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Atwood GC10A-4E Replacement: Best Tankless RV Heaters
Propane Hard 6-8 hours 398 👍

Atwood GC10A-4E Replacement: Best Tankless RV Heaters

Halfway through draining my Atwood GC10A-4E's supposed 10-gallon capacity, the water's already running cold but my gauge shows I've only pulled maybe 6 gallons. Are there any dual-fuel tankless units that would work as a replacement? I know there's no plug-and-play option, but what are the best tankless water heaters that offer both gas and electric operation for RVs? …more
RV 12V Lights Dimming: Complete Troubleshooting Guide
Electrical Easy 30 minutes 375 👍

RV 12V Lights Dimming: Complete Troubleshooting Guide

My neighbor insists it's the converter, the RV dealer swears it's bad wiring, and every YouTube video claims it's a dying battery—but my 12V ceiling lights keep dimming! One evening they're blazing bright like a casino, the next morning they're giving off all the enthusiasm of a sleepy firefly.

I've already checked my batteries, and they seem to be charging fine and in good shape. The converter is still humming and its fan is running normally. I'm pretty sure this isn't some fancy mood lighting feature I accidentally activated (though knowing my tech skills, anything's possible). The dimming seems totally random - sometimes they're fine, sometimes they look like they're on their last legs.

I've got a basic multimeter that I pretend to know how to use, but I'm not sure where to even start poking around. As a bonus weirdness, some of my under-cabinet light switches and the wall switch for the ceiling lights are getting really hot. Anyone know what typically causes this whole disco light show situation with 12V lighting systems? …more
RV 12V Auto Reset Breaker Size Guide: 30A, 40A, 50A Selection
Electrical Easy 30 minutes 351 👍

RV 12V Auto Reset Breaker Size Guide: 30A, 40A, 50A Selection

Opened up my RV this morning to prep for our two-week cross-country trip tomorrow and the electrical system keeps tripping the breaker every time I run basic appliances! My RV's entire 12V system just died completely - no lights, no water pump, nothing. I've checked everything I can think of and I'm pretty sure it's the auto reset breaker that's failed.

I have a WFCO converter/charger setup with dual 6V batteries, but I can't get underneath right now to read what's stamped on the current breaker. I need to order a replacement but I'm not sure what amperage to get. I keep seeing 30A, 40A, and 50A options online but I don't want to guess wrong and either undersize it or waste money.

What's the typical auto reset breaker size for this type of setup? Is there a standard that WFCO usually pairs with dual 6V battery systems? …more
RV Shore Power Not Working: Complete Troubleshooting Guide
Electrical Medium 45 minutes 348 👍

RV Shore Power Not Working: Complete Troubleshooting Guide

Plugged into shore power at the campground last night and absolutely nothing happened — no lights, no AC, nothing. Breaker on the pedestal looks fine and my neighbor's rig is running perfectly on the same circuit. Starting to wonder if something fried inside the transfer switch. …more
Best RV Thermostatic Shower Mixing Valves 2024 - Installation Guide
Appliances Medium 3-4 hours 307 👍

Best RV Thermostatic Shower Mixing Valves 2024 - Installation Guide

According to my screaming every morning, there's this scalding burn followed by an icy shock sensation hitting my back in my RV shower. There's no middle ground - it's like my water heater has anger management issues.

I'm shopping for a thermostatic mixing valve to save myself from daily temperature shock therapy. I keep seeing mechanical models like the Symmons Temptrol and Phoenix PF213200, but honestly have no idea if they're any good. And don't get me started on those fancy digital ones like the Kohler DTV+ - they look amazing but I'm guessing they're about as RV-friendly as a pet elephant.

Anyone know which thermostatic valves actually work well in RVs without requiring me to rewire half my rig or sacrifice my firstborn to the plumbing gods? …more

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Why Your RV Trips GFCI at Home But Not Campground: Complete Troubleshooting Guide
Electrical Medium 1-2 hours 290 👍

Why Your RV Trips GFCI at Home But Not Campground: Complete Troubleshooting Guide

Turned on my motorhome at 11 PM and it tripped the home GFCI again — works perfectly at campgrounds but I need this solved before departure.

I've tried different adapters, rewired a busted GFCI inside the rig, even turned off ALL the breakers including the main panel breaker. Still trips my house GFCI every time, whether it's the garage, side of house, or front outlets. What gives? Why would it work everywhere else but trip GFCIs at home? There's gotta be something specific causing this, right? …more
RV Water Heater Not Hot Enough: Fix Lukewarm Water Issues
Appliances Medium 2-4 hours 274 👍

RV Water Heater Not Hot Enough: Fix Lukewarm Water Issues

Looked forward to our two-week cross-country trip starting tomorrow until I discovered my RV water heater that used to produce scalding hot water now barely gets lukewarm. Both the electric and gas functions appear to be working - I can hear the gas igniting and see the electric indicator light - but the water temperature just won't get hot enough for a decent shower.

