RV Maintenance Guide for RVers Plus Parts & Tools
To help you enjoy the RV Lifestyle and avoid being bogged down by persistent problems or the stress of not understanding your RV, we have put together this simple guide to help remove the frustration from RV Maintenance. The following list is a suggestion of how an RV can be categorized. Consider categorizing it differently and adding more to it or subtracting from it to match your RV. At the end are the spare parts and tool recommendations. I also mention in podcast 145 that almost all the manufacturers of appliance parts and just about anything else you will find in your RV will have manuals on their websites. This will help you build your manual or guide.
This guide will be updated regularly.
We highly recommend listening to podcast Episode 145 to help understand the thought behind this guide.
The first thing you need is Confidence. The second thing is knowing your Skill Sets and Limits. “The Smart RVer”
I have watched videos, read blogs, how to manuals, listened to everyone, talked to techs and there is no way every scenario for an RV can put in writing especially accurately. Although a lot of appliances function similar or even the same such as a Suburban Furnace.
They may function similarly and have parts that overlap from one model to the next. But, there are hundreds of models, not all of them are still being made, there can be differences in parts and functionality. The same is true with RV refrigerators, water heaters, and many other RV parts and accessories.
I feel that breaking down the RV by Systems and learning what your RV has installed and how it was built will set you up as an expert with your RV. You do not need to learn about Joe Blows RV on YouTube and how he wrangled his water pump out of his storage area or fixed his furnace, it belongs to him rather than you. You can focus on your RV and take any video you watch with a grain of salt, unless it is from The Smart RVers YouTube Channel.
Online Manuals: I also mention in podcast 145 that almost all appliance parts manufacturers and just about anything else you will find in your RV will have manuals on their websites. This will help you build your manual or guide.
This will allow you to have so much good information at your fingertips that you should be able to diagnose just about any problem with your RV. Save them as electronic files or print them and put them in a binder.
Electrical System – Can include the following:
Power Converter – Charges 12-volt battery(s)
Power Inverter – Converts 12 volts to 110 volts
Power Center – Houses 12-volt fuses and 110-volt Circuit Breakers
Power Center with Built-In Converter – Fuses, Breakers, and Converter.
ATS (Auto Transfer Switch) – Used if the RV has a Generator to separate it from shore power. Sometimes it is built into the converter or inverter.
110 Volt Plug Receptacles and GFCI Outlets – Looks the same as what is in your house. (Inside RV)
110 Volt Power Cord and Inlet (Out Side RV) – 30 amp or 50 amp service. Connects your RV to Shore Power. Shore power could be a house, a pedestal at an RV park, portable or built in generator or anywhere you can plug your RV into power. It can range from 15 amps to 50 amps sometimes requiring adapters for your cord to be able to plug in correctly.
Battery(s) – House Battery for powering up 12-volt accessories such as lights, powered fans, some awnings, and any 12-volt accessories. House batteries could be 12 or 6 volt. 6 volt batteries need to be installed in pairs and wired in series to create 12 volts. This set up needs to be wired correctly to avoid 18 or higher voltage.
Solar Systems – Solar Systems usually only charge the 12 volt (or two 6 volt batteries wired in series) house batteries, separating them from the 110-volt and 12-volt systems.
Lighting System- Can include the following:
12 Volt Interior Lights – All Interior Lights & Fans- All Interior Lights are 12 volt, there are not any 110 volt lights in modern RVs. The lights are also not hybrid 110/12 volt. Most new RVs have LED interior lights where as older ones have incandescent light fixtures that may or may not have been upgraded to LED bulbs. The latter is better, newer LED light fixtures fail much more often.
12 Volt Running Lights – Tail and Clearance Lights – The Red and Amber lights on the side, rear and front of an RV. Newer RVs are coming with LED clearance lights which sometimes need adapters to work with newer tow vehicles. Incandescent lights that are working properly are very visible at night, check your RV for brightness at night in a dark setting to see if you need to make the conversion to LED.
12 Volt Utility Lights – Compartments, Porch, LP Tanks, Tongue Jacks, etc.
Fresh Water System – Can Include the Following:
Water Pump & Filter Screen – The water pump should have a filter/screen attached to the inlet side to keep debris from entering the pump and damaging it or causing problems.
Water Filters – Interior or Exterior: These could be an inline exterior Filter(s) that connects to the Fresh Water Hose Inline or Canister Style. Or the filter(s) could be under an interior counter (Under Counter) possibly near the RV’s water inlet near the water pump. Video coming very soon.
