Preventive Maintenance Checks for an RV Generator

Preventive Maintenance (PM) is maintenance the owner can perform on your RV before a problem exists. These checks are designed to prevent or identify potential problems that could lead to mechanical breakdown, malfunction or failure of a component or system on your RV. Preventive Maintenance consists of cleaning, inspecting, lubricating, adjusting and servicing your RV.
Here are some PM checks you can perform on a typical RV generator. In addition to these checks you should always follow the maintenance schedule and guidelines that came with your specific generator set.
Note: These PM checks are for a gasoline fueled generator. There are diesel propane fueled generators too. Some of these checks apply to all types, but some don’t. Consult your generator owner’s manual for maintenance checks and services for your specific generator.

1) Always check the oil level and the exhaust system prior to starting the generator. Starting and running a generator that is low on oil can result in costly damage to the generator’s engine. Add oil as required. Check your owner manual for the type of oil to use. A damaged exhaust system can result in carbon monoxide gas getting inside the RV. Always inspect the entire generator exhaust system prior to starting the generator. Never operate a generator with a damaged exhaust system!

2)Keep the generator set and the compartment it is housed in clean. You can use compressed air to assist in cleaning out the generator compartment and a clean shop rag to clean the generator set. While you are cleaning the generator check all electrical connectors for secure connections.
Note: always wear safety glasses when using compressed air.

3)Check all of the filters on the generator. A typical generator may have an air filter, fuel filter and oil filter. Check your generator owner manual for the types of filters your generator has and where they are located. Maintenance checks and services for a generator are based on hours of operation. You need to monitor the hour meter on your generator set for all maintenance intervals.

a)Check the air filter for cleanliness. You can remove it and inspect the fins on the back for signs of dirt or debris. You can tap the air filter on a flat surface to help remove some of the dirt and debris. Change a dirty filter, or change it at prescribed intervals. Inspect the air filter more often in dusty conditions.

b)The fuel filter will typically be an in-line type filter. Over time it filters out and collects enough debris that it can interfere with the flow of fuel. Check and replace the fuel filter at prescribed intervals.

c)We’ll talk about the oil filter in just a minute.

4)Change the oil and oil filter (if equipped). This is perhaps the most important PM Service you can perform on your generator to ensure years of reliable service. Change the oil and replace the oil filter at the recommended intervals. It’s really quite simple to do. Your generator owner’s manual will usually describe the steps to follow. If you don’t feel comfortable changing the oil and filter have an authorized RV service center do it for you.

5)Replace the spark plugs at recommended intervals. If you ever replaced the spark plugs in a vehicle you can replace the plugs in the generator, unless due to the constraints of the generator compartment you can’t access the spark plugs. In this case you may want to let an authorized RV service center do it for you. If you decide to do it yourself check your generator owner manual for the correct type of plug to use and double check the spark plug gap before installing the plugs. Do not over tighten spark plugs!

6)Exercise the generator. There are several reasons why you should start and exercise the generator on a regular basis. Moisture build up can cause damage to your generator. When you exercise your generator it heats up the generator windings and eliminates this moisture build up. This monthly exercise regime also lubricates all of the engine seals and components and helps to prevent carbon build up. So, what exactly do I mean when I say exercise your generator? For a gasoline generator I mean that you start and run the generator with at least a 50 % load, for at least two hours every month. It is extremely important that you run it with this minimum rated load. Generators are designed to run with a load placed on them. It’s always better to let your generator run for longer time periods than it is for short time periods. Check your generator owner’s manual for load ratings specific to your unit. Always try to avoid starting or stopping a generator when there is a 120 volt device or appliance turned on.

7)Add a fuel stabilizer during periods of storage or non-use. If it’s a motorhome add a fuel stabilizer to the motorhomes gas tank and run the generator long enough for the stabilizer to get through the fuel system. This will help prevent gas related problems on carbureted generators, like not starting or surging. These are problems you don’t need. Fuel stabilizers can protect the fuel system for up to six months, but keep in mind the importance to exercise the generator when possible.

Well there you have it. Follow these simple steps, and the maintenance and service instructions in the generator owner’s manual, and you can get years of reliable service from your generator set.

A couple of additional tips for generator maintenance are to keep the battery that is used to start the generator maintained, and when running the generator monitor the AC voltage and frequency output with some type of digital plug in meter. I recommend one that can test campground polarity, measure AC line voltage and AC frequency. Frequency is the number of times that electricity alternates per second. U.S. appliances are designed to operate at 60 cycles per second, or 60 hertz.

