Results for "exterior maintenance"

General Easy 30 min maintenance 137 👍 0

RV Slide-Out Maintenance: Complete Guide to Prevent Wear and Extend Lifespan

Before I even finish extending my 2018 Newmar 2702 slide-out, there's this grinding vibration that kicks in during the final positioning phase every single time. The motor works hardest during that last foot of travel when the slide settles into place.

This observation has me questioning optimal maintenance protocols for slide-out longevity. What are the most effective strategies for reducing mechanical wear on these systems? I'm particularly interested in understanding proper usage frequency, seal maintenance requirements, and whether partial extension during routine tasks like cleaning provides any protective benefits.

Looking for comprehensive guidance on preventive maintenance practices, lubrication schedules, and storage considerations that will maximize slide-out system lifespan while minimizing premature component failure. …more

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General Medium 2-4 hours 113 👍 0

Thor Ace Fiberglass Rear Cap: Repair and Maintenance Guide

Halfway through my first RV ownership experience, Camping World dropped the bomb that my Thor Ace 29.2's rear cap has delamination and I'm completely clueless. The back doesn't feel like typical fiberglass - none of the other sides move like this. Is this movement normal for this RV model, or is it a sign of serious damage? …more

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Slideouts Medium 2-3 hours 108 👍 0

RV Slide Out Water Leak Repair: Complete Guide to Finding & Fixing Leaks in Your RV

Replaced my slide out seals last month but water still keeps pouring in every time it rains — am I missing something obvious here?

I've heard it could be the weatherstripping or seals, but I'm not sure how to inspect them properly or what other things might cause leaks. Could someone walk me through a systematic approach to find and fix slide out water leaks? I'd really appreciate guidance on what to check first and how to go about diagnosing the problem.

While the seals look okay visually, something clearly isn't sealing right when it rains. …more

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Best RV Water Heaters

4.4 (6,800 reviews)

Ac Refrigeration Medium 2-3 hours 107 👍 0

Norcold RV Refrigerator Won't Stay On Propane - Complete Troubleshooting Guide

Called my buddy at midnight when my Norcold RV refrigerator quit staying lit on propane — need to figure this out before our food spoils by morning. and by dream, I mean my Norcold refrigerator has decided it's too good for propane! The thing fires up just fine on LP gas - I can hear it purring away like a happy cat. But then, like a fair-weather friend, it abandons me after an hour or two and shuts itself off.

I'm starting to feel personally rejected by my own appliances. The electric mode works perfectly fine, but when I'm boondocking, my generator and I aren't exactly best friends either. I've heard this could be a thermocouple issue, burner problems, or maybe the control board throwing a tantrum. How do I figure out which component is giving me the cold shoulder (pun intended)? Any diagnostic tips to help me troubleshoot this temperamental beast? …more

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Propane Medium 45 minutes 96 👍 0

RV Furnace Blowing Cold Air? Fix Ignition Issues Fast

Staring at my RV furnace blowing cold air at 2 AM with the fan running — desperately need this fixed before morning hits.
I can hear it trying to ignite but it never actually lights. What are the most common causes when a furnace won't ignite? Need to know what components to check and how to diagnose ignition problems myself. …more

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Electrical Medium 2-4 hours 94 👍 0

RV Chassis Battery Draining & Dead Outlets - Troubleshooting

Finally followed the manual's advice to check the converter first when my outlets died, but my RV chassis battery keeps draining even though the converter tests perfectly. here and I'm at my wit's end with my 2018 Winnebago Vista. The chassis battery keeps going completely dead every few days, even when we're plugged into shore power at the campground. I've already replaced the battery twice thinking it was just old, checked all the obvious stuff like dome lights and radio, and even had the alternator tested - everything checks out fine.

What's really driving me crazy is that this just started happening about a month ago out of nowhere. We've been full-timing for three years without any major electrical issues. I'm wondering if there's some parasitic draw I'm missing or if the battery isolator could be acting up? Has anyone else dealt with this nightmare? I'm getting tired of jump-starting this thing every other day and my wife is about ready to sell the rig and get a travel trailer instead! …more

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Ac Refrigeration Medium 45 minutes 92 👍 0

Norcold N842IM 'No CO' Error Fix - Complete Propane Troubleshooting Guide

Apparently everyone has a different theory about my Norcold N842IM's 'No CO' error—my neighbor swears the propane tank's empty, the RV dealer blames the thermocouple, and YouTube insists it's just dirty burners. The fridge works absolutely perfectly when we're plugged into shore power and running on AC - no problems whatsoever with cooling performance or any error codes.

The real problem starts when we disconnect from shore power and head out on the road. The refrigerator switches over to propane mode without any issues initially, and everything seems to be working normally for the first several hours. However, after approximately 8-9 hours of running on propane, I consistently get an alarm and a 'no CO' error code displayed. I've been turning the refrigerator off for about an hour (though I'm not sure if that's the right amount of time), and when I restart it, it runs fine for another 8-9 hour cycle before the same error occurs again.

I'm wondering what could be causing this specific 'no CO' error to appear after this consistent timeframe when running on propane. Is this related to combustion problems, ventilation issues, or something with the propane system components? I'd really appreciate some guidance on what I should be checking and how to properly troubleshoot this recurring problem. …more

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Plumbing Medium 45 minutes 87 👍 0

How to Clean Clogged Duo-Therm 630515 AC Drain Pan & Lines - Complete RV Maintenance Guide

About five YouTube tutorials later, my Duo-Therm 630515 drain pan is somehow backing up worse than when I started this whole mess. The condensate seems to be backing up and I can see water where it shouldn't be, but only a little bit is coming out the normal drain line.

