 Mark… My Words
Do
you have questions about RV technical issues, the RV lifestyle
or
RVs in general? Ask Mark!
Hi Mark,
Ghost voltage drained my 6 month old deep cycle battery. I live in Florida and my RV is always plugged in when I am using it. If I re–charge it will it still be usefull to me? If in a emergency could I ever use the in coach charging system to re–charge a dead battery?
David – Largo, Florida
Unfortunately, if a deep cycle battery is discharged until it is completely flat it will negatively affect the battery’s overall capacity and lifespan. Also, the longer it sat in a fully discharged state, the worse the damage will be. You can recharge it and it will still probably hold a charge and work reasonably well, but it will be wounded, and will probably have a shortened life.
Your coach’s charging systems can be used to recharge your batteries, but depending on the style and design of your RV converter, it may not be the best charging source. I would use a quality portable automotive battery charger to re–animate your dead battery, and keep an eye on the electrolyte levels while it charges, as a fully discharged battery may vent a lot as it charges back up. Add distilled water to keep the electrolyte above the plates during charging.
Mark,
I found a lot of information in your column except the question I had about the furnace. The gas furnace quit working and I am at a loss as to what the problem is. We checked the fuse and it was not blown. after that I dont know. We operate it on a level surface.
Thanks, Tom
Although it’s difficult to troubleshoot by long distance email, I can offer some suggestions on things to check. If the furnace blower never comes on at all, first make sure that there is 12V power getting to the furnace control board. Check the power plug or wiring in the furnace compartment with a meter. If power is there, check the thermostat next to make sure that it is functioning. It is possible to swap out a simple wall thermostat designed to operate only the furnace with a similar model. These simple thermostats are nothing more than a temperature–controlled on–off switch. Integrated models that control the AC and furnace together are a bit more complicated, and may require professional help to test and diagnose.
If the thermostat is OK, and power is getting to the furnace, then the fault probably lies inside the furnace itself, and you should probably have a qualified technician work on it.
Now, if the furnace blower does run, but the furnace doesn’t produce heat, all that power and thermostat stuff is probably working OK. What may be causing this problem is no propane getting to the furnace, too low a voltage at the furnace when it is running, a dirty furnace igniter, a failed internal sail switch, or a failed control board. Check the first two, and if the problem isn’t there, then it’s probably time to get a technician in.
If you are confident in your mechanical ability, you can pull the furnace and work on it yourself, as they are really not all that complex. There are a number of troubleshooting guides available online. Here are a couple to get you started:
www.marksrv.com/furnace_trouble_shooting.htm
www.rverscorner.com/articles/furnace1.html
www.rvbasics.com/techtips/rv–furnace–problems.html
However, if you have any doubts about your ability to safely repair and test a propane appliance, you’re better off letting a qualified repairman work on it.
Hi Mark,
What is a site where I can get ratings on RV similar to Consumer Guide on used vehicles? I would like to know which ones have the most problems and which ones have lower maintenance and repairs.
Thanks, Gene
Take a look at www.rv.org. That’s the home site of the RV Consumer Group. They used to publish their RV Ratings Guide in a big green book, but over the last few years they have transitioned to a CD format. Although the guide does cost some $$$, it will be money well spent if you are shopping for an RV. The current CD version contains rating guides that cover years from 1993 to 2007. The guides rate items like value, reliability and highway control, and list weight ratings and prices. Unfortunately, they don’t specifically rate some of the items you are interested in, but take a look at their FAQ on the rating criteria at
http://www.rv.org/faq–ratings.htm.
Hi!
We recently purchased our first motorhome. It is a 24.5 Class C on a Chevy Chasis w/454 motor. After taking 2 short trips, we realize that we definitely need another vehicle to tow behind it so that we are not "confined" to the campground. We attended a local RV show and also contacted the dealer where we purchased our RV – no one seemed to be able to give us a straight answer! Do you know how we can determine the towing capacity of the vehicle and what kind of vehicle the RV would be capable of towing. We have heard that Jeep Liberties can be towed, Saturns, etc. How can we tell if a vehicle we are interested in purchasing is "towable?" Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
John & Rose
Your motorhome will have a vehicle weight rating plate or decal mounted somewhere inside or on the coach. They can be hard to find! Check inside cabinet doors and closets. Also, look inside the driver’s door frame. Once you find the ratings plate or decal, there should be a Gross Combined Vehicle Rating (GCVR) listed. This indicates the maximum your RV and any towed item combined can weigh. As long as you stay below that GCWR, you should be fine. Obviously, the lighter the towed vehicle (or "toad") the better. If you totally cannot find a ratings plate, your best bet is to contact the manufacturer for a duplicate.
To research which vehicles can be towed 4–down behind your motorhome, I know of no better source than the Motorhome Magazine website at www.motorhomemagazine.com. Motorhome Magazine has been publishing a dinghy towing guide for years, and it includes all the information you’ll need to determine which vehicle will make the best toad for you. Well, everything that pertains to the act of towing, anyway! Look on the lower right of the home page for the link to "Dinghy Towing".
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Mark Nemeth has been involved with all things RV for more than ten years, including almost 5 years on the road as a fulltimer. Nowadays, Mark is parked for a while and works on staff for the Escapees RV club as technical advisor, consumer affairs director, and instructor in the Escapees RVer’s Boot Camp program.
Some content previously printed in Escapees magazine, published by the Escapees RV Club. All material provided by Mark Nemeth, Escapees Magazine Technical Advisor and Boot Camp Instructor. For more information about the Escapees RV Club, please visit www.escapees.com or call 888–757–2582.