I've been dealing with this for weeks now and it's driving me crazy. The water gets warm, but nowhere near the hot temperatures I used to get. Is this a common problem with RV water heaters? What are the most likely culprits when you're getting lukewarm water instead of hot? I really need to figure out what's causing this and how to fix it before my next camping trip. …more
Onan 4000 Generator Surging: Step-by-Step Fix Guide
Engine Medium 2-3 hours 254 👍

Onan 4000 Generator Surging: Step-by-Step Fix Guide

Despite my neighbor's Onan 4000 generator purring like a kitten, mine suddenly developed nasty surging issues yesterday — what's going wrong? It surges when cold, then settles down as it warms up. Under load it surges heavily until the appliance shuts off. Getting worse each day.

What are the main causes of generator surging? Need a step-by-step approach to diagnose and fix this - should I start with the carburetor, fuel system, or something else? …more
Dometic R31 Stove Review + Gas Pressure Test Guide
Appliances Medium 3-4 hours 244 👍

Dometic R31 Stove Review + Gas Pressure Test Guide

Walked into my RV this morning to find my Dometic R31 stove flames randomly dying again - probably a dumb question, but is this normal? I've been looking at the Dometic R31 as a potential replacement, but I want to make sure I'm making the right choice before spending the money.

What's really concerning me is this gas pressure test mentioned in the installation manual. It talks about connecting some kind of gauge to a test port on the regulator, but doesn't specify what type of gauge or what pressure readings I should expect. I'm pretty handy with basic repairs, but gas systems make me nervous and I want to do this safely. Has anyone actually done this test, and is the R31 reliable enough to justify the upgrade from my problematic Wedgewood? …more
Ford 7.3 Godzilla Starter Relay Location & Fix
Engine Medium 1 hour 236 👍

Ford 7.3 Godzilla Starter Relay Location & Fix

Finally found the starter relay for my 2022 RV's Ford 7.3 Godzilla engine that keeps staying engaged after startup — but will replacing it actually solve this? This has occurred multiple times and appears to be triggering crankshaft sensor errors, putting the vehicle into limp mode.

Diagnostics point to a faulty starter relay or incomplete grounding in the circuit. Need to locate the starter relay in the Ford 7.3 Godzilla to test and replace if necessary. Where exactly is this relay positioned, and what are the typical failure patterns for this specific issue on the 2022 model year? …more
How to Diagnose RV Hard Starting Problems: Fuel System Troubleshooting Guide
Engine Medium 1 hour 231 👍

How to Diagnose RV Hard Starting Problems: Fuel System Troubleshooting Guide

RV cranks for 10-15 seconds before finally firing up, and it's getting worse each week. Used to start on the first crank every time. Fuel pressure seems low at the rail but I'm not sure if it's the pump, filter, injectors, or something else entirely in the fuel system. …more
Coleman Mach AC Leaking Water Inside RV: Complete Troubleshooting Guide to Stop Drips
Ac Refrigeration Medium 1-2 hours 223 👍

Coleman Mach AC Leaking Water Inside RV: Complete Troubleshooting Guide to Stop Drips

I'm planning my weekend getaway when I spotted water dripping from my Coleman Mach air conditioner model 49003A879 that definitely wasn't there yesterday. I'm in Myrtle Beach, with super humid conditions (90s with crazy humidity) and getting pea-sized water drops falling from the ceiling vents at maybe 2 drops per minute, which doesn't sound like much but it's making puddles on my floor.

I've been keeping the main ceiling vents mostly closed to push more air to the back of the coach. Climbed up on the roof expecting to find some fancy drain pump or tubing system, but honestly don't see much of anything obvious.

Is this just how these Coleman units work, or am I missing something? Really hoping this isn't a 'deal with it' situation, but wondering if my closed vents are screwing up the airflow or if there's actually a drainage problem I need to fix. …more

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How to Wire 12V DC RV Air Conditioner: Complete Dual Power Setup and Safety Guide
Electrical Hard 4-6 hours 222 👍

How to Wire 12V DC RV Air Conditioner: Complete Dual Power Setup and Safety Guide

Around day three of running my 12V DC air conditioner, my RV's battery bank is getting absolutely demolished way faster than it should. I'm replacing my dead 110V AC unit with a 12V DC air conditioner that draws up to 52A on turbo mode. My plan uses an AC to DC 12V 125A 1500W power supply for shore power, and house batteries as backup power.

I'm particularly worried about my 20A changeover switch - is that going to handle the load safely? What about wire sizing and fusing? I know I need proper isolation between the two power sources but I'm scared I'm missing something critical. Can someone please review if this dual power approach is even safe, and what I absolutely need to fix before connecting anything? …more
RV Red Fault Light No Power: How to Fix Partial Electrical Outage
Electrical Medium 30 minutes to 2 hours 215 👍

RV Red Fault Light No Power: How to Fix Partial Electrical Outage

Tried rewiring my RV's electrical system yesterday but something still doesn't seem right — red fault light is on and half my outlets have no power. My Class A has this red fault light glaring at me from the power panel, but it's not a total blackout situation. AC is running fine (thank goodness!), but my fridge, microwave, and some outlets decided to take a vacation.

I already tried the usual suspects - reset every GFCI I could find inside and messed with the main power cord panel outside where shore power comes in. Still got that annoying red light mocking me.

This partial power thing is driving me nuts. What should I be checking next to get everything back online? …more
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