RV training videos and dvd's

[Phil Hendrix]

Hi,
Being new at this, I have been thinking about buying some of the training videos/dvds I have seen on the web. Just curious what you think about them? Are they worth the investment? Looked on ebay to see if anyone was trying to pass their's along, but guess not. I have a 1999 American Heritage and would love to learn more about the aquahot system and the whole electrical charging system. I seem to learn better when I see it as opposed to just reading and hearing. What you you reccommend? Thanks, Phil

 

[Ron]

I personally don't think such videos are worth the effort.  You can learn a lot right here and if you have a problem call American Coach.  Their tech support is excellent.

 

[BruceinFL]

I disagree with Ron. Those RV training videos are not that expensive and seeing is believing. Personally, I find that videos are more meaningful than just plain reading and the lesson sinks in better. For example, when I see the RV Doctor on the Travel Channel actually doing something that I've read about on the Forum, the light bulb gets turned on. I say go for it. Anyhow, football season is about over and there's nothing worth watching on TV until it starts again in August.  ;D

If all you needed to do was read about stuff, we wouldn't need any teachers, classrooms, schools, driving lessons, golf lessons, aviation simulators, flying lessons, medical schools, ............. 

 

[rjf7g]

If your learning style is to watch and listen then do, get the videos.  If you are a reader and a caller for help, perhaps there isn't a need for the videos.  I found a class C overview video at a Wal-Mart for $5 --- you bet I bought it.  The next Wal-Mart I went to had it for $19.95.  I wouldn't buy it at that price.

I haven't watched the class C video yet, but it probably deals in generalities and big ideas, not specifics for my specific class C.  On my park trailer, I have found that owner's manuals are not very good.  I get much more information from calling my dealer.

Regardless, if you are an RV owner who doesn't have an endless supply of money to pay someone else to do things for you, you are constantly learning new things!  Learn the way you learn!

 

[ArdraF]

Hi Phil,

There's are alternatives if you're a "see it done" kinda guy.  At some of our RV Forum rallies the guys show one another how to do stuff and we help one another solve problems.  A good example of this is our upcoming rally at Quartzsite.  Last year they got a couple of satellite antennas installed.  In previous years people have been helped with their furnaces, etc.  This is a pretty good group for helping one another and many are experts in electrical, mechanical, and solar.  Moreover, these guys love their gadgets (in case you haven't already figured that out) and get a kick out of sharing them with others.  If you can't get on your roof, under your RV, or inside an underbay, there's usually someone who can do that if you need help on something.  Jerry's known as the "roof guy" and has been known to be on other people's roofs at 6:00 a.m. 

Also, factory rallies are good events to attend because they often have seminars on subjects that are more oriented to your brand, for example, batteries, inverters, and the like.  When we got our first Monaco diesel pusher we attended every rally we could and we both (I feel strongly that wives should also know how things work in their RVs) went to every seminar they had (Cummins, Allison, inverters, batteries, heating and cooling) until we felt comfortable that we understood our coach and its components.  In addition, the factory rallies often have representatives from their primary vendors who can explain things and who often do small maintenance projects such as awning adjustments and servicing your tow bar.  We would urge you to take advantage of these services so, if you can, attend some rallies.  Finally, people also tend to help one another at the factory rallies, just like we do at the RV Forum rallies.  We once had a couple next to us who had a brand new coach and didn't know anything about it.  He said one hour with Jerry showing him "stuff" was worth every penny spent to attend the rally.

ArdraF

 

[Phil Hendrix]

I know myself, and I do better when I see someone teach me how to do something. I just understand it better and I tend to remember it more. And I see this all the time when I hire new people to work in the cabinet shop, you can tell someone the steps to do to build a cabinet but it actually takes building one in front of them and then they actually do hands on to learn the process. I guess that's why I think the teaching material would be profitable.

 

[Karl]

Bruce,

If all you needed to do was read about stuff, we wouldn't need any teachers, classrooms, schools, driving lessons, golf lessons, aviation simulators, flying lessons, medical schools, .............

