| Q: What is the noise / sound coming from the converter/fuse box? A: The converter has a built in fan to keep the electrons from overheating. It changes 115 volts - 30 amps to 12 volts - 55 amps, and frequently runs the fan to cool itself. Q: When I pour water or antifreeze into the fresh water tank opening, it comes back out. Why? A: When some OUTBACKS were made, the fill hose was either too long, or looped around. This made gravity filling nearly impossible. Find the fill spout hose (inside) where it comes through the wall, and see if this is the problem. If it is, you may have to cut your hose shorter, or lower it so water can enter and fall into the tank.(warranty fix) Q: Why is the water pump so loud? Is this normal? A: Pump and hose vibration against hard surfaces causes much of the pump noise. Some people have used rigid insulation or cushioned pump mounts to quiet the noise successfully. (search forum) Q: How do I winterize / de-winterize my OUTBACK? Is this necessary? A: For most locations, yes! In freezing areas, displacing the water in tanks and lines with RV antifreeze is the safest method. An add-on winterization kit can assist in pumping antifreeze into the system directly from the jug. (under $20 simple mod) Some people use compressed air to blow out the water lines. This may work, but there is no way of being certain all water is evacuated from the lines. For further instructions, see the KEYSTONE MANUAL or try PAINLESS RV WINTERIZING Q: Can I install a bike rack or hitch to the rear bumper or frame of my Keystone product? A: The bumpers/frames of Keystone products were not designed to accommodate this type of accessory installation. (FYI: Several forum members have added receiver style hitches to the rear of the trailer, and installed racks with some success. Search forum) Q: How do I manually retract the electric slide out? A: Located under the sofa, there is an all thread rod with a hex head. You must remove the front lower panel from the sofa in order to find it. You will need a ratchet wrench with an extension to wind it all the way. Click link for picture: Manual Slide Retraction Q: Can we sleep in the Queen Slide while it's in the travel position? (inside) A: KEYSTONE'S says NO, as the ceiling slide rails were not made to carry additional weight. (FYI: members have added additional support to queen slide to support it with some success) Q: Why doesn't my OUTBACK have an oven? A: Prior to the model year 2004, ovens were part of all OUTBACKS. A shortage of LP gas valves from the manufacturer caused some OUTBACKS to be delivered without ovens. Convection microwave ovens were substituted in some OUTBACKS. Q: Do I need to worry about Carbon Monoxide gas (CO) inside my OUTBACK? A: YES! Most sources of CO building up in a travel trailer are from heating sources. (furnace, stove, water heater,) etc. Make certain to ventilate while cooking by opening a window, or vent. CO can also enter from running vehicles or generator's nearby. CO tends to rise within the warm air of the home or RV. For this reason, the makers of First Alert ®, the leading brand in carbon monoxide detector technology, suggests mounting the detector on the ceiling. This also puts the detector out of the way of potential interference, such as pets or curious children." New units come equipped with a CO detector. Keep it supplied with fresh batteries. Q: What is that detector mounted near the floor? A: It's an LP Gas (Propane) Detector. It's mounted near floor because Propane is heavier than air, and collects in low places first. This detector operates from your 12 volt system. It is a constant drain on your battery, and will help deplete your charge over time. (FYI: members have modified their batteries with a cut-off switch to prevent this) Q: What is causing my RV battery to drain when I'm not even using the trailer? A: Here are some constant battery drains: ~LP Gas (Propane) detector ~Heater switch in refrigerator to reduce exterior moisture (turn it off) Other things to check: ~Lights left on / forward compartment light ~Light in refrigerator when door is left ajar (some models) Q: Can I add more batteries to my OUTBACK? Where can I learn more about RV batteries? A: Yes, you can! There are several good sites to explain different set-ups: Car & Deep Cycle Battery FAQ The 12 Volt Side of Life Q: Why won't my Carrier Air Conditioner work? A: If you lose power to the trailer (3 times) without turning off your Carrier A/C, you will have to manually reset it. To do this remove the filters and their guards and find the circuit board in the unit from the inside. Unplug it for 30 seconds and re-install. This will manually reset the unit. The main thing is never unplug your trailer without first turning off the A/C. Q: My Carrier Air Conditioner fan runs constantly. Is this normal? A: Yes. OUTBACKS made through 2004 have been made that way. It helps maintain an even temperature. Q: Can I hook up satellite television to my OUTBACK? A: So far, OUTBACKS are not wired for satellite. Satellite dishes need a direct connection to the receiver. You can add a separate jack for this, but as of 2004 models, they are not wired for satellite. Q: How do I operate my water heater in electric mode? A: On models prior to 2004, you have to ensure the water heater is full of water. Then, locate the water heater from the interior of the trailer, and find the switch. It should be mounted on the top of the unit. Turn