Guides

RV guides, in plain English

Written for owners who know the road but not the jargon, so every guide is a checklist you can work through. Where a number decides whether you are safe, verify it against your own ratings and weigh the RV. Our figures are estimates, and an estimate is not a source.

Start here
New to RVing? Learn the systems in order
Nine systems, what each one does when it is working, and the guide for each one when it breaks. The order matters more than the list.
Open the walkthrough →

Planning a trip

Routing, campgrounds, fuel and overnight stops

🧭
RV Trip Planner
The four jobs, and what does them
Read the guide →

Electrical and charging

Batteries, converters, solar, generators, the 12-volt chain

⚡
Generator Sizing
Loads, derates, no formula
Read the guide →
🔋
Battery Disconnect Switch
It cannot reconnect itself, and the lamp lies
Read the guide →
⚡
RV Electrical Problems
Find the fault in order, with real voltage tables
Read the guide →
🔋
Battery Not Charging
Which of the four sources failed
Read the guide →
🔌
Converter Not Charging
Why it tests fine and still will not charge
Read the guide →
☀️
Solar Not Charging
Panel, controller, battery, in three readings
Read the guide →
⛽
Generator Not Charging
The path through the transfer switch and charger
Read the guide →
🔎
Fuse Keeps Blowing
Four ways to trace a short, without blowing fuses
Read the guide →
🔲
Outlets Not Working
GFCI, shore power, and the 120 volt chain
Read the guide →
💡
Lights Not Working
One fixture, one circuit, or all of them
Read the guide →

Heat, cool and appliances

Furnace, water heater, fridge, tank sensors

⚠️
Furnace and Carbon Monoxide
Soot means stop, and old alarms detect nothing
Read the guide →
🔌
Two Appliances Stopped
One fault, not two, and where to look
Read the guide →
🔥
Propane: Furnace Won't Light
One pressure, one test, before you replace anything
Read the guide →
🌬️
RV Air Conditioner Not Cooling
The temperature test, the divider, and what the forums get wrong
Read the guide →
🔥
RV Furnace Not Working
The ignition sequence, sail switch, airflow, and CO safety
Read the guide →
🚿
RV Water Heater Not Heating
Gas vs electric troubleshooting, parts you can replace
Read the guide →
🧊
RV Refrigerator Not Cooling
Absorption vs compressor, leveling, the ammonia test
Read the guide →
📊
RV Tank Sensors Reading Wrong
Why they misread, and the retrofit that ends it
Read the guide →

Water and plumbing

Fresh water, waste, and the freeze that breaks both

🚽
Macerator Toilet Won't Flush
The hum, the clog, the voltage
Read the guide →
🚰
Water Pump Won't Prime
The valve, the free flow, then the suction side
Read the guide →
🚽
Sewer Smell Inside
The bowl seal, the vent, and the valve under the sink
Read the guide →
🚽
Toilet Not Flushing
The pedal, the seal, the flow rate
Read the guide →
🚰
Winterize Your Plumbing
Drain, bypass, antifreeze, checklist
Read the guide →

Body, slides and jacks

The shell, what moves, and what holds it still

🪟
Slide-Out Leaking
The window seal and the bottom trim, per the makers
Read the guide →
🧱
Sidewall Delamination
One glue line, and water is not the only cause
Read the guide →
💧
Condensation Inside
The water is you, and sealing it up makes it worse
Read the guide →
↔️
Slide Out Not Working
Get the room in first, then find the fault
Read the guide →
⬆️
Leveling Jacks Not Working
Voltage, fault, zero point
Read the guide →
🏠
Roof Leak Repair
Find it, seal it, inspect it
Read the guide →

Tires, towing and weight

What carries the load and what keeps it behind you

🛞
Trailer Wheel Bearings
E-Z Lube, Nev-R-Lube, 12,000 miles
Read the guide →
⚖️
Pin Weight and Payload
Four makers, four different percentages
Read the guide →
🛞
When to Replace RV Tires
The 6 year rule, DOT date code, sidewall checks
Read the guide →
🚛
How Much Can I Tow?
Towing capacity, payload, GVWR, the 80% rule
Read the guide →
🛑
Trailer Brakes: When Required
State thresholds, breakaway, gain
Read the guide →

Winter storage

What a hard freeze does, and how to stop it

🔋
Battery Care in Cold
Lead-acid vs lithium, storage charge
Read the guide →
❄️
Tires Through Winter
Pressure, flat spots, covers, age
Read the guide →
🏔️
Roof Under Snow Load
Seals, ice dams, removal
Read the guide →
🧊
RV Froze: What to Check
Stop the pressure, then watch the pump
Read the guide →

Not sure your RV is safe to tow?

The weight calculator puts your own ratings against the 80% rule and shows which limit you are closest to. It takes about a minute.

Check your weights