
Question
When winterizing with air, do you blow air through the water heater tank on normal mode? And is it okay to blow air through the pump or should you just run it dry for a few seconds? Great class by the way, thank you!
Related class: Ins & Outs of Fresh Water Systems
Submitted via email
Answer
Thanks for viewing the class! That was a fun one to shoot. To answer your question, I would just remove the drain plug in the water heater tank which will drain it completely, then switch off the water heater bypass valve so the air pressure doesn’t go out the drain plug.
You will want to run the water pump dry as there would still be some water in the pump filter and the pipe coming to the pump from the fresh water tank and just after. Good luck!
Safe travels,
David Solberg
Related:
How to Winterize an RV Using Pressurized Air
RV Water Heater Troubleshooting Tips
RV Water Pump Troubleshooting Tips
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Our 2096 class C has approx 22 thousand miles on it. This has always been stored under cover. Tires have well more than half their life span left. Question is they are showing drywall rot. I would like to get further use but a bit concerned of the safety factor. How would I or inspection garage determine what is or is not safe. Thank you
Hello Barry,
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I use a 40 psi regulater on the compressor and then I can just open and close the valves by my self. Don’t forget the outside shower & low point drains.
I am considering doing some RV trips this winter in cold climates. I know I need to protect the plumbing system. Can I use RV antifreeze, and still camp?
lit my propane central heat. working fine. but now have a slight gas order wether it’s off or on. propane was always on and I had odor till turning heat on
Hello John,
Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members of our online community. By becoming a member, you will have access to our expert’s knowledge. With your membership you will also receive discounts on products and hours of Premium video content.
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Thanks!
Fridges of the 8-series with manual ignition
are provided with a battery igniter and a
Gas-Operation-Indicator (Galvanometer)
I can’t get it to start on propane unless I completely remove the cover on the outside mechanism (flume, and where the gas line lines up to it. Then it almost always will start. I was told it may be battery in the ignitor, which has probably never been changed. You are to push in the ignitor and turn the button to release the battery, but I find this impossible. Of course all the people at Domestic can’t help. Most don’t agree that I even have a battery ignitor. Can you help? There must be a trick to getting this to work. I am hoping that it will work with new battery, but if not there just may be a lose wire in that ignitor line. Thanks!
Dee
Hello Dee,
Thank you for contacting us. If the battery is low it is possible it could prevent a spark from working but since it almost works every time when you open the cover then that tells me something is either not aligned properly or there is an air flow restriction. By opening the cover it does allow more air into the burning area and could be allowing the ignition to happen once the air to gas ratio is better. By having it closed there might not be enough air flow which means another opening is too small or there is a blockage somewhere. It could also mean that when the cover is closed it is too close to the igniter and causing the spark to divert to the side instead of over the burner. The igniters are very sensitive and need to be around 3/16″ away from the burner and not closer to any other metal. If there is another metal closer it can cause the spark to shoot a different direction and it won’t go over the gas. You may just need to try and adjust the igniter tip closer to the burner and see if this helps. If it didn’t work at all I would suspect the battery but since you said it does sometimes work when you open the cover I would look into the igniter position and make sure there are no blockages around the vents and openings.
If you have any other questions, please chat, email, or call Customer Service.
Sincerely,
Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Where is the bypass valve in this unit
Hi William. I don’t have access to plumbing diagrams for specific units so I can’t say for sure where it is located. The most common place is on the back of the hot water tank. If you have a wetbay, storage compartment where the water connections are, it can be located here as well. Every RV is different and even owners manuals don’t say because all models are different so the best thing to do is locate the back of your water heater and check the plumbing there. Usually they are directly behind the tank.
Dan
RV Repair Club
How to winterize my rv
Hello Jodi,
Thank you for contacting us. Here’s a link on that topic: https://www.rvrepairclub.com/article/winterizing/.
Sincerely,
Sarah
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
How does one winterize an AquaHot and clothes washer?
What about ice maker in the refrigerator?
Hello Roger,
Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
If you have a hot water tank, it needs to be drained and then bypassed. If you have a tankless heater, antifreeze needs to go through it just like any water line. There are a lot of different models so it is best to check the owners manual to see what needs done – http://www.aquahot.com/Library.aspx The washer will need to have antifreeze go through the hot and cold lines. I prefer to set it to cold and run it until the antifreeze comes out, turn it off and then do the same for the hot side. Let it run until you see it in the washer bowl then do a drain cycle to get it all out. This makes sure the pump has antifreeze in it as well. The ice maker and fridge will have to be isolated from the water lines when winterizing, you don’t want antifreeze going to the fridge. Most manufactures install shut off valves to the fridge and then install a drain line under neath. You just need to shut off access to the fridge water supply and then open the drain. I then run the fridge and cycle the ice maker to make sure the lines are clear. The valves are usually located in a kitchen island or under the oven, every manufacture is different though. I personally use compressed air to blow everything out in the system before adding antifreeze and this is when I do the fridge, I blow out the lines and then shut off the valves. I can then winterize the rest of the camper.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Water heater is HOT. Haven’t winterized, opened outdoor shower valves, turned any mixer valves. Hardly any hot water pressure or hot water at all hot water valves in the unit. What did a little mouse do to mess my unit up.
Last camping trip of the year we could not get water in the bathroom sink. The toilet and shower worked fine. We are puzzled by this…. Any suggestions?
Hello Cindy,
Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members of our online community. By becoming a member, you will have access to our expert’s knowledge. With your membership you will also receive discounts on products and hundreds of hours of Premium content.
If you are interested in becoming a member, please click on the offer below:
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Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
How do I get the RV winterizig anti freezing liquid inthe water lines
Hi Alfred. This is easily done by connecting a siphon hose to the water pump to get it in the system. We have a video showing how to do this, I will share the link below. They also make a manual pump that can be connected to the city water inlet as well. Some people pour it into the fresh tank and then use the pump to get it through but you will use a lot more than needed and then it is very hard to clean it all out of the tank when done. I recommend the water pump method as it is the easiest.
https://www.rvrepairclub.com/video/using-an-rv-winterizing-kit-007841/
Dan
RV Repair Club
we have one of the newer hot water heaters with out a drain plug. How do we drain it.
Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members of our online community. By becoming a member, you will have access to our expert’s knowledge. With your membership you will also receive discounts on products and hundreds of hours of Premium content.
If you are interested in becoming a member, please click on the offer below:
https://www.rvrepairclub.com/?add-to-cart-multi=1&products=79&skipcart=1&coupon=C32537&vscid=C32537&skipcart=317692
Thanks
Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Slide does not go all the way out.
Hi Richard,
Thank you for contacting us.
What is the year, make, and model of your RV?
Thanks!
Where the heck does the crank go if you have to manually turn in the slide. ???
Hello Janette,
Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
It depends on the slide system that you have. Most of the time the motor of the slide will have an attachment on it to operate it manually. The motor is on the opposite side of the slide. If the slide is on the drivers side, the motor will be under the floor on the passenger side. Usually there is an access panel to the motor for this. Some manufactures install an extension that goes through the frame to use a wrench. This will still be on the opposite side of the slide out. There are different systems that need to be operated using different methods but this is the most common.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Winterizing I don’t have hose to add antifreeze and believe you need to by pass the holding tank and go threw the pump That would be a better show.Also blowing the system out which I prefer and much cheaper plus no bleaching in the spring
Can i open the low point drain and open the hot water heater plug and open all the water faucets in the trailer and be ok for the winter?
Hello Sam,
Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
If you live in a southern state it might be fine to do but if the temperatures drop below freezing for more than 24 hours straight you must either force all of the water out with or or pump anti freeze through the lines to get it all out. The low point drains don’t actually drain the lines, usually get out about 40-50 percent of the water in the lines. There will still be water at corners and bends, often where fittings are located. And then you have the issue if valves holding water like the back of the toilet and the water pump. Faucet necks and hoses will hold water as well. To ensure all of the water is out of the system I recommend clearing the lines. In any state that gets below freezing for more than days at a time I would only used the anti freeze method. The compressed air through the lines is safer for the southerners but the best way of winterizing is to use anti freeze.
Sincerely,
DanRV Repair Club Technical Expert
Please let us know if you have any further questions
Sincerely,
Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
correct valve setting to by pass water heater
We have no hot water coming into any of the faucets only cold water. There is also no water coming into the kitchen faucets only the bathroom faucet, toilet and shower have cold water. I also noticed that when I turn on the water in bathroom (cold water faucet) it comes out hot/warm and then goes to cold any suggestions, direction where to look would be greatly appreciated
Hey Lisa,
We would love to answer this expert question for you but I would need the year, make, and model of your RV. Once we receive the information, we can pass it along to the experts.
Please let us know if you have any further questions
Sincerely,
Danesha
RV Repair Club Video Membership
My water heater is gas only, I think.
There is an “appliance size” 3 conductor black chord coming out of the long anode/heating element/temperature sensor that threads into the tank.
What does that chord do?
Hi Ross,
Can I have you send us the year, make, and model of your RV? I will get that question submitted to our expert after your reply.
Sincerely,
Codi
RV Repair Club Video Membership
We are new to RVing . We bought a used RV and there are only generic manuals available on line. My questions is what is the round switch at the inside of the coach door, it just says on off. I think it maybe related to the batteries. Should I leave it on or off? Thanks so much.
Hi Marlene,
We would be glad to submit this question to our experts. Can you let us know what the year, make, and model of your RV?
You can also send an email with that information to rvrepairclub@program-director.net and we would be glad to submit the expert question upon receiving that.
Sincerely,
Codi
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Ticket 35307 Wha are the instructions to winterize an RV with a tankless hot water heater?
Hello Barry,
Thank you for contacting us. Here is the experts response:
It is the same instructions as all other RV’s except you do not need to bypass the hot water tank. You just either blow out the lines or add anti freeze to the system like you normally would but you don’t do anything with the tankless hot water tank. The tankless heaters just have water going into a copper line that is wound around the burner and then goes to the hot lines. When you winterize and open then hot faucets it puts the antifreeze into the lines of the heater as well. You just want to make sure the heater is off when doing this but there is nothing else special that is needed. If you have a manifold system with a valve to shut off the access to the water heater you want to make sure this valve is open to go to the tank. I have only seen a few models that still have shut off valves to the tankless water heaters but there is no need as you just treat it as a water line.
https://www.rvrepairclub.com/article/winterizing-m/
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
have tried and tried to get stream of hot water. The tank surely heats up and the pressure release is boiling but when I try to get water to flow it is usually about a cup full of hot and then goes cold??
Thought we had turned all the valves in the right direction but???
Hi John,
Thank you for contacting us. Please resubmit the question with the make, model and the year of the RV. This is something the experts will need in order to help.
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,
Joan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Ticket 34766 I just purchased my first travel trailer, 2020 Keystone Outback Ultra Lite 299URL. I bought it and live in Florida so when we were going over the trailer, we didn’t check the furnace, it was 95 the day we picked it up. It has a Dometic DF Series, not sure which model as my owners manual lists several. The furnace is under the refrigerator. We were in Ohio last week and when we went to turn the furnace, it would start and in about 10-15 seconds the heat would come on. It would run for about 20-30 seconds and then completely shut off. I have checked the exhaust with a flashlight and don’t see any obstructions. I have not yet checked the battery voltage but we have only had it for about 7 weeks and haven’t had any other battery issues. I am just wondering if there is something we are missing to do before I have to take it back to Camping World to have them look at it. I have read the user manual and lookeed online but really can’t find much information. I am hoping it’s something simple we are not doing or need to do to get heat.
I found the problem. It was the fuse. There was a black 15amp fuse, different then all teh other 15amp fuses in the panel. When the furnace shut off, the little red light next to the fuse was blinking. This was the first time I had the panel open when it shut off. I replaced the black fuse, it was solid black and you couldn’t see into it to see if it was blown or not, with a regular 15amp fuse and it all works.
Can you tell me what the black fuse was and if it is needed to be there? I have searched online and cannot find anything that resembles the fuse thatwas there.
The fuse wa a Snap Action fuse.
Hello Richard!
