PPL Motor Homes » RV Repair & Maintenance

Cold nights don’t have to mean frozen pipes

RVNana — Fri, 21 May 2010 12:14:04 +0000

When you’re traveling in the mountains where the temperature drops in the evening, it is a good suggestion to disconnect your water filter from the hose before you go to bed at night. Our son in law went one step further and drained his hose… we didn’t and we had no water the next morning until the temperature warmed up and the ice thawed. One camper told me that he simply carries an old towel and a piece of window insulation blanket with him to wrap the pipes. The pipes in the trailer will not freeze during that short time period because the heater is on inside, but you sure wouldn’t be able to take a shower in the morning.

Dead Batteries – a Common Mishap

iowagirl — Fri, 14 May 2010 12:20:53 +0000

One of the leading causes for battery failure is overcharging the battery. Overcharging a battery results in severe water loss and plate corrosion. An RV has a converter with a built in battery charger and most RV owners believe that if you leave the RV plugged in when the RV is in storage it will keep the batteries topped off. While doing that is extremely important the problem is many, but not all, RV converters chargers provide a constant charge of about 13.5 volts which is too high for fully charged batteries which results in early death for the battery. Newer converters have 3 stage charges that will prevent from overcharging. During times of high battery usage and recharging the electrolyte is boiled off. Remember to periodically check and adjust the water level in batteries – this will save and extend the life expectancy of the battery. When you add water use distilled water and fill the battery cell to 1/8 inch below the vent well.

RV Professor at PPL

RVNana — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:29:54 +0000

Terry Cooper, the RV Professor, again amazed our customers with his knowledge and helpful hints. Terry and his wife, Evada, have become regulars here at PPL presenting RV How-To classes in PPL’s Training Center. We had over 35 RV owners attend his session last week where they learned valuable information about LP systems in the RV. Having received so many great comments about Terry’s classes, we are in hopes that he will do a presentation each month. Whether you’re a long time RVer or new to the RV lifestyle, Terry has something for everyone. Here’s what a few of his students had to say about the recent LP class at PPL.

Thank you! Very clear and interesting! A very good teacher………Donna S.

Excellent – The time spent in the seminar was very, very worth it. Will be back…Bill M.

Very informative and open to questions. Would definitely attend his other seminars …Vickie M.

RV LP Systems Class by RV Professor

edsebesta — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:53:10 +0000

An RV LP Systems Maintenance & Safety class will be lead by the RV Professor. The RV Professor is Terry Cooper, a Master Certified RVDA technician. He teaches classes throughout Texas and he’s going to be at PPL on Saturday, March 20th. Don’t miss this FREE class! Learn the do’s and don’ts of your LP system. Terry provides advice on repair, maintenance, and, most importantly, Safety! Join him at PPL for this important class where you will find helpful hints, safety tips and more.
Where: PPL Training Center (located in our Parts Superstore)
LP System Maintenance & Safety
When: Saturday, March 20th Time: 11:00 am and 2:00 pm

PPL Sponsors training classes throughout the year. If you would like to be notified by email, please call 1-800-755-4775 and asked to be added to the list.

Right hand or left hand latch?

RVNana — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:27:08 +0000

Here’s a crazy question that could cost you extra if you don’t know the answer to it. I never realized until today when I broke the screen door latch on my RV, that there are left handed and right handed latches. My first thought was, of course it’s a right hand latch then I started thinking about it and wondered if right or left is determined from the inside or outside. Thanks to Ryan, a very helpful employee in PPL’s RV Parts Superstore, I found out that the right or left side of the door is determined from inside the RV looking out. Makes sense to me now, but I almost spent $15.00 only to get home and have to come right back. Thanks Ryan!

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detectors and Alarms

edsebesta — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:29:07 +0000

Carbon Monoxide (CO) can be a potential hazzard if the concentration builds up in your RV.

1. CO is an invisible, ordorless and poisonous gas. CO can be produced from your LP appliances such as furnaces, gas stoves, propone heaters and even laterns. Poor maintenance, venting problems or inadequate air flow can all cause dangerours levels of CO to build up in your RV.

