Hi, I just saw a lady on another Channel that uses a scoop of Calgon powder. Yes! It costs the toilet so stuff won't stick. And it smells really nice too.
I am new to RV camping. I got two good pieces of advice that are helpful First is to discharge a little from your graywater tank to sewer connection to test the hookup before you let loose with the black water. The second is think of yourself as a pilot where, every time before you take off, you do a full check of the vehicle -- all doors secure, items properly stowed, all hook-ups disconnected, propane off, jacks up, etc.
Something that's really important about the surge protector is everyone needs to go. When you buy the surge protector, go to a hardware store and get a very heavy chain or one of those that are super duty and a very good luck with a key. Take the chain. Put it through the loop that is on your surge protector. Take it around the post where the electric is and then put the lock on the chain with something that cost at least $280. You want to protect it because there are people that want to take it
Under campground etiquette, keep your dog on a 6 foot leash, not loose or on a retractable lead, and pick up your dog’s poop. Also don’t cut through other people’s campsite.
Yes, I agree. That’s my biggest complain, specially owners of little dogs, they just think they can allow them loose at the site. People, dogs are not kids, they are pets, they need to be on a leash at all times when outdoors. Yes I have a dog, a 95 lbs. shepherd that is “always” on a leash, although he is trained. On a recent camping trip, my next door neighbor’s little dog got to spend more time loose on my site than at theirs, no respect.
I have been a "beginner' for the past 4,015 days that I have been on the road and I strive to learn something new every day and every day and everyone is different!!! Thank the powers to be!
It’s always a good idea to have lists, a list for setting up & for breaking camp, also good to share chores. Maybe he gets things buttoned up outside while the boss secures things inside for travel. Go over list before rolling out & make sure all are done. Final walk around is important, always try to leave campsites better than you found em. Talk to others & add to & or adjust lists make for a safer & happier camping experience 🕺
#5 slide clearance. I really like HappilyEverHanks idea of having a couple of dowels the same length as the slide out length, and using them as a guage to test it before sliding them out.
@@pmac1951 Thank you for giving us a try - we appreciate your support SO much! ☺We can't wait to hear what you think! If you have any questions about our products or your wastewater systems in general just let us know, we are always more than happy to help! ❤
We’re stationary full timers and watching people pull in with their fancy new rig is usually pretty interesting. My favorite part is when the husband is trying to get it pulled in straight and the wife is directing him from behind the rig. She usually can’t be seen and, depending on the tow vehicle they’re using, she can’t really be heard either. You can really tell a lot about a couple by the way they complete this maneuver. If they’re totally in sync, it’s a beautiful thing to see. If they’re not, it’s highly entertaining. 😂 I did once stop some folks in a Class A who were pulling out with one of their slides extended. It was on the driver’s side so you’d think he’d have seen it but that just shows how distracted you can be when leaving a campground.
With our new 2nd rv (36’TT & 12 pass van) I did a 6 week trip with 4 kids (5-15 y/o) I taught them how to back us in! And every check list etc. The two oldest (13 & 15) were on either side of the trailer back (I could see them) each with walkies. We did it smooth! So smooth & quiet that some guy came out of his camper and starts flailing his arms in front of me!! Our daughter said on the radio.. “umm mom who is that & WHAT is he doing?” I looked up and saw this man thinking he would be helping me🤯 I informed him that we had it well in hand and so he stands off just glaring at our PERFECT parking😂 He stormed off after😉 His wife came over the next day and apologized for him💁🏻♀️ She had a hold of his sweater, he shed it , and then she had his shirt but decided the “old fool would go out naked” so she let him go. She hugged me and the kids telling us what an amazing job we did ❤️❤️❤️❤️😘
When leaving, I always stay in the campsite as my husband drives out. I walk around and check that all the hatches are closed and locked and nothing is attached. But also check the grounds for items left behind: dog leash, trash that blew under the camper, check the picnic table for stuff left for the last minute that I forgot, etc....I try to leave the site the way I would like to find it.
I do that as well. Also having a walkie or phone connection to him in the truck helps to communicate an issue etc. Many times a site we were in was not the best, we always left it better. Was even told to not bother, but I did anyway.
interesting you mentioned that. My very first time leaving my campsite I'd left my roof vent wide open and all the windows open. Good thing I checked before hitting the road. Never again. 😂
Best advice I can give for directing someone into a site, use walkie talkies or your phones (driver on speaker phone both hands on the wheel) you can talk calmly and quietly. Explain directions without the whole campground hearing the conversation and or your frustrations. Happy camping.
Parking at truckstops is another issue. If you're parked at a truckstop, a truck cannot use that spot. If you must park at one use the rv spots or don't open your slide outs. A driver maybe trying to park in the middle of the night, he may not see it and back into it.
I can't stress enough the importance of the walk around. No matter where you are. You have no idea what; if anything, is happening while you sleep. I made a quick overnight stop in a rest area. A really nice rest area. For some reason I decided to do a walk around just before pulling out and discovered my right front tire was flat. This prevented me from not only hitting the interstate with 75 mph limits, but it was also pouring rain and windy. I shudder to think what might have happened if I hadn't done this. Since that day I never pull out without a walk around. No matter where I am.
You should survey the site before parking the rv. When surveying, you are looking for the best location to park the rv for all accessories, slides, leveling equipment, power hookups, water hookups, sewer hookups, and antennas. Don't even start parking that thing until you have some sort of plan that includes approach angles and turning points.
Seeing newbie and seasoned RVers using the blue Camco water filters. Makes me happy when I see either the big green Clear2o or the three stage water filtration systems. Charity, add the big green Clear2o Dirt Guard (10 or 20 micron) along with your 1 micron cartridge. It makes a difference. We have BLU Technologies system but I keep my Clear2o handy to show the Camco folks what they use instead. Yes, on the surge protectors!
