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Why does my RV’s furnace only ignite when I lift the sail switch?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I have determined that my RV's furnace blower airflow is not sufficient to activate the sail switch. The batteries are new and charged,...

What’s the best RV roof material?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, My wife and I want to trade up to a small (25 feet or under) Class C motorhome. We looked at two, one...

Does liquid weight in tanks factor into GVWR when sitting in a campground?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I know weight capacities have been addressed, but one question that I have never seen answered in my 36 years of RVing is...

What is the solution to battery corrosion?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, What is the solution to battery corrosion? Seems if the hold-down brackets were made of something other than metal, it would minimize the...

Shore power goes off, so do interior 12-volts; battery fluid low. What should I do?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, Lost shore power and the interior 12-volts would not work. When the shore power came back on, the 12-volt lights worked. I have...

How long can fresh water be stored in the RV’s tank?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I was wondering how long I can store water in my 80-gallon fresh water tank. We went on a trip in early March...

My RV’s rubber roof has a few bubbles. Should I be concerned?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, Our RV's roof is by Alpha TPO. We clean it as recommended 4 times a year with Dawn mixed in a bucket of...

Water heater quits on LP when camping but works at the dealership. Why?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, Our travel trailer is equipped with a Suburban water heater model #SW6DEC. The first time out it had issues igniting (popping noises). We...

6-volt or 12-volt batteries for RVs—Which is better?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I keep reading about using two 6-volt batteries in series for RVs. Why? It seems like it would be simpler to have one...

Why doesn’t RV’s slide out work when plugged into house power?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I've had the RV plugged in during the winter on house power, starting it about once a week. All of a sudden the...

Can I leave the RV’s water heater on electric all the time when plugged into shore power?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, My RV's water heater uses both LP and electric. Can I leave the electric on all the time to heat water when connected...

Service center says wrong sealant on RV’s roof, wants $1000 to replace. What?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  On a recent maintenance visit to a local RV service shop, the tech inspected the roof and told me that the entire roof...

What’s the best way to install solar on my RV’s roof?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, Please inform me as to ultimate fastening of mounting rack for solar on my RV's solid surface/fiberglass roof. Most outfits just use screws...

How can I add shoulder harness seat belts to my Class C’s dinette seat?

Dave Solberg -
Hi, Dave, How can I add shoulder seat belts for my passengers sitting in the booth dinette that is on a slide in my Class...

We installed Dish Network, but now we have no over-the-air stations. Why?

Dave Solberg -
This Ask Dave question about Dish Network came in the version of a phone call rather than an email from a friend of mine...

My RV has major delamination. Where can I find DIY repair information?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  Unfortunately, I have a sizeable delamination project on my RV to tackle. Do you have any tips or referrals to articles or other...

Should Schwintek slide mechanism be replaced with the Vroom?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, Good day. I just read your article on Schwintek slides. We just had ours replaced with the Vroom product. Tiffin tried 8 times...

When plugging in your RV at home, should you unplug shore power while using charger?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I keep my camper plugged into a 20-amp outlet when it is in the driveway. Before I leave on a camping trip, I...

How often should I repack my RV’s wheel bearings?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I have read so many different opinions about whether to repack wheel bearings or use the external grease nipples. Some things I have...

Can I swap my gravity toilet for a macerator toilet to help with dumping?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, My fifth wheel has a typical Thetford gravity-style toilet, the kind that drops the stuff straight down to the tank. Are there any...

A 3″ hole for a 1″ wire? Why are RV manufacturers so careless?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, My question is, why are RV manufacturers so careless when building coaches? They drill a 3” hole in the RV floor to fish...

Is it better to have the front of the trailer a bit too high or a bit too low?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I cannot find a hitch receiver that makes my camper completely level. I have tried five types with different drops. None is right...

My RV’s black tank flush valve leaks, and the tank valves are labeled wrong!

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  When I use the black tank flush connecter on the outside of the trailer, I get water flooding the inside. I cannot verify...

My RV’s roof air conditioner is so noisy I can’t hear my husband 15 feet away!

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, First on my list is to thank you for ALL of your knowledge. I am wondering why my air conditioners are so loud...

No power is coming from my RV’s onboard generator. Why?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  The Onan generator starts and runs perfectly, but when I start it, it's not powering up the RV. —William, 2017 Fleetwood Flair LXE Dear William, I...

