Gary and I seem to be in a bit of a bad patch when it comes to RV repairs. Last month it was the refrigerator cooling unit and the leveling jack and a capacitor in the heat pump. This month has come in strong with a water heater that hums, a toilet that leaks where the water comes into it, a slide that groans as it comes in and out, a screw missing from the metal plate around the windshield and then there are the small problems like the remote to the front door lock that only clicks and doesn’t open the door, and the broken power pack on our electric toothbrush (3 months old.) Oh, and did I mention the mesh stocking on the exhaust pipe?
What happened to the idyllic life that is portrayed in all the ads? The family sitting around the campfire toasting marshmallows and talking, the couple camping on the side of the lake watching the sunset, the foursome playing cards in the clubhouse, the people biking around the campground? Are those pictures lying? Or is everyone else having a great time in a worry-free RV and we’re just stuck with this lemon? I’ve been around RV’er’s too long to believe the latter although sometimes I feel as if everyone else is having a great time while we’re here working on our RV. However, every time we mention a problem to another RV’er, we get an earful from others who have had their fair share of problems. And, then we hear of the real lemon of an RV that has been in the shop since the day it was bought. Moved from the showroom to the shop.
You know the saying: if you’ve got an RV, you’ve got problems. One guy said: if it isn’t in service, it’s heading for service.
Yesterday, we met some old friends who have a home in Rhode Island and a home down here. A while ago, the son who is watching the house called saying there was a problem and, talking as he was walking down to the lower level, exclaimed: ‘Oh, no.’ ‘This is bad.’ ‘ Oh, this is really bad.’ Wouldn’t you have liked to be our friends listening to this? Well, what had happened was that the hot water heater had sprung many small leaks and steam was spurting out. All that steam, all that humidity had caused mold, rotten wood, wet dry wall and a host of other problems not only in the basement but in the main floor as well. They’ve got it stopped but are fighting with the insurance company now about the coverage for the estimated $30,000 worth of damage.
On a scale of 1 to 10, our problems are 1’s and 2’s - theirs is pretty close to a 10.
Thus, though we had thought we might be touring around and seeing things during our 2 weeks in Clermont, no, we spent much of the time working on the RV. Or - at least, Gary spent his time working on the RV. I spent my time saying: ‘how’s it coming, honey?’
Humming water heater: Gary’s taken off some boards, found the plumbing for the water heater and called the manufacturer and Winnebago. Both think it is a check valve that needs to be replaced. We still have hot water and there is no problem with the pressure. But, we need to get it fixed. Maybe in our next stop which is close to RV repair shops and parts stores.
Slide gear - needs some special slide gear grease.
Leaky toilet: the leak in at the rear where the water comes into the toilet. Gary has replaced the inside kit twice - still leaked. Several weeks ago, we bought a whole new toilet - still leaked. Yesterday he bought a new kit and installed it. Seems to have solved the problem. ‘For now’, Gary says. Ever the optimist.
Toothbrush holder: we’ve sent it in and are expecting a new one in the mail. But, I’m not used to brushing with a regular toothbrush.
Remote front door lock: Neither of ours works so it must be the lock. Gary sanded down the contacts and it seems to work now.
Mesh stocking on the exhaust pipe: interesting phenomenon. Gary looks around the RV a lot. I’ll look up from my computer and there he is looking at a light bulb, or at the fan in the ceiling or at the sofa controls. He’s continually looking at things to see how they work. A while ago he was on his back under the RV, looking at the exhaust pipe and noticed that the mesh sock that Freightliner put on it was fraying and - here’s the bad part - under it is a bit of rust. Hmmm. At the RV show, he talked with the Freightliner service center. They say that the engineers insist on that sock to keep the exhaust pipe from heating other areas. They continued by saying that it keeps moisture in and tends to rust the exhaust pipe. They always take the sock off when they work on them. Engineers insist that the sock be on, mechanics take them whenever they see them. Interesting. So, Gary has taken the sock off now. Unfortunately the sock has done some damage and the there is a bit of rust there.
None of these problems is a deal breaker, none are calamitous. But they are annoying.
There, I’ve ranted enough. Time to be positive.
When I was younger this is a conversation my mother and I had every now and then.
‘Mom, I don’t want to go, I’m not going to like it.’
‘On, Nancy, why aren’t you ever positive? Why are you so always so negative?”
‘OK, I’m positive that I’m not going to like it and I’m positive I don’t want to go. See, I can be positive.’ I was a sassy teenager.
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