What is one of the biggest expenses in owning an RV, other than fueling it up? Maintenance! When things go wrong, you have to call someone to fix it! And that usually can involve some significant expense!
Do you know that eighty percent of the things that break in an RV are easy to fix? An RV tech course could give you the skills to take care of these recurring issues on your own, saving you time and money!
Yes, you say, “But I can’t fix things!” Believe it or not, anyone can save themselves a lot of money working on simple RV-related problems. It does not take complicated tools. Most people already have what they need in their toolbox. Most RVers I know have more tools they are carrying around than they need! Why not put them to good use?
We have been full time RV since 2008. I have logged tens of thousands of miles in RVs. We have had numerous technical issues come up. Most I was unable to fix myself, even given my engineering background and hands-on skills. Why? Because RV systems are complicated, you have to understand the big picture of what is going on with your RV and how all the systems work together.
I learned about an RV tech course that would help me do that. I discovered this class in 2013. I thought about it for a while and put off going until I was having a few more minor RV issues that were continually popping up. When I asked fellow RVers, I would get ten different answers on how to solve my problems. What that told me was nobody was sure; they were just expressing an opinion.
So, the final straw was when I was having battery/converter issues that I was unsure of how I could fix. One of the topics in the RV tech course was RV electrical systems. Now I know about residential electrical, but RV’s have three electrical systems that all have to work together, so I was not sure where to start.
So, after seven months of putting off making a decision, I finally decided to take the five-day hands-on RV training class. So I packed up my RV and drove from Florida to South Georgia to join others at an RV park where the class was being held. I had several choices of places to go, but I wanted to attend the class as soon as possible, so I attended the class at the South Georgia location.
The class focused on understanding the systems in an RV. They were all centered around teaching me how to fix eighty percent of the problems in RVs that are easy to access and easy to fix on my own.
RV Repair Training
This is an extensive hands-on RV training course where you can gain the knowledge and confidence to save yourself money by doing your own repairs. Terry Cooper, the Texas RV Professor, has been teaching in-depth coursework on RVs for many years.
He has a delightful teaching style that ensures his students leave the RV tech course with a clear understanding of the inner workings of an RV! He teaches in such a way that allows your newfound confidence and the ability to solve your RV issues when they arise, without having to wait for someone else to fix them for you!
RV Maintenance Technician
If you are a work camper and want to build your work camping desirability to campground employers, there is no better way to go! If campground owners know you have RV technical skills, that makes you more valuable than other folks who may not have these credentials.
Why? Well, if you can offer assistance to RVers that stay at a park you are work camping at, and they have technical issues that you can make suggestions to help them with, then that just creates more value for that RV park.
When you can solve guests’ electrical, mechanical, and systems issues, they will always be more loyal to the RV parks people like you are working at because they know they can get help if they need it. RV park owners know this, and they are now looking for folks with these RV technician skills.
So many of the RV problems that arise are simple issues! Things like a tripped GFCI, a blown fuse, a valve that has been opened or closed when it should not have been, as well as other more involved issues that require a volt meter and some electrical circuit tracing. If you know how these systems work and where to look, then you can help not only yourself but other guests as well.
RV Technician Jobs
Other opportunities exist once you have completed the five-day course. One is that you can turn this into a business. If you want to help assure the folks purchasing used RV’s that their purchase is a good one, you can do an RV inspection for them. If you have an interest in this kind of activity, this course allows for optional classes to teach you how to do just that!
What kind of information will be taught in the five-day course?
- Day One: Understanding the 3 RV Electrical Systems with troubleshooting tips and shortcuts.
- Day Two: How the Propane System works and things you might encounter when you are called in to help.
- Day Three: Sewer and Fresh Water – How they work and things that can cause problems.
- Day Four: Air conditioners, water heaters, furnaces, and refrigerators – how they work and the top 10 most common problems you will encounter with each one.
- Day Five: Dealing with the most common slide-out issues, awning problems, and roof repairs.
When are these five-day RV Tech course sessions going to take place, and where will they be? Please reach out to me for an updated schedule.
Okay, so what does the five-day class cost? It is $1,644 for the five-day course, including all educational materials you will leave the class with. You can do a three-pay to spread out the cost if you like. But wait, there’s more!
I would be happy to answer any questions you may have! You may reach me in any of these three ways:
- Leave me a comment/question in the area on the upper right side of this web page and I will get back to you if you leave me your email address
- Email me directly at howard@yourfulltimervliving.com
Blessings,
Howard
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I have a pretty simple question actually and I am having trouble finding the answer online for some reason. I have a 12v adapter with a adaptive tip for my water heater and the plug got knocked off by my pooches. I’m just trying to find out which way the polarity would be to plug it in. I’ve seen the module for the plug polarity on which way it should be for positive or negative but I have no idea which way it would be on the water heater end….
