This is the topic no one wants to think about, but we need to talk about it! A fire can start anytime in an RV – while it’s on the road or just sitting in a campground.

National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) reports that approximately 2,000 RV fires occur each year.  They also stated that it takes 30 seconds for the fire to burn out of control.  That’s hardly enough time for me to throw tammy through the window and grab Eva.

From 2018 to 2020, these fires resulted in an estimated 15 deaths, and 125 injuries.

It’s interesting to note that some insurance companies put the number of RV fires at 4,000 fires each year.

Here’s just a few recent examples:

April 2025 Shades of Sherwood Campground in Minneola Township, in MN. A cigarette discarded in a campground caused several travel trailers to start on fire and burn to the ground.

Sept 2025 (SC): Acapulco Campground on Lake Murray in Lexington County, SC. Fire destroyed six travel trailers, a vehicle, and a shed. One person was airlifted to the Augusta Burn Center.

Nov 2025 (Kansas City, KS): 11 campers destroyed at a Camping World lot. (there was another camping world a year earlier that also had several campers burn to the ground).

Dec 2025 (TN):  Fire destroyed at least two, and damaged up to four more RVs, displacing several residents just before Christmas. The blaze likely started from an electrical malfunction in one camper, spreading rapidly due to close proximity. No injuries were reported.

December 2025 Chico California – 2 rvs destroyed at a campground.

Jan 2026 (MO): Tall Pines campground saw a camper fully involved in fire. No one was at the camper at the time. 

Let’s talk about how fires can take place:

In route fires:

Mechanical or electrical failures cause roughly 75% of the highway vehicle fires.  This is why I have said multiple times to check your wiring under the trailer, and resolve any internal electrical issues immediately.

Many of these fires while in route were due to poorly adjusted brakes or overheated bearings or electric wiring shorting out.  So, at rest stops get out and check your wheels, I use an infrared heat gun.  My TPMS will also alert me of a temperature rise.

Propane fires can also happen during travel, which is why some states have laws regulation the use of propane while towing your trailer.  We won’t get into if you should or should not travel with your propane fridge running.

I now have a 12-volt fridge so I am a little insulated from the discussion but I always felt uncomfortable with the propane fridge even at the campgrounds, because we do leave Eva in the Travel trailer on occasion.  That being said the propane fridge has a much better track record than the 12 volt at this point, from a mechanical standpoint, not fire standpoint.

Speaking of floor children, it you have pets consider placing a pet sticker on your door or window. Someone may break into your trailer and save your pet in an emergency.

Regularly check your Propane fittings, hoses, and detectors.

Fires while camping:

Never leave appliances or fireplaces/space heaters, or fans running when unattended.

Do not overload any circuit by using power strips or extension cords. Many people plug portable heaters into power-strips that are not rated for that type of current draw, causing the wires to melt. Always plug directly into an outlet and remember not to overload the capacity because more than likely, there are other items running on that same circuit.

On my Imagine, one of the first tec’s said to me that he was surprised how many of the outlets were on one circuit.

Don’t store anything flammable near your cooking surfaces.  Paper towels, napkins, cooking oils, towels, are just an accident waiting to happen.

Keep your outdoor appliances, grills, griddles, torches, lanterns etc. at a safe distance from your RV.  You would be surprised at how many fires have started that way.

Precautions

Make sure your shore power cord is in good condition.

Invest in an EMS system, like progressive industries PT50X or PT30X – it will protect your trailer from power surges and it will provide over/under voltage, open grounds, open neutral and reverse polarity protection.

Make sure your CO2 detector, propane leak alarm, and all smoke detectors work. These will save your life.

Buy at least one extra fire extinguisher. The small ones that come with your travel trailer are probably woefully undersized. Having one in each room is a better, safer practice.  Check them regularly to keep them fully charged and within their expiration date.

Understand how your emergency exit windows operate and how to get out in a hurry. It is probably a good idea to conduct a fire drill.

Have an exit plan for each area of the Travel Trailer. These fires spread quickly, there is no time to come up with a plan once the fire starts.

Know your exact location when you camp, so you can give this info to the emergency dispatcher in the event of a fire.

During the year:

Stay up to date on any recalls. For example, in the last few years there have been recalls on Propane Regulators, Wiring, Refrigerator wire shorts, and fires behind Convection Microwaves. These are not recalls to ignore.

Maintain your mechanical items like brakes and wheel bearings.

Also do the preventative maintenance on your AC Units, Furnace, Water Heater, and Refrigerator. If something doesn’t seem like it is running correctly get it checked out and repaired.

In the event of a fire:

If it is a small fire that you can easily extinguish without placing yourself in danger, then use your fire extinguisher. For any other situation, immediately leave the RV.  Once you have exited, do not re-enter.

Call 911 and give them your exact location. If other RVs are close to you alert them so they can evacuate as well.

In conclusion: This isn’t a pleasant topic and not one I write to instill any fear, just precaution. Your odds of a fire are might be small, and even smaller yet if you keep the above in mind.