We are part time campers with years of experience. We are on our longest camping trip ever nearly 3 weeks long. Usually work and life gets in the way of a big trip. Day 3 of this trip campground hopping and the camper next to us (behind my rig) moved the fire ring within a few feet of our bedroom wall so they could be under the trees!? At night!! Not only have to listen to their yapping for hours we woke up to ash all over our rig from the trees they scorched! Luckily they didn’t burn down my camper or the campground. On to the next campground and the young couple next to us (front of my rig) insist on setting their chairs and dog area up on the rear drivers side of the bumper pull camper. Being closest to our site. First few days were to hot to be outside and for a fire. Then when weather is good we go outside and start a fire for s’mores. They get mad because “smoke is getting on them”. Well if you was in your intended camp site then you wouldn’t even know I was in mine!!
The last mistake with cleaning up before you leave a campground is the biggest issue we have experienced. My wife and I were camp hosts for 2 months at a state park in NE Ohio during the summer of 2022. As camp hosts you would clean up the sites for the next campers along with a few other duties. There was never a day that didn't go by that we had to clean up trash from several sites and put out smoldering logs in the fire rings. We had to several gallons of water in our utility cart to put them out. As you said, people would use the fire ring as a trash dump. And hate to say it, but didn't matter who the people were to include the Amish, who we found were the worse (took us over a half an hour to clean the site). Truly sad. Thank you for the video on mistakes.
Excellent advice! We have a piece of pvc pipe that’s four inches longer than our slide and the wife has it to check clearance as I back in, works every time. We also set our water pressure at 45psi with our adjustable pressure regulator and that works really good for us.
#2 Parking. Oh yes, very important. Make sure you can reach all hookups, have clearance, etc. Something that I've overlooked and not noticed until we were disconnected from the truck is: What is the ground like where your steps will be? Make sure there's not a big rock there, uneven ground, a drop-off, etc. I doubt there would be any demand for it, but an experienced camper could easily do a full day class on camping in an RV. We learned through trial and error and it was a few trips before we had it down. Last thought, I approach RV setup and takedown like flying an aircraft. I have a checklist in my phone. In it, I have interior items to check, and exterior. Everything from checking that the toilet lid is down to the steps and entry handles are up and in.
We live in Australia and we owned an off road camper trailer. So think 7x10 trailer with a pull out tent with awning. They have wind down stabilisers on each corner. So on our 2nd trip in our camper trailer we packed up, packed down, packed away. But when it came time to hook the trailer back onto our car we couldn't move it for love nor money. We tried everything, the people camped around us tried everything. It would not budge, guy drove past in his car and asked if we were having trouble, we said yes, he points to the back of the trailer and calmly tells us our stabilisers are still down...... yeah, that's an hour I'll never get back, and summer time in Australia... well it's hot!
If you have slide outs, you can note measurements somewhere and carry around a tape measure. Or you can just use your body parts that are always with you. Put out your longest slide out piece. Stand beside the RV and touch it with your outstretched finger. Where does the overhang (plus desired buffer) come out to? Your closer shoulder? Your midline? Your far shoulder? Remember that measure against your own anatomy and then you can scout your parking spot easily with a walk-around.
Great Video, thank you. I have found out what's even as if not more important then positioning your RV for proper leveling and within reach of utilities is to ensure you have power from the 30/50 amp services. Nothing like perfectly positioning your vehicle to find out you need to move due to not having power, that is always my first task.
Good points that we follow while camping and one in particular we had to learn is making sure you have room for the slide out. Our first trip out with our new camper with a slide out we never had before 4 years ago is that we hit a concrete pole with our slide out. Damage that we were able to get fixed soon after but now we always make sure that we set everything up first including leveling, etc. and the last thing we do is the slide out for we have one person actually watching it slide out to make sure it doesn't hit anything. Before leaving a campsite we always do a walk around the camper to make sure everything is unplugged and detached before we leave.
Travel Trailers!!!! Tongue Jack!!!! We found out the hard way on our first-weekend camping in our brand-new trailer. "Hey MJ! What's that scraping sound?" It was the tongue jack. We were in the middle of the road stuck with the jack bent to a 45-degree angle. Luckily a fellow camper had a sawzall and cut the jack off. Directly to the dealer and installed an electric jack. It wasn't that much more $$ than the manual one. It's one of those mistakes that, hopefully, happen only once. However, we now have a checklist for setting up and breaking down camp.
Talking about leveling. Plumbing doesn't flow correctly also. But years ago I stored a pop up with it tilted to let water and snow slide off. Fridge didn't work in the Spring. Luckily a guy I worked with " Take fridge out and lay it down the opposite way it was tilted. You have to burp it for 24 hours." I did that and it worked! I picture RV mechanic taking out fridges, lay them down and charging you hundreds for " Labor." You will learn way more about the workings of an RV than you ever wanted to. If yiu don't you will be overcharged for everything and service? " We will get it back to you in a few months. So...There goes your Summer. I think since Covid you want to avoid 2019, 2020 and 2021 models when they were mass producing to meet demand.
We started using Unique in our RV last year…after watching your vids! Great stuff and when on Facebook and other RV’rs ask about black tank issues or TP I refer them to your videos addressing this!
Hey guys! In a non-related story, we're full-timers and we ordered some Venture-4th towels and we love them. Last July, staying outside of Glacier NP, we were riding our bicycles to the NP, when I noticed one of those towels by the side of the road. I picked it up and a little further along the road was another!!! They looked brand new. They were Xtra large. Now when we ride our bicycles, we look for more towels! Haha. We hope you find smooth roads and level campgrounds! Brendan & Lena
I read all the time women saying they want drivable RV so if they are scared in the night they can jump behind the wheel and leave...I ask if they disconnect every night. Most say they don't care if they leave stuff behind. I ask if they are prepared to pay huge bills to repair the damage to water, electric and sewer hookups at the campground and their RVs. They don't get it. When positioning make sure your slides clear BEFORE you decide you are in the right place and level or you will be starting over. Made the mistake of disconnecting my truck ONCE and having to hitch back up to clear that taught me.