But I did stay at a Howard Johnsons last night. 

Phil, I think hands-on is best, but watching someone else do it is a close second. Let's not forget that these videos probably show everything neat, clean and in working order. That's fine for learning how to operate rv systems, but they can't possibly be specific enough to give you a good working knowledge of how to fix them. Too many different systems and too many different problems/fixes.

 

[Betty Brewer]

Phil,

The thing is with "wanting something" (from my point of view) If you think you may want it and don't buy the training video, you may always wonder what you missed.  Now if you make a purchase and find out even one tiny valuable thing, it will be worth it. If you buy it and do not learn one thing from it, come back here and tell the rest of us so we may borrow the video  from you to see what we missed. 

I have watched videos on some of my small appliances and found them very helpful. I almost always find something I missed in the manual or skipped over.  I like the visuals in a video cause I'm a visual learner.

Betty

 

[motojavaphil]

Phil, I am new to motorhomes having always had 5r's.  It is a major investment and like anything on wheels requires upkeep.  If you can keep your MH in safe and good condition by using any source I'd go for it.  DVD's are an excellent teaching tool.  I purchased "Class A Motorhomes 101" by Mark Polk.  As the 101 implies it is a basic review of MH care.  I'll easily spend that kind of money going out to dinner or doing something less beneficial.  It also helped me get familiar with the systems and save money when small repairs come up.  I tend to be eclectic in my appraoch to anything, I gather info from whatever source I can as if it helps me understand, then I am ahead of the game.  This Forum is the best giving good information and helps folks determine what they have to do.  At some point I am going to have to learn how to replace window as mine are failing.  You bet I will be online, reading and asking "coachheads" what to do.  I have found Pols's DVD's to be dry, basic and informative.  Good luck, Phil

 

[Ron]

Phil,

The thing is with "wanting something" (from my point of view) If you think you may want it and don't buy the training video, you may always wonder what you missed.   Now if you make a purchase and find out even one tiny valuable thing, it will be worth it. If you buy it and do not learn one thing from it, come back here and tell the rest of us so we may borrow the video  from you to see what we missed. 

Good point Betty.

 

[PattieAM]

I say order them.

I've had my pop up camper for several years and have pretty much learned all the ins and outs of it.  But, I ordered/downloaded Mark Polk's RV-101 for pop up campers, and I actually sat down and read the contents.  While not super specific, I now understand the 'whys' of what needs to be done and when.

I have made a folder and have all of my amenity brochures/user guides in it, as well as my owners manual for the PUP.  And, I've gone through and highlighted what I feel to be important in each.  I learned a lot of stuff actually reading the Dexter Axle booklet, and made a list from it.

I feel there is never too much information, and even if it's just one item out of twenty that is presented in a better way, it is worthwhile.

 

[Phil Hendrix]

Thanks everyone....I ordered a set today. I figured I would learn all I could and then have them for others to use also. I also thought they might be handy for family members when they borrow the coach ( I'm going to try to avoid that but....)

Phil

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

I also thought they might be handy for family members when they borrow the coach ( I'm going to try to avoid that but....)

Phil

Phil, repeat after me,  NO  ;D  ;D

 

[Phil Hendrix]

Phil, repeat after me,  NO   ;D  ;D

I know your so right.....I just have such a hard time doing that.....but I'm gonna try! It will get easier as time passes because in a couple years it will become our place of residence. Thanks for the tip.

 

[scottydl]

I know your so right.....I just have such a hard time doing that.....but I'm gonna try! It will get easier as time passes because in a couple years it will become our place of residence. Thanks for the tip.

RV'ing (as I'm sure you know by now) is not a pick-up-and-go pastime, if you are the operator of the rig anyway.  There is DEFINITELY a learning curve.  If you have family who are experienced in all things RV, then maybe.  It would be like me borrowing my neighbor's boat for a day on the lake, when I know *nothing* about boating (except that I've ridden in them).  Not only would it be dangerous and irresponsible for me, I'd be downright petrified of doing something wrong!  Start explaining all the different systems and checks to any interested family member, and I'm thinking their appeal for a quick weekend trip might wane a bit. 