When you use your generator the governor in the generator must hold the speed constant at, or close to 60 hertz from no load on the generator to a full load. Depending on the load placed on the generator, AC voltage can range from 105 to 135 volts and the frequency can range from 58 to 63 hertz. Anything outside of these parameters can cause problems for your RV electrical system and/or generator set. The meter will let you know when the generator is not operating within the proper ranges and you can have it checked out and repaired before any damage occurs.

Happy Camping,
Mark J. Polk

RV Education 101

RV University

copyright 2009 by Mark Polk owner of RV Education 101

Winter Battery Storage & Maintenance

I was recently asked a question and felt like the answer could be useful to lots of RVers, so I am using the question as the topic for this article.

Q: Hi Mark, we live in Colorado and we are preparing our RV for storage. I just had the RV winterized, but I am concerned about how or what to do to store my RV batteries. Any advice would be appreciated.

A: The two most common causes for RV battery failure are undercharging and overcharging. Undercharging is a result of batteries being repeatedly discharged and not fully recharged between cycles. If a battery is not recharged the sulfate material that attaches to the discharged portions of the plates begins to harden into crystals. Over time this sulfate cannot be converted back into active plate material and the battery is ruined. This also occurs when a battery remains discharged for an extended period of time, like during storage. Sulfation is the number one cause of battery failure. The second leading cause of battery failure is overcharging. Overcharging batteries results in severe water loss and plate corrosion. With that said let’s look at how to properly store your RV batteries.

Before we talk about storing the batteries we need to talk about battery safety. Lead acid batteries contain sulfuric acid which is extremely corrosive and can cause severe burns or even blindness. And the hydrogen gas that batteries produce, when they’re charging, is very explosive. When you work around batteries you need to wear safety glasses and gloves, remove all jewelry and do not smoke or use any open flames.

Caution: If you accidentally get battery acid on your skin, flush it with lots of water and if it gets in your eyes flush with low pressure water for 15 minutes and call a doctor.

When you put the RV in long term storage it’s a good idea to remove the batteries and put them in storage too. This is quite simple to do. The first thing we want to do is visually inspect the batteries for any obvious damage. Any fluid on or around the battery may be an indication that electrolyte is leaking from the battery. A damaged or leaking battery should be replaced immediately. Whenever you remove any battery always remember to remove the negative terminal or cable first, and then the positive cable.

Battery Tip: When you remove a battery turn off the ignition switch, all electrical switches, and any battery disconnect switches before you disconnect the battery cables. Whenever you remove any battery cables label them first so you remember how they go back on the battery next spring. When you reinstall the battery do it in the reverse order. Install the positive cable first and then the negative cable.

Clean the batteries with a 50/50 mixture of baking soda and water if necessary. Now you can check the electrolyte level in each cell and add distilled water if necessary. The minimum level required, before charging a battery, is at the top of the plates. If it’s below the plates add enough distilled water to cover the plates before you charge the battery.

Test the battery state of charge with a voltmeter or hydrometer and charge any batteries that are at or below 80% state of charge. An 80% charge is approximately 12.5 volts for a 12-volt battery and 6.25 volts for a 6-volt battery. Lead sulfation starts when a battery state of charge drops below 80%. After charging the batteries check and fill each cell to 1/8 inch below the fill well with distilled water. Overfilling cells will cause battery acid to overflow.

Caution: Batteries should only be charged in a well ventilated area and keep any sparks and open flames away from a battery being charged. Check the electrolyte levels before and after charging batteries.

A discharged or partially charged battery will freeze much faster than a charged battery. Store the batteries in a cool dry place but not where they could freeze. Batteries in storage will loose a percentage of current through internal leakage. It’s not uncommon for a battery to discharge up to 10% a month when it is being stored. Cold temperatures slow this natural discharge process down and warmer temperatures speed the process up. Test the stored battery state of charge every month and charge batteries that are at or below an 80% state of charge.

Completely charge the batteries before re-installing them next spring. For optimum performance you can equalize the batteries after they are fully charged. Battery equalizing is a controlled overcharge on a flooded lead acid battery after it has been fully charged. Equalizing reverses the buildup of negative chemical effects like stratification, a condition where the water and acid separate and the acid concentration is greater at the bottom of the battery than at the top. Equalizing also helps remove some of the sulfate build up on the battery plates. Equalizing is fine as long as there is not excessive heating or electrolyte boiling over. Some battery chargers have an equalization cycle or charge setting. After charging a battery, set the battery charger on equalizing voltage and charge it again. You need to test the specific gravity every hour during equalizing. Equalization is complete when the specific gravity readings no longer rise during the gassing or bubbling stage. Keep in mind if equalizing a battery is done correctly the electrolyte should not boil over but it will create a good bit of bubbling, and when the cycle is finished you will need to add distilled water to the cells.

