Before the first freeze
Winterize the water system
Air or antifreeze, bypass the water heater first, and keep the compressor at 35-40 psi at most.
01Start with the symptom
What stopped working?
Pick the symptom. Each exit goes straight to the page that walks through the checks in order, cheapest and safest first, and says where the job stops being a driveway fix.
Common
- EXIT01Pump runs, nothing at the faucetTank level, airlock, fuse, strainer, in that orderWA
- EXIT02No hot waterGas side, electric side, or both: the bypass valve comes firstAP
- EXIT03Furnace blows cold airUsually the battery, then the sail switch, then a blocked ventAP
- EXIT04Fridge is warmCheck level first, then split gas from electricAP
- EXIT05AC blows warm airMeasure the supply and return split before anything elseAP
- EXIT06Pedestal breaker keeps trippingThe watt math for 30-amp and 50-amp serviceEL
- EXIT0712V lights and pump deadBattery switch, voltage, fusesEL
- EXIT08Battery dead by morningA draw, a tired battery, or a converter that stopped chargingEL
- EXIT09Black tank won't drainSoak it loose; never push a rod through the toiletWS
- EXIT10Tank reads full right after dumpingResidue on the probes, not a broken tankWS
- EXIT11Sewer smell in the cabinFive sources and the order to check themWS
- EXIT12Slide won't come inLocks, voltage, the controller, then the documented overrideSL
- EXIT13Water stain on the ceilingTrace it to the seam before it reaches the deckingRF
- EXIT14A code on a displayWhat fridge, water heater and furnace codes meanAP
- EXIT15Pump won't shut offAir in the lines, a leak, the check valve, then the switchWA
- EXIT16Water under the water heaterWhere it drips tells you which of four leak points it isAP
- EXIT17Outlets dead, GFCI won't resetFind the master outlet, dry it out, then test the deviceEL
- EXIT18Propane alarm beepingFind which alarm it is, then read the light before anything elseAP
No exit matches that yet. Try another word, or start from how every system fits together.
02Power first
Several things quit on the same trip? Check power first
The furnace, the water heater on gas and the fridge on gas all lean on one 12-volt battery. The AC, the electric element and the fridge on electric all lean on the pedestal. When a group fails together, the shared supply is the first suspect.
- 10.5 VBelow about this, furnace igniters typically fail to light. A furnace that only blows air is often a tired battery.
- 3,600 WThe ceiling of 30-amp service: 120 volts times 30 amps, one leg.
- 12,000 W50-amp service: two 120-volt legs of 6,000 watts each.
- ConverterCharges the battery on shore power. The inverter makes 120 volts from it. How the two fit together.
Load check: will the breaker hold?
Tick what runs at the same time. Watts are typical running figures; the label on each appliance gives its real draw.
0 W of 3,600 W
Nothing ticked yet.
The full calculator splits a 50-amp rig by leg and covers startup surges.
Open the full calculator03Moments that touch every system
Season changing, or new to the rig
Two moments when every system needs a look at the same time.
Just bought it
First checks on a new-to-you RV
Roof seams, water through a regulator, both dump valves, the battery, and which water heater you have.
04Routine
The routine that prevents most of the above
Three habits catch most expensive failures while they are still small.
05Systems
Browse by system
Eight systems live inside the walls. Towing, engines and chassis are a different job and are not covered here.
WAFresh waterPump, city water, regulator, filters
WSWaste tanks and toiletDumping, clogs, sensors, smell
WNWinterizingAir, antifreeze, bypass, spring startup
EL12V and 120V powerBattery, converter, 30A and 50A
APPropane appliancesFurnace, water heater, fridge, AC
RFRoof and sealsSealant, membranes, leaks, recoating
SLSlides and awningsLube, stuck rooms, seals, fabric
MSSchedulesPre-trip, monthly, seasonal, annual
06New on the site
Latest guides