There's are alternatives if you're a "see it done" kinda guy.  At some of our RV Forum rallies the guys show one another how to do stuff and we help one another solve problems.

Hands-on is definitely the best, but videos and photos come in a close second for me too.  I'm always asking for photos here (or showing photos of MY problem when asking a question), rather than try to explain that lever by the thing behind the panel that makes a sound and turns on an indicator light. 

Admins/mods, would there be a way that members could upload homemade digital videos for addition to the Library?  There may be instances where a short video would explain a lot more detail than several photos are paragraphs of text.  Many digital cameras nowadays have "video mode" for shooting short, low-quality (compared to a camcorder) videos that would be perfect for this sort of thing.  I realize video files take up a lot more "real estate" as far as disk space and bandwidth, and the forum may or may not be able to support the extra load. 

 

[Tom]

.... would there be a way that members could upload homemade digital videos for addition to the Library?

Scotty, that's a great idea, thanks. I was actually sitting here last evening thinking of uploading a short video of my own. Previously, we were constrained by being max'd out on the server, but we have a lot more headroom on the new server. The challenge is to control it, since we don't have unlimited storage, but that's an issue for me to deal with. I haven't yet figured out the best approach, but maybe even a U-tube plug-in. Lemme look into further and, if you don't hear from me, give me a nudge.

 

[BruceinFL]

RV'ing (as I'm sure you know by now) is not a pick-up-and-go pastime, if you are the operator of the rig anyway.  There is DEFINITELY a learning curve.  If you have family who are experienced in all things RV, then maybe.  It would be like me borrowing my neighbor's boat for a day on the lake, when I know *nothing* about boating (except that I've ridden in them).  Not only would it be dangerous and irresponsible for me, I'd be downright petrified of doing something wrong!  Start explaining all the different systems and checks to any interested family member, and I'm thinking their appeal for a quick weekend trip might wane a bit. 


Hands-on is definitely the best, but videos and photos come in a close second for me too.  I'm always asking for photos here (or showing photos of MY problem when asking a question), rather than try to explain that lever by the thing behind the panel that makes a sound and turns on an indicator light. 

Admins/mods, would there be a way that members could upload homemade digital videos for addition to the Library?  There may be instances where a short video would explain a lot more detail than several photos are paragraphs of text.  Many digital cameras nowadays have "video mode" for shooting short, low-quality (compared to a camcorder) videos that would be perfect for this sort of thing.  I realize video files take up a lot more "real estate" as far as disk space and bandwidth, and the forum may or may not be able to support the extra load. 

Just tell them your insurance company won't allow it. Works for me.

 

[Phil Hendrix]

I think that would be awesome....to be able to view a short movie clip of something you are unfamiliar with. I know it is hard at times to communicate with just written responses. Sometimes I don't even know what the correct question to ask is. When you are new at something (as I am at this) and are not very skilled to begin with (as I am), seeing it taught as you are hearing it taught.....well, I just learn better like that. I know right now it is because I am trying to learn alot all at one time. Thanks for all the help.
Phil

 

[Tom]

Scotty/Phil,

Here's an example of streaming video from U-Tube. Click here. (Turn your volume on.) Many forumites will recognize where this was shot.

OK, now who's going to shoot the videos?

 

[scottydl]

Here's an example of streaming video from U-Tube.

Cool!  I have a bit of web design experience, but haven't played around much with those embedded YouTube links.  Obviously they are getting very popular nowadays.  Looks good, although I don't recognize the location (wish I was there).

As far as shooting videos, my digital camera takes video in .mpg format.  Quality is not high (you wouldn't want to use it for permanent home movies), but it's perfect for internet/e-mail.  That's what I would use to take any video recordings and upload (or send to an administrator for upload) if needed.