Can I sanitize RV’s fresh water tank without running solution through water lines?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, My coach is fully winterized as I flushed the pink, nontoxic, antifreeze through all lines, and the fresh water tank has been drained....

Is the Schwintek slide mechanism any better now?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, Saddest industry yet to see in my 25 years of camping. The very fact that Grand Design and Schwintek have not had RECALLS...

Why are RV’s decals fading and cracking so soon?

Dave Solberg -
Dave responds to a reader's question about why his RV's decals are fading and cracking on his two-year-old RV. He explains there are two...

How do I keep my RV’s on-demand water heater from freezing?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, Grand Design installed a Furrion 2.4 gpm tankless water heater in the Reflection. I did some research on this heater, and the heater...

How can I distribute the heat more evenly in my 5th wheel?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, is there a way to force more heat to the living area in my 5th wheel? The bedroom is 10-15 degrees (approximately) warmer...

Why not use West System Epoxy to adhere components to RV roof?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  I've seen videos of folks using different adhesives to glue down various components on the RV's roof and other places. Is there any...

How can I keep my truck and trailer from bouncing down the road?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I'm using a 2020 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Custom to tow. My problem is after going over any type of dip in the road...

Beware damaging your RV with high water pressure in campgrounds

Dave Solberg -
You're asking for trouble if you just hook up your RV to a water spigot at an RV park without checking the water pressure....

What size and type generator do I need for my RV?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, What size of a generator do we need for our RV? It’s a Montana High Country. Should it be an inverter generator or...

Is an after-market RV paint protection policy worth it?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, We just purchased a new trailer and it has been recommended that we get Platinum Shield Paint Protection applied to the manufacturer's RV...

How do I sanitize my RV’s fresh water tank through the filter?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I want to disinfect the RV's fresh water tank after the long winter storage. Even though it has been "empty," I will be...

Can I install a single on-demand water heater for RV’s kitchen and bathroom?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  I purchased this trailer in November 2021 from Lazydays outside of Memphis. It was known I was taking the trailer to my home...

My RV’s 6-volt FLA batteries are dry, but service manager says they should be good

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, In the fall I purchased a slightly used one-year-old motorhome from a dealer. The original owners made one 350-mile trip in it, decided...

RV’s batteries charge with solar but drain overnight when plugged in. Why?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, It seems my two 6v in-house batteries only charge through the solar controller. The battery voltage is fine during the day but they...

Who offers the best RV warranty?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, Which company offers the best warranty for a bumper-pull travel trailer? —Tony, 2021 Jayco White Hawk 27RB Dear Tony, We need to identify what you mean...

My RV’s furnace ductwork is exposed to the elements. How do I insulate it?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, My furnace heat is distributed through cut-out channels in the RV's flooring. It's all surrounded by the floor Styrofoam and is quite efficient....

How do I get the yellow stains out from around the RV’s floor vents?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  How do I get the yellow stains out that have come through the floor around the heat vents? I was told it was...

My Suburban water heater doesn’t work on 120-volt power. Does it need a second switch?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, My Suburban water heater doesn't work on shore power, or any other 120 power source. I made sure the switch was on at...

Why does my GasStop shut off the LP when the furnace turns on?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, This question came up during last week's Live “Talkin' RV Tech,” so I called GasStop to get an answer. My GasStop shuts off...

My batteries don’t charge when connected to shoreline power. How can I test my converter?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, My converter does not appear to be working. My batteries are not being charged when plugged into shoreline power. How can I test/check...

The RV’s slide-out is stuck extended. What do the controller blinks mean?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, My RV's slide-out room is stuck in the out position. I get 1 green light and 8 red blinks. I already changed the...

How can I get scratches out of my RV’s solid surface countertop?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, How can we get rid of minor scratches on our RV's solid surface kitchen countertops? —Rick, 2022 Newmar Dutch Star Dear Rick, There are several...

Can I safely retract the RV’s slide with a full fridge in it?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  I couldn't find an answer to this question on any forum. I hate to bother you further, but I'm wondering if it's okay...

My Dometic fridge won’t get below 50 degrees. Should I get a lithium battery?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  I have the new Dometic 4101 refrigerator that I really am extremely disappointed with. Unfortunately, I am stuck with it as it seems...

When RV heat is on, cabinets and counters get hot. Why?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, The drawers and countertops in/on the cabinet that houses the heater for the camper get very warm when the RV heater runs. Is...
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