So, my wife and I are new campers and I thought I was all prepared being a experienced tent camper, but after reading some forums I got a little worried as I seem to not know all I think I need to. I have so many questions that maybe I should be looking for a 'rv for dummies' book. So here are a few questions and if anyone can think of any 'basics' that I've missed, don't hesitate to let me know.
1. How do I flush the water tank or empty it?
2. How do I sanitize it, bleach? Chlorine?
3. What is 'grey' water and 'black' water, what's the difference?
4. Will I need a water hose to hook up the water?
5. Do you keep the camper battery hooked up all the time or do you only hook it up when at a campground?
6. I've read about 20, 30 and 50 electric hook up, what the difference and how do I know what we need?
7. Will I need an extension cord? How big?
8. Are there any tricks for putting up an awning? Is it a one person thing?
9. Are the jacks that are on the camper enough the level it and stop it from rolling away? There the site level already?
Maybe this wasn't a good idea.
JStokes
Good Q's and good timing. Several of us are working on a segment to answer those same questions.
First, like tent camping, the answers vary depending on what you own, your abilities, where you're camping, etc.
This wasn't really to answer all your Q's but more to welcome you and thank you for being here.
But...
Gray water - water from washing your hands, dishes, etc. If you'd water produce you eat with water, you'd be okay.
Black water - toilet water.
20, 30 and 50 amps/extension cords - the amount of amperage you are capable of using before popping a circuit breaker. Heat producing devices tend to be amp suckers.
Your system will not allow you to draw more than you need.
Extension cords are always good to have, but get the SHORTEST length you need. I use one for an additional heater so I don't suck power from my inverter/converter. It's a direct line from the pole to the heater. Since I don't have an external outlet, I also use one for my tacky lights.
first, some of your questions don't apply to a popup.
so, the first question to ask is, are you looking at popups or hybrid TTs?
Fresh water tanks have a drain valve. i use a cup of bleach to sanitize it, at the beginning of each season.
as far as gray/black tanks, most popups don't have them but hybrids do. black is for toilet contents, gray is for sink/shower water. gray tanks will fill a lot faster than black tanks.
if you are hooking up to a water hookup, yes you'll need a white water hose. you don't need to use the FW tank if you have water hookups.
battery must be hooked at all times, especially if the trailer has its own brakes.
only the big RVs have 50amp hookups. a popup will only require 20amps and a hybrid will require 30amps.
most campgrounds will have outlets for all three. adapters allow usage of all.
awnings differ from popups to hybrids. hybrid awnings are a one person operation.
stabilizer jacks are not for leveling, they are for stabilizing. you level with blocks of wood or Lynx Levelers under the wheels. very few sites are level, especially in state/national parks.
[quote author=Stokes link=topic=585.msg3805#msg3805 date=1297790221]
1. How do I flush the water tank or empty it?
2. How do I sanitize it, bleach? Chlorine?
3. What is 'grey' water and 'black' water, what's the difference?
4. Will I need a water hose to hook up the water?
5. Do you keep the camper battery hooked up all the time or do you only hook it up when at a campground?
6. I've read about 20, 30 and 50 electric hook up, what the difference and how do I know what we need?
7. Will I need an extension cord? How big?
8. Are there any tricks for putting up an awning? Is it a one person thing?
9. Are the jacks that are on the camper enough the level it and stop it from rolling away? There the site level already?
Maybe this wasn't a good idea.
JStokes
Ok so to answer your questions...
1 - to empty your fresh water tank, (this depends on the location of the tank, I'll assume it is slung under the pup) look for a drain spigot (valve), most of these you just turn a handle 90 degrees.
2- Sanitizing the tank.. easy, but does take time.. I generally use about 1 cup of bleach for my 20 gallon tank.. carefully pour the bleach into the tank then fill the tank until it is full. Next (depends on the setup of your pup) if you have a water heater, make sure it is in bypassed mode) then operate all you water taps , letting the water flow until you smell the bleach. Let the mixture sit in the lines for a minimal for 4-5 hours. Drain your fresh water tank and re-fill with clean water (only) and operate all your taps, just let them run for 10 -15 minutes (refill the tank as required). Then carefully sample the water, if you can still taste small amounts of bleach, continue flushing... If you flush for more then 5 times and still taste the slight hint of bleach, pour about 3 cups of vinegar into the tank and fill with water, you don't have to let this sit, so operate your taps... Then drain the water tank and refill (water only) and continue flushing the system until you no longer have the bleach and or vinegar taste..
Some people claim it takes 24 hrs to sanitize a tank, but 4-5 hours is all that is needed... I do this quit regularly on the big water tanks used for commercial aircraft and all they need are 4-5 hrs..
As for how often to sanitize... that depends on what the water quality is where you camp... I do mine at least 2 times per season..
** Remember if you by-passed your water heater to return it to its normal state.. also NEVER mix both vinegar and bleach together at anytime, you'll invent a real nasty gas better known as "mustard gas".
3 - Grey water is the drain water from doing dishes, having a shower.. black water is.. well it is water gets "flushed" at home..
4- If your pup has a city water connection then yes, but it may not be needed, as you can run your water off the tank as well.. but simply.. yes.. and it SHOULD be a water hose designed to be used for drinking (potable) water.. generally white in colour... we used a coiled green hose (25 ft)... I also carry a 10 ft white hose and last year I added a 50ft drinking water safe hose.
5 - We only hook up at campgrounds...
6 - 15/20 amp service is what your standard wall plugs are at home.. the 30 and 50 amp plugs are similar to your stove and dryer.. 15, 30 and 50 amp plugs all have a different pin layout so you can't mix them up.. most pups will be the 30 amp service.. but with the use of adapters you can use the 15(20) amp service..
7 - Depends on where your going camping.. I have been to private parks where I could actually get close enough to the plug-in to use the factory 30 amp cord directly.. I have also been to a couple Provincial Parks where I needed 100 ft... so I carry 2 100 ft 15 amp extension cords with us.. One I use for powering the pup and the second I'll use if we are going to use the electric heaters... just so we don't have too much of a load on one cord or the pups electrical system.
8 - It all depends on the type (style) of your awning and how the poles go, but basically.. you raise the roof to a comfortable height and unroll the awning... install the rafter poles and vertical poles and continue raising your awning, keeping an eye on the vertical poles and ensuring the awning follows along with the roof..
9 - The jacks that are on your pup are ONLY for stabilizing it.. they are NOT for leveling it.. to level the trailer.. and there are 3 basic side to side leveling techniques that are used.. you use either planks of wood (2x6's or 2x8's) to level,, just keep adding planks until the trailer is level.. then there is Lynx blocks (think giant Lego blocks) basically they work the same way.. you go back and forth with the trailer adding the required number of blocks to get the trailer level... Then there is the third way.. research and by and device call a B.A.L. Leveler .. basically its a device you place around the low side wheel and crank up until the trailer is level side to side..
As for front to bank leveling.. you use the tongue jack to accomplish this...
769
549
1 Guest(s)