Haha, You guys have been to the Tillis Hill campground at Citrus WMA. I can tell because of the no dogs due to the horses. FYI, just in case you weren't aware, there is a second Citrus campground slightly to the North and East called the Holder Mine Campground that allows dogs. It's a little smaller, but the sites are pretty large, and as of the last time I camped there in 2018, they had concrete pads to park your rig on with water and electrical hook-ups. No sewer that I'm aware of, but there is a dump station just outside the campground. Pretty nice place. Better if you like trail riding, but with that Expi, that's probably not y'all's thing. I guess I'd qualify as an idiot though. I usually went up there on weekend trail riding meets. We like to do night rides. 10 or 15 trucks rolling out at 10 pm and getting back at 1 or 2 am probably didn't endear us to normal campers when the only concessions we made was to shut down all the off-road lights and idled through the campground when we got back.
@@owenhill-vf7ko well no problem that you see . The filter doesn’t filter the water if the pressure is too high . It bypasses or pushes particles through the filter that would otherwise not. Filters put a max psi on the filter for this reason.
We are newbies to RV'ing. We are trying to be as prepared as we can for our first trip this spring...Have studied up on these things and feel fairly confident. I'm sure we will have some issues and not have everything right. We are experienced campers and I am a mechanic and a licensed electrician...wish us luck!
Well for people like myself, and my husband, one of our dogs are for my medical condition. Without him I could have a huge medical emergency & will die without him! He is trained and Nationally certified. Our other two dogs, act just like my medical assist dog. We walk our dogs for miles where we are alloted to when camping. We go indoors ( into ourRV) when they go in. Our dogs are never left alone, and are trained well. So I really don't like reading all the mean comments people are making about dog owners. You all are dumping all over us about camping with our dogs. Sorry, we will still bring our 3 with us to every campground we go, and I hope to meet you there. Please come over, and meet our friendly and well mannered 3! My husband and I would love to prove to you not all dog owners are bad.
The only questionable one i have is the adjustable water pressure reducer. I switched to a fixed pressure reducer that won’t allow pressure over 50psi. The problem i have with the adjustable is that you can’t guarantee that the gauge is calibrated to accurate psi. You may be seeing 50psi on the gauge but really could be 60. The fixed won’t allow over 50psi. I liked all the other suggestions. Have a great day.
OMG! Great reminder why I “boondock”. Why PAY to have neighbors 3 feet from you, sewer line you can smell, noise, … And you PAID for that! It’s worse than being in an apartment or condo. Never again!
Ha, I knew I recognized those no dog or horses sign at tillis hills before you showed the sign later in the video. We camp there all the time in our TT, Holder Mine just north of it in the forest is dog friendly and has really nice flat pads.
My neighbor had his entire RV off the ground on his leveling system, while he was parked in the road, on an incline, and was on the RV roof washing it! I ran outside, yelling at him " Are you insane???" Yes, he was a new RV owner.
Something I learned to do and I had to learn it the hard way is when You leave your rv, shut off water and hot water heater in case there is a leak while you are away.
Good one and don't leave the RV unattended when flushing septic tanks, my friend did and had a nasty over flow that ruined his floor😂& every good towel
Our diesel pusher with air suspension more or less self-levels and settles down very low to the ground which we love for ease of ingress and egress... It's not perfect but if we level up precisely with our hydraulic jacks the entry step can sometimes be quite awkward... We've learned that we'd rather be slightly off kilter and maybe a little shakey instead of all jacked up somewhere... To each their own, I guess!
I know you guys know this, but not just a surge protector but an EMS that also protects against things like reverse polarity and low voltage. Low voltage is the real killer of RV appliances. Also remember that "surge protectors" of any kind use sacrificial MOVs. Once it protects against enough surges . . you know longer have surge protection. Something to keep in mind. As far as slide clearance, we have that covered. If we are parked anywhere in sight of a tree or obstacle my wife raises an alarm. I spend most of my time convincing her our slides are not 8' wide. 😀
Polson Motorcoach resort in Polson MT has a boatload of restrictions…nothing a deal breaker for us but they do restrict breeds of dogs, no special gates or areas at any sites to put your dog in…beautiful views, but wow! This is worse than an HOA!
All the mistakes you mention are valid and important. However I would have liked to see brief discussions for each about what to do. This was a very short video and rather than send people to different videos just making this one a bit longer that included tips on how not to make the mistake or what to look for. An example would be what PSI to set your adjustable pressure reducer on.
I suggest making sure it's an EMS (electrical management system) instead of only a surge protector. I do see yours is more of an EMS but wanted to make sure that newbies understand that a surge protector is not always enough.
One mistake is pulling into your site the wrong direction. This happened to us once where their RVs door was facing our door and the kids were using our table and space. Not too cool.
I’ve been reading more about black tank issues. The black tank is not a long term storage tank that needs waste broken down. Using lots of water, calgon pearls and dawn are all is needed. Some of these treatments create sticky sludge and that’s why sensors are not working. What are your thoughts?
Calgon can create a BIG sludge mess. Using lots of water and a treatment that is BOTH a Probiotic AND Enzyme treatment. This means this type of formula can eliminate odors AND prevent clogs. While Other formulas can only do one or the other.
I’ve seen so many motorhomes with wheels off the ground. I just shake my head. I don’t think it’s my place to say something. I tow a 40ft 5th wheel toy hauler. There has been a few times where I was close. That’s where the wood comes to help.
#5 I keep a tape measure in the driver's door pocket that is marked with all the slide measurements. This is the only thing that this tape measure is used for and stays in the drivers door.
WEWWWHOO! I'm not a no0b! Well, not per this at least. On our first trip this season, about 3 weeks ago, there was a fairly large RV down a few spots from us that was leveled out with the entire front end off the ground about 12" from tire to terra firma.
