This page contains some beginner RV How-To tutorials relating to Class-B vans. Some are in PDF format, so you can easily download and save them to a computer, tablet, or print them out.
We hope you find them useful. They were written for our Coachmen Galleria Sprinter van, so if you’d like a copy of the MS Word documents to modify for your own type of van, we’re glad to share them. Just let us know, and we’ll email a copy to you.
Many first-time owners expect their brand new RV to be in perfect operating condition, and for the price, it is not an unreasonable expectation. The facts are that there is very little quality control in the RV industry, and most manufacturers are only interested in shipping them out and leaving the repairs for the dealers. The dealerships usually lack experienced technicians to do the repairs. Dealerships make very little money on the actual sale of the RVs. Their income is from cutting themselves in on the loan interest, adding in 1-3% for themselves.
As a new owner, you will be learning many new things for the repair and upkeep of your new RV. If you are handy, you can troubleshoot and repair many parts of your RV. Good Luck.
Page Contents:
Buying a RV – Inspection Checklist
Bring it Home – Warrantee Registrations
Hitting the Road – Departure Checklist
Tip – Rear Shade Comes Down
Tip – Windshield and Door Covers
Check-In – Important Questions
Setting Up Camp – Electrical Hookup
Electrical Hookup – New Page
Setting Up Camp – Water Hookup
Water Hookup – New Page
Setting up Camp – Toilet Tips
Setting Up Camp – Awning Operation
Interior Equipment – Basic Operations (coming soon)
Time to Head Home – Packing Up
Departing Camp – Holding Tanks
Campground Review – Campground Score Card
Arriving Home – Long Term Storage
ReFueling – Propane Tanks
RV Fire – RV Fire Safety
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INSPECTION
Inspection Checklist: New and used RVs are getting more and more expensive. (An understatement!). SUPRISE – Even brand new RVs have problems! It is more important than ever to make sure it’s in perfect shape before you drive it off the lot. Once you drive it home, you have little leverage to get things fixed, and when you do take it back, that promise that “you will be at the head of the line if you buy from us” is out the window.
TIP#047: Checklist – Having an Inspection Checklist is a good place to start when looking over a new or used RV.
PDF File: Inspection Checklist
TIP#105: Chassis Year – Finding out that the RV’s year may be one or two years newer than the van chassis can be unexpected. Vans are purchased in bulk by manufacturers in order to receive a bargain, and they may sit for months or years. A 2021 Galleria being constructed on a 2019 Sprinter chassis is not unusual.
TIP#081: Hire a Professional RV Inspector to look over your new/used RV. A quick Google search can find one near you.
TIP#261: Loan Interest is Tax Deductible – If a RV contains sleeping, kitchen, and toilet facilities, the interest on the purchase loan is allowed be to deducted as a mortgage interest deduction. A mortgage interest deduction is generally limited to the interest on your primary residence and one other personal-use home, which can be a RV.
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WARRANTEE
Warrantee Registrations: Your shiny new Class-B is home in the driveway and plugged in. The next step is to fill out warrantee registration for the appliances. Many of these will be completed on the web. If you were lucky, the RV manufacturer assembled a “Build Book” notebook with user manuals, part numbers, and other helpful information.
TIP#048: Build Book – If your manufacturer did not provide a build book, then grab a camera, phone, or tablet and start shooting pictures of the appliance labels with manufacturer names, model numbers, and serial numbers. It’s a good idea to take a lot of pictures for future reference when asking for help. Open compartments, remove drawers to get to pumps and heaters, and check on the roof. Your build book will fill up quickly, so use a large 3-ring binder with heavy-weight plastic sheet protectors.
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TIP#276: Trailer Delivery – I also prefer having a brand new sprinter RV delivered on a low-boy trailer instead of having it driven to a dealership. Delivery drivers are not going to be performing the gentle engine break-in. Because drivers get paid by the mile and per delivery, so it will almost certainly involve all highway driving, at the maximum speed limit for extended periods of time.
TIP#113: Engine Break-in Period – If you would like to get many trouble-free miles from your Sprinter engine, a gentle break-in is recommended by Mercedes for the first 1,000 miles. Don’t drive at the same speed for prolonged periods of time, and vary your speeds. Avoid driving at full throttle, and avoid accelerations that force the transmission to kick down. Another thought is to change the oil and filter after the first 10,000 miles to eliminate any metal particles in the break-in oil. You may also want to consider having the new RV transported by trailer to the dealer for pickup. It will cost a bit more, but you can probably assume the delivery driver is not following the gentle break-in procedure while driving your RV.
