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A tripped breaker is your RV telling you a circuit is pulling more power than it's rated for — it's not usually a sign something's broken, just overloaded. The good news is most of the time you can figure out which circuit and why in a few minutes.

Start here

• Find your breaker panel — usually near the entry door, under a dinette seat, or in a cabinet near the fridge.
• Look for the breaker sitting in the middle position (not fully on or off) — that's the tripped one.
• Before resetting it, unplug or turn off anything running on that circuit. Air conditioners, microwaves, and hair dryers are the usual suspects.
• Flip the breaker fully off, then back on. If it holds, you likely just had too much running at once.

When it keeps tripping

If a breaker trips again within a few minutes — even with nothing plugged in — that points to a wiring fault or a failing breaker itself, not an overload. That's when it's time to stop resetting it and call a tech, since repeated tripping with no load is one of the more common early signs of a wiring issue that's worth catching early.

Most RVs actually run on two separate battery systems, and mixing them up is one of the most common sources of confusion for new owners.

Chassis vs. house batteries

The chassis battery starts your engine (motorhomes only — travel trailers and 5th wheels don't have one). The house battery bank runs everything else: lights, water pump, fans, and your fridge's control board. They're isolated from each other on purpose, so a dead house battery shouldn't leave you unable to start the engine.

What quietly drains a house battery overnight

• Propane detectors and CO alarms — small but constant draw, always on
• A fridge left in "auto" mode without shore power
• Slide-out and leveling system control boards in standby
• A phantom draw from an aftermarket accessory wired directly to the battery

If your battery is dead every morning even after a full charge the day before, that's usually a parasitic draw somewhere — worth testing with a multimeter before you assume the battery itself is bad.

Not every campground pedestal is wired correctly, and plugging into a bad one can damage your RV's electrical system fast. Testing it before you connect takes about five minutes and can save you a very expensive repair.

Quick pedestal test

• Use a polarity tester or plug-in surge protector with a light-based indicator — plug it straight into the pedestal outlet before connecting your RV.
• Check for the three big red flags: open ground, open neutral, and reverse polarity. Any of these means don't plug in — ask for a different site.
• Once it checks out, connect your RV, then turn on your AC or another big appliance and confirm the connection stays steady.

If you're getting partial power

Lights work but the AC won't start, or half your outlets are dead — that's often a single blown leg on a 50-amp connection rather than a problem with your RV at all. A good surge protector with a digital readout will show you voltage on both legs and make this obvious in seconds.

Solar gets marketed as the answer to everything, but it's not the right fit for every RV owner — here's an honest look before you spend $1,000–$5,000+ on a setup.

Solar is a great fit if you:

• Boondock or dry camp regularly, away from shore power
• Mostly run lights, fans, water pump, and small electronics — not AC
• Want to extend how long you can stay off-grid without running a generator

Solar won't solve this:

• Running rooftop AC off solar alone requires a large, expensive battery bank and panel array — most casual setups can't support it
• Cloudy or heavily shaded camping spots cut output dramatically, no matter how many panels you have
• Solar charges batteries — it doesn't replace them. You still need adequate battery capacity for it to matter

The right first question isn't "how much solar do I need" — it's "how am I actually using power when I'm not plugged in." That answer determines whether solar pays for itself or sits underused.

A basic multimeter costs less than a service call and can diagnose the majority of common RV electrical issues yourself, before you ever need to call a tech.

The three settings you'll actually use

• DC Voltage (V⎓): Test your house battery — a healthy 12V battery should read 12.4–12.7V at rest.
• AC Voltage (V~): Test outlets and shore power connections — should read close to 120V.
• Continuity/Ohms: Test fuses — a good fuse beeps or reads near zero; a blown one reads open/infinite.

A simple first test

Set your meter to DC voltage, touch the red lead to the battery's positive terminal and black to negative. Under 12.2V means your battery is getting low; under 12V means it needs a charge soon. This single test rules out "dead battery" as the cause of almost any electrical complaint in under a minute.

Your AC turns on, the fan runs, but the air coming out isn't cold — this is one of the most common calls we get, and it's usually one of a handful of causes.

The usual suspects

• Dirty coil or filter — restricted airflow means the unit can't pull enough heat out of the air. Cleanest, cheapest fix.
• Low voltage — running on a weak generator or an overloaded campground pedestal can prevent the compressor from running properly.
• Frozen coil — often caused by low airflow or running the AC in very high humidity with the fan on low. Turn it off and let it thaw before restarting.
• Failing capacitor — the compressor may hum but not actually kick on. This one needs a multimeter to confirm.

