Question from a Rookie

[Webetravelin]

Greeting RV Buddies,
This Saturday (4-2-11) we are bring home our new to us 2002 Winnebago Brave Motor-home - This is our first ever motor-home so we have more than a few (RKIE) questions - any insight you can share will be appreciated.

1) Can I use the same coffee maker I have here at my home in my RV?
What about a NuWave Owen? I've ever use GAS to cook with- most of my kitchen experience is electric ... toasters, can opener, blenders, hot plates. Even my grill is electric! Nice thing is... we're willing to make whatever changes we need to make... so do we dump the BUNN coffee pot - makes hot coffee in less than 3 mins ???

2) Our RV is 30amps - is it safe or even possible to use an adapter to be able to plug in to an outside outlet at my friends house or should we ONLY PLUG in to a 30amp system. We'd rather be safe than sorry!

3) Just wondering if anyone has the electric tow hitch system for their car? I'm considering having that installed on my car rather than using a car dolly. I have never towed anything before and I am a little nervous about it. I found the system on YouTube (Electric Tow Hitch- Car) It's expensive for sure but ... in the long run.. it could be worth every penny.
If you got one... please let me know what you think.

Thanks again for all your kind and gentle wisdom!
Soon
WeBeTraveling!

[becks]

Congrats on your new to you coach. We have used a Bunn for years. You can plug in to 15 or 20 amp, just won't be able run the air or anything that needs 30 amp. I don't know anything about your tow question. Enjoy.

[bjsheldon]

Most RV stores and maybe Wall Mart have adaptors for your 30a shore power cord to allow you to plug into a standard household outlet. You will be limited to approx 15a though. Enough to run most of your appliances, just not everything at the same time. All your household electric appliances will work just fine in your motorhome. Take along whatever you think you will use. Towing is a major undertaking. I would not approach it as an e-bay project unless you know exactly what you are doing. Being a "newbee" I suggest you go to a reputable RV dealer and get outfited and instructed. Its not cheap. Expect to pay several thousand $.
Good luck and enjoy your new toy.

[Clay L]

I prefer the tow bars that stay with the motor home and fold up out of the way when not in use. There are some base plates installed on the car and the two pieces that connect to the tow bar can be removed on some models so nothing shows on the car. You don't have to be lined up closely because the arms on the tow bar are extendable and lock into place when you start pulling the car.

The two most popular brands seem to BlueOx and Roadmaster.

There are a couple of Winnebago sites you may be interested in.
You can download manuals, wiring diagrams and plumbing diagrams at the first site and product brochures at the second one.

Manuals & Diagrams
Previous Model Year Product Information

[DFR]

Just watched the video on the hitch. If you decide to go with this system, make sure your hitch on the coach is rated for the weight you are going to put on the tail of the coach.

[thelastplace]

To your towing question, you don't say what you will be towing, so an answer is just a guess. If you don't know check Motorhome Magazine's towing guide. They even recommend towing options. If your toad is '4 wheel towable' than why aren't you looking at Blue Ox or RoadMaster? The whole thing installed is less than 2 grand. Anything from eBay that you can't find in an RV shop is questionable. I've never heard of it and don't know anyone who has one. Be safe in your 'new to you' coach!!

But the true travelers are they who leave for leaving’s sake
Saying continuously, without knowing why: ‘Let us go on’.
Paraphrased from Baudelaire’s ‘The Journey’

[ehunt]

Hi Webetravelin
We purchased a 2001 Brave a few months ago. I've scanned the owners manual to a PDF if yours doesn't come with one, let me know and I can email it to you. It appears the 2001 and 2002 are close to the same.

[wildtoad]

Most if not all electrical appliances will work just fine in your RV, just keep in mind that as others have stated, not all at the same time. We use an elec coffee pot, elec heater, 110v TV, etc etc. We have to know what we can use at one time. For example we can run the heater and the coffee pot at the same time, but the heater has to be on the low setting. No different than we can't run the AC and the microwave at the same time. Newer units have an EMS that controls power usage, most older models don't.

