March 14, 2025 • 50 mins
This podcast episode features an enlightening interview with Matthew from Heat Line, a company renowned for its innovative heat cable solutions tailored for recreational vehicles (RVs). We delve into the critical topic of RVing in extreme heat, where we explore practical strategies and advice to ensure comfort and safety during hot weather excursions. Matthew elucidates the distinguishing features of Heat Line's products, emphasizing their self-regulating technology, which offers superior performance compared to traditional heat tape. Additionally, we highlight various destinations, including Carson City, Nevada, and the historic charm of Virginia City, replete with engaging anecdotes and recommendations for local attractions. Join us as we navigate the complexities of RV maintenance and the joys of outdoor adventures, providing invaluable insights for both seasoned travelers and novices alike.
This engaging episode of the Smart RVer podcast provides a thorough examination of the RV lifestyle, with a particular focus on maintaining comfort and efficiency while traveling in high temperatures. The episode features a pivotal interview with Matthew from Heat Line, who specializes in heating cable solutions for RVs. His insights into the differences between standard heat tape and advanced heating cable technology are invaluable for RV owners concerned about freezing water lines in colder conditions. Matthew explains how self-regulating heating cables adjust their output based on environmental conditions, thus preventing overheating and ensuring consistent performance across varying temperatures.
Alongside the technical discussion, the hosts, Eric and Alexis, share practical strategies for RVing in the heat. They emphasize the importance of regular maintenance for air conditioning units and suggest utilizing portable fans and outdoor cooking to mitigate heat within the confines of an RV. The conversation highlights the necessity of ensuring that both the RV's heating and cooling systems are in optimal working order, particularly when venturing into extreme climates. This blend of technical insight and actionable advice equips listeners with the tools they need to enhance their RV experiences.
The episode also previews a trip to Carson City, Nevada, where the hosts outline various local attractions and RV parks. They discuss the blend of outdoor adventures, historical sites, and local dining options available to travelers, painting a vivid picture of what RVers can expect in this vibrant destination. This episode is not merely an informational guide; it encapsulates the spirit of adventure inherent in the RV lifestyle, encouraging listeners to embrace the joys of life on the road.
Takeaways:
- The podcast features an insightful interview with Matthew from Heat Line, who specializes in heat cables for RV applications, providing essential information for RV owners.
- Listeners are advised to regularly service their RV air conditioning units to ensure optimal performance, especially in hot climates where cooling is crucial.
- Practical tips for RVing in hot weather include utilizing portable 12-volt fans, cooking outdoors, and maintaining proper shading to enhance comfort.
- The importance of ensuring your RV's engine cooling system is functioning correctly is emphasized to prevent overheating during travel in high temperatures.
- The episode also highlights the significance of using high-quality products for RV maintenance, as cheaper alternatives often lead to dissatisfaction and additional costs.
- Listeners gain knowledge about various RV parks and attractions in Carson City, Nevada, enhancing their travel experiences while...
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
In staying on the road.
Today we're gonna have aninterview with Matthew from Heat
Line, which makes heat cablefor RVs and other applications.
Great interview.
So stay tuned for that.
And in enjoying the RV life,we're gonna talk about RVing in the
heat.
And then the next stop, we'regonna go to Carson City, Nevada.
And then in the shadows of thepast, the towns that once were, we're
(00:21):
gonna go right next door, nottoo far away, to Virginia City and
an RV Envy today.
Well, we're not gonna have onebecause the interview is gonna go
a little bit long, but it'llbe well worth it.
Let's jump right into this.
This is Eric Stark with theSmart RVer podcast, your trusted
source for tips and insightsto embrace the RV lifestyle without
worries.
So let's talk everything RV.
(00:43):
And today is episode 172, andAlexis is back for some more fun.
Woohoo.
Woohoo.
You see?
Yeah, she's still trying toget over the last episode.
Yeah, the instant pot had alingering effect.
Yeah, it did.
All right, so now I don't havea rant today, but I do want to remind
(01:05):
everybody, if you have an rv,if you have an rv, why do you be
listening to the show if you didn't?
So, so when it comes to yourRV furnace, if you have pets in the
rv, this is probably more sofor people with pets to make sure
you take your furnace, get towhere you can, and vacuum out the
(01:25):
area where the furnace is infront of it.
If a do comes off that you canaccess, vacuum it out, because all
that pet hair and other stuffthat's going to collect in there
can stop the furnace from working.
It can ruin it, it can slow itdown or just bring it to a screeching
halt.
Then in the middle of thenight, you ain't got snow heat, and
(01:45):
that doesn't work right.
We got to have heat.
You wake up and it's freezing cold.
You go, wow, where's the heat?
So that's probably more so forpeople living in the rv or if you
have pets in your RV and youuse your RV a lot.
So it's just a nice remind.
All right, so now another partof the show we don't ever talk about
is our hot boat ropes product.
(02:08):
Oh, yeah.
You know, we sell a ton ofthis stuff online.
So if you have a boat andwhich, you know, a lot of RVers have
boats, go to our website,hotboatropes.com and you can check
out our line of floating ropes.
We got anchor line Stocklines, fender ties, this, that, the
other.
And yeah, it sounds kind of weird.
We have.
(02:28):
We've been making this stufffor years.
It's a great product.
So check that out again.
It's hotboatropes.
And of course there'll be alink to it in the description of
the podcast.
Now we're talking about boats.
Nice, cool water.
So now we're going to go toenjoying the RV life.
Leave the water and go to the heat.
That's right.
So Alexis is going to help usto learn how, if we don't already
(02:52):
know, to RV in the heat.
I am.
I'm gonna yell at ourlisteners today.
Actually more involved in thatthan I really thought thought about.
I just think an airconditioner, you know, but there's
a little bit more to it.
There's more.
I've got a whole.
I've got a whole spiel for you listeners.
Okay.
Yeah, she does, man.
(03:13):
Service your AC unit.
I don't think I can say that enough.
Do not wait until the last minute.
Eric will tell you the same thing.
So this requires someorganization on your part.
Make sure you head over toyour RV storage area or wherever
your RV is and turn your AC onto see what condition it's in from
(03:35):
the time you parked it.
If you park it, it could bedoing something weird.
So you need to service it andyou need to check it often.
So that would be the filter onthe inside and clean the condenser
on the back on the outside.
Do not wait on that eitherbecause you're going to get stuck
right behind the line ofgetting it fixed if you need to.
(03:55):
Also, to keep cool, There areportable 12 volt fans that can make
life so much easier.
So check out your local RVparts store.
If you're in the Hamilton toMissoula area, come to us in Victor.
They'll probably have what you need.
You know, we definitely will,but others will too.
So you'll want to talk to theexperts about what you'll really
(04:16):
need.
Another tip of staying coolwhere it's hot is make sure to barbecue
or cook your food outside.
This is a huge deal when itcomes to keeping small spaces cool.
You don't want to cook yourfood inside.
You'll make it all steamy.
Actually, whenever I cook, Iset our fire alarm off.
That's how steamy and smokyand hot it gets in there.
(04:39):
So I do it every time.
And it's so loud.
And then shade, shade, shade.
Keep your RV shaded in any waythat you can.
We sell awnings and Slide outsjust letting you know, you know that.
But we'll plug where you canbuy them from.
But it's such an easy way andlastable way to make sure your RV
(05:01):
is going to be shaded.
Cause you might be in a parkwhere there's no trees, there's no
shade, you need that shade.
And one obvious one too isdress for the heat.
So obviously you know you'regonna plan where you go.
Make sure you bring clothesthat are cooling or and have a lot
of sunscreen too.
That's a big, that's a big one.
(05:21):
So my takeaway is be preparedfor where you're going to go.
Try to find somewhere shady,but if you can't, then make sure
you bring the shade with you.
All right, Very good advice.
So that entire list is on ourwebsite as well under enjoying the
RV life smarterver.com and oneother reminder is if you are driving
a motorhome, make sure thecooling system in the motorhome,
(05:44):
the engine cooling system isup to snuff and it actually works
so your engine doesn't overheat.
And if you're pulling atrailer, the same thing.
Make sure your truck coolingsystems up to date and working good.
And also make sure your airconditioning works because you know
if you're driving down theroad, it's hot out, you have the
AC on.
The AC puts more of a load onthe engine so it's going to overheat.
(06:04):
So make sure everything's goodand make sure you got plenty of free
on to make the AC work.
Because driving in hot weatherwith the windows down, man, that's
for a 16 year old with a 12pack of beer going to the Colorado
River.
Sounds like someone else experience.
Keep the windows up, use that ac.
You're an adult now.
(06:25):
Right?
Right.
All right, so in our moneysaving tip, you know today's world
everybody can buy the cheapeststuff in the world online.
Especially at the jungle website.
You know, you can get stufffor, you know, I don't know, sewer
hose for 38 cents.
But is it a good sewer hose?
Is it gonna last?
(06:46):
No, it's not.
There are so many productbrands out there that really don't
exist as a company becauseeverything floods goes online.
There's not real companiesbehind the products.
And we know this for a fact.
There's a company selling onAmazon, they were called SunPro USA
and they sold these pinwheels,little cheesy things for your garden,
(07:08):
man.
And they sold a ton of them.
But what I'm getting at hereis they had our phone number for
customer service.
So everybody that placed anorder and I think it's everybody.
Yep.
They were missing pinwheelsbecause the package comes from Taiwan,
I mean China.
They don't open it becauseit's, you know, shrink wrapped and
everything.
So it's missing all theseparts and pieces.
(07:29):
Then they're calling to complain.
They call us now, you knowthat isn't us.
Call Amazon.
And we talked to Amazon, theygave us your number.
See, and that's right it right there.
We talked to Amazon, they gaveus your number.
That's customer service.
We don't sell that junk.
You know how many phone callswe get?
Oh, so many.
Yeah, it went on and on.
Couldn't get rid of the number.
Even the company, they'relike, we don't know anything about
(07:52):
that email.
And back and forth.
And the emails are always onthat 24 hour cycle.
When an email's on a 24 hourcycle, you know they're in another
land far, far away, you know,or they are when gotten some instant
pot, I don't know.
But knock that off.
Here we go again.
(08:14):
So don't buy things on thecheap unless it's just a throwaway
thing and you know what you'regetting and you know you're going
to use it for a week and youknow it's not last.
Buying it two or three or moretimes is a waste of money.
Just buy it a good product one time.
If it in anything else, go toyour local stores to explore, see
what's out there.
Because they carry the brandsthat are quality usually.
(08:36):
So just check that out, thinkabout it.
And I know we kind of hit onthis a lot, you know, like buying
on the Internet, being cautious.
Yeah, descriptions can be very misleading.
You know, like it's originaldomatic, it doesn't say, it's dramatic,
you know, it work, it fits theoriginal domatic or something.
They word it where it soundslike you're getting a dometic part
(08:58):
but you're not, you're gettingcheap junk.