DIY vs. call a tech

Cleaning the coil and filter is safe and easy to do yourself. If you've ruled those out and it's still not cooling, especially if you hear humming without the compressor engaging, that's a capacitor or compressor issue — worth having a tech check before you run it further and risk more damage.

RV furnaces run on propane but need a 12V DC electrical connection to ignite — so a "furnace" problem is often actually a battery or fuse problem. Work through these in order:

• 1. Check your house battery. Furnaces need solid 12V power to ignite — a low battery is the #1 cause of a no-start.
• 2. Check your propane level. Sounds obvious, but a nearly-empty tank can prevent proper ignition even if the gauge shows a sliver left.
• 3. Check the furnace fuse. Usually in your DC fuse panel, labeled "furnace" or "heat."
• 4. Make sure the exterior exhaust vent is clear. Wasp nests and debris are a surprisingly common blocker.
• 5. Listen for the igniter clicking. If you hear clicking but no ignition, that points to a gas supply issue, not electrical.
• 6. If there's no clicking at all, that's usually the circuit board or thermostat — time to call a tech.

Not all RV AC systems cool the same way, and knowing which type you have changes how you maintain it and troubleshoot problems.

Ducted systems

Air travels through ceiling ductwork to vents throughout the RV. These give more even cooling but airflow can be reduced by dirty ducts or a clogged central filter — worth checking if some rooms feel cooler than others.

Non-ducted (ceiling assembly) systems

Air blows directly down from the unit itself, right below the roof AC. Simpler, fewer failure points, but cooling is more concentrated near the unit and weaker further away.

You can usually tell which you have by looking at your ceiling: visible vents running through the RV mean ducted; one central grille under the AC unit itself means non-ducted. This matters most when something's not cooling evenly — ducted systems have more places for a blockage to hide.

Mississippi and Gulf Coast summers push RV AC systems harder than almost anywhere else in the country — high heat and high humidity together mean your AC is fighting two battles at once.

What actually helps

• Clean your coil before summer starts, not after it's already struggling. Coastal humidity builds grime faster than drier climates.
• Use reflective window covers during peak sun hours — cuts down how hard the AC has to work to begin with.
• Run the fan on high, not just "cool." Higher airflow moves more heat out per cycle, especially in humid air.
• If you have two AC units, run them together rather than one at a time — cycling one hard in extreme heat shortens its lifespan faster than sharing the load.

If your AC seems to run constantly without ever quite catching up on a 95°F, high-humidity day, that's often normal for the climate — but if it was fine last summer and struggling now, that's usually a maintenance issue, not just the weather.

Every RV AC has a normal operating hum — but certain sounds are your unit telling you something's wrong before it fails completely.

• Rattling: Usually loose shroud screws or debris in the fan blade — safe to check yourself once the unit's off.
• Loud humming with no cool air: Often a failing start capacitor — the compressor is trying to start but can't.
• Grinding or squealing: Typically a fan motor bearing wearing out — don't ignore this one, it tends to get worse fast.
• Clicking on and off repeatedly: Can mean the unit is overheating and its safety switch is cycling it off — check for a dirty coil or blocked airflow first.

When to stop running it

Grinding, squealing, or a burning smell means turn it off and don't run it again until it's inspected — continuing to run a unit with a failing motor or electrical fault risks turning a simple repair into a full unit replacement.

When outlets go dead, it is usually a tripped protection device, not a wiring disaster. Work from the outside in, and stop if anything smells hot or burnt.

• Pedestal breaker and surge protector: is the pedestal breaker on, and is the surge protector showing normal?
• Shore cord and main breaker: is the cord fully seated, and is the RV main breaker on?
• GFCI outlets: press RESET on every GFCI, including the bathroom, kitchen, and exterior outlets. One tripped GFCI can kill several outlets, and it is often not the one near the dead outlet.
• Breaker panel: reset any tripped breaker fully OFF, then ON.

When to stop

If a breaker trips again right away, stop resetting it. Never tape a damaged cord or put in a bigger fuse. Those are tech calls.

🎬 Prefer to watch? Find the video on our YouTube channel.

📖 Want the full step-by-step? See Book 1: RV Electrical Troubleshooting on Amazon, or grab the PDF in the shop.