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Having a travel trailer can be an incredible way to explore the country and make lifelong memories. However, it also comes with costs, responsibilities, and challenges that many first-time buyers don’t consider. I’ll walk you through 12 key questions that will help you decide if RV ownership is the right move for you.

It should give you a realistic look at what this lifestyle really takes.

#1 How comfortable are you with the additional cost of RVing?

An in dependent inspection will cost at least $500.00. A WDH can be anywhere from a couple hundred to over a thousand dollars depending on what you choose. Then there are all the necessary things you will need to buy just to be able to use your travel trailer. You will need a sewer hose, freshwater hose, chemicals for your black tank, an EMS surge protector, water pressure regulator, leveling blocks, and on and on. Amazon prime will become your best friend.

Next, you will need to pay the following:

Also, remember stopping a travel trailer is just as important as pulling one.

Towing is more that moving along a level plane, or having the ability to make wide turns, you might even get into a situation where you need to back up. Tail swing is an important consideration, in particular at gas stations. As you turn, the tail of your travel trailer moves one foot in the opposite direction for every three feet you drive forward.  Towing is not as easy as some make it look so get ready to practice.

#3 How comfortable are you Setting up a hitch?

A weight distribution hitch distributes the weight of the trailer across the vehicles. A properly adjusted WDH will prevent your trailer from swinging wildly while going down the highway.  It’s not a nice to have, it is a must have. You are responsible to make sure you don’t turn another motorist’s travels into a nightmare. I’ve never found a dealership yet, that sets them up to my satisfaction.   So, I always do my own.

#4 How comfortable are you Setting up a travel trailer?

      You will need to back it up into your campsite because not every site is a pull-through. In addition you will need to level it side to side and back to front. The leveling needs to be done before you put your slides out. You need to be able to safely chock your wheels and disconnect from the tow vehicle. Then you will need to hook up your power and water, etc. I recommend hooking up your power right after you level the trailer so you have enough power to move the slides. As you can see, setting up isn’t as simple as pulling into a site and climbing into the travel trailer. However, back in the 90’s when we had trailers without slides, it almost was that easy.

#5 How comfortable are you with General Maintenance?

Be prepared because things are going to break. It might be something easy to fix like wall trim, or something more complicated.

Roof and seals need to be inspected often and maintained.

Water lines and water heaters need to be drained after each trip

AC’s inspected, cleaned, and tightened

Wheel bearings need to be inspected and repacked yearly.

Plumbing needs to be checked regularly for leaks

Brakes need to be adjusted if you don’t have self adjusting brakes. All brakes should be inspected when you do your bearings.

#6 How comfortable are you Dealing with sewage and grey water?

If you’re not willing to deal with this, it’s not a lifestyle for you.  It’s not a pleasant chore. Youve heard the expression “S&*t happens!”, yeah it does. You will need to understand the correct process for dumping your black and grey tanks. Double check all your fittings before you pull the dump levers otherwise you will be the neighbors entertainment, and you might need to throw your shoes away.

#7 How comfortable are you Dealing with Propane systems?

Run out of propane once on a cold night, and you’ll quickly understand why staying on top of it matters. Beyond that, you need to know how the propane regulator works, how to disconnect and reconnect your tanks, and how to check for leaks. Leaks can also happen inside the trailer. If the propane alarm goes off, get out immediately and shut off the tanks. Then you—or a technician—must figure out what’s causing the problem.

#8 How comfortable are you Dealing with two different types of electricity.

A travel trailer uses both AC power (like your house) and DC power (like your car). Shore power supplies the AC electricity from a campground pedestal or a generator. Your RV battery supplies DC power, and the converter charges it—think of the converter as a large battery charger. Converters do fail; I’m on my third one in eight years, so it’s something to keep in mind.

Sometimes an appliance will use both types of electricity.

Without the AC, you’re not going to be running your AC, TV, Microwave, Fireplace, or residential fridge. Without DC, you’ll be without your lights, furnace, water pump, water heater, standard RV fridge.

#9 How comfortable are you Dealing with RV systems/appliances.

All of these systems need to be maintained – even more so than your home systems. Clean the AC filters about once a week while you’re using the trailer, and clean the AC coils annually.

There are no filters on the furnace, so you need to vacuum that area regularly. It won’t take much dog fur or dust bunnies to interfere with the sale switch, then your furnace wont run.

Drain your water heater and water lines after each trip, and flush out the water heater as well. If the water heater has an anode rod, you will need to inspect it regularly and replace it as needed.

#10 How comfortable are you Dealing with heights?

You need to clean and inspect the roof, window seals, cap seals, and sidewall seals. If you’re not comfortable working on the RV roof or climbing a ladder, pay someone to handle it. A fall will cost far more than hiring an RV technician to take care of these tasks.

#11 How comfortable are you Dealing with off season winterization

 One of the most critical parts of owning an RV is winterizing it. I won’t go into details here, but doing this incorrectly can cost you hundreds of dollars in spring repairs, including broken water lines, ruptured water heater tanks, and other damage. If you’re not comfortable doing the job yourself, have a dealership or a mobile RV technician handle it.

#12 How comfortable are you with campgrounds?