Faucets – All faucets, interior & exterior, and related hoses and sprayers. Most RV Faucets have ½” male pipe thread.
Fresh Water Tank – Stores fresh water and supplies the water pump when the RV is not connected to City Water.
Fresh Water City Inlet & Gravity Fill – The City water inlet and Gravity Fill are sometimes combined into one unit or 2 separate units.
Fresh Water Lines and Fittings – This includes all water lines, usually pex (Type B) tubing or something similar. Fresh water lines can be semi-rigid (Pex) or flexible, usually with nylon reinforcement running through it. The fittings can be an assortment of Flair It Compression Style Fittings, Push-In Connectors, or several types of clamps and Pex A Clamps and Tubing. See recommended list below.
Sanitation System – Can include the following:
Waste Holding Tanks – Back (Toilet) & Gray Water (Sinks & Shower)
Waste Valves – Waste Valves are connected to the holding tanks. Usually 1.5” or 3”
Black and Gray Water Plumbing – Usually 1.5” or 3” Black ABS fittings and pipe connecting the sinks, toilet, and shower to the black or gray tank, respectively.
Holding Tank Rinsers – Built into the RV waste tanks with a water access port on the side of the RV.
Toilet – The RV Toilet connects directly to the Black Water Tank – The toilet sometimes is installed above the black tank and other times might be off to a side with 3” ABS pipe conneting the toilet to the tank.
Appliances – Can include the following:
Furnace – All RV’s have a built in Furnace to heat the RV and the water lines in cold environments
AC – Usually mounted on the roof, available with an optional heat strip for heating
Microwave – Nukes food fast!
Dishwasher – New to the RV Industry – Probably a bad idea!
Washer& Dryer – Stackable or Side by Side
Generator – Built-in or portable
Water Heater – Traditional Gas & Electric or On Demand
Range/Oven – Counter Top Range or Range/Oven Combo
RV Refrigerator – Gas & Electric, Compressor Style 12-volt or 110-volt
Ice Maker – Can be built into the refrigerator or a countertop model
Ventilation System – Can include the following
Roof Vents – Powered and non-powered, high-velocity vents, roof vent covers
Plumbing Vents – Mounted on the roof covering vent pipes from holding tanks and sink drains.
Attic Vents – Small round vents are sometimes confused with plumbing vents.
Refer Vents Roof Mount and Side Mount: – Usually one on the roof above the Gas & Electric refrigerator to allow upward venting. There will also be one on the side of the RV for refrigerator access and allows for venting.
LP System (Propane) – LP Tanks, Valves, Regulator(s), Flexible Rubber LP Lines, Quick Connect Fittings, LP & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
The Roof – Racks, ladders, and the other components mounted to the roof that must be sealed to prevent water leakage into the RV, Vents, solar panels, seams, antennas, etc.
The House – Side walls, Windows, Side Vents, Trim, Compartments, Underneath, Flooring, Cabinets, Furniture
Chassis – Travel Trailers & Fifth Wheels: These chassis/frames are easy to maintain because of their limited complexity. Wheels, Tires, Axles, Leaf Springs, Spring Hangers and components, Tongue Jacks and levelers, manual or electric.
Chassis – Motorhome: Motorhome chassis vary by the RV Class, A, B, C, and Super C; some are commercial chassis converted to RV Chassis. Others are made specifically to be an RV. Motorhome Chassis require much more maintenance than a trailer chassis. They require maintenance very similar to Semis, Vans, Trucks, and Buses.
RV Spare Parts and Tool Suggestions: You can modify this to fit your RV
Fresh Water System:
Pex Tubing: 5’ of ⅜ and ½ Pex A, 5’ of ¾’ Pex A if applicable to your RV
> Pex A is milky clear and more flexible than Pex B (Red, Blue, White), which is usually used in RVs.
Clear Tubing – 5’ of ½” ID – Clear tubing may be used in your RV
Reinforced High Pressure Very Flexible Tubing 5’ x ½ ID – Sometimes used with water pumps and as water lines.
