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RV Doctor ColumnRV Doctor #330 Dear RV Doctor, my Generac generator runs fine but no power is generated. One day it worked, then not the next. Any ideas as to what I should look for first? Gary Materne, (Erin, NY)
Dear Gary, getting power from the on-board power plant to the rest of your motorhome requires one of two basic methods; either the shoreline cord must be physically plugged into a receptacle inside the shoreline compartment, (manual method), or the rig must be equipped with an automatic transfer switch. There is a third, older method of manually flipping a set of circuit breakers, but that design has been absent for many years. If your motorhome is equipped with the manual method make sure that shoreline is indeed plugged in. In addition, most every RV generator today is equipped with integral circuit breakers, completely independent from the panelboard distribution box located inside the RV. There is a good possibility either of two circuit breakers on the generator has tripped. In a typical configuration, you'll find two independent breakers on the generator. One protects the output circuit which feeds a second roof air conditioner while the other protects the output circuit powering the rest of the RV. If all the circuit breakers inside your coach have not tripped, check the breakers on the generator itself. They are usually located near the control box of the generator, but each model may be different. You may have to refer to the generator's owner's manual for the exact location. Flip the breaker fully off and then back on. Be sure all loads inside the coach are tuned off before, once again, starting the generator. If all the breakers inside the coach are in their "on" position and likewise, both breakers on the power plant, then I'm afraid further troubleshooting is in order. Perhaps the automatic transfer switching device has malfunctioned, or the generator gremlins are playing tricks again. Either situation demands a more in-depth look.
Dear Gary, I have a question regarding a toilet flange. The flange that holds my toilet down has rotted away and will NOT hold the bolts in place; those bolts of course being the ones that secure the toilet. I already told a service technician to fix it but he quoted me a semi-high price also saying the holding tank might need to be dropped to remove the flange. Is there an easy do-it-yourself fix or should I just bite the bullet and let him repair it? I don't feel right telling him not to after I told him to do it. However, I would like to know the process it takes to fix something like this so I can question him. It's an Aqua Magic toilet in a 1991 rig. Chad Beliveau, (Acton, ME)
Chad, the modern toilet flange is typically made of ABS plastic so it's doubtful that the flange itself has rotted away. More likely, the floor has sunk around the flange. In some instances during the last decade, coach manufacturers chose to use metallic flanges. In any event it will be necessary to remove the toilet and inspect the floor and the flange. It is not necessary to remove the holding tank in order to remove the flange. In fact, just the opposite is true; it is absolutely necessary to remove the flange before the holding tank can be removed! It should take no longer than one hour to remove the toilet, inspect the flange and floor and make a determination as to what repairs are necessary. Toilet flanges/downpipes are either threaded into an adapter secured to the top of the holding tank or cemented using ABS cement. Others may just slip into a rubber grommet attached to the tank. The inspection mentioned above will reveal exactly how your flange is attached. In rare instances it may be necessary to drop the holding tank to make the repair, but quite often the flange can be replaced from inside the bathroom only. The closet bolts which hold the toilet to the flange may simply be loose. I'd recommend tightening those nuts first. You may have to lift up on the toilet while tightening the bolts to keep the base of the closet bolts in place. But if the bolts indeed pull through the flange, it will have to be replaced. If the toilet fits securely to the floor after tightening, then the flange is probably okay and just the seal between the toilet and the flange needs replacing. I've seen wax flange gaskets soften in the summer due to excess heat. This will indeed make the toilet loose on the flange. Replace wax gaskets with a rubber flange seal. But obviously this is all speculation until the inspection. If a rotted or sunken floor exists, then more extensive repairs will be in order.
Dear RV Doc, last year mice got into my RV. This spring I got an electronic mouse repellant and it appears to be working. Here is the problem though; Last winter, they must have urinated in the heating ducts. When I turn the heat on now, this obnoxious odor comes pouring out. I have tried running the heat now a couple of times while out of the motorhome for a couple of hours each time, yet it continues to come out strong when I go back the next time and turn the heat on. Any suggestions? Cheryl Eidenger, (Sutton, MA)
Yikes Cheryl! That's got to be annoying! I'm guessing that there is little you can do to eliminate the odors completely. I once had a cat urinate in an open guitar case and I could never find a product that would get rid of that smell. I eventually got rid of both...the guitar case and the cat; and not necessarily in that order. Chances are the urine has permeated the insulation inside the ducts and is now permanently entrenched. Adding heated air to the mix by running the furnace only exasperates the problem. The only cure is to replace that section of ductwork. If your ducts are routed on top of the flooring inside the RV this task is relatively simple. If, however, you have a central distribution ducting system, it becomes more problematic. In that case, first try stuffing crushed-up black & white newspaper pages into each duct as far as you can easily reach and then closing or taping off the ducts for two to three days. Every two or three days, remove and trash those pages and stuff new crumpled pages in there. Repeat as often as necessary. Crushed newsprint has removed fouled food odors from refrigerators in the past, perhaps it can work wonders for mice urine as well. Wish I had better news for you, but animal urine is definitely one of the most difficult odors to eliminate. Maybe some of our members and readers have further ideas. I'll be happy to pass on any worthwhile suggestions to you.
Dear RV Doctor, how do you install window awnings on a 36-foot Bounder? Donna Phillips, (Somewhere, US)
Donna, the correct method of mounting window awnings on any RV is dependent upon the manufacturer's recommendations and the type of construction of the coach. In other words, it depends on the brand of window awning and whether enough mounting support is available inside the sidewalls. All manufacturers provide detailed installation instructions with their awnings for all types of sidewall construction methods. Your Bounder has vacuum bonded, sandwiched sidewalls which may or may not require additional support for the window awnings. There is usually plenty of "meat" directly above the windows where the awning rail is secured, but it's also important to have a firm foundation where the arm brackets mount. Fleetwood has typically add sufficient supporting materials inside the walls during construction for future awning installations. Additionally, each awning requires a certain amount of pre-tension on the spring assemblies. This is determined by the length of each awning. Again, the manufacturer will have all these specs in the installation instructions. If you happen to have some awnings without any installation instructions, contact that awning manufacturer directly. They will gladly provide you with a set of installation instructions and/or perhaps guide you to an on-line source of instruction; many makers have downloadable instructions on their websites.
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