In fact, one of our customersjust the other day bought a toilet
valve.
40 bucks.
It should have been 80 or $100.
And it didn't even work one time.
It leaked in the story.
There's no warranty on thatbecause they bought it on the Jungle
website.
Exactly.
So there's no warranty.
So don't go cheap, buy it.
(09:19):
And he was in Texas so Icouldn't help him.
But he called me for my great wisdom.
I think I know who this is,but I won't say any names.
Buy it once, don't buy it twice.
Now, again, we've brought this up.
If you have any experiencesout on the road, RVing with pictures,
without pictures, we want tohear from you.
We love the experiences and ifwe can, we try to share them if we
(09:43):
can.
Or maybe we'll put them on the website.
You know, we just, we love tohear these things.
We get emails and sometimesthey're not the experience we're
looking for because it's moreof a technical question.
But just like where you're.
A journal, just send us aday's worth of information.
You know, a journal writing be great.
Yeah, we'd love to see it,hear it, you know, whether you're
(10:03):
by yourself, your family,whatever it is.
So just share your experienceswith us, go to our website and use
the contact us page.
Now, in staying on the roadtoday we're going to interview Matthew
from Heat Line.
All right, so in this staying on.
The road, we have Matthew fromHeat Line.
He's their resident expert andhe knows everything there is to know
about heating cable.
(10:24):
And today we're going to bringhim into the conversation because
of Heat Line's familiaritywith the RV industry and keeping
water lines from freezing,water heaters, water pumps, valves,
whatever it might be.
So Matt's here.
And Matt, I'm going to jumpright in because of.
Yeah, we just got to get into it.
So many questions here.
(10:45):
Well, first, welcome to the podcast.
Great to have you.
Thank you.
Now, you know, heat tape is the.
Common term that's being usedthat everybody uses for keeping a
water line from freezing,let's say.
So what's the differencebetween heat tape and heat cable?
Okay, well, that's anexcellent, excellent question, Eric.
(11:08):
And let me just get started bysaying I do know, or I feel I know
a lot about heating cable heat tape.
I've been doing this for along time, probably longer than I'd
care to count.
15 plus years.
I don't consider myself anexpert in every facet of heating
cable because like anyindividual that wants to better themselves,
(11:29):
there's always more to learn, right?
So, you know, I'm alwayslearning every day as well, just
like anybody else.
But when it comes to whenpeople say to me, what's the difference
between heat tape and heating cable?
For me, when I hear the wordheat tape, the first thing I think
about is your common hardwarestore, off the shelf, bulk packaged
(11:52):
heat tape.
And the real primarydifference with that product versus
what we offer is that, numberone, anything that we offer Is a
professional grade product.
Okay.
So, you know, it's designedwith quality installation professionals,
People who seek the need toinstall things that last a long time.
(12:14):
That's our primary audience.
Second to that, it's going tocome down to the technology.
So hardware store heat tapesare commonly what we refer to in
the industry as constant wattage.
So with a constant wattageheating cable, your energy output
or your heat output per footis as it sounds, constant.
(12:38):
So what I like to say toclients is, you know, think about
it this way.
You install a 60 watt lightbulb, you turn that light bulb on,
it's using 60 watts.
It doesn't matter how cold theroom is, how warm the room is, how
much light there is in thatroom, it's using 60 watts of energy.
Same idea with a constantwattage heating cable.
If it's rated for 5 watts afoot, when you plug it in, it's 5
(13:00):
watts per foot all the time.
The difference with thetechnology that we employ in our
professional grade products isthat we use heat line self regulating
heating cable technology.
So what self regulatingheating cable does is it actually
varies its outputmicroscopically along the entire
(13:21):
length of heating cable.
And I have a piece of heatingcable with me here today, and you'll
see here too, just in terms ofthe physicality, the dimensions,
the rigidity, a much higherend product than your common hardware
store heat tape would be.
But with the self regulatingtechnology, it gives you the ability
to install it in environmentswhere the heating cable can, on its
(13:44):
own, vary its output.
So what I like to tell clientsis, let's say, for instance, I had
this heating cable energizedhere in this room right now, it would
be just warm to the touch.
Because self regulatingheating cable, it can never shut
off completely.
It can only idle down to aminimum amount.
And most often at its mostefficient state, it can use as little
(14:07):
as half a watt per foot.
So, you know, it would begoing along here.
Great, because this room's 70Fahrenheit, it's not using a lot
of energy, Just warm to the touch.
And then I go outside, becausewe've got about six feet of snow
here in the last week, and Igrab a handful of snow and I bring
it in and I put it on thecable right here.
Okay.
Only that section where it'sin contact with my hand and the snow
(14:31):
would increase its output tomelt that snow.
So it's very versatile.
It gives you the ability toinstall it in regions where the pipe
isn't exposed to consistent temperatures.
So say Maybe you've got tostart the heating cable up inside
(14:51):
your rv, then it has a pointin a hose where it comes down below
where it's really exposed andthen it comes up above.
Well, that hose is in threedifferent environments, right?
So how could you expect acommon hardware store heat tape where
it puts out consistent energyto properly heat that entire line?
(15:11):
What you end up getting iswhat we refer to in the industry
as hot or cold spots.
So you get uneven heating,which one can lead to pipes that
get too warm and potentiallymelt, or two pipes that aren't warm
enough and freeze.
Where with the self regulatingheating cable technology, its heat
(15:35):
distribution would changealong that entire length to ensure
that it prevents freezingwhile not getting too warm at the
same time.
So I know that's a big longanswer to a very short question,
so I'm going to let you getback in there.
No, that's actually a goodanswer because I didn't realize that
about your product either.
I thought it was the, youknow, the whole line would be warm
(16:00):
all the time and didn't selfregulate in different areas where
you had that hot and cold likeyou described.
So that makes that producteven better as far as I'm concerned.
Because yeah, heat tape isjust always hot, it's always on.
So that's very cool.
So that makes a huge difference.
So that being said, now in anrv, you know you have PEX water lines,
(16:21):
you have flexible like nylonreinforced water lines, you have
the abs, you have, you know,the waste valves, you know you have
brass fittings, plastic fittings.
Can this heat line be used on anything?
Does it matter in an rv?
(16:41):
Yeah, that's an excellent question.
Very, you know, a great question.
Can you use it on pretty muchany and all materials?
The answer is really yes,because of the self regulating technology,
because it has that ability todecrease its heat output, you never
have to worry about itpotentially overheating and creating
(17:02):
a fire hazard or melting a material.
So we recommend it for use onmetallic piping, whether it's copper,
you know, galvanized steel,iron pipe.
We also recommend it for useon PEX polyethylene.
You can use this on PVC hosing.
If you've been to our website,you'll notice we do mention in some
(17:26):
areas in there not to use on agarden hose.
Well, the reason we say thatisn't because it's by any means a
danger.
It's more so because of thefact that when clients install it
on a garden hose, they expectthat hose to still be as Easily maneuverable
as it used to be, which canlead to over manipulation on the
(17:48):
cable or they can try to kinkit or twist it.
So you know, technicallyspeaking, you can even install our
product on a garden hose.
You just can't expect it tostill maneuver and coil as a garden
hose would.
And you know, we've, we'veinstalled this on, you know, an array
of different materials,including plastic tanks.
(18:08):
Plastic tanks is a, is a great example.
And the thing you have towatch out for about plastic tanks
or non metallic tanks is thatwhen they get empty, you don't want
heating cable that couldoverheat on that section of the tank
which no longer has water in it.
Because you will notice with alot of hardware store heat tapes
(18:30):
or a lot of low cost onlineretailers that move heat tapes that
are constant wattage, they'llmention right on them, you know,
do not use on a dry plasticpipe or do not use on a dry plastic
tank.
So you really have torecognize that and be careful of
it.
Right, okay, well that makes alot of sense.
So in an RV then, man, it's covered.
(18:52):
Your product will do everything.
What it sounds like.
We like to say that we can domost everything.
One of the unique things aboutour company is that we are a small,
medium sized business.
So it gives us the ability torespond to customers that have unique
(19:15):
needs.
So, you know, say forinstance, I have a customer calls
me up and they say, well, I'vegot this hose, but it's, it's 12ft
long and the power's at theother end of the RV, so I need a
20 foot cold lead and so onand so forth.
And basically what they want,Eric, is they want a lot of custom
stuff.
You know, they want a customlength heating cable, they want a
(19:37):
custom power lead.
And you'll get a lot ofcompanies out there where they would
just say, well, this is whatwe offer.
So you know, that's whatyou're going to have to buy.
Well, we don't do that.
You know, we will, we willtailor the product to their needs.
We've been doing, you know,low voltage heating cable for RVs.
I had to check it todaybecause I didn't want to misstate
(20:00):
it on your podcast, but we'vebeen doing it for over 20 years.
20 years we've been making lowvoltage heating cable assemblies
for RVs.
And although I can't mentiontheir names, we have a lot of OEM
customers in the US and Canadawhere we actually make custom low
(20:22):
voltage heating cableassemblies specifically for Them
that go into their RVs beforethey even reach the dealerships.
So we're kind of a one stopshop for everything.
Low voltage heating cable, youknow, whether we have it now or we'll
make it for you in the future.
Right, okay.
So that's pretty cool.
(20:42):
So yeah, a little humility there.
It doesn't work on everythingalmost though, but almost everything.
I could work on everythingmyself in an rv, but I'll go along
with that now.
The other thing too is in mylife I've experienced sometimes you
buy, I'm going to call this atop tier product.
So you buy a top tier productand sometimes they're more complicated
(21:04):
to install than just a lowerend product.
Is that the case with the heatline or the compensator line?
Yeah, I'm happy to say it'snot the case with our product.
But I do understand whereyou're coming from.
Sometimes when you get into ahigher end product, they can be what
I like to say, they can beover engineered, which lends itself
(21:29):
to a highly technical install.
That's not the case with our products.
One of the great things ofmany things about our company, and
this will give me a chance toget a plug in here for the founders.
But one of the founders of ourcompany, Loren Heise, he was actually
a practicing commercialindustrial electrician before he
(21:49):
founded this company.
So pretty much everything thatwe design, we don't just design it
from the perspective of beinga high quality functioning product,
we design it from theperspective of the installer.
Right.
Because he's been there, he'sseen that.
(22:12):
So you have to take intocontext how can we make this easier
for the installer?
And when we manufacture ordesign a product, we do do that.
So one of the great thingsabout our compensator product is
that, and I'll just hold up acoil of it here so you can see it
comes complete.
So when you order it, theheating cable's finished.
(22:34):
We have a proprietary end sealtermination that we do on the heating
cable.
The power connection sidecomes with your strain relief for
your pigtails in your junction box.
One of the things that we dothat you'll notice some online retailers
don't is our low voltageheating cables actually have a ground
braid.
So they all come with achassis ground which is convenient
(22:58):
to have.