Here’s the deal breaker. Many times, you won’t know what kind of campground you are checking into.  Some are great and some are horrible.  All of them have rules – think of it as a Home Owners Association.

Never let a campground host direct you into a site you’re not comfortable with—the risk falls on you. If a campground looks bad when you pull in, leave and find another one. We’ve done exactly that.

If you can’t tolerate occasional sub-standard campgrounds, road noise, or close neighbors who ignore the rules or act rudely, this lifestyle isn’t for you. Those situations will happen. How you handle them will make or break your camping experience, which is why researching campgrounds ahead of time matters.

In conclusion: If the 12 points above feel like too much work, you’re not wrong. RVing can be demanding, frustrating, and sometimes expensive. If that reality turns you off, this probably isn’t a lifestyle you’ll enjoy.

So, if you’re Thinking of Buying Your First RV, I hope answering these 12 questions helped you get a clearer picture of what RV ownership is really like. If so, then you’re already ahead of the game.  RVing can be one of the most rewarding lifestyles out there, but only if you go into it prepared.

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If you think buying a brand-new travel trailer will result in at least several years of trouble-free travel, well that’s not going to be the case at all.  In fact, during the first year you may see the most trouble.  This is why I always recommend getting an independent inspection.  That way you will limit the potential problems you will have.

I have certainly given my perspective on why these problems exist, and you just need to go through a number of my videos or blog posts to get my slant on things.

So, lets talk about managing your expectations if you are just thinking about buying a travel trailer.

1. Know what your tow vehicle can haul before you even start shopping.  DO NOT rely on the RV dealership to tell you what you can tow – they have no idea, and it’s not their job.  Watch this video for more information.
2. Get an independent inspection before you buy a new or used trailer.  Minimize your risk as much as possible.  Don’t be shy about walking away from a bad purchase.  Don’t let the trailer’s glitz blind you into making a terrible decision.
3. If there are a few minor things that need to be repaired, Do not sign any papers until all work is completed. Signing first gives you no leverage on getting the repairs done in a timely fashion.
4. Things are going to break, plain and simple.  If you are handy, even slightly handy, that’s a big advantage. You won’t want to take you rig to sit on a dealer’s lot for a month for something simple like a loose P-Trap under the sink, a leaking sink connection, or a loose piece of trim.
5. RVs need regular maintenance, even during the warranty period, so make sure you understand what is not covered. An example would be the roof.  While the membrane has a long warranty, the inspection, and application of additional sealant is on you.  This will probably also apply to the silicone sealant on the exterior of the rig.
6. Protecting your new RV is expensive. You won’t leave the dealership with everything you need.  A surge protector, water pressure regulator, back up camera, all the water hoses, black tank hoses, connections, and supplies. All of this is expensive.  Add to all of that the insurance and storage costs.  It all adds up. Then there’s all the Amazon purchases you will probably make!
7. You’re probably going to screw up. Everybody makes mistakes, so your job is to try and limit the damage, and embarrassment.  Like having the sewer hose come off the rig when you are dumping your black tank at the campground.  Perhaps it wasn’t connected properly, or because you forgot to push the black dump handle back in after the last use.
8. Once you start a procedure—like winterizing, dumping the tanks, or hooking up the trailer—you have to stay focused.  Follow that process all the way through, so tune out anything that might distract you until you have completed your task.
9. Campgrounds can be great, mediocre, or absolutely horrible. Thinking that every campground is going to be great is going to lead to major disappointment.  Do research on campgrounds before you book a site.  A one nighter at a bad campground may be ok, but more than that and you’ll wish you never checked in.
10. Campgrounds have rules – it’s not a free-for-all, although it may seem like that sometimes. You need to follow all their rules, or risk getting kicked out. It helps to know the rules BEFORE you check in. For instance, they may not allow your breed of dog. So, research all of this ahead of time.
11. You are responsible for the safety of your rig at the campground. It doesn’t matter if a camp host guides you to the site and states “You can make it”.  If you don’t think you can fit or turn into or back into a particular spot, then tell them no.  Request a new spot or start looking for another campground. Frankly, Tammy and I have done this quite a few times. When it comes to keeping my unit safe, I am not shy.
12. Sometimes parking the rig with your partner can be stressful. Try not to end up on the couch instead of the bed after a long day of travel. In Chapter 10 of our Book “A guide to enjoying your travel trailer” we talk specifically about this issue.
13. You are responsible for the safety of others on the road.  I see this as a very neglected fact when people post crazy stuff on-line such as “I don’t need a weight distribution hitch” or “I drive in high winds all the time, never have a problem”. This is a selfish view of traveling with a towable RV.  A trailer that goes out of control on the highway could kill innocent folks that are traveling around you.
14. There’s no shame in asking your neighbors for help.  Most folks in RVs are more than happy to assist others at campgrounds.  I’ve helped people navigate out of spots, fixed their leaking water heaters, helped unhook the tow vehicle, and answered a multitude of questions.  I think most folks will do the same. This says something about the travel trailer community!

I hope this helps anyone thinking about purchasing a travel trailer.  Having a travel trailer can be a great adventure and build a lot of memoires.  However, it is not a lifestyle without any challenges.

