RV problems are not easy to diagnose

Before you can fix a problem, you have to diagnose it.

Here are some of my recent RV problems that were hard to diagnose:

No hot water

My hot water recently started not being hot. That surprised me because I was able to heat the water with either propane or electricity. How could they both stop working at the same time? I was busy doing the last-minute tweaking on my latest book and getting it published, so I didn't jump on the problem for a few days.

I checked the thermostat, the electric heating element, and the propane burner. Everything seemed to be working fine. Then, I noticed that the side of the stainless steel tank was too hot to touch. How could the tank be that hot and still be putting out cold water?

After watching several YouTube videos, I discovered the problem. The handle on the water manifold had been turned to the bypass" position. I assume that when I crammed the stiff water hose back into the compartment, it accidentally turned the handle. I turned the handle to the normal position, and I had plenty of hot water.

Electric steps stopped working

My electric steps would sometimes work and sometimes not. It was no big deal until they totally stopped working. There are several sensors that could be causing the problem or there could be a problem with the motor or connections. After I had taken everything apart and checked the motor, the gears, and all the sensors, I found that the problem was that the frame of the steps was bent and binding when fully extended.

I was able to partially straighten the steps (with the help of a big hammer), but I think I'm going to use a comeaong winch to help me fix the problem.

Three dolly tires blew out on the same wheel within five miles

How could that happen when two of the tires were brand new? When I was changing the tire the third time, I noticed that the wheel wouldn't turn. I found that the brake on that wheel was locked. I disconnected the brakes on both wheels, and I didn't destroy any more tires.

I haven't fixed the dolly brakes yet, but they're on my list. The company that made the dolly said that with a Class A motorhome, it was heavy enough that brakes on the dolly were not really necessary, but I think they're required in some states.

RV problems can be hard to diagnose

The hardest part of fixing these three problems was to find out what was causing the problem. Doctors can often do a blood test or take an x-ray and find out what's wrong with your body, and there are OBD2 scanners you can connect to your car or RV's engine.

I wish I could buy a device that I could connect to my RV to tell you what was wrong with things other than the engine.

Bottom line: Maybe there will be something introduced at the big RV show in Tampa in January. I'll miss the show this year because the day the show starts is the day I'll be flying to Costa Rica for six months.

On a side note: I published my new book last week, How to Start Writing Your Book Today, and I gave away over 1,800 free copies of the eBook. Hopefully, the reviews will start coming in shortly when people have time to read the book.