So we try to take a lot of theguesswork and a lot of the difficult
install work out of the handsof the installer, make it for them,
make it really as simple as wecan for them.
Okay, very Good.
So yeah, and that's greatbecause yeah, some things are over
engineered.
There's extra wires and thingsyou got to do and you have to install
(23:19):
that, maybe even have to buy stuff.
So that's great to knowbecause a lot of our audience are
do it yourselfers.
So this fits right into theirwheelhouse of doing it themselves.
Very nice.
So another question would bewhen you're buying this, I know the
RVer has to call you guys.
And you guys, by the way, havegreat customer service.
You answer the phone, which isa, a something that's high on my
(23:44):
list because it's hard to dealwith companies when they don't answer
the phone, don't have customer service.
So you guys are a one on that.
But when they buy it, do theyhave to buy a roll of it and then
cut it to length or is itcuttable or do you guys have to make
it to a size for the RVer?
So the way we provide it isit's a finished assembly.
(24:06):
So you order it to the lengthyou need.
We terminated here, just likeI showed you here a little bit prior.
It comes with its end sealtermination, it comes with its power
connection.
Everything is complete.
You don't need to cut it on site.
And you know, some people lookat that and they'll say, well, you
know, maybe I want somethingthough that gives me a little more
(24:27):
versatility.
Maybe I, maybe I want cut to length.
And we do do cut to length,Eric, not in low voltage, but in
our, in our high voltage systems.
And you know, ultimately thereason we don't offer it in the compensator
is, and I think this is oneof, you know, we might get into this
question, but just maximum lengths.
(24:48):
So when you start looking atthe lengths that we offer the compensator
in, the lengths are so shortthat they don't really lend themselves
to a cut to length modelbecause now you got to buy the cable,
you got to buy the power connection.
By the time you do that price,comparatively wise, you're almost
(25:10):
the same price as a finished assembly.
And now you yourself aretaking on, maybe liability is not
the right word, but theresponsibility of having to do those
NCL and power connections.
And like you mentioned, a lotof your audience, a lot of your RVers
are do it yourselfers, which,you know, even a experienced electrician
(25:34):
may not have a lot ofexperience doing power and end terminations
on a heating cable.
Now you're a DIYer that likesto work on your RV on the weekends
and you're putting yourself inthat position.
So it just having us do it inour facility with trained technicians
that have experience in doingthousands of these a month, it removes
(25:56):
that uncertainty that you cansometimes get when you go the cut
to length model.
Okay, that makes sense.
Then there's, you don't haveto worry about a warranty.
Someone gets it, there'ssomething wrong with it, it's not
on them, it's on you guys.
So it's taken care of.
So that makes it a lot easier.
Just buy and be done with it.
So there's value in that, you know?
Yes, a lot of value in that, actually.
(26:18):
Now another thing, another question.
Now you mentioned it selfregulating, but does this cable have
a thermostat on it at all?
So with self regulatingheating cable, you're not required
to have a thermostat becauseyou could just plug it in, walk away
(26:39):
and it'll do its thing.
You know, I'll often whenclients ask me about this, I say,
look, I could take the heatingcable, I could tie it in a ball of
knots, I could throw it in awaste paper basket, plug it in and
walk away and it'll never bean issue.
So you could 100% install itwithout a thermostat.
And most systems that RVersbuy, they are buying them without
(27:01):
a thermostat.
And what they do is they justwire them to a switch so they use
it when they need it.
We do offer thermostats andyou can buy those.
They're an optional accessory.
The.
Just to get one more point inabout heat tapes, if I can just get
one more shot in there, Eric,just to get one more shot.
(27:24):
And so when you buy a heattape, because it's constant wattage,
it needs what's referred to asnot so much a thermostat, but a high
limit device.
So to prevent it from overheating.
Right.
So that it's not a danger.
Well, the downside, if youlook at the design is the high limit
device or the thermostat isgenerally at the start of the heating
(27:45):
cable near the power cord.
Okay.
So if you're plugging this inor wiring it in inside your RV where
that thermostat's readingtemperature doesn't represent what
could be happening 10, 20,30ft down the cable.
Right.
So you end up getting yourselfinto a situation there again where
(28:06):
you can develop hot and coldspots because you can't get that
thermostat where it needs tobe to properly monitor temperature.
And the thermostat that weoffer as an accessory to go with
our compensator.
If you do purchase it, itgives you the ability.
Now the install is a littlemore professional grade because you
(28:27):
have to do some electricalwork with a junction box, but it
gives you the ability to getthat thermostat sensor along the
section of the pipe where it'smost likely to freeze first.
And then you would turn thesystem on based on where you're most
likely to freeze first.
But as I said, a lot ofindividuals, they just go with a
(28:49):
switch and that switch onlygets energized when the RV is powered.
So they know if they leave iton by mistake, it's not going to
drain their batteries over aweekend and they just switch it on
when they need it.
Okay, very good.
So that makes a lot of sense.
So what comes to my mind is alot of our customers or RVers, when
(29:11):
they're plugged into shore power.
Power.
Drain doesn't mean anythingbecause they're plugged in, their
batteries are getting chargedand so forth.
But now if they're not pluggedinto shore power and they're just
on their 12 volt batteries,amp draw can be a concern for them
or watts.
So what is the average ampdraw with the heat line product or
(29:37):
the compensator?
I should say.
Excellent question.
And a lot of individuals doask this question because it is a
primary concern of their power draw.
Because at the end of the daywe are consuming power from their
battery systems.
So the amount of, in what I'mgoing to talk about, I'll relate
(29:57):
it mostly to watts, justbecause it's what I feel most people
relate to in terms of power.
So from an energy drawperspective, there's going to be
numerous factors that we haveto take into consideration to give
an average.
You know, it depends how longthe system is.
What is the watt density ofthe heating cable?
(30:18):
Because we, we offer twodifferent options.
We have a 3 watt per foot selfregulating and a 5 watt per foot
self regulating.
So obviously you know, thefive watt's going to use more.
It depends how well the systemis insulated because the more it
is insulated, the less energyit is going to consume.
Okay.
It, you know, things such ashow much you use the water, believe
(30:42):
it or not, can have an effect.
Right.
Because you're bringing coldwater into that pipe again and then
you know, obviously how coldit is outside.
But what I would say is if youlook at the average size system that
we offer, Most are around 10ft.
Okay.
Because they're just doingshort runs.
So if you look at a 10 footsystem, I would say a 10 foot system
(31:03):
could theoretically use aslittle as 5 to 10 watts total, but
as much as 40, 50, 60 watts ifit needed to.
So if you were to pick anaverage, you're probably in around
a 12 volt, 3 watt 10 footsystem, you're probably in around
(31:24):
30 watts.
Okay.
Yeah, I, as you're answeringit, I realize that is kind of a loaded
question, you know, because itall the variables there, but for
an RVer, they just have tobasically go on 12 volts, turn it
on, kind of simulate being outfor a weekend or whatever and see
how their batteries perform isso that way they know they're not
(31:45):
going to get caught with dead batteries.
Even if they have solar, theystill need to do a little testing.
But that makes sense.
I like that answer.
It really explained it.
Well, thank you for that.
Now, from my personalexperience, when I buy certain products,
I like to make sure I'mgetting the right thing.
I don't like to buy somethingbased on a description on the website.
(32:06):
It sounds like it's right andthen you get it and you're like,
oh, this isn't it.
Then it's kind of a hassle toreturn it and stuff.
So what I'm going to is reallywhat I complimented you on earlier
is about customer service.
So you guys want people tocall you to order this and ask all
the questions.
Right.
And make sure they're gettingthe right thing.
(32:27):
Well, never call me Eric.
But yes, but no, no, no.
100% yes.
We want individuals to callus, we want them to email us.
We have contact forms all overour website.
Yes, contact us, email us,call us on the phone, we can text
message.
(32:47):
Doesn't matter what it is.
We want to ensure that you getthe right product at the right length
for the right application thefirst time because then it's more
efficient for everybody.
Right.
And when you look at it fromour perspective, when we're serving
customers, it's in our bestinterest as a business to ensure
(33:10):
that you get the right productthat meets your needs.
Because that reflects on us.
It shows how well we're doingour job.
So at the end of the day, ifyou want to call us, pick up that
phone and call us.
I will say nine and a halftimes out of 10, there's going to
be a real person picking upthe phone.
Unless it's like this year andwe're in a February where it's extremely
(33:32):
cold and we're being inundatedwith calls.
We'll do our best.
Or send us an email.
We always try our best to getback as quickly as possible.
Worst case scenario, maybe acouple days.
But if you feel you're notgetting your answer, just pick up
the phone and call.
We're here.
I agree with that.
Calling's always better.
Email sometimes just can getmoved to the bottom of the stack.
(33:55):
There's a lot of emails comingin and things like that.
I get it.
So yeah, you guys areaccessible, which is great.
And that's one of the thingsabout your product and the company
I like is there's value allthe way around it.
You can buy some thingsonline, large websites that represent
the jungle and you get lowquality, no customer service.
(34:17):
And when you get a productthat's not right, it's just not right.
And sometimes you're stuckwith it.
And I like the way you guys do it.
It makes it so the customer isgoing to get what they need the first
time and it's not a merry goround of exchanging products and
things.
So that's great.
Now one last question here isI know everybody's thinking this,
(34:40):
well, how much is this product?
Is it $1,000,000?
500,500?
I wouldn't be here.
Everyone was a million dollars.
But yeah, uh, it's, you know,I, I would normally say I'm not going
to tell you Eric.
It's super secret that way youhave to call us to find out.
(35:00):
Right.
But you know, if you were tolook at our most common length, say
a 10 to 15 foot section, youare probably in the neighborhood
of 250 to $300 by the time youbuy it and it's shipped to your doorstep.
And I know for someindividuals you, that, you know,
(35:22):
it may take you back a bit,you may say, wow, that's, you know,
it's a lot more than I expected.
I think I can, you know, Ithink I can get that from online
retailers for a lot less.
But what I like to stress topeople is number one, we've went
over the product and whatmakes ours different in terms of
the quality, we've gone over that.
You know, we've been doingthis for 20 years.
(35:45):
I welcome you to go online,check out our reviews.
You know, we've been doing,we've been in business since 1988
and we have a lot of five starreviews because we try to, we try
to do our best for everybody.
And then one thing, you know,another thing that you pointed to
on that last comment there wasabout the after sale service.
(36:06):
So Our after sale service is huge.
We will take you through everystep of the process.
We don't stop once it shipsout the door.
You know, that's once youbecome our customer, you're a customer
for life.
Our intent is to keep you acustomer and keep serving you.
So, you know, you get thisproduct, you have questions about
(36:27):
it, you call us, you're goingto install this product, you have
questions about it, you callus or you email us.
Our service doesn't stop atthe sale.
So there's a lot that goesinto that price for us as a company.
But there's very good value inour products.