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So, for the sake of this blog post we will assume the trailer has passed its inspection. Feel free to create your own list using the following as a guide:

1. Know how to connect and disconnect your travel trailer to your tow vehicle. Do this more than once so you know how to do it effortlessly. This would include hooking up your tow chains, brake-away switch, and power cord from RV to Tow Vehicle.
2. Know how to level the trailer using leveling blocks, and the front power jack. Not having the trailer level will lead to many problems such as the refrigerator not running correctly, the sink and shower as well as holding tanks not draining correctly.
3. If you have an auto-leveling system, you will need to know how it operates, and I would suggest using it a few times before leaving the dealership.
4. Know how to use the stabilizing Jacks. These are only used to keep the trailer from moving as you walk inside. They are not to be used for leveling the trailer. Some are electric, some are manual. understand how to extend and retract them.
5. Understand how to connect your shore power to the trailer. When you leave the dealership, the first thing you should buy is an EMS (electric management system), sometimes referred to as a Surge Protector, but an EMS is much better than a standard surge protector. They are expensive but may save you hundreds of dollars if something goes wrong with the power supply, or in the case of a close lightning strike.
6. Understand how to connect your water supply to the trailer. When you leave the dealership, the second thing you should buy is a water pressure regulator. Not having a way to regulate the incoming pressure could lead to burst water pipes.
7. Understand the difference between the “City Water” connection, and the “Fresh Water” connection. Understand the proper way to switch between the two types. The city water connection uses the campground water pressure to supply you with water. The fresh water (tank) used the water pump to draw water from the tank and supply water. Understand how the freshwater tank gets filled, sometimes there are two different ways to fill it (a lever, and/or an outside connection).
8. Understand how the water pump works.
9. Understand where your low point drains are located. This is very important for winterizing your trailer. Know where the fresh water drain valve is located as well.
10. Understand the other connections that are located outside or in an outside storage location. this might include things like cable and satellite hook ups, outside lighting, 12-volt cut-off switch, etc.
11. Understand how to hook up your sewer hose (AKA Stinky Slinky). Make sure you know how to make sure it’s fastened correctly, or you will be looking for new shoes, and maybe a new campground! You also need to understand the appropriate procedure for dumping your tanks. The black tank goes first followed by the grey tanks. The tanks need to be at least 3/4 full before you dump.
12. Understand where all your dump handles are located.
13. Understand how to use the Black Tank Flush Valve, if you have one, and NEVER walk away when that is being used! I can’t stress that enough.
14. Understand how to drain your water heater. You should do this after every trip. Some heaters will have a plastic plug that is removed, others will have an anode rod. If you have an anode rod, you should be pulling it to inspect its condition on a regular basis. It prevents your water heater from rusting.
15. Understand how to access your water heater in order to by-pass it for winterizing. Understand how the bypass valves work.
16. Understand the Jack Points for your trailer in case of a flat.
17. Moving inside the trailer, locate the control panel. this panel will have a display for some if not all of the following: battery condition, holding tanks levels, water heater ignition, interior lights, and awnings/awning lights.
18. Know how to properly operate any slide-outs you have.
19. Know how to properly open and close any awnings.
20. Know how to open vents and turn on vent fans.
21. Understand how to open the emergency egress window to get out in an emergency.
22. Locate and understand how to operate the fire extinguisher. In fact, you might want to buy a few extra.
23. Understand where the fire detectors are located. This would include locating the Propane/CO2 detector and understanding how it operates.
24. Make sure you can operate the furnace and the AC unit. This would include a knowledge of the settings you will need to use on the thermostat. Also understand how to clean your AV filter(s). The furnace will not have a filter.
25. You may want to try all the appliances that come with the unit. This may include the Fireplace, TV, Microwave, Fridge, stovetop, etc.
26. LASTLY – understand all the things that don’t come with your trailer. This would include the sewer hose, tank chemicals, water hoses, leveling blocks, TV cable, etc.

So, I hope this list help with conversations you may have with your dealership! Take your time going through your new or used trailer. This is your time to make sure everything is correct; the dealership owes this to you!

Happy Camping!

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The story really starts out in 2007 with the purchase of a massive Coachmen Travel Trailer. The 288FKS was a travel trailer that was, for us, love at first site. When Tammy and I went to DeHaan RV Center in Elkhorn Wisconsin back in 2007, I wandered around the lot. While I was just walking around looking at what brands they carried, Tammy found the Coachmen 288FKS. She found me and as she was taking me to it, we ran into the owner Kim. She asked if we saw anything we liked and Tammy said “Yes, this Coachmen up ahead”.

I was blown away when I saw it. It had the nicest kitchen of any trailer we have ever owned. It had real cabinets, and more than you could ever want PLUS counter space galore. There really was nothing bad about this trailer, other than it’s length. It was thirty five feet long. In addition it had the wheels placed almost directly in the center of the rig, so the pivot point made it difficult to maneuver.

This trailer never gave us an ounce of trouble, but trips became a nightmare at gas stations. Regular gas stations just didn’t give enough room to pull this rig away from the pumps safely. So, before every gas stop, we would watch the approaching station and figure out whether we could get in and out easily. If the answer was “No” then it was on to another gas station. Over the course of the eight years that we owned that trailer, there was never a trip where the length combined with the pivot point didn’t cause us stress.

