Finding a Mobile RV Technician even in upstate NY

[Rayne]

Hi, I am rather new at this full time Rving and unfortunately for me, while awaiting some minor but important Repairs to my truck I am still stuck in upstate or central New York State. Now I find Myself in need of an RV repair person, not just a local mechanic that can probably diagnose and fix my problem. The campgrounds in this are that are still open at this time of year are state parks or BLM Land only so I am “parked” at a friends house in the boonies. How can I locate one that comes to this area and once I am in the road finally, how would I locate one?  Oh, and I am in a truck camper so not terribly mobile without my truck. Haven’t figured out how to attach oats but with this years wet weather and storms along the East Coast, I should. Thanks so much for ANY guidance on this. 

Rayne

[SWharton]

I would call a local RV dealer and ask him for a mobile mechanic or tell us what is wrong and perhaps someone can help you here. NY is a big state if we give you a recommendation in Albany and you are in Buffalo that is no help.

Other than that get your truck fixed and head south ASAP to where you can get help.

[Rayne]

I hear you. 

[Rayne]

BTW, I am half way between Albany and Buffalo, and south of Syracuse an hour or so. Closest larger city is Elmira. I am situated in the hills of Ithaca, NY at the moment. 

Rayne

[SWharton]

I know Ithaca, we were at Cornell for several summers.

[Rayne]

Okay, here’s the issue. My water pump just sounded a little odd for one flush, the. Next time I went to use it I have nothing but silence. I checked the fuse, the circuit breaker and have looked in my manual of course and finally looked for a switch mentioned in my manual. Nothing!  It’s the original pump based upon the date stamp on it. 

Its a SHURflo 2088 model. 

I have still not been able to figure out how to insert useable photos here yet either. Unfortunately. 

Rayne

[Rayne]

Just now, SWharton said:

I know Ithaca, we were at Cornell for several summers.

Cool, I am on Ithaca College side of the hills. I am a Cornell Alumna though. 

[Rayne]

5 hours ago, Rayne said:

Hi, I am rather new at this full time Rving and unfortunately for me, while awaiting some minor but important Repairs to my truck I am still stuck in upstate or central New York State. Now I find Myself in need of an RV repair person, not just a local mechanic that can probably diagnose and fix my problem. The campgrounds in this are that are still open at this time of year are state parks or BLM Land only so I am “parked” at a friends house in the boonies. How can I locate one that comes to this area and once I am in the road finally, how would I locate one?  Oh, and I am in a truck camper so not terribly mobile without my truck. Haven’t figured out how to attach oats but with this years wet weather and storms along the East Coast, I should. Thanks so much for ANY guidance on this. 

Rayne

Attach Oars, not Oats, lol. 

[Rayne]

So, in Ithaca region there aren’t any RV dealers to call. Nearest Camping World is over an hour away too. So where else might i call?  

Rayne

[SWharton]

The techys will show up soon, probably needs a new pump(DIY job). Do you have a multimeter the check things out.

 

[SWharton]

Camping World is not a good place to go for any repair. OK to buy the part, so is Amazon, but that is as far as I would deal with CW.

At least you can live without the water pump, inconvenient but doable.

 

[Rayne]

9 minutes ago, SWharton said:

The techys will show up soon, probably needs a new pump(DIY job). Do you have a multimeter the check things out.

 

What do you mean?  I don’t have any Techys called so how can they just show up?  I’m confused. Yes, I can live without the water pump a little. But I choose not to any longer than necessary. 

[SWharton]

The Techys on the forum will be responding soon. Many of us are traveling right now to our snowbird locations.

if needed you can get a new water pump at Walmart(2 day delivery) or via Amazon. Youtube videos on how to replace. Confirm first that pump is dead.

 

[Dutch_12078]

Jeff's RV Service is only about 35 miles from Ithaca in Waverly, NY. I have not done business with them, so this is not a recommendation, just a reference.

http://jeffsrvservice.com/rv-repair/

Sawyer's Mobile RV Repair is in Lindley, NY, about 55 miles from Ithaca. Also someone I have not done business with.

https://www.facebook.com/Sawyers-Mobile-RV-Repair-360001260798270/

[Kirk W]

 

 

1 hour ago, Rayne said:

My water pump just sounded a little odd for one flush, the. Next time I went to use it I have nothing but silence. I checked the fuse, the circuit breaker and have looked in my manual of course and finally looked for a switch mentioned in my manual. Nothing!  It’s the original pump based upon the date stamp on it. 

