House Calls
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Read the latest questions and answers in this month's House Calls!
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Check out the latest House Calls with the RV Doctor for January 2018!
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Dear RV Doctor:
We need to know if our expectations are unrealistic about our fresh-water pump. We recently replaced the SHURflo 5900 pump in our motorhome with a SHURflo 4048 High Flow Pump, because the 5900 is no longer offered. But the 4048 causes the 12-volt lights to flicker. The performance of the pump itself is far inferior — but that’s not electrical; that’s a SHURflo issue. That said, what might be causing the flicker?
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I own a 2005 National RV Dolphin motorhome. The kitchen/living room is half tiled and half carpeted. We would like to replace the carpet with vinyl planks that look like wood. They are about 6 inches by 3 feet and are self-stick. The product is called TrafficMaster Allure Vinyl Plank Flooring, which features the GripStrip design; it’s available at Home Depot. This product is thin and flexible. A friend replaced his carpet with this product and has experienced no problems. He has an older National RV coach that employed a step-up slide mechanism. My coach, however, has a newer flat-floor mechanism. Will our slide operate properly with this thin material on the floor? My mechanic says that the slide wheels will tear the vinyl floor. I'm looking for another opinion.
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Odor Origins
Dear RV Doctor:
I attended one of your recent motorhome maintenance talks. You spoke about ways to reduce or eliminate sewer odor. One recommendation was to replace the P-traps with HepvO waterless sanitary valves. While I can see the value in getting rid of gray-water odor, I thought the real sewer odors came from the black-water system, which just has the toilet connected to it. I have not used a motorhome yet, so all of this is theoretical for me, although I have smelled it in marine pplications. Can you please clarify?
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GFCI QuestionDear RV Doctor:I have been one of your many fans for the past 25-plus years. I would like some information about GFCI operation. How do they actually work in a motorhome?
Harness To Where?
I am desperately trying to determine where a plug connects on the used 1997 Fleetwood Tioga I just acquired. The plug sticks out of a rectangular hole …Generators And NonusezDear RV Doctor:I previously owned a motorhome with a diesel generator, and there were exercise requirements to follow during storage. I now drive a 2015 Newmar Bay Star Sport with a gas generator. Some people suggest that putting a stabilizer in the gasoline and running it long enough to get it through the carburetor is sufficient maintenance for several months of nonuse.Spare Propane RegulatorDear RV Doctor:I have a Type A motorhome with a bolted-on propane tank that uses a two-stage horizontal regulator. The 10-year-old regulator works fine, but I would like to carry a spare, as you suggest in your video on the FMCA YouTube channel.Water Pump Won’t Shut Off
Something is wrong with my three-way water pump system. The pump will not turn off at any of the switches. The green light goes out when I push a switch, but as soon as a sink faucet demands water, the light comes back on and the pump comes on.DIY Tank ReplacementDear RV Doctor:I bought an old motorhome a couple of years ago. It certainly was not perfect, but for an old one, it was in good condition. Last year I noticed the black-water holding tank developed a leak right at the output of the tank.Slideout Roof SealantsDear RV Doctor:We are new at this and are trying to do the best for our new motorhome. What type of sealing products would you use on the roof of a slideout?Battery Box CorrosionDear RV Doctor:First, thank you for your very informative seminars. I attended three in Perry and was pleased every time. We were unable to take our motorhome to the convention, so we stayed off premises. When we returned home, I was eager to use some of your advice. When I opened my battery compartment, I discovered that I have a corrosion problem.Missing Pump SwitchDear RV Doctor:Where can I find the water pump on/off switch on a 1986 Dolphin 22-foot motorhome? I was told the water pump in my RV had an indicator, but I have been unable to locate it. Help!Cable ConfusionDear RV Doctor:More than a year ago, we purchased a 2006 Fleetwood Excursion. It had battery issues when we bought it, but everything worked. The house battery is wired according to a diagram from one of your seminars. However, we’re not sure where one red cable should be connected on the house battery terminals.What’s In There?
While draining my black-water tank, if I close the drain valve suddenly before the tank is empty, I hear a clanking noise from inside the tank. It sounds like something is floating loose and hitting the tank wall when the flow is stopped. This may have started during the winter.Baffling Battery DrainDear RV Doctor:The chassis battery drains on my mom’s 2014 Winnebago Vista. We were told the battery should be replaced because it no longer held a charge, but a new battery yielded the same result.Perplexing Furnace ProblemDear RV Doctor:I was intrigued to read the letter from Mike Tobias in the August 2015 “House Calls” column (page 20) about lack of heat in his 2014 Tiffin Phaeton equipped with two furnaces. We have the same problem in our 2015 Itasca. Our two furnaces fail to work when the temperature is in the mid-30s or below.Discolored Extension Cord PlugDear RV Doctor:In the June 2015 “House Calls” column (page 20), a reader queried about discolored cord contacts. I have a similar issue where the female receptacle on a 15-foot, 50-amp extension cord has turned brown, presumably due to heat or spark gapping,Broken Water Heater Drain Plug
Dear RV Doctor:
I attended your waste management seminar at FMCA’s Family Reunion in Pomona and learned several good tips. Thank you! We are full-timers in a 2012 Winnebago Adventurer with …A/C Fan Runs ContinuouslyDear RV Doctor:
We have a 1998 motorhome with an Airxcel air conditioner and a Coleman-Mach thermostat. The thermostat controls — low, high, and automatic fan — work fine. We are able to turn the unit off with the thermostat. The system cools and heats fine. Our problem is the unit will not turn off by itself no matter what temperature we set. What is the problem?How Best To Test
Dear RV Doctor:
In the past, you have said that a good RV technician would test a propane system at the main regulator using a propane testing device and manometer. The tests include measuring and setting the operating line pressure, verifying the lock-up pressure …Oven Won’t Shut OffDear RV Doctor:We have a 2001 Holiday Rambler. The stove is the original Atwood Wedgewood, which measures approximately 20 inches wide by 18 1/2 inches deep. When the oven reaches the set temperature, it does not stop or shut off; it just continues heating.