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DEPARTURE
Departure Checklist: You got your new RV and it’s time to crank up the engine and head off to ‘Xplor’ new adventures. Not so fast… Is everything stowed and secure for the journey? Here’s a handy checklist to get you started: Once again, it is in PDF format to be easily printed. PDF File: Departure Checklist
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TIP#036: Rear Shade – On your first drive, you may notice that with every little bump in the road, the rear window shade drops a little lower. Most of us had this problem, and there are several solutions, from installing a clamp on the side guide rails to straps. We use rear window covers with magnets that cover each window and have never used the pull-down shade. To keep it in place, we use a Velcro strap that wraps around the shade and keeps it from coming down.
NOTE: One thing NOT to try is cranking the strings really tight. It doesn’t help and will just shorten their life.
Another option is to use the pull-down string and loop it through the clothes hanger bar so that the string is tight and prevents the shade from coming down.
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TIP#030: Inside Windshield Covers – The Coachmen windshield cover and front door covers are bulky, heavy, and don’t fit very well. Link
TIP#290: Side Window Covers – The Coachmen window covers for the driver and passenger doors don’t fit very well, and the magnets don’t hold them in place. A tip from other owners is to open the door, position the cover, and close the door on the covers. One downside to this installation is that in the rain, the cover may cause rain to leak past the door seals. We replaced our covers with better-quality ones.
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TIP#215: Questions At Check-In – After setting up camp, you need to be aware of the area in case of an emergency.
What County am I in? – Weather emergencies are broadcast by county. Use a weather app for automatic notifications.
Where is the nearest storm shelter? – Many parks recommend you seek shelter in the camp bathrooms rather than your RV.
Where is the nearest hospital? – Most campgrounds provide a map at check-in and should list the nearest emergency room.
Where is the nearest veterinarian? – If you are traveling with pets, you may also want to know the location of the closest vet.
What is the cost of laundry? – If you need to do laundry, what is the cost? Is change and soap, etc. available?
What time does the front gate close? Many parks close the front gate at night for safety. There is usually a combination to get in.
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ELECTRICAL
Electrical Hookup: Plugging in your RV into a campground pedestal seems simple enough: plug in, throw the switch. But to do it safely requires a little extra attention. The following page lays out the steps and describes several options for testing whether the pedestal is safe to use. It may seem like overkill, but it could save you from injury.
Electrical Hookup now has a page of its own: Electrical Hookup
If you would like a download PDF version to print out: Electrical Hookup
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TIP#038: Dimming Lights – Without a thorough walkthrough, some new owners don’t realize many of the LED lights are dimmable. If the light shown on the FireFly panel has the UP/DN arrows, it is dimmable. Just hold the icon and it will dim/brighten.
TIP#091: All Lights ON – When playing around with the Firefly lighting control panel, the Master-ON/OFF is easy to figure out. It remembers which lights were on when you touched the master-off. Tapping the master-on will turn those remembered lights back on. But what If you want to turn every light on, hold the ON icon for 2-3 seconds, and ALL lights will come on.
TIP#104: GFI RESET – Occasionally, the interior 120-volt AC wall plugs will lose power. Many times, this is a result of the outside GFI receptacle tripping. To reset it, you will need to either be plugged in to power, running the generator, or running the inverter. Then go outside, open the receptacle cover on the passenger side, and press the TEST and then the RESET button.
TIP#217: Motion Lights – are mounted inside the upper cabinets. We thought Gal_1.0 might be haunted. In the middle of the night, the lights would go on and off with no motion, and cabinet doors closed. We even put black tape over the sensors. Spooky!
The previous owner of Gal_2.0 had the motion lights checked by the dealer and builder, trying to get them to work. On our first night out, we discovered the motion and WiFi switches were swapped.
TIP#162: Unlabeled Heat Wrap Switch – You may have an unlabeled switch on your Polar Package control panel, depending on the model of your RV. Since even the space for the nonexistent black tank heater is labeled, I’m not sure why this one isn’t. In any event, the unlabeled switch usually controls a heat wrap around the water pipes that are exposed under the van. Pressing the top of the switch turns power on and some switch types light up when on.