Note: If you don’t feel comfortable working on or around lead acid batteries have battery maintenance done by an authorized service center.

If you decide to leave the batteries in the RV while it is in storage remember to check the state of charge monthly and charge any batteries at or below an 80% charge. If your RV converter charger charges the battery(s) at a constant rate (around 13.5 volts) this is too high for a float charge and can deplete the electrolyte over time. In this situation plug the RV in periodically and allow the converter charger to charge the battery(s) for 8 to 12 hours. Some RV converter multi-stage chargers and aftermarket chargers are designed to maintain a float charge on the battery without removing the batteries from the RV. Remember, for the converter charger to work the RV will need to be plugged in to electricity.

Watch a video clip on Saving your RV Batteries

For more in depth information on RV batteries check out our Deep Cycle Battery Care & Maintenance DVD

Happy Camping,

Mark Polk

RV Education 101

RV University

Copyright 2009 by Mark Polk owner of RV Education 101

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My First Real RV Adventure

Happy New Year Everybody

Another year has gone by and looking back I reflect on how I got hooked on this thing called RVing. Thirty-three years ago I towed my first travel trailer. Of course at the time, like most teenagers, I thought I knew everything. I tent camped for years and had experienced camping in travel trailers and motor homes with a friend of mine and his family, but this was my first real RV adventure, out on my own. I had recently graduated from high school and was working for an RV dealership in Pennsylvania. I started out washing campers and eventually worked to the position of an apprentice technician. I was always mechanically inclined and had an interest in how things worked; from age twelve when I disassembled our perfectly good lawn mower to see how it worked, to age sixteen when I rebuilt my first VW engine.


It was Thanksgiving and deer hunting season was quickly approaching, which in North Central Pennsylvania is very similar to a Federal holiday. I asked my boss if I could borrow an old travel trailer to use for a deer hunting trip and to my surprise he actually said yes. I don’t remember all of the details about the travel trailer, but I do know it was a Shasta because it had the classic wings on each back corner. I would guess that it was a mid-to-late 60’s model and it was close to 20-feet long. The only conditions for borrowing the trailer were:

1) To bring it back in one piece and

2) Not to use the water system because it was winterized and the temperatures were in the low teens.

Antlered deer hunting season started the Monday following Thanksgiving and I invited my best friend to go with me. We were going to head up into the foothills on Saturday to set things up and do some last minute scouting. I had a 1969 Chevy Blazer. It was a full size, K5 model, with a six-cylinder engine and rust holes in the body the size of softballs. Now, you would think that working for an RV dealership I would have access to, and use, the proper hitch work and brake control to tow the trailer. I do remember wiring a plug for the trailer lights, but figured since I wouldn’t be towing the trailer on a regular basis I would forgo the brakes and just drop the trailer on the ball and go.

Keep in mind I was a teenager, and knew everything back then. Kind of like how my teenage son knows everything now! There were no pre-trip checks or inspections. We picked up the bare essentials, a pot and pan, some groceries, our sleeping bags and hunting equipment and off we went. It was about a sixty-mile trip to our favorite hunting destination. The first thirty-five miles was on two-lane paved roads and the last twenty-five miles was a winding, snow covered dirt road barely wide enough for one vehicle. If you encountered traffic going the opposite direction somebody had to back up until there was a spot wide enough for both vehicles to safely pass. I do remember the Blazer didn’t seem to steer quite like normal and if I had to stop quickly I would have hit whatever it was that was making me stop so quickly. I took a deep sigh of relief after the white-knuckle experience of getting to our destination and thanked my lucky stars that the trailer was still in one piece. Little did I know that getting there was just the beginning of my first real RV adventure!

We set the trailer up, which at the time was really nothing more than leveling it from front to rear using the tongue jack and turning the LP gas supply on. Then we settled in the trailer for the first night. We figured since it was cold outside we didn’t need to use the refrigerator, so we left our groceries in the Blazer. The furnace was the old style that you had to light manually. Soon after I got it to light it warmed up enough inside to take our gloves and coats off. For dinner we heated up some pork and beans on the range top and ate them out of the pan because we forgot to bring any plates. Afterwards we played a card game called set-back and eventually turned in for a good nights sleep. The next morning I went to the Blazer to get some bacon and eggs for breakfast. The eggs were frozen solid. We fried some bacon and later that morning we used the frozen eggs for target practice to sight our hunting rifles in. We washed the pans in a nearby, nearly frozen stream, since we didn’t have any water, and the rest of the day was spent scouting the snow covered hills for signs of deer. Then it was back to the cozy, but somewhat drafty Shasta trailer.

