New to Rv - very intimidated

[roadstar99]

Welcome, Marmoss. You will find the help you need on this forum and no one will intimidate you so relax. Your RV is pretty much self-contained. Everyone has already given you great ideas. Someone suggested you stay in your RV in your driveway and we did something similar. Although, this is our second RV, this one has more bells and whistles and we needed to learn so much. We went to a CG just 100 miles away that offered us 2 nights free to listen to their sales pitch to buy a site. Didn't buy. It was our training trip. We learned a lot and wrote things down that we needed or work that needed to be done. Then I hit the yard sales for dishes, flatware, decorations, cookware, etc. Our first trip we only cooked microwaveable food, bought paper plates and paper cups, plastic utensils, etc. My entire RV is now decorated around a "pineapple" rug I found at Big Lots. I added "palm tree" decorations and beachy items to complete the beach scene. Just had our booth recovered in material with tiny palm trees at the corners of what looks like bamboo squares. I'm a beach person so I love all of it. Find that one thing that catches your fancy and go with it. You'll have a ball looking for what you need to complete your exra home. Good luck and happy traveling.

[Ramblin]

Originally Posted by bdickson

Ah, wasn't it Robin Williams in RV, not Chevy Chase?

Good catch. yes it was.

So, if you DO rent the movie, DO what Chevy Chase did (and watch it). DON'T do what Robin Williams does.

[Ramblin]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

If I tried to list all that I carry:
30' 50 amp cord permanently attached
30' 50 amp extension cord
2-30' 30 amp extension cords
100' 20 amp extension cord
50' 20 amp extension cord
at least 75' of drinking water hose
50' non potable water hose for rig washing
gallons of engine oil
gallons of transmission fluid
extra filters for diesel and engine oil
grease gun and spare cartridges
battery powerd saw and drill, batteries and charger
7' folding ladder
6 chairs + 2 in the toad
5 tables
BBQ and spare cartridges
Spare engine belts
Spare bulbs
Spare relays

...and a partridge in a pear tree...

[Cilrah]

I understand your frustration. We bought a Class C RV, had it for 3 months and then traded up for this 45' monster. We barly got the Class C stocked and had a ton of other stuff we now needed.

Someone posted "A List to Everything" link on here once, hopefully they can chime-in on this thread.

The most important things I found handy were:

Leather work gloves
Battery operated lantern / flashlight
Box of assorted fuses
Pioneer tools, shovel, axe, sledge

There's thousands of other needed items that I'm sure everyone else will suggest. Good luck and take it slow. The BEST advise I ever got was NEVER be in a hurry when packing to move, that's when poop happens

[Cilrah]

Actually you already have the most important thing, a membership to iRV2.com

We got our gravity lawn chairs at Costco, love them and carry them in our Toad.

[wa8yxm]

Some of the stuff above you need not get right away..

My recommendation on toilet tank chemicals is: WATER. that's all

One thing I did not see recommended (And the above replies are full of very good info) is a water pressure regulator, They recommended a surge guard for the power line (GOOD) but not for the water line.

There are a lot of things about water and electricity that are basically the same, This is why they teach hydraulics to electronics students They are the same in many respects and this is one of them

Now RV pressure regulators come in several types.

The standard one is a brass or plastic cylinder, about 3/4 inch in diamater has a male hose fitting on one end, female on the other.. Leave it right where it sits or hangs in the store don't even touch it.

HIGH VOLUME or HIGH CAPACITY like the avobe but either Wings to enable you to tighten it to the hose better or a bright colored plastic grip on the female end.

Same advice

Sur-Flow RV pressure regulator, This is the MINIMUM I would accept. These come in two styles, both identical in many respects, Installed (it doubles as your city water inlet) and "in-line" (Which is the same regulator without the "Bib" (Benzel, whatever you want ot call it) and with a hose adapter screwed onto the outlet.

Watts "Whole house" 1/2" or larger (Three is another company that makes these too) This is a brass unit, with a bell shaped top housing and a bolt sticking out of the top with a jamb nut on it. (this is the pressure adjustment) Mine is a 3/4 inch cause it is easier to adapt a 3/4 inch to a garden hose but the half inch size will do nicely.

Some stores sell a kit, One of these with hose adapters in the bag.

