RV parts identification guides
The system we apply to every part on this site, explained. Each guide uses real examples from the manufacturer documentation we hold, so you can check any of it yourself.
Start here: the identification kit
A printable worksheet of everything to record at the camper, in the order the questions have to be answered. No email required.
Open the kitWhere is the model number on an RV toilet or refrigerator?
How to find the model number on an RV appliance
Where manufacturers put the model and serial label on RV toilets and refrigerators, and why the model — not the brand — is what decides which part fits.
What do the numbers on a parts diagram mean?
How to read an RV parts diagram
How exploded parts diagrams work, what the callout or item number means, and why it is the fastest way to identify a component you cannot name.
My part number has been superseded — what do I order?
What "superseded by" means on an RV part
What a superseded part number means, how manufacturers record it, and why a replacement number is not the same as a similar part.
These two parts look the same — are they interchangeable?
Why two identical-looking RV parts may not fit
Colour, handedness, profile and production date all split RV part numbers. Why a visually identical component can still be the wrong one, and how to tell before you order.
What is the difference between a model number and a part number?
Model number, serial number, part number: which one do you need?
The four identifiers on an RV appliance and what each one decides: model, serial, part number and the item number on the diagram.
How do I tell which Thetford Aqua-Magic toilet I have?
How to verify which RV toilet you have
Thetford Aqua-Magic toilets look alike and take different parts. How to confirm which one you have before ordering a seal or a valve.
Do I need the serial number to order RV refrigerator parts?
How to verify your RV refrigerator model and serial
When an RV refrigerator serial number actually changes which part you need, using documented serial splits from the manufacturer parts lists.
Does it matter which revision of a parts list I am reading?
How parts list revisions change which part fits
Manufacturers republish parts lists by revision and the contents change. Why an older revision can confidently point you at a part your appliance no longer takes.
My RV part number is discontinued — what now?
What to do when an RV part number is discontinued
Superseded, limited availability, not available, and no documented successor are four different situations. How to tell which one you are in.
Is an aftermarket RV part as good as the OEM one?
OEM vs aftermarket RV parts: what actually matters
What OEM and aftermarket really mean for RV parts, and why a seller saying a part "replaces" an OEM number is not the same as the manufacturer saying so.
How do I find an RV part without a part number?
How to find an RV part when you only know what broke
The route from a symptom to an exact, evidenced part number: what broke, which component family, which model, which diagram row, which number.