intro to rv life · spend more time on the road and less time parked in your driveway!-ron...

Intro to RV LifeSpend More Time on the Road and Less Time Parked

in your Driveway!

-Ron Godbey-Anita DeAngelo

Intro to the RV LifeSession 4

RV Ownership

© 2020 DG Enterprises 2

Session 3 Recap

➢Research

➢New or used

➢Private sale or dealer

➢Pricing

➢Buying tips

➢Negotiating tips


➢ Ongoing maintenance is vital

➢ Maintaining your RV is similar to maintaining a house, and depending on type of RV, a house and car all in one

© 2020 DG Enterprises

Maintenance Overview

• House

• Roof

• Basement (storage)

• Windows

• Appliances

• Furniture

• Bathroom

• Bedroom(s)

• Heat & A/C

• Battery/electrical

• Safety devices

• Car

• Engine

• Cab

• Drive train

• Suspension

• Brakes

• Tires

• Lights

• Heat & A/C

• Battery/electrical

• Safety devices

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➢Become a Do-It-Yourselfer!• Saves $$

• You will come to know every inch of your RV

• Better equipped to handle travel emergencies and repairs

➢Online resources• YouTube is your friend!

• There is a YouTube video on any repair you can imagine

• Blogs, manufacturer’s sites, RV Associations


Maintenance Overview

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Maintenance Overview:Caulking


➢#1 Recommendation!• Prevents water intrusion at seams and joints

• Water damage is the #1 cause of RV odor, rotten walls & floors

• Inspect all seams twice a year and re-caulk as needed• Roof: use Dycor Self-leveling caulking for most RVs

• Sidewalls: Use auto/marine caulking

• Resource: Roof caulking How-to video:http://www.thervgeeks.com/maintenance/preventing-rv-roof-leaks-dicor-maintenance/

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http://www.thervgeeks.com/maintenance/preventing-rv-roof-leaks-dicor-maintenance/

➢Periodically check water lines & connections for leaks• Faucets, shower & toilet

• Hose clamps/connections

• Water pump• Listen for “burping”

• Drain traps

• Outside water connections


Maintenance Overview:Water

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➢Inspect for Drain Valve leaks

➢Toilet • Flush & clean periodically

• Flushing wand

• Use Black Water Tank treatments• Deodorizer

• Enzymes

• Pour a bag of ice cubes down the toilet and drive around

• Check that toilet valve holds water• A good toilet seal prevents odor from coming up from

black water tank


Maintenance Overview:Septic

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➢Smoke detectors• Test and change batteries twice a year

• Testing only tests the alarm horn –NOT the sensor!• Replace every 5-10 years

➢Carbon Monoxide Detector• May be combined with LP detector

➢LP Gas detector• Located near floor• Test twice a year (usually hard wired)• Testing only tests the alarm horn

NOT the sensor!• Look for expiration date on back• Replace when expired (5-10 years)


Maintenance Overview:Safety

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➢Make sure the tires are rated correctly for your rig• Load capacity

• Towing capacity

• Tires may have been replaced with sub-standard tires to sell the rig!


Maintenance Overview:Tires

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➢RV tires usually need replacement long before the tread is worn• Dry rot

• Sun damage

• Tires are rated for 5 – 7 years regardless of tread wear

➢You CAN make them last longer!• UV Protection

• Tire dressing (RV only –NOT automotive)

• Tire covers

• Resource: https://www.thervgeeks.com/maintenance/rv-tire-age-care-replacement/



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https://www.thervgeeks.com/maintenance/rv-tire-age-care-replacement/

➢Know the DOT manufacture date of the tires• Provides manufacture date

• 4 digit code

• 1st 2 digits: week of the year tire was manufactured

• 2nd 2 digits: year tire was manufactured

• Located in an oval recess on the tire after “DOT”



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Date of Mfg:Week / Year

➢Tire pressure• Check periodically

• Proper inflation has an affect on gas mileage and handling

• Use valve extensions for double axle tires



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➢Needs same maintenance as car/truck, and more

➢The big difference is RVs tend to sit for long periods• More prone to:

• Engine oil breakdown

• Flat gas (Gas is only stable for 30 days)

• Hose/belt dry rot

• Critter invasion and nesting

• Battery drain (1 volt p/mo. drain)

• Rust

• Lubricant hardening (wheel bearings, suspension)

• Exhaust system rust & leaks


Maintenance Overview:Engine

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➢Run Periodically• Has same issues as RV Engines (oil breakdown, hose rot, etc.)