It sounds like there is an issue with the furnace itself. Since it does come on and heats for a few seconds the ignition system works and there isn’t an obstruction blocking the air flow. Things that could cause this issue would be a blockage on the burner like a bug nest (very common), the flame sensor is bad or misaligned, or there is low gas pressure. The battery would be fine or it wouldn’t ignite. The fan has to spin fast enough before ignition would start so the electric should be fine. Unfortunately you will have to most likely take out the igniter and check the burner and electrode for a blockage and positioning. We do offer some videos showing the components of furnaces that could help you troubleshoot this issue as well.
https://www.rvrepairclub.com/?s=furnace
Thank you
RV Repair Club Video Membership
I have a Onan generator, runs well but it kills the battery then it stalls out. What can be causing that?
Hi Dave,
I’d love to submit this question to our experts. Could you clarify what the make, model and year of RV you’re working with is?
We look forward to hearing back!
Sincerely,
Julia
RV Repair Club Video Membership
backer board screws to hold bedroom t.v. keep coming out F.R. never answers questions as to how big the backer board is and depth to secure w/o poking through outside. other problems too , screws missing , misalignments , shows inattention to detail in the extreme, or they only hire recovering drug addicts on the mend cheaper. seems they got the cash and now are NOT interested in even the slightest helping out to their customers , they lost lifelong customer here
Can’t find my water pump
Hi Moe,
Thank you for contacting us. Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members of our online community. By becoming a member, you will have access to our expert’s knowledge in RV Repair. With your membership you will also receive discounts on products and hours of Premium video content.
If you are interested in becoming a member to RV Repair Club, please click on the special offer below:
https://go.rvrepairclub.com/C24571
If you have any questions, please contact our customer service team at 1-855-706-3536.
Thanks
Jean-RV Repair Club Video Membership
If there is about 1 inch of water in reserve will it cause damage I tried everything just cannot get it dry
Hi Francis. No it should be fine. Many manufactures actually do this on purpose. They believe that leaving a little bit of water allows any sediment in the tank to float and prevents it from laying on the bottom of the tank which could cause damage to the tank. If the water were to freeze it would have room to expand so it wouldn’t cause any damage. The best thing to do is make sure the drain is still open so if water does expand it has somewhere to go.
Thanks
Dan- RV Repair Club
New to RVing.
Not sure if all the water is out of the old water heater, I’ve opened the 2 lines under the trailer and nothing came out.
Hello Scott!
What other information can we provide for you in regards of this situation?
Thank you,
Ayan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
We had a problem with the number 3 circuit on our motorhome. It would blow the circuit, and I had no idea what was going on. I finally hired a local electrician to look at the problem. He could not figure it out either. Finally this last winter, we were down in Florida, and it did it again, and I had no idea what had happened, but i was going to trace it out till I found what was going on. I took the bed out and still could not find the problem, but I did note that the engine block heater was on a circuit that had an outlet under the floor in the closet. I pulled out the shelving and raised the floor. I found the non accessable outlet. I unplugged the engine block heater. The switch for the engine block heater is on the side of the bed in the back. What had happened, was the engine block heater had shorted out. When we were going to bed, sometimes we would touch the switch, when we did, it would blow that circuit. Next thing to do was to replace the engine block heater. Problem solved. I talked with the electrician and told him what I had found. He said well that outlet is definetly not code. Hopefully the manufacturers take note of this and put the outlets in an accessable location in the future.
I plan to store (in 2 days on 10-15) the rv inside( Heated) this winter. The owners manual says to plug in and charge once per month-this not an option. You say to pull the batteries. Will my electronics be a problem in spring?? thanks
Hello Alan!
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!
Please follow the steps below to receive the annual membership at the introductory rate:
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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.
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Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Winterizing video using rv antifreeze
When adding rev antifreeze after disconnecting water pump line , had antifreeze plowing out inline water hook up with on board pump turned on to add antifreeze to on board taps.
I have a 4″ tear in the flap of the slideout seal. How can I repair or replace the seal?
Hi Rick,
Great question! I will need more information from you. Please resubmit your question and include the year, make and model of your RV?
Sincerely,
Joan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
How often do I need to replace the anode rod, and what is the correct procedure?
You need to replace the anode rod when 75% of it has gone away. The rod will start to eat away and at the center is a 1/8″ steel rod. When this steel rod has been exposed more than half way through it is time to replace it. The anode is the drain plug so you will just need to buy a replacement one when the time is need it and install it into the drain of the tank.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Thanks for your informative articles. I ordered the electrical video. I’m familiar with the terms 120 and 240. Articles on different RV sites refer to 115 volt power. Is that something different?
I’m trying to winterize. The hot water heater plug is rusted and I can’t budge it. Any ideas? Thanks
Eileen,
There really isn’t a difference. Most people refer to outlet voltage as 110v when it is actually read at closer to 120v. Many components will say they operate off of 110v because this is the safe voltage range to run them on. When there is a load applied to a circuit, there will be a voltage drop. Most outlets will read around 120v and will drop when a lot of amps are applied but things will still run fine as long as the voltage doesn’t go below 110v. When you hear 110v, 115v or 120v they are all referring to the same thing. Just people have different ways of saying it. As for the water heater plug, we actually have a video on this. Here is the link:
https://www.rvrepairclub.com/video/repairing-water-heater-drain-plug-014999/
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
I’m a new RV owner, before heading out on a trip I went to Propane filling station. They filled and when I got to my destination I found none of my gas applications were working. I spoke with my dealer and he suggested they may have not turned the gas valve back on. I checked that, and it seemed they had not. However, after turning it on, I was still not getting gas. When I spoke to the dealer again they said that they may have overfilled. I found a small gauge on the tank which indicated the tank was filled way past the full point (needle pinned to the top). I let out gas until registering full, and then 3/4, but still not able to get gas. Is it most likely that they have destroyed the regulator, or am I missing something? Thanks very much in advance.
Hi there Ian!
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!
Please follow the steps below to receive the annual membership at the introductory rate:
1. Click on the email link: https://go.rvrepairclub.com/c19275
2. Click on the Premium Membership offer.
3. The Checkout page will display your Premium Membership purchase.
4. Fill in your Billing Details and create an account password.
5. Fill in your debit/credit card information.
6. Finish by clicking Complete Order.
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.