Like you've mentioned it acouple times here on this call.
(36:48):
Yeah, you know, it's made methink that later on in this podcast,
after you're long gone, I wasgoing to talk about that, you know,
buying it once or buying ittwo or three times and your product
is a buy at once because Ithink It'll last about 25 years.
Right.
That's kind of the lifespan of it.
So we have numerous productsthat were actually sold when our
(37:13):
company first started in 1988.
Mind you, they're not lowvoltage, they're in different lines
of products that we sell, butwe sold them in 1988 that are still
out there to this day,operating in the field.
So the lifespan of thisproduct, the product life cycle is
quite long.
This isn't something thatyou're buying and replacing every
(37:35):
two to three years, you know,this is most likely.
And our intention is you'rebuying it for the life of your rv.
Right?
Very good.
See, that's what's important.
You're buying it once andyou're done with it.
You're not having to re buy itevery winter because it wears out.
Problems with it, it just fails.
So the, the money, it mightseem like a lot, but really it's
(37:56):
not.
How much did the RV cost?
How much is the value of the rv?
You know, your time,everything else, cobbling together
things to make it work.
Where here you got a finished product.
So yeah, it might seem likeit's a lot up front, but not really
when you really rationallythink about how much it is.
So yeah, I think that's great.
I think it's a great productand you know, I'm impressed with
(38:18):
it and that's why we're doingthis interview.
You know, I talked to youguys, you know, a month or so ago
and just fell in love with theproduct is absolutely wonderful.
You know, I wish I had a usefor it.
In my personal life, so Icould buy some, but I don't.
Right now, even though I livein Montana, it's freezing, but my
RV is winterized and put awayfor the winter.
(38:38):
But it's, it's great to knowthat it's there, and if something
changes for me, I definitelyjump on board with it.
And I know our, our listenersare going to love it if any of them
try it.
And so there'll be links toHeat Line's website in the description
of this podcast, and you'll beable to call him, talk to him, and
like Matthew said, you're notgonna be able to reach him.
(38:58):
He's behind these firewalls,which we understand.
No, no, you, you can reach me.
If you must have me, you canreach me yet.
All right, so, Matthew, wereally appreciate the time you took
out of your day to get on herewith us and answer these great questions
for your product.
Great products.
So we really appreciate it,and maybe we'll see you again in
the future.
(39:20):
Yeah, no, I, I, I appreciateyou giving us the opportunity.
It's been great, and I'm happyto have done this for you and your
listeners.
All right, so that was great interview.
And so go to heat line.com.
you can check out the productson their website.
And also as a reminder, Alexisbrought out shade.
And you can go to sunpromanufacturing.com.
(39:41):
and we have awnings dropsthere, awning shades slide out, fabrics,
awning fabrics.
And we are awning rv, awning experts.
So if you have questions, call us.
We get phone calls from allover the country.
We do for stuff that peopleare told that's just absolutely crazy
wrong.
Yep.
This isn't available.
You can't get it anymore.
(40:01):
How does this work?
What is it?
No one in my area knows.
We are the experts.
So if you need to give us a jingle.
And again, our phone number'son our website.
Yeah.
And it'll be in thedescription of the podcast as well.
So now that brings us to thenext stop.
And today we're going to go toCarson City, Nevada.
Yes, we are.
(40:21):
I guess you could say Nevadais kind of in the desert there.
Yeah, a little bit.
It's got a little ofeverything, like.
That Arizona desert, but, youknow, it gets warm there, so that's
a cool place.
So Alexis is going to shareher knowledge.
I am Carson City.
Yes, I am.
I'm going to dive right intothe restaurants because I'm a foodie
and I like to think about that first.
(40:42):
Wherever I'm going.
I always, always look up alist of the restaurants.
I just do.
So if we're going somewhere,I'm like, this is where I want to
go.
And I love doing that.
I love seeing the menu andwhat they have to offer.
Especially if it's a localperson that's had this restaurant
for a long time.
I think that's so neat.
So first of all, we're goingto talk about Red's Old 395 Grill.
(41:05):
It's very rustic, ambiance inthere, hearty portions.
That's good to know if you'resuper hungry.
They specialize in barbecue,which makes sense.
Steaks, comfort food.
They've got their craft beer going.
And then there's the basil.
For Thai food lovers, theyoffer authentic dishes like pad thai
curry and fresh spring rollsin a very cozy setting.
(41:27):
So that's neat.
And then there's Garibaldi'sRestaurante Italiano.
I'm Italian, if you couldn't tell.
So this elegant Italianrestaurant is ideal for a romantic
dinner.
They offer classics likelasagna, seafood linguine and tiramisu.
So that sounds really good.
(41:49):
The rest of the restaurants ofcourse are in that article.
Let you delve into that for yourselves.
Okay, smart RVers.
But we're gonna go to RV parksin Carson City.
Talk about that for a second.
There's three really good ones.
Comstock Country RV Resort.
Lots of amenities, fullhookups, wifi, a heated pool even,
which is really neat.
(42:09):
And then we've got our SilverCity RV Resort.
They've got really large pullthrough sites, so that's good to
know if you've got a hugemotorhome or a really big trailer.
They have laundry facilities,a dog park and a fitness center there.
Then there's the Goldust WestRV Park.
They've got hotel amenitieslike restaurants and a bowling alley,
(42:32):
which is really neat.
They have a hotel there by theway too, along with an RV park, which
I think is neat, so can dowhatever you want there.
And then there's so much to doin this city.
There really is.
There's museums, there's a tonof trails.
I looked up the trails.com and there's.
There's so much to see there.
(42:53):
Just in the city or outside.
Lake Tahoe is just a 20 minutedrive from Carson City.
That is an iconic lake by the way.
So if you're in Carson City, Isay go to Lake Tahoe.
You gotta see it.
Gotta go.
Yeah.
And then you can relax in theCarson Hot Springs.
They've got some Natural hotsprings there, mineral pools, and
(43:14):
they have spa services.
So you can either just go forthat or you can do.
Do more.
And then they have a railroadmuseum, which Sheldon Cooper would
be into.
So I had to mention that it's a.
It's a real treat for train enthusiasts.
So those are just some of thethings that Carson City offers.
There's so much more.
(43:35):
And on our article there'sreal life stories and outdoor adventures
that people have taken.
So you need to check out therest of the article for sure.
Yeah.
Carson City is.
It's jam packed, that whole area.
You got Gardnerville, Tahoe.
Yeah.
Truckee.
Not Truckee, Placerville.
(43:55):
There's Truckee up there too.
I don't remember.
So, yeah, you know the hotsprings there's around Lake Tahoe.
There's a billion things to do.
Yeah.
And I remember as a kid goingto hot springs there and her friend,
she was from.
Oh man.
Where's that movie Sound of Music?
(44:19):
Oh, she had that.
Austria.
Yeah.
Wow.
Hot headed Austrian, man.
My grandpa's.
I don't know what she was.
He said there's nothing there,but I don't believe him.
But.
So I was hot springs with Erna.
With Erna.
Me and my friend, we took abus to Lake Tahoe.
Man, what a.
Oh, man, what a trip.
(44:42):
So we're in the hot springsand all of a sudden this body starts
floating.
It's like, holy smokes,someone just drowned, you know.
Wow, what a trip.
Did somebody die?
Yeah, it wasn't Jerry.
Oh, Jerry.
Sorry.
Everybody died.
(45:04):
Just as a kid though.
It was just a trip.
Yeah.
Like, wow.
Just added to that whole trip story.
Yeah.
So hopefully that won't happento you if you go to Carson City.
You won't find yourself in oneof those situations.
Man.
I hope not.
And don't take a greyhound up there.
That's a horrible.
Well, when you're 14 yearsold, it's pretty cool.
(45:26):
Yeah.
You know, as an adult.
Forget it, man.
And don't put your 14 year oldkid on a Greyhound either.
There's a lot of things Ilearned on that trip.
You know, it's pretty interesting.
It shaped my future.
No kidding.
Wow.
That was a lot.
So.
(45:47):
Yeah.
But anyway, so Lake Tahoe isreally cool now.
I spent a lot of time therebecause pretty much grew up there
or, you know, I was born in Reno.
Yeah.
Spent some years in Tahoe butwent back every year forever.
Nice.
So, yeah, pretty cool.
So now we're going to leaveCarson City and we're going to go
Just over a hill or through ariver and through the dale over to
(46:09):
Virginia City.
Now Virginia City is anothercool place.
You got to check it out.
And while you're there, yougot to go to the Bucket of Blood
Saloon and see the ComstockCowboys play.
But we have a little story.
Imagine that.
There we go.
We got a whole book of stories.
It seems like they neverstopped coming.
(46:30):
Now this isn't on the original parchment.
This one was a reprint.
Okay, so, yeah, anyway, herewe go.
Once upon a time, in the heartof the Nevazet Desert, a dusty town
sprang to life.
Virginia City, they called it.
A place where silver flowedlike rivers and fortunes were made
overnight.
Among the wooden boardwalks,cowboys and miners bustled about.
(46:54):
The Bucket of Blood Saloonroared with laughter as a piano player
played a lively tune.
Across the way, the DeltaSaloon stood with its infamous suicide
table, whispering tales ofluck lost and won.
And if you were hungry, theCrown Point Restaurant at the Gold
Hill Hotel served up thefinest prime rib in town.
(47:17):
Outside, the Virginia andTruckee Railroad steamed its way
through through the rollinghills carrying dreamers and drifters
alike.
The Grand Piper's Opera Houseechoed with the voices of performers,
perhaps even the great MarkTwain himself.
The Fourth Ward School Museumstood tall.
Its halls were echoing withthe lessons from the past where young
(47:38):
students once dribbled awayunder the watchful eyes of their
teachers.
For those seeking thrills,there are many tales of long lost
miners, dinners in the nowabandoned mines.
At the Mackey Mansion, many astory has been shared with a wide
eyed visitor.
And let's not forget the festivals.
Each year the town came alivewith celebrations.
(47:58):
The camel races where thedesert creatures dashed across the
streets.
And the Rocky Mountain oysterfry, a quirky tradition that had
visitors both laughing andgrimacing at their daring culinary
choice.
Voices.
As the sun set over the deserthills, the town lights flickered
on, casting a warm glow overits historic streets.
(48:19):
Virginia City remained an echoof time when the west was wild and
every street had a story.
So if you ever find yourselfcraving adventure, step into Virginia
City, where history lives, thepast lingers and legends never die.
So, wow.
You got to go there.
Absolutely.
I want to.
Yeah.
That would have been a time tobe a lot.
(48:40):
Well, yeah.
Also to be dead.
Yeah, I probably would liveabout 20 maybe.
But no, that place is really cool.
I've been there.
Spent a lot of time there.
Been there several times.
But the, the saloons arereally cool.
Like the Bucket of Bloodalways has live music.
Yeah, that's neat.
Comstock cowboys are Always there.