Yeah, I went to Arizona in Tucson at the cactus RV they wouldn’t let my grandchildren come and that’s why I went there was to see my grandchildren and so I had to cancel my whole reservation and stay somewhere else that excepted my little sweet granddaughter
11. Never, and I mean Never move into a campsite located less the length of a gnat's, err.. eyelash from 8 sets of train tracks! I know, no one would Ever do that! Never mind.
Of those 10 the one I see most is unburned trash in the fire pit. Okay you had something you tossed in and expected it to burn that night, but here’s a clue campers. Aluminum cans for beer and drinks will not burn at all. Toss them in the trash immediately.
Honest question here. Why is it unsafe to lift your tires off the ground with the stabilizing jacks? Im a crane operator, and we are not allowed to leave any load on the tires when completing a lift. It is much safer for us to be on outriggers. Please, enlighten me.
Rv levelers are very different from a crane outrigger. It also can cause suspension damage when the wheels are off the ground / the hydraulics in levelers can (and do sometimes) fail and it can cause safety issues.
The campground where i am at has a very dated electrical system. The plug in on my box melted, and frankly if i didn't have a surge protector, it would have done a lot of damage. As it was, it was very inconvenient.
We are thinking about buying a travel trailer but just a small one. Are we able to have tents for other people that won’t fit in the trailer at the campsite or do tent campers have to stay elsewhere?
I don't see anywhere mentioned about the roof vents. I always laugh as i see people pull out or even pull in with the roof vents wide open. It's only a small mistake until you get one ripped off. Big naughty when the insurance company comes to look...
One thing I have run into a few times in a RV Resort, I was told not to back my motorhome up over the grass so they could mow and also my exhaust not kill the grass. Ever had that happen???
Great points. We've seen a few "jenja's" on the road & wheels off the ground. I've made a few camp hosts clean our firepit, just to stress our point. Some nasty folks out there ~
my rv has rollers for the electrical , same one like the ones have on welding leads on a welder. for the watering system i have a 2 way valve on the water hookup in the park, 1 for incoming line, 1 for a pressure gauge, . i use only 40psi max in the unit, hope that help someone out
The most common disgusting occurrence we experience, even in the "high dollar" campgrounds is avoiding pet droppings. The campground we usually visit has signs posted and has bags available 24/7 but some people think it must be for other people. BUT what takes the prize was on BLM dispersed camping. We pulled up and saw an unburned 5 gallon bucket in the fire ring. And you probably guessed it by now, it was full with human "waste." On a lighter note....In Arizona, a couple backed into the spot next to us and in the morning his truck failed to start. When he lifted his hood, a packrat had chewed the wires to his starter during the night. He was staying a week and I let him know he could do what we did when I lived in a rural part of Arizona. Not a guaranteed solution but just raise your hood while parked. I guess the rats don't feel as comfortable spending time chewing or making a nest in your engine compartment.
Rv at the Sand Dunes and any offroad event, the wheel will never be on the ground, not on a Toyhauler or a Motorhome, 30 years no issues, common practice in the desert.
You can avoid not following Campground Rules by NOT staying in a commercial campground. There are a lot of other, sometimes free, places that are less restrictive.
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Hi, I just saw a lady on another Channel that uses a scoop of Calgon powder. Yes! It costs the toilet so stuff won't stick. And it smells really nice too.
I am new to RV camping. I got two good pieces of advice that are helpful First is to discharge a little from your graywater tank to sewer connection to test the hookup before you let loose with the black water. The second is think of yourself as a pilot where, every time before you take off, you do a full check of the vehicle -- all doors secure, items properly stowed, all hook-ups disconnected, propane off, jacks up, etc.
Something that's really important about the surge protector is everyone needs to go. When you buy the surge protector, go to a hardware store and get a very heavy chain or one of those that are super duty and a very good luck with a key. Take the chain. Put it through the loop that is on your surge protector. Take it around the post where the electric is and then put the lock on the chain with something that cost at least $280. You want to protect it because there are people that want to take it
Very true, many surge protectors come with a metal ring so you can easily add a padlock.
What if I can only find some worth $275????
Just get a cable with 2 locks. Lock it to surge end and camper plug end mine has never been stolen. Less than 50 bucks total.
Under campground etiquette, keep your dog on a 6 foot leash, not loose or on a retractable lead, and pick up your dog’s poop. Also don’t cut through other people’s campsite.
Very true, we cover this among other things in this video: ruclips.net/video/_XRufyL0Ckk/видео.htmlsi=yDpZO1p6ERXfkc0u
You forgot the barking. That’s one of the worst. A lot of us come to enjoy peace and quiet and nature.
then don't go to a camp ground lol. @@glenludwig5135
lol ok boomer
Yes, I agree. That’s my biggest complain, specially owners of little dogs, they just think they can allow them loose at the site. People, dogs are not kids, they are pets, they need to be on a leash at all times when outdoors. Yes I have a dog, a 95 lbs. shepherd that is “always” on a leash, although he is trained.
On a recent camping trip, my next door neighbor’s little dog got to spend more time loose on my site than at theirs, no respect.
I have been a "beginner' for the past 4,015 days that I have been on the road and I strive to learn something new every day and every day and everyone is different!!! Thank the powers to be!
Thanks for watching
It’s always a good idea to have lists, a list for setting up & for breaking camp, also good to share chores. Maybe he gets things buttoned up outside while the boss secures things inside for travel. Go over list before rolling out & make sure all are done. Final walk around is important, always try to leave campsites better than you found em. Talk to others & add to & or adjust lists make for a safer & happier camping experience 🕺
#5 slide clearance. I really like HappilyEverHanks idea of having a couple of dowels the same length as the slide out length, and using them as a guage to test it before sliding them out.
I have a yard stick that I keep by the door to grab and check the clearance.
Mark a tape measure with a black marker, small and easier to carry.
We use our broom with markings.
I learned how to use a tape measure in grade school.
I saw that one and liked it too. Those guys are fun and informative as well ...