We greatly appreciate your business!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Oh I have to remove the anode to drain the water when winterizing?
Mark,
Yes, on all water heaters you will have to remove the drain plug when winterizing. The drain plug on Suburban water heaters will have the anode rod attached to it, Atwood models will just be a plastic plug. You also want to make sure to set the valves on the back of the tank to bypass before winterizing as well.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
I just got this rig and the papers say the water heater is propane or electric. the prior owner does not know anything about an electric capability. There is a wire bundle coming off the rectangular box on the back of the unit, but nothing like a switch. Any ideas out there? I know it has an electric igniter for the LP operation.
Richard,
It sounds like you have an Atwood/Dometic water heater. These will have a black junction box on the back of the tank that includes the 120v wiring, heating element and relay. If there are just wires on the back of the tank but they are not connected to anything, it is prepped for electric operation but wasn’t installed. The 120v wires should have live wires coming to them already. There should also be a white wire coming from the control board, this should be connected to a 12v switch. The switch for the electric operation is placed by the manufacture of the RV and could be anywhere but is typically by the monitoring panels. It is rare to see a water heater come with electric but was never hooked up unless the original was gas only and then replaced with a combination water heater and wires were never run. If there are wires going to the tank, I would search around for another switch. A lot of times they are separate from the gas operation. Again, check the monitoring panel area and in the kitchen. These are the most common places for the switch.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
I just purchased this used motor home and am interested in winterizing it myself. I need to know where I might find the isolation and bypass valves for the water heater. Since the water heater is in the back near the bed, is that where to look? Thanks.
Can you loeave the batteries ouside over winter if connected to a 120 volt source
Hello,
That’s typically not a good idea. The water in the batteries can evaporate from being charged and if it keeps getting a charge it will damage the batteries. Even making sure it has good water levels, a battery constantly getting a charge will decrease amp hours out of it. Deep cell batteries are made to deplete and get recharged. It is better for the batteries. Taking the battery inside and charging it once a month is much better for the battery than leaving it outside charging.
Hope this helps,
Dan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
just watched a video on removing broken plastic water heater plug. just had a suggestion that may be better than drilling. we do this on automobiles with plastic fittings. take a chisel a little wider than the open hole of the fitting. heat the tip with a propane torch then push it into the broken fitting a little way. let cool a minute then unscrew the fitting using the chisel. no plastic debris and you will not have plastic in the threads or the heater
This is the first resdential refrigerator we have had in a camper. What is the proper procedure to winterize the ice maker?
Hello Wayne,
To provide specific winterizing instruction we need the make, model, and year of the refrigerator? Typically you would have a filter underneath the kitchen sink and would need to take the filter out. If you are winterizing the coach with RV antifreeze, switch off the line to the refrigerator and then run the icemaker through several cycles until there is no more water coming through. If you are blowing out the lines with air, you do not need to switch the bypass but do run it through the cycles as well to get the water out of the line. The compressed air method will not blow through the icemaker, rather up to the faucet.
Thanks,
David
RV Repair Club Video Membership
sometimes the breaker box makes a buzzing sound then stops its for charging the battery should it do that ?
Hello Randy,
Yes, your distribution center has a converter that is actually a charger for the house batteries. When it senses the batteries have dropped to 10.5-volts it kicks on and provides a 13.6-volt charge to the batteries until they reach 12.6-volts. This will typically produce a buzzing noise, heat, and a noise from the cooling fan.
Thanks,
David
RV Repair Club Video Membership
I am new to rving, how do I know if the hot water heater has enough water. Does the hot water heater fill from the fresh water tank? Thanks Robert email: rcambrice@gmail.com
Hello Robert,
The water heater of your rig will fill from the fresh water tank or the city water fill depending on how you are connected. Typically they are either 6 gallons or 10 gallons which you should be able to determine by the data plate on the water heater itself. You may have a water heater bypass valve which is used during winterizing, it shuts the line down going to the water heater and bypasses it to the other side. This allows you to add RV antifreeze and not waste 6-10 gallons to fill up the water heater. If this valve is turned to bypass, then you will not get any water in the water heater.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
My 2003 Airstream will be stored outdoors for the forseeable future. Should I consider getting a cover, and if so what would you recommend
Hello Duane,
I would definitely recommend a cover as it will help keep the roof seams from drying up as well as protect the fiberglass and decals on the sidewall. There are several brands on the market, however I have always been a fan of ADCO which has been in the business for over 30 years and build customized covers for rigs that fit better and have fewer loose areas that flap in the wind and rub off the luster. You can find your style here: https://www.adcoprod.com/
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
Just trying to learn a few things
We have been trying to locate the Fuses and Circuit breakers and have had no luck they are no where obvious
to us. The owners manual says we have them but does not give a location can you offer any help with this
Thanks Andy Allen
Hello Andrew,
Typically the 120-volt circuit breakers and 12-volt fuses are located in the distribution center with the converter. This can be just about anywhere is the rig, but does have a access door to get at them. Look in the kitchen/living room area on any wall that is not part of a slide room. Sometimes the distribution center is placed in the underneath cabinet of the dinette, under a refrigerator, or even in the bedroom under the mattress in the pedestal. Attached is a typical all in one distribution center. You should be able to hear the cooling fan running while it is charging.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
look under the bed lift boards
Good day to you sir. My question is how to in stall an auxiliary fresh water tank. The trailer has the water tank under the dinette bench and the other dinette bench is empty for storage so I need to add a tank under the other bench. I want them to fill and drain together. The fresh tank on holds 20 gallons and that won’t last long boondocking. Where to install vent fill and drain hoses is my biggest problem. I have joined as a gold member to be able to do tasks such as this one. I need to source the materials including the tank as well if you know of an affordable place for the materials needed. Thank you in advance for your attention to this.
Hello Michael,
There are several places to get tanks such as plastic-mart and PPL
Motorhomes, or any RV dealer or service center. The challenge is
hooking it up to the other tank which is on the other side of the rig with
an open walkway! I would suggest adding a new fill neck on that side
of the rig which means you need to fill each individually as there is no
good way to get water from the bottom of your existing tank over to the
top of your new tank? You should be able to run a water line from
the bottom to the water pump using an inline T there? Then I would
add a T to that line at the tank and run a drain line through the bottom
of the rig as well?