In 2015, Tammy and I decided we could probably safely downsize to a 24′ trailer. We had recently lost our dog Kaela and were now down to two German shepherds, Hannah and Kendra. I wanted to travel without the struggle at the pumps. We thought this trailer, the Jayco 24RBS, would be the solution.

I have to say the layout looked great on the internet, but then doesn’t everything? We basically dealt with the dealership on-line including the trade in value of the Coachmen. All we had left to do was drive from North Texas to Oklahoma City to pick it up.

The trip took place on maybe one of the worst possible days for towing, cold with freezing rain. More than once going over a bridge I could feel the Coachmens’ tail start to slide. After about the fourth episode of this I told Tammy “If it happens one more time we are stopping at the next exit and waiting out this weather, even if that means camping there”.

Fortunately shortly after that we drove out of the rain. Then it was into the RV Dealership to deal with the walk through and paper work.

When you are used to a large open floor-plan like the coachmen, it’s hard to wrap your head around a smaller space. When we walked in the bedroom and bathroom doors were both closed. So we entered into the living area, and my first thought was that this trailer was surprisingly small. As I looked around I began to wonder is it just that both doors are closed so we feel confined? Little did I know it at the time but Tammy was having the exact same conversation in her head. That is where the problem began; neither of us voiced our concerns.

We finished the paperwork, and left with our trailer to a nearby campground. Both of us probably wondering if the small size was a concern to the other spouse.

I want to say first of all that we did a lot of traveling with this trailer. Our worries about gas stations evaporated on the way home from the dealership. We could easily pull in and out of any gas station that had an open pump. There are certainly advantages to having a smaller travel trailer.

I have had three Jayco travel trailers over the years and I have to say (I sound like a broken record) but they have the strongest roof of any trailer we have ever owned. There are other things that they do well, like bathroom layout and storage. The things they don’t do so well with are items like furniture, and space to walk around the bed.

Keep in mind the national average for people trading in an RV is about seven years. However, after only a year of traveling in the 24RBS with our two girls (Hannah and Kendra), it became apparent it just wasn’t large enough. That’s about the time we discovered we had both held our tongues during the walk through. If only we had said those five little words “This is just too small”, our lives would have been easier. Our decision to downsize would have been better done at an RV show. That way we could have gotten an appreciation over what was available, and it probably would have forced us to have some conversations about space.

While the trailer would have been fantastic for a couple; it wasn’t great with the the puppies. There was a window that went almost to the floor behind the table. This became a favorite barking point for my girls as well as one of the only spots they could stay out of the way of our feet. Could we have made it work? Maybe. Did we want to? Not really!

Eight years later we are in our almost seven year old Imagine. It rivals the Coachmens’ length, but several things have changed since then. 1. The wheel placement on the Imagine is so much better that maneuvering at gas stations for the first four years wasn’t an issue. 2. I bought a diesel Ram in late 2020, and now I go through truck stops to get my gas. There are no worries about gas pumps anymore at all.

This Imagine was probably the most thought out purchase we have made, and we haven’t seen anything that would take it’s place. I always say “there is no perfect travel trailer”, and that is still true with the imagine. You just need to make the best possible choice available. Most important is to voice any concerns immediately to your significant other.

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When we are at home, the Travel Trailer is on shore power, parked under the overhang on my shop. The MarCELL unit continues to monitor conditions inside the trailer. Occasionally, during thunderstorms, the power will go out and I will get a notification. Such was the case on June 15th and 16th when numerous thunderstorms rolled through north Texas. The emails below were just one type of alert that I received. I also had the text and phone call alerts. While you might find that quite annoying since we were at home, it shows just how reliable MarCELL is as a product.

I’ve mentioned before that the travel trailer gets its shore power from the shop. So, when I get that alert I know that the shop power is out. In the winter this is important because my pool equipment runs from shop power. So, if it is below freezing, the alert serves as a reminder to start the generator so my pool equipment won’t be damaged. So, as you can see, it is a multi-purpose solution for us.

As you can see, the MarCELL becomes a multi-purpose solution to not only my trailer but my stick and brick house as well.

Since the MarCELL unit works off a cellular plan, I don’t need to worry if the internet goes down. That also means that I don’t need to install an expensive internet solution in my travel trailer.

We have had this unit now for over five years and it has been flawless both on the road and at home. I can’t imagine traveling without it. If the MarCELL unit seems like something you would like to research, then check out www.meetmarcell.com. If you decide to purchase a unit use the code TTN20 to receive $20.00 off at checkout.

Now, on a side note, Tammy is currently visiting family up north. So Eva and I are holding down the fort and doing some maintenance on the trailer. The MarCELL unit is also programmed to send alerts to Tammy. So when we have been having issues down here with power, I will get a text asking “What’s going on with the power down there?”.

Stay tuned for some updates on a few maintenance items.

