.
Eric Stark:The only valves that last 25 years are the ones that no one touches for 25 years and then you go to use it and it breaks.
Alexis:Yeah.
Eric Stark:So they have a great track record.
Eric Stark:Their valves, their electric valve systems have a five year warranty on.
Eric Stark:They have stainless steel parts inside of them.
Eric Stark:They have special seals that are made, they're made to work, you know, in place of Volterra or bricks, crystal, it doesn't matter.
Eric Stark:They, they push the 3 inch because they only make a 3 inch valve.
Eric Stark:And what they say about that is absolutely true.
Eric Stark:That vortex, when you drain it with a 3 inch pipe, it creates that suction, helps clean out the tank even better rather than just kind of dribbling out.
Eric Stark:And drain master valves are very small.
Eric Stark:When you put it next to a Volterra Bristol valve, it's the same footprint, it's like a half an inch taller.
Eric Stark:So it's going to fit in Almost anywhere your 3 inch valve is with the drain master because it's not a big old clunky thing added on.
Eric Stark:Now they are more money, you know, to do two valves on an RV, you could be looking at 700 bucks or more.
Alexis:Wow.
Eric Stark:With the other valves you might be at 500 bucks or more, you know, maybe 400.
Eric Stark:I didn't really price them out because prices are all over the board on these things.
Eric Stark:But drainmaster, they're the guys, you go to them, they're the only ones that sell their product and they have the warranty, they have customer service, they're easy to install.
Eric Stark:In fact, you can take it to their factory and they'll install in there for you.
Eric Stark:But just be aware, they're going to put a 3 inch system in for your inch and a half.
Eric Stark:They replace all that.
Eric Stark:They're not going to.
Eric Stark:Unless they can't for some reason, then they won't.
Eric Stark:These guys are it.
Eric Stark:If you had to buy a valve in five years or ten, well, they have a five year warranty, so you're covered there.
Eric Stark:But let's say you're out of their warranty, period.
Eric Stark:You have by a valve.
Eric Stark:It's going to be a fluke.
Eric Stark:It's not going to be one of those things like, gosh, I better just get two since I'm doing this.
Eric Stark:You could certainly do that, but it's not going to be needed.
Eric Stark:And to be honest with you, you know, if you had to replace a valve yourself, if you're doing this yourself and you had to replace it in seven years and it cost you, say, I'm just going to pick this number.
Eric Stark:300 bucks for a valve.
Eric Stark:They're not that much, but if there's that much, then 300 bucks.
Eric Stark:Doing it yourself, you save at least $300 in labor, what people charge for these types of things.
Eric Stark:So you're still money ahead, if you will.
Eric Stark:And their valves open and close really quick.
Eric Stark:They're designed with a magnet that tells you when the valves open, when it's closed, if there's a problem.
Eric Stark:So you're not left in the dark.
Eric Stark:And their valves come in kits.
Eric Stark:You buy a valve, you buy a switch kit for it with different length cables.
Eric Stark:So it's plug and play.
Eric Stark:And so you just have to decide where you want the switches.
Eric Stark:And they have a variety of switches too.
Eric Stark:They got ones that are waterproof, not waterproof, some that are on a panel that come together.
Eric Stark:So there's, you have options there.
Eric Stark:And so the extra things kind of drive up the price.
Eric Stark:But you're getting quality all the way.
Eric Stark:I mean, these guys don't just stop at the valve.
Eric Stark:Everything else they sell and add on to make that valve works is high quality.
Eric Stark:So go to their website, drainmaster.com.
Eric Stark:check it out.
Eric Stark:At least look at it.
Eric Stark:You know, put everything in the cart.
Eric Stark:See what it costs you to do your RV so you have a clear picture of it.
Eric Stark:And no, we're not being paid by Drain Master.
Eric Stark:They just make a great product.
Alexis:We do.
Eric Stark:Sometimes I have to say that because some people, you know, now accuse me of being sold out to the man.
Alexis:Please.
Eric Stark:Anyway, you know, all.
Eric Stark:So, I mean, the takeaway from here is all the valves are good, but the best ones, Drain Master.
Eric Stark:But if you're on a budget, I would say Volterra or Barker are going to be the two that you would have to choose between.
Eric Stark:Moto Drainage.
Eric Stark:I think I would just leave it out there, not even consider it, unless there's something about that Moto Drain that just really works for you.
Eric Stark:But other than that, Volterra or Barker would be the ones I would go with.
Eric Stark:And Drain Mauer.
Eric Stark:Drain Master is definitely the one.
Eric Stark:As a reminder, you can go to our website and find out.
Eric Stark:Find most of the information we talk about on the podcast, and this podcast will also be on YouTube.
Eric Stark:So we're available everywhere and keep telling people about us spreading the word more likes, more subscribes, more everything.
Eric Stark:Now, that's going to bring us to the next section.