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
Location of the water pump
My transmission control module lights up for about 15 seconds, blinks, than goes dark. Do not shift light comes on dash. I’ve cleaned battery cables, constant 12v supply to transmission, and checked ignition solenoid. What am I missing? I need to get this figured out. I can’t move or go anywhere.
Hello Michael,
To provide more specific troubleshooting information about your transmission issue we need the make, model, and year of your rig as well as the chassis and transmission make. From the info provided, it seems you have a diesel pusher with the Allison touchscreen transmission shift pad? You stated you have a Do Not Shift Light on the dash, do you have any other lights/gauges working and does the engine actually start but you can not shift? If you have an Allison Transmission, it gets power directly from the batteries to the electronic control unit (ECU) so check all wires coming off the battery to make sure they are connected tightly and not corroded. Typically there is a butt connector a few feet downstream that can be a problem. Also, make sure if you have a chassis battery cut off switch it is working properly and not open as well. If other automotive items like headlights and dash gauges are working, the battery disconnect is not the problem.
You can also check with Transmission Instruments who specialize in diagnosing and repairing the ECU of the remote shift pads.
You can contact them here:
http://www.transmissioninstruments.com/
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
Does anyone make a bypass for your RV Water Fiter? I can tell you this there is plenty of room for one to be installed in the outside water service and holding tank draines compatment. Thanks, gayland
My wife and I are in our 70s and we are not comfortable climbing on the roof to put on a RV cover. Any suggestions how to protect the RV in this situation?
Hi John. I would suggest hiring a couple of kids to put it on with your supervision? Check with your local high school, college, or church. Or job service always has a list of people available. Otherwise find a storage facility you can keep it inside.
Thanks
Dave-RVRC
I recently purchased the 2001 Coachmen Aurora 2680. It seems the engine alternator is not charging the house batteries, yet, I have an “emergency start” button on the dash. Should there also be a button on the dash to engage charging of the house batteries from the alternator as you drive down the road? I am skeptical as there are 2 cover plates on the dash which appear to be where round gauges, or switches, may have been; the wiring may have been modifies? Anyway, this feature is important to me i.e. I want to know the state of my house batteries and if they are low, I would like to have the alternator do some charging as I drive. Any thoughts as to what may be the problem given that they are not charging today. Thanks for any input.
Regards,
Wayne (New member)
Wayne, thanks for joining the RV Repair Club. The emergency start button on your dash is typically a two way, spring loaded switch. There is a solenoid in the battery compartment and as you drive down the road, the engine alternator provides a charge to the house batteries. When you press the emergency start button, voltage from your house batteries travel through this solenoid to provide a jump start to your engine batteries if needed. Check out the video on measuring charging on the site. You can use a multimeter set to the 12-volt DC side, place the black probe on the negative post, the red to the positive. If your house batteries are fully charged you should see 12.6 volts. Now have someone start the engine and you should see the voltage rise to 14 – volts or higher. If not, you may have a defective solenoid.
David-RVRC
Hi my name is Anthony.. please advise where to find the relay c/b for my leveling Jack’s. Make power gear system…. thank you.
Hello Anthony,
According to the attached troubleshooting guide, the fuses are located on the back side of the touch pad. Lippert Components Inc bought Power Gear recently and have several manuals and troubleshooting guides available on their site if this is not the exact model you have.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
I have several problems. One is the coax cable from the outside connector to the TV’s has a bad connection,bad picture. When I bypass the cable the picture is great. How do I repair this other than running a new cable this coach has 3 TV’s. My other problem is that the Aux water tank pump will not work with the switch but will if I connect power to the pump at the pump.
Hello David,
For the coax cable, I would suggest going to Home Depot and getting a compression cable connection that you can install yourself. Directions come with the packet which consists of cutting back a certain amount of the outer sheet and protection. You might have to also purchase a compression tool, but they are fairly inexpensive. For the pump, if you get it to run with direct power it’s either the switch or the wiring? Do you have any other switches in the rig like on the monitor panel, outside in the service compartment, or in the bathroom? Try those as well, but a new switch is easy to install.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
I was using the black tank sprayer and when i noticed water dripping from all under the camper, what is the the most likely problem?
Hello John,
Since the tanks are typically a rotocast ABS plastic design with rounded edges and have very few issues with leaks, I would suspect you have a loose connection one of the dump lines, or connections? If you can identify the location of the leak and the location of a valve or tank, you should be able to identify if it’s a connection issue or valve and should be a relatively easy repair.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
My RV is a 2007, cat 330 freightliner chassis. My issue is a false air brake malfunction. The alarm comes on the gauges show air pressure at the appropriate pressure. sporadically the primary and secondary guage will alternately move from full to 0 psi, while the alarm is beeping. I have brakes as I am able to stop by depressing the brake pedal. any ideas and or solutions besides going to freightliner for an expensive ECM board replacement…Thank you.
Hello Frank,
There could be several issues that cause the sporadic operation of the gauges, most of what I’ve seen has been due to what’s called a colder solder point on control boards. This is a hairline crack in the solder joint that expands and contracts with temperature changes so it works and then doesn’t? This is typically at the control module which could be located on the firewall on the front of the vehicle, or the engine compartment at the rear of the coach accessible under the bed compartment? It’s very difficult to verify if all the solder joints are good just by looking at them, so most just replace the module for about $100? It could also be loose wiring to the module or gauge?
Since you indicated you do have sufficient air pressure to the brakes, it would not be a problem with any air pump filters, air lines, or dump valves. Just an annoying buzzing and concern about the psi in the gauge readings.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
I have a question about hooking up my two 12 volt coach batteries. There are two positive leads from the chassis along with the negative. How should I handle the positive connections when hooking them to a battery?
Hello David,
To provide more specific information on the connection of your house batteries we need the make, model and year of your RV. If you have two 12-volt deep cycle batteries, they will need to be connected together parallel which means positive to positive and negative to negative. Then a cable will need to be connected to a positive terminal going to the distribution center and a negative to ground. If you have two positive cables you might have a battery isolation relay which would go to the relay and connect the engine alternator to provide a charge while driving, and a switch on the dash to provide a jump start from the house batteries to the engine if it is dead?
