Try This DIY RV Heat Pump Hack

By Levi Henley Camping, DIY, Gear, Mods

By utilizing the RV heat pump built into your A/C, you can use less propane to heat your RV with the furnace or diesel heater.

Try This DIY RV Heat Pump Hack

As summer starts coming to an end, the days get shorter. The leaves start changing color,and the air starts to get a little chill in it. Everything, including socks and oil changes, seems to be pumpkin spice flavored.

Not every camper puts their rig away for the year when the colder weather blows in. Many full-time RVers and weekend warriors alike know that the warm chocolatey-marshmallow center of a s’mores goes well with a cup of hot cocoa on a cold November night. As long as their RV heat pump is working.

RVing in Cold Weather

RVers have no problem camping in cool or cold weather because of their built-in RV heater systems. Most, if not all, have a propane furnace, and some RV air conditioning units also have an RV heat pump feature. If your RV has an electric heat setting on the thermostat, you are already fitted with an economical and energy-efficient RV heater.

Not all RVs come with an RV heat pump as part of the RV’s heater system. A/C units that have a heat pump option are pricier. Just how do these systems work? Are they worth it? Are there any drawbacks?

Turning an A/C into an RV heater 101

If you ever asked a technician or RV salesperson how an RV heat pump works, you will probably get a basic answer that goes something like, “It runs your air conditioner in reverse, so the RV cooler becomes an RV heater.” That answer is perfectly cool…or warm…whatever.

Though the answer is correct. It’s vague. If you are like me, you want to know exactly how it works. If you aren’t like me and are just happy that it works, I’m still going to tell you. I’m persistently geeky like that, to a fault, really.

Basic parts of an RV A/C Source

The RV A/C unit

Before going into how an A/C turns into an RV heat pump, its best to start with how an A/C works in the first place. An RV air conditioner unit has six main parts that make it work: compressor, condenser, evaporator, refrigerant, and two fans to move air over the condenser and evaporator.

The Refrigerant

The refrigerant is a special liquid that turns to vapor at rather low temperatures. When a liquid turns into a gas, it absorbs heat.

Think about sweating. When it’s hot, your body covers you in liquid. If a warm breeze hits the liquid on your skin, a small amount of it will evaporate, and when it does, it takes some of your heat energy away from your skin. This causes your skin to cool. An air conditioner uses this principle to remove the heat from inside your RV and vent it outside the RV.

Evaporator

Low-pressure liquid gets pushed into the evaporator, which looks a lot like a car radiator with lots of metal fins. A fan pulls the warm air from your RV through and across the refrigerant filled coils of the evaporator. The refrigerant starts absorbing all the heat in the air being pulled across it. Since the heat has been pulled out of it, the air is cooler once it returns to your RV.

Absorbing the heat causes the liquid refrigerant to convert into a gas. The A/C unit has to vent off the heat it picked up from the air in your RV before it can turn the refrigerant gas back into a liquid to be used again.

Compressor

The next step on the refrigerant journey is the compressor. As the name suggests, it’s job is to compress the low-pressure gas coming from the evaporator and turn it into a high-pressure gas. Compressing the refrigerant causes it to heat up. The hot high-pressure refrigerant flows into the condenser.

Condenser

The condenser is a series of tubes and fins that look just like the evaporator. As the fan blows air through it, the gas cools and condenses into a liquid. In essence, the same type of device is being used on both ends of the air conditioner. One causes heat to be taken out of the air in your RV. The other blows that heat into the outside air.

After the refrigerant has condensed back into a liquid, it goes through a special part of piping that causes the pressure to drop. Taking the now-liquid refrigerant from a high-pressure state to a low-pressure one removes the heat added by the compressor.

At that point, the heat from your RV and the heat added by the compressor has been removed. The now cold liquid refrigerant flows into the evaporator once again to absorb some more heat from the air in your RV.

RV Heat Pump

Remember when I said the evaporator and the condenser are basically the same structure? What would happen if instead of absorbing heat from inside and blowing it outside, we reversed the flow of refrigerant so that it absorbed heat from outside and blew it inside?

That is exactly how the RV heat pump works. By using a valve called a reversing valve, the flow of refrigerant is altered so that the evaporator and the condenser basically switch places. By using a heat pump, you are literally taking the heat out of the outside air and transferring it into your RV.

