CSA STANDARDS

We’ve all seen that familiar CSA logo on our RVs and on RV appliances. But have you ever wondered just what it means?

Why do we need standards? If there were no standards in the RV industry, we would find that every make of trailer or motorhome would be built slightly differently. Things like electrical connections used by one manufacturer would not necessarily be compatible with those used by another. When you went to connect your unit at your campsite, you might find that you needed a different type of adapter for every campground that you visited. Propane tanks and appliances of one brand would not fit with components from another, the plumbing system would be installed with different types of materials that may not be compatible. In other words, the safety of your RV would be compromised.

Just imagine if there were no standards for building materials. A contractor could build a house with a cement block foundation, and by the time all the house was completed, the blocks in the foundation might crumble from the total weight being placed on them. Standards protect us from shoddy merchandise and assure us that the products we buy – RVs and RV components included – are built with quality and safety in mind.

When you purchase a Canadian-built RV, it has a CRVA logo on the side near the entrance doorway, showing that it has been built to CSA Z240 specifications. The CRVA is an association of Canadian Recreational Vehicle manufacturers.

RVs built in the United States are built to ANSI/RVIA standards, while units built in Canada are built to CSA standards. The standards set by the American National Standards Institute and the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association have been developed to ensure that all units built in the USA are compatible with other brands built in the same country. Units built in Canada are built to Canadian Standards Association codes so that they may be sold in any province in Canada. There are many differences in the codes between the two countries. If a unit is built by an American manufacturer for sale in Canada, it must be modified to meet Canadian...

RVs are built to CSA specifications which cover general safety, vehicle requirements, plumbing, propane systems, appliances and electrical systems. Without these standards, your safety could be compromised.
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(Read full article in the magazine)