2. It goes without saying that you should always maintain all LP or fuel burning appliances.

3. Since CO is invisible and odorless, it is important to have certified CO alarms installed in your RV. Also, it is essential that CO alarms be replaced every 5 years because the sensor will become ineffective over time.

4. You should also know the symptoms of CO poisoning. These symptoms are similar to the flu which are nausea, headache, burning eyes, confusion and frowsiness. One big difference is that there is no fever. If someone in the RV has these symptoms, it is imperative to get everyone, including pets, outside to fresh air immediately and call 911 or the local fire department.

The above infomation was adapted from information from the Techincal Standards and Safety Authority.

PPL Motor Homes provides a whole range of CO detectors and alarms. The most popular models are the Safe-T-Alert Carbon Moxide Detectors. If you have any questions about CO Detectors and Alarms you can call PPL’s RV Parts Superstore.

RV Air Conditioner Maintenance

RVNana — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:43:23 +0000

Did you know you have to do maintenance on your RV air conditioner? I knew about changing filters on our home unit and having annual check ups, but had no idea there were a few simple maintenance tips that could help extend the life of our RV air conditioner. In a recent seminar presented by Terry Cooper, the RV Professor, and hosted by PPL, I learned some important information that I want to pass on to all RV owners. When you take off the cover on your roof AC unit, you need to look at the small vents on the side. These are referred to as ‘fins” and when they are crimped, bent or dirty it reduces the air intake of the unit and, of course, will then reduce the efficiency of your AC. Simply straightening these fins with a fin comb can make a world of difference on how well your AC unit performs. Then, if you take the time to spray these intake coils with Envirochem Air Conditioner Coil Cleaner, the dirt and lint will wash away without the use of special pressure sprayers. You’ll be surprised how much dirt and dust will build up on your roof. Use this cleaner regularly and you will prolong the life of your AC unit.

RV Professor offers Free Seminars at PPL

RVNana — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:07:29 +0000

If you haven’t attended one of Terry Cooper’s seminars at PPL Motor Homes, then you’ve missed out on so much valuable information. Terry Cooper, The RV Professor, is a high profile Master Certified RVDA/RVIA Recreational Vehicle Service Technician experienced in program development and training of RV technicians. He has taught for several years at Texas State Technical College and brings his RV knowledge here to PPL customers once a month. From LP Systems, winterizing your RV and electrical systems to everything you want to know about RV Air conditioning, I promise everyone leaves here with more knowledge than when they came in. These free monthly seminars are fun and informative for the new RV enthusiast and even the seasoned RV owner. His next seminar is scheduled for Saturday, March 20th at 11am in the PPL Training Center where he will provide valuable information on LP systems in the RV. Make plans to learn more about your RV.

RV Toilet leak problem solved

RVNana — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:13:27 +0000

Toilets are not the most glamorous thing to talk about in our RV, but I think we have a solution to a water leak problem in our toilet. The toilet bowl simply would not hold water for more than a few minutes so I did some research. After being told everything from replace gaskets to replace toilet, I found a handy inexpensive solution. Put on your rubber gloves and grab an old toothbrush and start scrubbing. I used Thetford’s Aqua Clean and cleaned the gasket around the ball shape closure. Now it closes tight and no more water leak. I was told by a fellow camper that this can be caused by a hard water build up or even tissue that dries on the gasket. No matter what caused it, this product and a little elbow grease solved the drip.

Winegard Wingman HDTV Upgrade

edsebesta — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:12:30 +0000

The Winegard Wingman HD TV upgrade is a great way to improve your RV TV watching experience and take full advantage of HD TV. That is why the new Wingman HDTV upgrade is one of Earl’s must have gadgets for your RV. This is a New Winegard RV product that is designed to provide you with the ultimate DTV/HD TV experience. When installed on your Winegard Sensar antenna, the Wingman can increase db gain up to 100% on DTV channels. For quick installation, only 4 simple snap-on screws are needed. If your TV signal is weak, why not give the Winegard Wingman a try.

Earl Showing Winegard Wingman