If you are super interested in this kind of stuff, check out the video below. It explains exactly how the refrigerant flow is changed to make a heat pump work.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QykwWs3L1W8

Using an RV Heat Pump as an RV Heater vs Propane Furnace

Cost

An RV heat pump is cheaper to run than a propane furnace. The average propane furnace in an RV uses about ⅓ of a gallon of propane every hour it runs. The average price of propane per gallon is between 2 and 3 dollars. So using propane as an RV heater can come out to 3 dollars every 3 hours of run time.

The largest RV heat pumps use about 1,200 watts of power once up and running. If you are staying long term, some campgrounds charge for electricity. The high end of that is usually not more than about 15 cents per kWh.

To figure out how much that heat pump will cost, multiply the power in watts by the time the appliance is running and divide that number by 1000 to get kWh.

• 1200 watts x 3 hours / 1000 = 3.6 kWh
• 3.6 kWh x 0.15 cents = $0.54

As you can see, the RV heat pump costs less than a dollar to run for three hours compared to the propane furnace. On top of that, if you are staying short term, most campgrounds do not charge you for electricity.

Even if you are boondocking and using a larger generator rated for RV air conditioners, you may find that it is cheaper to run your heat pump off your generator than it is to run the propane RV heater.

Outside Temperature

Heat pumps work very well until the temperature drops below the mid to high 30s (Fahrenheit). Once the temperature gets below that, there is not enough heat in the air to efficiently move to the inside of your RV. It is for this reason that RV heat pumps are best suited for climates that don’t regularly get below freezing.

A propane furnace works as an RV heater no matter the outside temperature. The ducting of many RV propane furnaces also heats up the compartments containing water pipes and tanks, preventing these areas from freezing too.

If you are in an area that gets below freezing at night and the daytime temps reach above 35 degrees regularly, you can save a lot of propane by running your heat pump during the day and running the propane at night.

Watts – The Problem

RV heat pumps take a lot of watts to run. Those who own 50 amp RVs know that not every park has 50 amp plugs, forcing customers to use 30 amps.

Many larger 50 amp rigs have two A/C/heat pump units. Having 30 amps is generally enough to run one RV A/C/heat pump unit but not two. If you want more information on the difference between 30 amp and 50 amp RVs and some tips on running your RV on 30 amps, check this article out on Camper Report.

For those who like to boondock, using the heat pump means you will have to carry a large generator that can run the heat pump. You don’t need a big generator if you only use the propane RV heater.

So if you are limited to 30 amps or a smaller generator, does that mean you are stuck with using propane only? If you have a large RV with two heat pumps, do you have to choose which heat pump to run? Is there a way to have your cake and eat it too? You know where this is going.

Get a SoftStartRV

A SoftStartRV device helps your RV air conditioner to start up with fewer watts, whether you are using it as an RV heater or an RV cooler. One of the main power draws from a heat pump unit is the compressor. When it turns on, it pulls all the power it needs to go from a standstill to full speed. This process is short, about 150 milliseconds, but it can be as high as 50 amps.

For a practical example, imagine you are trying to lift something heavy. You could summon all of your strength at once and lift it really fast. This would no doubt be hard on your body, and you would increase the risk of injury every time you did it. A safer method would be to lift it in a slower and controlled manner, ensuring that you don’t exert more energy than is necessary.

That is what a SoftStartRV does. It controls the voltage to slowly ramp up the compressor speed. The result is an air conditioner or heat pump that only requires about 25 amps to start up.

If you want to see this in action, Mike Sokol from RVelectricity has a great video. He recorded an A/C unit starting up with and without a SoftStartRV to show exactly how the unit helps.

SoftStartRV Helps Smaller Generators

If you like boondocking in the cooler months and prefer not to carry along extra propane tanks, a SoftStartRV can help you use your heat pump as your RV heater. Instead of having to get a larger 3000+ watt generator, you can run both your A/C and heat pump with a 2000 watt inverter generator.

That means your generator can be lighter and let’s face it, a few more gallons of gas is cheaper and easier than another propane bottle or two for an extended camping trip.

Run Both RV Heat Pumps

By installing a SoftStartRV on both of your A/Cs, with the heat pump function, you can run both of your units on a 30 amp socket. You don’t have to worry about which area of the RV to keep warm when the RV park only provides 30 amps.

Keep in mind that a SoftStartRV device can be used on each air conditioner to run both simultaneously on a 30 amp socket.

Ways a SoftStartRV unit can help.

You Can DIY It

If you are like me, the thought of getting on your roof and messing with the wiring of your A/C is not a pleasant one. Well, I did it, and I am here to tell you that it was honestly pretty easy.

