Newbie questions

Oobray · 07-13-2015, 07:55 PM

Ok, so I've been out with the family in the trailer once so far only for an over night. We're two weeks out from a 10 day trip from Oklahoma to Pike's Peak with various stops along the way. I have several questions I know all you experienced folks can answer.....

1. How strict must we be when washing dishes in the sink. Meaning, I know we should scrape food off in trash cans instead of down the sink, but how much is tolerable? There's always little bits that don't get scraped off.

2. On the last trip the end caps from the bumper (where the sewer hose is) blew off. Luckily the hose is still in there. I know we need an extension and atleast a 90 deg elbow. I want to cut down on costs as much as possible. Suggestions for end caps and hose extensions / accessories?

3. I know it would be time consuming, but can anyone give examples of things they put in the underbed front storage and rear storage areas?

4. Please add any other tips / tricks I may not have know. The travelers will be myself, wife, 7 year old daughter, 4 month old son and grandparents. The grandparents will be sleeping in the queen bed, wife and I in the bottom bunk, 7year old in the top bunk and baby in a portable sleeper on the fold out couch.

In case my signature doesn't show up for some reason, we have a 2015 264BHW.

Jmooney · 07-13-2015, 08:16 PM

Welcome from Colorado. Hope you enjoy our fabulous state .

1. Small food particles are not an issue. Every few trips you can add a toilet chem packet into the sink drain and help keep the tank clean and fresh, but I have never had a problem. Stuff that goes into that drain is so small compared to the size of the drain pipe.

2. I have never lost a bumper cap. As for tank hoses... You get what you pay for. I have owned the cheap ones, and they leak after a few trips.... Yuk!

3. Blankets, pillows, duffel bags, everything you want out of the living space when you are in it.

4. Good book on tape for the drive. Cold beer. Jackets for top of pikes peak. Sun block for the high altitude. Cold beer, fishing gear, guitar, cold beer, children, s'mores, meds, patience, love and all the happiness you can carry

Did I mention cold beer?

Check out the Colorado campers social page for other info about Colorado camping

BTW, I will be at Mueller state park this weekend, just in the shadow of the peak.

Have fun

Jmooney · 07-13-2015, 08:20 PM

Ps. Know where you can get water and when, along your trip. Don't haul it if you can fill it when you get there. Keep a few gallons of fresh in the tank so you can use sink and toilet on the road if needed

Oobray · 07-13-2015, 09:34 PM

Thanks mooney. I was hoping little bits of food were ok for the tank. We're definitly not going for a "wilderness" experience so all the sites we're looking at have full hookups. Since we're noobs I figured more resources the better until we figure ourselves out.

I guess the best way to carry beer is in an ice chest huh? I pretty much just drink shiner, bottles of course. So I don't want those bouncing around.

Jmooney · 07-13-2015, 09:48 PM

Bud light cans.... Not a problem for a cooler in the bed of the truck.

Be sure to check air pressure in your TT tires and set correctly. Check daily.

Check the spare too.

dewey02 · 07-13-2015, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oobray

Thanks mooney. I was hoping little bits of food were ok for the tank. We're definitly not going for a "wilderness" experience so all the sites we're looking at have full hookups. Since we're noobs I figured more resources the better until we figure ourselves out.

I guess the best way to carry beer is in an ice chest huh? I pretty much just drink shiner, bottles of course. So I don't want those bouncing around.

No, the best way to carry cold beer is in your gullet. Just be sure that the spouse is the designated driver!

edatlanta · 07-14-2015, 04:23 AM

I full time and it will be 5 years next week. For the first 4 years I never worried too much about the kitchen gray tank and left it open all the time when on a full hook up site. I also never added chemicals to it when I was boondocking and the tank valve was closed. But September 2014 changed that a bit....

I closed all valves and headed to a car race for 5 days. Two days in there was a terrible odor in my 5'er. It wasn't black tank smell, but worse. I finally figured out what it was. The small particles that had been put in the gray tank over the previous years that hadn't "flowed on through" had been building up an drying (the same as the infamous poop pyramid in a black tank, but much smaller and slower to build up). When I closed the valves an started holding the gray water while at the racetrack this buildup rehydraed and started smelling and I mean SMELLING!

I had the tank pumped by the honey wagon and them poured one full gallon of bleach down the sink. Problem solved.

I now don't leave this tank open even on a full hook up site. I keep it closed until it is full and then dump just like I do with the black tank. I also keep a little of some type of chemical in the tank in the summer since I don't dump but every 2-3 weeks. I don't use anything in either black or gray tanks in the cooler months except lots of water.

mike837go · 07-14-2015, 06:03 AM

#4: Lots of activity things to keep the kids occupied! It was a staple of any road trim when my 2 were younger. The phrase for us was, "Did you remember to bring a busy?"

dhinkle57 · 07-14-2015, 06:29 AM

Walking in to see my sister in law scraping everything in to the sink, we decided to get a strainer for the sink. I think this is the type we got.
ROBINSON HOME PRODUCTS Collapsible Sink Strainer & Stopper, Blue - Walmart.com

AugerN · 07-14-2015, 06:40 AM

I second the sink strainer idea. We scrape most into the trash and then most everything else is caught by the strainer and you don't have to worry about being as diligent. We are just a month into this RV thing ourselves and learn something new everyday. Fortunately, everyone here is very helpful and a great resource even when on the road.

Jmooney · 07-14-2015, 06:44 AM

Always keep the tanks closed and allow to fill so that debris is flushed when you drain the tanks. Black first, then grey.

Iraqvet05 · 07-14-2015, 07:07 AM

1. Small pieces of food are OK to go down the drain since they will be suspended in gallons of water. You may want to (1-2x a season) dump some bleach down the sink to kill some of that odor if you ever use a tote to dump off the grey tank.

2. Those end caps from the factory don't fit to snug and seem to fall out frequently.
Here is the cap I bought that has been working well.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o04_s00
Buy a clear 45 degree elbow to attach at the dump valve and a 90 to attach at the
dump opening and you should be set. You don't have to spend a ton of money on
these, but a 90 is mandatory.

3. My front storage has: FW hoses and filters, tools, X-chocks, blocking and WDH bars
when not in use.
Rear storage: Lynx levelers, kids toys, black tank flush hose, sewer elbows, chairs,
folding table

4. The bunk area get hot. Put a fan on the vanity at night to push air back into the
bunk area.

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