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Old 05-31-2017, 12:36 PM   #1
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Maiden Voyage of an RV Rookie

I’m starting this thread not to simply tell my ‘first time out’ story, but to provide some details on what I found out about using a camper (mine is a 2016 Jay Feather 7 16XRB) and its systems. I’m hoping that it’ll provide some insight to other first timers and perhaps get some feedback about how I might do things differently.

I’ll start by saying it was a successful long weekend. My wife, two young children, and camped at Eleven Mile State Park in Colorado over the Memorial Day weekend. We were in the Stoll Mountain camping area; there are no trees at all here. We didn’t have an electrical or water hookup. We were most concerned about and conservative with the gas and electricity.

Travel
My TV is a 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee V6 (not the strongest TV out there, by far). It’s rated to tow up to 5000 pounds with a max hitch weight of 500. I was nervous towing the camper into the mountains for the first time, but I’m happy to say that the Jeep did well. We took it slow and steady. Although the towing went well, I think I’ll get a stronger TV in the next couple years.
When we arrived, I noticed that the trailer brake cable was frayed and broken clear through. Apparently, the cable had too much slack and must have dragged until it broke. In order to repair for the trip home, I tied the cable together and duct taped it pretty well. I really have no idea if that was the safest or most effective choice.
I also noticed that my chains had been dragging, so I zip tied a couple of links together on each to shorten them up. I can adjust the chains in a more permanent fashion before my next trip.

On-Site
Weather
Shortly after we arrived and set up on Friday, the wind and rain began. We experienced what I estimate to be up to 80mph wind gusts. The family and I were in the camper (3 year old napped right through it) watching the weather come through destroying E-Z Ups and weaker tents as well as one pop up camper’s slide out. It fairly disconcerting, even from the safety of our camper. We were shaking pretty good. My wife was obviously nervous and my 5 year old asked if we were going to “make it”. Of course I told them that we’d be fine and not to worry. Things got so shaky that I actually had to go out and re-adjust the stabilizer jacks a few times. I wonder if I’m being too careful not to put so much of the camper’s weight on them. The evening was calm and the sky ended up being completely clear during our campfire time. After we all went to bed, the crazy weather came back. The wind was howling and the camper was shaking like crazy. We had more of the same weather on Saturday. So for about a day and a half, we really couldn’t enjoy much of the outdoors.

While we didn’t get the crazy wind on Saturday night, it got so cold that when I woke in the middle of the night to turn over, my hand accidentally touched the canvas (of the pull out bed) above me. I got frost under my fingernail. I laughed at this as I was still glad I wasn’t in a tent. I awoke to so much condensation on the canvas, however, that it was dripping on the hoodie that was covering my head. I’m not sure if the 10 minutes of using the heater that night caused more condensation or if it is normal, but it seemed excessive to me. I realized that the canvas wasn’t as taut as it could be. So I adjusted the rod to pull the canvas tighter. I didn’t have this issue the following night.

With all the wind and rain, I noticed that the emergency exit window was letting in a small amount of water at the bottom. I’m guessing that this was due to the wind blowing so hard and hoping this won’t be a problem going forward. I’ll be sure to get the cover on my camper while it’s in storage, however.

Propane
I posted a thread about propane usage prior to the trip. I was wondering whether I should bring a second tank for the long weekend (my TT only holds a single 20lb bottle). The consensus was “better to have it and not need it...”, but I also heard from some folks that it shouldn’t be a problem at all. The big takeaway for me about that thread was that I should worry more about my battery than the propane (more about that in a bit). We limited our propane use to the refrigerator, the stove for a few items, the hot water heater for 30 minutes a twice/day, 10 minutes of heat in the morning when we woke up and 10 minutes just before bed. We had plenty of propane for this trip.

Battery
I was very battery conscious during this trip. I checked the battery at least a dozen times throughout the trip. We limited our battery usage to the heater fan twice/day for 10 min each, the water pump, and to whatever the fridge might use when in propane mode. I left all of the breakers off and we never turned on a light. When I used the awning, I hooked up to the running TV. I also hooked up to the running TV for 45 minutes in the morning and 45 minutes in the evening. By being ultra conservative, we had absolutely no worry about the battery going dead. In fact, we maintained the battery above 12 the whole time.
One interesting thing occurred overnight on Saturday. I awoke to the sound of white noise. At first I was afraid I didn’t turn the heater off, but I knew I had. I got up and realized that somehow, without anyone touching it, the radio turned on. My wife and I can’t figure out how this happened. I’m guessing that there is an alarm or something that was set, but being on battery only at that time, I didn’t play with it. I just took the faceplate off and stowed it. It was a bit creepy.