Had I not been filming the process for the review I wrote and to make the video of my install, it would have taken me about 30 minutes. The customer service department at SoftStartRV practically walked me through the process to boot.

Here is my installation and review video.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNmyS2f8lys

Conclusion

It’s not always easy when you are searching for the best RV heater. Propane furnaces work well but use up a lot of propane, which can be costly. You can plug in some of those small heaters you find at big box stores, but those are not necessarily safe around children and pets in small spaces.

If your air conditioner has a heat function, you have an economical, safe solution already at your fingertips as long as you are camping above freezing temps.

By installing a SoftStartRV on each of your units, you can ensure that you have the power to run your safe built-in RV heater no matter where you decide to camp.

 

To learn more, visit SoftStartRV’s website.

Sailing vBlogs & misc

 I watch and occasionally contribute to various sailing vblogs like RAN, SV Delos, Gone with the Wynns, Expedition Drenched, Free Range Sailing, Adventures of an old Seadog and several others of subject interest like Sailing Uma and Emerald Steel.

From what I observe it is becoming increasingly difficult to carve out a niche that generates interesting content.  Combine that with all the long term sailing vblog'ers that are having families , I expect a shakeout in coming years.

Over the last year or two I have become interested in narrow boating and watch 4 or 5 of the main vbloggers that make good videos. A while back I was enamored with narrow boats and even did tentatively plan a trip to UK and renting a NB for a couple of weeks. However, I am admitting that the phase has passed.  The real reason was the diluting of interest due to the NB vblogs: The realism and pitfalls of piloting a NB has reduced my ardor for the whole process.  Still, it still remains an interest that might be rekindled.

As exists right now, we are in an RV in the American south  and it is raining outside and overcast grey with ±8°C outside - winter has set in for the Texas, Alabama & North Florida areas so we have to enjoy the sun in cooler temperatures sans shorts, Tee's. Jeans and long sleeve shirts plus jackets outside are de rigour.

Alternator & Lithium Battery Charging

 

Standard alternator vs Balmar Marine alternator with and without Victron current limiting devices.  The original source for this video was from one of my RV blogs.  This is presented as a planning tool for those considering converting to lithium batteries in their RV.  Be aware that changes to your system will be required to make the conversion. 

 

 I know this video is from Victron and thus it is not unbiased, but I found it interesting in that it described some types of charging that are dangerous for alternators when connected to Lithium batteries. And while the Victron DC-DC charger is mentioned it is not the center of the tests.

 Typical Lead Acid batteries (SLA) tend to have their internal resistance rise tremendously as they approach a full state of charge - which means they accept less and less current, and hence not overdrawing the engine alternator.

But LiFePO4 batteries do not, and will accept most of the current given them when charging - which is as you noted - can be very hard on stock alternators trying to pump out all that these batteries are willing to accept. On one hand this is one of the great benefits of Lithium batteries - they charge up must faster - especially beneficial when charging from a solar system or when running a generator. But as noted if and when connected to the engine alternator for charging it can over tax it.

This is why there are DC-DC chargers made. These devices specifically limit how much amperage charge is given to the house batteries - both by design as well as by switchable parameters in the unit itself. These are made in different amp ratings. I am considering a 20 or 40 amp Renogy model -
Amazon but there are many of these types of devices from other manufacturers-
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q4SVX3M...ding=UTF8&th=1

These DC-DC chargers not only limit the amperage draw on your engine alternator, but they can also be set for your specific house battery chemistry, set to differing charging modes, and can be set to a maximum voltage, at which point it greatly reduces the amount of charge coming through it into your batteries - making life much easier on the alternator.

Someone mentioned that the downside of these is that they only transmit power 1 way - which is true - as they are designed to only allow current flow from the engine into the batteries. But you can still use the dash battery connect switch (found on many RVs) which connects the house batteries to the engine battery momentarily in order for the house batteries to assist a discharged engine battery (theoretically from not being used) - it depends on how the DC-DC charger is wired in. The dash switch utilizes a solenoid to connect the 2 battery systems due to the high amounts of current the engine starter draws. But properly wired the DC-DC charger should never be connected through that solenoid at all. They have their own on-off remote switching and when off they are automatically isolated from the solenoid connection switching.

BTW - I would like to have 400Ah of Lithium batteries. They would make all the difference in using my RV as I add a solar system, I hardly would have to use the generator any more, and they would really enabled us to boondock much more enjoyably than fighting with my old SLA batteries. Also saved several hundred lbs of battery weight too.