Thank you for telling others about us. We don't want anyone to have a poopsie. I am so glad you do such a great job educating Rv'ers
@@pmac1951 Thank you for giving us a try - we appreciate your support SO much! ☺We can't wait to hear what you think! If you have any questions about our products or your wastewater systems in general just let us know, we are always more than happy to help! ❤
We’re stationary full timers and watching people pull in with their fancy new rig is usually pretty interesting. My favorite part is when the husband is trying to get it pulled in straight and the wife is directing him from behind the rig. She usually can’t be seen and, depending on the tow vehicle they’re using, she can’t really be heard either. You can really tell a lot about a couple by the way they complete this maneuver. If they’re totally in sync, it’s a beautiful thing to see. If they’re not, it’s highly entertaining. 😂 I did once stop some folks in a Class A who were pulling out with one of their slides extended. It was on the driver’s side so you’d think he’d have seen it but that just shows how distracted you can be when leaving a campground.
I just leave him at home. Stress-free RV parking unlocked.
I used to get my wife to do the backing up whilst I imitated left hand down from in front etc. Avoids a lot of marital stress.
With our new 2nd rv (36’TT & 12 pass van) I did a 6 week trip with 4 kids (5-15 y/o)
I taught them how to back us in! And every check list etc.
The two oldest (13 & 15) were on either side of the trailer back (I could see them) each with walkies.
We did it smooth!
So smooth & quiet that some guy came out of his camper and starts flailing his arms in front of me!!
Our daughter said on the radio.. “umm mom who is that & WHAT is he doing?”
I looked up and saw this man thinking he would be helping me🤯
I informed him that we had it well in hand and so he stands off just glaring at our PERFECT parking😂
He stormed off after😉
His wife came over the next day and apologized for him💁🏻♀️
She had a hold of his sweater, he shed it , and then she had his shirt but decided the “old fool would go out naked” so she let him go.
She hugged me and the kids telling us what an amazing job we did ❤️❤️❤️❤️😘
When leaving, I always stay in the campsite as my husband drives out. I walk around and check that all the hatches are closed and locked and nothing is attached. But also check the grounds for items left behind: dog leash, trash that blew under the camper, check the picnic table for stuff left for the last minute that I forgot, etc....I try to leave the site the way I would like to find it.
👍
I do that as well. Also having a walkie or phone connection to him in the truck helps to communicate an issue etc.
Many times a site we were in was not the best, we always left it better. Was even told to not bother, but I did anyway.
interesting you mentioned that. My very first time leaving my campsite I'd left my roof vent wide open and all the windows open. Good thing I checked before hitting the road. Never again. 😂
I do this too! I also make sure he has enough space to get around any obstacles.
Best advice I can give for directing someone into a site, use walkie talkies or your phones (driver on speaker phone both hands on the wheel) you can talk calmly and quietly. Explain directions without the whole campground hearing the conversation and or your frustrations. Happy camping.
Parking at truckstops is another issue. If you're parked at a truckstop, a truck cannot use that spot. If you must park at one use the rv spots or don't open your slide outs. A driver maybe trying to park in the middle of the night, he may not see it and back into it.
My ml
I can't stress enough the importance of the walk around. No matter where you are. You have no idea what; if anything, is happening while you sleep. I made a quick overnight stop in a rest area. A really nice rest area. For some reason I decided to do a walk around just before pulling out and discovered my right front tire was flat. This prevented me from not only hitting the interstate with 75 mph limits, but it was also pouring rain and windy. I shudder to think what might have happened if I hadn't done this. Since that day I never pull out without a walk around. No matter where I am.
Great tip - thanks for sharing
My husband drove for Pepsi so has ‘pre trip’ engrained in his brain haha. I do one as he is hooking up, then he double checks before pulling out
You should survey the site before parking the rv. When surveying, you are looking for the best location to park the rv for all accessories, slides, leveling equipment, power hookups, water hookups, sewer hookups, and antennas. Don't even start parking that thing until you have some sort of plan that includes approach angles and turning points.
Seeing newbie and seasoned RVers using the blue Camco water filters. Makes me happy when I see either the big green Clear2o or the three stage water filtration systems. Charity, add the big green Clear2o Dirt Guard (10 or 20 micron) along with your 1 micron cartridge. It makes a difference.
We have BLU Technologies system but I keep my Clear2o handy to show the Camco folks what they use instead. Yes, on the surge protectors!
👍
The Camco is what we can afford at the moment. We don’t drink the water from the taps.
We are part time campers with years of experience. We are on our longest camping trip ever nearly 3 weeks long. Usually work and life gets in the way of a big trip. Day 3 of this trip campground hopping and the camper next to us (behind my rig) moved the fire ring within a few feet of our bedroom wall so they could be under the trees!? At night!! Not only have to listen to their yapping for hours we woke up to ash all over our rig from the trees they scorched! Luckily they didn’t burn down my camper or the campground. On to the next campground and the young couple next to us (front of my rig) insist on setting their chairs and dog area up on the rear drivers side of the bumper pull camper. Being closest to our site. First few days were to hot to be outside and for a fire. Then when weather is good we go outside and start a fire for s’mores. They get mad because “smoke is getting on them”. Well if you was in your intended camp site then you wouldn’t even know I was in mine!!
The last mistake with cleaning up before you leave a campground is the biggest issue we have experienced. My wife and I were camp hosts for 2 months at a state park in NE Ohio during the summer of 2022. As camp hosts you would clean up the sites for the next campers along with a few other duties. There was never a day that didn't go by that we had to clean up trash from several sites and put out smoldering logs in the fire rings. We had to several gallons of water in our utility cart to put them out. As you said, people would use the fire ring as a trash dump. And hate to say it, but didn't matter who the people were to include the Amish, who we found were the worse (took us over a half an hour to clean the site). Truly sad. Thank you for the video on mistakes.
Thanks for watching
Thanks for this. I did not know the Amish even went camping. Did they have an RV?
@@frankvanw1 no tents.
