May 09 2016

The 7-way cable on an Airstream

Most people don’t think about the fat black cable that connects the Airstream to the tow vehicle—until something doesn’t work, like taillights or brakes.

It’s called either the “umbilical” or “7-way” cable, and keeping it in good condition is important because it’s the critical link for correct operation of trailer brakes, lights, and signals.

The 7-way, explained—

Dirty 7-Way plug — Don’t let your plug look like this

Since 1989 all Airstreams have used the same wiring arrangement. (Earlier trailers may have different wiring, but typically they have long since been rewired to fit modern tow vehicles.) Each location in the 7-way plug is dedicated to a specific signal. Two of them—the 12 volt positive and 12 volt negative—supply power to keep the battery charged while towing to prevent depleting the battery while using the electric brakes. The other pins carry signals to activate the clearance lights, turn signals, brake lights, and back-up lights (if the trailer is equipped with them).

Is your cable too long?

Take a look at the 7-way cable the next time your Airstream is hitched up. Does it drag on or very near the ground? It will wear away quickly if it touches the ground during ordinary towing. You can use a bungee cord to take up the slack. (Drooping to touch the ground only in a sharp turn is okay, since that contact with the ground will be very brief.)

The cable should have enough slack so that the tow vehicle can make very sharp right and left turns in a parking lot without pulling the cable taut. If your cable is too short, you can buy an extension cable or (better) have the entire cable replaced. On vintage Airstreams, old stiff cables are common, so replacement is a good idea anyway.

When hitching up…

…double-check that the plug is inserted fully each time. Often it feels like it is in all the way when it really isn’t. To be sure, kneel down and look at the connection from the side. There are little tabs on the plug and the lid of the receptacle on the tow vehicle, which lock the plug into place. If the plug isn’t inserted fully, you’ll be able to see it from the side much more easily than from the rear, and this will ensure it doesn’t come loose while towing and make sparks on the freeway.

Avoid corrosion

Corrosion is the major cause of problems for the 7-way plug. Just a little moisture over time will result in greenish or white corrosion on the connectors, and that will cause problems like inoperable lights or brakes.

Be sure to position the plug between trips so that the head of plug is hanging downward. That will help keep rainwater from settling in the plug. At various RV stores you can find a generic “7-way plug holder” that mounts to the A-frame, which gives you a place to lock the plug when it’s not in use.

Periodic maintenance…

…for the 7-way plug on the trailer is important. Periodically you should clean corrosion from the seven spade connectors. It’s difficult to do without the right tool, so we recommend a kit available in the Airstream Life Store which includes a burnishing tool (a special file designed for electronic use), a premium electrical contact cleaner, and instructions.

You can also use the same tools to clean the connectors in the tow vehicle’s 7-way outlet, if they need a little help. Plan to do this simple cleaning job at least once a year as preventative maintenance. With the right tools it takes just a few minutes.

With those simple checks and a bit of annual maintenance, you’ll have eliminated the most common causes of problems with trailer lights and brakes.

Apr 25 2016

Options for preserving your Airstream batteries during storage

Ed B. from Washington posed a question that might be on your mind, too—

“I’m wondering about replacing the factory converter/charger unit with a ‘smart charger’. Battery management seems to be my problem just now. When in storage, the batteries go down to zip or overcharge, both of which are hard on the batteries. We have no problems while underway.

I tried putting a small charger unit on the batteries while in storage, but the small constant draw seems to fool the charger in to delivering full charge all the time without activating a trickle delivery as it is designed to do. Is this why Airstream has not put ‘smart charging’ units in at the factory?”

The converter/charger that Airstream installs works very well for the vast majority of cases. It is perfectly adequate unless you (a) want integrated inverter capability; (b) switch to AGM or other type of batteries; (c) want a faster charge rate, or some bells & whistles; (d) add a lot more battery capacity.

Before you spend money on an upgrade, try a few other basic steps:

1. During short term storage, use the “Battery Disconnect” switch to cut off demands on the battery (except the propane leak detector).

2. During long term storage, disconnect the battery cables and put the trickle charger on. Make sure what you have is really a smart trickle charger designed specifically for storage of batteries and not simply a battery charger with a “float mode”. If the latter, then all you’ve done is replace your Airstream’s charger with another one that is doing exactly the same thing.

3. As an option, if your Airstream is stored outside, consider a solar panel and solar charge controller. A 100 watt panel would be plenty to keep your battery happy under average conditions.

4. Make sure you are maintaining the water level in the batteries during storage. Consider switching to AGM batteries. These will not “boil off” (lose water) during charging cycles so you don’t have to check the water level during storage, and they last longer.