So it is good to recognize a potential problem when using Lithium batteries which may be connected directly to the engine alternator - possibly overly stressing it. But there are simple solutions, and the benefits of Lithium batteries are many.

Rooftop airconditioner improvement

 Rooftop airconditioners are renown for having  problematic input/output airflow issues.  Check out this quick youtube for ideas on improving your efficiency:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxCljBVi8DU

 Here is another link from a Winnebago Forum.   

A quote from the forum: QUOTE" We have a NewAir portable ac. We only have one AC and it was very loud. There’s a new accessory you can buy to quiet it down and enhance performance but it’s a bit expensive in my opinion we made one ourselves. There are some YouTube video about it that might help. There’s also a great write up here." ENDQUOTE.

 

Camping in Michigan

 We loved to boat on Lake Michigan and now we love camping there.  However, it is not always easy to find a camp site and even harder to find an open spot.  If you use the link below this will assist you tremendously.

Michigan Campsites et al 

How to use a portable waste water "Tote" tank

 

How to use a portable waste water "Tote" tank. If you want to stay at your primitive campsite more than 3 days± then you need one of these pesky, somewhat smelly things. 

 This is also known as a “Blue Boy”, obviously because of the color, they come in different colors from different manufacturers.

Remember the cardinal rule - do not overfill. They hold about 25 gallons of blackwater. Chose one with big, wide wheels of convert yours to big wide wheels. They hold about 25 gallons US.

https://banbrv.blogspot.com/2020/08/how-to-use-portable-waste-water-tote.html?fbclid=IwAR3vrzsrKE5kHxYfBcByHWNLCDE4zRnbDF1l3imktijLzhMktsvAB3xTFqk

Wow 0 Minie - Winnie New Roof

This is a complete roof (cabin top) installation.  This should give you some ideas for your RV or boat.  Anyway, I thought it was pretty cool so I wanted to try and insert the video.

"The video used to be here but I was told to remove it for copyright reasons"

Plumbing with PEX

This is not an original thing but it acts as a library for myself and for others.  I had this installed in my Youngsun 35 and wished I had put  it in my Irwin 43.  This vLog is a good concise tutorial on using fittings with PEX.  I hope you enjoy it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiqqhtFsMvU

Allstar Amatuer Radio System

This is one of many systems to implement an Allstar node.  This one uses an Alinco radio and it is a reliable system as long as you use low power mode and a fan on the power amplifier portion.  I have one operational and have used it for years.

The interface board is a RIM and along with a RaspberryPi and Alinco Radio you can have a system up and going in an hour or two.  Follow THIS LINK to get the general idea.

To get an idea of what Allstar is and how to build one go to Hamvoip website.  However, you will need to have an Amateur Radio license to legally operate this system and to get  a node number.  If you would wish to make a private node for only your self that is possible using a commercial radio licensed frequency or GMRS but check the rules for legal use of these frequencies.

AIS getting overloaded!

Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) are causing problems for mariners transiting waters where there are high concentrations of fishing vessels, particularly in the East China Sea. It seems the real problem is fishing nets where AIS has been installed to fool ships into steering clear of them (hundreds and hundreds of them).  Just be aware if you are a sailboat as it sounds like a place to avoid when possible.
Anyone who googles AIS Security will find out a lot about other spoofs/fake/distress fake broadcasts; re,  https://blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/vulnerabilities-discovered-in-global-vessel-tracking-systems/

Inexpensive AIS Receiver

Large ships and passenger boats are required to broadcast an identification signal containing position, course, speed, destination, and vessel dimension information to help prevent sea collisions. This system is known as the “Automatic Identification System” or AIS for short. There are dedicated AIS receivers intended to be used on boats, or by hobbyists, but they can be expensive. A radio scanner, or the cheap RTL-SDR software defined radio (or a more advanced SDR such an Airspy) can be used to receive these signals, and with the help of decoding software, ship positions can be plotted on a map

https://www.rtl-sdr.com/buy-rtl-sdr-dvb-t-dongles

https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-tutorial-cheap-ais-ship-tracking/

Watermaker 100 lph block diagram

The credits are on the picture so I do not need to do many disclaimers; however, I did pick this up from somewhere in my sojourn as a sailor. I do know Cruiser Forum had a recent watermaker article on the subject so I will put that link here too (I do not know if you need a subscription to see it though).

Also, here is another way, Salt Water Pro , to go with so many ways to configure.  I think individual components is a good way to construct yours since you can put the bits and pieces anywhere.  The quiet motor option sounds good (pardon the pun) but I have never heard one running so I do not really know.

