Buy or Rent
There are pros and cons to both. If you buy, that means that you will go RV camping a LOT. Even full time. In that case, you will need to store your RV somewhere when you are not traveling.
Renting is more for folks who like to go on a single trip once in a while. Or who just want to test the waters and see if this whole RV thing is for them.
Learn About Your RV
You are going to be spending a lot of time on your RV, so it is a good idea to learn how a motor home works. Yes, even if you are just renting. Things do break sometimes. While you may not be able to fix it (or you might, which would be great), you will know what the problem is and what to do about it.
Another thing about knowing your RV is that you will make fewer costly operational errors. Take your main breaker, for example. You need to know how many amps it can handle. Otherwise, you might blow it and that is NOT a cheap fix. So get to know your rig.
Practice Drive
Where are you going to be driving? What are the roads like? This is important stuff to know. Things move around in the living area when you least expect them. It might be hard to switch lanes, go up hills, and park.
For these reasons and more, it would be great if you could take a smaller “practice” trip on a similar terrain. For example, you might find that your drawers pop open. It’s good to know that now and find a way to keep them shut before you take the big trip.
Tools and Spare Parts
When you are out on the road, the last thing you want is for something to break down and leave you grounded, waiting for a part to be ordered and ship.
That’s why it’s a must to have a well-stocked tool kit and a supply of the things your RV might need, like fuses, light bulbs, jumper cables, nuts, bolts, and connectors. Then there are parts that are unique to each rig. Have these on hand so you don’t have to wait to have them shipped.
Winging It
Being spontaneous might be fun in some things, but not when your home is on wheels. Yes, the sense of freedom when you are on your RV is like nothing else.
You feel that you can go where you want, when you want. Don’t do it! What I mean is, have a plan, especially when it’s your first trip.
What should you plan when RVing?
As we learned, you can go just about anywhere on your RV — as long as you plan it beforehand. Some things you should plan include:
The budget
Money is always important when out on the road. It can go faster than you can imagine if you don’t have a budget. Know how much you want to spend on food, fun, and overnight stays.
Your food supply
You need to eat, right? Decide how much you want to eat out and how much you want to buy food to prepare yourself.
The route
Have a route you plan to take. Then have alternate options just in case.
Stops
There are so many things to see along the way. But you can only stop at so many of them. Choose wisely.
Campgrounds
When it’s time to call it a night, you want to pretty much know where you’re e going to park. There’s nothing more fun than wandering around at night in an unknown town with a big old RV looking for a place to sleep (NOT!).
Campground Setup Checklist
RVing can and should be fun and relaxing. But part of making it that way is to be organized. Especially when you get to the campground. You should have a checklist so that setting up camp goes smoothly.
Put these things on your checklist:
- Check the site for low hanging branches or things on the ground that might be in your way.
- Where are the electrical, water, and sewage hookups? Find them.
- Pull your RV in close to the hookups. If you need to level it, use blocks or stabilizing jacks.
- Don’t forget to chock the wheels. It keeps your rig secure. Very important!
- Connect to the electrical hookup as soon as you can and switch your appliances to pull from this source. Always save your battery or propane for when you really need them.
- This one is stinky but necessary. Attach the sewer hose to the drain hook-up. Gloves are a must for this step!
Almost done. Put out your awning and get your campsite all set up.
Buying Your First RV
Don’t be a “pretender.” This means you pretend to know more than you really know. Believe me, the sales person will sniff you out in a second and you will probably be taken advantage of.
Instead of pretending, get a little bit of knowledge instead. Do research on what you are buying. If you are shopping for a motor home, learn the differences of gasoline versus diesel motor homes, for example.
Boondocking
Maybe you want to spend anywhere from a couple of days to a month at each place you stop. What is the most economical way to do this? The answer is to boondock. A boondock is a small town or an area far from a big city. You can find lots of places to boondock. Just do a search for “free boondocking areas” and you should find lots of information.
Dry camping is another cheap way to camp. This refers to any area where there are no hookups for water, sewage disposal, electricity, and other amenities at each individual parking space. Some campgrounds have dry camping areas. Of course, parking lots are also considered dry camping places.