(49:01):
And they have some great tunes.
You know, it's.
It's western, it's country, It's.
Yeah, I'm not really intocountry or western, but their music
just has this thing about itthat kind of draws you in, you know?
Yeah, it's really nice.
Yeah, it's very cool.
Okay, there's no RV envy todaybecause we had the interview with
Heat line.
Yeah, there we go.
(49:22):
No RV envy.
It's just weird without it, right?
It is.
Wow.
You have to figure this oneout like a whole new thing here.
As a reminder, go to sunpromfg.com check out our products there.
Great products, great prices,and of course, you get our great
service.
The best in the west.
That's true.
Waiting all week to say that one.
(49:43):
The best in the west.
Five star.
Like a sheriff, you know.
Five star.
Yeah.
Okay, so our next episode isgoing to be 173, and that's going
to be in about two weeks.
So we had another great showtoday, Alexis.
Great information on CarsonCity and how to RV in the heat you
(50:04):
don't die.
Oh, you know, speaking of RVin the heat, you know, if you just
buy a Lippert Chill Coop 18Kair conditioner, that problem solved.
Forgot about that.
Yeah, that's a great product.
You know, just a reminder onthat one.
So you can go to Lippert oryou can call us, whatever you want
to do.
Go to your local dealer andbuy one.
One.
All right, so that's going tobring us an end today.
So this is Eric Stark with theSmart RVer podcast, your go to guide
(50:27):
for smarter RVing andunforgettable adventures on the open
road.
In staying on the road.
Today we're gonna have aninterview with Matthew from Heat
Line, which makes heat cablefor RVs and other applications.
Great interview.
So stay tuned for that.
And in enjoying the RV life,we're gonna talk about RVing in the
heat.
And then the next stop, we'regonna go to Carson City, Nevada.
And then in the shadows of thepast, the towns that once were, we're
(00:21):
gonna go right next door, nottoo far away, to Virginia City and
an RV Envy today.
Well, we're not gonna have onebecause the interview is gonna go
a little bit long, but it'llbe well worth it.
Let's jump right into this.
This is Eric Stark with theSmart RVer podcast, your trusted
source for tips and insightsto embrace the RV lifestyle without
worries.
So let's talk everything RV.
(00:43):
And today is episode 172, andAlexis is back for some more fun.
Woohoo.
Woohoo.
You see?
Yeah, she's still trying toget over the last episode.
Yeah, the instant pot had alingering effect.
Yeah, it did.
All right, so now I don't havea rant today, but I do want to remind
(01:05):
everybody, if you have an rv,if you have an rv, why do you be
listening to the show if you didn't?
So, so when it comes to yourRV furnace, if you have pets in the
rv, this is probably more sofor people with pets to make sure
you take your furnace, get towhere you can, and vacuum out the
(01:25):
area where the furnace is infront of it.
If a do comes off that you canaccess, vacuum it out, because all
that pet hair and other stuffthat's going to collect in there
can stop the furnace from working.
It can ruin it, it can slow itdown or just bring it to a screeching
halt.
Then in the middle of thenight, you ain't got snow heat, and
(01:45):
that doesn't work right.
We got to have heat.
You wake up and it's freezing cold.
You go, wow, where's the heat?
So that's probably more so forpeople living in the rv or if you
have pets in your RV and youuse your RV a lot.
So it's just a nice remind.
All right, so now another partof the show we don't ever talk about
is our hot boat ropes product.
(02:08):
Oh, yeah.
You know, we sell a ton ofthis stuff online.
So if you have a boat andwhich, you know, a lot of RVers have
boats, go to our website,hotboatropes.com and you can check
out our line of floating ropes.
We got anchor line Stocklines, fender ties, this, that, the
other.
And yeah, it sounds kind of weird.
We have.
(02:28):
We've been making this stufffor years.
It's a great product.
So check that out again.
It's hotboatropes.
And of course there'll be alink to it in the description of
the podcast.
Now we're talking about boats.
Nice, cool water.
So now we're going to go toenjoying the RV life.
Leave the water and go to the heat.
That's right.
So Alexis is going to help usto learn how, if we don't already
(02:52):
know, to RV in the heat.
I am.
I'm gonna yell at ourlisteners today.
Actually more involved in thatthan I really thought thought about.
I just think an airconditioner, you know, but there's
a little bit more to it.
There's more.
I've got a whole.
I've got a whole spiel for you listeners.
Okay.
Yeah, she does, man.
(03:13):
Service your AC unit.
I don't think I can say that enough.
Do not wait until the last minute.
Eric will tell you the same thing.
So this requires someorganization on your part.
Make sure you head over toyour RV storage area or wherever
your RV is and turn your AC onto see what condition it's in from
(03:35):
the time you parked it.
If you park it, it could bedoing something weird.
So you need to service it andyou need to check it often.
So that would be the filter onthe inside and clean the condenser
on the back on the outside.
Do not wait on that eitherbecause you're going to get stuck
right behind the line ofgetting it fixed if you need to.
(03:55):
Also, to keep cool, There areportable 12 volt fans that can make
life so much easier.
So check out your local RVparts store.
If you're in the Hamilton toMissoula area, come to us in Victor.
They'll probably have what you need.
You know, we definitely will,but others will too.
So you'll want to talk to theexperts about what you'll really
(04:16):
need.
Another tip of staying coolwhere it's hot is make sure to barbecue
or cook your food outside.
This is a huge deal when itcomes to keeping small spaces cool.
You don't want to cook yourfood inside.
You'll make it all steamy.
Actually, whenever I cook, Iset our fire alarm off.
That's how steamy and smokyand hot it gets in there.
(04:39):
So I do it every time.
And it's so loud.
And then shade, shade, shade.
Keep your RV shaded in any waythat you can.
We sell awnings and Slide outsjust letting you know, you know that.
But we'll plug where you canbuy them from.
But it's such an easy way andlastable way to make sure your RV
(05:01):
is going to be shaded.
Cause you might be in a parkwhere there's no trees, there's no
shade, you need that shade.
And one obvious one too isdress for the heat.
So obviously you know you'regonna plan where you go.
Make sure you bring clothesthat are cooling or and have a lot
of sunscreen too.
That's a big, that's a big one.
(05:21):
So my takeaway is be preparedfor where you're going to go.
Try to find somewhere shady,but if you can't, then make sure
you bring the shade with you.
All right, Very good advice.
So that entire list is on ourwebsite as well under enjoying the
RV life smarterver.com and oneother reminder is if you are driving
a motorhome, make sure thecooling system in the motorhome,
(05:44):
the engine cooling system isup to snuff and it actually works
so your engine doesn't overheat.
And if you're pulling atrailer, the same thing.
Make sure your truck coolingsystems up to date and working good.
And also make sure your airconditioning works because you know
if you're driving down theroad, it's hot out, you have the
AC on.
The AC puts more of a load onthe engine so it's going to overheat.
(06:04):
So make sure everything's goodand make sure you got plenty of free
on to make the AC work.
Because driving in hot weatherwith the windows down, man, that's
for a 16 year old with a 12pack of beer going to the Colorado
River.
Sounds like someone else experience.
Keep the windows up, use that ac.
You're an adult now.
(06:25):
Right?
Right.
All right, so in our moneysaving tip, you know today's world
everybody can buy the cheapeststuff in the world online.
Especially at the jungle website.
You know, you can get stufffor, you know, I don't know, sewer
hose for 38 cents.
But is it a good sewer hose?
Is it gonna last?
(06:46):
No, it's not.
There are so many productbrands out there that really don't
exist as a company becauseeverything floods goes online.
There's not real companiesbehind the products.
And we know this for a fact.
There's a company selling onAmazon, they were called SunPro USA
and they sold these pinwheels,little cheesy things for your garden,
(07:08):
man.
And they sold a ton of them.
But what I'm getting at hereis they had our phone number for
customer service.
So everybody that placed anorder and I think it's everybody.
Yep.
They were missing pinwheelsbecause the package comes from Taiwan,
I mean China.
They don't open it becauseit's, you know, shrink wrapped and
everything.
So it's missing all theseparts and pieces.
(07:29):
Then they're calling to complain.
They call us now, you knowthat isn't us.
Call Amazon.
And we talked to Amazon, theygave us your number.
See, and that's right it right there.
We talked to Amazon, they gaveus your number.
That's customer service.
We don't sell that junk.
You know how many phone callswe get?
Oh, so many.
Yeah, it went on and on.
Couldn't get rid of the number.
Even the company, they'relike, we don't know anything about
(07:52):
that email.
And back and forth.
And the emails are always onthat 24 hour cycle.
When an email's on a 24 hourcycle, you know they're in another
land far, far away, you know,or they are when gotten some instant
pot, I don't know.
But knock that off.
Here we go again.
(08:14):
So don't buy things on thecheap unless it's just a throwaway
thing and you know what you'regetting and you know you're going
to use it for a week and youknow it's not last.
Buying it two or three or moretimes is a waste of money.
Just buy it a good product one time.
If it in anything else, go toyour local stores to explore, see
what's out there.
Because they carry the brandsthat are quality usually.
(08:36):
So just check that out, thinkabout it.
And I know we kind of hit onthis a lot, you know, like buying
on the Internet, being cautious.
Yeah, descriptions can be very misleading.
You know, like it's originaldomatic, it doesn't say, it's dramatic,
you know, it work, it fits theoriginal domatic or something.
They word it where it soundslike you're getting a dometic part
(08:58):
but you're not, you're gettingcheap junk.
In fact, one of our customersjust the other day bought a toilet
valve.
40 bucks.
It should have been 80 or $100.
And it didn't even work one time.
It leaked in the story.
There's no warranty on thatbecause they bought it on the Jungle
website.
Exactly.
So there's no warranty.
So don't go cheap, buy it.
(09:19):
And he was in Texas so Icouldn't help him.
But he called me for my great wisdom.
I think I know who this is,but I won't say any names.
Buy it once, don't buy it twice.
Now, again, we've brought this up.
If you have any experiencesout on the road, RVing with pictures,
without pictures, we want tohear from you.
We love the experiences and ifwe can, we try to share them if we
(09:43):
can.
Or maybe we'll put them on the website.
You know, we just, we love tohear these things.
We get emails and sometimesthey're not the experience we're
looking for because it's moreof a technical question.
But just like where you're.
A journal, just send us aday's worth of information.
You know, a journal writing be great.
Yeah, we'd love to see it,hear it, you know, whether you're
(10:03):
by yourself, your family,whatever it is.
So just share your experienceswith us, go to our website and use
the contact us page.
Now, in staying on the roadtoday we're going to interview Matthew
from Heat Line.
All right, so in this staying on.
The road, we have Matthew fromHeat Line.
He's their resident expert andhe knows everything there is to know
about heating cable.
(10:24):
And today we're going to bringhim into the conversation because
of Heat Line's familiaritywith the RV industry and keeping
water lines from freezing,water heaters, water pumps, valves,
whatever it might be.