I am wondering just how much you understand about how your RV works? Your water pump is supplied power from the 12V system which means the battery or the converter. I am sure that there is a fuse which supplies the water pump, but it probably also supplies one or two other things. If you just looked at the fuse, it is very possible that it is open (bad) and still looks good. The only way to be sure that the fuse is good would be to check it with an ohm meter. Are you sure that you checked the proper fuse? Since the pump is not powered by 120V there would be no circuit breaker that has anything to do with it, unless your battery is also depleted and you are depending on the converter for 12V power as it would be supplied by a circuit breaker. In case you do not know, the converter is a device that uses 120V alternating current like from the house where you are and it converts that into 12V direct current like the battery supplies. If your lights work then most likely the 12V supply is OK since nearly all RV lights are supplied by 12V in order to be usable when no shore power (120V) is available. It is a quick way to be sure that you have 12V power is to try the lights. 

You need to find out if there is power to the pump before you start to replace it as you must have 12V to the pump in order for it to work. The only way to do that is by measuring with a voltmeter at the pump. The switch mentioned in your manual is probably the pump switch which is there to turn off the pump if you connect the camper to an outside water supply by way of a hose. If in the wrong position the pump will not work and to replace it will not help. 

[SWharton]

If you don't have a multi-meter to check things out you need to get one.

[Rayne]

Thank you, I do have a multimeter, I just need to learn how to work it. I knew I had 12volt power to the pump as my lights were working as Kirk mentioned. Turns out I had bumped the wires at the top of the pump when putting something into my basement storage where the pump is. My technical friend came and figured that out and the pump was good to go again. But it concerns me that these wires were so easily available to be bumped, and to put back into service. I wish they would put covers of some sort over these important components of our rigs. So maybe I will have to see what I can figure out to protect it. Meanwhile, I am also thinking it isn’t quite sounding right so I may just have I to replaced when I get where their are actual RV technicians. 

Kirk, when I stop and think it through,  I do understand the function of the converter and the 12v versus DC power in this rig. I thank you for the reminder though too.  I still have a lot of things I am juggling while trying to get out of here (NYS) and they are all getting stymied a bit by the weather and that’s not helping.  Thanks again. 

Rayne 

[Rayne]

On 10/17/2018 at 5:46 PM, SWharton said:

The Techys on the forum will be responding soon. Many of us are traveling right now to our snowbird locations.

if needed you can get a new water pump at Walmart(2 day delivery) or via Amazon. Youtube videos on how to replace. Confirm first that pump is dead.

 

Thanks, I did see that Walmart carries parts, I didn’t see the whole pump offered though I may have missed it. Thanks for clarifying what your meant by techys too. Wish I was headed in that direction already myself.  Turns out the pump is not dead, it is loose wires or something at the top of it that I must have bumped when moving things around in my storage  omoartment where it is located.  That concerns me a bit too though. So, I also think it may be starting to go though. Based upon my manuals troubleshooting, it is doing the stop start  thing when I run  a strong stream of water even. It will only run and stay on consistently on occasion now. Why in heck do they out this thing way inside the compartment so you basically have to lay in there to work on it though?  How ridiculous for sure. 

Thanks again, 

Rayne 

[Rayne]

On 10/17/2018 at 6:59 PM, Dutch_12078 said:

Jeff's RV Service is only about 35 miles from Ithaca in Waverly, NY. I have not done business with them, so this is not a recommendation, just a reference.

http://jeffsrvservice.com/rv-repair/

Sawyer's Mobile RV Repair is in Lindley, NY, about 55 miles from Ithaca. Also someone I have not done business with.

https://www.facebook.com/Sawyers-Mobile-RV-Repair-360001260798270/

Dutch, thank you so much. I’d come across Jeff’s but as you said he’s an unknown, same as the other one. I will put them both in my list though just in case. 