it to the on position, and then ensure the water heater breaker switch is turned on. Models made after 2004 have a wall switch to engage the heater in electric mode. Q: Can I run my water heater in gas and electric mode simultaneously? A: Yes. This will not hurt the system, and it may heat the water faster. Q: My black/gray water sensors don't seem to work right. I know the tank is empty, and some gauge lights are still on. Why? A: The tank sensors sometimes give false readings because of bits of waste sticking to the sensors. A good tank flushing with water may alleviate the problem. Another method is to dump ice cubes down the toilet into the black tank, and add a few gallons of water, chemical, or tank cleaner. Drive the unit around to agitate. The water/ice in the tank may scrub it clean. (Read Black & Gray Tank Maintenance link above) Q: How do I deal with interior moisture/humidity/condensation? A: Ventilation is the key! Interior moisture can come from cooking, bathing, temperature differences, and breathing. Opening a roof vent, cracking a window, or operating the air conditioner can reduce interior moisture. Interior moisture can cause damage, or health problems. Reducing it's effect is very important. Use of moisture absorbing materials or dehumidifiers are other options Q: How do I get rid of those dirty black streaks on the sides of my trailer? A: Here are what others are using: ~I've always used Starbrite Black Streak Remover from Wal-Mart and have had good luck with it. ~Mr Clean Magic Eraser. Does a job on black streaks the "erasers" do an excellent job on mildew on awnings. ~Simple Green gets them gone fast, but also takes away the wax job . ~Awesome from DollarTree takes the streaks away as well, and leaves "some" of the wax. ~I used 409 until I discovered Awesome at the "Dollar Store." It costs a buck, and can be diluted for lighter jobs. Works great, spray, wipe and rinse. ~A good friend of mine told me about Goop Hand Cleaner, I gave it a try and it will remove the black streaks without much rubbing. ~Simply wash the roof. Keeping it clean cuts down the streaking caused by rubber roofs. ~Treating roof with a protectant made for rubber roofs. ~Wax the exterior of RV to keep the dirt from sticking. ~I added gutter extenders from ‘Camping World’. They stick out a couple of inches past the normal gutter end, thus carrying the run off away from the side of the RV. You can simply use clothes pins on the ends of the gutters as extensions. The water runs down them instead of the side of the trailer preventing the streaks. ~I use Full Timers black streak remover and it works great. You can pick it up at camping supply stores. ~Keystone has another FAQ on their site: KEYSTONE FAQ'S |
| Welcome OUTBACKERS! This is "The Jollymon's" info site, just for OUTBACKERS! This is a list of some frequently asked questions specific to KEYSTONE OUTBACK TRAILERS. It also contains info and links to find answers to other relevant questions. Many questions can be answered by reading your OWNERS MANUAL, or visiting KEYSTONE'S ONLINE OWNERS MANUAL or FAQ If you can't find an answer to your questions, you can visit OUTBACKERS.COM and post on the forum. If you have something you'd like to see on this FAQ site, please e-mail me and I'll look into it. ndjollymon@yahoo.com |
| OUTBACKERS.COM FAQ |
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| Visitors since June 2004 |
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| Frequently Asked Questions: FAQ |
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| Tongue Weight Rule of Thumb Tongue weight = 10% to 15% of actual loaded trailer weight. Trailer Weight Rule of Thumb Maximum trailer weight being towed should only be 75% of the weight rating of your tow vehicle. (CGWR being taken into consideration). If factory rating is 5,000 lbs. trailer,... a 3750 lb. trailer weight is recommended, etc. If 7,000 lb. trailer is stated,...a 5250 lbs. trailer weight is recommended, etc. Weight Distribution Hitch Rule of Thumb. When tongue weight approaches 350 lbs, a weight distribution hitch system is recommended. Wheel Base Rule of Thumb A tow vehicle should have a minimum wheelbase of 100 inches. A wheelbase of 110 inches is recommended for a 20-foot trailer. For every additional foot of trailer length (above 20') add 4 inches to the wheelbase. i.e., a 22 foot trailer=118 inches wheelbase, a 24 foot trailer=126 inches wheelbase. Etc. However, when you get into the larger, full size tow vehicles, such as Surburban's, F-150's, Ram Trucks, etc. this rule relaxes, as these types of vehicles (if properly set up) are capable of towing much larger trailers than this rule would suggest. |
| Towing Rules of Thumb These are guidelines. Not all RV'ers accept these rules. Please follow your specific manufacturers recommendations. |
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| Page Last Updated: April 11, 2005 |
| LINKS |
| Satelite TV for your RV Many RV Links RV Basics RV Traveler.com RV'ers Corner The Poop Sheets Ideas, Tips, Hints Online RV Resources RV Towing weights, Tips |
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| Buying a new OUTBACK? You need: ~ Outback PDI: Pre-Delivery Checklist! ~ Learn about cleaning and maintaining your tanks. A must read! Black & Gray Tank Maintenance: Learn here! Getting ready for Spring? Here you go! ~ Spring Checklist! ~ |
| CHECKLISTS: |
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