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— RV Troubleshooting —

Real fixes for real RV problems.

No forum runaround, no sales pitch. Walk through the exact checks a mobile RV tech would run, in the order they'd run them.

22 free troubleshooting guides covering electrical, water, climate, mechanical, and propane systems. Each guide walks through diagnosis in the order a mobile RV tech would check things.

Electrical & Power

Battery not charging

Converter output, parasitic drains, corrosion, and lithium BMS basics.

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RV converter not working

No 12V from shore power. Multimeter test, WFCO and Progressive Dynamics replacement basics.

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Power cord melted at the plug

30A and 50A plug failures. Why it melts, how to replace, and why you need an EMS.

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Fridge on 12V while driving

Compressor vs absorption, propane safety while moving, what's actually safe to run.

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Water & Plumbing

Water pump not working

Pump won't prime, runs constantly, or pulses. Seven checks before you call a tech.

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Water heater not hot

Atwood and Suburban diagnosis. Bypass valves, GFCIs, and thermocouples.

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Water tastes like plastic

Bleach sanitize procedure, filter setup, and the new-tank break-in routine.

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Toilet won't flush

Flush ball seals, stuck pedals, and the dreaded black tank pyramid clog.

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Tank sensors stuck on full

The drive-and-slosh, Geo Method, and how to actually clean the probes.

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Climate Control

AC not cooling

Amps, airflow, frozen coils, and when the compressor is actually bad.

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Dometic Penguin II not cooling

Brand-specific gotchas: foam baffles, thermistor placement, capacitor.

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Furnace blowing cold air

Suburban and Atwood furnace diagnosis. Low voltage, sail switch, and vent blockages.

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Fridge not cooling

Absorption vs compressor, leveling, ventilation, and the ammonia smell test.

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Slides & Mechanical

Slide-out won't retract

Stuck slide on checkout day? Manual override steps for Lippert, Power Gear, and Schwintek.

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Lippert slide motor clicking

Voltage, fuses, and the H-bridge relay. Schwintek-specific notes.

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Leveling jacks stuck down

Manual retract procedures for hydraulic and electric jack systems.

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Awning stuck

Manual override for Carefree, Dometic, and Lippert power awnings.

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Propane & Generator

Propane detector beeping

Real leak vs end-of-life chirp. Beep codes and the soap-bubble test.

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Onan generator won't start

No crank, cranks but won't fire, or blinking fault codes. Full diagnosis.

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Exterior & Leaks

Roof leak around a vent

Find the real source, identify your roof type, and reseal it the right way.

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Cabover bed leak (Class C)

Front cap leaks. Garden hose test, common entry points, the right sealants to use.

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Reference & Seasonal

RV glossary

50+ RV terms in plain English. From boondocking to GVWR to Schwintek.

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Seasonal RV prep checklist

Spring, summer, fall, winter. Year-round maintenance to prevent the most common RV failures.

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TPMS not reading a sensor

TST, TireMinder, EEZ TIRE diagnosis. Battery, pairing, signal range, repeater placement.

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9 free RV apps worth downloading

The best free RV apps for trip planning, campsites, fuel, dump stations, weather.

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Using AI for RV troubleshooting

Honest comparison of ChatGPT, Camphost, RV forums, and Google for RV problems.

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Can't find your issue?

Camphost is the free AI co-pilot for RV renters and owners. Ask anything, in plain English, and get a real answer.

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