Tech Talk: May-June 2026

MAGNUM OPUS

As suppliers come and go, owners may need to do their homework to locate a replacement part for an RV appliance or other component.

By Steve Froese, F276276
May-June 2026

In the old days, only a handful of manufacturers made RV components available to coach manufacturers. This meant that RV owners would have limited options for furnaces, ranges, water heaters, air conditioners, toilets, and refrigerators. To those readers who are longtime RV owners, names such as Suburban, Norcold, Atwood, Thetford, and Dometic likely come to mind.

These days, the playing field has changed. Some of the original manufacturers are still in the game, while others have gone out of business or been assimilated by companies that have retained their original names or rebranded them.

The point is that if your RV is more than a few years old and you find yourself in need of parts for a problematic system, you may need to replace the entire appliance or purchase a part under a different branding. Even companies that are still in business may have discontinued certain system models.

I recommend learning to become extremely proficient at internet searches, as sometimes you will get lucky locating parts for obsolete systems from online sellers. In this case, though, be very careful to ensure you are sourcing the correct part.

Know the exact model, serial number, and, in some cases, the product number (Dometic fridges are a good example of the product number being helpful). Search Amazon, eBay, and other trusted online sellers, but note that RV and automotive-specific sellers may also have the part you need. These sellers will often be your saving grace when searching for hard-to-find parts.

Recently, I needed some parts for my Norcold refrigerator. This is one of the most commonly used fridges in older, large RVs, but the model went through several iterations over the years. This meant some of the parts, such as the “eyebrow” board I required, had different, non-backward compatible versions. I therefore had to know the exact serial number of my unit to determine whether the board was compatible. The board I needed was discontinued, so I was searching for something that was no longer manufactured, at least by the original manufacturer. In my case, it was more complicated, because I had already upgraded the main control board to a new version. So, the serial number of my original fridge did not paint the entire picture of what I needed. Rather than matching the part to the fridge serial number, I had to match it to the version of the main control board that I had. You may need to contact the seller directly so they can help you find what you are looking for.

I was able to source the board I needed, which is a good thing, since I was not looking forward to having to replace my entire fridge just because a $100 board was not available. I’ve even replaced my fridge cooling unit. So, my 2006 refrigerator has been almost completely rebuilt to current standards, with superior parts compared to those used by the original manufacturer.

When trying to source obsolete control boards, one great option is Dinosaur Electronics (dinosaurelectronics.com). This company specializes in providing replacement control boards for RV appliances, including discontinued systems. They even make control boards for RV generators. If you have to replace a control board, consider Dinosaur as an option.

Some companies repair failed appliance control boards. This may be a good option if you run out of other choices. This is also a good option if the repair is less expensive than the replacement. One supplier is CCR Technologies (ccrtechnologies.ca).

I want to mention one specific manufacturer that many RV owners may recognize. Magnum Energy was a popular supplier of inverters used in the RV industry. They were known for their high-quality, reliable products. Magnum became a division of Sensata Technologies, their parent company, which I’m very familiar with. This is because in a previous engineering job, we used Sensata sensors. These are highly respected in the industry.

Unfortunately, several years ago, Sensata chose to discontinue manufacturing Magnum inverters, which left many RV owners high and dry for parts and service. As mentioned, a number of RV systems suffer the same fate, leaving RV owners with potentially high replacement costs — assuming adequate replacements can even be found.

Fortunately, in the case of Magnum, a company called DMX Power was able to purchase the intellectual property of the Magnum product line from Sensata. DMX chose to maintain the line as is and continues to offer these great products in the aftermarket (magnum-dimensions.com). This means that if your RV has a Magnum inverter, you will still be able to purchase parts and replacement units, just from a different company.

Some original suppliers of RV parts have been bought up by larger companies such as Lippert Components, which continues to offer many of these products, often under their original names. But Lippert, like other companies, is constantly streamlining their offerings. So, even though they have assimilated many product lines, they don’t necessarily maintain all the products and models that your RV may contain.

While the Magnum Energy story has a happy ending (at least thus far), be prepared to do your research the next time you need to repair or replace an RV appliance or other system. If you’re lucky, you will be able to source the original replacement part, even if you have to do extensive research to find it. If you’re unsuccessful, you will need to replace the entire system, which may require a modification to your RV. It still tends to be a better option than purchasing a new RV.

RECALLS

Looking for the latest RV-related recall information? Visit FRVA.com for a list of the most recent recalls issued by RV and component manufacturers. Or, to search for recalls, investigations, and complaints by vehicle year, make, model, and VIN, visit nhtsa.gov/recallsnhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline is (888) 327-4236.

SEND YOUR TROUBLESHOOTING QUESTIONS to Steve Froese at techtalk@frva.com. The volume of correspondence may preclude personal replies. Not all responses will apply in every instance. Some situations may require a visual inspection and hands-on testing. If you choose to follow any procedures outlined in this column, first satisfy yourself that neither personal nor product safety will be jeopardized. If you feel uncomfortable about a procedure, stop and make an appointment with an RV service facility.