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
I have been advised that I may want to replace the tires on my newly purchased used motor home “just in case”. I have heard that 5 years is the safe lifespan of a truck tire regardless of wear or mileage. Is this urban legend or sage advice? what do the experts say?
Hello Les,
The “experts” are the tire manufacturers, the Tire and Rim Association,
and The RV Safety and Education Foundation and they all say 10 years for a
trailer tire (ST) or RV tire, if everything else is within
specifications such as weatherchecking on the sidewall, tread wear,
bulging, and other issues with the tire.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
What is the best type of power (12V or 120V) TV to get for my RV, some people have said 12v while just as many have said 120v
Thanks
Hello Leo,
I don’t think the power supply makes a difference rather the TV functions? I have not seen very many large 12-volt TV options? The 120-volt is the most common in todays RV market because of the large quality TVs and the great prices! Plus you can run the 120-volt option or use an inverter and run off 12-volt power as well.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
I Have a petcock valve on white PET water line that will not completely close. Is this the lowest point for draining? Do you have suggestions for closing the valve?
Hello Paul,
To provide more specific troubleshooting information and identify the lowest point for draining we need the make, model, and year of your RV. Typically the lowest point will come off the fresh water tank and route through the floor. If the valve does not close completely, I would suggest going to a home improvement store and getting a new compression fitting valve and some extra PEX pipe? They are very inexpensive and easy to install. Check out the videos on the site where we simply cut the hose and slide on the fitting, simple!
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
I have a brass plate on the door jam and two spring loaded tabs on the door.
When the door is closed my red light next to fuse 15 (living room) is on, when I open the door the red light goes out. Everything plug, switch etc works. I’m plugged into 120v. I don’t have power stairs or a stair light.
I do have a three way switch, one close to the brass plate near the floor on the inside, with the corresponding switch up on the wall.
There is a two lead wire off the brass plate, one to a ground bar and the other goes into the fuse panel.
What can the issue be
Randy
Hello Randy,
This is strange? Since it’s 12-volt, you should be able to use a test light to see if the brass plate is energized by a loose wire toughing it somewhere? I would take the switch out to see if any of the wires are loose or touching it? It could be a screw from fastening the plate is a little to long and touching a wire?
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
my water pump works when I hook it up directly to battery,but when it is hooked up the way it is supposed to be,when I turn the switch on above stove panel the on light for the pump comes on but the pump will not start,I have checked the fuse panel but that seems to be ok,Can you help me Please?
Hello Wayne,
If you have connected your water pump positive wire directly to the positive battery terminal and it works, the trouble is in your switch or wiring to the switch or from the switch to the water pump. Use a 12-volt tester to verify power coming to the switch and from the switch in the on position. Also, check to make sure you don’t have another switch in the bathroom or outside compartment. These should all be independent, but if for some reason the main power source goes to one switch and the others are “ganged” from that switch, none of them will power the water pump.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
I have an year old 5th wheel and I have a leak around the grommet where the hole was drilled for the pipe, i thought the pipe wasnt long enough since the tank had bowed, but the outside of the rubber grommet is the problem. Any suggestions on how to repair this. Sealer?
Hello Paul,
To provide more specific troubleshooting information on your leak, we need the make and model of your 5th wheel and what pipe you are referring to? Is it a vent pipe on the top of the roof? And what tank bowed? If it is a pipe and grommet on the roof, I would suggest a self leveling lap seal product such as Dicor.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
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I’m helping a friend who was changing her 12 volt bulbs to LED, she didn’t disconnect the battery, so she blew a fuse that feeds the Kitchen and the interior roof lights. I found the main 12 volt fuses under the dash at the steering wheel, but i can’t locate the fuses that control the area that she blew. I’m looking for possible areas to look for any sub panels for the 12 volt system in this motor home.
Hello Robert,
The fuses under the dash are more than likely the 12-volt automotive fuses for turn signals, gauges, etc. Typically the 12-volt fuses for house battery applications are in the distribution center next to the 120-volt circuit breakers? This could be placed in the lower section of kitchen cabinets, under the bed pedestal, or even in a compartment. Find the distribution center and you should find the fuse.
Hope this helps,
David RVRC Video Membership
The 110 volt side of the water heater stopped working. The 110 volt circuit breaker did not trip. I did turn it off and back on. How do I determine the cause of the problem?
Hello Michael,
You need to verify there is 120-volt power coming to the water heater with
a mulitmeter. I assume you are referring to the circuit breaker at
the distribution center? There is another fuse in the module board
on the water heater that should be checked as well. If you have
power going to the module board and past the in-line fuse, then you
probably have a bad module board which could have been caused by running
the water heater without water?
Hope this helps,
David RVRC Video Membership
I have a seat behind driver and one behind passenger side. ……I would like to install seat belts with over the shoulder belts, can you tell how to do this?
Hello Tony,
To provide more specific troubleshooting information we need the make, model, and year of your RV. However there are a couple of ways to add three point seat belts depending on the type of seat you have. If it’s an automotive style seat similar to the driver’s and passenger seat, you can purchase a seat that has an integrated shoulder harness coming out of the upper left side of the seat. The second option would be to install a D-Loop to the wall and mount your seat belt mechanism to the floor, run the harness up through the D-loop and mount the connecting part of the harness to the right side floor. I would suggest going to a dealership or consignment lot and looking at the configurations of several models to see what would work for your application.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
Hello Tony,
Over the years there have been several “Wonder Product” introduced for extending the life of batteries but all that I have seen are pretty much snake oil. The reason they sell is EVERYONE has problems with their lead acid house batteries as they sulfate quickly if not charged properly and lose storage capacity and everyone is looking for a cheap fix. According to Battery University, one of the leading experts on lead acid batteries, you can add an Epsom Salt solution or caustic soda to a sulfated battery and it will do a slight dissolve of the sulfation on remaining open plates and give you a couple more months, however it’s short lived as the plates generally are already worn out from the shedding.