➢Change oil, fuel, air filter filter annually

➢Will not operate if gas tank gets below ¼ tank• If so, will need to prime generator


Maintenance Overview:Generator

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➢Chassis Battery (vehicle)• Ignition, chassis lights• Charged by engine alternator

➢House battery(s)• Deep cycle RV battery(s)• Inside lights• Fresh water pump• Charged by voltage converter

• When engine is running• When plugged in to shore power

• Resource: Different types of RV Batteries explained• Link: https://www.thervgeeks.com/electrical/xscapers-bash-rv-batteries/


Maintenance Overview:Batteries

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https://www.thervgeeks.com/electrical/xscapers-bash-rv-batteries/

➢Maintenance• Since RVs tend to sit idle for long periods

• The battery will lose 1 volt per month

• Require recharging periodically

• Should never be allowed to drain completely

• RV chassis battery (Engine)• Start engine periodically to charge battery and let engine run

• This will also charge the house battery

• RV House Battery• Plug into shore power periodically

• Alternatively: use a trickle charger


Maintenance Overview:Batteries

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➢Rodents• Seal up any openings such as water hoses, drains, wiring

• Periodically check for evidence: nesting materials, droppings

• Never leave open food sources in the RV

• Storage: Remove food and minimize any sources of nesting materials and use deterrents like moth balls, dryer sheets, cedar chips, mouse traps


Maintenance Overview:Critters

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➢Insects• Maintain door and window screens

• Seal up any openings they may be able get through• Dauber screens; resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAld_1ibkZ8

• Never leave sewer connections open


Maintenance Overview:Critters

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAld_1ibkZ8

➢Clean up

➢Critter proof

➢Re-caulk roof and sidewall seams

➢Winterize water system

➢RV Covers• Pros

• Protect from storm debris, ice and snow

• Cons• Expensive (if you get one get a GOOD one!)

• PITA to put on and take off• Limited off season access• Easily torn in Nor'easter force winds


Maintenance Overview:Off Season Storage

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➢Remember gas goes “Flat” after 30 days• Add sufficient amount of gas stabilizer to tank

➢Don’t run the gas tank to almost empty• Needs at least ¼ tank

• Remember: onboard generator won’t get gas if under ¼ tank

• Should maintain stabilized gas in the generator feed lines



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➢There are places that offer winterization and storage at their facility –for a fee

➢Pros• If you don’t have room at your home to store

• If you don’t want to winterize yourself

➢Cons• $$$$$$$

• Inconvenience of accessibility



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➢Before 1st freeze• Waterlines are plastic. They will burst easily if water is present

• Drain all water: Fresh/Gray/Black tanks/Faucet lines/Water heater

• RV antifreeze only! It’s nontoxic and inexpensive• If you use more than 2-5 gallons, your doing it wrong

• Two Methods:• Draw in the antifreeze using the water pump

• Blow out the lines using an air compressor

• Use a “tankless” compressor only (oil in lines)

• Then add antifreeze only to drain traps

• Winterization Resource: How to video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU-ZwszRzHQ


-OR-

Maintenance Overview:Winterization

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU-ZwszRzHQ

➢Periodically • Plug in to power to charge house battery

• Start it up

• Run the generator

• Check for critters

• Check RV Cover (if used) for damage



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➢After last freeze• Drain all antifreeze through the Low Point Drains

• Flush system several times with water• Connect a potable hose to your garden hose spigot

• Sanitize system• Draw in sanitizer (diluted household bleach, or RV sanitizer)

• Let sanitizer sit in hoses overnight

• Drain and re-flush with fresh water

• Options

• Drive around with sanitizer in tanks

• Add ice cubes to black tank only to scour tank

• Resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEepug8N-aE


Maintenance Overview:De-Winterization

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEepug8N-aE

➢Costs add up• Anything with RV in front of it automatically costs more• Many things do NOT require RV specific products

• Many DO! Learn the difference• Example of those that DO:

• Toilet paper

• Tire dressing

• Roof sealant

• Potable water hose

• RV antifreeze• Example of those that DON’T:

• Critter repellants/poison/traps

• Tools

• Cleaning products

• Safety items (fire extinguisher, smoke detector, auto emergency kits)


Maintenance Overview:Costs

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Session 4 Recap➢Maintenance Overview

• Caulking

• Water

• Septic

• Tires

• Engine

• Generator

➢Costs• RV Specific items

• Generic items


• Gas

• Batteries

• Critters

• Winterization/De-winterization

• Off season storage

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Next Week


➢Session 5: Life on the Road

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intro to rv life · spend more time on the road and less time parked in your driveway!-ron...

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