Hey! I'm Ross, "The RV Engineer!"
RVs can be a little scary, can’t they?
You’re handed the keys after a hurried 15-minute walk-through. Now you’re in charge of a factory-built home on wheels that experiences a hurricane and an earthquake every time you drive through a rainstorm.
As a designer and RV engineer, I get your frustration. My industry isn’t necessarily known for award-winning customer service, now is it?
This blog contains industry-insider information about how RVs work. Get your info straight from the horse’s mouth – er, or mine, anyway. You have a friend on the “inside” now!
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Recent Posts
What Good Is an Accumulator Tank? Can It Fix Pump “Short Cycling”?
Most RV water supply systems rely on an on-demand water pump. These pumps have a built-in pressure switch that triggers on/off operation. When the pressure dips – such as when you open a faucet –
Quick Tip: Double-Check Your Furnace Flexible Ductwork!
Any HVAC engineer will tell you that flex duct is a necessary evil. It’s quick to install but retards airflow. Your RV may have quite a bit of 4” flex duct running from your furnace
Quick Tip: How Many Solar Panels Do I Need to Recharge My Batteries?
Last week, “Sean” wrote me an email asking how many solar panels he needed to recharge his RV house battery. “So I apparently have the wrong battery (deep cycle marine approximately 88 Ah) for my
The Engineer Answers: 6V Vs. 12V Batteries for an RV (Don’t Believe the Hype)
Wondering whether 6V or 12V batteries are better for your RV? I don’t blame you for asking – and I don’t blame you for being confused, either. Most of the blog content written on this
Why Does My RV Sink Stink? (And What’s an Anti-Siphon Vent/Air Admittance Valve?)
You might not have heard of an Anti-Siphon Trap Vent Device (ASTVD). It’s not the sort of feature that gets published on a sales brochure. Here’s what it looks like: Anti-siphon vents are also called
Are RV Manufacturers Too Cheap to Install this $10 Odor-Killing Upgrade?
Your tanks stink to high heaven. Gray or black, doesn’t matter. All wastewater RV tanks smell like an overflowing public latrine at a county fair on a hot summer day. Don’t take it personally; everyone
Quick Tip: Why Is GVWR Higher or Lower than GAWR? ANSWERED!
Curious why the GVWR of your RV is greater than the GAWR? Concerned that the math seems shadowy? Fear not, because there’s a perfectly reasonable answer. Federal Law Allows GVWR to Be Higher than GAWR
The Engineer Answers: Should I Flip My Trailer Axles?
“Flipping the axle” is a colloquial way of saying “lifting my RV.” It’s an aftermarket procedure used to gain ground clearance. There are a lot of misconceptions about this procedure, the biggest of which is
Quick Tip: Should I Disconnect My RV Battery When Plugged Into Shore Power?
There is a common misconception among new RV owners that you should disconnect your house batteries when plugged into shore power (something about issues arising from multiple power sources). If you have a modern multi-stage
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