Good Idea/Bad Idea?

[rkresge]

I'm still pretty new to the TT game. We're planning a fairly long (for us) trip with our new 23RLSW - it's 2 days to our destination, so we're planning a one-night intermediate stop. Here's my question: Should I take the time to do full hookups at the intermediate stop? Or should I just start out with a full fresh water tank and do minimal hookups (electricity only), and then hit the dump station on the way out the next morning?

Doing minimal hookups, so that setup isn't much more than leveling, is a tempting idea. It will be in early June, so there will be plenty of daylight left when we get to the intermediate CG.

Thoughts? Pros and cons?

Thanks!

Roger

[clubhouse]

I would haul my water, get Elec only site (or nothing if just one night) and if my final destination has full hookups I would skip the dump station on my way out in the morning. The drive will recharge any little battery use I have the night before and I can dump when ready at my final full hook up site.

[Old skipper]

There is not a great answer way to many variables, if an electric only site is available that is a good way to keep your costs down. Depending on your final destination and what services you have there I might only start out with half a tank of fresh water and not even bother with dumping the tanks. That said many times I have paid for full hook ups because they were much nicer sites. It really does not take much time to do a full hook up or tear down.

[motorbreath]

Have you ever tried boondocking at a Walmart? It has worked out well for me in the past, my wife and I just take a "bird bath" in the morning. Just make sure to ask the manager beforehand and pick a spot in the parking lot without alot of traffic.

[Fairenatic]

Just be mindful of your overall weight limits. A full tank of water can easily weigh 7 or 8 hundred pounds alone on some Jayco's.

You can hit your max cargo weight pretty quick that way if you are unaware of these limits.

[Jagiven]

We tend to run light. I have water jug I carry with a few gallons of water in it. While passing through, we have stayed in electric only sites, and sometimes in Walmart parking lots. Personally if it's just an over night stop I like a Walmart lot.

[Nukeneck]

If you are literally just stopping to sleep, I wouldn't even unhook and level. If it's a site that has hookups, take advantage of their power and city water. I rarely carry water because it's too heavy. Walmart is a good, free option if it's just to sleep

[norty1]

Agree, there are to many variables to make a firm decision. It's a judgement call on the skipper( another nautical term) , which is you.

My preference is based on my circumstances. With that scenario, my wife wants power and water, and that drives my decision. If my tank is less than half full and my next stop has sewer, I just keep rolling the next day.

Important thing is have a check list for leaving and don't forget anything. Sometimes that is hard to do when you have a regular routine and for some reason don't follow it.

Above all, Have fun!

[RedHorse1]

For just an overnight I agree with what seems the consensus, less is better. We've never done a w-mart overnight but it does seem like a good choice.
We personally like to have electricity and maybe the CG water but the sewer can wait for the next stop (bird-bath good enough for a day in the TV). I usually have a little water in the tank while travelling for flushing when the TT is more convenient (attractive) than a truck or roadside stop. We need the bedroom slide out for better bed access but the other two can stay retracted for just an overnight. As long as we are reasonably level I don't bother with the landing gear or stabilizers.
A side bene to a w-mart would be easy access to a quick breakfast (McD).

[tnchuck100]

Leveling should remain important. You don't want to operate the refrigerator off level for 8 - 12 hours while you are over-nighting it.

For an overnight stop over en route I usually have a few gallons in the fresh water tank. I get level but I don't unhook from the TV. I don't hookup water or drop the stabilizers. I will hookup electric. Keep it as simple as possible.

[SmokerBill]

When I'm on the road, I keep the fresh water tanks empty and carry a few gallons of water for flushing the toilet, washing dishes, sponge baths, etc. Dumping's not necessary, especially with limited water use.

Hauling a partially filled tank of fresh water isn't really recommended on the road because of the slosh factor. That would be a lot of weight to be bouncing around side-to-side between the axles during turns and (hopefully not any) emergency maneuvers. It could affect the handling characteristics of the TT.

[Cdash]

We go with full water tank and overnight at Wal-Mart or Cracker Barrel. We'll do a rest stop or a truck stop if we are desperate.

When we travel, we often use the bathroom in the camper, unless we are stopping to eat at a restaurant, so gray and black tanks never stay empty. When we pull into our destination campground, I'll top off fresh water (if we are at dry sites, which we usually are), dump gray if we showered, park and start enjoying.

If you're set on a campground stop, I would do electric only. If you shower and have full hookups, you just dump in the morning at your site before you leave. Good way to avoid a line that could be at the dump station. I have from time to time pulled into an empty full hookup campsite to dump before when there is a long dump line.