Fresh and Waste Tanks
Two things I wasn’t concerned about at all were the two things I should have been concerned about: Fresh water consumption and grey water storage. I believe my TT holds 30 gallons of water, which to me, seems like plenty. To compare, we used to camp with 12.5 gallons of fresh water when tent camping and we’d use some of that to put out our campfire. On this trip, we used all of our fresh water in just under two days (the sensor showed empty for a bit, but then water started spurting instead of flowing). Our greywater tank was at full capacity (according to the sensors); I was not going to test this to find out. So on Sunday, I closed up the camper, hooked it to the TV, and drove it to the dumping station. The station had no water to clean the tanks. Is this normal at a state park? Instead of emptying the black & grey, I took it to the fresh water station and filled up. Then I went to the dumping station again. I dumped my black tank and ran the toilet for a bit until it was mostly clear. Then I dumped my grey tank and ran water down the sink for a bit until it was mostly clear. Before taking the TT back to our site, I went back to the water station and topped off.
I’m surprised that we used so much water in just a short amount of time. Things we did or might have done differently from when we were tent camping were: more thorough dish cleaning, more hand washing, probably more water used during teeth brushing, toilet is a big one (but really it’s got to be just a couple of cups of water upon flush, right?). But even with all that, I’m surprised the grey tank filled so quickly. I need to look up how much it holds and see if it makes sense to me.

Thanks for reading. I hope I was able to give some insight to other rookies and I hope to get some insight from some of you pros.
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Old 05-31-2017, 01:17 PM   #2
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Sounds like a good adventure. Congrats on a successful maiden.

A bit of advice for you or others. Always retract your awning before going to bed or leaving your trailer for a while. High winds can do damage. Hopefully you had yours in during the wind storm.

You can wrap the chains around eachother to shorten them. Don't twist them but you can braid them. Hope that makes sense. They should be crossed underneath the tongue anyway to catch it if it falls off the ball. The chains should be short enough to avoid the tongue from hitting the ground.

Gray water filling up is certainly a limiting factor to staying put for a long time. A tote or 5 gallon bucket can help extend your stay without having to pack up and dump your trailer. Your gray tank isn't "Full" until you start seeing water come up the shower drain. Then you know its time to empty! I also wouldn't make a special trip to get water to clean out your tanks. One good clean once or twice a year is enough. No need to clean the gray tank at all. It is usually filled with soapy water anyway right?

Glad you had fun.

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Old 05-31-2017, 01:44 PM   #3
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Congratulations! We too have been in some incredible windstorms in the mountains.

To help eliminate the condensation; Keep the roof vent open about a 1/2" all the time. We have a Max Air roof vent cover, it keeps the weather out. Also on the bunk ends, bring the window zippers for the side windows up to the highest point, then unzip them about 2-4 inches. Between the two openings, you will allow the moisture to escape.

Water usage is something you just must learn. It is surprising how much water can be used doing dishes, washing hands and brushing teeth. We have it down pat how to use very little water. Electric is always our issue.
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Old 05-31-2017, 01:57 PM   #4
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Sounds like a good adventure. Congrats on a successful maiden.

A bit of advice for you or others. Always retract your awning before going to bed or leaving your trailer for a while. High winds can do damage. Hopefully you had yours in during the wind storm.

You can wrap the chains around eachother to shorten them. Don't twist them but you can braid them. Hope that makes sense. They should be crossed underneath the tongue anyway to catch it if it falls off the ball. The chains should be short enough to avoid the tongue from hitting the ground.

Gray water filling up is certainly a limiting factor to staying put for a long time. A tote or 5 gallon bucket can help extend your stay without having to pack up and dump your trailer. Your gray tank isn't "Full" until you start seeing water come up the shower drain. Then you know its time to empty! I also wouldn't make a special trip to get water to clean out your tanks. One good clean once or twice a year is enough. No need to clean the gray tank at all. It is usually filled with soapy water anyway right?

