Results for "steps"

Ac Refrigeration Medium 2-3 hours 2,222 👍 0

Norcold 1210 Not Cooling: No Error Codes Troubleshooting Guide

During my morning RV check I spotted my Norcold 1210 completely dead with zero cooling that was running perfectly yesterday with no error codes. Unit appears to be operating normally with no error codes displayed, but it's not cooling properly. Interior temperature is staying above 50 degrees. Thermistor has been tested and checks out fine. What else should I look at? …more

Read answer

Engine Easy 1-2 hours inspection 2,035 👍 0

Ford E450 V10 Reliability: Expected Mileage and Longevity Guide for RV Owners

Nobody prepared me for staring at this 2018 Jayco Greyhawk 29MVP with Ford E450 chassis showing 54,000 miles and wondering if I'm looking at a money pit. The unit appears well-maintained with quality features including auto-leveling, fiberglass roof and nose, plus J-ride suspension. However, the odometer shows 54,000 miles, which exceeds my initial target range.

I need to assess whether this mileage represents significant wear on the E450/V10 drivetrain combination. What is the typical service life expectation for these engines when properly maintained? At what point should mileage become a primary concern versus overall mechanical condition? …more

Read answer

Appliances Hard Professional repair required 1,044 👍 0

Splendide WDC7100XC Drum Bearing Repair & Replacement Guide

Splendide combo washer-dryer started making a grinding noise during the spin cycle and now it vibrates so hard it walks across the floor. Pretty sure it's the drum bearings based on the sound. Debating between a $400 repair bill and just replacing the whole unit. …more

Read answer

Product Ranking 8 compared

Best RV Awnings & Accessories

4.5 (7,600 reviews)

Engine Medium 2-6 hours 773 👍 1

Onan 5500 Generator Problems: Complete Repair Guide

Spent three hours testing my 2014 Hurricane's Onan 5500 gen getting 11.8 volts output when every manual says it should be 12+ volts! Here's the weird part - when I disconnect the remote harness, the generator fires right up and purrs like a kitten. But the second I plug that remote connection back in, boom - both the remote start light AND the generator start light come on, and then... nothing. Won't start at all.

The really bizarre symptom is this chattering from the fuel pump when the remote is connected. I can literally feel the fuel line jumping around when I put my hand on it. It's like the pump is having some kind of seizure or something!

I'm guessing this has to be some kind of electrical issue between the control board and the remote system, but I've never seen anything quite like this before. Anyone dealt with this specific combo of symptoms on an Onan 5500? Really hoping there's a known fix because pulling this thing out of the RV again would be a major pain! …more

Read answer

General Medium 30-60 minutes 642 👍 0

RV Liquid Spring Adjustment Guide: Setup & Tuning Tips

Three different adjustment knobs on my 2022 Tiffin Open Road 34PA's LiquidSpring suspension and I'm staring at them with zero clue about the limits.

I've got LiquidSpring suspension on all four corners, but I'm specifically wondering about the rear struts. Can I raise and lower just the rear ones independently, or am I stuck adjusting everything at once like some kind of suspension caveman? I'd love to dial in the perfect ride height and handling, but I need to know if I can fine-tune the back end separately from the front. Between the control panel and what I assume is some fancy smartphone app, surely there's a way to make this old road warrior ride like a dream without turning into a mechanical engineer, right? …more

Read answer

Solar Batteries Medium 4-6 hours for inverter replacement 545 👍 1

RV Inverter Guide: Modified vs Pure Sine Wave - Safe Power

My multimeter's out and I'm ready to tackle this RV electrical mess myself — pretty sure the inverter's the culprit but need to know where to start. I have a 2000 Winnebago Ultimate Advantage with four deep cycle house batteries and recently installed a Xantrex 758 inverter to replace my old Freedom 15 unit. The first time I tried using the inverter power while unplugged from shore power, something very strange happened - a hair dryer in the bathroom started running by itself and wouldn't shut off when I tried the switch. I had to unplug it, and the handle was warm. The hair dryer appears to be ruined now.

