As we near the end of 2018, RV Repair Club is looking back at what videos and articles our community has found most useful. We’ve rounded up our top 7 most popular videos and articles, picked by YOU. Read below to see the best of 2018.
1. RV Power Converter Troubleshooting
Understanding your RV power converter can help you solve a multitude of problems. With so many appliances running at one time, you’ll want to know how to keep everything working smooth. When something goes out, using commonsense RV distribution center troubleshooting methods can narrow down the possibilities of problems. In this video, you’ll learn how to identify problems in the actual power system itself, and if wiring is broken down somewhere between the power source and the appliance.
2. Tips for RV Refrigerator Troubleshooting
Nobody likes being out on the road and finding out their refrigerator isn’t working! Learning how to service your refrigerator on your own is a vital skill for any RV owner. This article will help you identify the problems with your fridge, and different ways to fix those problems. Many times, it’s something minor that causes your refrigerator to malfunction. By checking the items listed in this article you may possibly avoid a costly refrigerator repair bill!
3. How to Keep Mice Out of an RV
This is a problem all RV owners face as they put their RV into storage: how do I keep mice out? By preemptively sealing and checking your RV, you can save yourself a lot of hassle and peace of mind when storing. In this video, learn how to ensure no mice invade your vehicle with a set-by-step inspection process.
Already struggling with a pest problem? You might be interested in: Bait, Traps, And Pet Friendly Tips To Get Rid Of Mice In An RV
4. What to do When a Gas Furnace Won’t Light
If your spark ignition (DSI) won’t ignite, you have a few different options for inspection and troubleshooting. Learn what to look for in your battery, fuse, and LP pressure to ensure your gas furnace works properly.
This article is part of our RV Ask an Expert program, do you have an RV repair question you’d like answered by an expert? Email your question to editor@rvrepairclub.com or reach out to us on Facebook.
5. “Cool” Tips To Make Your RV Air Conditioner Run More Efficiently
Traveling in high temperatures can be torture if your RV air conditioner isn’t working properly. An RV air conditioner doesn’t work the same as our home thermostats and aren’t as easy operate. To optimize the performance of your roof air conditioner and help it run more efficiently, you need to understand: how the system works, what limitations it has, and how surrounding factors can affect your overall comfort.
6. Troubleshooting an RV Toilet
Though it is a rare instance, you don’t want to be unfamiliar with your toilet when you’re somewhere up a mountain in negative temperatures and discover that the bowl won’t hold water… Watch this video to make sure you are well equipped to fix a malfunctioning toilet and avoid a big mess!
7. Common RV Refrigerators and Refrigerator Power Sources
Looking to change your RV refrigerator, or just better understand the fridge currently in your RV? In this video, Dave Solberg helps you identify your fridge and it’s power source. As with any other appliance, when your fridge goes kaput while you’re out in the middle of nowhere, there probably won’t be a certified technician nearby. It’s on you to know what’s going on inside and outside your fridge, so it pays to be aware!
What was your favorite thing you learned from RV Repair Club in 2018? Let us know in the comments below!
Our slide out suddenly stopped working as we were trying to close it. It is trying to close but very slowly. Any advise??
Hello Anthony,
Thank you for contacting us.
What is the year, make, and model or your RV please?
If you have any other concerns, please contact us at 1-855-706-3536, or chat with us on our site.
We greatly appreciate your business!
Sincerely,
Lindsay
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Can I add a hot spot to my existing wifi router?
Hello Pat,
Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
It depends on what router you have. Some manufactures and models do have an option to make additional wifi connections. I have a Nighthawk router that allows me to do this and I can even make a temporary wifi hotspot for guests with a different password so they can use my internet without using my password. Every router is different so you will have to check the owners manual on what you are able to do with yours.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Safety switch on ignition
Steps fail to extend
Hello Annette!
There are many things that could prevent the steps from extending. There could be low voltage, blown fuse, a bad wire connection, bad door switch, bad module board, bad motor or another safety device that your coach might have. You first want to check for anything in site like the connections, the door switch, all visible wiring, fuses and the battery. If everything looks fine the best place to start is checking voltage to the module board on the steps. This will tell you if the issue is with the steps themselves or something preventing the voltage from getting there. If there is voltage to the board you then want to test the output from the board. Most of the time the issue is the board or failed motor but you want to make sure to check everything else as well.
Thank you
Ayan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Hello Annette,
Here is what our expert had to say regarding your question:
There are many things that could prevent the steps from extending. There could be low voltage, blown fuse, a bad wire connection, bad door switch, bad module board, bad motor or another safety device that your coach might have. You first want to check for anything in site like the connections, the door switch, all visible wiring, fuses and the battery. If everything looks fine the best place to start is checking voltage to the module board on the steps. This will tell you if the issue is with the steps themselves or something preventing the voltage from getting there. If there is voltage to the board you then want to test the output from the board. Most of the time the issue is the board or failed motor but you want to make sure to check everything else as well.
Sincerely, Dan RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Sincerely,
Julia
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Camlock is just spinning won’t unlock awning to go back up won’t clamp to little pin to release awning pressure trying to replace awning fabric
Hello Mike,
That’s a great question!
The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members to our online community. We do have a promotional offer if you are interested. This would include access to expert advice (like this), plus discounts, hours of Premium videos, etc. Please feel free to take a look. You can message us right back with your question if you decide to become a member and you will have a response within 1-2 business days from our experts!
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If you have any further questions, please contact Customer Service at 1-855-706-3536 at your earliest convenience, or chat with us on our site.