Eric Stark:Next section of the can't even talk today.
Eric Stark:The next section of the show, the next stop.
Eric Stark:That's the problem is two sentences start out very similar.
Alexis:Right?
Eric Stark:So whoever wrote this thing for me is retarded.
Eric Stark:Well, boy, Eric, we can't take you anywhere.
Eric Stark:All right, so sorry about that, people.
Eric Stark:All right, so now we're gonna have Alexis talk about the exciting state of Pennsylvania.
Alexis:Here we come.
Alexis:Pennsylvania.
Alexis:Well, other than it being very historically full, I guess.
Eric Stark:Full.
Alexis:Yeah.
Alexis:Of history.
Alexis:There we go.
Alexis:It also has really pretty landscapes.
Alexis:So you got your, you know, in the city, you've got your history and all that you can.
Alexis:Is it the Liberty Bell?
Alexis:Stuff like that?
Alexis:The.
Alexis:Where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were debated.
Alexis:There's the Independence Hall.
Alexis:That's pretty cool.
Alexis:Yeah.
Alexis:And then let's see the National Constitution center and the Benjamin Franklin Museum.
Alexis:That's really neat.
Alexis:So just a ton of history there.
Alexis:And then it's got a lot of natural beauty, too.
Alexis:So if you're into that, you can do both, really, as an RVer.
Alexis:So that's kind of cool.
Alexis:That's kind of a cool experience when you can go to Gettysburg, where, you know, you can journey through the Civil War.
Alexis:The Pocano Mountains is more on the.
Alexis:On the outdoorsy side.
Alexis:So you can do hiking, fishing, boating, and obviously stay in your RV there.
Alexis:So it's a lot of beauty in Pennsylvania.
Alexis:Actually.
Alexis:Look up some pictures on Google.
Alexis:It's.
Alexis:It's beautiful.
Alexis:Or if you've ever been there, you know, send us in some pictures.
Alexis:Yeah, yeah, definitely.
Alexis:And we always have to talk about food, so.
Eric Stark:That's right.
Alexis:Get a taste of the Amish country.
Alexis:This is kind of cool.
Alexis:Lancaster county is home to the largest Amish community in the United States.
Alexis:So there's a lot of culture there.
Alexis:They make a lot of beautiful things.
Alexis:Fresh markets, homemade bread, traditional Amish foods.
Alexis:So if you want to try that, that'd be the place to do it.
Eric Stark:Forget that.
Eric Stark:What about the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory?
Alexis:Oh, my goodness.
Eric Stark:Yeah, The Hershey Factory.
Eric Stark:That's the sweetest place on earth.
Eric Stark:So they.
Alexis:Right.
Alexis:Yes.
Eric Stark:Wow.
Alexis:You gotta hit that up.
Alexis:The Hershey Factory.
Alexis:If you're a chocolate lover, you just.
Alexis:You have to go.
Alexis:There's just no point not going.
Eric Stark:Yeah.
Eric Stark:You know, it's one of those things.
Eric Stark:Maybe don't eat any sweets for a couple days and scourge on it or whatever.
Eric Stark:Throw your blood sugar out the window and.
Eric Stark:Yeah, go for it.
Eric Stark:But that's.
Eric Stark:That'd be worth going to just to see it for a zillion years.
Alexis:I know.
Eric Stark:It's.
Eric Stark:All those factory else came about whenever all these companies were being created.
Eric Stark:Hershey.
Alexis:Exactly.
Eric Stark:I mean, so many companies go way back when, like Frito lay all them.
Eric Stark:The candy.
Eric Stark:So that was during the candy rush, when everybody's trying to come with candy.
Alexis:Yeah.
Eric Stark:That you could travel and.
Eric Stark:Oops.
Eric Stark:Make it someplace.
Alexis:You know, you could dip the Fritos in the chocolate.
Alexis:That'd be good.
Eric Stark:There you go.
Eric Stark:I like that idea.
Eric Stark:Dipping the Fritos in the chocolate.
Alexis:Everything's better with chocolate.
Eric Stark:Yeah.
Eric Stark:Chocolate covers Fritos.
Alexis:Yeah, that probably would be good.
Alexis:The sweet and salty.
Eric Stark:You know, Fritos and bean dip is better, but, you know, I could see it.
Alexis:Yeah.
Eric Stark:Anything's possible today, Right?
Eric Stark:Heck.
Eric Stark:All right.
Eric Stark:We leave that one alone.
Eric Stark:We're not going to go any further with that one.
Eric Stark:So check out Pennsylvania and go to the smart rv.com under next.
Eric Stark:And there's Pennsylvanian.
Eric Stark:Oh, I forgot to mention this.
Eric Stark:Our episode 166, which will come out December 20th, that's going to be over an hour long.
Eric Stark:We've got quite the thing planned for it.
