The toilet almost spills over, the freshwater tank empties itself as if by magic, and is it moderately cold in the refrigerator? Ten “breakdown classics” and what to do with them. You may never have to worry about these breakdowns if you buy an RV from Airstream Dealers.
Breakdown no. 1: The freshwater goes the whistle
Many a camping novice has already escaped unexpectedly from the tank. No wonder there are several valves in the motorhome, which ensure dry taps in and a massive pool under the vehicle in the open position. They sit in the innards of the mobile – usually near the pressure pump, the heater, or hidden in a floor compartment.
Very useful, but the frost guard is tricky for newbies. If this valve registers temperatures below four degrees, it automatically empties the boiler and, in some cases, the pipes, thus protecting the water system from damage. It can only be closed again when the temperature on the valve is at least seven degrees.
The freshwater tank itself also houses a way of draining its contents. Often it is a black rotary valve that can be closed, opened, or brought into the driving position. With the latter, for weight reasons, the tank only stores a smaller volume for the journey and lets the rest splash out. By the way: some models have a submersible pump sunk into the tank. If no water flows despite the storage tank being full, gentle shaking can help get the pump wheel running again.
It is best to familiarize yourself with the vehicle’s onboard technology before your vacation. If you know where the valves and controls are located, you don’t have to search puzzlingly in the worst-case scenario.
Breakdown No. 2:
The gray water tank is full.
The gray water, i.e., the wastewater from the sink, washbasin, and shower, is collected in a tank in motorhomes. It is emptied either at the campsite or at freely accessible disposal stations. These can be found in many parking spaces and sometimes also at rest stops. If you want to make sure in advance, it is best to inquire about it using your smartphone’s promobil parking space app.
It is best to dispose of the wastewater at every opportunity – even if there is still more volume available according to the level indicator on the control panel. The procedure is simple:
- Drive the motorhome over the designated entrance.
- Open the drain valve using the lever in the vehicle or on the underbody and allow the liquid to drain off.
- Then always make sure to close the valve again. Otherwise, the next wastewater seeps into the ground unnoticed by the user – this must be prevented.
But what if a flashing LED on the control panel warns of impending overflow – simple control boards do not specifically indicate the fill level – and there is no disposal station nearby? Don’t panic; you can get rid of at least some of the wastewater by carrying a few fulls of buckets to a public toilet. This is no joke, but neither is it breaking a taboo like the “droplet disposal” of some contemporaries who intentionally leave the valve open a little while driving.
Breakdown No. 3:
The toilet cassette is full.
Every motorhome and many camper vans now have a cassette toilet. The rinsed ends up in a sealed container. It is better to empty it in good time, because if it is overfilled, the contents, the black water, push into the toilet shaft in the worst case. Going to the disposal site sounds like a “Walk of Shame,” but it is not so wild if you take a few pieces of advice to heart.
How often the journey is necessary depends on the size of the crew. Experience says every two to four days. By the way, users of sanitary additives should not always dispose of the cassette’s contents immediately, as the agent – it is filled in beforehand and decomposes the feces – has to act for some time.
Access to the toilet cassette is obtained via an outside flap on the vehicle. Unlocked with the lever, the cassette can be pulled out. Many cassettes have wheels and a pull-out handle and can be pulled along like a trolley. When emptying the cassette at the disposal chute, one thing is essential: While tipping the cassette, the vent button on the cassette must be pressed continuously so that air can flow in.
This allows the contents to drain off quickly and evenly, without excessive splashing and messes. One more thing: Be sure to warn fellow campers before removing the cassette. Otherwise, the Walk of Shame will become the shame of return.
Breakdown No. 4:
There is an unpleasant smell from the processes.
The parking space has been reached, the pasta is al dente, and the wine is already uncorked – nothing stands in the way of a romantic camping dinner. If only there wouldn’t be such a modern smell noticeable. As a beginner, you quickly have doubts about a camping holiday, but don’t worry: most of the time, the stench only comes from the water drains. Why? The odor traps in the motorhome are often small to save space, and sometimes the water stop is missing entirely.
During the journey, the water sloshes out of the siphon or evaporates over time. If the reservoir dries out, the smell of the muffle penetrates from the wastewater tank into the interior. The reason: If nutrients get into the pipes and the gray water tank, putrefactive bacteria grow, and gases are formed. If possible, it is better to carry your pasta cooking water and the like to the toilet or sink at the campsite instead of throwing it away in the motorhome. Unique products such as Thetford’s Gray Water Fresh, which you pour into the drain, can also help to prevent deposits in the pipes and the tank.
If possible, the gray water tank should also be cleaned once a year so that no stubborn biofilm builds up on the walls and floor. Tip: If you put chlorine cleaner in the drain, for example, it can slosh around in the tank during a short drive and act. Then you can use a brush to gain access to the inside of the tank.
Breakdown no. 5:
Risk of confusion when refueling
Diesel in the freshwater tank? Utopian. No way, this can certainly not only happen to camp beginners. Especially in the case of integrated motorhomes, the flaps of the respective filler necks look very similar and are often not far from each other.
If your thoughts buzz around the first head in the bathing lake while refueling, the pump nozzle can quickly be put in the wrong opening. It is, therefore, better to sample the labeling of the flaps twice. And what if there is a swirl of fuel in the freshwater tank? Just don’t let the water pump run. Otherwise, the pipe system will also be contaminated.
The broth has to go, if possible, to the gas station. So drain the tank contents through a drain with an oil separator. Diesel fuel consists of various chemical compounds such as hydrocarbons, tetranitromethane, fatty acid methyl esters, etc. They penetrate the capillaries of the plastic walls of a water tank. Common solvents no longer help. Only with unique products like Diesolan from Dr. Keddo can they still clean the tank.
