RVs and the NEC
While I am probably opening a huge can of worms here, I would like to clear up a few things if possible. The NEC is really a product of the NFPA. The NEC or the Code is the National Electrical...
Forum Discussion
BillyBob Jim wrote:dougrainer wrote:BillyBob Jim wrote:JaxDad wrote:
Make no mistake though, that seal by the door certifying the unit as conforming to NFPA 1192 or whichever standard it's built to is most certainly a legal requirement.
NFPA compliance is a voluntary requirement companies claim they meet. Having the RVIA seal is not mandatory. All that seal says is the manufacturer is a member of the RV Industry Association and claims they comply with NFPA, ANSI, whatever. Nothing says you have to be a member of RVIA to build and sell RVs. The RV Industry Association lobbies hard for minimum requirements. Why do you think most states have no lemon laws for towables. Bingo....the RVIA. A dead giveaway is RVbusiness.com which is sponsored by RVIA. They sugar coat and carefully select every article they have ever published, and are very good at turning a turd of an industry into a Rose.
There are no code inspectors on or at the end of the line in RV factories certifying anything meets anything else. If one feels good and safe because they have an RVIA seal that's what its designed to do, mission accomplished. Reality is slightly different when brakes quit working, the plumbing and LPG system has multiple leaks, and the wiring connections are never tightened..
You can make all the nonsense claims you want. The fact is, YOU have no idea how RV's are really built. There IS a Final inspection and the plumbing is tested and LP is tested. The RVIA seal is not required, But, each seal must be paid for to the RVIA. The RVIA does inspect RVIA members to make sure the minimum standards are met. Do, things get missed? YES. But, EACH dealer is supposed to do a full PDI on every new unit sold and that includes Plumbing checks and LP Manometer test. IF dealers fail to do that, that puts them at liability if there is a LP leak they missed. There is no requirement that Dealers do these PDI's and tests, but a dealer is foolish to not do them. Sometimes that is the difference between that great low price and what other dealers are selling for. As to the "Yoder" brothers, 40 years ago that would be a true statement. In Michiana today the majority of RV line workers are NOT Mennonite or Amish. Doug
Ooooops forgot you are the all knowing swami where RVs are concerned.....I stand corrected. I assume all those gents with the bowl haircuts, beards, and homemade shirts and gals with the dresses and bonnets at the 5 or 6 factories I have been through around Goshen and Elkhart were Democrats. And your 100% correct, lots of things get missed. LOTS.
You just joined. FYI. I worked in Goshen/Middlebury and lived there from 1970 til 1979. I CLEANED the production plants after school and then worked building Motorhomes and Trailers. Then I moved and became a RV technician starting in 1979. Now, that puts ME as an obvious expert. You may not like the idea that there is someone like me on these forums, but I am here and some newcomer can make all the derogatory comments he wants. People that have followed my posts know I am usually spot on and when I make a mistake I own up to it. I make regular training visits back to Michiana at least every few years and also go thru the plants. The Plant people have evolved to regular people and Mennonite and Amish make up very few of the total plant people. Doug
PS, you can read my post but in general keep your mouth shut when it comes to responding about me.