If you want to get the most of your lead acid batteries, make sure you understand the shedding or sulfation process and how to reduce it with proper charging. Lead acid batteries require a multi-stage charge once a month which is a high voltage “bulk stage” charge and then a float and equalizing charge. Most RVs do not have this capability and therefore the batteries start to shed and sulfate and lose storage capacity. My advise would be to get a Battery Minder which uses a high impact wave to condition the battery without gassing and fluid lose. They claim the product will extend the life of your batteries by over 200 cycles which could be 2-3 years!
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
Wondering how a battery is maintained on a pull behind Toy Hauler such as mine. Does the camper maintain the battery when plugged into power? Does the pulling truck power maintain the battery when being towed? My battery seems to maintain a charge when the camper is plugged in but always wanted this question answered. Thanks!
Hi Mark. When you are plugged into shoreline power, the distribution center provides 120-volt power to your converter which charges your house batteries. When you are driving down the road and have a 7 pin trailer connection, the engine alternator will provide a charge to the house/trailer battery while driving.
Thanks
Dave RVRC
how do you put in a 50amp service.in a garage. 50 amp breaker number 6 wire then a plug””
Hello William,
There is more to it than just running a 6 wire plug to a 50 amp breakers. See the attached pdf file that shows hot the plug is configured with a hot 1, hot 2, neutral, and ground. I would suggest contacting a licensed electrician for wiring code in your area.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
We have several outlets not working that were working the last time we used the coach several weeks ago. We keep it on shore power and have good power through a Progressive SSP-30XL surge protector
The outlet over the co-pilot’s area work however the next over the sink, the one in the hall way (adjacent to the bathroom), the one in the right rear corner (for the TV) and the ones on the right and left side of the bed (on the right side) are not working. The bath and all outlets there forward on the right side are working.
I have checked voltage at the breakers and all look good (120V) and there are no blown fuses in the master panel by the breakers. I have unplugged everything and reset the breakers to no avail.
I don’t see any GFIs at any of the outlets.
What am I missing? Might there be a GFI under the sink or elsewhere? What else should be checked? Although I haven’t removed any, the outlets appear to be one-piece units and not sure if these can be checked. The coach is in very good condition and has been well cared for and everything worked properly before this.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Hi Barrett. It’s possible you have a bad outlet as I would imagine these are all “ganged” or hooked in a series from the breaker. You should have a GFCI outlet either in the kitchen or the bathroom and I would start with that. It may be under the sink, however it’s usually up on the wall or under the overhead cabinets. If the GFCI gets overloaded to often, it will fail and create an open circuit meaning no power gets past it to go to the other outlets. Start by tracing the wire coming from the distribution center if possible. The GFCI outlet should be the first in line. If you verified 120-volt power coming out of the distribution center, then you can simply use a non-contact voltage tester from a home improvement store to verify.
Thanks
Dave-RVRC
mine is iin the bathroom, on the end of the sink, when it is out half my lights are out
we have an open range 5th wheel with a side by side refrigerator. The frig shifts in its spot when we are traveling. It is on a slide out but there is nothing up against the frig door. What can we do to secure it?
Hi Kathy. Most RV manufacturers secure the refrigerator by screwing down the base of the frame which is accessible outside through the vent. Take the vent off and look for a good metal frame at the base perimeter and I would assume the screws somehow got broken. In my opinion the best mounting method is to secure the base to steel plates secured to the framework of the rig, however few manufacturers do that and it’s impossible to retro fit it without removing the refrigerator. I would reattach more screws to the back and probably fabricate a u-shaped bracket with legs to lag bolt into the floor that goes over the frame to secure.
Thanks
Dave-RVRC
This is not about winterizing, but our fiber glass siding has bubble behind our refrigerator. Is there anything we can do to repair and prevent?
Hello Jerry,
The bubbling effect is a cause of moisture getting between the sidewall layers called delamination. To prevent any further damage, you will need to find the source of the moisture penetration and reseal the area. As for repair, it depends on the extent of the damage and what type of material is used in the sidewall. To provide more specific troubleshooting information we need the make, model, and year of your rig.
Hope this helps,
David RVRC Video Membership
Thought I’d share in hope to save some folks a bit of grief. Perhaps most folks do not think about the refrigerator in their camper and that, just like those in the home need a way to discharge moisture from defrosting and condensation. In my case there is a drain on the back side of the unit that had a cheap plastic corrugated tube that was connected to the drain on the refrigerator and weaved through the copper coils to drain out the access grill past the outer wall of the trailer. Well the cheap piece of tubing had long since rotted away and the moisture draining from the fridge was going out on the floor underneath. No wonder there is softness in the floor in front of the fridge with no tell tale signs of a wall or roof leak. Folks please check the drain on your refrigerator and make sure it’s still channeling the drain outside the trailer. I used a piece of 1/2 I.D. automotive heater hose to replace the junk that rotted away. This fix should be one that lasts for years. My trailer is a 2007 model so the tube they used didn’t even last 10 years so I’ve read that the tubing doesn’t last over about 3 years.
SAN-T-FLUSH on 2016 not spraying, any suggestions?
Hello Roy,
You probably have a plugged nozzle on the San T Flush as the hard water used for flushing has lime, rust, and calcium. I would suggest removing it from the tank and soaking it in a water and white vinegar bath.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
I have a 2005 Jayco Seneca 35GS. We were in Arkansas recently with fairly high humidity and the main cabin air conditioner started to drip from the condenser grate in the ceiling. We drove to Oklahoma and New Mexico and did not experience any dripping. Is this because of a blocked drain line or some other reason. How would I check this out. We are fairly new to RVing just our second long trip. Would appreciate any thoughts.
installing a replacement ladder with useless instructions Our 5th wheel has a straight back but is indented where the stanchions need to be attached having to modify ladder to fit. Some example of others modify would be appreciated
Hello Mike,
If you could supply a photo of the back of your 5th Wheel it would be easier to provide some ideas for modifications. Also, what is the make, model and year so we can ask the company for references.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
HI all
When running my onboard cummins generator, I overloaded it by turning on AC and Microwave too soon. I checked the circuit breakers for 110 ac and they had NOT been tripped. Are there other CBs that are tripped by the onboard generator? If so, where do I find them. I looked at the generator itself and there are none there, apparently. Can you help? thanks tons, Don
Hello Don,
To provide more specific troubleshooting information on your generator we need the make, model, and year of the generator and possibly the RV make and model as well? Typically the onboard generator would have 2 circuit breakers on the side of the unit, a 30 amp one that runs power to the distribution center, and a 20 amp one that goes to the back air conditioner. Sometimes the switches are hard to see as the wiring harness is in the front of these.