So Matt's here.
And Matt, I'm going to jumpright in because of.
Yeah, we just got to get into it.
So many questions here.
(10:45):
Well, first, welcome to the podcast.
Great to have you.
Thank you.
Now, you know, heat tape is the.
Common term that's being usedthat everybody uses for keeping a
water line from freezing,let's say.
So what's the differencebetween heat tape and heat cable?
Okay, well, that's anexcellent, excellent question, Eric.
(11:08):
And let me just get started bysaying I do know, or I feel I know
a lot about heating cable heat tape.
I've been doing this for along time, probably longer than I'd
care to count.
15 plus years.
I don't consider myself anexpert in every facet of heating
cable because like anyindividual that wants to better themselves,
(11:29):
there's always more to learn, right?
So, you know, I'm alwayslearning every day as well, just
like anybody else.
But when it comes to whenpeople say to me, what's the difference
between heat tape and heating cable?
For me, when I hear the wordheat tape, the first thing I think
about is your common hardwarestore, off the shelf, bulk packaged
(11:52):
heat tape.
And the real primarydifference with that product versus
what we offer is that, numberone, anything that we offer Is a
professional grade product.
Okay.
So, you know, it's designedwith quality installation professionals,
People who seek the need toinstall things that last a long time.
(12:14):
That's our primary audience.
Second to that, it's going tocome down to the technology.
So hardware store heat tapesare commonly what we refer to in
the industry as constant wattage.
So with a constant wattageheating cable, your energy output
or your heat output per footis as it sounds, constant.
(12:38):
So what I like to say toclients is, you know, think about
it this way.
You install a 60 watt lightbulb, you turn that light bulb on,
it's using 60 watts.
It doesn't matter how cold theroom is, how warm the room is, how
much light there is in thatroom, it's using 60 watts of energy.
Same idea with a constantwattage heating cable.
If it's rated for 5 watts afoot, when you plug it in, it's 5
(13:00):
watts per foot all the time.
The difference with thetechnology that we employ in our
professional grade products isthat we use heat line self regulating
heating cable technology.
So what self regulatingheating cable does is it actually
varies its outputmicroscopically along the entire
(13:21):
length of heating cable.
And I have a piece of heatingcable with me here today, and you'll
see here too, just in terms ofthe physicality, the dimensions,
the rigidity, a much higherend product than your common hardware
store heat tape would be.
But with the self regulatingtechnology, it gives you the ability
to install it in environmentswhere the heating cable can, on its
(13:44):
own, vary its output.
So what I like to tell clientsis, let's say, for instance, I had
this heating cable energizedhere in this room right now, it would
be just warm to the touch.
Because self regulatingheating cable, it can never shut
off completely.
It can only idle down to aminimum amount.
And most often at its mostefficient state, it can use as little
(14:07):
as half a watt per foot.
So, you know, it would begoing along here.
Great, because this room's 70Fahrenheit, it's not using a lot
of energy, Just warm to the touch.
And then I go outside, becausewe've got about six feet of snow
here in the last week, and Igrab a handful of snow and I bring
it in and I put it on thecable right here.
Okay.
Only that section where it'sin contact with my hand and the snow
(14:31):
would increase its output tomelt that snow.
So it's very versatile.
It gives you the ability toinstall it in regions where the pipe
isn't exposed to consistent temperatures.
So say Maybe you've got tostart the heating cable up inside
(14:51):
your rv, then it has a pointin a hose where it comes down below
where it's really exposed andthen it comes up above.
Well, that hose is in threedifferent environments, right?
So how could you expect acommon hardware store heat tape where
it puts out consistent energyto properly heat that entire line?
(15:11):
What you end up getting iswhat we refer to in the industry
as hot or cold spots.
So you get uneven heating,which one can lead to pipes that
get too warm and potentiallymelt, or two pipes that aren't warm
enough and freeze.
Where with the self regulatingheating cable technology, its heat
(15:35):
distribution would changealong that entire length to ensure
that it prevents freezingwhile not getting too warm at the
same time.
So I know that's a big longanswer to a very short question,
so I'm going to let you getback in there.
No, that's actually a goodanswer because I didn't realize that
about your product either.
I thought it was the, youknow, the whole line would be warm
(16:00):
all the time and didn't selfregulate in different areas where
you had that hot and cold likeyou described.
So that makes that producteven better as far as I'm concerned.
Because yeah, heat tape isjust always hot, it's always on.
So that's very cool.
So that makes a huge difference.
So that being said, now in anrv, you know you have PEX water lines,
(16:21):
you have flexible like nylonreinforced water lines, you have
the abs, you have, you know,the waste valves, you know you have
brass fittings, plastic fittings.
Can this heat line be used on anything?
Does it matter in an rv?
(16:41):
Yeah, that's an excellent question.
Very, you know, a great question.
Can you use it on pretty muchany and all materials?
The answer is really yes,because of the self regulating technology,
because it has that ability todecrease its heat output, you never
have to worry about itpotentially overheating and creating
(17:02):
a fire hazard or melting a material.
So we recommend it for use onmetallic piping, whether it's copper,
you know, galvanized steel,iron pipe.
We also recommend it for useon PEX polyethylene.
You can use this on PVC hosing.
If you've been to our website,you'll notice we do mention in some
(17:26):
areas in there not to use on agarden hose.
Well, the reason we say thatisn't because it's by any means a
danger.
It's more so because of thefact that when clients install it
on a garden hose, they expectthat hose to still be as Easily maneuverable
as it used to be, which canlead to over manipulation on the
(17:48):
cable or they can try to kinkit or twist it.
So you know, technicallyspeaking, you can even install our
product on a garden hose.
You just can't expect it tostill maneuver and coil as a garden
hose would.
And you know, we've, we'veinstalled this on, you know, an array
of different materials,including plastic tanks.
(18:08):
Plastic tanks is a, is a great example.
And the thing you have towatch out for about plastic tanks
or non metallic tanks is thatwhen they get empty, you don't want
heating cable that couldoverheat on that section of the tank
which no longer has water in it.
Because you will notice with alot of hardware store heat tapes
(18:30):
or a lot of low cost onlineretailers that move heat tapes that
are constant wattage, they'llmention right on them, you know,
do not use on a dry plasticpipe or do not use on a dry plastic
tank.
So you really have torecognize that and be careful of
it.
Right, okay, well that makes alot of sense.
So in an RV then, man, it's covered.
(18:52):
Your product will do everything.
What it sounds like.
We like to say that we can domost everything.
One of the unique things aboutour company is that we are a small,
medium sized business.
So it gives us the ability torespond to customers that have unique
(19:15):
needs.
So, you know, say forinstance, I have a customer calls
me up and they say, well, I'vegot this hose, but it's, it's 12ft
long and the power's at theother end of the RV, so I need a
20 foot cold lead and so onand so forth.
And basically what they want,Eric, is they want a lot of custom
stuff.
You know, they want a customlength heating cable, they want a
(19:37):
custom power lead.
And you'll get a lot ofcompanies out there where they would
just say, well, this is whatwe offer.
So you know, that's whatyou're going to have to buy.
Well, we don't do that.
You know, we will, we willtailor the product to their needs.
We've been doing, you know,low voltage heating cable for RVs.
I had to check it todaybecause I didn't want to misstate
(20:00):
it on your podcast, but we'vebeen doing it for over 20 years.
20 years we've been making lowvoltage heating cable assemblies
for RVs.
And although I can't mentiontheir names, we have a lot of OEM
customers in the US and Canadawhere we actually make custom low
(20:22):
voltage heating cableassemblies specifically for Them
that go into their RVs beforethey even reach the dealerships.
So we're kind of a one stopshop for everything.
Low voltage heating cable, youknow, whether we have it now or we'll
make it for you in the future.
Right, okay.
So that's pretty cool.
(20:42):
So yeah, a little humility there.
It doesn't work on everythingalmost though, but almost everything.
I could work on everythingmyself in an rv, but I'll go along
with that now.
The other thing too is in mylife I've experienced sometimes you
buy, I'm going to call this atop tier product.
So you buy a top tier productand sometimes they're more complicated
(21:04):
to install than just a lowerend product.
Is that the case with the heatline or the compensator line?
Yeah, I'm happy to say it'snot the case with our product.
But I do understand whereyou're coming from.
Sometimes when you get into ahigher end product, they can be what
I like to say, they can beover engineered, which lends itself
(21:29):
to a highly technical install.
That's not the case with our products.
One of the great things ofmany things about our company, and
this will give me a chance toget a plug in here for the founders.
But one of the founders of ourcompany, Loren Heise, he was actually
a practicing commercialindustrial electrician before he
(21:49):
founded this company.
So pretty much everything thatwe design, we don't just design it
from the perspective of beinga high quality functioning product,
we design it from theperspective of the installer.
Right.
Because he's been there, he'sseen that.
(22:12):
So you have to take intocontext how can we make this easier
for the installer?
And when we manufacture ordesign a product, we do do that.
So one of the great thingsabout our compensator product is
that, and I'll just hold up acoil of it here so you can see it
comes complete.
So when you order it, theheating cable's finished.
(22:34):
We have a proprietary end sealtermination that we do on the heating
cable.
The power connection sidecomes with your strain relief for
your pigtails in your junction box.
One of the things that we dothat you'll notice some online retailers
don't is our low voltageheating cables actually have a ground
braid.
So they all come with achassis ground which is convenient
(22:58):
to have.
So we try to take a lot of theguesswork and a lot of the difficult
install work out of the handsof the installer, make it for them,
make it really as simple as wecan for them.
Okay, very Good.
So yeah, and that's greatbecause yeah, some things are over
engineered.
There's extra wires and thingsyou got to do and you have to install
(23:19):
that, maybe even have to buy stuff.
So that's great to knowbecause a lot of our audience are
do it yourselfers.
So this fits right into theirwheelhouse of doing it themselves.
Very nice.
So another question would bewhen you're buying this, I know the
RVer has to call you guys.
And you guys, by the way, havegreat customer service.
You answer the phone, which isa, a something that's high on my
(23:44):
list because it's hard to dealwith companies when they don't answer
the phone, don't have customer service.
So you guys are a one on that.
But when they buy it, do theyhave to buy a roll of it and then
cut it to length or is itcuttable or do you guys have to make
it to a size for the RVer?
So the way we provide it isit's a finished assembly.
(24:06):
So you order it to the lengthyou need.
We terminated here, just likeI showed you here a little bit prior.
It comes with its end sealtermination, it comes with its power
connection.
Everything is complete.
You don't need to cut it on site.
And you know, some people lookat that and they'll say, well, you
know, maybe I want somethingthough that gives me a little more
(24:27):
versatility.
Maybe I, maybe I want cut to length.
And we do do cut to length,Eric, not in low voltage, but in
our, in our high voltage systems.
