RV Hot Skin Explained: Safety Changes Coming In 2026

This week on the RV Podcast:

• It’s an actual hazard you may’t see! Hidden electrical faults and unhealthy energy connections at campgrounds. What the business is doing to guard you! RV Hot Skin Explained…
• In a surprising reversal, General Motors abruptly canceled a extremely anticipated technological development, leaving a prime RV producer and sellers reeling. 
• Colder temps imply mice are searching for a brand new zip code—and your RV is on the map! Protect your funding (and your sanity) earlier than they transfer in. We’ll inform you how.
• All this plus the RV News of the Week and your questions arising in Episode #571 of the RV Podcast

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RV CONVERSATION OF THE WEEK

Have you ever heard of “Hot Skin.” No, get your minds out of the gutter. We’re speaking a few critical electrical security hazard the place the RV’s metallic exterior, metallic body, or different metallic parts develop into electrified with harmful voltage.

It occurs so much in campgrounds all throughout the nation. It’s usually attributable to an improper connection on the energy pedestal, and it can provide you a critical shock if you contact your RV. Hence. “Hot skin.”

Starting in 2026, the RV business has been mandated to incorporate a tool to guard in opposition to this. But unhealthy data, sensationalized reporting by these searching for clickbait and real confusion have left many RVers questioning what this implies to them and, extra particularly, whether or not it’s going to price them.

To assist us kind this out, we flip to our buddy Mike Solol, of RVElectricity.com. No one is aware of extra about RV electrical energy than Mike and, because it seems, he’s been engaged on correcting the problem for years.

This a part of the podcast is sponsored by RVOvernights, the place you may keep free at farms, wineries, and points of interest throughout the nation. Go to RVLifestyle.com/rvovernights and use the promo code “RVLDEAL” to save lots of 40% of the already low $49 annual price.

RV NEWS OF THE WEEK:

GM Throws Massive Wrench in RV Industry’s EV Plans

In a stunning transfer, General Motors CEO Mary Barra introduced on October twenty first that the corporate is discontinuing manufacturing of the BrightDrop electrical van. This comes as Detroit automakers appear to be pulling manner again on their EV improvement.

But this determination has despatched shockwaves by way of all the RV business, notably for one among its largest producers: Coachmen RV, a division of Forest River. 

Coachmen had carefully tied its fortunes to this modern automobile, showcasing it because the RVEX on the current Elkhart RV Open House.

The RVEX generated appreciable buzz, incomes rave opinions for its modern options, full-paint exterior, and spectacular estimated 270-mile vary. With a projected MSRP of round $150,000, each Coachmen and its sellers had excessive expectations for the RVEX’s success, noting its distinctive place out there.

Its enchantment was sturdy sufficient for RVBusiness to call it a finalist for RV of the Year.

But GM has blindsided the RV business and validates the considerations of those that imagine the EV market, particularly for giant, specialised autos like RVs, is creating slower than anticipated.

This setback will seemingly gradual the tempo of electrical RV improvement by months or years as firms seek for and take a look at new chassis companions.

The most important consequence is the instant lack of essentially the most viable, long-range electrical chassis out there to the RV business. Now there are another auto firms engaged on RV EVs –  just like the Ford E-Transit and Ram ProMaster EV. But they at the moment have considerably much less vary (nearer to 150-200 miles), and that presents a a lot more durable promote to RV fanatics who prioritize journey distance.

Now, Coachmen RV should rapidly pivot because the platform for its extremely anticipated electrical mannequin is not out there. So should sellers, together with our buddy Nick Schmidt of Sunshine State RVs in Gainesville, FL, who had excessive hopes for the RVEX. He says the announcement caught everybody within the business off guard.

SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ – Wendy Bowyer

Wendy Bowyer studies on the recent points most talked about this previous week on social media and our RV Lifestyle Community group.