[tylersdad]

Originally Posted by rkresge

I'm still pretty new to the TT game. We're planning a fairly long (for us) trip with our new 23RLSW - it's 2 days to our destination, so we're planning a one-night intermediate stop. Here's my question: Should I take the time to do full hookups at the intermediate stop? Or should I just start out with a full fresh water tank and do minimal hookups (electricity only), and then hit the dump station on the way out the next morning?

Doing minimal hookups, so that setup isn't much more than leveling, is a tempting idea. It will be in early June, so there will be plenty of daylight left when we get to the intermediate CG.

Thoughts? Pros and cons?

Thanks!

Roger

We setup everything no matter how short our stay. It's nice having a warm shower after a long day driving and I'd prefer to not carry a full grey water tank on the next leg of the journey. I don't usually dump the black water until it's getting full, so I'll leave the grey water valve open until the night before I dump the black.

I also consider it good practice. We're getting much faster at hooking up and unhooking all of the utilities.

[DrtEmaxChvy]

Trip to San Diego fro ABQ
Stop in Phoenix
full hook up: myself, wife and kids it's nice to have a shower and clean up. Sure we can carry enough water but I like to hook up.
I'll dump grey and black is never close to full. Sometimes I'll fill the tank and then do a flush. A little extra water yes but in rolling clean and light for the mountain pass into CA.

Really make a decision based on you're travel time.
For some like us we need to get to the spot we are staying because we simply do not have a lot of vacation and down time to spend on the road.

[Meadowlea]

Originally Posted by tylersdad

We setup everything no matter how short our stay. It's nice having a warm shower after a long day driving and I'd prefer to not carry a full grey water tank on the next leg of the journey. I don't usually dump the black water until it's getting full, so I'll leave the grey water valve open until the night before I dump the black.

I also consider it good practice. We're getting much faster at hooking up and unhooking all of the utilities.

Are you dumping your gray water in camp site with valve open?

[tylersdad]

Originally Posted by Meadowlea

Are you dumping your gray water in camp site with valve open?

Yes. Into the sewer line. We have only ever stayed at full hookup facilities.

[ROC-REQS]

Originally Posted by rkresge

I'm still pretty new to the TT game. We're planning a fairly long (for us) trip with our new 23RLSW - it's 2 days to our destination, so we're planning a one-night intermediate stop. Here's my question: Should I take the time to do full hookups at the intermediate stop? Or should I just start out with a full fresh water tank and do minimal hookups (electricity only), and then hit the dump station on the way out the next morning?

Doing minimal hookups, so that setup isn't much more than leveling, is a tempting idea. It will be in early June, so there will be plenty of daylight left when we get to the intermediate CG.

Thoughts? Pros and cons?

Thanks!

Roger

Hi Roger,

I think it has more to do with the individuals preference and what they feel is convenient.

When we're doing an intermediate stop I still like to have full hook-ups because we like the convenient of showering in our trailer and dumping the gray tank without having to stop at the dump station. I've found that hooking-up to facilities and un-hooking from facilities doesn't taken that much time and we prefer the convenience it gives us. That's just our preference.

I also don't like to carry too much fresh water when traveling, typically only a few gallons so we have enough to use the toilet on the road if we want.

As other's mentioned, carrying full fresh water with you does have significant impact to loading.

That's just my $0.02.

[BCx213]

Me personally, I fill the water tank so if the need arises during the trip, we can still use the washroom. Our trailer design allows us to sleep in the TT without the slide and still have access to the kitchen and washroom. Battery is sufficient for our needs since I carry two golf cart batteries with me as well. I also have a generator if needed. We are planning a trip to Alberta this summer to visit our youngest daughter who got posted there as a police officer with our National Police force. It is a 1600 km trip that takes two days from Vancouver. We will just pull in to a Provincial camp site on the way up there and take our time to see the sights along the way.

[mtdawg]

I have done Walmart in several states, and have had great luck. Like most above, I do not unhook, nor do I expect to find electricity. I carry enough water for any cooking or bathroom needs we might have. I figure I will be able to flush and restock at my final destination. By the way, I use an app on my phone called Allstars. It shows campgrounds and other amenities. One thing I like is that it shows Walmart locations and which ones allow overnight parking and which ones don't.

Jim

[preceptjoe]

Picked up our new 2016 Precept 31ul. My driveway has a small slope but when I extend the hydraulic jacks to level, the front tires come off the ground by about three inches. Should I be leveling with jack pads under the tires?