Glad you had fun.

Cheers
Thanks for the info!
I finally put the awning out on Sunday when the weather was nice.
Good idea on the chains!
Regarding a more regular cleaning of the tanks, I guess I'm just concerned with how clean my sewer hose can be. I hate to put it away and think it didn't get clean enough. The more I think about it though, I suppose pushing more water through it isn't going truly clean it anyhow. I've been sloshing the grey water around in the hose to clean it out as I'm draining the tank. It's a dirty job and I'll just have to get used to it.
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Old 05-31-2017, 01:59 PM   #5
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Congratulations! We too have been in some incredible windstorms in the mountains.

To help eliminate the condensation; Keep the roof vent open about a 1/2" all the time. We have a Max Air roof vent cover, it keeps the weather out. Also on the bunk ends, bring the window zippers for the side windows up to the highest point, then unzip them about 2-4 inches. Between the two openings, you will allow the moisture to escape.

Water usage is something you just must learn. It is surprising how much water can be used doing dishes, washing hands and brushing teeth. We have it down pat how to use very little water. Electric is always our issue.
Great info here. Thanks! We're going to have to learn to be far more conservative in our water usage.
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Old 05-31-2017, 02:09 PM   #6
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The chains on my Skylark were also long enough to drag. After the trip home from the dealer, I removed the bolts holding the chains to the trailer and shortened them several links and reattached them with the same bolts. No need to braid them or twist them. They do need to cross under the hitch though.
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Old 05-31-2017, 02:29 PM   #7
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Hey, welcome to the club! I also am towing my 2016 16xrb with a jeep, a 99 grand cherokee v8 however.

I do agree my next tow vehicle will have a little more jam for those windy situations, otherwise the Jeep has been great (aside from the small tank, 250km to E towing is a bit much.

My chains will also drag if i hook them the same way, but as others have said, cross them under your hitch to catch the tongue if it pops off for some reason. This should deal with the problem, and be safer at the same time.

We have found that condensation is quite the enemy, i don't care for the look of the popup gizmos that many here seem to use personally, but i have had some luck with leaving a couple windows / zippers cracked to keep air flowing. Having the vent open would be ideal as well, but i don't really want to leave the bathroom door open all night.

As for the water issue, we are still getting into a stride with that one as well. but it sounds like you know the issue well and how to deal with it.

Have fun with the new camper! we also camp with 4 of us (wife and 2 young ones) and it has been excellent for us, the hybrid really does give the best of tent camping without the downsides imo.
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Old 05-31-2017, 02:37 PM   #8
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I've camped in some bad weather but 80 MPH wind gusts is down right scary... Congrats on the successful first trip!!
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Old 05-31-2017, 03:47 PM   #9
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Just for clarity, I do cross the chains, but they still drag. One way or another, I'll shorten those chains so they stop dragging. I'm more concerned with getting the trailer brake cable replaced.
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Old 05-31-2017, 04:32 PM   #10
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Are you still under warranty? the same thing happened to my In-Laws where it dragged for a few hundred miles and wore right through, they took it to the dealership and had a new one installed in a few hours under warranty.
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Old 05-31-2017, 05:03 PM   #11
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Are you still under warranty? the same thing happened to my In-Laws where it dragged for a few hundred miles and wore right through, they took it to the dealership and had a new one installed in a few hours under warranty.
I am under warranty. I guess I could go to a Camping World and see if they can get it done quickly. If it's easy to replace, however, I'll opt to do it myself.
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Old 05-31-2017, 05:33 PM   #12
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From one Coloradoan to another - congratulations on a successful trip!!!

But, and you know this is coming...
Please be careful of those winds.

We were in St. Vrain the day after a big storm pushed thru. The straightline winds spun a few trailers around like they were toys.

I know its a judgement call, but I'd personally vote against riding them out in the camper. I'd sit it out in the Jeep myself.

Anyway - I'm glad you had a great time!!!
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Old 05-31-2017, 07:08 PM   #13
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This is a great post with a lot of good information. What you are stating is spot on. Based on the things you mentioned, the worry list, in order should be (in my opinion):
Battery
Gray tank
Fresh water
Propane
Black tank

In your case, I wouldn't have been too worried about rinsing the tanks during your mid weekend dump. Your going to put more right back into them. If you really want to rinse them good, put about 10 gallons or so of water in each of them for the ride home and dump somewhere near to home. The sloshing helps liquify everything.