Eric Stark:We're going to do a recap of the year, and it's going to be recorded on video, which is going to be the hopefully the big thing that actually makes it good either be really good or really bad.
Eric Stark:We're not sure yet, but we're working on that.
Eric Stark:Oh, you know what, I thought we were almost done here, but we still got RV envy jumping ahead.
Eric Stark:Oh, well, anyways, episode 166, December 20th.
Eric Stark:Remember that you got to watch, mark your calendars.
Eric Stark:You know, It'll be on YouTube, so you can go there and watch it.
Eric Stark:That's probably going to be better than listening to it.
Alexis:Yes.
Eric Stark:The next thing.
Eric Stark:RV envy.
Eric Stark:Recently, many splits have come up in conversation around here, and it's become kind of this trend with RVers doing mini split air conditioning systems on their RVs.
Eric Stark:Now, mini splits are pretty cool if you're not familiar with them.
Eric Stark:It's kind of a miniature air conditioning system where you have a condenser outside which is compact.
Eric Stark:Then you have your air handler inside which is compact.
Eric Stark:It only mounts on a wall.
Eric Stark:Some of them you can mount in the ceiling now, and they're easy to install, easy to plumb, do everything you need to do it.
Eric Stark:Now, some RVers have now been doing these in RVs.
Eric Stark:And so we've done some research and I'm looking for somebody who's done one and knows about these that actually has found one designed for rv.
Eric Stark:It seems like I came across one company that said theirs is RV friendly, but the company itself just didn't do it for me.
Eric Stark:They didn't seem like a quality company.
Eric Stark:It seemed like they're just churning out some junk to maybe possibly fit a market or say they're fitting that market.
Eric Stark:But an rv, you know, bounces down the road.
Eric Stark:These air handlers have to be mounted right on the walls.
Eric Stark:You know, they have to be mounted to studs.
Eric Stark:They got a little bit of weight to them.
Eric Stark:That condenser, you know, they're putting them in compartments, generator compartments, strapping them onto the backs of bumpers, the front of tongues, you know, the in.
Eric Stark:You know, they come out wherever to put these things.
Eric Stark:And that's kind of a an issue in itself depending on your rv, whether you have space for one or not, and how well they work in a compartment.
Eric Stark:What can you do with that?
Eric Stark:Does the door have to stay open?
Eric Stark:Do you have to have air going into it?
Eric Stark:Right, because it's got to have air.
Eric Stark:They get hot, you know, it's pulling the heat out of the air, so to make that cold air.
Eric Stark:So it's pushing that out.
Eric Stark:So there's things to consider there.
Eric Stark:And I'm sure most of these guys that have done these installs, have looked at all that, because most of them look pretty decent for what, what it is.
Eric Stark:But what I'm looking for is someone who actually knows about these things.
Eric Stark:And if you go to the smartrver.com go to the contact us page or about us and get in touch with me.
Eric Stark:Our phone number is there.
Eric Stark:You can call us or you can email, you can do whatever you want to do.
Eric Stark:And I'd like to hear about this.
Eric Stark:I'd like to get more information so I can talk more intelligently about it, see if it's an avenue that really is worth exploring or if this is a fringe type thing that creates more problems than it solves.
Eric Stark:And one thing I have noticed is that these things generally are put in the living room.
Eric Stark:And as far as I know, it's one air handler per condenser.
Eric Stark:So it's going to cool down, let's say the living area of the rv, but not necessarily a bedroom or anything else, bathroom and such.
Eric Stark:But maybe I'm missing something on that.
Eric Stark:Maybe you get it cold enough, it pushes that air everywhere or you have fans to circulate it.
Eric Stark:So that's what I want to know about.
Eric Stark:So someone please reach out to me and let me know, enlighten me, make me an expert on mini split systems for RVs.
Eric Stark:I would truly appreciate that.
Eric Stark:All right, so now that brings us to the end of the show, right, Alexis, I'm not missing anything else here.
Alexis:You did good.
Eric Stark:All right, so remember, go to the description of this podcast.
Eric Stark:Check it out for the links to wholesale warranties and our website and everything else.
Eric Stark:Everything else I mentioned I already forgot.
Eric Stark:We'll go back to it and fix that up though.
Eric Stark:All right, so next, next episode is going to be 165, so that'll be in two weeks.
Eric Stark:And after that we got 166, the last episode of the year, highlighting the entire year.
Eric Stark:So that'll be a pretty cool episode.
Eric Stark:So we had a great show today.
Eric Stark:I want to thank everybody for listening and sharing the show with your friends and family and so forth.
Eric Stark:Fellow RVers, we truly appreciate the support we get.
Eric Stark:So this is Eric Stark with the Smart Smart RVer podcast.
Eric Stark:It's been great hanging out with you.
Eric Stark:If I don't see on the road, let's connect@thesmartrver.com.