A 30 amp RV has a 3-prong plug and about 3,600 watts available. A 50 amp RV has a 4-prong plug and two 120V legs, about 12,000 watts in total. That is why a 50 amp rig can run two air conditioners plus other appliances while a 30 amp rig has to juggle.

What to know

• Do not run the microwave, hair dryer, and AC all at once on 30 amp.
• Half your power gone on a 50 amp hookup usually means a dead leg at the campground pedestal.
• Plug the surge protector into the pedestal first, then the shore cord. Turn the pedestal breaker OFF before plugging or unplugging.
• Healthy shore voltage is about 108 to 130 volts. If you see under 104 or over 132, disconnect.

Our free 30 Amp vs 50 Amp cheat sheet puts this on one page.

📖 Want the full step-by-step? See Book 1: RV Electrical Troubleshooting on Amazon, or grab the PDF in the shop.

Short answer: leave it ON while you are using the RV on shore power. On most RVs the battery disconnect switch controls all 12V power, and that stays true even when you are plugged in.

Why it matters

• The converter turns 120V shore power into 12V, and it charges your battery. With the disconnect OFF, many RVs get no 12V at all, even with the pedestal on.
• Without 12V, lights, the water pump, the furnace fan and igniter, slides, fridge controls, and the propane detector may not work.
• Outlets (120V) can still work with the disconnect OFF, which fools people into thinking everything is fine.

When to turn it OFF

• Storing the RV, so the battery is not drained by small parasitic loads.
• Before any 12V wiring work.

If you are storing the RV, fully charge the battery first, then use a smart maintenance charger, or remove the battery to a heated space.

Check your RV

Where the switch is and how it is wired varies by RV, so check your owner’s manual and label yours. In our service calls, a switch left OFF is one of the easiest fixes there is, and it has saved a lot of people a service call.

If the 12V side is dead and the disconnect is ON, check the converter lights and fuse next.

📖 Want the full step-by-step? See Book 1: RV Electrical Troubleshooting on Amazon, or grab the PDF in the shop.

Weak flow is almost always a restriction or a supply problem, not a broken fixture. Find out whether it affects every faucet or just one.

One faucet only

• Unscrew the faucet aerator and rinse out debris.
• Check the shower head for mineral buildup.

Every faucet

• On city water: check the pressure regulator and any inlet or outside filter for clogging, and look for kinked hoses.
• On the pump: check that the fresh tank has water and the pump strainer is clean.
• Try the other water source. If tank water is fine but city water is weak, the campground supply or your regulator is the issue.

If the pump runs but flow is weak, listen for air sputtering from the faucets. That points to a leak or a low tank.

🎬 Prefer to watch? Find the video on our YouTube channel.

📖 Want the full step-by-step? See Book 2: RV Plumbing Troubleshooting on Amazon, or grab the PDF in the shop.

The pump should shut off a moment after you close the faucet. If it cycles on and off or never stops, something is letting pressure escape or letting air in.

• Empty fresh tank: the pump is running dry. Fill the tank first.
• A leak: check under sinks, around the water heater, and in the bays. Look for water you can see, then dry spots and wet spots on the floor.
• Open or dripping fixture: including the toilet valve and the outside shower.
• Clogged pump strainer or loose fitting on the pump inlet: this lets air in and the pump hunts.

Turn the pump off when you are not using water or are away from the RV. If you find no leak and it still will not shut off, the pump itself may be worn. That is an easy swap for many owners, but have a tech look if you are not comfortable.

📖 Want the full step-by-step? See Book 2: RV Plumbing Troubleshooting on Amazon, or grab the PDF in the shop.

Do this after winter storage, after a long sit, or if the water tastes off. It takes a few hours of waiting, not much work.

• Take the water filters out first.
• Mix plain, unscented bleach into the fresh tank: 1/4 cup of regular (6%) bleach, or 3 tablespoons of concentrated (8%), for every 15 gallons of tank capacity.
• Fill the tank with water and run every faucet until you smell bleach, hot and cold, plus the outside shower.
• Let it sit at least 4 hours.
• Drain and flush until the bleach smell is gone, then install new filters.

Keep the water heater bypassed until you are done, and never turn the heater on until the tank is full.

📖 Want the full step-by-step? See Book 6: RV Winterizing Made Simple on Amazon, or grab the PDF in the shop.

For an RV that will sit unheated until spring, our main method is the air blow-out. It leaves no antifreeze taste in your water lines and is easier to flush in spring.