Thanks again, 

Rayne

[SWharton]

Rayne,

You Tube has a lot of videos for repairing your rv and understanding how things work. Escapees also has a Boot Camp which you might be interested in and once a year  we have an Escapade(Rally). In March of 2019 it will be in Tucson and Boot Camp is run just before it. Boot Camp is also run several times a year at various locations. There is also RVers Online University.

You are in for a learning curve regarding your RV. Just take it a day at a time.

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, Rayne said:

I wish they would put covers of some sort over these important components of our rigs. So maybe I will have to see what I can figure out to protect it. Meanwhile, I am also thinking it isn’t quite sounding right so I may just have I to replaced when I get where their are actual RV technicians. 

First of all, I suggest this video as a way to start to use that multimeter. Once you view it go out and take some readings just to try your new skills. Second, many of the RV builders are pretty remiss about things that do not readily show but it shouldn't be that hard to build some sort of wooden cover for the water pump. I suspect that the change in sound also came from whatever hit the pump and it moved the pump a little bit and so made it sound different. Many pumps are mounted with rubber mounts and the pump touching something solid will make the sound change and often get much louder as well. I suggest that you take a close look at the way the pump is mounted. I doubt that the sound means the pump is failing. 

The "stop and start thing" is possibly just normal operation since the pump starts and stops by a  pressure switch that turns on when pressure drops and off when it reaches about 45# or so. Unless the stream of water is very big it is normal for the pump to cycle on and off. I have been in many Walmart stores but have never seen a freshwater pump in one of them and very few parts for one. 

[SWharton]

Walmart.com has all sorts of things you can order and get 2 day free delivery to your local store. If the store doesn't carry it(I check online, don't go to store) then I order it. Many things are less at Walmart.com than on Amazon.

[dirtyboots]

I've found this website useful a couple times....hopefully it will have something in the area you are spending time.

http://rvservicereviews.com/Index.asp

[Rayne]

Okay, this pump is 10 years old, and it never cycled like this before. I know how it sounded. I also have heard many RV pumps over the years and it doesn’t sound right, nor should it be cycling when I ha e full streams of water being drawn from the faucet. It even cycles when flushing the toilet now. Per the manual that’s not how it should work either. So I’d rather have a replacement on hand and not go 2 days without water while waiting for it to get wherever I am. So, next question, I know the pump must be RV, 12v, but what’s a good PSI and GPM to get?  

Walmart has one that is 2.3 GPM and 50 Psi and says is self priming. That’s something else any pump i buy should say too correct?  

They have another one that doesn’t say self-priming but says 4 GPM and 55 PSI. 

THE 2nd pump is 2 times the cost of the first one, but I’m thinking it’s not the right kind since it isn’t self priming maybe?  

Kitk, thank you for the video link. My late husband was and electronics technician so the multimeter/ voltmeter I have was his and it is perhaps a little more complicated than I need, but I am definitely excited to learn to use it.  

You are all very helpful and I so appreciate it. 

Rayne 

[Kirk W]

46 minutes ago, Rayne said:

So I’d rather have a replacement on hand and not go 2 days without water while waiting for it to get wherever I am.

Having one on had is probably not a bad idea, particularly if you intend to keep this RV for a long time. I used to carry spares of some items as well. But I would look very closely at the present pump to see if something has changed since this all started from things stored in that space pushing the leads off of the pump connections. As you say, it has been there a long time and this never happened before so while it could be a normal failure, the probability is that there is some relationship between the action that pulled off the wire and the sound and action change by the pump. In doing that you can also get a feel for what replacing the pump will require if you should need to do so. Replacement of that pump is not a technically difficult job and in most cases, the most difficult part is gaining access to do the work. With easy access, I have change out an old water pump in well under an hour. If you pay an RV tech to do this you can expect the labor to cost at least as much as the pump. 

55 minutes ago, Rayne said:

so the multimeter/ voltmeter I have was his and it is perhaps a little more complicated than I need,

I have never found a case where test equipment was "too good." I carry a cheap analog meter that cost less than $20 for use in places where it may experience rough conditions or to loan to a neighbor, but the one that I use for the most part is Fluke 77 that is 20 years old and would cost $300+ to replace today.