RV Technical Institute Provides Overview Of Level 3 Certification Requirements
Since launching last year, the RV Technical Institute’s Level 3 training course has been successfully training technicians to perform advanced diagnostics, troubleshooting, and repairs on specific systems and components. Currently, the Level 3 curriculum offers in-depth training in five specialties: appliances, chassis, electronics, electrical, and slide-outs.
These courses are largely taught by supplier members; however, the RV Technical Institute itself has also begun hosting Level 3 workshops this year to make it easier for techs to achieve all the required Level 3 hours. Technicians who achieve certification in all five specialties earn their Level 4 Master Certification.
More information on all five specialties, as well as the required training hours to achieve certification for each, is below:
- Electrical Specialty: covers converters, inverters, transfer switches, batteries (including lithium-ion), surge protection, solar, and/or generators
- Required hours of training: 24 hours
- Chassis Specialty: covers stabilization, leveling, electric steps, braking and/or vehicle weights (hitch, axle, and suspension)
- Required hours of training: 15 hours
- Electronics Specialty: covers satellite systems, logic control systems, and/or control area networks (CAN)
- Required hours of training: 15 hours
- Appliance Specialty: covers furnaces, air conditioning, refrigerators, and/or water heaters (must include traditional, instantaneous, and hydronic or combination systems)
- Required hours of training: 24 hours
- Slideout Specialty: covers cable slide-outs, above floor or in-wall slide-outs, and/or through frame slide-outs
- Required hours of training: 15 hours
To achieve Level 3, technicians must successfully pass Level 1 and 2 written and skill-based (practical) exams as well as attend and pass the number of approved vendor trainings hours within five years for each specialty.
Once achieved, Level 3 status is good for five years for each category. Over the five-year certification period, technicians must acquire an additional 24 hours of continuing education credits (CEUs) of approved training. Eight of the 24 hours of CEU must be directly related to the specialty held.