a structure consisting of three walls that can be attached to an RV awning to create an additional room; they are sometimes available in hard-walled versions called "Florida rooms"
anode rod
when used in a water heater, attracts corrosion-causing products in the water; these products attack the anode rod instead of the metal tank itself; the anode rod should be inspected yearly and changed when it is reduced to 1/4 of its original size; the rods are used only in steel water heater tanks
awning
The fabric or vinyl shade mounted on an RV
ball mount
the portion of the towing assembly which holds the hitch- ball, and the connecting device for the weight-distributing bars on a weight-distributing hitch, and the ball alone on a weight-carrying hitch
battery
the auxiliary battery installed in RV units to provide 12-volt power. The battery charges through several charging systems including solar, power converter and properly connected tow vehicles
camber
the angle between the vertical axis of a wheel and the vertical axis of the vehicle when viewed from the front or rear; inward tilt is negative, outward tilt is positive
class A motorhome
an RV with the living accommodation built on or as an integral part of a self-propelled motor vehicle
class B motorhome
also known as a camping van conversion; these RVs are compact units made from a cargo van, customized to include sleeping, eating and bathroom facilities with raised roof to provide additional headroom
class C motorhome
an RV with the living accommodation built on a cab and chassis configuration
Class I hitch
trailer hitch with capacity of up to 2,000-lb gross trailer weight and 200-lb hitch weight rating
Class II hitch
trailer hitch with weight carrying rating of up to 3,500-lb gross trailer weight and 350-lb hitch weight rating
Class III hitch
trailer hitch with weight carrying rating of up to 5,000-lb gross trailer weight and 500-lb hitch weight rating
Class IV hitch
trailer hitch with weight carrying rating of up to 10,000-lb gross trailer weight and up to 1,000-lb hitch weight rating
Class V hitch
any trailer hitch with capacity greater than 10,000-lb gross trailer weight and greater than 1,000-lb hitch weight rating
container
a certified cylinder or tank used to hold liquid petroleum gas
converter
a component of the electrical system that changes 120 V AC into 12-V DC electrical power
coupler
the part of the trailer that attaches to the ball of the hitch
fifth wheel hitch
a hitch mounted over the rear axle of the tow vehicle which couples to a kingpin mounted on the trailer
frame
the part of a vehicle which all other parts attach to; frame usually refers to a non-unibody chassis
gas pressure
the force that the gas exerts on the walls of the container. In a RV low pressure, LP gas system, the pressure must be 11" of water column (6.25 oz per sq. in.)
generator
a piece of equipment powered by gasoline, diesel, or sometimes propane, for generating 120-V AC power
hitch
a device which attaches directly to a tow vehicle providing the connection between the tow vehicle and the trailer
hitchball
the steel ball attached to the towing vehicle that connects with the travel trailer
holding tanks
there are three different holding tanks on most RVs:
- fresh water tank (holds fresh water that can be stored for later use) - grey water tank (holds the waste water from the sinks and showers) - black water tank (holds the waste water from the toilet)
inverter
a component of the electrical system that changes 12-V DC into 120-V AC power
LP gas
liquefied petroleum gas; propane is one formulation and butane is the other; RV appliances may be fueled by LP gas
lubrication pump
provides lubrication to transmission of towed vehicle to prevent overheating during tow
regulator
the LP valve controlling the gas flow to all appliances, and maintaining the appropriate pressure in the LP gas system
running gear
a general term referring to the suspension system, axles, brakes, bearings, wheel and tires
safety chains/cables
a set of chains/cables that are attached to both the trailer frame and the tow vehicle while towing; safety chains/cables are intended to keep the trailer attached to the tow vehicle in the event of a hitch failure, preventing the trailer from completely separating from the tow vehicle
shore power
AC electricity provided by an external plug to an external AC power source
slide-out
additional living space that slides out, either by hydraulics, electricity or manually, when the RV is set up
tow vehicle
the vehicle that pulls an RV
towed vehicle
the term for an RV that is being towed
trailer brakes
brakes that are built into the towed vehicle
underbelly
the covered material that encloses the frame and the underside of the floor