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WATER
Water Hookup: I hope you enjoyed reading the document on hooking up your electrical connections. To follow that up, here’s one for the water system. It is also in PDF format, so you can download it to a tablet, print it out for reference, or use it as a nighttime sleep aid. I fell asleep twice just writing it. Enjoy.
Water Hookup deserved an entire page of its own, Water Hookup
Or you can download a PDF version for offline reference: Water Hookup PDF
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Toilet Tips and Tricks
TIP#041: Toilet Tip – Someone mentioned this tip, and it deserves special mention. Without delving too deeply into the gory details: To eliminate “skid marks” in the toilet bowl, take a couple sections of toilet paper and make an “X” in the bottom of the bowl. This acts like a liner, and when you have finished “dropping the kids off at the pool” and “finished the paperwork,” add some water and then mash open the valve all the way, and the whole business slides neatly into the black unknown.
TIP#245: Toilet Paper Tip – A number of RV owners have mentioned that one way to reduce the chances of problems with the function and dumping of the black tank is to not put toilet paper down the toilet. While this may sound a bit unpleasant at first, it is common in some foreign countries. Another advantage is that you can use that pillow-soft, multi-ply, non-dissolving toilet paper without choking your macerator. You will need a good trash can with a well-fitting lid. As you look into other toilet options, there are composting toilets, incinerator toilets, baggie toilets, cassette toilets, and the list goes on.
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AWNING
Carefree Awning – After a long day of driving, you have finally arrived at your camp site. The chairs are setup, the RV is plugged in, and it’s time to unfurl the awning. Here is a PDF covering the Carefree awning used on many Class B RVs. Just a little light reading while you relax. ZZZzzzz
We have added so much information about the awning that it now has an entire webpage of its own: Carefree Awning
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TRUMA
TIP#240: Truma Heater – The Truma is a combination heater and hot water heater. The heat function can be used with no water in the tank.
TIP#241: Valves in Winterize Mode – When taking delivery of a new Galleria, if you are not getting hot water, it is highly likely the plumbing valves are in the winterize configuration. Dealers should flush the plumbing and set the valves, but apparently they like to leave it to the customers to find out the hard way.
Webpage with additional information: Heating
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PACKING UP
Time to pack it up and head for home.
TIP#055: Coiling the hose – Mark the middle of the water hose and power cord with a band of tape to make it easier to coil them. Instead of starting from one end and wrestling the full length, start in the middle and coil toward one end and then the other, splitting the task in half.
Connect the two ends of the water hose together to keep debris out and any drips in.
Velcro wraps help control the coils and make them easy to hang up.
Departure Check-list – Perform a full walk-around of the RV, always starting in the same spot such as the driver’s door. If you get interrupted, start over.
Final Walkaround – Part of our departure check-list is to pull the RV out of the site and do another walk around the campsite. Check the picnic table for forgotten items and around the fire ring. Check that the water faucet off, pedestal power breakers are off. Turn the flashers on and check the RV lights (our Sprinter flashers are usually the same bulbs as the brake lights).
Off to the dump station.
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TANKS
Holding Tanks: Everything you ever wanted to know about what is lurking in those tanks.
TIP#255 – Tank Capacities – As a new owner, it is hard to get a good feel for just how big the holding tanks are on your new RV. NOTE – Yes, the gauges probably aren’t very accurate, which is another reason to get a feel for things. One suggestion is to connect to city water and see if we can fill them up. To check the black (poop!) tank, fill and flush the toilet, counting how many times it takes to get the black tank full. (You can also use a flashlight to peek down the hole and see how it’s filling.)
For the gray tank (kitchen sink and shower), turn on the kitchen faucet full blast and track the time it takes for the tank to get to 1/2, 1/2, 3/4, and full on the level indicator. It is surprising how long it takes to fill the tanks when you are testing them. But, when camping, they seem to fill a lot faster. 😉
TIP#256: Tank Level Sensors – Many sensors used in RVs are ultrasonic and work kind of like a boat depth finder; only the tank sensors are mounted looking up. If the sensor isn’t fully submerged, it can’t see the surface level. To submerge an inch-diameter sensor, you’d need 2-3 inches of water in the tank. And to compound the issue, the van needs to be level, or the sensor is no longer submerged, and you won’t see any fish… whaaat?
