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RV
Manual We are developing an online Manual so that you may enjoy your RV to it's fullest. This is a work in progress and is subject to change at any given time. It is also a generic peace of work and is meant only as a general guide, it should not be taken as absolute fact. Each RV is distinct and individual in it's own right, do not take anything written here literally as it may or may not apply to the exact RV you will be using. Some information provided in these pages are only suggestions. Please read Your RV page as we have more helpful information. By Mac McCoy Fire in an RV is a terrifying thought. Perhaps that is why it falls into the category of happening to the "other people". There is complete devastation in some 6,500 reported RV fires a year. Of these fires, 63% were in motorhomes, 1500 had damage over $10,000, and 28 people died. (There were an estimated 10,000 more fires than this 6,500 number, unreported for insurance reasons). 70% of the reported fires were motorhome fires. Most often these were transmission fires. It takes only 5 to 7 minutes for a 40 foot RV to burn to the rails. A smoke detector is the most important device you can have in your rig. Make sure it is a UL 217 integral battery-operated detector. Carbon Monoxide and LPG gas detectors are also essential. The carbon monoxide detector should be 4 feet above the floor, since this gas is lighter than oxygen and "floats". It should also be mounted in the bedroom, as carbon monoxide kills when people are asleep. The LPG detector should be on the floor. Many people have noticed that the smoke detector goes off when the toaster is used. Idea: get a kitchen smoke detector and move the other one to the bedroom. Or -- put a shower cap or baggie over the detector when cooking. Just remember to remove it when the meal is finished! The National Fire Protection Agency ("NFPA") mandates the rules for fire extinguishers and escape hatches for RVs. You should have a 5 pound ABC rated fire extinguisher near each exit. Know how to use it! A fire usually starts at the front of the rig and moves to the rear. Safety starts with a clean windshield and clear dash. These two simple steps can help reduce the fatigue of driving. Find your escape windows. Unless they are the type which have a "string" around them, open them and practice getting out. This is much easier to do when you are not in a panic situation. Teach your guests, especially young ones, who to open the door of your rig. Many models work differently. Also point out the escape windows. Before operating your stove or oven, open a window and overhead venting on an exhaust fan. If you smell gas, extinguish all open flames (pilot lights, lamps, smoking materials, etc.), shut off the gas supply, open doors and leave the unit until the odor is gone. Have the system checked before you use it again. Make sure that any after market product you get for your rig has been approved by RVIA. Many items, such as under counter mounted toasters, etc. are fine for a house, but the RV is subjected to a great deal of shaking as it goes down the road. Home implements may not be able to stand up to this stress. Turn off your propane refrigerator when driving. It will stay cold for several hours. If you will be driving 6 - 8 hours in a day, turn the refrigerator up to its highest setting the night before you leave, and then turn it off. When you stop at a rest stop along the highway, open the hood of your car or RV to let the engine cool. If you smell ammonia in your refrigerator, replace the unit. It is cooled by ammonia and hydrogen. If something, a bird or insect nest, etc. is blocking the vent, and explosion can easily occur. Therefore, after your rig has been stored for a period of time, Do not use cooking appliances for heating. Unlike homes, oxygen supply is limited due to the size of the RV. Cooking appliances need fresh air for safe operation, and the danger of asphyxiation is great -- greater when the appliance is used for a long time. Always cook with a range vent or nearby window open.Catalytic heaters should be vented, indeed, RVIA technicians are not allowed to install non-vented heaters. Repair engine or transmission oil leaks as soon as possible, especially automatic transmission fluid. It will ignite easily and burn very quickly. It can also ignite when it comes in contact with the exhaust system. The exhaust system becomes hotter when traveling up hills. Most RV fires are engine fires. In order to extinguish an engine fire, you will have to get to the top of the engine. If necessary, have something to punch holes in the hood (of a car or tow vehicle) or the chassis so that the extinguisher can get to the source of the blaze. There are 4 classes of fires:
If you should have a fire while hooked up, be sure to unhook immediately to cut the current from the fire. If boondocking, turn off the generator or inverter. The RV industry extinguishers are generally not rated for class A fires. [Ours was not.] Also these are dry powder extinguishers and are corrosive when they touch parts of the unit not burning. Halon extinguisher's were outlawed by the Montreal Protocols: they are hazardous to the ozone layer. They are also possibly carcinogenic. A CO2 extinguisher is hazardous, and of no use in the wind. It is also very heavy. Turn off the propane when you are having your tanks filled. Often the propane dealer will vent his hose under your rig before he starts the filling process. Should your refrigerator choose that particular moment to turn on, there could easily be a fire. The last portion of this class was spent (literally) in putting out fires. There was a specially designated site where all sorts of fires could be started (they had a flamethrower) and various types of extinguishers used to put them out. It was fascinating to see how easily fires could re-ignite; just when you thought they were out, back they came. It is recommended that the average rig have 5 fire extinguishers, and use them, one after the other, until the fire is out. But be aware that the most important thing is the safety of the occupants. If you cannot extinguish the fire don't let it extinguish you and remember:
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