January/February 2013 Issue of RV Technician

Welcome to RV Technician.

The fact that you’re reading this means you’re someone who values learning and education. You’re probably always on the lookout for new information and techniques and better, more efficient ways to repair RVs. You may even already be certified or in the process of getting certification.  

If you’re not certified, consider making 2013 the year you decide to take your skills to a higher  level. Certified technicians earn more, have a better record of doing the job right the first time, and generally make for happier customers. Certification gets you recognition and respect from others—and it does wonders for the self-esteem. You can read in this issue about a service manager who believes so strongly in the power of professional education that she's getting her entire department certified.

The RV Learning Center can help guide you through the process with study materials and test preparation for the actual certification test.  It’s easier and more convenient to achieve this goal than in the past because so many of the resources are online and can be used at your own pace.

You can find out more about what the RV Learning Center offers in "Put Training on Your 2013 Agenda."  

With slide outs a virtual necessity now, and the appearance every season, it seems, of ever larger, heavier ones, repairs are inevitable. "How to Replace the Motor in a Schwintek Slide Out System" gives the basics on repairing this popular feature. 

You’ll also find some helpful diagnostic charts for determining what repair is necessary when an RV’s macerator pump fails. 

Finally, should RV technicians get extra “combat pay” on some jobs? You might think so after reading this issue’s “Top This!” column, kindly provided by RVDA Service Consultant Tony Yerman.

Table of Contents

• Put Training on Your 2013 Agenda - Getting certified is easier than ever, thanks to an abundance of training materials and preparation tests offered by the RV Learning Center.
  
• Certification Pays! - The benefits of certification include higher revenue, increased customer satisfaction, improved morale, and an increased rate of performing repairs correctly the first time. Here's a service department manager who is making department-wide certification her goal.     
  
• How to Replace the Motor in a Schwintek Slide Out System - Here's how to make a common repair on one of the most popular features on today's RVs.
• Troubleshooting Macerator Pumps - Macerator waste pumps and systems are easier and cleaner than the old gravity dump hoses, but they do require maintenance and repair.  
  
• RV Winter Maintenance - RVs that just sit all season long, or whose owners take them on shorter trips south or west, still need a little extra winter care. Here's a checklist of what to do.
  
• Top This! - A master technician found himself in the dog house with the true owner of the unit he was trying to work on.