These past few weeks, I’ve been all hands on deck with my RV, confirming the adage that an RV is a high-maintenance hobby. It’s taken over my spare time, but I can’t say I mind much. The bathroom faucet was the first to demand attention—leaking due to its soldered copper connections. A question to the universe: Who uses such faucets in an RV? I opted for a lighter, plastic replacement.
During this maintenance spree, I also installed a battery monitor I picked up from Amazon for just $39. This required cutting the RV’s negative cable—a task that surprisingly gave me pause, even with my background in mechanics. I installed a shunt in series with the negative battery cable, which I placed under the RV. To protect it, I wrapped the area in electrical tape. The cutting tool of choice was bolt cutters since my cable cutters couldn’t handle the 2awg cable, and I used vise grips to crimp the 250a terminals. I noticed the RV pulls around 6 watts when everything is off, which doubles to about 12 watts with the battery disconnect switch on. This drain might seem minor, but it represents nearly 12% of the battery’s capacity per day. I’m still curious about the 6-watt draw even when the disconnect is off, which explains why many RV owners opt for a true disconnect switch at the negative terminal—a task I now regret not tackling during the installation.
Next on my list was the Onan RV QG 4000 generator. It received an oil change, new air filter, and fuel filter, and I ran it for 30 minutes under load. However, the spark plug removal eluded me, necessitating further disassembly, a task for another day. The Onan is a robust unit but notoriously loud. For quieter operation, particularly when boondocking, I use a Wen df450i alternative generator, which runs on propane and can be situated away from the rig. It’s a suitable setup, but I need to invest in a large hitch rack for transport.
Solar is also on my agenda, with a 200-watt setup being the recommended benchmark for boondocking. I’ve found a Renogy kit that includes a waterproof charge controller at a reasonable price, which seems like a promising solution. Regarding batteries, the RV currently houses some no-name marine batteries. I’ll use these until replacement is necessary, although I’ve eyed LiFePO4 batteries as an upgrade. However, given that I live in Colorado and the cold weather constraints on charging, along with their hefty price tag, I’ll stick with Marine/SLA batteries for now.
As for upcoming tasks: I need to replace the toilet ball seal and flange seal, change the engine oil, polish the RV exterior, and have the slide checked by an RV tech. The Schwintek slide system is causing damage to the unit’s floor, likely due to misalignment. The tech plans to install aluminum support sheets to correct this. While I strive to handle most repairs myself, some jobs require professional intervention to avoid further complications.
In RV maintenance, the journey is ongoing, and every repair enriches my understanding of this complex home on wheels. Whether dealing with plumbing issues or electrical systems, each task teaches me more about the resilience and demands of RV living.
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