Community Forums

Losthikers · 01-09-2016, 10:28 AM

We purchased a 1999 Mallard travel trailer.
Now we must set it up with everything.

So far

Electric
30A 50' extension cord
50A male to 30A female adapter
30A female to 15A male adapter
Small ceramic heater
replaced batteries.

Water
90 degree hose elbow for water intake
25' drinking water hose 5/8"
Blow out plug
RV anitifreeze 6 gallons. @$1.99/gal

Sewer
Rhinoflex 15'
Rhino backflush with clear elbow

Any thoughts for us?

TonyMac · 01-09-2016, 10:30 AM

A note pad and a pencil to write down everything you forgot. Seriously, nothing worse than going on your second camping trip and realizing you still forgot something you forgot on your first camping trip.

1bigmess · 01-09-2016, 10:38 AM

Water pressure regulator. I have the Valterra model with the gauge and adjustable pressure. You might not need one, but if you do, you'll wish you had it. I set mine for between forty and forty five psi.

parkerbill · 01-09-2016, 10:42 AM

In-line water filter.
Leveling blocks or the Andersen system.
Chocks.
Waste tank chemicals.
RV toilet paper.

Losthikers · 01-09-2016, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyMac

A note pad and a pencil to write down everything you forgot. Seriously, nothing worse than going on your second camping trip and realizing you still forgot something you forgot on your first camping trip.

Thanks, I am never without my notebook. Taught our children to love... errr accept the index card.

Badlands Bob · 01-09-2016, 07:09 PM

Coax cable for those campgrounds with cable T.V.

vsheetz · 01-09-2016, 07:13 PM

Power qualification / surge protection

Water pressure regulator

Tools

Gloves for handling sewer hose

Entry door mat to bush off shoes before entering

AngusT · 01-09-2016, 07:29 PM

Check amazon for prices.. The best deal was on the breakdown triangles. Don't forget weather alert radio - important if you listen to streaming or XM

cwsqbm · 01-09-2016, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1bigmess

Water pressure regulator. I have the Valterra model with the gauge and adjustable pressure. You might not need one, but if you do, you'll wish you had it. I set mine for between forty and forty five psi.

+1 Spend the money on a good regulator. Those cheap ones are essentially just flow restrictors.

One upgrade I made to my old trailer's water system was an accumulator so that I could run a faucet at a low setting without the pump cycling multiple times per second. A side effect is that it also works while attached to campground water. With the cheap "regulator", I could tell the static pressure in my lines was still extremely high in campgrounds with high water pressure because the accumulator held that high pressure for the first couple seconds every time I'd open the faucet.

One thing I like to have is grease-removing hand cleaner. No matter what I do with the gloves, I tend to get some on my hands during hooking and unhooking.

Consider another cheap somewhat short non-potable water hose for cleaning out your sewer hose. You don't want to use your drinking water for that.

Most of the time, 20' of sewer hose is enough, but on occasion I use another 10' extension to park the trailer where I want instead of parking it too far forward in a pull-thru site (my sewer outlet is behind the axles). I've also used my second 25' fresh water line more than once.

1bigmess · 01-09-2016, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwsqbm

One upgrade I made to my old trailer's water system was an accumulator so that I could run a faucet at a low setting without the pump cycling multiple times per second.

That's on my list, as I like to boondock as much as I can, and want smooth flow from the faucet at low flow.

LarrytheBear · 01-09-2016, 08:58 PM

All good suggestions.
I like to carry a small light weight plastic stool for things that are just out of reach or for sitting on when working down low, such as checking tires.
And, a reliable tire gauge.
Oh yeah... a head band LED flashlight for hands free work in the dark.

Losthikers · 01-10-2016, 08:48 AM

So many great ideas, Amazon is going to love me. Yes my spouse has taught me to use Amazon.
Coax, really campgrounds have cable? who knew. Everyone but me.The trailer has a Montgomery Wards CRT TV. That is coming out. so much space wasted there.

What lengths would you recommend for sewer hose, potable water hose, wash water hose, electrical cord, air compressor?

Currently 50' 30A extension cord, 25' potable water, 15' sewer hose, 50' air hose.

LarrytheBear · 01-10-2016, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Losthikers

So many great ideas, Amazon is going to love me. Yes my spouse has taught me to use Amazon.
Coax, really campgrounds have cable? who knew. Everyone but me.The trailer has a Montgomery Wards CRT TV. That is coming out. so much space wasted there.

What lengths would you recommend for sewer hose, potable water hose, wash water hose, electrical cord, air compressor?

Currently 50' 30A extension cord, 25' potable water, 15' sewer hose, 50' air hose.

Your 50 ft. electric is more than enough for most situations.

I keep 2 potable water hoses just in case one 25 footer is not enough. The only time I've had to use the second one is at my house. I did have the end break off of one of my potable water hoses so I was glad I had the spare.

For my washing hose I have a 50 foot Pocket Hose. I know a lot of people have had trouble with them but mine has lasted over two years and no problems.

I've never had a situation where I needed more than a 15 foot sewer hose. I know it does happen so a 10 foot extension might be handy if you have room. I bought my Rhino-flex at Camping World but Walmart has the same thing and it's cheaper. (Even after the CW discount)

A 50 foot air hose should reach everything.

One more thing that I bought from Walmart is a battery jumper/air compressor combo by Stanley (Fatmax, Jumpit 700A). I was slightly less than $60. In most cases I do not have to get out my larger compressor. It will pressure up to 120 psi and has saved me two times when the battery was dead on my toad.

1bigmess · 01-10-2016, 12:58 PM

The post above mine is a good one, but I want to give another plan I made for taking care of the same things.

I was given a twenty five foot shore power cord, and have not needed a longer one yet. Any campground I have been in so far has thirty amp connection right at my space, and when freeloading so far I have simply used an extension cord and an adapter to get fifteen or twenty amp electricity from a residence. I only need a higher level of electricity service to run my air conditioner.

I have sixty feet of fresh water hose. If I'm freeloading at someone's house, they don't always have a potable water faucet where I park the trailer, so the extra fresh water hose is handy. I've also used it when the line to dump was long, but only needed water, so I could park outside of the dump line and still fill fresh water.

If you buy a Pocket Hose, but it somewhere you can return it almost nationwide. Some have had problems. Mine developed a hole in the protective nylon sheathing that was a manufacturer defect. Home Depot swapped it out immediately in a different state that where I bought it with very minimum hassle.

I've not yet needed longer than the fifteen ft Rhino sewer hose either. I can always maneuver close enough to dump. I can even wait until day of or day before I leave to dump. Isn't this why we have tanks?

For compressed air, I have a Lowe's inflator with a digital display and pressure set point, an extension cord, and a gennie. I don't have any other use for compressed air than inflating tires, I already have the gennie and the extension cord. If I needed compressed air storage, I would consider a compressor with small tank, but I have no need for that yet.

I don't worry about a dead tow vehicle battery. I have a gennie and battery charger. I don't like the inflator/jump starter combos as many aren't that great at what they claim to do, and the separate components I have for them work fine for me.

Just another way to tackle the ideas in the previous post.

Another thing I just thought of: I don't have a good place to carry a conventional ladder, so I have an Extend-A-Climb ladder that is very easy to stash away.