5. If you have the ability to measure current draw on the battery while the trailer is stored and the Battery Disconnect is switch to “STORE”, do so. Parasitic draw may account for up to half an amp, but if it’s higher than that you have a voltage leak or device that isn’t working properly, and that will kill the battery pretty quickly.

Apr 12 2016

Oh, hail!

There are four things that absolutely kill Airstreams: water damage, neglect, accidents…and severe hail.

If you are a careful owner you’ve already got a copy of Airstream Life’s (Nearly) Complete Guide to Airstream Maintenance and are following the procedures described in it to keep your Airstream in good condition. That will eliminate water damage and neglect as possible destroyers. But there’s not much you can do about the forces of nature when they strike.

Most forms of weather are not a problem to an Airstream. Lightning strikes, for example, tend to pass around the exterior of the trailer’s aluminum skin. People inside who aren’t touching anything conductive are safe. Lightning can damage wiring and electronics and even burn a small hole in the skin, but all of that is repairable. (So if you are in your Airstream and lightning is crashing down around you, stay put. You’re already in a good shelter.)

Heavy winds are likewise not usually a problem. Your Airstream is already designed to slip through a headwind of 65 MPH (or higher) as smoothly as possible, so a blustery day is a pretty ho-hum event. Even a hard gust from the side isn’t likely to tip an Airstream over. In a major wind event, park the Airstream, drop the stabilizer jacks, and don’t worry. If you are exceptionally concerned you can tie down the axles during storage (we recommend The Claw for this).

But hail can be a killer. Aluminum is soft metal, and easily dented by large hail. You don’t need to worry about hail smaller than a US nickel—it’ll just bounce off. But larger chunks can dimple the surface, and really major hail (2 inches or more) can rip holes in the skin.

Hail is a frequent occurrence through the nation’s heartland in the summer, especially the Plains states, but can happen anywhere there’s a thunderstorm. The problem is that while the likelihood of thunderstorms in an area can be approximated by the National Weather Service, the exact location of thunderstorms is virtually impossible to predict. If the weather report says 80% chance of thunderstorms you’ve got a pretty good chance of seeing some rain nearby, but no idea if that thunderstorm is going to pass right overhead.

There’s no 100% guaranteed way of avoiding hail damage other than keeping your Airstream parked under cover. Since it’s a shame to leave your Airstream sitting, try a few strategies to reduce your risk instead:

Always check the weather report along your route during the summer when thunderstorms are more likely. If there’s a good chance of hail, the detail section of the report will tell you. Tornado warnings are a major red flag since tornadoes are spawned from the same severe thunderstorms that produce hail. Think about whether you can alter your route to avoid the highest risk areas.
Re-check the weather as you go, particularly in the afternoon when thunderstorms tend to develop. A good weather app on your phone or tablet that shows color radar will help you spot thunderstorm activity as it happens.
Get off the road before the thunderstorm hits. When lightning and hail start happening it’s usually too late to look for shelter. Driving into hail at highway speeds will result in the hail smashing on the front dome of the Airstream even harder, which increases the chance of permanent dimpling.

Emergency shelter can be found at gas stations with tall canopies, big-box home improvement stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot, and Interstate highway underpasses (as long as you can safely pull off the road and not block traffic). Parking under a large tree might help but you run the risk of branches falling on the Airstream instead, which could be worse.

If you have to make a choice between protecting the Airstream or your tow vehicle, keep in mind that your car or truck is made of steel and can resist the impact of hail better. However, if the hail is so large that it might smash through the windshield glass, there’s no question: protect yourself and your family first, and remember that the Airstream can be replaced.

Solar panels are always viewed as very susceptible to hail damage because they are made of glass, but the glass is actually very tough. It’s tempered and typically capable of resisting hail one inch in diameter without any damage! The Airstream’s aluminum roof might show dimpling long before the solar panel glass breaks, so don’t worry about the panels.

Most of the time hail damage is strictly cosmetic. This brings up a sticky issue, whether to fix it or live with it. A good insurance company should give you the option, but if you choose to take the damage settlement and not repair the trailer remember that it might be branded with a “salvage” title forever. Even if it isn’t, the resale value of any Airstream with noticeable hail damage is always reduced.

As you meet more Airstreamers you’ll eventually see Airstreams with unrepaired dimples from hail. Some owners keep it as a sort of “battle scar,” wearing it with pride, while others can’t stand their Airstream looking less than perfect and immediately opt for repair (or a trade-in).

Repairing hail damage to the aluminum is expensive. The curved aluminum segments must be ordered from Airstream and they can be labor-intensive to replace due to the need to remove and replace hundreds of rivets as well as windows and other exterior parts. There are options to consider too, such as riveting new panels over the old ones, and using “Olympic” style rivets rather than bucked rivets.

