RV Expert Bill Hazell shares his many years of technical expertise as he tends to your questions.*

Q) How can I tell if my battery charger is charging my house batteries?

A) First you will need a voltmeter to get a reading of the battery voltage. When you take the reading be sure that the engine is turned off and the generator is not running or plugged into shore power. Record the reading. Next, check the shore power cord receptacle by turning on the breaker and checking the 120-volt lines using a polarity circuit line tester to verify that the polarity is correct. (You should do this before you plug in every time.) Once you have verified that the polarity is correct, plug in the shore power cord. Take another reading with the voltmeter. You should now have a reading that is around .5 volts higher than the first reading you took. (Example: first reading 12.6 volts DC; second reading 13.2 volts DC)

Q) My generator has no A/C output. Is there anything I can do about this?

A) In most cases if the generator is running and you have no A/C output to your RV, the breaker on the generator needs to be reset. All generators have either one or two breakers on the front; reset these first. If your RV is equipped with an automatic transfer switch, that may be the source of your problem, because the generator has priority over shore power through the transfer switch. This means that shore power would still work but not the generator. If this is the case, you will need to take your RV to the nearest dealer to have an electrician troubleshoot the problem with the transfer switch because it is wired at 120 volts. If your RV is not equipped with an automatic transfer switch then check to see if the shore power cord is plugged into the receptacle feeding off the generator.

Q) Are there any drawbacks to having a basement A/C unit versus a roof unit?

A) There are many benefits to having a basement A/C unit. It is wonderful for distributing the air flow evenly throughout the RV (more like residential A/C). The compressor sheds with the load management rather than tripping the breakers. Also, the RVs total height is lower than those with roof A/Cs (around 12 ft. vs. 13.2 to 13.6 ft.) Another benefit to the A/C unit being located in the basement is that it is much quieter than having a roof A/C unit. There is one drawback and that is that you lose a storage compartment.

Q I have heard of the many benefits of filling tires with nitrogen instead of air, such as better pressure retention, improved gas mileage and longer-lasting tires. If this is true, why hasn't the N2-filled tire caught on with RVers?

A) Nitrogen gas, as an inflation alternative to air, is becoming more prevalent in the auto industry and is being marketed as superior to the standard practice of using air to inflate tires. You are right in that nitrogen increases tire life by 25 percent. In fact, it also results in better fuel mileage by reducing tire heat and improves safety because it is inert and nonflammable. With all that said, it's natural to wonder why the RV industry doesn't use nitrogen. Well, there are a few good reasons. first, a normal size automobile's tire capacity is about 32–35 psi (pounds per square inch), and a motor home's is about 100-120. With the high price of nitrogen and the necessary equipment, it's just not cost effective for an RV manufacturer to install. Another thing to think about is refilling. Regular inflation pressure checks are highly recommended. So, if you end up low while on the road, you might be challenged to find nitrogen and have to use air. By doing so you are contaminating the nitrogen. At this time, nitrogen is just not cost effective or practical for RVs.

With more than 26 years in the RV industry, Bill Hazell provides motivation, training and support to Lazydays® RV technicians, sales personnel and customers. He has earned master certifications from RVIA/RVDA and OSHA, along with a Forklift Operator Certification, LP License, Onan Generator Certification (Level 3) and Power Tech and Diesel Institute of America Certifications. He also has R-12, R-22, R-1341 and HVAC licenses.

*The views expressed herein are solely the opinions of the author. no information should be relied upon until it is verified by a manufacturer or a qualified technician. Neither Lazydays nor its employees or agents are liable for any claims of any kind arising from the use of this information.