The RV Guy Mobile RV Service

- MAINTENANCE TIPS -

MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR YOUR RV’s NON-AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS

We Offer Pre-Priced Service Packaged On These * Items

Regular cleaning and maintenance will help you keep your warranties and extended service plans in effect, and more importantly, help ensure the safety of your family while in your RV.  RV’s contain fairly complex and sensitive systems (think about the duplicate (LP gas and electric) systems many of the RV appliances have.  Plus, with only ½ PSI, a small misalignment can throw off the performance).   

Refer to your owner’s manual for more information, or call us at (505) 228-1389 to schedule an appointment to protect your investment in your RV.  We’ll be glad to do the service for you, and if you wish, we can also show you how to do it yourself in the future.  Gift certificates are also available for that hard-to-buy-for RV enthusiast in your family.  

Safety Tips:  

• Please be sure you have both a Carbon Monoxide and an LP Gas monitor installed and working in your coach.  We recommend those monitors that run off a battery, and are not wired into your coach’s battery system (if a fire destroys the wiring, the alarm may not work).  Change the batteries twice a year, when the time changes, and test the monitors to make sure they still work.

• Create a check-off list for departure, to double-check that slides are in, jacks are up, etc., etc.

MOTORHOMES, TRAILERS

Check your tire pressure (when tires are cold) before any long trip and every couple of days when traveling. 

• TIP:  When in storage or parked, tire covers protect against UV attacking your tires.  

• TIP:  Routinely check both sides of your tires for cracks, uneven or low tread, and other signs they may need to be replaced or adjusted.  

• TIP:  The pressure in your duals should be the same.  Otherwise, more load is on one tire.  

• TIP:  The year the tire was produced is the last digit on the right (of the line of letters and numbers starting with DOT).  The two numbers before the year are the week within that year. 

Wash your RV’s exterior regularly with car wash or RV cleaner.  Waxing is recommended (Turtle Wax carnuba wax is an option).

• TIP:  Pressure-washing may damage your decals.  

• TIP:  Use cold water to wash the front cap of your RV after each day of travel to remove bugs.  Bug residue may damage the RV’s finish.

Empty and flush out both holding tanks on a regular basis.  Use only RV approved chemicals to prevent corrosion of sensors or odors from tank.

• TIP:  We sell a chemical tablet that replaces messy fluid chemicals, and is also a better value.

Every spring and fall, use WD-40 to clean the locks and latches on your doors and baggage compartment, then lube with silicone.

Your 12V battery* (“house” battery, not the automotive battery) should be serviced once every month during use.  Fully charge your batteries before and during winter, to avoid freeze damage.  Proper battery charge will help power converter and other RV systems, such as slide-out rooms, to function properly.

• TIP:  RV “house” batteries are NOT maintenance free!  Follow instructions from your battery manufacturer to carefully clean and check the battery terminals and replace the battery water.  Safety tip: remember it’s called battery acid! 

• TIP:  Buy a $10 hydrometer, and check the specific gravity for the true state of charge (we can teach you how).

• TIP:  Did you know there’s not much difference between a fully charged battery (12.66V) and a battery that’s 75% discharged (12.05V)?  Once a battery has become sulfated through excessive discharge, it will short the cells out and the battery will have to be replaced.

• TIP:  Per Interstate Battery, the life cycle of a deep cycle battery is far greater if it doesn’t get deeply discharged.  If a battery is routinely lightly discharged (25%), it’ll have approximately 2200 cycles to 50% capacity.  If the same battery is routinely heavily discharged (75%), it’ll only have approximately 550 cycles to 50% capacity.

• TIP:  When in storage, turn on your battery disconnect switch to protect your battery from parasitic drain.  Typical parasitic drains are monitors, a humidifier switch in the refrigerator, and preset stations on the radio/stereo.

• TIP:  Power converters convert AC power to DC.  A right-sized, working converter is an important tool in keeping your “house” batteries charged.  A converter takes AC electric power (from an electric hookup or from running your generator) and charges your 12V DC batteries.  A converter with excessive AC “ripple” (too much AC power being fed along with the DC) should be replaced, as over time, it will destroy the power boards in many of your RV’s appliances.

• TIP:  Power inverters convert DC power to AC.  An inverter may allow you to run some of your AC appliances (microwave, TV) off your battery power, without being hooked up to power.  Watch the battery charge to ensure you’re not excessively draining the batteries.  Also, if using inverters frequently, increase the frequency of how often you check the battery water.

Clean your awning fabric with mild detergent as needed.  Lubricate hardware with silicone spray, and spray slides/arm with silicone. 

• TIP:  Lower one end of the awning somewhat during rain to prevent collapse from water buildup.