Excellent advice! We have a piece of pvc pipe that’s four inches longer than our slide and the wife has it to check clearance as I back in, works every time. We also set our water pressure at 45psi with our adjustable pressure regulator and that works really good for us.
That's a great idea!
#2 Parking. Oh yes, very important. Make sure you can reach all hookups, have clearance, etc. Something that I've overlooked and not noticed until we were disconnected from the truck is: What is the ground like where your steps will be? Make sure there's not a big rock there, uneven ground, a drop-off, etc.
I doubt there would be any demand for it, but an experienced camper could easily do a full day class on camping in an RV. We learned through trial and error and it was a few trips before we had it down.
Last thought, I approach RV setup and takedown like flying an aircraft. I have a checklist in my phone. In it, I have interior items to check, and exterior. Everything from checking that the toilet lid is down to the steps and entry handles are up and in.
We live in Australia and we owned an off road camper trailer. So think 7x10 trailer with a pull out tent with awning. They have wind down stabilisers on each corner. So on our 2nd trip in our camper trailer we packed up, packed down, packed away. But when it came time to hook the trailer back onto our car we couldn't move it for love nor money. We tried everything, the people camped around us tried everything. It would not budge, guy drove past in his car and asked if we were having trouble, we said yes, he points to the back of the trailer and calmly tells us our stabilisers are still down...... yeah, that's an hour I'll never get back, and summer time in Australia... well it's hot!
If you have slide outs, you can note measurements somewhere and carry around a tape measure. Or you can just use your body parts that are always with you. Put out your longest slide out piece. Stand beside the RV and touch it with your outstretched finger. Where does the overhang (plus desired buffer) come out to? Your closer shoulder? Your midline? Your far shoulder? Remember that measure against your own anatomy and then you can scout your parking spot easily with a walk-around.
Great Video, thank you. I have found out what's even as if not more important then positioning your RV for proper leveling and within reach of utilities is to ensure you have power from the 30/50 amp services. Nothing like perfectly positioning your vehicle to find out you need to move due to not having power, that is always my first task.
Great point, thanks for sharing
Good points that we follow while camping and one in particular we had to learn is making sure you have room for the slide out. Our first trip out with our new camper with a slide out we never had before 4 years ago is that we hit a concrete pole with our slide out. Damage that we were able to get fixed soon after but now we always make sure that we set everything up first including leveling, etc. and the last thing we do is the slide out for we have one person actually watching it slide out to make sure it doesn't hit anything. Before leaving a campsite we always do a walk around the camper to make sure everything is unplugged and detached before we leave.
Travel Trailers!!!! Tongue Jack!!!! We found out the hard way on our first-weekend camping in our brand-new trailer. "Hey MJ! What's that scraping sound?" It was the tongue jack. We were in the middle of the road stuck with the jack bent to a 45-degree angle. Luckily a fellow camper had a sawzall and cut the jack off. Directly to the dealer and installed an electric jack. It wasn't that much more $$ than the manual one. It's one of those mistakes that, hopefully, happen only once. However, we now have a checklist for setting up and breaking down camp.
Talking about leveling. Plumbing doesn't flow correctly also.
But years ago I stored a pop up with it tilted to let water and snow slide off. Fridge didn't work in the Spring. Luckily a guy I worked with " Take fridge out and lay it down the opposite way it was tilted. You have to burp it for 24 hours."
I did that and it worked! I picture RV mechanic taking out fridges, lay them down and charging you hundreds for " Labor."
You will learn way more about the workings of an RV than you ever wanted to. If yiu don't you will be overcharged for everything and service? " We will get it back to you in a few months. So...There goes your Summer. I think since Covid you want to avoid 2019, 2020 and 2021 models when they were mass producing to meet demand.
@@tomj9938 , agreed with those years and the mass production. Then throw all the newbies on top of that, and it (in part) made the situation worse.
We started using Unique in our RV last year…after watching your vids! Great stuff and when on Facebook and other RV’rs ask about black tank issues or TP I refer them to your videos addressing this!
Hey guys!
In a non-related story, we're full-timers and we ordered some Venture-4th towels and we love them. Last July, staying outside of Glacier NP, we were riding our bicycles to the NP, when I noticed one of those towels by the side of the road. I picked it up and a little further along the road was another!!! They looked brand new. They were Xtra large.
Now when we ride our bicycles, we look for more towels! Haha.
We hope you find smooth roads and level campgrounds!
Brendan & Lena
Thanks for sharing!
I read all the time women saying they want drivable RV so if they are scared in the night they can jump behind the wheel and leave...I ask if they disconnect every night. Most say they don't care if they leave stuff behind. I ask if they are prepared to pay huge bills to repair the damage to water, electric and sewer hookups at the campground and their RVs. They don't get it.
When positioning make sure your slides clear BEFORE you decide you are in the right place and level or you will be starting over. Made the mistake of disconnecting my truck ONCE and having to hitch back up to clear that taught me.
Beautiful pets and those were some crazy rude people experiences . Glad you had cameras set up to protect your RV.
Haha, You guys have been to the Tillis Hill campground at Citrus WMA. I can tell because of the no dogs due to the horses. FYI, just in case you weren't aware, there is a second Citrus campground slightly to the North and East called the Holder Mine Campground that allows dogs. It's a little smaller, but the sites are pretty large, and as of the last time I camped there in 2018, they had concrete pads to park your rig on with water and electrical hook-ups. No sewer that I'm aware of, but there is a dump station just outside the campground. Pretty nice place. Better if you like trail riding, but with that Expi, that's probably not y'all's thing.
I guess I'd qualify as an idiot though. I usually went up there on weekend trail riding meets. We like to do night rides. 10 or 15 trucks rolling out at 10 pm and getting back at 1 or 2 am probably didn't endear us to normal campers when the only concessions we made was to shut down all the off-road lights and idled through the campground when we got back.
#8 pressure regulator goes before the filter! Not after. Most filters have a max rating of 50psi
I don't do that and never had a problem.