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I currently have a 2017 imagine and I know more about this trailer than any trailer I’ve ever owned. The only exception would be the 1971 Jayco Jaywren. Of course the Jayco was a no-frills, very basic travel trailer; so there wasn’t a lot to learn! The Jay Wren had very limited wiring, only one water pipe, a simple propane set-up, and a couple wheel bearings to deal with. There really wasn’t much that could go wrong.

The way Travel Trailers have changed since the 1971 JayWren is huge. It would be like comparing differences between my 1966 VW Beetle and our Dodge Durango. They have very little in common, other than the most fundamental parts. It’s the same when comparing my JayWren to my current Grand Design Imagine. Of course, technology brings big changes; and big changes means more things can go wrong. When you have a component on your auto (or RV) that can fail and bring your trip to an immediate end; you might start to believe that things were better in 1966!

On our current Grand Design Travel Trailer I’ve worked on almost everything from the roof, propane lines, wheel bearings, electrical, plumbing, slide motors, even to the way the cabinets are constructed.

The RV industry seems to get more glitzy every year adding more “improvements” to their RVs. Travel trailers now have slide rooms, complicated electronics, residential style appliances, solar, etc. So as you can see there really is a lot more to deal with now.

You’ve heard the expression “knowledge is power”? Well I would say “knowledge is enlightening”. The more you know about your trailer and how the factory put it together the easier it is to work on.

Someone once told me that you “learn a lot more when you are under pressure (i.e. Your equipment is broken and you need to fix it ASAP).” While there is some truth to that, it’s not an optimal way to learn.

Watching videos on YouTube is a great way to get a taste for some of the things you need to know but every trailer is different. A case in point would be Schwintek slide motors (if you have that system). You can watch a dozen videos on replacing those motors but until you actually do it you won’t have an appreciation for how easy or hard it may be.

It’s the same on routing maintenance items like inspecting and sealing your roof, repacking wheel bearings, or winterizing your trailer.

Working on an RV isn’t for everyone, and you should never undertake any repair or maintenance outside your knowledge or comfort level. For more on that subject click here. Ignoring your own personal safety will cost much more than taking your trailer to a repair facility.

However, I do want to say that many tasks such as winterizing your RV are easier than you might think. This can be true with modifications you make to the travel trailer as well. There are many items you can add to your trailer that don’t require very much effort or skill. Items like bug screens, screen door handles, different stairs, tire pressure monitoring systems, are just a few examples.

In the case of the slide motor replacement on our Schwintek slides; I was surprised how simple it ended up being. Since we were at a campground when one motor quit; we had no choice but to deal with it ourselves. There were no available mobile RV services that had motors or that were available to perform the repair. Now fortunately for us the slide was out about a foot when it quit. This allowed us to easily access the retaining screw on the outside of the trailer. Had it been closed we would have had a harder time dealing with this repair. Click here if you want to read more.

As a result, I was happy that we learned more about the trailer. I also learned that we make a pretty good repair team. I’ve since replaced all the remaining slide motors – they were due. Now this kind of repair isn’t for everyone, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had imagined.

The purpose of this post isn’t to try and convince you that you should repair everything on your trailer. It is just a suggestion that you learn as much about your trailer as possible. Having that knowledge will help you make decisions about repairs or maintenance you feel comfortable doing or not doing.

A manufacturing plant that I once worked at started an “Equipment Captain” program. Each Supervisor was assigned equipment that they were responsible for maintaining. That didn’t mean that they repaired the equipment or performed the actual maintenance routine. They were just responsible for learning about how that equipment operated and what preventative maintenance needed to be done in order for it to run effectively. Then they were responsible for documenting that process and setting up a maintenance schedule and handing that process off to the mechanical team.

That is not much different than what you do with your car or truck. You don’t need to know how to tear the engine apart, but you need to know what routine maintenance needs to be done. If you don’t do that eventually someone else will be tearing your engine apart.

Of course, there are things that I would not feel comfortable doing and that is where I would look for a certified RV tech. Knowing your limitations is just as important as knowing your strengths. I always try to determine the worst case scenario if I undertake a repair. If I could possibly do more harm than good, then the trailer is going to a repair facility. However, knowing your trailer intimately will at the very least allow you to have a knowledgeable conversation with the repair facility.

Now with winter approaching, it is a good time to plan for winterizing your travel trailer. Even here in Texas winterizing is necessary; however it happens much later in the year. Don’t put off the winter preparations because the last thing you want to be doing is facing a repair you didn’t need. If you would like to see an overview of our process for winterizing click here. Keep in mind each travel trailer is different but it will give you a general overview of the process.

Now, get out there and get intimate with your travel trailer!

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Eva’s always Happy to get a Present, even if its not camping related!