• TIP:  Don’t leave the awning out during windy conditions, or when you leave your coach (as the weather may worsen while you’re gone). 

Winterizing* should be done when you store your RV and temperatures may drop below freezing.  Empty your water system and winterize using RV Antifreeze. 

Dewinterizing* should be done when you take your winterized RV out of storage to use.  Sanitize your water system at the same time.  (Call us – we can do this, and can also show you how to do it yourself in the future).

• TIP:  Have us do your winterizing and dewinterizing, and we’ll give you a credit for the recovered Antifreeze.

• TIP:  Sanitize your water system by running ½ cup of Clorox through the system.  Flush thoroughly and repeatedly.

Check and clean roof, vents, and all seals and joints (including windows and slide-out seals) for weathering, cracking, and shrinking in the spring and fall.  Use mild detergent only on rubber roofs, no solvents or abrasives.  Touch up seals if needed, using recommended sealants.

• TIP:  UV attacks the sealant used on roofs, and manufacturers typically recommend a roof be inspected at least annually and resealed where needed.  Call us for a free roof inspection.

Your LP furnace* should be serviced once a year, depending on your frequency of use.

• TIP:  If your furnace is creating “soot” on the panel, either the burner assembly needs to be adjusted or the LP pressure may be too high.

Your generator* should have its oil and oil filter changed after the first 50 hours of run time, and typically every 150 hours thereafter (or according to manufacturer’s manual).

Your generator* should also be serviced once a year, depending on your frequency of use.

• TIP:  Did you know you should run your generator, under load (e.g. with some major appliances running off the generator) at least one hour a month?  This keeps the oil lubricating the mechanisms, keeps the fuel from caramelizing, and dries out any moisture accumulation within the coils of the generator.  Some manufacturers now require run hours as a condition of maintaining the warranty on your generator.

Your air conditioner* should be serviced once a year, depending on your frequency of use.  In the Spring, clean the rooftop coils of leaves and winter accumulation.  Also clean the inside coils of lint and dirt.  Wash, clean filters and replace as needed.

• TIP:  Manufacturers recommend you DON’T add any screens that will restrict the airflow to any appliance (A/C, water heater, etc.).

Your refrigerator* should be serviced once a year, depending on your frequency of use.

• TIP:  If you have a Dometic Refrigerator, read your owner’s manual.  Dometic now requires an annual certification* performed by a certified RV technician in order to maintain your warranty.

• TIP:  Remove lower vent panel and look to see if upper vent is open and free of obstructions (remove any bird’s nests, etc.) each spring and fall.

• TIP:  Clean the flue baffle, which is a key to good operation.  Clean the burner for good combustion.

Your water heater* should be serviced once a year, depending on your frequency of use.  

• TIP: Drain and bypass your water heater as part of winterizing.  Replace anode as needed.

• TIP:  Clear the burner tube, check the LP pressure, the air shutter setting, and the pressure relief valve.

• TIP:  Suburban water heaters have a sacrificial anode that must be replaced when it’s eaten away to the thickness of a pen.  Atwood’s tank itself is clad, so it doesn’t need an anode.

Vacuum out and lube if required the fan to your power converter annually.

For electrical slide-out rooms, lube the mechanism annually and treat seals and gaskets, including the top of the slide.

• TIP:  Remove twigs and leaves from slide-out roofs prior to closing, and prior to winter/storage.

• TIP:  Slide-out covers, which roll out with the slide-out, can protect your slide-out.  

SPECIFIC TO TRAILERS & BOATS:

Wheel Bearing Pack* should be done once a year or every 6,000 miles. 

• TIP:  Check your trailer brakes and controller settings at the same time.  

• TIP:  Check your breakaway switch annually by removing the pin while 12V battery is installed, to see if brakes lock up (this is easiest done during the annual wheel bearing pack, as requires the wheels to be jacked).

• TIP:  If you have slide-outs on one side, that side of the trailer typically carries a greater load.

• TIP:  If you blow a tire out, that axle should be serviced due to the high loads placed on the bearings during a blow out.

• TIP:  All axles should be treated as a matched pair.  For example, if a bearing or a brake is replaced on one side of the axle, the same replacement should also be done on the other side.

 Call us to schedule your needed service today!   Phone (505) 228-1389.

*  We offer pre-priced Service Packages on these items (any repair and parts are extra).  Call us – we’ll be glad to do the service for you, and if you wish, we can also show you how to do it yourself in the future.  Many diagnostics are also available at a package price. Other service, repair, as well as customer education, is available on an hourly basis (parts are extra).

Michael A. Sylvester, Owner and RVIA Certified Technician

The RV Guy, Inc.
P.O. Box 66373 - Albuquerque, New Mexico 87193
505.228.1389
Email: thervguynm@yahoo.com

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