I learned long ago that severe water conservation isn't worth it for my family. I have three 6 gallon water jugs and a 20 gallon blue tote for gray water. I found it to be much less stressful for me, if I gently remind a couple times that we are not hooked up to water, but don't worry about it after that. It is easier for me to haul water to the camper and if necessary, dump the gray tank via my tote, than it is for me to be the water nazi. I found myself getting too stressed out over every second I heard that pump run. Carrying water is less stress!

Generally we can go 3 to 4 days before filling our 37.5 gallon gray tank for our shower. Kitchen sink has it's own 37.5 gallon tank and that is never a limit. Black tank is never a limit either. Toilet flushing of solids, is one area where you NEVER want to conserve water. Trust me......

We've been through a couple high wind events and they are really tough to sleep through for me, even with a weather radio. You don't want to lift the camper with your stabilizers, but you can snug them up pretty tight. Just keep an eye for the camper starting to lift when you crank them down and stop just after it lifts a tad.

Glad it went well for you!! You'll get it all figured out over time!

added on edit: Oh yea.... almost forgot. Your frayed brake cable is much better than when I forgot to disconnect the electric cable before unhitching and pulling away. Ripped the cord clear out of the junction box. Stuff happens and we figure out how to fix it!!
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Old 06-01-2017, 11:17 AM   #14
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The straightline winds spun a few trailers around like they were toys.

I know its a judgement call, but I'd personally vote against riding them out in the camper. I'd sit it out in the Jeep myself.
No kidding?!? We are typically going to camp in more wooded areas, so hopefully we won't encounter this again (we never have before, when tent camping). Eleven Mile simply has very little natural protection from wind. I imagine St. Vrain is similar. We were considering booking a site there, but I didn't like the proximity to I-25. It looks nice though!
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Old 06-01-2017, 11:23 AM   #15
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This is a great post with a lot of good information. What you are stating is spot on. Based on the things you mentioned, the worry list, in order should be (in my opinion):
Battery
Gray tank
Fresh water
Propane
Black tank

In your case, I wouldn't have been too worried about rinsing the tanks during your mid weekend dump. Your going to put more right back into them. If you really want to rinse them good, put about 10 gallons or so of water in each of them for the ride home and dump somewhere near to home. The sloshing helps liquify everything.

I learned long ago that severe water conservation isn't worth it for my family. I have three 6 gallon water jugs and a 20 gallon blue tote for gray water. I found it to be much less stressful for me, if I gently remind a couple times that we are not hooked up to water, but don't worry about it after that. It is easier for me to haul water to the camper and if necessary, dump the gray tank via my tote, than it is for me to be the water nazi. I found myself getting too stressed out over every second I heard that pump run. Carrying water is less stress!

Generally we can go 3 to 4 days before filling our 37.5 gallon gray tank for our shower. Kitchen sink has it's own 37.5 gallon tank and that is never a limit. Black tank is never a limit either. Toilet flushing of solids, is one area where you NEVER want to conserve water. Trust me......

We've been through a couple high wind events and they are really tough to sleep through for me, even with a weather radio. You don't want to lift the camper with your stabilizers, but you can snug them up pretty tight. Just keep an eye for the camper starting to lift when you crank them down and stop just after it lifts a tad.

Glad it went well for you!! You'll get it all figured out over time!
Thanks! How do you dispose of the grey water from the 20 gallon tote? Do you just pour it down the sewer hose after emptying the tanks?

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added on edit: Oh yea.... almost forgot. Your frayed brake cable is much better than when I forgot to disconnect the electric cable before unhitching and pulling away. Ripped the cord clear out of the junction box. Stuff happens and we figure out how to fix it!!
Oh man! I'm so paranoid about doing something like this!
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Old 06-01-2017, 11:36 AM   #16
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I imagine St. Vrain is similar. We were considering booking a site there, but I didn't like the proximity to I-25. It looks nice though!
Very similar. Nothing to slow down those winds.
I didn't want to come off as "preachy" - hope I didn't sound like that.