When I bought the Xantrex 758, I paid around $725 for what I thought was a good unit, but I'm now learning there's a difference between modified sine wave and pure sine wave inverters. I wasn't aware of this distinction when I made the purchase, and it turns out the 758 is a modified sine wave unit. I've since heard that modern electronics, especially things like residential refrigerators, computers, and sensitive electronic components, can be damaged by modified sine wave power.

I'm really concerned about potentially damaging my new residential refrigerator, stereo system, and computer equipment. Should I be worried about using this modified sine wave inverter with modern RV electronics? Is the hair dryer incident a sign that I need to upgrade to a pure sine wave unit, or are there other factors that could have caused this problem? I'm trying to understand if my current setup is putting my expensive electronics at risk. …more

Read answer

Plumbing Easy 30 minutes 522 👍 0

Fix RV Low Water Pressure on City Connection: Troubleshooting Pump Assembly

Last week my pressure regulator started reading a solid 40 PSI on city water but my water pump keeps cycling on for 5-6 seconds when everything says it should stay completely off. When I connect to city water, my water pressure regulator shows a solid 40 PSI, which should be plenty, right? But here's the weird part - my water pump keeps kicking on for about 5-6 seconds then shuts off, even though I'm connected to city water and the pump switch is supposed to be off.

The really frustrating thing is that the pressure feels weak throughout the RV, with specifically the bathroom sink and kitchen sink seeming low, though the shower has good pressure. I've already changed out the intake/check valve and don't currently have a filter in the system. I can see the pump running while on city water, which I know is not normal. I noticed the kitchen and bathroom sink screens were plugged - which might explain some pressure issues - but now I'm wondering about the toilet's low pressure. Could there be a screen in the toilet line I'm not seeing?

I've been full-timing for two years and never had this issue before. What should I be checking for? I'm handy enough to do basic repairs but need to know where to focus my troubleshooting efforts. …more

Read answer

Electrical Medium 2-6 hours 521 👍 4

RV Electrical Problems: 12V & 120V Troubleshooting Guide

Around $500 in parts later — replaced the main breaker, cleaned all connections, checked the transfer switch — my 2007 Holiday Rambler Admiral SE still won't recognize shore power.

I'm pretty sure 110V is making it to the rig since I can measure it, but somewhere between the plug and my appliances, something's not happy. Energy management panel is dark too. What's the logical troubleshooting order here? I keep hearing about transfer switches and breaker panels but honestly don't know where to start without making things worse! …more

Read answer

Engine Medium 2-4 hours 473 👍 0

Generac 7.5kW Diesel Generator Repair Guide - RV Troubleshooting

Planning to ignore the weird noises from our Generac 7.5kW diesel generator backfired when my wife pointed out I definitely made things worse during my repair attempt. I have a 2007 Monaco with a Generac 7.5kW diesel generator, and yesterday when I tried starting it, the battery was really weak. I probably held the starter button too long - maybe 15 seconds or so - because it was cranking so slowly and I kept hoping it would catch.

Now when I try to start it, I just get a single click and nothing happens. I'm worried I damaged something by cranking it so long with that weak battery. Should I be looking at the starter solenoid or starter motor? Is there anything I can check myself before I have to take it to a repair shop? I'd really appreciate any guidance on troubleshooting this. …more

Read answer

Electrical Medium 2-6 hours 452 👍 1

ECM Low Battery Warning RV: Complete Diagnosis & Fix Guide

During a family trip, my 2005 Fleetwood Discovery 39S threw code 168-1 for low ECM battery voltage and went into full shutdown mode—is this dangerous with kids onboard? Engine cut out, transmission selector went dark, ABS warnings everywhere - the whole nine yards. Scared the heck out of me when it happened on the interstate!