Hi Everyone! In our personal RV Lifestyle Community this month, now we have a month-to-month theme, and that theme is Give Thanks.  It’s November and it is a nice time to mirror again on the 12 months and be grateful. And let’s face it, RVers have so much to be grateful for!  Be it  the fantastic locations you have found, the buddies you have made, the adventures you have had – the RV life is fairly wonderful.  I am unable to wait to see what’s shared. 

Then over in our RV Lifestyle Facebook Group, now we have had loads of posts these days about mice! Some wish to know how you can preserve the mice out when the rig is in storage and others ask what to do if you find evidence of mice inside your rig, as in mice droppings.

Mark should be studying all these posts. He simply purchased his first RV – a journey trailer – and wrote: Is the trailer not built to keep these critters out?

And the brief reply? No – it’s essential to take precautions.

 So I’ve learn by way of all of those posts, and there have been loads of them, and compiled some tricks to share in case they may help you. The first one is it’s essential to seal up even the smallest holes and in most RVs, there are many them.

Joshua wrote:  ” The solely assured manner is it’s essential to climb beneath (the RV) and use wire mesh and increasing foam to plug and canopy each and any gap.”

Tina has had a journey trailer and sophistication C for a mixed 16 years and NEVER had a mouse downside. Her recommendation? “The key is to make sure there is no hole they can sneak in. Check for holes around the plumbing, and plug anything you see.”

Next take away the issues that appeal to mice like meals. Take all of it out on the finish of the season, and through the season, preserve meals in air-tight containers mice cannot rip open.

Also take away scented issues which will appeal to mice like bars of scented cleaning soap.

Many additionally advocate eradicating – or inserting in an hermetic container – all bedding, pot holders, and dish towels as a result of mice love this type of factor for making beds within the winter.

Next, place mouse traps all through the within of the rig. And across the outdoors of your rig many advisable utilizing Fresh Cab or peppermint oil as a deterrent. Mice don’t just like the scent of these things.

There was a dialogue about poison. Obviously, leaving poison out can kill the mice BUT you then have to fret about what may occur up the meals chain. If the poisoned mouse by some means escapes, then will get eaten by say a fox or perhaps a pet cat, you have got some unintended penalties.

And there was an enormous determination on Irish Spring cleaning soap, material softener sheets, and mothballs. While some say these things assist, total the final consensus was it’s not sufficient by itself – particularly the Irish Spring bars. 

So to sum issues up:

1) Plug all holes

2) Remove scented objects

3) Put linens away

4) Lay mouse traps 

5) Use deterrents outdoors the rig

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RV QUESTION OF THE WEEK

QUESTION: From Ray: Is it okay to hold recent water in your RV tank when touring?

ANSWER: Absolutely sure…. BUT, there are two colleges of thought right here.

School of thought #1: Travel with an empty or practically empty tank

Water weighs about 8.3 kilos per gallon, so a full tank provides important weight. Some RVers fear that bumps and potholes stress the brackets holding the tank, probably inflicting it to interrupt free and fall out.

Has this truly occurred? Yes, however very not often. When it does happen, it is normally attributable to a defect, improper set up, or a really previous RV with worn-out parts.

This strategy is smart in case your RV is already at or close to its weight capability. You’ll must know your RV’s whole carrying capability and calculate how a lot weight you have added past the dry weight. If you packed loads of gear, then cuttng again on the water you carry will compensate a bit.

School of thought #2: Partial tanks are worse

But, there are critics of partially stuffed recent water tanks.They argue that rraveling with quarter-full or half-full tanks means the water will probably be sloshing round and this creates MORE stress on the tank and mounting system than a full tank would.

Again, if that is really an issue, we predict this can be very uncommon and largely occurs with very previous rigs or improperly secured techniques. 

So what’s the underside line?

Ask any RV query and you will get a number of solutions. People like to debate these subjects. You must resolve what is smart to your scenario. 

Personally, we journey with a full tank with out issues. We additionally journey with only a few gallons generally. We know our RV is well-made, together with the brackets and straps holding the freshwater tank. As lengthy as your system is put in appropriately and maintained, both strategy must be high quality.