After another entree of pork and beans I put all of the empty cans and other garbage in a plastic bag and set it outside the door. The next morning was opening day. It was difficult to relax and go to bed that night, but knowing we would be getting up early we forced ourselves to turn in for the night. The first major event of the night was waking up around midnight because it felt like 10 degrees below zero inside the trailer. The trailer only had one full and one partially filled 20-pound LP gas bottle, and with the furnace running non-stop since we arrived they were both empty. Fortunately I did have enough forethought to bring two spare 20-pound LP bottles with us. I told my friend that since I got the trailer for us to use he would have to get out of his sleeping bag, change the bottles and re-light the furnace. After some reluctance and a few choice words he stumbled outside and changed them over. Soon it was warm again and we were both back to sleep.

Sometime around three in the morning the trailer began to shake, I mean literally shake back and forth. At first I thought I was dreaming but soon realized I wasn’t. I reached up and turned a small overhead light and looked over at my friend to see if he was awake. Not having any clue what was happening we both stared, wide-eyed, at each other. I pulled the small curtain away from the window and peered outside. It took a minute to focus my eyes in the dark, but I soon realized that there were two bears outside; a small black bear cub and its not so small mother pushing against the side of the trailer. Not really sure what to do we both got our hunting rifles, loaded a round in the chamber, and stood back, ready for when the bear would come busting through the door or a window. We waited for what seemed like forever at the time, but it was probably a minute or two before the shaking stopped. We glanced out the window again and there were no signs of the bears anywhere. Needless to say we didn’t get anymore sleep before it was time to head out to our favorite hunting spots early that morning. When we walked out of the trailer, with flashlights in hand, we soon realized why the black bears stopped to visit us that night. There were pork and bean cans and other garbage scattered everywhere around our makeshift campsite.

Another reason this memory remains so clear in my mind is because at 8:10 AM on opening day I shot my first 8-point whitetail buck on a ridge about 80 yards from where I was sitting. My friend heard the shot and came over to check it out. After field dressing the deer it took us about two hours to drag it down the long ravine, back to the trailer. Knowing that we had enough LP gas for one more night we fired up the furnace and ate some more pork and beans. After making sure there was no garbage outside we settled in to the warm, cozy Shasta trailer and played cards while I recounted the events of the great whitetail deer hunt over-and-over again.

We did manage to get the trailer back home safely, and other than some remnants of hungry black bear paw prints on the side of the trailer it was still in one piece. That nearly disastrous weekend hunting trip, in freezing cold weather, spent in the small Shasta travel trailer, is when I got bit by the RV bug. Thirty-three years and six RVs later, we are still making new RV memories every year.

Happy New Year & Happy Camping in 2009

Mark J. Polk

RV Education 101

Special offer

RV Campground Reservations

Do you need to make campground reservations? Whether you’re planning to stay in a public or private campground the answer, in my opinion, is always yes. Make a campground reservation!


I was disappointed more than once before I discovered the secret of making reservations well in advance of a scheduled trip. Even when you are just traveling through an area to your final destination you should try to plan every stop along the way and make advance reservations. When you’re tired and need some rest you’ll be glad you did.

Making reservations in advance not only assures you there will be a campsite available when you arrive, but you can make other important arrangements too. You can request a site large enough to accommodate your RV and tow vehicle, or a pull through site versus a site you would need to back into. You can make sure the site has the proper electrical hook up for your RV, or make sure you get a full hook-up rather than a partial hook-up. You might want a site with a telephone line or a campground with wireless internet access. If you just cross your fingers and pull into the campground late in the afternoon, without reservations, there is a good chance you’ll be turned away or get a site you really don’t care for.

Campground reservations need to be made well in advance during the busy time of the year (May through August) and it’s smart to make reservations during the slow time of the year too. That way you can always get your favorite site, or a shady site if it is summer time, or the best waterfront site at the state park you go to. Believe me there are lots of other RVers with their eye on the same site you want.

Happy Camping,

**Reminder: Don’t forget to Get Your Free RV DVD (S/H of $5.95)

Mark Polk
RV Education 101

FREE RV DVD

I wanted to let everyone know that we have a free offer:
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Our thought behind this free product offer is that it will benefit you, the RV consumer, especially right now during the holiday season, and it will benefit us by showcasing our information packed products which will in turn get our name out to more RVers and let them know about our other educational DVDs and books.

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Thanks!
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