Author
Try this link:
https://www.rvupgradestore.com/v/vspfiles/assets/pdf/Hottrod_Instructions.pdf
Hi,we have a 2006 taigo 31ft motor home and we were out camping and we were at a koa ,plugged in to electricity,my husband hit the auxiliary button and heard a thug noise coming from the battery section below his feet,now we are not getting any charge from our house batteries. Could it be a fuse or something else? Please help
Author
Hi Debbie!
Could be a fuse, or a relay.
I have a 2018 coachman qb27. The microwave blew when plugged in to 110 available. Now I have no AC power to the unit at all. The 12 volt system on battery still works only. I checked all of the breakers along with the one at the generated. Any ideas?
Author
What are you plugging into Joel? Is it an RV pedestal, a 30 amp receptacle in a garage, a 50 amp converted down to a 30 amp, etc? The reason I ask is not all 30 amp receptacles are equal. Some provide 240 volts instead of 120 volts. That would create the situation you are describing here.
We have a 2001 tradewinds RV. We plugged it in to a power box. Everything works EXcept both tv’s front and back, and the hair dryer in the bathroom area. Any ideas why?
It worked last time we had the motorhome our.
Thank you
Author
Hi Jodie!
It sounds like one of the circuits that control those devices may have tripped. For the hair dryer issue, perhaps a GFCI outlet has tripped? Check those things and see if that solves the problem.
20amp light fuse keeps blowing 7 light’s .put a new fuse in last 2-4hr.all lights are off when fuse blows. When I plug a new fuse in power center I get an arc usually blows fuse?
Author
You have a short in that circuit, either from a light or from the wiring in that circuit.
5 bedroom lights keep blowing 20 amp fuse
Author
Sounds like a short in that circuit.
On a recent camping trip, my 7-pin wire from my vehicle to the camper hung too low, allowing it to drag on the ground and expose the wiring. When we arrived at our destination, we found that nothing electrical would work in our camper off of the battery power. However, everything still worked when plugged in to the 30-amp power post. No fuses were blown and no breakers tripped. I was able to re-protect the exposed wires using electrical tape and the 7-pin wire still worked to power my camper brakes and lights on return drive home. Any thoughts on the battery issue? Did I possible ruin it and just need to replace it? Thanks!
-Mark
Author
Hi, Mark!
Thanks for visiting our website!
Sorry to hear of your travel issues. Can you tell me the voltage of your house batteries when you are unplugged from shore power?
Without the generator running, all 12 volt DC lights function good. No flickering.
When I start up the generator to run the 120 volt appliances all is good except the DC 12 volt lights start to flicker and stay flickering, even with no 120 volt appliances turned on.
I replaced the voltage regulator on the generator same occurs. Can you help, make suggestions.
Author
Hi, Jake!
Thanks for visiting our website!
Can you tell me the voltage and frequency (Hz) of the generator without load and then with at least a fifty percent load on it? Is the frequency reading constant?
Hi Howard,
We have a 2017 Wildcat Maxx 5th wheel by Forest River. The coach is 50 amp but the park was 30 so we plugged in using the 50 to 30 amp plug. Everything worked great Friday and we had the AC on cooling the coach to 75 degrees (it was in the mid 80’s outside) Saturday morning was fine until the AC tried to come on mid-day. The fan would come on but it wasn’t cooling. Then the AC started sounding odd (very loud) so we shut it off. We then noticed the refer was running on propane and the lights were dim like we were running off the battery only. No breakers were tripped on either the coach or the parks power. The GFCI wasn’t tripped. Most, but not all, the 110v outlets worked even the TV. The lights on the microwave worked but it wouldn’t heat. The lights were brighter when we plugged into the truck. We had to plug into the truck to retract the slides on Sunday. When we got home we plugged into our 30 amp house power, and it seemed like things were working (but maybe it was just that the coaches battery was charged from the drive home). We tried to run the AC while we cleaned the coach. The fan tried to kick on but again the AC sounded loud and not good so we shut it off. We plugged a vacuum into a 110v outlet and as soon as we turned it on, the coach fried the vacuum. It sparked and started smoking. We unplugged the coach and have an appointment to bring it to the dealer, but we wanted to know what the problem may be and if there was anything we can check. Hubby is a contractor and knows a bit about housing electrical, but is stumped on this. Thoughts?
Appreciate your insight.
Lisa
Author
Thanks for sharing your story Lisa!
