New member checking in

[Rndygit]

A big hello and happy Thanksgiving to all. As a complete novice and now an owner of my first RV ( 1995 35w Pace Arrow, 20,400 org miles, 200hrs on a Onan 7000 gen,) I'm going to thank everyone in advance for answering what may seem simple questions to experienced folks on here. The sellers gave me a quick walk round and everything worked fine, gen started 1st time etc, and it ran great from S Florida back to Atlanta area.

Now I think maybe I wasn't paying as much attention as I should've. Now the generator won't start( sounds like the starter isn't engaging), and no propane is getting to the appliances. I now know that there is propane leak sensor that shuts of the gas via a solenoid. Problem is I can't find any sensor to reset!!!! From what I've been told it should be floor level so I've crawled around looking with no luck. New carpet and padding were recently installed so I'm thinking maybe the sensor was removed and not reinstalled....or I'm missing a master switch that turns everything on lol. Thoughts please.

        Bob

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Hi Bob and welcome to the RV Forum. Check out the forum Library - lots of great info there. It even has a Newcomers section. And use the forum SEARCH to find previous message threads on almost any subject.

Does your generator crank or do you hear the solenoid kick in? Or just "nothing" when you press the switch? Did you try the starter switch on the generator itself, or just the remote?

The LP (propane) detector should be around floor level in the galley, typically near the stove and oven. If missing, there should be a hole in the woodwork or wall and a couple wires dangling.

Do the lights and other 12v stuff work ok? If so, the master disconnect switch must be on.  If I remember correctly, it's over the entry door in that vintage of Fleetwood coach.

 

[dave61]

I am new at this also but one thing I discovered is my generator has a safety switch of some kind to prevent the starter from engaging when the RV is plugged in to AC power. Just a thought, good luck.

 

[Wendy]

Our generator shuts off when the gas tank falls below 1/4 tank. How's your gas tank level?

 

[geodrake]

Welcome to The RV Forum Bob.

As you see, we have lots of members willing to help and as Gary indicated there is a lot of good info in our library. 

Participation in our discussions is a great way to get to know folks.  Additionally, the Wednesday evening campfire will introduce you to members. 

Welcome aboard!

 

[Rndygit]

Thanks for the help folks. I found the propane leak detector, flipped the switch, and bingo I have gas to cook with and run the fridge. Also a local RV dealer put me in touch with a local mechanic who turned out to be a fantastic guy and an expert on Onan generators. He soon diagnosed the problem and had it up and running in no time.......it was the starter which he replaced. He even checked out the rest of the electrical system for free and fixed a couple of small things and gave me plenty of advice to prevent future problems.

I'm now ready to hit the road with a trip to see family outside Philadelphia then back here (Atlanta) 'til New Year then want to find somewhere on the FL gulf shore near the beach and do some fishing. Any suggestions on the latter?

Bob

 

[camperAL]

I'm now ready to hit the road with a trip to see family outside Philadelphia then back here (Atlanta) 'til New Year then want to find somewhere on the FL gulf shore near the beach and do some fishing. Any suggestions on the latter?    Bob

Hi Bob and all,

I am a newbie here also and not really qualified to offer advise but was wondering if you have thought about the cold temps in Philly?? I did some research on winterizing RV's here on the forum and some are built for colder weather others not so much. I have seen that some have put shirts around the RV and put a heater to keep pipes from freezing and so forth. Also some run their heaters in the low mode as well as keep the water heater lit or just put in winterizing fluids to keep things safe (not both).

Not sure how long you will be in Philadelphia but it does get to freezing there and can cause problems. Please excuse me if your aware and I was speaking out of place but just don't want anyone to have probelms. Best!

CamperAL


Edit: Moderator fixed the "quote" tags

 

[skyking1]

Good point, Al. I would think that keeping it winterized would be the best bet while up north. It would be a hard lesson to learn that your heated tanks or systems were not up to the cold, on the maiden voyage.

 

[Wendy]

Bob, Don't know about the fishing, but there's a nice campground at Gulf Islands National Seashore near Gulf Breeze. Full hookups, lots of good birding and history. And you can drive to the docks in Pensacola and buy shrimp straight off the shrimp boats, used to be $1.99 a pound. Yum.

Wendy

 

[Rndygit]

Thanks for the input Al. The weather up in Philly has been a concern to me but I'll only be up there for 7-10 days and according to the weather forecast only a couple of nights that may be of concern. I'll be parked in my daughters driveway and will be keeping the interior warm as I'll be using it for sleeping ( and as an escape from the grandkids lol). I also read a tip on the board about using a 60-100w light lit in susceptible areas for a short tme. Seems like a great idea to me.

Wendy, I will definitely check that out thanks

Bob