I am a patreon of Emerald Steel watermaker and they maid their own watermaker.  It is presented on Youtube and has names, places and how-to's for building watermakers.  Well worth the listen but it has the usuak Youtube commercials at the front.

Marine & Other Solder Joints

 

Almost everyone using leaded solder on a boat or shop bench will be using the much cheaper, older style, 60/40 solder with an unknown flux. The solder can be oxidized or corroded on the outside of the reel as well.  I know this has happened to me and continues to happen as I do not really solder a lot any more.  So only buy a limited quantity from Digi-Key, Mouser or other reliable supplier.  Quite often I use Amazon but lately Digi-Key is getting most of my business.  There is no minimum order with then anymore.

63/37 solder is better. It has a higher tin content. The main advantage is this is a eutectic solder. Basically this means the solder only has one melting temperature. 60/40 solder has a temperature range. Once it is hot enough to melt, it has to cool down to a lower temperature before it solidifies. An joint movement during this solidification process will result in a poor joint. Joint movement is a joint killer and this happens even with professional had solderers. You can imagine what some of mine look like.  A cold solder joint will be dull colored, whereas, a good joint will be shiny.


Here is an example of  what you should look for:

Kester 24-6337-0027 Solder Roll, Core Size 66, 63/37 Alloy, 0.031" Diameter

This is only an example so be aware that many different lengths and diameters are available.  I tend to use the smaller diameter solder and if it has to be thicker for major joints I double or triple, etc. the solder and twist it to make a bigger diameter. Since this is not ideal, if you have a lot of bigger joint work to do buy the larger diameter. Kester solder has been around for a long, long time and I used to use it back in my early electronics days.The link above will take you to their site and you can download literature and specs on their products.

Deep Breathing

For being free and incomparably easy to practice, deep breathing is a pretty miraculous healing exercise: It can reduce anxiety, bring you into the present moment through mindfulness, and even help you remember how to respond to your specific stressors.Follow the link below for much more detail.


https://www.thecut.com/2018/12/what-deep-breathing-does-to-your-body.html?utm_source=pocket&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pockethits

Aircraft Noise Complaint Device

This is a very innovative device and just demonstrates how new technologies allow innovative thinkers develop useful devices.

Imagine you live close to a major airport, and since NextGen has changed many air routes in the last few years, a lot more noisy airplanes fly right over your house. Now it’s easy for those citizens to file a noise complaint — instead of facing hours of paperwork, they can just push a button on a thumb-size device like those used by Amazon shoppers to order household goods. Here is a link to the Air Noise website.

Water Softener for boat or RV

 

Portable 16,000 Grain Mobile-soft-water(tm) Unit with Tank, Tank Head, Lead Free NSF 61 Male GHC Tank Connections, Distributor, Resin and Instructions. Used in Rv & Car Wash Applications. 

•  I bought one of these from Amazon for $215 a few weeks ago and am very pleased with the results so far.  The water has been very soft and it has not needed recharging yet. 

  Basically, it is recharged by adding a couple of boxes of common salt (#4 for this unit).  You dump the salt in from the top and wait for 10 minutes.  Then a trickle of water is added to mix the salt around the resin for 5 minutes and then you flush it  a little bit faster until the water doesn not taste salty.  I am not sure about recharging with the oceans saltwater.  I do not think you would want to recharge this on a passage due to fresh water wasting but it should be good for the onboard tankage volume. at a 30 grain hardness it would soften about 500 gallons.

What do you see?

 

I saw the young lady first then the older lady second.  This was a just for fun post.  Your view of my boat is not my view of my boat - Ha!

Seasick or queasy on the water?

Stugeron (cinnarizine)

This antihistamine can be bought from pharmacies to treat travel sickness - read on for advice on its use, warnings and side effects. This is not the only solution provided in this blog entry.  No guarantee is implied nor is my expertise on the subject.  Try canadapharmacyonline.com

What is Stugeron used for?

• Relieving nausea, vomiting, attacks of dizziness or spinning sensations (vertigo) and sensations of ringing or other noise in the ears (tinnitus).

How does Stugeron work?

Stugeron tablets contain 15mg cinnarizine as the active ingredient. Cinnarizine is an antihistamine medicine that works in the brain. It prevents an area of the brain called the vomiting centre from receiving nerve messages sent from the vestibular apparatus in the inner ear.

