What Do RV Service Technicians Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

RV Service Technicians diagnose, inspect, adjust, repair, or overhaul recreational vehicles including travel trailers. May specialize in maintaining gas, electrical, hydraulic, plumbing, or chassis/towing systems as well as repairing generators, appliances, and interior components. Includes workers who perform customized van conversions. They also explain proper operation of vehicle systems to customers.

Other tasks include:

• Locate and repair frayed wiring, broken connections, or incorrect wiring, using ohmmeters, soldering irons, tape, or hand tools.
• Repair plumbing or propane gas lines, using caulking compounds and plastic or copper pipe.
• Confer with customers, read work orders, or examine vehicles needing repair to determine the nature and extent of damage.
• Examine or test operation of parts or systems to ensure completeness of repairs.
• Connect electrical systems to outside power sources and activate switches to test the operation of appliances or light fixtures.
• Connect water hoses to inlet pipes of plumbing systems and test operation of toilets or sinks.

We asked RV Service Technicians how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

---

52% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 36% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, RV Service Technicians examine or test operation of parts or systems to ensure completeness of repairs. They confer with customers, read work orders, or examine vehicles needing repair to determine the nature and extent of damage.

A typical day for a Recreational Vehicle Service Technician will also include:

• Inspect recreational vehicles to diagnose problems and perform necessary adjustment, repair, or overhaul.
• Reset hardware, using chisels, mallets, and screwdrivers.
• Connect water hoses to inlet pipes of plumbing systems and test operation of toilets or sinks.
• List parts needed, estimate costs, and plan work procedures, using parts lists, technical manuals, or diagrams.
• Open and close doors, windows, or drawers to test their operation, trimming edges to fit, as necessary.

We asked some RV Service Technicians a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	12% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	17% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	60% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	28% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	3% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	54% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, RV Service Technicians also diagnose and repair furnace or air conditioning systems. They may also repair leaks with caulking compound or replace pipes, using pipe wrenches.

On a weekly to monthly basis, RV Service Technicians Remove damaged exterior panels and repair and replace structural frame members. They might also Explain proper operation of vehicle systems to customers.

In addition, they Inspect, repair, or replace brake systems.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Seal open sides of modular units to prepare them for shipment, using polyethylene sheets, nails, and hammers.

To some RV Service Technicians, it is also their responsibility to List parts needed, estimate costs, and plan work procedures, using parts lists, technical manuals, or diagrams.

Working life

Standard 40 hour work week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Recreational Vehicle Service Technician, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes493092.htm

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_721200.htm