Multiple TV Failures
Dear RV Doctor:
I have a 2010 Winnebago Aspect that I purchased new in 2011. I have been through three televisions. A TV repairperson checked them and said the inverters failed on all three. One repair technician found it odd that there is no insulation behind the entertainment center. The cap is open and therefore at risk for a lot of condensation. Might this be affecting the TVs? If so, I hate to put a fourth TV in there. Is it better to add insulation, or will it cause more condensation?
Kathy Benson
Via email
I’m most certainly not a television expert, but common sense tells me that moisture invading any type of electronic component cannot end well. So, with the television totally removed, you’re able to see the inside of that front cap? It definitely would be in your best interest to isolate and insulate the TV from the air space between its back and the inside of the cap. Any competent service tech or carpenter can construct a box of some type to mount the television in and insulate it against any damp air inside the cap. It would seem to be a wise decision since you’ve already experienced three failures, likely caused by moisture infiltration. Also, adding insulation to the cap may reduce heat loss and condensation.
Low City Water Pressure
Dear RV Doctor:
We have a water pressure problem with our Thor Mandalay motorhome. The park pressure is about 65 psi, and a water pressure reducing valve lowers it to about 50 to 55 psi. When we turn on a faucet, the pressure drops to about one-third of where it started. There seems to be an obstruction somewhere, but if I flip on the 12-volt pump, we have great pressure. It wasn’t like this before. Where do we look?
P.S. It’s not the backflow/check valve.
Joe Acock
Via email
It’s obvious the problem lies between the park water source and the tee inside the coach where the city water inlet connects to the rest of the cold-water distribution system. The components in that branch consist of the park’s spigot, the pressure regulator, the fresh-water hose, the city water inlet, and the tubing from the back of the city water inlet to that first tee in the system.
The check valve/backflow preventer is inside or just behind the city water inlet, and you say that is not the cause. And I’m sure you would see a kink in the fresh-water hose. So, that leaves the park spigot, the in-line pressure regulator, and the length of tubing leading from the city water inlet to the tee.
Chances are that length of tubing inside the coach is okay, but you may want to take a look just to make sure. Stranger things have occurred. But if I were a betting Doc, I’d wager that some mineral deposits are partially blocking that in-line regulator. It’s easy enough to find out; remove the regulator completely and see whether you then have full park pressure at the faucets. Same for the park spigot, which I also doubt is the cause. Simply remove your fresh-water hose and verify that you have consistent pressure from the spigot. By the way, it’s always a good idea to have a quality in-line pressure regulator, maybe even one with a gauge.
You stated it’s not the actual check valve, but don’t forget there is usually a small screen protecting the city water inlet. Make sure it is clean as well.
Fuel Leak
Dear RV Doctor:
I have a 1988 Fleetwood Pace Arrow on a Chevy chassis. The right side of the fuel tank leaks when the RV is running. My Internet research indicates the fuel pump is in the top of the tank, so I do not believe that is the problem. At the leak there is a rail, and I can see some wires and a tube that goes over the rail at that point. I also see, through a hole in the rail, what looks like a bolt that might adjust something that I cannot see completely. I either will have to drop the tank to get to it or have it towed to my mechanic. Do you know where I can look online for a service manual or schematic?
Scott Antrim
Escondido, California
The sending unit for that fuel tank definitely is mounted on top of the tank. I believe that some Fleetwood coaches back then actually had a covered hole cut through the floor directly (supposedly) over the sending unit, under the carpet. You may be able to feel a metal plate under the carpet in that area if your Pace Arrow was constructed in that manner. If not, it’s quite likely the tank will have to be emptied and dropped in order to investigate further.
If I remember correctly, the takeoff tubes for the engine and generator were mounted in the same housing as the sending unit. I’m guessing it’s not necessarily the sending unit or the fuel pump that is leaking, but rather one of the hoses; probably the one running forward to the tank switchover solenoid and engine. All fuel lines, like all rubber components, such as the engine belts and coach tires, are subject to dry weather-checking, cracking, and breaches simply because of age. All belts and hoses should be checked, if not replaced, every five or six years or so. Do yourself a favor and have the fuel tanks dropped and all the hoses replaced. If there’s one crack, there likely will be more as the coach continues to age.
I’m not quite sure what that “adjusting” bolt you see might be. But you’ll certainly be able to discern that once the tank comes down. As far as a service manual, there are many listings for the P-Series shop manuals available online. Just do an Internet search for “Chevy P-Series motorhome manual.”
No Propane Flow
Dear RV Doctor:
We have a 2006 Fleetwood Discovery. The propane tank is in the middle of the coach on the passenger side. The on-off switch and refill cap are in the rear of the coach on the passenger side. I turned on the stove, and the propane came on for just a second, then nothing. We have plenty of propane, so that is not the problem. When I turn the switch on (at the back), there is no sound. We used to hear a slight ticking that indicated it was turning on. How do I make the propane come on again? Is there a fuse somewhere?
Jeane Stack
Via email
There typically are two propane solenoids configured in series between the valve and the rest of the propane delivery system. If either one is closed, no propane will flow. Be sure the on-off switch is turned on and that the propane leak detector also is turned on and operating properly. The switch controls one of the solenoids; the leak detector controls the other.
Keep in mind that all sniffing devices — propane detector, smoke alarm, and CO alarm — have a finite working life. Each one should have a label that states a “replace by” date. They usually are reliable only for about five to seven years. Also, if the propane system has not been serviced in more than a year, it might be time to validate the main pressure regulator at the tank. Three prescribed tests should be performed on the regulator every season by a certified RV service technician.
If the propane leak detector has failed, that one solenoid will not open. You should indeed be able to hear the solenoid “click” as it opens and closes. A fuse does protect that circuit. Check your owners manual for the exact location of that fuse. And, I have to ask: Are you sure the propane tank valve is open?