It sounds like you are having issues with both the 12-volt electrical system and the 120-volt electrical system. If the truck was needed to charge the batteries then the converter has an issue. If the electrical system fried your vacuum then it might have taken out the converter that was plugged into the 120-volt system and supposed to charge your house batteries.
It is good that it is a 20q7 and under warranty. If the 120-volt electrical system has developed an issue it is easy to imagine that it has affected your AC unit and hence the problem you are having with it.
Best of luck! Check back in and let us know what you find once it gets back to the dealer.
Hello Howard,
Im the 3rd owner of a 2006 Keystone Challenger 34ft fifth wheel. It even has a back bedroom.
Yesterday all of my 110 v outlets & lights stopped working . It tripped the breaker for the receptacles & it wont reset. I tried another breaker in its place & it tripped also.
All of the GFI outlets & microwave outlet are still working fine as is the A/C outlets. Im assuming I have a shorted wire, bad outlet or a switch that is needing to be replaced. But where should I start as there are regular outlets at both ends of trailer & a switched light, two outlets & a wall mounted light on living/dinning room slide out. I know that I can eliminate the slide out lights & outlets by disconnecting from junction box under slideout.
All info would be greatly helpful.
Thanks Thomas F.
Author
Hi, Tom!
Sounds like you have yourself quite a puzzle!
From what you are telling me you have both the AC and the DC system involved in this situation.
If it were me I would disconnect the receptacles in that circuit (remove the daisy chain) starting with the one closest to the breaker and test each set of wires from one receptacle to the next till you find the short. If all wiring is good then you can look at the receptacles themselves.
Hi Howard,
Just a quick word of thanks, your help and attention here are fantastic! Really makes me want to take the course. Too bad I see no Washington State stops
Author
Hi, Peter!
Thanks for stopping by our website! Also, thank you for the words of encouragement!
The RV Tech Course will be in Bakersfield, CA and Salem, OR in April and May of 2017. You can also take the class via a live stream. If you want you can visit rvtechcourse.com/live-stream for class dates.
Thanks again!
Hi: We have a 39′ 2008 HR Neptune motor home. There are two light switches in the bedroom that are unreliable. Sometimes the lights come on and sometime they don’t come on for hours after you turn on the switch. Any ideas? Thank you
Author
Hi, Linda!
Thanks for stopping by our website!
Light switches can develop a bit of corrosion just due to age and the RV environment. Sometimes some quick action of turning the switch on and off a few times can shake that loose. Of course, if you can find a replacement switch that matches what you have, this option would be the best bet for a long-term solution.
i have a 2005 Cardinal 32′ side out. i purchased this past April. i put in a campground from 5/1-8/22 and into 30 amp service. the camper started losing power to the bathroom lights, refrigerator, and water heater. then the alarm BEEEP comes on and stays on until you turn on a light switch on the ceiling which the light on that switch does not even come on. this outage will last for about 10 -15 min then all comes back on until it does it again a little while later. What power stays on is the TV, two lights above couch, (which are opposite side of camper) a light above sink, and out door refrigerator. i checked the inverter (converter) and fuses, and all seems good. wires are tight and noting is corroded or out of place. i am at wits end. any advice would be helpful, thanks
Author
Hi, Jeff!
Thanks for stopping by our website!!
Can you tell me what the voltage is of your house batteries with the RV unplugged from shore power and nothing on inside the RV?
Hi Howard
I am a new camper with very little expertise, my question is, I was all set up and running my 26ft Jayco, air, water heater, lights all working, then all of a sudden all went out. I checked for breakers and fuses all were fine. I bought this new so, we packed up and took to get repaired ( under Warranty ) LOL. I took it into them and they hooked it up and it all worked just fine. I just went camping last night and hooked everything up again and all was working for 1.5 hours, then again all quit. The batteries are dead, no lights no AIR no nothing, I could not even use the propane for the Frig, I do not know what to do now, if I take it back they are going to think I am nuts. Thanks so much for your time
Kirk
Author
Hi, Kirk!
My guess is that you are having issues with the 12-volt electrical system. I would check your batteries! They appear to not be holding a charge. Did they give you old batteries, or ones with no water in them?
Hello Howard, how about this one. Montana 5th wheel. Door side flood will not shut off,the switch remains lit even in the off posistion. Please help!
Author
Hi, David!
From what you are telling me I would guess that the switch has gone bad? Pull the 12-volt fuse on that circuit to get the light to go off. Remove the switch and cap the wires. You can then reinstall the fuse. Those switches should be available at an RV parts store.
Good luck!!
Plugged in camper and everything worked for about 5 minutes and then everything shut off, checked all breakers and only have power on one side ?? Help
Author
Hi, Jona!