And you know, ultimately thereason we don't offer it in the compensator
is, and I think this is oneof, you know, we might get into this
question, but just maximum lengths.
(24:48):
So when you start looking atthe lengths that we offer the compensator
in, the lengths are so shortthat they don't really lend themselves
to a cut to length modelbecause now you got to buy the cable,
you got to buy the power connection.
By the time you do that price,comparatively wise, you're almost
(25:10):
the same price as a finished assembly.
And now you yourself aretaking on, maybe liability is not
the right word, but theresponsibility of having to do those
NCL and power connections.
And like you mentioned, a lotof your audience, a lot of your RVers
are do it yourselfers, which,you know, even a experienced electrician
(25:34):
may not have a lot ofexperience doing power and end terminations
on a heating cable.
Now you're a DIYer that likesto work on your RV on the weekends
and you're putting yourself inthat position.
So it just having us do it inour facility with trained technicians
that have experience in doingthousands of these a month, it removes
(25:56):
that uncertainty that you cansometimes get when you go the cut
to length model.
Okay, that makes sense.
Then there's, you don't haveto worry about a warranty.
Someone gets it, there'ssomething wrong with it, it's not
on them, it's on you guys.
So it's taken care of.
So that makes it a lot easier.
Just buy and be done with it.
So there's value in that, you know?
Yes, a lot of value in that, actually.
(26:18):
Now another thing, another question.
Now you mentioned it selfregulating, but does this cable have
a thermostat on it at all?
So with self regulatingheating cable, you're not required
to have a thermostat becauseyou could just plug it in, walk away
(26:39):
and it'll do its thing.
You know, I'll often whenclients ask me about this, I say,
look, I could take the heatingcable, I could tie it in a ball of
knots, I could throw it in awaste paper basket, plug it in and
walk away and it'll never bean issue.
So you could 100% install itwithout a thermostat.
And most systems that RVersbuy, they are buying them without
(27:01):
a thermostat.
And what they do is they justwire them to a switch so they use
it when they need it.
We do offer thermostats andyou can buy those.
They're an optional accessory.
The.
Just to get one more point inabout heat tapes, if I can just get
one more shot in there, Eric,just to get one more shot.
(27:24):
And so when you buy a heattape, because it's constant wattage,
it needs what's referred to asnot so much a thermostat, but a high
limit device.
So to prevent it from overheating.
Right.
So that it's not a danger.
Well, the downside, if youlook at the design is the high limit
device or the thermostat isgenerally at the start of the heating
(27:45):
cable near the power cord.
Okay.
So if you're plugging this inor wiring it in inside your RV where
that thermostat's readingtemperature doesn't represent what
could be happening 10, 20,30ft down the cable.
Right.
So you end up getting yourselfinto a situation there again where
(28:06):
you can develop hot and coldspots because you can't get that
thermostat where it needs tobe to properly monitor temperature.
And the thermostat that weoffer as an accessory to go with
our compensator.
If you do purchase it, itgives you the ability.
Now the install is a littlemore professional grade because you
(28:27):
have to do some electricalwork with a junction box, but it
gives you the ability to getthat thermostat sensor along the
section of the pipe where it'smost likely to freeze first.
And then you would turn thesystem on based on where you're most
likely to freeze first.
But as I said, a lot ofindividuals, they just go with a
(28:49):
switch and that switch onlygets energized when the RV is powered.
So they know if they leave iton by mistake, it's not going to
drain their batteries over aweekend and they just switch it on
when they need it.
Okay, very good.
So that makes a lot of sense.
So what comes to my mind is alot of our customers or RVers, when
(29:11):
they're plugged into shore power.
Power.
Drain doesn't mean anythingbecause they're plugged in, their
batteries are getting chargedand so forth.
But now if they're not pluggedinto shore power and they're just
on their 12 volt batteries,amp draw can be a concern for them
or watts.
So what is the average ampdraw with the heat line product or
(29:37):
the compensator?
I should say.
Excellent question.
And a lot of individuals doask this question because it is a
primary concern of their power draw.
Because at the end of the daywe are consuming power from their
battery systems.
So the amount of, in what I'mgoing to talk about, I'll relate
(29:57):
it mostly to watts, justbecause it's what I feel most people
relate to in terms of power.
So from an energy drawperspective, there's going to be
numerous factors that we haveto take into consideration to give
an average.
You know, it depends how longthe system is.
What is the watt density ofthe heating cable?
(30:18):
Because we, we offer twodifferent options.
We have a 3 watt per foot selfregulating and a 5 watt per foot
self regulating.
So obviously you know, thefive watt's going to use more.
It depends how well the systemis insulated because the more it
is insulated, the less energyit is going to consume.
Okay.
It, you know, things such ashow much you use the water, believe
(30:42):
it or not, can have an effect.
Right.
Because you're bringing coldwater into that pipe again and then
you know, obviously how coldit is outside.
But what I would say is if youlook at the average size system that
we offer, Most are around 10ft.
Okay.
Because they're just doingshort runs.
So if you look at a 10 footsystem, I would say a 10 foot system
(31:03):
could theoretically use aslittle as 5 to 10 watts total, but
as much as 40, 50, 60 watts ifit needed to.
So if you were to pick anaverage, you're probably in around
a 12 volt, 3 watt 10 footsystem, you're probably in around
(31:24):
30 watts.
Okay.
Yeah, I, as you're answeringit, I realize that is kind of a loaded
question, you know, because itall the variables there, but for
an RVer, they just have tobasically go on 12 volts, turn it
on, kind of simulate being outfor a weekend or whatever and see
how their batteries perform isso that way they know they're not
(31:45):
going to get caught with dead batteries.
Even if they have solar, theystill need to do a little testing.
But that makes sense.
I like that answer.
It really explained it.
Well, thank you for that.
Now, from my personalexperience, when I buy certain products,
I like to make sure I'mgetting the right thing.
I don't like to buy somethingbased on a description on the website.
(32:06):
It sounds like it's right andthen you get it and you're like,
oh, this isn't it.
Then it's kind of a hassle toreturn it and stuff.
So what I'm going to is reallywhat I complimented you on earlier
is about customer service.
So you guys want people tocall you to order this and ask all
the questions.
Right.
And make sure they're gettingthe right thing.
(32:27):
Well, never call me Eric.
But yes, but no, no, no.
100% yes.
We want individuals to callus, we want them to email us.
We have contact forms all overour website.
Yes, contact us, email us,call us on the phone, we can text
message.
(32:47):
Doesn't matter what it is.
We want to ensure that you getthe right product at the right length
for the right application thefirst time because then it's more
efficient for everybody.
Right.
And when you look at it fromour perspective, when we're serving
customers, it's in our bestinterest as a business to ensure
(33:10):
that you get the right productthat meets your needs.
Because that reflects on us.
It shows how well we're doingour job.
So at the end of the day, ifyou want to call us, pick up that
phone and call us.
I will say nine and a halftimes out of 10, there's going to
be a real person picking upthe phone.
Unless it's like this year andwe're in a February where it's extremely
(33:32):
cold and we're being inundatedwith calls.
We'll do our best.
Or send us an email.
We always try our best to getback as quickly as possible.
Worst case scenario, maybe acouple days.
But if you feel you're notgetting your answer, just pick up
the phone and call.
We're here.
I agree with that.
Calling's always better.
Email sometimes just can getmoved to the bottom of the stack.
(33:55):
There's a lot of emails comingin and things like that.
I get it.
So yeah, you guys areaccessible, which is great.
And that's one of the thingsabout your product and the company
I like is there's value allthe way around it.
You can buy some thingsonline, large websites that represent
the jungle and you get lowquality, no customer service.
(34:17):
And when you get a productthat's not right, it's just not right.
And sometimes you're stuckwith it.
And I like the way you guys do it.
It makes it so the customer isgoing to get what they need the first
time and it's not a merry goround of exchanging products and
things.
So that's great.
Now one last question here isI know everybody's thinking this,
(34:40):
well, how much is this product?
Is it $1,000,000?
500,500?
I wouldn't be here.
Everyone was a million dollars.
But yeah, uh, it's, you know,I, I would normally say I'm not going
to tell you Eric.
It's super secret that way youhave to call us to find out.
(35:00):
Right.
But you know, if you were tolook at our most common length, say
a 10 to 15 foot section, youare probably in the neighborhood
of 250 to $300 by the time youbuy it and it's shipped to your doorstep.
And I know for someindividuals you, that, you know,
(35:22):
it may take you back a bit,you may say, wow, that's, you know,
it's a lot more than I expected.
I think I can, you know, Ithink I can get that from online
retailers for a lot less.
But what I like to stress topeople is number one, we've went
over the product and whatmakes ours different in terms of
the quality, we've gone over that.
You know, we've been doingthis for 20 years.
(35:45):
I welcome you to go online,check out our reviews.
You know, we've been doing,we've been in business since 1988
and we have a lot of five starreviews because we try to, we try
to do our best for everybody.
And then one thing, you know,another thing that you pointed to
on that last comment there wasabout the after sale service.
(36:06):
So Our after sale service is huge.
We will take you through everystep of the process.
We don't stop once it shipsout the door.
You know, that's once youbecome our customer, you're a customer
for life.
Our intent is to keep you acustomer and keep serving you.
So, you know, you get thisproduct, you have questions about
(36:27):
it, you call us, you're goingto install this product, you have
questions about it, you callus or you email us.
Our service doesn't stop atthe sale.
So there's a lot that goesinto that price for us as a company.
But there's very good value inour products.
Like you've mentioned it acouple times here on this call.
(36:48):
Yeah, you know, it's made methink that later on in this podcast,
after you're long gone, I wasgoing to talk about that, you know,
buying it once or buying ittwo or three times and your product
is a buy at once because Ithink It'll last about 25 years.
Right.
That's kind of the lifespan of it.
So we have numerous productsthat were actually sold when our
(37:13):
company first started in 1988.
Mind you, they're not lowvoltage, they're in different lines
of products that we sell, butwe sold them in 1988 that are still
out there to this day,operating in the field.
So the lifespan of thisproduct, the product life cycle is
quite long.
This isn't something thatyou're buying and replacing every
(37:35):
two to three years, you know,this is most likely.
And our intention is you'rebuying it for the life of your rv.
Right?
Very good.
See, that's what's important.
You're buying it once andyou're done with it.
You're not having to re buy itevery winter because it wears out.
Problems with it, it just fails.
So the, the money, it mightseem like a lot, but really it's
(37:56):
not.
How much did the RV cost?
How much is the value of the rv?
You know, your time,everything else, cobbling together
things to make it work.
Where here you got a finished product.
So yeah, it might seem likeit's a lot up front, but not really
when you really rationallythink about how much it is.
So yeah, I think that's great.
I think it's a great productand you know, I'm impressed with
(38:18):
it and that's why we're doingthis interview.
You know, I talked to youguys, you know, a month or so ago
and just fell in love with theproduct is absolutely wonderful.