[Webetravelin]

Wow that;s great news about keeping the coffee maker... I really was willing to give up the Bunn - but now I don't have to! fabulous!

[Webetravelin]

Hey Thanks for the offer... I think we do have the manual. this was a one owner coach who keep every oil change and tire purchase record in a briefcase that was left in the rig ... one of the reasons we purchased it too... cuz he really took care of everything.
We're in South Florida... maybe our paths will cross ... it really is a small world!

[GaryKD]

Hi Webetravelin,
On your towing question, I would not use this product. I had a Brave (1978). My assumption is your coach has a gas engine and spring suspension. Use of the product makes for a considerable amount of weight hanging 10 feet from the rear axle (fulcrum point). That is bad enough if the weight was static. However, you'll be moving on down the road with all the bumps and road undulations making the real weight considerably more that the static weight. I see no advantage of this product over a dolly, except for the potential to back up. Since you'll not be able to see the rear of the toad I discount this ability. I see considerable disadvantages with this product. Weight has already been mentioned. Disconnecting the tow bar and having to store it is another disadvantage. Then there is the permanently installed portion of the product beneath the toad. Does this mean reduced road clearance? Lastly it is not clear to me if the toad's rear brakes are connected to help in stopping the coach/toad combination. A supplemental brake system is a must have, for everyone's safety.

If your car can not be towed four wheels on the ground, consider a dolly.

I also live in South Florida.

[John H...]

Webetravelin, Congrats on your RV and welcome to the forum. Most of the answers I had after reading your post have been answered. We have a Cusinart coffee maker that uses Kurieg cups and I love it. We take it in the MH. So enjoy your own coffee maker. You will eventually get used to cooking with gas and will probably enjoy how much quicker it is than electric after a short while. Good luck...

[ralper]

I run my 15,000 BTU A/C on 20 amps at my friends house. I turn off the breaker to my inverter and use battery power for microwave and outlets. Battery power comes only from solar. I never use my charger/converter. My refrigerator runs on the shore power too. I run the water heater on gas. I use my 30 amp cord with an adaptor. If it is cold I run my electric heater instead of A/C on shore power.

My 2 A/C units have what is called an easy start kit. This is a relay and capacitor that gives the compressor an extra kick. This kit helps if there is low voltage at the CG. I have run both my 15,000 BTU and my 11,000 BTU units at the same time on 30 amp. Nothing else was running at the same time though.

[DAN L]

Originally Posted by Webetravelin

Greeting RV Buddies,
This Saturday (4-2-11) we are bring home our new to us 2002 Winnebago Brave Motor-home - This is our first ever motor-home so we have more than a few (RKIE) questions - any insight you can share will be appreciated.

1) Can I use the same coffee maker I have here at my home in my RV?
What about a NuWave Owen? I've ever use GAS to cook with- most of my kitchen experience is electric ... toasters, can opener, blenders, hot plates. Even my grill is electric! Nice thing is... we're willing to make whatever changes we need to make... so do we dump the BUNN coffee pot - makes hot coffee in less than 3 mins ???

2) Our RV is 30amps - is it safe or even possible to use an adapter to be able to plug in to an outside outlet at my friends house or should we ONLY PLUG in to a 30amp system. We'd rather be safe than sorry!

3) Just wondering if anyone has the electric tow hitch system for their car? I'm considering having that installed on my car rather than using a car dolly. I have never towed anything before and I am a little nervous about it. I found the system on YouTube (Electric Tow Hitch- Car) It's expensive for sure but ... in the long run.. it could be worth every penny.
If you got one... please let me know what you think.

Thanks again for all your kind and gentle wisdom!
Soon
WeBeTraveling!

i tow with a stehl dolly.
i use a 20 amp rv adapter and #10 wire extension cord from home depot. it runs 1 of my 2 ac's ok. we cannot run much else while the ac is running. i used a 15 amp adapter from wally world but it got hot.