Necessities or Just ‘Great To Have’ Options!
Updated December 03
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It’s that time of year again; winters snow is becoming a memory, as the days grow longer and warmer. When the spring time arrives you can’t wait to wake your RV from its winter sleep, connect your tow or towed and take off for parts unknown or to your favourite camping spot. Maybe this is the year to drive a new machine off the dealers’ lot. But wait; do you have all the necessities (or just special options) for a successful trip? Yes it is true most of today’s RV’s are totally self contained however there are several extras that ensure your travels are convenient and problem free.
Valve
extenders are a must to effectively check air pressure on the inside dual
tires…John recommends the more costly all-steel variety.
Another type of extender is available for front air bags on
motorhomes. Without these extras RVers must crawl under the motorhome to
check pressure or inflate the bags. Finding a convenient place to add air
to large RV’s presents another challenge. As a result, early in our travels we added a small ¾ horsepower
air compressor to inflate the tires of our motorhome.
Recently a friend discovered the TV booster on his new ‘pre-loved’ unit was not working. Without this accessory the antenna will only pull in a very few channels. Don’t despair, it is very easy to replace this plate even for the non-tech type RVers, simply remove the old and attach the new.
Leveling an RV ensures doors shut without dragging, plus it doesn’t feel like you’re falling out of bed or walking on an angle. Although present RV fridges are less sensitive to being perfectly level than previous models, these cooling units do work more efficiently when your unit is set up properly. A variety of bubble type levels help simplify this task. Some are designed to sit inside the freezer while others ‘stick onto’ the front and sides of any motorized and towable unit.
Adding
boards under tires is one way to level, we use 2” x 8”x16” boards
beneath each tire. Some RVers prefer specialized interlocking
polypropylene blocks designed for leveling. NOTE: To avoid straining the
axles of your unit when boards or pads are placed under the outside rear
tires, be certain to add an equal amount under the inside dual.
Although squaring your dream machine will not stop motion from inside movement, jacks added to each corner of the RV frame will stabilize it. They come in numerous varieties from manual to the more costly heavy-duty hydraulic variety to electrical jacks designed to stabilize a unit that works with the push of a button. No matter what stabilizers you chose, always place boards or specialized pads beneath them. RV’s are heavy, and it is difficult to determine if the ground is solid. Digging out is no fun, “We’ve been there, done that.”
One plus to RVing is spending time outdoors on the patio, in the pool, on the hiking trails etc. Your awning provides much needed shade when trees are scarce. To combat windy days many RVers add anti-flapping devices (several designs are available) between the awning and the support bar plus they use tie down straps for stability. If your awning is extra long, a centre bar provides needed support.
NOTE:
When planning a day away or if windy weather threatens, be prepared to
roll up your awning as a precaution. Wind can do mega damage to awnings,
and 3AM awning calls during a
torrential rain are definitely no fun. Patio
drapes that extend
from your awning to the patio (secured with bungee
cords) are the newest extra to control the suns heat as well as extend
living space. A full screen room on the other hand provides privacy plus
helps to keep bugs at bay.
While inside, most of us prefer fresh air rather than air conditioning. Our ‘Kastle #2’ came with window awnings. John and I soon discovered that when the window awnings were extended rain didn’t come in through the open windows. These awnings along with the tinted windows on that RV drastically diminished heat from the suns rays. Note: The see-thru variety do not keep out the rain.
In the early days we used indoor/outdoor carpet as a Patio cover to keep dirt in control, but a new variety of open weave vinyl-coated polyester rugs are more efficient because they allow water to drain through---an appreciated touch if it’s raining during pack-up.
To avoid driving away with your antenna extended why not add a clip (large hair style clip) to the handle when the antenna is down and move it to the steering wheel on a motorhome or the last check point on your towable when the antenna is extended. Hanging your RV keys or a decoration from the handle when it is extended is another reminder option.
Before your first outing, check all water hoses for small holes or leaks; add fresh washers and plumbers tape to avoid dripping connections. Cleaning water deposits off your unit is a chore no one needs; besides dripping water makes a mess and such a waste. Be certain all water hoses are insulated and specially designed for safe drinking, do not connect your unit with the green garden hose from home, it allows the sun to heat the water and breed harmful bacteria your family will ingest. Always place a water regulator at the tap end of the hose to avoid damage to RV plumbing from high park water pressure. Although pressure can rise to an excessive 100 PSI, regulators contain it at 45 PSI. Most campsites only provide one water tap per site, adding a “y” connector sets up a second tap for messy clean-ups.
Leave the orange electric cord that runs your lawn mower at home, it is not heavy duty enough to supply necessary power--fires can result. If you must use it in an emergency NEVER leave the excess rolled up; that creates even more heat. Plugging a voltage indicator to a 120Volt wall plug provides a reading of available power coming into your unit. Volts below 102 will cause brownouts and dangerous surge conditions result if you are getting over 130 volts. Many RVers add some form of a surge protector to keep high tech equipment in their units out of harms way. Always test park power, with a ground monitor that uses indicator lights, before plugging in. If the lights suggest ‘reverse polarity’ or an ‘open ground’, DO NOT connect till the park rectifies the wiring problem.
Many parks, especially those in the south, insist you
use a rubber sewer donut between your hose and the park connection. It
keeps your hose out of their septic system and sewer gases in the ground.
If you do not have a donut the park will sell you one.
Numerous adapters
now come in different coloured and interesting plastic shapes (however
many parks still want you to use the donut), however to connect your
slinky hose to them can sometimes be challenging.
TIP; Soak the ends of a new hose in hot water and add Vaseline to
the adapter ends; in about five minutes the hose will connect with little
problem.
One last point, campground hook-ups are not always convenient distance from your unit. You will need a 25-foot water hose plus a 25-foot extension; a 25-foot 30 amp electrical extension; a 20-foot and 10-foot sewer extensions with adapter ends plus a series of electric ‘dog bones’ and compact plug-in adapters---15 amp to 30 amp, (or reverse if you have a pop-up) and a 30 amp to 50 amp.
The list of ‘nice to have’ extras could go on and on but the above are some of the most popular ones. Visit any RV store to see the many other available ‘necessities’ that make getaways more enjoyable. Have a great summer.