Used "C" checklist after purchase?

I just got in mine and drove it. No checklist.

Seems to be going fine :) ... but it was only 2 years old (2013 model Fleetwood rental unit)

Also check the tire pressure and condition.

Converters, if not multi-stage units, will boil your batteries fairly quickly. Compared to the cost of buying new batteries every season, a 3-5 stage converter is not too big an expense.

An accumulator tank is something you place after the water pump. This minimizes the late-night "burrups" that a short-cycling, single-speed pump will do.

Slide-out covers handle the main entry for water when parked, and that is from the top. It may not be perfect, nor it may help when the wind is blowing, but it does help, and it keeps debris from falling onto the slide, keeping damage from happening when it gets reeled in.

Many factories use converters that are not great for all purposes. It's not a requirement to change it out, of course, assuming the original is working as designed; but there are ones available now that are significantly better (gentler on the batteries over long-term use, and faster charging when needed, and often supplying cleaner DC power) than most that are equipped by the factory.

An accumulator tank is a nicety to smooth out the water delivered from the water pump and to prevent the pump from rapidly cycling as much when you need only a little bit of water flow. It's basically just a pressure tank to store some water under pressure. Not essential, but it makes life nicer.

I know little if anything about slide toppers, as I don't have any slide outs to top.

There are many things that can be done to make an RV nicer or to possibly prevent some future difficulty. (There are also things that need to be done lest it be quickly damaged, like keeping up with roof sealing duties.) Some people like to be extra prepared and take extra good care of things. Others like to tinker and improve. I don't begrudge either of them anything. Still, it is possible to enjoy camping for many years without going to extremes, and I probably tend more towards that category (though I do like to tinker from time to time, I will admit).

Why changes to the converter?


Converters on older rigs do not usually have fast charge, maintenance charge and sulphation removal features. They tend to 'boil away" electrolyte requiring frequent adding of distilled water to battery cells and/or shortening life of batteries.

I recently installed a Progressive Dynamics PD9245 converter which has modern features and a pendant which lets you know what it is doing. Also installed two 6-volt USA batteries, $99 apiece, equivalent to T-105's. Ten year old batteries may be near the end of their useful life and have bad/sulphated cells.

These posts have been a big eye opener for me as the wife and I are looking at our first class c this weekend, it's a 2004 with 30,000 miles on the ford 450.

Why changes to the converter?
Why are people so sold on covers for their slide outs, they don't look water tight to me, as they are open on both sides?
Accumulator tank?

Clarify if you don't mind.....

thanks

Thank you for the responses. This is what I call the initial wave of purchases to get the rig road-ready. I do plan multiple rounds, including adding an accumulator tank, solar, inline hybrid inverter, Fantastic Vents, but this round of stuff is pretty much the first thing that gets done.

The reason I have replacing the carb on the list is that most generators have sat around and not touched, perhaps only for a few hours at a Wally World. I personally have not had much luck with SeaFoam, so just using a "rebuild kit" from Onan (i.e. a new carb) will take care of 90% of any generator issues.

I also forgot to put slide upkeep. Slide seals are the same rubber as tires, so after 5-6 years, they need replaced. If a slide awning isn't present, it gets added.

The reason I look to add this as soon as possible is to protect against water ingress.

Most of us rely on emergency road services to change RV tires for our safety.

If your wheels are not equipped with long solid brass or steel custom formed valve stems, have them installed by a truck tire shop. These make checking air pressure and adding air easy and they don't leak and cause tire failure/loss of control and damage to underside tanks with flailing steel belts. (Borg, Tire Man or equivalent).

My thoughts:
#1 -- change the oil, and if the generator is working fine, don't bother diddling with it unnecessarily.
#2 -- oil and filters. If the brake fluid is a few years old flush and replace it. Brake pads and tires based on wear and (for tires) age. The tires on a 1-5 year old unit probably won't need replacement immediately, so why needlessly spend $1K there?
#3 -- yes. Standard start of the season activity. (Wear old clothes.)
#4 -- Inspect anode rod and replace if needed.
#5 -- If recalled, just have the recall work done. Replacing a nearly new fridge makes no sense to me. Fire extinguisher and/or ARP would not be a bad idea regardless. The recall work should prevent your coach from burning down in the event of a fridge failure.
#6 -- not a bad idea, depending on your use it may not be an immediate priority.
#7 -- Personally, I'd skip this if it was reasonably clean already. Depending on what so-called mattress you get, you may want to replace it to actually sleep decently, or put a foam topper on it.
#8 -- Check the batteries and replace if needed or if you need more battery capacity than the RV comes with. A one year old chassis battery should not need replacement. A five year old one very well might.
#9 -- IMHO not necessary. Any criminal who would keep keys to the RV they sold around so as to rob the new owner at some future point would presumably be equally willing to just break in through a skylight or something. RVs are not highly secure.
#10 -- Examining the roof should be a part of your periodic maintenance (a couple times a year). Dicor and/or Eternabond, depending the situation, would be the preferred products to use. No need to do anything so long as what's there is in good condition.

I would take the money not spent on tires, the generator carb, replacements for good batteries, etc. and spend it on vent covers (if there are none), miscellaneous furnishings and supplies, and especially camping trips.

You may want to make sure you have all the equipment and such needed to change a flat. My RV came with a spare and a lug wrench, but no jack (or at least none that I've been able to locate thus far).

Check output of converter/charger and voltage level of house batteries and electrolyte levels, engine running and engine off. Check health of cells with hydrometer. Clean battery connectors and wire ring terminals, house and starting batteries. Check operation of house battery disconnect switch/relay.
Check operation of fridge in propane, 120vac and auto modes. Our fridge and roof AC lasted 10 years. Clean RV generator starting cable connections and check operation with roof AC and microwave oven running simultaneously. Check operation of roof AC and furnace. Check dash AC. Check condition of spare tire/wheel. Get good emergency road service.
Check all vehicle stop, signal, running and clearance lights, heater and vents. Open awning and inspect fabric. replace cracked roof vents and install Max Aire covers. Check bathroom fan. Try shower and toilet and all faucets, inspect for any plumbing leaks. Try fresh water pump and city water. Try shore power hookup. Try TV antenna
in amplifier and cable TV modes.
If you buy a 1 or 2 year old rig, house and starting batteries should be in good shape if they have been kept charged and electrolytes maintained. Some replacement items on your list may be unnecessary/overkill on a near-new rig.