So, you’ve had a wonderful time camping, and nature has recharged your energy levels. Now it’s time to empty those waste storage tanks and return the contents to Mother Earth to feed her microbes.
If you would like more information on the RV Sewer system, there is a new page: Sewer System
view the PDF File: Holding Tanks PDF
TIP#070: Dump Process – Another commonly asked question from new owners refers to the operation of the Macerator and the tank dumping sequence.
(We recommend wearing rubber gloves for the dump process and bringing a piece of cardboard or newspaper to kneel on.)
1- Open the side cover and unhook the clip (I prefer the bottom clip) of the restraining strap from the head of the macerator hose. (Is it OK to refer to it as a jock strap? Well, it kind of looks like one.)
2 – Holding the head with the opening facing up, remove the small hose cap to allow air into the hose.
3 – Pull out the hose to the sewer opening (it will stretch approx. 10-12 feet if you pull hard enough).
4 – While still holding the head with the opening facing up, remove the large cap and place the head securely in the sewer.
5 – Open the BLACK tank valve and press the macerator switch.
6 – When the sound of the macerator changes and doesn’t seem to be pumping anymore, release the switch.
7 – Close the BLACK and open the GRAY tank valve, and again, press the macerator switch. The gray water will rinse the black residue from the hose (hopefully!).
8 – Close the gray valve and replace the large cap, leaving the small cap off.
9 – Holding the hose facing up, work it back into the storage tube, and replace the small cap.
10 – Re-hook the restraining strap and close the door.
11 – Rinse down the dump station pan and dispose of the cardboard/newspaper and gloves. Wash your hands, and maybe use some hand sanitizer.
NOTE: The way the macerator and dump hose are designed, there will ALWAYS be some ‘soup’ in the dump hose and macerator.
TIP#109: Strap Clip – Unhooking the bottom clip is the simplest way to release the macerator head’s strap. Move the spring safety catch permanently out of the way to make it a little easier. We’ve used this setup for years, and it has never come unhooked. If it ever does unhook, the head is still secured in place by the strap hooked under the small cap.
TIP#114: Cardboard – Dump stations are not the cleanest areas, especially after a busy weekend. Getting down on hands and knees to unhook the sewer strap in that slop is not nice and is hard on the knees. We carry squares of cardboard that can be put down and, if they get sloppy, tossed in the trash. Newspaper is also a useful item to have and can be used to start the campfire.
TIP#083: Macerator Hose Extension – Camco 22999 Orange RhinoFLEX Hose is 5/8 diameter and works well as an extension for the macerator. (The black cap shown is not needed.) Attach the hose to the small thread on the macerator cap, and you have an additional 10 feet length.
TIP#078: Dedicated Black Flush Hose – Another good use for the Camco hose is for flushing the black tank. You never want to use the fresh water drinking hose for a black tank flush or rinsing the stinky-slinky.
TIP#220: Black Tank Rinse – When using the Black Tank Rinse hose connection in the water box, it is recommended that the black tank dump valve be left open. This will prevent overfilling and backing up effluent into the plumbing.
Another option, if you want to fill the tank, is to use a water meter on the hose so you know exactly how much you’ve added to the tank.
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SCORE CARD
Campground Score Card – OK. So you have inspected and bought an RV, arrived at a campsite, and hooked up…. Now it’s time to inspect the campground. We’ve found that after 30-40 different parks, it is hard to remember much about them.
TIP#013: Score Card – Here’s a Campground Score card to help you keep track of where you’ve been and if you want to visit again. It’s also a good idea to shoot some pictures to clip onto the score cards. We print our cards double-sided on 8-1/2 x 11 card stock and fold them in half. If your printer can’t handle card stock, many office supply stores offer printing services, or regular paper is good too.
If you would like a copy, a PDF is available here: Campground Score Card PDF
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STORAGE
Long Term Storage – When storing your van RV for the winter season, there are a number of steps to keep your van in the best shape. Empty the tanks and winterize the plumbing. Charge the house and chassis batteries. Once the batteries are charged, power off the 12-volt system by switching the USE/STORE switch to STORE mode and turn off the propane switches. Turn off the breaker switches on the power panel. The Sprinter chassis battery can be disconnected from the connector inside the dash located next to the accelerator pedal.