Talk to Airstream factory representatives or a trusted Airstream service center before making your decisions. There are no shortcuts to a good repair, so be wary of anyone who offers to fix it “cheap,” but you can save a little money and time by making good decisions.

If you travel a lot, you’ll eventually encounter some hail, but when it happens remember that it’s unlikely to be large enough to do permanent damage. Don’t let a minor risk overshadow your travels—you’ll be fine and your Airstream probably will be too.

Mar 29 2016

How to stop burning up your cellular data plan

Bert G. has an important question:

“We have a good phone plan with a major cellular carrier that gives us a generous data allowance each month, but we’re burning gigabytes like camp wood,” he said. “We can’t figure out why. What’s happening?”

This problem seems to be epidemic lately among travelers. Part of the reason is that we’ve got more data-capable devices now, including laptops, tablets, phones, game platforms, fitness bands, cameras, etc. You should be careful about which devices you allow to connect to your wireless hotspot.

The other part of the problem is the fault of new software that automatically updates itself to the latest version. Go through your laptop and tablet and look for settings to disable “automatic updates” of any kind. If you have a choice, tell the device to “Ask me” every time before loading new software.

You’ll find these settings in several places, including for the operating system itself (Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, Android, etc.) and for individual programs like browsers, Adobe Flash, Microsoft Office, iTunes, and many other commonly used programs.

Be wary of a setting that says something like “Update only when connected to Wi-Fi”. When your laptop or tablet connects to your hotspot, it thinks that’s free Wi-Fi. The device can’t distinguish between the unlimited Wi-Fi from a coffee shop and the Wi-Fi your “pay-by-the-gigabyte” hotspot provides.

Finally, don’t let friends and campground neighbors “borrow” your Wi-Fi for a little while. Once their device connects to your hotspot, it will continue to automatically connect (and possibly download massive software updates) without being asked, unless it is specifically told to “forget” your hotspot.

Mar 01 2016

Removing Decals

Sometimes when you buy an Airstream there are a few unwanted things that come with it, such as decals, warning labels, somebody else’s Big Red Numbers, and souvenir stickers. Often these are glued-on remnants of the former owner’s lifestyle, and to make the Airstream your own, you may want to get rid of them.

Even new Airstreams come with legally required liability-limited warnings on the exterior. Some of them eventually can leave permanent marks on the clear coat after many years of baking in the sun, so you might choose to get rid of them early on. For example, there’s usually a propane warning up front, a lug nut warning over the wheel wells, and a clear “THOR” decal to the right of the main entry door.

It’s up to you to decide whether leaving those decals in place is helpful or if they are part of your Airstream’s history and originality.

If you think decals are just uglifying the exterior of your Airstream, there are multiple ways to remove them. The trick is to do it without damaging the Airstream’s clear coat or scratching the aluminum.

The Golden Rule of this job is to never use anything abrasive. No sandpaper of course, but also avoid Scotchbrite pads, jeweler’s rouge, or metal polish. Even soft brushes can leave fine scratches in the clear coat that may not be visible until it is in bright sun.

Most people head straight for the chemical solutions such as Goof Off, 3M Adhesive Remover, Aircraft Stripper, and even harsh chemicals such as toluene, xylene, or Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK). Combined with heat, these methods will usually work but they tend to be slow and/or dangerous.

We don’t recommend chemical approaches. As a general rule, the more complicated the chemical name, the more likely it is to damage the clear coat. MEK in particular is a known carcinogen, contaminates the water table, and produces fumes that can kill you. Avoid it.

The environmentally friendlier options tend to work more slowly, which is why people often throw caution (and good long-term health) to the wind and just pour on the toxics. But a more effective, cleaner, and far safer option is to rub off the decal with a 3M Adhesive Eraser Wheel.

This wheel mounts to a power drill and acts like a big pencil eraser, scrubbing off the vinyl decal and the underlying adhesive without damaging the clear coat. It works quickly and cleanly, leaving only a few bits of glue that are easily cleaned up with a safe citrus-based cleaner. The 3M Adhesive Eraser Wheel costs about $33 at auto parts stores and online. See how it’s done on this video.

Once removed, most decals leave no trace. But if it has been on for a while, you may find that the glue has reacted with the clear coat or the aluminum to leave a “ghost” imprint, a fine network of white “spider web”, or a rough and lifted patch of clear coat.

Damage to modern clear coat is generally difficult to repair. Small marks might be concealable with clear nail polish. For larger damage the only solution is to completely remove the clear coat (a nasty job requiring MEK and therefore best left to professionals), then re-coat it—or replace the affected aluminum panel entirely.

Either of those solutions would be quite expensive, so you might choose to live with the “beauty marks” or, ironically, conceal them with another decal.