Can you be more specific on what is working and what is not: on both your 12-volt house and 120-volt electrical systems?
Hi, Howard,
Have a 2014 Gulfstream TT , for a little while and everything was going fine until I was using the generator to charge batteries and when I turned off gen. no 12 v power at all. These are brand new trojans 105s. After a few the power came on again. Checked all fuses all fine but since then it has happens a few more times not all the time just once and awhile. Also did it once unplugging from shore power. driving me crazy,any thoughts
Thanks
mike
Author
Hi, Mike!
Thanks for visiting our website!
Given the evidence you have shared, and you may already have the same feelings, it appears you have a loose connection somewhere in your 12-volt system. Since it pops up with voltage changes when engaging and disengaging a 120-volt power source such as a generator or 120-volt shore power, I would start looking for that.
Since the connection to the 120-volt electrical system to the 12-volt electrical house system is through the converter, I would start there. Check any wiring connections you have access to, even at the fuse panel. As you poke around, if you loose your lights at any time, you may find the problem. Since no fuses are blowing it does not sound like a short.
Keep us posted on your progress! Good Luck!!
Thank you! How will I be able to tell if the converter is bad vs the batteries? Which batteries do you recommend? I have a 32′ jayco bumper pull with 2 slides. thank you for all your help! I really do appreciate it!
Author
Hi Logan!
As I mentioned earlier, a good test would be to check the battery voltage with the RV plugged into shore power. Then turn the shore power off and check again. If the converter is working properly you should see at least a half a volt difference between the two readings. If you read a low voltage reading with the converter on, say around 13 volts, you may want to have the batteries checked. Also, be sure you have enough water in the cells if they require it.
When taking a reading of the battery voltage with the RV unplugged from shore power, be sure to have mimimal load on the 12-volt system. Measure the voltage and watch it for a while. If the voltage drops quickly from 12.6 volts, the batteries may be weak. Take them to a place like Batteries Plus so they can test them for you.
I have used Interstate deep cycle batteries in the past and had good success with them.
Good Luck!!
Hello! I have an electrical issue with my camper. When it is plugged into power everything works great. When I unplug it I have no power. I checked and cleaned the terminals for a good connection. I tested the batteries on the camper and it reads 12.7 volts. Where do I start?
Author
Hi, Logan!
Thanks for visiting our website!
Can you be more specific when you say you have no power when you unplug it? Of course, you will have no 120-volt accessories working, but certainly some 12-volt systems should be working if as you say you have 12.7 volts.
With the RV plugged into shore power the only connection that the 12-volt system has to the 120-volt system is the converter. If the batteries are weak the 12-volt system will function until the RV is unplugged. A good test would be to check the battery voltage with the RV plugged into shore power. Then turn the shore power off and check again. If the converter is working properly you should see at least a half a volt difference between the two readings. If you read a low voltage reading with the converter on, say around 13 volts, you may want to have the batteries checked. Also, be sure you have enough water in the cells if they require it.
Best of luck and keep us posted on your progress!
Thank you for your help! When it’s plugged in everything works lights turn on and all the works. When it’s unplugged nothing works the lights don’t even kick on I have zero power throughout the camper. Are you thinking it’s more of a battery issue then?
Author
Yes, Logan! It could be either your battery or the converter that charges it.
Hi Howard,
I was de-winterizing my 2000 Coleman Niagara Elite pop-up and was checking to make sure all systems were working. All 12 volt systems were working properly and I switched to shore power as I was running the water pump to fill the hother water heater. I didn’t realize the outside shower was on and the pump was running for about 7 minutes and I heard a pop and a little bit of smoke came out where the fuses are. I checked all fuses and everything was fine. I also used a volt meter and everything tested fine. Everything works on DC power, but only the outlets function on AC power. Is it possible that the breaker itself could go bad?
Author
Hi, Josh!
Thanks for stopping by our website!
Yes, breakers can wear out over time, depending on the conditions they have been subjected to.
We left to go out of town for the holidays, and turned the breaker off to our rv, when we got back to the rv we turned the breaker on, we was in the rv all night with power, the next morning the breaker knocked and we reset it, but no electricity. We have battery backup and that is all, what can we do?
Author
Hi Mike!
I am not sure which breaker you are referring to. Also, you did not state if the receptacle you are plugging into is rated for the load the RV is designed for. If this is the main breaker in the RV, you might try replacing it, assuming you are either a 30 or 50 amp service plugged into the same. If it is the pedestal breaker, that may need replacement. Also, if you are exceeding the maximum wattage in your RV, you will trip the breaker. Over time that can cause damage to other electrical systems.
I hope that information helps!!