If the diesel had been in the tank for longer, it might have already penetrated the plastic. Then the tank has to go. By the way: water in the diesel tank is at least as bad. Never start the engine anymore. The vehicle must be transported to the workshop to drain and clean the tank.
Breakdown no. 6:
Heating and Co. get no gas.
The heating doesn’t work, so the gas runs out—a typical beginner’s mistake. Often only the supply is interrupted. It is best to proceed systematically. First, check whether there is still gas in the bottle – for example, with the help of a gas level meter, weighing the bottle or opening the valve briefly so that it hisses briefly. Then connect the gas hose and screw it hand-tight – attention! Left-hand thread.
Then open the cylinder valve to the end and then turn it back half a turn. This prevents the valve from sticking. If gas is also available while driving, a crash sensor on the gas system is now mandatory. This triggers the event of intense vibrations and interrupts the gas flow to be on the safe side. Before gas can flow again, the mechanism must be manually unlocked at the push of a button.
In addition to the cylinder valve, there are also gas shut-off valves for each consumer device inside the motorhome. The red knobs are usually located in a compartment in the kitchen unit. The valve is open when one of the two arrows points in the direction of the respective gas outlet. By the way: The Trauma heaters use error codes to provide information on the individual problem.
With the older manual control panel, these are Morse code flashing signals, with the newer digital control panel codes made up of letters and numbers. The Trauma app helps interpret the regulations.
Breakdown no. 7:
The refrigerator does not calm properly.
Two different technologies are used for onboard refrigerators. Some work on the compressor principle like at home. But so-called absorption refrigerators are used more frequently.
Advantage of the absorber devices: They work quietly and can be operated with 12 volts, 230 volts, and with gas. With simple or older models, the type of energy is selected manually; modern devices do this automatically according to the following scheme: the 12 V power of the alternator is used while the vehicle is moving, switched to gas operation when the car is stationary or switched to 230 V when connected to shore power. The cooling capacity is lowest in 12 V operation.
Therefore, it can make sense to switch to gas operation manually when the outside temperature is high, for example. However, if you switch off the engine, the system blocks the gas supply for 15 minutes to be on the safe side – as open flames are not allowed at petrol stations. The refrigerator must then be reactivated after refueling stops and breaks.
The refrigerator also struggles when staying over 1,000 meters in height or when the motorhome is tilted – from an incline of more than 2.5 degrees. Even if the vehicle heats up in the sun in midsummer, the cooling effect decreases significantly.
Breakdown No. 8:
No light in the motorhome
I tried several light switches, but the motorhome remains dark? This does not have to be related to severe electronic defects or battery problems. Usually, it is enough to press a few buttons and switches to get light – but finding the right ones is often not easy. Essential utensil: a flashlight. First of all, it is advisable to search the interior for main switches for the lighting. They are usually found directly on the control panel or sometimes separately somewhere in the entrance area.
If it stays dark anyway, the focus is on the fuses. Each consumer or circuit is protected separately with a suitable flat fuse to avoid damage to the devices. The best thing to do is to check the fuse box first. It is often in the wardrobe, in a storage box, under the bed, in a seat chest or console.
By the way: Usually, there is also the mains fuse with a so-called residual current circuit breaker (FI switch). If the vehicle is connected to shore power (230 V), it prevents life-threatening electric shocks. If the FI switch has tripped, the 230-volt onboard network is paralyzed – and the lamps usually too, even if they only need twelve volts.
Breakdown # 9:
Problems with the battery
Electrics are always such a thing – especially for those who don’t like technology. If you count yourself but still want to know a few basics about the advantages and disadvantages of different batteries, you will find the correct information here.
In general: the best battery care is regular charging, with a 230-volt shore power connection and, if possible, for at least twelve hours. The alternator usually only gets partially full of the ancillary battery while driving – even if a so-called booster (usually additional equipment) increases efficiency. The battery does not go through the entire charging cycle.
Important: If the motorhome has a more extended vacation, it is best to disconnect the battery from the onboard network completely. All electrical appliances can be deactivated on the control panel. Nevertheless, small currents can continue to flow through silent consumers, which in the long term bring the power storage system into harmful deep discharge.
That is why there are more and more battery disconnectors that disconnect the battery directly. These primarily red rotary switches are often placed very close to the battery unit, in a storage compartment, or on one of the seat consoles in the driver’s cab. If you want to overwinter the battery optimally, you can remove it and connect it to a suitable charger with a trickle charge in a temperature-controlled, ventilated room.
Breakdown No. 10:
A mishap with the awning
Crank out the awning, fold out the feet, and everything is a pallet? Think. Here, too, beginners can make mistakes. First, the construction should only be extended about a meter, and then the feet should be folded down to provide temporary support. Otherwise, the weight of the fabric and poles will put an unnecessary strain on the mounting adapters on the vehicle.
Then relax after moving out? Gladly, but the tension beforehand: fix the support feet with pegs and secure the awning with tensioning straps. The wind is the awning’s worst enemy. If she is not connected correctly, she goes on a sailing trip in gusts. If the fabric and the rods crash over the motorhome, it is not just the sun protection that is broken.
If you are absent for a more extended period, the awning should therefore always be cranked in. If the fabric has gotten wet before, it is essential to pull it out later and let it dry to prevent mold from forming. If you extend the awning under conifers, you expect resin stains, which can often only be removed with special cleaners.
Leaves, twigs, or bird droppings should be removed before driving in. If the cloth does get a small tear, adhesive repair kits can help. To compensate for the thicker material, put a plaster on the other side so the sun protection rolls up again evenly.