The only other switch is the circuit breaker at the distribution panel for the air conditioner and another for the microwave which is probably plugged into an outlet rather than hard wired so the circuit breaker would be for all the outlets on that side of the rig. I would suggest turning them off and on again as sometimes they look good, but are actually tripped?
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
When I close the door, the steps retract, but only about 75%. If I give them an assist, they will go all the way up. I have lubricated all of the pivot points, but the problem still persists. Any sugestions?
Hello June,
The first thing I would check is your house battery voltage. As the steps get closer to the retract stage, there is more friction and if you have a weak battery, it will not have the power to pull them up the rest of the way. Try connecting a battery charger directly to the batteries and see if that helps. Otherwise it sounds like the motor is getting weak and once again the friction makes it difficult to pull them the rest of the way. At this point you would need to take the motor off and have it tested.
Thanks,
David RVRC Video Membership
I have several exterior lights that I cannot turn off. I have shut the shore power off and turned the battery disconnect off and yet these lights stay on. I then turned all the breakers off in the RV and removed each 12v fuse. They still remain on. I know that there always is 12v going to the Lippert leveling system, even when the 12v discconect is activated. I need to be able to turn these lights off or they will run the battery down when the RV is in storage, Ideas on how to troubleshoot. The RV has a closed bottom so all wiring is not accessible.
Hello Christian,
To provide more specific troubleshooting information on your exterior lights not shutting off, we need the make, model, and year of your RV. Typically the battery disconnect will shut everything off except the LP leak detector and possibly the CO detector, but should shut all lights off? If it’s a motorhome, the lights might be powered by the chassis battery which would not be disconnected by the switch? Have you tried removing the negative cable to the house batteries? It’s possible someone has rewired these lights directly to the batteries due to an issue with a short in a wire somewhere? It’s easier to just run a new positive or negative wire rather than tracing the wiring all over a rig, but the disconnect would not work. If the lights go off when you disconnect the negative cable, just install a new battery disconnect directly at the battery. You can get them at any auto parts store, just connect the cable to one side of the new disconnect, and a new short cable to the battery and turn the red switch on and off.
Thanks
David RVRC Video Membership
If it’s the flood light and you have a remote for the slide out and awning look to see if it has a picture of a light bulb. Press it. There is a relay in the lighting system that will keep it on.
I just purchased this triple axle fifth wheel and drove it home. A few days later noticed I had a flat tire with a screw in the tread. What is the best way to change a tire on a triple axle trailer with the equalizers attaching the leaf springs together? Thank you for your help.
Hi Mark. Most axle manufacturers such as Lippert Components Inc (LCI) and Dexter recommend lifting the unit from the frame, not the axle as the larger rigs will have too much weight for a single axle to suspend the coach and you could bend the axle! There should be a mounting plate where the axle meets the frame, this is the recommended point using a larger bottle jack or floor jack. Make sure you check the other side wheels so the trailer is secure. Some models will lift all three depending on the equalizers while others will lift just the tire/axle at the jack point. Loosen the lug nuts slightly before lifting and always place your hands at about 4 and 8 o’clock under the tire so you never have your hands directly underneath in case it comes off the jack.
Thanks
Dave-RVRC
what is the proper paint to redo my ceiling after repairs for a water leak
Hi Shelly. Most RV ceilings are a paneling with wallpaper or vinyl ceiling. If you replaced the ceiling panel with a standard wood sided paneling, I would recommend painting it with Bullseye by Zinsser using the primer first and then the paint. It’s the best adhesive paint I’ve found for most products.
Thanks
Dave-RVRC
water heater, when using lp gas to heat water it will run fine to get the water up to temp. but then when just maintaining the temp. it will keep cycling on for a few seconds every couple of minutes
Hi I have a problem with my lounge slide out lighting.The lounge and slide lights are on the same fuse lounge is ok but no power to the slide lights.I pulled the fuse box out and found a mother board at the back of it.My question is could it be a failure in the mother box.I thank you in advance for any info you could help me with.
Yours James
Hi James. To provide more specific information about your slide room lights, we need the make, model, and year of your RV as well as some clarification on what fuse box you pulled out and found a mother board? The lights in your rig run off 12-volt DC power from the house batteries through the distribution center. There should be an automotive type fuse located in this center. To access, the distribution center is usually located close to the floor either under the kitchen counter or sometimes I have found them in the bedroom. They have a push button cover that opens to reveal the 120-volt circuit breakers and the 12-volt fuses. The power from this fuse goes through cabinets and sometimes routed in the foam insulation of roofs and sidewalls. Typically slide room wiring runs outside underneath the slide in a coiled conduit. Check the light fixtures for 12-volt power using a simply light tester. Take out the bulb and ground the alligator clip and touch the positive point in the socket. If you do not have power, then test at the switch as it will usually be different from the lounge switch. If both the lounge lights and the slide lights are on the same fuse, they must be “ganged” meaning the positive wire goes from the fuse to the lounge lights (through the switch) and gangs off this over to the slide room lights (through the switch). You should be able to isolate where the 12-volt power goes to and where it gets interrupted. I would guess it’s a short in the wiring going to the slide.
Thanks
Dave-RVRC
I lost the power of the gas pedal when I press down nothing happens it will drive in idle only I need to figure it out quick I’m stuck on the side of the roads any help would be highly appreciated it’s on a 34 foot gillig bus chassis
Hi Erich. Your no power situation could be several things. If it’s a Gillig chassis, it’s probably an older model with a carburetor vs the newer fuel injected engines? My first inspection would be the throttle linkage to the carb as this could have come loose or busted. Next would be the fuel filter since it’s idling, it sounds more like a fuel starving situation rather than spark? Let us know how you came out.
Thanks
Dave-RVRC