Thank you!
Michael
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Lippert leveling system in Mirada motorhome powers up on keypad. Jacks are retracted and pump will run for a few seconds if you push retract button so it knows jacks are up but neither in auto or manual will the pump run to lower jacks. The individual solenoids for front, rear, left and right receive 12 volts and do energize but the round pump motor solenoid and the directional solenoid on the valve body are not getting any voltage. If I jump the pump solenoid the motor runs but with no voltage it will not run via key pad. The control module has been replaced and Ii do not know what to trouble shoot next.
You will want to trace the wiring. It is possible the voltage is lost at a connection, usually at a wire harness. Since there is no voltage there and the controller was already replaced most likely it is a wiring issue. There shouldn’t be anything in between other than maybe a wire harness, no fuses are anything. You will have to trace the wiring and see where voltage is lost.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
My leveling Jack’s won’t go down. I have a brake light on the dash and the rv is in park. At the control head I push the on button but the light says “Not in Park/Brake”. How do I get the Jack’s to deploy?
Harold,
There is a sensor on the brake, usually right at the top of it. This sensor could be bad or there could be a problem with the connection. I would check and make sure the wires are connected. There is usually a wire harness that plugs it, make sure it is fully seated. There are sometimes other connections that could be loose too from the brake to the control board so you may have to further dig into the wiring. It is possible the sensor is bad or the control board is just not ready that the brake is in the correct position too. The best thing to do is check the wiring.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Getting a service code of a small wrench followed by 5d. What does it mean?
Hey Dan!
That’s a great question and we’d love to help! Would you be able to provide your year, make, and model of your RV and we’d be more than happy to assist!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
how to replace long ac hoses from evaporator to dashboard
Dear John,
We’d love to assist you! Would you be able to reply to this comment with the following:
-Year
-Make
-Model of your RV
Any detailed information you can provide us will help us greatly!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Flashing service code of one small wrench followed by 5d
just bought camper water coming out of hos on bottom
Cruse Control Not Working Ford Triton V 10
How do you remove the water compartment in the side compartment to check the fresh water tank for a leak. We do not know if it is a connection or the tank itself. There are so many connections that we are not sure the best way to remove this to see inside
Dear Barbara,
Thank you for your patience. In response to your question-
Removal of the tank is different on every RV. Some can come out the side compartment while others have to be removed from underneath or even pulled up from above. If the tank is sitting on the floor, most likely it can come out of the compartment or from another access point. If the tank is sitting on cross members or brackets, it will probably have to be removed from underneath. These are always in tight areas and can be difficult to remove. When things like this happen to me I like to use an endoscope to see into tough areas. You can get a good one for around $30 and it can help see in tight dark areas to see what is going on. I will post a link below to the one I personally use.
https://www.amazon.com/Depstech-Endoscope-Inspection-Megapixels-Smartphone/dp/B01MYTHWK4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=631YTCW4IMJ5&keywords=wireless+endoscope&qid=1561430814&s=gateway&sprefix=wireless+endo%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-3
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Looking for a trailer handyman to repair water damage and renovate a bathroom.
Domitic refrigerator fan cutting in and out wondering what can be the problem.
Dear Graham,
Thank you for your patience. In response to your question-
Well it depends on if it is a thermostatic fan or not. If it is, it will only turn on when a certain temperature is reached and then turn back off once it cools down to save energy. The Dometic fans come with a thermostat that will control this. There are aftermarket ones that may not have this but if your fan id Dometic, then it should have the thermostat and will only turn on when needed. If it is really hot out and the fan should be running longer than it is, there could be a problem with the thermostat or wiring and it should be inspected. I hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Gas water heater lights but goes out after about three seconds.
Our batteries keep going down, even when charging once a week, in storage. We have hunted for anything that would keep pulling it down but cannot find anything. Can someone troubleshoot or tell us how? The batteries ate about 2 1/2 years old. They charge up ok, but a couple of days later it’s dead again.
I have lost 12 volt power just to my slide interior lighting. Everything else works. I have perform fuse checks multiple times and cannot locate the problem. Would there be a relay involved between the fuse and lighting? How would one find a relay when nothing has labels.
Dear Bernard,
Thank you for your patience. In response to your question-
There won’t be any relays for lights, unless there is a wireless control board for the lighting. Most common problem for the lights on the slides is the wiring itself. The wiring usually is under the slide and hangs under it then goes across to inside of the unit. Since the slide moves, it is easy for the wiring to get hung up and pulled. This can pull the wire connection out of the light itself or damage the wiring. I would pull the lights down and check the connections, this is more common to happen. If those are OK, you then want to trace the wires around the slide and see where they come in at. Something might have snagged and cut a wire. I would look under the slide and see if you can locate the wiring and check for damage. I hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
I would like to know if it is alright to leave the trailer plugged in when in storage and should I turn off the 12 volt disconnect switch? Thank you, Mel
Hello,
It’s really up to you. Leaving it plugged in will charge your batteries but you would want to check them periodically and make sure the water levels don’t get low. Having it plugged in will be drawing power the whole time so it will increase the electric bill a little bit. If you are plugged in and disconnect the power at the battery it is a good idea turn on the switch once a month for 24 hours to help recharge the battery. Even if it is disconnected, it will still loose a little voltage and giving it a charge once a month does exercise the battery and help prolong the life of it. Other than that, it is fine to leave the trailer plugged in.
I hope this was helpful!
Dan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
slide out maintenance and issues on kitchen side