You know, I wish I had a usefor it.
In my personal life, so Icould buy some, but I don't.
Right now, even though I livein Montana, it's freezing, but my
RV is winterized and put awayfor the winter.
(38:38):
But it's, it's great to knowthat it's there, and if something
changes for me, I definitelyjump on board with it.
And I know our, our listenersare going to love it if any of them
try it.
And so there'll be links toHeat Line's website in the description
of this podcast, and you'll beable to call him, talk to him, and
like Matthew said, you're notgonna be able to reach him.
(38:58):
He's behind these firewalls,which we understand.
No, no, you, you can reach me.
If you must have me, you canreach me yet.
All right, so, Matthew, wereally appreciate the time you took
out of your day to get on herewith us and answer these great questions
for your product.
Great products.
So we really appreciate it,and maybe we'll see you again in
the future.
(39:20):
Yeah, no, I, I, I appreciateyou giving us the opportunity.
It's been great, and I'm happyto have done this for you and your
listeners.
All right, so that was great interview.
And so go to heat line.com.
you can check out the productson their website.
And also as a reminder, Alexisbrought out shade.
And you can go to sunpromanufacturing.com.
(39:41):
and we have awnings dropsthere, awning shades slide out, fabrics,
awning fabrics.
And we are awning rv, awning experts.
So if you have questions, call us.
We get phone calls from allover the country.
We do for stuff that peopleare told that's just absolutely crazy
wrong.
Yep.
This isn't available.
You can't get it anymore.
(40:01):
How does this work?
What is it?
No one in my area knows.
We are the experts.
So if you need to give us a jingle.
And again, our phone number'son our website.
Yeah.
And it'll be in thedescription of the podcast as well.
So now that brings us to thenext stop.
And today we're going to go toCarson City, Nevada.
Yes, we are.
(40:21):
I guess you could say Nevadais kind of in the desert there.
Yeah, a little bit.
It's got a little ofeverything, like.
That Arizona desert, but, youknow, it gets warm there, so that's
a cool place.
So Alexis is going to shareher knowledge.
I am Carson City.
Yes, I am.
I'm going to dive right intothe restaurants because I'm a foodie
and I like to think about that first.
(40:42):
Wherever I'm going.
I always, always look up alist of the restaurants.
I just do.
So if we're going somewhere,I'm like, this is where I want to
go.
And I love doing that.
I love seeing the menu andwhat they have to offer.
Especially if it's a localperson that's had this restaurant
for a long time.
I think that's so neat.
So first of all, we're goingto talk about Red's Old 395 Grill.
(41:05):
It's very rustic, ambiance inthere, hearty portions.
That's good to know if you'resuper hungry.
They specialize in barbecue,which makes sense.
Steaks, comfort food.
They've got their craft beer going.
And then there's the basil.
For Thai food lovers, theyoffer authentic dishes like pad thai
curry and fresh spring rollsin a very cozy setting.
(41:27):
So that's neat.
And then there's Garibaldi'sRestaurante Italiano.
I'm Italian, if you couldn't tell.
So this elegant Italianrestaurant is ideal for a romantic
dinner.
They offer classics likelasagna, seafood linguine and tiramisu.
So that sounds really good.
(41:49):
The rest of the restaurants ofcourse are in that article.
Let you delve into that for yourselves.
Okay, smart RVers.
But we're gonna go to RV parksin Carson City.
Talk about that for a second.
There's three really good ones.
Comstock Country RV Resort.
Lots of amenities, fullhookups, wifi, a heated pool even,
which is really neat.
(42:09):
And then we've got our SilverCity RV Resort.
They've got really large pullthrough sites, so that's good to
know if you've got a hugemotorhome or a really big trailer.
They have laundry facilities,a dog park and a fitness center there.
Then there's the Goldust WestRV Park.
They've got hotel amenitieslike restaurants and a bowling alley,
(42:32):
which is really neat.
They have a hotel there by theway too, along with an RV park, which
I think is neat, so can dowhatever you want there.
And then there's so much to doin this city.
There really is.
There's museums, there's a tonof trails.
I looked up the trails.com and there's.
There's so much to see there.
(42:53):
Just in the city or outside.
Lake Tahoe is just a 20 minutedrive from Carson City.
That is an iconic lake by the way.
So if you're in Carson City, Isay go to Lake Tahoe.
You gotta see it.
Gotta go.
Yeah.
And then you can relax in theCarson Hot Springs.
They've got some Natural hotsprings there, mineral pools, and
(43:14):
they have spa services.
So you can either just go forthat or you can do.
Do more.
And then they have a railroadmuseum, which Sheldon Cooper would
be into.
So I had to mention that it's a.
It's a real treat for train enthusiasts.
So those are just some of thethings that Carson City offers.
There's so much more.
(43:35):
And on our article there'sreal life stories and outdoor adventures
that people have taken.
So you need to check out therest of the article for sure.
Yeah.
Carson City is.
It's jam packed, that whole area.
You got Gardnerville, Tahoe.
Yeah.
Truckee.
Not Truckee, Placerville.
(43:55):
There's Truckee up there too.
I don't remember.
So, yeah, you know the hotsprings there's around Lake Tahoe.
There's a billion things to do.
Yeah.
And I remember as a kid goingto hot springs there and her friend,
she was from.
Oh man.
Where's that movie Sound of Music?
(44:19):
Oh, she had that.
Austria.
Yeah.
Wow.
Hot headed Austrian, man.
My grandpa's.
I don't know what she was.
He said there's nothing there,but I don't believe him.
But.
So I was hot springs with Erna.
With Erna.
Me and my friend, we took abus to Lake Tahoe.
Man, what a.
Oh, man, what a trip.
(44:42):
So we're in the hot springsand all of a sudden this body starts
floating.
It's like, holy smokes,someone just drowned, you know.
Wow, what a trip.
Did somebody die?
Yeah, it wasn't Jerry.
Oh, Jerry.
Sorry.
Everybody died.
(45:04):
Just as a kid though.
It was just a trip.
Yeah.
Like, wow.
Just added to that whole trip story.
Yeah.
So hopefully that won't happento you if you go to Carson City.
You won't find yourself in oneof those situations.
Man.
I hope not.
And don't take a greyhound up there.
That's a horrible.
Well, when you're 14 yearsold, it's pretty cool.
(45:26):
Yeah.
You know, as an adult.
Forget it, man.
And don't put your 14 year oldkid on a Greyhound either.
There's a lot of things Ilearned on that trip.
You know, it's pretty interesting.
It shaped my future.
No kidding.
Wow.
That was a lot.
So.
(45:47):
Yeah.
But anyway, so Lake Tahoe isreally cool now.
I spent a lot of time therebecause pretty much grew up there
or, you know, I was born in Reno.
Yeah.
Spent some years in Tahoe butwent back every year forever.
Nice.
So, yeah, pretty cool.
So now we're going to leaveCarson City and we're going to go
Just over a hill or through ariver and through the dale over to
(46:09):
Virginia City.
Now Virginia City is anothercool place.
You got to check it out.
And while you're there, yougot to go to the Bucket of Blood
Saloon and see the ComstockCowboys play.
But we have a little story.
Imagine that.
There we go.
We got a whole book of stories.
It seems like they neverstopped coming.
(46:30):
Now this isn't on the original parchment.
This one was a reprint.
Okay, so, yeah, anyway, herewe go.
Once upon a time, in the heartof the Nevazet Desert, a dusty town
sprang to life.
Virginia City, they called it.
A place where silver flowedlike rivers and fortunes were made
overnight.
Among the wooden boardwalks,cowboys and miners bustled about.
(46:54):
The Bucket of Blood Saloonroared with laughter as a piano player
played a lively tune.
Across the way, the DeltaSaloon stood with its infamous suicide
table, whispering tales ofluck lost and won.
And if you were hungry, theCrown Point Restaurant at the Gold
Hill Hotel served up thefinest prime rib in town.
(47:17):
Outside, the Virginia andTruckee Railroad steamed its way
through through the rollinghills carrying dreamers and drifters
alike.
The Grand Piper's Opera Houseechoed with the voices of performers,
perhaps even the great MarkTwain himself.
The Fourth Ward School Museumstood tall.
Its halls were echoing withthe lessons from the past where young
(47:38):
students once dribbled awayunder the watchful eyes of their
teachers.
For those seeking thrills,there are many tales of long lost
miners, dinners in the nowabandoned mines.
At the Mackey Mansion, many astory has been shared with a wide
eyed visitor.
And let's not forget the festivals.
Each year the town came alivewith celebrations.
(47:58):
The camel races where thedesert creatures dashed across the
streets.
And the Rocky Mountain oysterfry, a quirky tradition that had
visitors both laughing andgrimacing at their daring culinary
choice.
Voices.
As the sun set over the deserthills, the town lights flickered
on, casting a warm glow overits historic streets.
(48:19):
Virginia City remained an echoof time when the west was wild and
every street had a story.
So if you ever find yourselfcraving adventure, step into Virginia
City, where history lives, thepast lingers and legends never die.
So, wow.
You got to go there.
Absolutely.
I want to.
Yeah.
That would have been a time tobe a lot.
(48:40):
Well, yeah.
Also to be dead.
Yeah, I probably would liveabout 20 maybe.
But no, that place is really cool.
I've been there.
Spent a lot of time there.
Been there several times.
But the, the saloons arereally cool.
Like the Bucket of Bloodalways has live music.
Yeah, that's neat.
Comstock cowboys are Always there.
(49:01):
And they have some great tunes.
You know, it's.
It's western, it's country, It's.
Yeah, I'm not really intocountry or western, but their music
just has this thing about itthat kind of draws you in, you know?
Yeah, it's really nice.
Yeah, it's very cool.
Okay, there's no RV envy todaybecause we had the interview with
Heat line.
Yeah, there we go.
(49:22):
No RV envy.
It's just weird without it, right?
It is.
Wow.
You have to figure this oneout like a whole new thing here.
As a reminder, go to sunpromfg.com check out our products there.
Great products, great prices,and of course, you get our great
service.
The best in the west.
That's true.
Waiting all week to say that one.
(49:43):
The best in the west.
Five star.
Like a sheriff, you know.
Five star.
Yeah.
Okay, so our next episode isgoing to be 173, and that's going
to be in about two weeks.
So we had another great showtoday, Alexis.
Great information on CarsonCity and how to RV in the heat you
(50:04):
don't die.
Oh, you know, speaking of RVin the heat, you know, if you just
buy a Lippert Chill Coop 18Kair conditioner, that problem solved.
Forgot about that.
Yeah, that's a great product.
You know, just a reminder onthat one.
So you can go to Lippert oryou can call us, whatever you want
to do.
Go to your local dealer andbuy one.
One.
All right, so that's going tobring us an end today.
So this is Eric Stark with theSmart RVer podcast, your go to guide
(50:27):
for smarter RVing andunforgettable adventures on the open
road.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com