Maintenance & Restoration

andix · 05-23-2013, 08:13 PM

Hi all,
I decided that with a move on my plate I won't have time to change the water heater in my Bigfoot all by myself. I know I have to fork some extra cash but, with this in mind, does anyone know of a reliable Bigfoot service in Edmonton, Alberta?
The fridge also needs some work. The toilet too. And I wouldn't mind a look at the inverter.

Thank you!
A.

trilliumdon · 05-23-2013, 09:57 PM

He's not a Bigfoot dealer per se, but until recently he rented a fleet of Trilliums (Trillia?) and he understands and has parts and small camper experience. http://www.edmontonrv.com/service/

Brian B-P · 05-23-2013, 11:28 PM

Edmonton RV is the only shop in the Edmonton area specializing in RVs which does not sell them - they need to earn return business entirely on parts and service. I have purchased some parts from them; they are clearly knowledgeable and generally good to deal with.

There was a Bigfoot dealer in Edmonton, but their reputation was not good, I found their sales staff unpleasant to deal with, and they disappeared in the great RV industry crash of a few years ago.

I have had our Boler serviced at only one RV dealer. I would not recommend them, but will also not name them - sorry.

For the services listed, Edmonton RV seems like a reasonable choice.

andix · 06-11-2013, 10:17 PM

Brian, trilliumdon - thanks for your replies.

I initially booked an appointment with Edmonton RV, until I learned from a co-worker and fellow camper of an independent repairman in the city. If the forum allows this I'll post his coordinates, if not PM me for his info.

What he did over a weekend (all Saturday and Sunday morning):
- replaced the HWH with a brand new one (supplied, for the best price in town. No kidding on this.)
- opened, cleaned and fixed the toilet (replaced broken valve and broken o-ring on the small tank)
- removed, cleaned, fixed and installed back the fridge (would not work on propane - now it works)
- figured out a puzzle of an electric system, straightened it up and routed the wiring properly (none of my fuses were included in the circuit and two inverters were feeding each other, almost setting us on fire when we first used the trailer)

All these for half the price of any shop in the city.
I now have a fully functional trailer, and I absolutely would recommend this guy to anyone in need of affordable repairs. Mind you, affordable does not mean cheap or crappy. And if I didn't say enough, he comes to your place.

I'm attaching some photos of my little weekend saga. (The sizzled, melt wire is what nearly got us killed. You can also see how he hooked up the fridge in my garage, to work on it while having full access to the back.) I wasn't smart enough to document everything and by the time I figured out I should do it, we were halfway through the work.

I'm a happy camper, I believe.