FIRST TIME RV TRIP - Please help with questions and calm anxiety!

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

Camper Bob you forgot to have them collect large rocks from all over the country

DW and I joke about that all the time. The rig will downshift and be screaming up an incline and she'll say something like "well, if you wouldn't have packed so many damn rocks, we'd be at the top of the hill by now!"

[Bill Johnson]

Yes it was great

[KOPIER]

great info everyone - appreciate it. Yes wont care about anyone behind me - they can honk and move on all they want. Good idea as well on the turns - cant make just wait till i can - better safe than sorry! thanks everyone!

[Bill Johnson]

Good luck be safe

[NC Roamer]

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

Remember behind the rear wheels It is like a big whale tail (like having another car hanging out the back) If you are in a parking spot and you clear the front end and turn the front wheels left or right the back end will swing and hit anything next to you. At a gas pump watch the back end when you pull out so you don't hit the pump, island or another car. It's not a 24 foot unit it's over 32 feet.

Definitely something to watch. I snagged a 4” x 4” wooden sign post in a campground with the tail wag on our Greyhawk. Broken bedroom window and gouge along the side cost $2000 to fix.

Also, know your height and read the bridge clearance signs. Not a concern on an interstate, but low bridges can frequently be found on secondary roads.

Good luck!

[RAurand]

One thing I dinnt see anyone mention. If it is plugged in at your friends. Make sure there is some water in the water tank fur uses like mentioned above. Have your friend turn on the hot water heater on electric and heat the water. You do the same after you pick it up and grt it to your house to losd. That water will stay hot all day for hand washing, doing dishes ect, while traveling.

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by NC Roamer

Also, know your height and read the bridge clearance signs. Not a concern on an interstate, but low bridges can frequently be found on secondary roads.

Good luck!

Excellent point!
Know them, write them down by the window or visor.


And also know that the Height Signs can be off by several inches! Don't cut it too close.

[Bill Johnson]

rv parks and campgrounds app is suppose to give bridge hts

[KOPIER]

so great stuff - thank you everyone. 2 or 3 last questions if i may.

1 - for drive time would you use the water heater on generator power (if this is even possible or propane - is there even an option)

2- do you turn off propane to stop and get gas - i am only planning on stopping at truck stops

3- do you leave grey tanks open at camp sites?

4- OK i lied - 4 questions. - When we wake up in the morning ans are ready to hit the road - we disconnect the electrical and water - we would dump the black water first then the grey water before we disconnect. How do you guys disconnect cleanly right after you dump? are the hoses completely empty or when i disconnect will the hoses empty the residual out and make a mess?

Thank you all again - these are the lat minute questions i was worried about

[JFlightRisk]

This is just what we do (or don't).

1) We don't turn on the water heater until we get where we're going, and we leave it off if it's just a quick overnight along the way.

2) Likewise, the propane's always off until we set up at a site.

3)Both tanks remain closed, until we dump them. Black followed by gray.

4)After both tanks are dumped, we flush the black with a wand if we have full hook ups. Just to be sure the slinky's rinsed, we use one of these:

http://https://www.etrailer.com/Acce.../CAM39533.html

[JimD]

1. I wouldn't even bother running the water heater while driving. It only takes 1/2 hour to come up to full temp so unless you have an immediate dire need for hot water, just wait until you arrive. Hands can be washed in cold water. If you must have hot water ready, I would go with the propane option if it is an electronic ignition type. Or you could simply heat the water before you leave and shut it off. Most likely it will remain warm for hours.

2. I have left the propane on and fridge running 100% of the time for the last 30 years with no problems. If you feel more comfortable at gas stations just temporarily switch off the fridge. That will shut down the flame. If your fridge is located near the gas fill area, this may be a good idea. Fumes at gas stations is not a big problem these days unless you tend to spill it all over the place.

3. If you are hooked up to sewer you might as well leave the gray open. Never leave the black open! You will end up with a poop pyramid.

4. Don't drain the black unless it is at least 2/3 full. Add water if necessary. If you are going to a different campground just wait to drain the black until it is fuller. Drain black first and then gray. The gray will help get rid of the really foul stuff. You will still have cruddy water in the hose but it will be much better if it is gray rather than black. Depending on the hose to drain angle, you may have water remaining in the hose. Odds are some will get on your hands when disconnecting although it should be minimal. Gloves work great. I am able to drain at home but my angle is not ideal. When I disconnect the water is right to the end of the hose but does not pour out. I simply raise the hose up high and it will all drain down. Campgrounds usually empty the hose completely because the access hole is much lower than your rig's connection.

[Bill Johnson]

Leave the gas on for the fridge otherwise you have to run the generator. remember turn the switch off by the door before connecting power, disconnecting power or starting the engine on the motorhome. I never shut the gas off for refueling, I have never seen a camper start on fire because the fridge was running. If there are tunnels there could be signs that don't allow propane in the tunnels (usually big cities). My dashboard air is good for keeping the motorhome cool at 90 degrees you might not need to run the generator to keep it cool. to start the generator push the off button down till the red light is on for about 30 seconds to prime it. if it doesn't start in 15 seconds prime it again it will start immediately let it run for 5 minutes then turn the air on. Try this before you leave he may have never used the generator and it may not work or it will hunt when you turn the air on or a load (rev up slow down rev up slow down) add a cleaner to the gas tank I use lucas carb and injector cleaner 23 dollars a gallon

[Bill Johnson]

Yes black water ,gray water and my motorhome has a connection below the water hookup for flushing. connect a hose to it with the valve open and within 5 minutes it will run clear no need to rinse hose it's clean

[Bill Johnson]

I wouldn't turn on the water heater till you need it it's very quick to heat up and stays warm a long time

[KOPIER]

all great suggestions and help - this is perfect. Thank you all! is there some sort of Gage that will tell you how much propane is in the tank?

[KOPIER]

sorry gauges - auto corect

[norty1]

Experience is the way we do it. If you are using LP for the fridge when traveling and occasional furnace, a 20 tank lasts us half a season. If your WH is hot when you leave, it will hold that water for a day of driving. At least enough for washing hands etc.

[norty1]

The truck lanes do not normally have gas. The larger fueling stations will have end pumps for motorhomes. Make sure you have overhead clearance.

[curver900]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

snip..." the first 600 miles till we get to the rv site?"...

That's a very long day behind the wheel. Those of us that study such things have come to a unanimous conclusion that 99.9% of the time, you'll average only 50 MPH for a day's drive. That works out to driving for 12 hours. I'm hoping you can drive in shifts with another driver, to make that distance. Whatever you do please be safe in your journey. Feel free to ask any more questions that may come to mind. Happy trails, and enjoy!

all depends on your age I guess... As a newbee you may want to consider your length of drive do to your lack of experience with the vehicle... but I see no reason to not be able to do 600 miles.. get up at 5am hit the road.. pull in around 6pm and have dinner...

enjoy the drive!

[Stavman]

Originally Posted by KOPIER

all great suggestions and help - this is perfect. Thank you all! is there some sort of Gage that will tell you how much propane is in the tank?

There is a guage on the tank itself

Usually in a outside cabinet that's not locked close to the door