The short version

• Drain the fresh tank, water heater, and low point drains. Bypass the water heater.
• Put a blow-out plug in the city water inlet and blow out every fixture at 30 to 40 PSI (or your RV maker’s limit), cold and hot, until you only get air and mist.
• Do the whole round a second time.
• Clear the water pump, then leave the low point drains and faucets open.
• Pour RV antifreeze only into the drains, toilet, and black tank.

Long, hard winters, or no compressor? Pump propylene glycol RV antifreeze through every line instead. Never use automotive antifreeze.

Our free Storing It checklist walks through every step.

🎬 Prefer to watch? Find the video on our YouTube channel.

📖 Want the full step-by-step? See Book 6: RV Winterizing Made Simple on Amazon, or grab the PDF in the shop.

If you stay in the RV through the cold months, the goal is to keep water flowing and the RV dry.

• Use a heated drinking-water hose on a GFCI outlet. It turns on at about 40°F.
• Wrap the spigot and insulate the city water inlet.
• Add skirting, but leave access to dump valves and propane, and do not block vents.
• Set the thermostat no lower than 55°F, and 60 to 65°F on freezing nights.
• Keep tank heaters working and dump tanks on a warm afternoon.

Never

Never heat the RV with the oven or stovetop, and never thaw pipes with an open flame.

Our free Living In It checklist includes a cold snap night plan.

📖 Want the full step-by-step? See Book 6: RV Winterizing Made Simple on Amazon, or grab the PDF in the shop.

A space heater is great for comfort. It does not replace the furnace for freeze protection. Many RVs rely on the furnace to push warm air near the plumbing and tanks, and not every RV is built the same way, so check your owner’s manual.

Use both safely

• Keep the furnace on for freeze protection, set per your winter plan.
• Do not overload a 30 amp RV. A 1500-watt heater pulls about 12.5 amps.
• Plug straight into the wall. No extension cords or power strips.
• Keep 3 feet of clearance, and keep pets away from the heater and its cord.
• Test your smoke, CO, and propane alarms and never block the furnace vents.

🎬 Prefer to watch? Find the video on our YouTube channel.

Wait until overnight lows stay above freezing, then go in order.

• Close the drains and faucets you left open, and set the pump valve back to the tank if you used a kit.
• Run every faucet until the flow is steady, with the water heater still bypassed. Check for leaks.
• Sanitize the fresh water system.
• Put the bypass valves back to normal, and fill the water heater tank before you turn it on.
• Check the vents for nests, test detectors, leak-test propane, and inspect tires, lights, slides, and the awning.

Never heat an empty water heater. The electric element burns out in seconds without water.

📖 Want the full step-by-step? See Book 6: RV Winterizing Made Simple on Amazon, or grab the PDF in the shop.

Covers and tarps look protective, but they can trap moisture against the roof and sidewalls, especially in humid climates like the Gulf Coast. Trapped moisture leads to mold, stains, and wear on the seals.

• Use a carport or shelter if you can.
• Inspect the roof and seals, and repair sealant before storage.
• Place moisture absorbers inside and prop the fridge open.
• Visit once a month to check for stains, rodents, and drips.

📖 Want the full step-by-step? See Book 6: RV Winterizing Made Simple on Amazon, or grab the PDF in the shop.

A used RV can be a great deal, or a money pit. Slow down and check these first.

• Water damage: stains on the ceiling and around windows, soft spots in the floor, musty smell.
• Roof and seals: cracked or missing sealant around vents and edges.
• Tires: check the date codes as well as the tread. Old tires crack even with little wear.
• Run everything: AC, furnace, water heater, fridge, pump, slides, awning, lights.
• Underneath: look for drips, nests, and torn underbelly.
• Paperwork: maintenance records and a clear title.

Consider paying a certified RV inspector. A few hundred dollars can save thousands.

📖 Want the full step-by-step? See Book 4: What You Need to Know Before and After You Buy an RV on Amazon, or grab the PDF in the shop.

Fifteen minutes a month catches most small problems before they become service calls.

• Test smoke, CO, and propane detectors.
• Check tire pressure and look for cracks.
• Inspect the roof and seals, especially after storms.
• Check flooded battery water levels.
• Look under sinks and in bays for drips.
• Check the propane level and run the generator if you have one.

Write it down. A maintenance log helps you spot patterns and holds its value when you sell.

📖 Want the full step-by-step? See Book 5: RV Maintenance Logbook on Amazon, or grab the PDF in the shop.