The RV Hookups side of St. Vrain is pretty sparse. The no-hookup side is much nicer, but yeah - being that close the I-25 and the glaring Neon Signs advertising Regular at $2.25 a gallon, makes it - um - less than ideal camping.

We've used it as a quick get-away if the youngest son wants an impromptu camping night.
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Old 06-01-2017, 11:40 AM   #17
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As far as the e-brake cable, you can buy the aircraft cable by the foot and the crimp ends at Home Despot or Lowes and craft your own replacement to the correct length in about 10 minutes. Just need a side cutter and a pair of sturdy pliers for the crimp ends. Probably no more than about $5.

If your HTT has LED lights I wouldn't worry about using them a bit. They draw fairly low current. We converted all our incandescent lights to LED and use them judiciously over a boondocking long weekend with no problem. Consider a small portable solar panel to keep your battery topped up when the sun is shining; my 40W panel is good for a weekend. Easier than running your TV a couple of times a day, and a lot lighter weight than a generator.
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Old 06-01-2017, 11:41 AM   #18
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Very similar. Nothing to slow down those winds.
I didn't want to come off as "preachy" - hope I didn't sound like that.
You definitely didn't come off preachy. I'm happy for all the advice/reminders I get here!
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The RV Hookups side of St. Vrain is pretty sparse. The no-hookup side is much nicer, but yeah - being that close the I-25 and the glaring Neon Signs advertising Regular at $2.25 a gallon, makes it - um - less than ideal camping.

We've used it as a quick get-away if the youngest son wants an impromptu camping night.
Haha! That's exactly what I imagined! I'd hate to hear the highway and see the light pollution. When I'm camping, I like to feel like I'm far from civilization (even if I'm not).
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Old 06-01-2017, 11:43 AM   #19
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As far as the e-brake cable, you can buy the aircraft cable by the foot and the crimp ends at Home Despot or Lowes and craft your own replacement to the correct length in about 10 minutes. Just need a side cutter and a pair of sturdy pliers for the crimp ends. Probably no more than about $5.

If your HTT has LED lights I wouldn't worry about using them a bit. They draw fairly low current. We converted all our incandescent lights to LED and use them judiciously over a boondocking long weekend with no problem. Consider a small portable solar panel to keep your battery topped up when the sun is shining; my 40W panel is good for a weekend. Easier than running your TV a couple of times a day, and a lot lighter weight than a generator.
Great to hear that the fix will be so cheap and easy!

I'll have to check on the lights to see if they are LED, but we are in the market for a solar panel. If you don't mind, can you let me know what brand you have and what you like/don't like about it?
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Old 06-01-2017, 12:09 PM   #20
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Great to hear that the fix will be so cheap and easy!

I'll have to check on the lights to see if they are LED, but we are in the market for a solar panel. If you don't mind, can you let me know what brand you have and what you like/don't like about it?
The panel I use is Coleman branded in Canada, but Coleman seems to have an agreement with a different panel mfg in the US. The specific panel I have is here: Coleman 40W Folding Solar Panel | Canadian Tire and can also be found on Amazon.ca but not Amazon.com. Similar models are available there however.

In general terms I like:
- light weight and slides right into my storage bay.
- quick connect wires. I have about 20' of wire including extension with the controller mounted to the side of the battery box. Easy hook up and disconnect.
- Portability. I can move it around the site to keep it in the sun. A permanent roof mount would spend too much time in the shade. The stand is easy to deploy to angle appropriately.
- battery tender. I pop it onto the roof of the HTT in the storage yard so the battery is always ready to go. Just remember to take it down before pulling away. Leave the stand down and it is perfectly flat so no one knows it's there.
- Cheap. This particular one is regularly on sale for under $100 despite the high retail price you see.

Cons:
- it is glass. haven't cracked it yet, but there are softer pliable alternatives. I transport it in the original box with the Styrofoam packing in place.
- doesn't charge when the sun don't shine
- 40W is probably minimal level for boondocking; but we have never run our battery down in many long weekend trips. We do watch our consumption however.

One other thought on your weekend. Some of these RV radios have weather data feature. Considering what you describe weather-wise, it may have switched on because of a NWS warning in your area. Check the manual to see if you have this feature. If yes, it may have been trying to save your hide.
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