Boise RV Appliance Repair

RV Roof and Basement Air Conditioners can fail to cool for a variety of reasons leaving you sweaty and frustrated! In this article we’ll explore some common causes of RV AC Issues.

Power

The most common cause of an RV A/C Unit failing to cool is improper power usage. There are a variety of power sources used to run your RV A/C units including shore power 110V 15a, 30a, and 50a, and on-board power generation through your generator. If the power source that’s used is under the required amperage your RV will end up tripping the on-board breakers.

This can be a problem at different RV parks or with your on-board generator failing to produce the required power to run the A/C Unit. Another common misunderstanding is using the 15amp adapter on a 30 amp power cord and trying to run the A/C unit on that. This can cause the plug to heat up and possibly combust, so be very careful.

Dirty Clogged A/C Condensers

A dirty condenser can cause an A/C unit to cool poorly or even consume more power tripping a breaker. Regular maintenance can prevent this issue by cleaning the unit periodically of road dust and grime.

Thermostats

Thermostats can fail and result in an issue calling the AC unit to turn on when needed.

Refrigerant Leakage

Rooftop RV Air Conditioners seem to have a shelf life of anywhere from 5-15 years depending on build and usage patterns. The refrigerant can leak out of small pinhole cracks causing the A/C unit to not have enough coolant to function as intended. Many of these rooftop systems are not serviceable and may require replacement.

Electrical

Electrical issues can develop as wires get road wear or age becoming loose, brittle or cracking. Rodents may also chew wiring and cause shorts and other issues in the RV A/C wiring.

Gaskets

The roof top ac system has a gasket to ensure a firm leak proof seal at the ac unit. This gasket wears and lets water in causing water damage over time.

If you’d like to have your RV AC System Serviced or Repaired please call RentForFun RV!

RV Furnaces provide the central heat in most recreational vehicles. These furnaces are powered by on-board propane and a 12v blower motor that distributes the hot air within the cabin. Motorhome and Travel Trailer furnaces can malfunction for a variety of reasons leaving you without the heat you need to stay warm. This article will explore the most common roots of furnace issues.

Low or Bad Batteries

The number one culprit for a furnace malfunction is low batteries. The house batteries have to be charged up in order to supply the blower motor with enough power to push the heat in the cabin, and hold the LP valve open enabling the heater to work. To charge your house batteries simply plug-in your motorhome or 5th wheel and give it a few hours to charge up. The other option is to simply start your on-board generator and allow that to charge the batteries. Once you have a steady 120v power source you can test the furnace for functionality.

Sail Switch

The RV Furnace Sail Switch tells the furnace board that the furnace blower is working. If the sail switch becomes dirty or malfunctions the board will think that the blower isn’t working and stop calling heat to prevent a fire.

Furnace Board

The furnace board is the central control for the furnace, gathering input from all of the furnace components and outputting calls for heat. These are one of the top furnace issues and while they are easy to replace it often results in a costly repair due to the price of furnace boards.

Thermostat

The thermostat is the gateway between you and the furnace board. You are able to turn the furnace on and off and set a temperature which the furnace system will try to maintain. Faulty thermostats fail to call heat when they should or may act intermittently.

Thermocouple

The furnace thermocouple is in the direct path of the furnace flame and tells the furnace board if the flame is on and how hot that flame is. An improperly adjusted or malfunctioning thermocouple will fail to tell the furnace that the flame is burning and the board will turn off the propane.

Gas Valve

The gas valve is controlled by the furnace board and controls the flow of propane to the furnace. A clogged or malfunctioning gas valve may cause the burner to not ignite.

Blower Motor

The blower motor powers the fan which pushes the hot air throughout the cabin. The most common failures for a blower motor are either the blower fan assembly coming apart or getting noisy or the blower motor seizing.

Give RentForFun a call to diagnose and repair your furnace today!

The humble RV Refrigerator is one of the most reliable and steady workhorse systems in your RV but they can malfunction from time to time, spoiling your trip with a fridge full of unusable food.

Cool Down Time

The most common failure is lack of cool down time before adding food to your RV, an RV refrigerator can take from 12-36 hours to fully cool down once powered on. If you’re planning a trip start your refrigerator the night before you start packing to allow it to cool down.

Lack of Service

The refrigerator should be periodically maintained by blowing out the refrigerator coil compartment and ensuring it’s free from dust and grime. The refrigerator components should also be inspected and adjusted to be within the manufacturer recommended specifications.

Cooling Unit Failure

All mechanical systems eventually do reach a breakdown point. If you smell ammonia your fridge has probably failed and will need to be replaced with a new unit.

Improper Wiring

If the fridge in your brand new RV isn’t functioning it’s likely that it was wired incorrectly or has loose fittings. We’ve seen a number of fridges with this problem and we can help with warranty repairs on new RVs.

To get your fridge functioning as intended give RentForFun RV a call now!

The RV Stove is one of the most underrated appliances in any RV. It cooks your food reliably and asks little in return. We’ll explore some of the most common failure points on RV stoves.

Burner Breakage

The burners on many atwood or domestic stoves can break off at the mounting points. This can be fixed with a simple mounting bracket.

Stove Rattling

The stovetop grate is often mounted with four grommets which can become brittle and heat crack eventually falling away and disintegrating. These can be replaced quickly and easily making your future trips much quieter.

Gas Leaks

Gas leaks can occur when fittings wear out requiring replacement.

If your atwood or dometic stove needs servicing call RentForFun RV Today!