Water for Your RV
How are you going to get water for your RV? There are two ways to do this. Either by hooking up to city water of by filling your on-board freshwater tank. You get city water by hooking up a hose at a campground or RV park. This gives you an unlimited water supply.
On the other hand, your water tank is limited to its capacity, usually 30-90 gallons for most RVs. When you connect to city water, watch out for the water pressure. It can sometimes be higher than you RV can support. In that case, you need a water pressure regulator. This is not a problem with tanks, since they have a water pump that supplies the water pressure.
Types of RV Water
Not all water is the same on an RV. Take gray water, for instance. Gray water is the used water that comes from taking showers, washing dishes, and other sink uses. If you have a washing machine, that also produces gray water. Where does all this gray water go? Simple. Into the gray tank! This is one of various holding tanks in an RV.
You also have a black tank, which is the tank that holds sewage. One thing to keep in mind is that gray and black tanks are smaller than the fresh water tank. So if you start out with a full fresh water tank, the gray and black tanks might not hold all that water, even if you use both of them. For this reason, start with the gray and black tanks empty and find out where there are approved dump stations along your trip. It is not a good idea to dump even the gray tank in other places.
10 Year Rule
When you go purchase an RV, keep in mind the 10 year rule. What’s that, you say? It refers to the age of the RV. If it’s more than 10 years old, some places won’t let you in.
There have even been cases where RVers were kicked out of a camp because the other motor home owners considered their rig too small or “trashy.” Many parks even insist that RVs must be at least 25 feet in length. The main reason for this? They want their RV park to look like a subdivision, not a trailer park.
RV Electrical Systems
Here’s something you should know about RV electrical systems. Most RVs have two different electrical systems: 12-volt direct current (DC) and 120-volt alternating current (AC).
The 12-volt system gives power to all the appliances you need without hooking up at a campground.
It powers everything from the lights to the kitchen fan to the TV and stereo. That way, you can camp away far from cities and towns with all the comforts of home.
12-volt systems have fuses located behind a metal panel, close to where the power cord enters the RV. Make sure you have spare fuses.
The power source for the 12-volt system is the battery. RV batteries can be recharged many times without damage. Just make sure you know how much battery you are using. Never discharge an RV battery more than 50 to 80 percent of their capacity, depending on the type of battery you have. You could cause permanent damage if you do.
Stinky Sewage
It’s great to have a bathroom in your RV, isn’t it? Only question is…
What do you do with all that stinky sewage?
That’s where a full sewage disposal kit is essential. This consists of the proper hoses, fittings, flushing connections, a sewer ring, rubber gloves, a sewer hose support to use when draining the black water tank, and any sewage tank additives called for by your septic system’s manual.
You will also need a green garden hose and a tank-cleaning wand to clean the sewage holding tanks.
The sewage hoses and fittings must be sanitized before you stow them away with special equipment and sanitizer. And, of course, rapid-disintegration toilet paper.
Dumping the Sewage
Where do you dump all the sewage? You can dump it in one of the many dump stations along your trip. In addition, most campgrounds have dumps.
Some gas and truck stations also have them, for a small fee. In some states, even rest areas have dump stations (for free!). While you’re dumping, you can also refill your water tank.
RV Parking
One of the great things about RVs is that you no longer need to stay in hotels. On the other hand, you have a new challenge: finding parking. RVers usually book their camps months in advance…and stay for a good long while. So call ahead and make your reservation.
Also, find out the hours. Not all campgrounds are open 24/7. Many of them close their gates at dusk. If you are not in by then, you’re out!
Fixing RV Swaying
RVs sway from side to side when traveling down the road…a lot. Passing trucks and gusts of wind can jiggle your vehicle back and forth like if it was made of Jell-O. It can make it hard to control the vehicle and take a lot of the fun away from the trip.
The answer is to install anti-sway bars to the vehicle’s suspension system or hitch. This will help stabilize it and cut down on the swaying motion. Anti-sway bars go in the vehicle’s frame and chassis or the trailer’s hitch and tongue. They brace the weight of the vehicle’s axle against the chassis. They also hold the vehicle when a gust of wind hits it. Anti-sway bars also make turning on winding roads more manageable. Continuous swaying of the RV can damage the structure and cause leaks to occur.