1. If the person you are buying for wonders what camping is like in a travel trailer, what to consider before purchasing, or just wants to get more out of their travel trailer, consider a book from our collection. Click here to see the list of our books at Travel Trailer Nation.
2. The MarCELL remote monitoring system. This is the best on the market in our opinion. It not only monitors the temperature in your travel trailer (or house), but also the humidity. There are also remote water sensors that can be placed in different locations to give you an alert of a water leak. But let’s face it, this is probably the most important thing you can buy to protect your pets if you ever leave them in the trailer. It sends a combination of texts, emails, or phone calls to alert you of a power outage or temperature/humidity deviation from your personal settings. Go to www.meetmarcell.com and use TTN20 to get another $20.00 off at checkout. You will need to buy a cellular plan for it as well but it is very inexpensive.
3. The Water Right 500 Series water hose. The best hose we have ever used in our 30 plus years camping. It never kinks and is light weighing it at only 2.4 pounds for a 25 foot hose. Comes in a variety of colors too. It is available from a lot of different stores, but click here to view the one available on Amazon. It’s pricier than most of the RV hoses you will see on-line but well worth it.
4. Tired of losing your bumper caps? Here’s a bumper cap manufactured by Camco, that will never come off your bumper. It is held on by very strong magnets and allows you to hook your sewer hose directly to the cap for easy removal. Click here to see more.
5. For the DIY Guy or Gal, don’t forget about wheel bearing packers, and bearing seal removers. Both of these make the job of repacking your bearings much easier. There are many different models available on Amazon. Click here to see an example of a seal removal tool. Sure you could just pry with a screwdriver and hope for the best but you will probably break your screwdriver and things will rapidly go down hill after that (don’t ask me how I know). Click here to see an example of a wheel bearing grease packer. This is a much better alternative than hand greasing bearings!
6. Klein Multi Tester. This multi tester will help you track down issues with your DC and AC current. It also measures DC microamps, resistance, continuity, frequency, capacitance, and diodes via test leads, and temperature via a thermocouple probe. It has an LCD display that optimizes view ability both in dark or bright ambient lighting. Click here to learn more.
7. A 1/4 inch drive torque wrench in INCH pounds. This is the torque wrench to have for jobs where there is a torque setting needed in INCH Pounds. For example, my AC unit gasket bolts are supposed to be inspected yearly and torqued to 40 Inch pounds. It comes with its own carrying case too and it won’t break the bank. Click here to see the one I purchased but there are many others to choose from.
8. Eternabond Roof Tape. RV roofs get damaged, sometimes even from tree branches, why not be prepared just in case. This tape is amazing, and should be a part of every RV’ers tool box. It also comes in different widths. Click here to see an example on Amazon. There is a reason it gets a five star rating, it is an amazing product that has saved many camping trips!
9. Renator Water Pressure Regulator. Don’t let high campground water pressure ruin the water lines inside your travel trailer. Always protect yourself with a water pressure regulator, your trailer will thank you. Click here to view one on Amazon. This is very inexpensive insurance against damage to your water lines.
10. Small portable air compressor. These are great for keeping tires full or blowing out your water lines if a unexpected cold snap happens to come along. There are so many options that I would hesitate to make a recommendation. I purchased a 6 gallon Bostich 150 PSI compressor and am very happy with it, but it needs household current to operate. There are many 12 volt air compressors as well that will operate off your RV battery. Having an air compressor with you when you travel is just a good idea.
11. Valterra Flush King. This makes cleaning your black tank easier, and helps break up plugged tanks. We have always used on and like the results. Click here to view on Amazon.
12. An Amazon Prime Membership – let’s face it most RV folks end up as Amazon junkies, and there isn’t a 12 step program for that …yet. They will thank you for getting them the gift that gets them what they need in a hurry and at a great price.

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The Owners Manual (in my case a Dometic Unit) is going to describe how to remove the filter, and perform other routing maintenance on your unit. The manual will also have a small section on trouble shooting any problems you may experience.

There are three specific tasks that you will want to perform on a regular basis. The first is the cleaning of the AC Filter. Remember to ALWAYS turn your power completely off when doing work on your travel trailer. Also, if you are nervous doing work on your unit, find a competent repair facility to do the work for you.

Task 1

The recommended filter cleaning schedule is as follows. A minimum of every two weeks of operation, remove the air filter and wash it with soap and warm water. Then let it air dry and reinstall it. Never run your unit without the air filter in place. That will plug the evaporator coil with dirt and will cause performance issues. Keeping that filter clean increases the efficiency of your AC unit. That in turn keeps you cooler.

I cleaned my filter earlier in the year and we’ve have only been on two short trips. I pulled the filter and at first glance it looked clean. (Keep in mind calling it a filter is a bit of a stretch; it’s just a fine thin mesh.) Then I ran a paper towel over it… it was disgusting!

If you have an AC unit in your bedroom, you should check it at the same time. Get religion around cleaning your filters..like you would on checking tire pressures.

Task 2

You will also need to conduct an inspection each year on the mounting bolts. These are the four bolts that hold the unit to the roof. In-between the lower unit and the upper unit there is a foam gasket. The purpose of this gasket is to keep and water out of your travel trailer. It can only succeed in this task of the bolts are tight enough to compress the gasket and make a waterproof seal. On my unit the torque specifications are 40-50 INCH pounds. I highlighted Inch for a reason. If you don’t read the specs correctly you may think FOOT pounds, and 40-50 foot pounds would probably damage your unit.

So, you will need to purchase a special INCH torque wrench to do this task. Follow your owners manual instructions on how to disassemble your lower fan Air Distribution Box (the AC lower cover) so you can access the four bolts. This was easy on my main unit, and less easy on my bedroom unit.