The vestibular apparatus provides continual feedback to the brain about our body position. When something disturbs this, such as movement of the head when travelling by boat or car, nerve signals are sent from the vestibular apparatus to the vomiting centre in the brain. This can cause sensations such as nausea, dizziness or spinning sensations (vertigo) and the reflex of vomiting.

Cinnarizine works by blocking histamine and muscarinic receptors in the vomiting centre in the brain. This prevents the vomiting centre from receiving nerve messages from the vestibular apparatus. In turn, this prevents disturbances in the middle ear from activating the vomiting centre and causing nausea, vertigo and vomiting. 

Compazine (prochlorperazine) 

5, 10 or 25 mg. suppositories (not oral) have, in my opinion, proven to be the most effective prescription anti-nausea and anti-anxiety medication that causes the least drowsiness. As anxiety can cause nausea and since Compazine treats both it is an important drug to carry aboard. Suppositories are far more effective than tablets once vomiting has started.

Transderm Scopolamine 

1.5 mg. patches may work when no other drug does, but one MUST first test this drug out on land as documented side effects can be severe. Avoid using for more than three days. Scopalamine is also available in tablet form (Scopace 0.4 mg.) but this is much less effective once vomiting has started.

This is what my wife takes and it does stop the seasickness - done, gone.  The side effects with her are drowsiness  and lethargy.  On real pleasant days this gives me time at the helm with no interruptions.  On bad sea days it means she is below in the aft quarter berth in a state of mellow tranquility. Study this effect before you use in any longer term basis as one of the other methods may be best.


CAUTION! With any drug, prescription or over the counter, there are published side effects.

 

How to Fix a Scratchy Volume Control on a Baofeng UV5R Amateur Radio

Introduction: How to Fix a Scratchy Volume Control on a Baofeng UV5R Amateur Radio

Baofeng handheld radios, you either love them or you hate them. For the price it's an impossible to beat deal for the newcomer in the ham radio hobby. The UV5R and it's variants are extremely popular and can be found for under $30 new. Being so cheap, people look at them as disposable radios. As soon as one starts to act up it gets tossed in a drawer or worse, in the garbage.
A common ailment to any low priced handheld radio that's been used in harsh environments or seen much neglect is the volume control starts to get scratchy. Keep in mind we are talking budget priced radios here, not high dollar public safety grade stuff. A funny thing about the UV5R is you can buy almost any part for it just like the $1000+ moto / tyco / ge / harris etc stuff. These cheap radios are repairable and this is the easiest fix ever for a dirty volume control!
What you will need...
A suitable torx mini screwdriver that fits the torx screws located in the battery compartment or on top back of radio.
A small phillips screwdriver to remove belt clip screws.
A can of spray non residue, non lubricating, fast evaporating electronics grade cleaning spray.

Step 1: Remove Belt Clip

Use a small philips screwdriver to remove the belt clip (if your radio has one). The belt clip is installed under tension and it's base will want to spring up as you loosen the screws. If your radio has no belt clip but has the belt clip screws in place, remove them.

Step 2: Almost Done...

Remove the ONE torx screw that is located on the back of the radio, closest to the volume control. Leave all other torx screws in place. If you remove both top torx screws the spring loaded assembly that locks the battery will come apart. It's not hard to put back together if you paid attention to how the parts line up. There's no need to take it off though.
It turns out Baofeng drilled the holes for the fasteners all the way through the metal. That one torx screw I asked you to remove lines up perfectly with the volume control and makes a perfect place to squirt contact cleaner into the radio.
Hold radio with volume control pointing down and use the red straw tip on the contact cleaner to get a good shot into the torx screw hole. Work the volume control from OFF to full volume a few times. Give it another good shot of cleaner and work the volume control a few more times.
Now shake the radio out to get as much liquid out of it and set it face down in the sun or directly infront of a fan for about 15-20 minutes. This will allow it to dry thoroughly. Once dry, put the battery on and try out the radio before reassembly. Don't skip this drying time!! You dont want to short out your radio!
If all is well, the radio will power up and volume control will be smooth again. On some really crusty radios you might have to repeat the cleaning process. Once again, don't forget the all important drying time!
All good? Reassemble. As you saw, Baofeng drilled the holes all the way through. This means if a screw is missing, it's a convenient place for stuff to get INTO the radio. If your radio doesn't have a belt clip make sure it's got screws in the mounting holes. The screws MUST be the correct length. If too long, they will short out or crack the circuit board. Got no screws to put in? A small dab of RTV silicone in the holes works great and can be picked out later if you get a belt clip.
Hope you have found this instructable of help!

It's later than you think