RV and camper troubleshooting

[91stranger]

Just wanted to offer some of my knowledge. I have been working at an RV and camper dealership for a few years now and have had most of my experience in the service side of the business. So if you have questions or want to know how to do things like winterize or whatever you may want to know just ask. I deal with this on a daily basis so there's not much I haven't answered or experienced. Thanks.

 

[91stranger]

By the way, not sure if there is a better spot to post this. Would like to just offer some knowledge to people before they spent big bucks at a shop. 9 times out of 10 its an easy fix that most people can do with basic tools.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Will you come yo Texas and replace the water valve on my toilet??

I woke up one morning g with a wet floor in the bathroom. The water valve must be bad and let water leak in to the bowl and let it overfill. It just did it the one time. I got a new valve but I haven't replaced it. It comes with a new seal to pull the whole toilet up off the floor, but I would rather just pull the valve from the side of the toilet and replace it and not have to do that.

Oh ya... I need to have my hot water tank checked. Sometimes the red light will come on at the switch and go back out when it re-lights. But there's been a couple times when the light has came on, went out, came on again and then Bang. The first time it did it I was standing outside the camper and it scared the crap out of me.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I just bought an 1988 Ford Corsair RV. I have roof leaks. I'll be going up with a wire wheel and cleaning away all the old caulking. I plan on using a thermoplastic sealant that I use when doing aluminum window cladding.
Is there a recommended procedure before caulk?
Is there a recommended caulk?

 

[Jim Oaks]

You probably want self-leveling lap sealant. You should be able to get it at your local RV dealer. Clean the area with mineral spirits before applying the new sealant.

 

[91stranger]

answers

To Jim Oaks, as long as you can access the water valve without removing the toilet then you won't need the seal. Those come in a kit and most of the time those valves are behind the toilet at the corner of the wall with no room to work so pulling the toilet makes the job easier. Those plastic toilets are light too so that makes it even easier. As far as the water heater, I don't know why it would go BANG. Sounds like something broke. Not sure what would break loud enough to cause a bang unless the tank split or it over heated.

To Alwaysfloored, you should not use a wire wheel on the roof. I recommend a plastic putty knife or plastic scrapper and some sealant remover. We use some good stuff called "eliminater" it works great for silicone and sticker residue if you ever remove a decal or sticker. It's pretty much a very strong industrial goo-gone. Once you get all the old sealant off just wash the area with soapy water and a brush or sponge to get the dust and debris off so you have a good clean area to lay the new sealant down. Jim is right with the Dicor self-leveling sealant. That's all you need to seal it back up. It's about $10-13 a tube depending where you get it from. You can buy it at any camper store. Make sure you get self-leveling if you are sealing roof fixtures. It also comes in a few colors like white, almond, dove white. I'd not sure about the stuff you planned on using. It may work good but you also need it to be removable down the road. Roofs need resealed every few years depending on how much sun they get and maintenance. Hope this advice helps.