@@owenhill-vf7ko well no problem that you see . The filter doesn’t filter the water if the pressure is too high . It bypasses or pushes particles through the filter that would otherwise not.
Filters put a max psi on the filter for this reason.
We are newbies to RV'ing. We are trying to be as prepared as we can for our first trip this spring...Have studied up on these things and feel fairly confident. I'm sure we will have some issues and not have everything right. We are experienced campers and I am a mechanic and a licensed electrician...wish us luck!
Safe travels and best wishes!
1:40 That crowd looked horrible. Makes me appreciate boon docking soooooo much.
Well for people like myself, and my husband, one of
our dogs are for my medical condition. Without him I could have a huge medical emergency & will
die without him! He is trained and Nationally certified. Our other two dogs, act just like my medical assist dog. We walk our dogs for miles where we are alloted to when camping. We go indoors ( into ourRV) when they go in.
Our dogs are never left alone, and are trained well. So I really don't like reading all the mean comments people are making about dog owners. You all are dumping all over us about camping with our dogs. Sorry, we will still bring our 3 with us to every campground we go, and I hope to meet you there. Please come over, and meet our friendly and well mannered 3! My husband and I would love to prove to you not all dog owners are bad.
The only questionable one i have is the adjustable water pressure reducer. I switched to a fixed pressure reducer that won’t allow pressure over 50psi. The problem i have with the adjustable is that you can’t guarantee that the gauge is calibrated to accurate psi. You may be seeing 50psi on the gauge but really could be 60. The fixed won’t allow over 50psi. I liked all the other suggestions. Have a great day.
Thanks for watching
OMG! Great reminder why I “boondock”. Why PAY to have neighbors 3 feet from you, sewer line you can smell, noise, … And you PAID for that! It’s worse than being in an apartment or condo. Never again!
Awning clearance can be an issue too. Had a tree blocking ours from extending, back a foot and it would have been able to open
Very true, thanks for sharing
The pets one is a no brainer in Australia. All parks will state whether or not they are allowed; you can not check in until they’ve told you such.
After two years of RV-ing and watching this video I’m glad I got out of RV-ing, it is so much work.
It could just be the ‘honeymoon’ phase, but we don’t see it at work-we love it
i once took off with my awning completely out. that could have been disastorous. Now i use a checklist. it was easier to do than you think.
Ha, I knew I recognized those no dog or horses sign at tillis hills before you showed the sign later in the video. We camp there all the time in our TT, Holder Mine just north of it in the forest is dog friendly and has really nice flat pads.
My neighbor had his entire RV off the ground on his leveling system, while he was parked in the road, on an incline, and was on the RV roof washing it! I ran outside, yelling at him " Are you insane???"
Yes, he was a new RV owner.
😳
Something I learned to do and I had to learn it the hard way is when You leave your rv, shut off water and hot water heater in case there is a leak while you are away.
Good one and don't leave the RV unattended when flushing septic tanks, my friend did and had a nasty over flow that ruined his floor😂& every good towel
Make sure you have jacks that can level. Most are just stabilizing jacks and are not meant to take the weight of the camper.
Our diesel pusher with air suspension more or less self-levels and settles down very low to the ground which we love for ease of ingress and egress... It's not perfect but if we level up precisely with our hydraulic jacks the entry step can sometimes be quite awkward... We've learned that we'd rather be slightly off kilter and maybe a little shakey instead of all jacked up somewhere... To each their own, I guess!
I know you guys know this, but not just a surge protector but an EMS that also protects against things like reverse polarity and low voltage. Low voltage is the real killer of RV appliances. Also remember that "surge protectors" of any kind use sacrificial MOVs. Once it protects against enough surges . . you know longer have surge protection. Something to keep in mind.
As far as slide clearance, we have that covered. If we are parked anywhere in sight of a tree or obstacle my wife raises an alarm. I spend most of my time convincing her our slides are not 8' wide. 😀
😃
Polson Motorcoach resort in Polson MT has a boatload of restrictions…nothing a deal breaker for us but they do restrict breeds of dogs, no special gates or areas at any sites to put your dog in…beautiful views, but wow! This is worse than an HOA!
All the mistakes you mention are valid and important. However I would have liked to see brief discussions for each about what to do. This was a very short video and rather than send people to different videos just making this one a bit longer that included tips on how not to make the mistake or what to look for. An example would be what PSI to set your adjustable pressure reducer on.
Thanks for the feedback!
I suggest making sure it's an EMS (electrical management system) instead of only a surge protector. I do see yours is more of an EMS but wanted to make sure that newbies understand that a surge protector is not always enough.
Great point
One mistake is pulling into your site the wrong direction. This happened to us once where their RVs door was facing our door and the kids were using our table and space. Not too cool.
I’ve been reading more about black tank issues. The black tank is not a long term storage tank that needs waste broken down. Using lots of water, calgon pearls and dawn are all is needed. Some of these treatments create sticky sludge and that’s why sensors are not working. What are your thoughts?
Calgon can create a BIG sludge mess. Using lots of water and a treatment that is BOTH a Probiotic AND Enzyme treatment. This means this type of formula can eliminate odors AND prevent clogs. While Other formulas can only do one or the other.
I meant pinesol not dawn….I guess I have more research to do, thanks!!
another thing to add is we always look at our checklist when hooking and unhooking our trailor. no matter how much we think we know it all
I’ve seen so many motorhomes with wheels off the ground. I just shake my head. I don’t think it’s my place to say something. I tow a 40ft 5th wheel toy hauler. There has been a few times where I was close. That’s where the wood comes to help.
I just used the Unique Clear-All on a slow grey drain, excellent product!!
Awesome!!
Thank You! ❤ I enjoy your approach to resolving things that present while camping n RV’ing💥
Awesome! Thank you!
#5 I keep a tape measure in the driver's door pocket that is marked with all the slide measurements. This is the only thing that this tape measure is used for and stays in the drivers door.