TIP#222: Plumbing System Antifreeze – If you decide to winterize the plumbing system, there are a couple options. Blowing out the lines with compressed air or adding RV antifreeze. There are a couple different antifreezes; the preferred type is a propylene glycol-based, non-toxic mix. Ethanol-based antifreeze is not recommended since it can dry out rubber seals faster than they naturally would from typical wear and tear. Ethanol also has a strong smell and can be harder to rinse out of the plumbing system.
TIP#130: Dehumidifier – If you can store your RV in your driveway with power connections, a dehumidifier will reduce the moisture inside and help remove excess moisture from the air. This is especially helpful if you live in a humid climate like us or if your RV has recently had a leak. Excessively moist air can cause mold and dust mites to thrive, causing allergic reactions and triggering asthma symptoms.
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PROPANE
Propane – When I started compiling some of these Tips & Tricks, I hadn’t given much thought to propane use in the world of RVs. There are so few propane appliances in class-B vans these days that they have almost gone extinct. Generators have been replaced by solar panels and lithium batteries. Gas ovens and cooktops have been replaced by microwaves and induction stoves. About all that’s left is heat and hot water, and even those are now single units like the Truma Combi. Anyway, here’s everything I could cobble together from various website sources about the wonderful world of propane.
Additional information on Propane is available on Walk-Thru: Propane
Want to know more about propane, checkout our propane PDF file: Propane PDF
TIP#050: Propane Switches – Our Galleria has three (or two) switches that must all be turned on for the Truma Combi to operate on propane. The first is located outside, beneath a LP cover door near the propane tank. It gets shut off when anyone is filling the tank. Our second propane switch is located inside, on the 12-volt electrical control panel. (Older models don’t have the switch in the cabinet.) A third small switch is located on the top of the Truma. If the heat isn’t working, check this switch since sometimes things fall out of the back of the drawers and target that switch.
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FIRE SAFETY
Fire Safety – This is without a doubt the longest, most comprehensive, and most difficult of the help docs we’ve written. To make this help doc a little more manageable, we divided it into four PDFs to make it a bit less overwhelming. The number of fire hazards in a van or RV these days can be frightening, and it may deter some people from living in one.
I would suggest not reading it before bedtime. 😉
Hopefully, with a little advanced preparation and education, you can be ready for anything.
Additional information on RV Fire Safety can be found on our PDF Files:
RV Fire Safety 1
RV Fire Safety 2
RV Fire Safety 3
RV Fire Safety 4
TIP#117: Shake the Fire Extinguisher – It is good practice to check the pressure gauge and shake the fire extinguisher before any vacation trip. The powder inside can become compacted from road vibration and may not work properly. Add it to your Pre-Trip checklist.
Recall #22V361000: Galleria 2021-2022 Propane Cooktop – Two burner propane cooktop gas leak in the control valves has the potential for a fire if exposed to an ignition source.
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TIP#191: Secure Items for Crash – I once heard a story from the pilot of a small plane that made an emergency landing in a field of tall corn. He said it was a sudden stop, and when he regained his composure, he noticed a square hole in the windshield where his loaded tool box from the back of the plane had just missed his head.
When we are rolling down the highway at 75mph, we seldom think about the unsecured items we have sliding around in the van. It may be time to take a couple minutes to think about what would whiz past our heads in a crash.
TIP#192: Opening the Power Side Door – In an emergency, do you know how to open the power side door in the dark? There is a release knob that gets turned, and then it takes great effort to push it open. I don’t recommend testing the process because it will need to be reset by Mercedes.
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Upcoming Tips & Tricks:
Fans, window coverings, screen doors, dehumidifiers, and the outside world.
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WARNING: Mercedes has several recalls (seat wiring, rolling vehicle, etc). Check your recalls by entering your vin number on their recall notice page every few months to stay up to date.
WARNING: Water tank falling out – A number of Coachmen Galleria vans have experienced a problem with the undermounted fresh water tank falling out while driving. This is a serious problem and the response from Coachmen is: “None of our tanks are designed to travel with them full unless the fresh tank is mounted inside the unit like some of our other floor plans”.
WARNING: In addition to the water tank falling out, there are many reports (including ours) of pipe support straps under the van, breaking due to fatigue. Straps should be checked every few months.
RECALL NOTICE: NHTSA 22V737000 – Coachmen: 2022-2023 Beyond; 2022-2023 Galleria; 2022-2023 Nova; The electric control module software may cause the awning to unintentionally extend or retract when parked.