Why No Heat?Dear RV Doctor:
I have a 40-foot 2014 Tiffin Phaeton with two Suburban furnaces. When the outside air temperature falls below 40 degrees, I turn on the furnaces. Initially, both run fine, cycling on and off to maintain the set point. But at about 5:00 a.m., they both quit, and there is no heat or fan.Roof Cleaner RecommendationDear RV Doctor:Twice a year, I clean my RV’s roof with a popular roof cleaner and treatment. Just about every time I wash the RV, I spray on another popular cleaner and wash it off after brushing the roof. Recently an RV technician used silicone spray to lubricate the antenna, and some of the silicone got on the rubber roof. As I wiped it off, it removed a layer of dirt . . .
Furnace Blows FusesDear RV Doctor:I just purchased a 1993 RV. The heater works, but it blows fuses after about five minutes of operation. It has a 15-amp fuse, and I replace it with the same. Any ideas?Extra Exterior ReceptacleDear RV Doctor:I've owned a couple of older Type A motorhomes that had a 120-volt weatherproof outlet on the outside of the coach. The outlets were handy for powering the awning lights, a radio, or even an exterior light for reading outside in nice weather.Multiple TV Failures
Dear RV Doctor:I have a 2010 Winnebago Aspect that I purchased new in 2011. I have been through three televisions. A TV repairperson checked them and said the inverters failed on all three. One repair technician found it odd that there is no insulation behind the entertainment center.Sticky Leveling SituationDear RV Doctor:We have a 2007 “new to us” Georgetown motorhome. We have used the Lippert Components leveling system five times — during the walk-around at the dealer when we picked it up (worked fine); that evening at a campground (worked fine); in our driveway a couple of weeks later (all jacks stuck down); camping a couple of weeks later (worked fine); and during an end-of-season trip (rear jacks stuck down).Electrical MalfunctionDear RV Doctor:My Safari is always “on” in some electrical fashion. This problem has now escalated to the point where I cannot start the motorhome.Generator Is Not Charging BatteryDear RV Doctor:I have an older 31-foot Type C motorhome on a Ford E-350 chassis with an Onan MicroLite generator, model number 4KYFA261000B. One weekend while at a remote location, the generator was used for about 18 hours for the air conditioner and RV power, and then early in the morning the generator died . . .AC Voltage ProblemDear RV Doctor:I have a 2010 Thor Motor Coach Windsport 32A. I hooked it up to shore power in the driveway for about a week. All 120-volt electricity was off.Finding A Fuse
Dear RV Doctor:
We have a 2008 Fleetwood Bounder in which we experienced a surge at the Atlanta Motor Speedway when the neutral wire on a 50-amp aftermarket …Repairing Leaky Joints
Dear RV Doctor:
Our 2009 Newmar Dutch Aire has developed several leaks in the joints of the PVC gray and black waste systems.Repairing Leaky Joints
Dear RV Doctor:
Our 2009 Newmar Dutch Aire has developed several leaks in the joints of the PVC gray and black waste systems.Some Battery Basics
Dear RV Doctor:
I am getting ready to purchase new batteries for my coach. I remember you saying in your seminar that it is possible to determine the amp-hour rating for any battery by …Maximizing 6-Volt Battery Efficiency
I would like to know the best way to hook up four 6-volt batteries that are in the bank of auxiliary batteries for my 2004 Excursion diesel-pusher motorhome. They are all brand-new batteries.Removing The Toilet
Dear RV Doctor:
I need to take my toilet out to work on it. It’s a Thetford. Can you steer me to where I can find out how to unbolt it, please? The leak is in the inlet connection, or that part where the water first comes in.Either Versus Or
I have a 1991 Damon Ultrasport on a Chevrolet chassis. I am looking for a detailed wiring diagram for the two switches that control the two air conditioners via the generator and the shore power.Light and Dark
Dear RV Doctor:
I have an issue with the lighting in my 1982 motorhome. Several interior lights (in the hallway and two in the bedroom) sometimes work but other times do not. How do I figure out …Newer Posts