Nrvta

DonkeyFluffer

Senior Member
RV LIFE Pro
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Messages
431
Location
Lanexa
Hello, my fellow Super C owners. I've been on this forum and owned my 2022 Accolade 37L since Dec 2021. I learned a lot from you folks and just wanted to thank the regulars here that have helped me, even if they didn't know they're were.

We went full-time on 1 March 2023 and love the lifestyle. We spent last winter boondocking at Sigsbee in Key West and are returning there in a couple weeks, with a 10 day road trip from Athens TX.

On Saturday I will complete the last available course at the NRVTA. We've been here 10 weeks. I'm now a Certified RV Technician, Certified RV Inspector, a Generator Service Technician, and a Solar Installer. I've owned motorhomes since 2003 and was holding my own in knowing how to keep these things running, but wanted the certifications to make sure I was being as safe as possible and to avoid costly mistakes.

These courses confirmed I've been doing it mostly right and changed/enlightened my mind on a couple things I was doing wrong. There isn't a single instructor here that isn't a complete subject matter expert and, most importantly, they have the patience to make sure you understand and can execute the given repair or install. The days are long and there will be a couple Saturday certification sessions. You take a written quiz daily and a long test every Friday, with various hands-on gates sprinkled throughout to prove you know what you're doing. You'll also have homework most days.

I'm retired 3x and live comfortably on my income, so I'm not jumping into the RV repair business like 99% of the students here, but I will help a fellow RVer in need and of course keep my rig on the road. In 21 years of RV travel I've never used andealership shop and only used a mobile tech once (to confirm my Norcold 1210 was DOA). Hopefully I can continue to roll around the country with problems I can handle.

If you have questions about any course at the NRVTA, please feel free to ask.

Thanks,
Jim
 
I have been talking, wondering and wanting to go to these classes. We also full time and I figured since I remodeled homes for 43 years, I would be able to get through it.
Just for fun though.
The people are really knowledgeable.
 
I have been talking, wondering and wanting to go to these classes. We also full time and I figured since I remodeled homes for 43 years, I would be able to get through it.
Just for fun though.
The people are really knowledgeable.

There are RV Techs that have been working for years repairing RV's that I attended classes with that say they learned a lot. A certified RV Tech (or a certified inspector) with experience is a bit more qualified than one that only has experience.

The RV manufacturer and RV appliance/component support of this place is huge. Representatives not only provide up-to-date publications (that we have access to during and after our time here) but they also visit and maintain a close relationship. Certified people also gain access to wholesale parts dealers that only sell to certified techs with a certification ID number.

Also, be aware that a Registered RV Tech on the RV locator has only completed the 1 week Fundamentals course and not the full 5, 6, 7, or 9 weeks of additional training.

To complete all training here, the cost is substantial. North of $20k + cost of campground (about $282 a week + tools (over $7k if you get both the required and optional tools).

Good news for disabled vets or those vets with unused GI Bill benefits. Using the VR&E program, they'll pay for what amounted to around 80% of everything I spent here. GI Bill users won't get their tools reimbursed but do get a higher stipend. About 60% of students here are veterans.
 
Maybe you could post your travel schedule. for us!

Lol, well I'll be at Sigsbee Military Famcamp in Key West from 4 December to probably end of February. We're deciding on our travels after that...northerly and westerly will be our obvious path, but we are open to anything that isn't too hot for the summer.
 

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