I'm seeing this seems to be a thing with these diesel pushers, but I'm drowning in conflicting info online. Some say it's the chassis battery, others blame alternator issues, and I've even seen posts about ECM power supply problems on the Caterpillar engines. What's the actual step-by-step process to track this down? And more importantly, how do I fix it so it doesn't leave me stranded again? Really need a complete walkthrough of what causes this code and the proper repair approach. …more

Read answer

Plumbing Medium 2-3 hours 422 👍 1

Dometic 310 Toilet Leaking at Foot Pedal: Complete Fix Guide

Called my weekend camping trip short because my Dometic 310 toilet has water pooling underneath, the flush mechanism sticking, AND that annoying gurgling sound happening constantly. I can see the leak between the fixed outer part and the moving pivot section when the pedal is pressed.

Already replaced the toilet valve but it's still leaking from the same spot. The inlet and outlet hoses look fine. What causes leaks at the pedal mechanism itself after the valve has been changed? …more

Read answer

Product Ranking 8 compared

Best RV Sewer Hoses & Kits

4.6 (31,500 reviews)

General Medium 1-2 days for initial setup 399 👍 1

RV Storage on Gravel: Preventing Weed and Moisture Issues

Nobody warned me that buying a house with RV storage meant inheriting the previous owner's 13-year-old weedy, muddy gravel disaster. While considering this location's storage options, I want to mitigate potential issues with weed growth and moisture retention under the RV.

I'm seeking advice on effective strategies for storing on a gravel surface that shows significant weed penetration and moisture retention. Initial ideas include pre-treatment herbicide application and installing a protective barrier, but I want input from experienced RV owners.

My primary concerns are preventing undercarriage damage and managing moisture/vegetation growth. I plan to spray weed killer beforehand and potentially lay down a weed barrier, pending facility approval. What techniques or materials do you recommend to protect my RV during storage? …more

Read answer

Propane Hard 6-8 hours 398 👍 0

Atwood GC10A-4E Replacement: Best Tankless RV Heaters

Halfway through draining my Atwood GC10A-4E's supposed 10-gallon capacity, the water's already running cold but my gauge shows I've only pulled maybe 6 gallons. Are there any dual-fuel tankless units that would work as a replacement? I know there's no plug-and-play option, but what are the best tankless water heaters that offer both gas and electric operation for RVs? …more

Read answer

Solar Batteries Medium 2-4 hours 375 👍 0

RC7-GS Inverter AGM Battery Settings: Complete Setup Guide

Replaced my 105Ah AGM battery and now my RC7-GS inverter charger is completely rejecting it like this capacity doesn't exist in its programming.

The charging settings only go from 125Ah up to 1000Ah, with an 'auto' option that supposedly 'learns' my battery but resets every time the low voltage cutoff trips (which feels like cheating, honestly). I'm worried about undercharging or cooking my expensive new AGMs if I pick the wrong setting.

Oh, and while we're talking about things that don't work as advertised - the generator auto-start feature might as well be a myth. Can't even manually start the generator from the RC7 panel. At this point I'm wondering if I should have just stuck with my old setup that actually worked! Anyone know what I'm doing wrong here? …more

Read answer

Electrical Easy 30 minutes 375 👍 0

RV 12V Lights Dimming: Complete Troubleshooting Guide

My neighbor insists it's the converter, the RV dealer swears it's bad wiring, and every YouTube video claims it's a dying battery—but my 12V ceiling lights keep dimming! One evening they're blazing bright like a casino, the next morning they're giving off all the enthusiasm of a sleepy firefly.

I've already checked my batteries, and they seem to be charging fine and in good shape. The converter is still humming and its fan is running normally. I'm pretty sure this isn't some fancy mood lighting feature I accidentally activated (though knowing my tech skills, anything's possible). The dimming seems totally random - sometimes they're fine, sometimes they look like they're on their last legs.

I've got a basic multimeter that I pretend to know how to use, but I'm not sure where to even start poking around. As a bonus weirdness, some of my under-cabinet light switches and the wall switch for the ceiling lights are getting really hot. Anyone know what typically causes this whole disco light show situation with 12V lighting systems? …more

Read answer

Loading more Q&A...

You've seen all 216 Q&A articles!