How to check & service the RV main breaker panel & transfer switch to prevent bad things happening like FIRES.

In April, I covered the MAIN things I do DURING or AFTER every WINTER to get your RV ROAD READY for the next season. One of these items was to Clean all electrical connections, along with the main breaker panel in the RV and the transfer switch.
   • Annual RV, PM Items to do DURING or A...  

This video is a good lesson to show you how to do a VERY IMPORTANT PM item, to two very important electrical items. The main breaker box in your RV & the transfer switch. This will give those of you who are afraid to work on electrical items the confidence you need that you can do this stuff yourself—safely—and protect your RV from an unnecessary disaster like your RV catching on fire.

The first thing to do is unplug your RV from shore power & make sure the generator is not running.

BREAKER BOX
• Look for torque value on the inside of the panel cover or on the breakers themselves

• If you don’t have a torque label on your panel or on the breakers themselves go here: https://www.rvtravel.com/rv-electrici...

• All torque values on the RV Breaker Box & Transfer Switch are in INCH" lbs. not FT’ lbs. You’ll need a torque-limiting screwdriver that can be set from 20" in-lbs to 60" in-lbs like the one I have in my Amazon Store. The price of these things are all over the place. But I chose a good, well built, easy to use mid-level tool that will get the job done & won’t cost an arm & leg. You know how I hate & DO NOT buy cheap tools. Be sure when you're thru using this torque screwdriver or ANY torque wrench, always back it completely off so there’s no tension on the spring. That way it won’t lose it’s calibration while not being used.

•  Over tightening can cause broken lugs/insulators so that’s why you just don’t tighten these lugs & screws each time. This is important. When people check for loose screws or lugs & they don’t use a torque screwdriver, overtime they will turn every screw/bolt, at least a 16th or 32nd of a turn, even if they're tight enough already. Doing this on a regular basis means you're going to eventually way over tighten all of them. A torque screw driver will prevent that.

• Back off each screw a little, & then retighten them until the torque screwdriver clicks

• If you want……as an added inspection, pull breakers & check poles for any over heating or arching issues. If there is, clean those connections & poles

• Do not use dielectric grease, or post protectants on these connections like you would on outside electrical stuff like in your battery bay or other outside applications where corrosion can be a problem. And NEVER use Loctite on any of this connections

• These torque values are not very much. They’re in INCH" lbs.

TRANSFER SWITCH
We’re still Unplugged from shore power and the generator is NOT running

There's more to it than this—but in a nut shell—when you plug into shore power or run your generator, the transfer switch is responsible for distributing all your 120V power to your RV.

Not paying attention or ignoring doing PM on your transfer switch can cause all kinds of unnecessary electrical problems in your RV and sometimes fires.

• This is why we want to service this baby every year. It’s just to important to ignore or put off

• Use Damp Rid to help control moisture in the electrical bay

• Remove cover

• Look for torque value on the back side panel

• Begin servicing….

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DISCLAIMER:
We are in no way experts or professional mechanics. But being a journeyman millwright for years & being EX Military, has proven to be very helpful in my lifetime learning how to care for & maintain all sorts of machinery & equipment like: helicopters, airplanes, tanks, motorcycles & many types of other vehicles. That, along with 18 months preparing & upgrading our RV before we went full time, & now traveling for several years has gained us a lot of knowledge. Regardless of what we recommend, consult a professional if you're unsure about working on your RV. Work you perform or products you purchase based on any information we provide is at your own risk.