Flair-It Fittings or Similar: Female Pipe Thread (fpt), Male Pipe Thread (mpt) Pex Tubing (pex)
2) #1 Coupler ½ x ½ pex
2) #2 Straight Swivel ½ pex x ½ fpt
2) #3 90 degree Swivel ½ pex x ½ fpt
1) #4 Elbow ½ pex x ½ mpt
1) #5 Tee ½ x ½ x ½ pex
2) #6 Elbow ½” x ½ pex
2) #7 Pex Cap ½”
1) #8 Straight ½ pex x ½ mpt
1) #9 Coupler ½ pex x ⅜ pex
1) #10 Straight Swivel ⅜ pex x ½ fpt
1) #11 90 Degree Swivel ⅜ pex x ½ fpt
4) #12 Pex Clamp
1) #13 Female Swivel ½ fpt x ½ barb
1) #14 Female Swivel Elbow ½ fpt x ½ barb
6) #15 Seal ½
2 Feet) #16 Pex A ½
2 Feet) #17 Pex A ⅜
5 Feet) #18 Flexible High Pressure Line ⅜
5 Feet) #19 Clear Low Pressure Line
> Flair It fittings do not require any special tools. Flair-It Fittings can be replaced with brass or plastic push-in fittings requiring a stainless clamp ring. The ring requires a special tool to crimp it. DO NOT use screw clamps; they can’t get tight enough!
Falir-It Fitting Seals: 8) Seals for most ½ fpt fittings. Toilets, Faucets, etc.
Pex Tubing Cutter – Designed for making Straight & Clean cuts.
Check Out Complete Kits @ Sunpromfg.com
12 Volt System:
12 Volt Fuses – Fuse types can vary by RV type. Travel Trailers will typically only use a “ATC” style fuse. Motorhomes can have “ATC” type fuses and the various fuse types the chassis may have—other fuses- Maxi, Mini, Micro 2, Micro 3. For this guide the focus will be on the ATC type of fuse typically used in Trailers and House portion of a motorhome.
All though the focus is on ATC fuses, you should check your chassis for any fuses you think you should have a spare(s). Most Dealers for the chassis brand or auto parts stores can help you determine the spares you need.
You can purchase a fuse kit from any auto parts store, which is easier and usually cheaper than buying packages for fuses.
Must-Have ATC Fuses: 10, 15, 20-amp. Converters usually require (2) 30 or 40-amp reverse polarity fuses. All plastic fuses are color coded.
12 Volt Circuit Breakers: Circuit Breakers are like fuses. They come in several different styles depending on your RV type. Some of them can be expensive to carry as spares. The more complex breakers are usually found on Motorhomes, higher-end trailers, and 5th Wheels. The most common and least expensive 12-volt circuit breakers to fail are usually 40 and 50-amp stud mount auto or manual reset , 3-8 bucks.
Wire Connectors and Tools: It is good to have a small assortment of wire connectors, electrical tape, volt meter, test light, wire stripper, and crimper.
Note: Stay away from no-name brands on places like Amazon. The quality can be so po0r.
Lighting:
Interior Lighting– Keep a few bulbs that work with your interior lights, assuming they have replaceable bulbs. Many new RV interior lights are LED, and the bulb is built into the fixture. Keeping a spare hard to find Light Fixture might be a good idea. You may not want to travel with it so it doesn’t get damaged. Keeping a few spare bulbs can come in handy. RVs may take all of the same bulb or several different bulbs. The most common interior bulbs are #’s 1076, **921 & 912 can be interchanged, 1141 & *1003 can be interchanged.
*1003 burns cooler than an 1141 making it less likely to burn light lenses.
**912 burns cooler than a 921, using a 921 is okay and more available.
Exterior Lights – Same as above for interior lights. Most common clearance light bulb 194, Porch Light #1076, 1141 & 1003
Appliances:
Appliance parts can be expensive and fragile. They are also more delicate and can get damaged if they are adequately packed. You may also lose any warranty you might have if it isn’t installed within a certain amount of time.
If you opt to carry a circuit board or some extra appliance parts, for example, please keep them packaged and well-protected from bouncing, sliding, and being abused from being improperly stored.
Some parts may only be 10-15 bucks such as a Suburban Furnace sail switch or limit switch, maybe carry a spare. This is up to you and how much you trust your RV and the availability of parts when you travel. If you come across good used parts for your model make them your spares.
Must-Have Atwood/Dometic Water Heater Parts:
Atwood/Dometic ½” Drain Plug
Dometic ½” Drain Cap
DSI (Gas) Eco & TStat
Trailer Chassis:
Tires: I recommend at least one spare tire, all of my trailers utility, etc have two spares. If one tire blows more than likely another tire will blow. And depending when and where the tire blows, getting a new one might not be easy and more than likely it will not be the same one. To better understand trailer tires, could you listen to this podcast I recorded years ago? The quality may suck, but the information is good. Episode 3 Trailer Tire Safety.
Axles, Leaf Springs, and Wheel Bearings: I recommend at least one set of bearings (inner & Outer),