Task 3

Lastly, you are going to want to get up on your roof and pull the AC shroud at least yearly and look at what is lurking inside.

Step 1 – While on the roof, remove the four screws that hold the shroud onto the Unit. On my unit there are two screws in the front of the shroud and two screws on the rear sides.

Next lift the shroud off and gently place it in a safe spot on your trailer. Remember it is very light and if it’s windy it could blow off the roof of the trailer. Next perform a visual inspection. Here’s what I found just yesterday:

I was not thrilled to find these mud dauber nests on the AC unit. However, they were easy to remove and then I cleaned the unit completely. I do this inspection yearly, so it looks like I will be doing it more often now. It’s interesting to report that there were no nests in the front AC unit (bedroom).

So here is another fun fact. While you are up there with the shroud off (and the power off too), reach in front of the fan blades as if you want to touch the center shaft were it comes through the fan. Mud daubers LOVE to built nests there and on the shaft of the fan. You should be concerned about this as it will throw the balance off on the motor and make a heck of a racket when the AC runs. Just ask my buddy Al…it happened to him this spring. Keep in mind the fan motor is factory lubricated and needs no service. So this inspection will probably suffice.

You could inspect the evaporator coil while you are up there and see if it needs any cleaning, but beware, you need to be really gentle so you do not bend any fins. My coil looked very clean.

OK, once you have your unit clean you can reinstall the shroud. Now you should be ready to resume cooling your travel trailer.

Finally remember that how well your air conditioner works also depends on the heat gain inside your travel trailer. Doing the following will help you reduce that heat gain and help your AC unit run more efficiently:

1. Park in a shady spot
2. Use Window shades, blinds or curtains. You might also consider getting your windows UV tinted. If you want to read about tinting windows click here.
3. Minimize the amount of going in and out of the trailer.
4. Avoid using heat producing appliances.

Having a nice cool RV depends on you; So do not neglect your Air Conditioner. Stay Safe and enjoy your travel trailer!

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Just as a bit of background my buddy, and fellow RVer Al, had been struggling with his refrigerator temperature during the day. Someone had told him to turn his fridge on between 11:00 PM and midnight due to the defrost cycle. The theory was that then the defrost cycle would also come on around midnight the next day. Avoiding the defrost cycle during the hottest part of the day would then keep the fridge cooler.

Since I have really never had temperature issues with my RV fridge, I had never really looked into the timing of the defrost cycle. Of course I usually turn my fridge on in the evening a few days before we leave.

After Al told me about the defrost cycle timing I decided to reach out to Norcold directly and ask the question. Here is their response in its entirety:

Hello John,

Sorry for the delay. Actually, every 49 hours the unit enters frost management. Please see the attached PDF that explains the cycle. I always tell consumers to turn off then back on the fridge at 11pm or midnight; so it defrosts in 49 hours at midnight or 1am. 

Here is the PDF info:

Gas Absorption Refrigerators- Frost Management Cycle:
Any gas absorption refrigerator with a thermistor has a frost limiter/frost management cycle. We say frost limiter instead of saying a defrost cycle because the refrigerators do not have a heater in it to automatically melt the frost in the refrigerator like a normal house hold refrigerator would have. Instead it will simply stop running until it reaches a certain temperature that is warm enough to melt some of the frost build up.

Any frost that has not melted by the time the fin temperature reaches 39F, will not melt and can stay there until the next frost management cycle. Every 48 hours the refrigerator will automatically stop its cooling cycle and begin to warm up until the fin temperature reaches 39F, in an attempt to melt any frost build up on the fins inside the fresh food compartment. Once the fin temperature reaches 39*F, the refrigerator will then begin running again and cooling the refrigerator back down.

It is also very important to remember that the fin temperature that the thermistor is constantly sensing is about 10 degrees colder than the air temperature inside of the refrigerator. This means that the refrigerator air temperature can reach about 50 degrees by the end of the frost management cycle. The reason that this is okay is because the food and water inside of the refrigerator will hold its temperature much longer than the air will. On average, the refrigerator can lose up to 10 degrees air temperature each time the refrigerator door is opened. It can then take the refrigerator about 2 hours to regain that missing 10 degrees. This is the reason why it is so important to take food or water temperatures with a food thermometer instead of relying on an air temperature thermometer.

If you are experiencing a perceived issue of intermittent cooling; please verify that it is not just the frost management cycle at work. To reset the time of day that the frost management cycle will cycle, (and to avoid using the refrigerator during the cycle and accidentally causing it to warm up more than normal); you can simply turn your refrigerator off and back on either late at night or early in the morning.

James

Customer Service, Thetford Corp/Norcold Inc

So, this is very helpful information, even more so if you are concerned about the temperature of your beer! I think this will definitely keep your food and beverages colder when you need it the most; during the hottest part of the day! In addition if you see the temperature of your refrigerator rise during the day…it may be in a defrost cycle; so follow the above instructions before you call a repair service. Now go get your Norcold colder!

If you need to download a Norcold Product Manual click here.

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