Great idea!
WEWWWHOO! I'm not a no0b! Well, not per this at least.
On our first trip this season, about 3 weeks ago, there was a fairly large RV down a few spots from us that was leveled out with the entire front end off the ground about 12" from tire to terra firma.
On our rig the lift up basement door needs just a scootch more clearance than the slide, so we check by openning the basement door.
Yeah, I went to Arizona in Tucson at the cactus RV they wouldn’t let my grandchildren come and that’s why I went there was to see my grandchildren and so I had to cancel my whole reservation and stay somewhere else that excepted my little sweet granddaughter
Hey i always do a walk around and check all compartment doors thanks for video
Thanks for watching
11. Never, and I mean Never move into a campsite located less the length of a gnat's, err.. eyelash from 8 sets of train tracks! I know, no one would Ever do that! Never mind.
Of those 10 the one I see most is unburned trash in the fire pit. Okay you had something you tossed in and expected it to burn that night, but here’s a clue campers. Aluminum cans for beer and drinks will not burn at all. Toss them in the trash immediately.
Newer RV's have compressors in the refrigeration, so leveling is less important. It's more important for sleeping.
Honest question here. Why is it unsafe to lift your tires off the ground with the stabilizing jacks? Im a crane operator, and we are not allowed to leave any load on the tires when completing a lift. It is much safer for us to be on outriggers. Please, enlighten me.
Rv levelers are very different from a crane outrigger. It also can cause suspension damage when the wheels are off the ground / the hydraulics in levelers can (and do sometimes) fail and it can cause safety issues.
On the walk around dont forget to check the awning. Yes this happened to me. I had to straighten and reattach arms and get a new roller spring. Oops.
How is forgetting to retract the awning not mentioned? Have seen that numerous times.
I really enjoy watching your videos. God Bless and l love yall💕💕💕💕💕
Thank you! You too!
The campground where i am at has a very dated electrical system. The plug in on my box melted, and frankly if i didn't have a surge protector, it would have done a lot of damage. As it was, it was very inconvenient.
We are thinking about buying a travel trailer but just a small one. Are we able to have tents for other people that won’t fit in the trailer at the campsite or do tent campers have to stay elsewhere?
I don't see anywhere mentioned about the roof vents. I always laugh as i see people pull out or even pull in with the roof vents wide open. It's only a small mistake until you get one ripped off. Big naughty when the insurance company comes to look...
One thing I have run into a few times in a RV Resort, I was told not to back my motorhome up over the grass so they could mow and also my exhaust not kill the grass. Ever had that happen???
That’s a new one! Thanks for watching.
Also… don’t forget to lower antenna !
For sure! Thanks for adding this!
I always disconnect from the pedestal to the RV. That way I never leave anything behind.
Thanks for the reminders!
You bet!
We were all beginners once!❤
Some good insights. Thanks for sharing them.
Thanks for watching
3 thousandth like(: !!! Thank you!!!!! I’m learning so much today
Excellent video and information. Great tips. 👍
Thanks for watching
What campground is this filmed in? It is beautiful.
This is why I have dry camped since the 70's. I don't want to be literally 6ft from another RV.
Great points. We've seen a few "jenja's" on the road & wheels off the ground. I've made a few camp hosts clean our firepit, just to stress our point. Some nasty folks out there ~
Thanks for sharing
are thos the only 2 Unique products you use?
You said there’s a discount code for Unique products, but for the life of me, I can’t find it here.
Gratefulglamper.com/unique
my rv has rollers for the electrical , same one like the ones have on welding leads on a welder. for the watering system i have a 2 way valve on the water hookup in the park, 1 for incoming line, 1 for a pressure gauge, . i use only 40psi max in the unit, hope that help someone out
Thanks for sharing!
Way want to clarify that a hose regulator will NOT increase water pressure
I spent the last 15 minutes looking for your hoodie. Can you tell me where you got it? Thanks!
Here! gratefulglamper.com/shop
You need a custom water filter at .05 microns water filter. that screw on water water filter doesn’t do much.
Just common courtesy for your fellow RVers
I did not mean for you to get upset with me I apologize for the question but that was question that I had with the new technology with hoses.
new campers older units do not forget to lower your antenna
The most common disgusting occurrence we experience, even in the "high dollar" campgrounds is avoiding pet droppings. The campground we usually visit has signs posted and has bags available 24/7 but some people think it must be for other people. BUT what takes the prize was on BLM dispersed camping. We pulled up and saw an unburned 5 gallon bucket in the fire ring. And you probably guessed it by now, it was full with human "waste." On a lighter note....In Arizona, a couple backed into the spot next to us and in the morning his truck failed to start. When he lifted his hood, a packrat had chewed the wires to his starter during the night. He was staying a week and I let him know he could do what we did when I lived in a rural part of Arizona. Not a guaranteed solution but just raise your hood while parked. I guess the rats don't feel as comfortable spending time chewing or making a nest in your engine compartment.
Rv at the Sand Dunes and any offroad event, the wheel will never be on the ground, not on a Toyhauler or a Motorhome, 30 years no issues, common practice in the desert.
I call them weekend warriors. They set up incorrectly, do not use the proper equipment,and do not follow rules.
What is the ideal water pressure number?
We like to set ours at 55-60 PSI
As a dog lover dogs are a hassle not allowed in a lot national parks beaches ext ,
If you have the correct jacks tires off the ground are not horrible also most black tank issues are from not putting enough water in the tank
Wheels off the ground can cause suspension damage - which is why you NEVER want the wheels off the ground in the air.
I have driven off and looked back😮😮😮 draging behind me😊 and seen my , power hook
😳
Are loud Rug Rats considered a pet?
You have definite grounds for a Class Action Discrimination Lawsuit.
Good one. Thank you
Most welcome
You can avoid not following Campground Rules by NOT staying in a commercial campground. There are a lot of other, sometimes free, places that are less restrictive.