RV Generator Testing

An RV, or recreational vehicle, is literally a home away from home. Modern RVs have nearly everything that you would find in your house -- from well-apportioned bathrooms to centrally-run air conditioning, allowing you to travel to family gatherings or take that long-planned trip across the country. The first thing you need to do before setting off is check the heart of your RV: the generator. Testing your generator frequently helps you know that your RV will run just the way you expect it to.

• 1

  Check to see that there is oil and fuel for the engine and that the battery is well charged.

• 2

  Look at the wiring at least four times a year and make sure that all the wires are healthy-looking and un-frayed. Also check the connections from the cables to the engine toi see that they are tight and show no signs of corrosion.

• 3

  Hook the negative voltmeter lead to ground and the positive lead to the positive end of the battery cable. Confirm that the reading is between 12.6 and 12.8. If it is lower, recharge the battery or, if the battery is old, you might need a new one.

• 4

  Turn on the engine and see if it starts quickly. If not, check the spark plugs. They might need to be replaced.

• 5

  Look at all the gauges and see that they are registering in the normal range. The generator needs fuel, AC power and oil in order to function correctly. Your gauges will indicate if you need to replace or refill any of these essentials to keep the generator going.

• 6

  Familiarize yourself with all the parts of your RV that need to be cleaned or occasionally replaced and keep a maintenance log. When all your parts are working together correctly the generator will not need any special care.

• 7

  Fill the RV with the correct fuel for the generator to run at its peak performance level and use anti-freeze or coolant in the appropriate season.