I'm worried about making things worse by trying to fix it myself. Is there a safe way to clear these blockages without having to tear into the unit or damage any seals? I have access to compressed air and a shop vacuum if those would help.

Any guidance would be really appreciated - I don't want to create a bigger problem by doing this wrong! …more

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Ac Refrigeration Medium 2-4 hours 85 👍 0

Norcold RV Refrigerator Not Cooling Properly: Complete Temperature Troubleshooting Guide

Before the summer heat kicks in, my 20-year-old Norcold absorption refrigerator only stops cooling when it's above 85 degrees outside — works perfectly fine the rest of the time. I've been tracking its performance with a recording thermometer for 5 days.

Here's what I've observed:
- Cooldown takes about 4 hours
- Freezer varies between 0 and 5 degrees
- Every ~24 hours the unit shuts off to defrost, heating to about 20 degrees
- Time to warm from 5 to 20 degrees is around 1.5 hours

I changed the temperature setting from 7 to 5 on day 3, which seemed to affect the temperature. The refrigerator section is hovering between 30 and 35 degrees during this time.

Is this temperature pattern normal for an absorption fridge, or does this sound like something that needs to be fixed? I'd really appreciate some guidance from more experienced RVers about what these temperatures might indicate. …more

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Propane Medium 4 hours 84 👍 0

Suburban SF-30 Furnace Replacement: Complete Unit vs Core Guide for RV Owners

Somewhere between our freezing mountain trip last month and now, my 2002 Born Free's SF-30 furnace died completely and I'm torn between replacing the core versus the whole unit. I believe it's a Suburban SF-30 model. I've been doing some research and see there are two options - I can buy a complete furnace replacement or just get a replacement core that supposedly slides into the existing SF-30 housing for about half the price.

I'm honestly not sure which route to go. The cost savings on the core is tempting, but I don't want to make the wrong choice and end up with more problems. As someone who's still learning about RV maintenance, would you recommend getting the complete unit or would the core replacement work just as well? Any guidance would be really appreciated! …more

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Electrical Medium 1-2 hours 84 👍 0

RV AC Won't Start After Capacitor Replacement? 5 Easy Fixes

Standing here looking at my RV AC unit right now and I can see the brand new capacitor I just installed, but the entire system is stone cold dead. I have a 2012 King Aire 4584 and recently tried replacing the run capacitor on my rear A/C unit because it was only running for about two minutes at a time and the compressor was getting really hot.

Now I'm in a worse situation - the unit won't start at all, even after I put the old capacitor back in. I'm wondering if there are some basic things I should be checking that I might have missed? Could I have blown a fuse or tripped something during the replacement? The compressor was pretty hot when I was working on it.

I'm hoping there might be some kind of reset button or other troubleshooting steps I should try before calling a repair tech. Any advice would be really appreciated! …more

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Best RV Solar Panel Kits

4.5 (12,700 reviews)

Ac Refrigeration Hard 4-8 hours 83 👍 0

Dometic RV Fridge Replacement: Residential vs RV-Specific Options Guide for Smart RVers

Replaced my old Dometic RV fridge but now I'm second-guessing whether I should have gone with a residential unit instead of another 12 cu. ft. residential unit - looking at Frigidaire or Whirlpool models. But I keep seeing terrible reviews for small residential fridges in RVs.

What causes these issues with residential fridges in RV applications? Are there better alternatives that give me residential-style features without the problems? Need to know about power requirements and installation considerations too. …more

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Propane Hard 4-6 hours 82 👍 0

Suburban SW6P Water Heater Tank Replacement: Why You Need a Complete Unit

Planning what I thought would be a simple fix for minor rust in my Suburban SW6P pilot light water heater, but now metal chunks pour out every flush. The rust is definitely coming from inside the tank.

Before I go dropping cash on a whole new unit, I'm wondering - is it possible to just swap out the tank itself? Like, can I buy just the tank part and keep my existing housing and all the fittings? And if so, where the heck would I even find a replacement tank for this thing?

Really hoping I don't have to replace the entire water heater, but I'm not sure what my options are here. Anyone dealt with this before? …more

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Appliances Easy 30-45 minutes 82 👍 0

Fix Splendide Washer/Dryer Towels Stuck to Drum Issue

Our new-to-us RV came with a Splendide washer/dryer combo that the previous owner left in terrible shape — it turns towels into matted clumps stuck to the drum. This problem occurs regardless of load size variations - both light and heavy loads produce identical results.

The matted towels require manual separation and often necessitate running additional wash and dry cycles, though this remedial approach yields inconsistent results. The towels appear to compress into solid masses that conform to the drum's curvature.

Seeking technical analysis of potential root causes and systematic troubleshooting procedures to eliminate this operational malfunction. What mechanical or procedural factors contribute to this towel matting behavior, and what specific corrective actions should be implemented? …more

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Plumbing Easy N/A 82 👍 0

How to Travel with a Winterized RV: Complete Cold Weather Guide

I noticed my travel trailer isn't winterized for my Connecticut to Florida Keys trip in February — can't afford professional service right now, need DIY solutions under $200? I'll be stopping at my brother's place in New Jersey first, and then caravaning to our first stop in Fredericksburg, VA at a KOA with a full bathhouse.

I've winterized my travel trailer for the cold months up here, and I recently heard a podcast about travelers staying winterized and using RV antifreeze for quick bathroom needs during the trip. I'm wondering if anyone has experience with this approach.

I know I could de-winterize before leaving, but I'm worried about pipes freezing during the drive south since we'll be going through some cold states. On the other hand, traveling winterized means no water systems working during the trip. What's the smartest way to handle this? Should I keep it winterized for the whole drive and deal with no water, or is there a better strategy I'm missing? …more

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