[marmoss]

Thank you again for all advice. I am learning so much and feeling a lot better about our first trip (one week in Colorado). I am not planning to carry a lot of stuff and nothing heavy. I guess I need to mention that we have done lots of multi-day trips both backpacking and canoeing. Every year for the last 20 years we spent a two-week backpacking in the high mountains of Wyoming in early October. Carrying all camping and food supplies for us and two dogs in our backpacks tought us discipline and ease of making difficult choices in taking just bare neccessities to survive. Tent, sleeping bags, 3/4 length thermarests, small stove, one pot, one set of clothing, and very little food (we could not carry enough for two weeks so we relied on catching trout). Even handles of tootbrushes had to be cut to lower weight as much as possible. We are going to use our Navion to continue our crazy adventures in the mountains but make our trips out west a bit easier.

I am not planning to have anything except bare neccessities. More than backpacking but nothing extravagant. One more thing, the bed located in the back of our RV which so many people consider unusable because of its size, is huge in comparison with what we have in our tiny and low to the ground 4 season tent we camp in at 12,500 feet. So, I guess everything is very relative.

Thanks again for all advice.

[akadeadeye]

""I am spending all my free hours reading and researching. today I ordered all hoses, Flash King, surge protector, water pressure regulator, 50-> 30 amp dogbone. have few more questions:

Are these statements correct?

1. I should not connect to house electricity without having 30 amp outlet. How difficult is to install 30 amp outlet?""

You can connect to your house electricity but you will need a 30->15 amp dogbone. 50 to 30, then 30 to 15. This will limit what you can run inside your RV. If you find you need to run more appliances at the same time then you can consider installing a 30 amp plug.

Don

[marmoss]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

If I tried to list all that I carry:
30' 50 amp cord permanently attached
30' 50 amp extension cord
2-30' 30 amp extension cords
100' 20 amp extension cord
50' 20 amp extension cord
at least 75' of drinking water hose
50' non potable water hose for rig washing
gallons of engine oil
gallons of transmission fluid
extra filters for diesel and engine oil
grease gun and spare cartridges
battery powerd saw and drill, batteries and charger
7' folding ladder
6 chairs + 2 in the toad
5 tables
BBQ and spare cartridges
Spare engine belts
Spare bulbs
Spare relays

See where this is heading? What you carry will expand to fit the space you have!!

WOW! Evan if I really needed all these items, I do not have room in my 24.5 ft navion for half of these items.

[henryn]

Wow is right. I don't think I carried this much stuff in Nam. well...... yeah i did have a grease gun and extra cartridges, but it held 45 cal. all the tips are great and I do carry a lot of this stuff.

[marmoss]

Originally Posted by Maddawgs

5. change tire valve stems. Why? Are these the ones I need:

135 Degree Valve Extenders - Wheel Masters 8029135 - Wheel Accessories - Camping World

or these:

45 Degree Valve Extenders - Wheel Masters 8029 - Wheel Accessories - Camping World

I would caution against any valve extension as they are eventually a source of leaks and instead suggest a metal valve stem replacement. I have the borg valve stem replacements but there are others out there. This is something that will need to be done if you plan on adding a TPMS system (highly recommended).

Hope I was able to help you some. I know it all looks a little overwhelming right now but overtime it gets a lot easier. Happy camping.
Todd

You helped A LOT. Thanks a lot.

I am sorry but I am still very confused about a metal valve stem replacement. What borg valve stem do I need to install? Went to their website but not sure what I am looking for.

Anyone here with Itasca Navion(Winnebago View) who could be kind enough to direct me to the exact product?

And do I have to add TPMS system?

[wa8yxm]

Originally Posted by akadeadeye

""I am spending all my free hours reading and researching. today I ordered all hoses, Flash King, surge protector, water pressure regulator, 50-> 30 amp dogbone. have few more questions:

Are these statements correct?

1. I should not connect to house electricity without having 30 amp outlet. How difficult is to install 30 amp outlet?"

It is as easy to install a 30 amp outlet as it is a standard 15/20 except that you use heavier wire.. NOTE: if You were installing a "Dedicated" outlet (That is an outlet that has a breaker that it, and only it, uses) for 120 volt 15 or 20 amp you would use a "Single" breaker and run the black wire from the breaker to the outlet's copper screw, White from the bus bar to the silverish screw and green (Or bare) from the ground bus to the green scrww

SAME HERE

If you hire it done and the electrician installs a dual ganged breaker such as you would use for a dryer or centeral air conditioner.. DO NOT PAY HIM. Make him do it right.

And do not plug in till you check the voltage (120 volts please no more than 125)


The rules according to Mr. Douglas (TV Show: Green Acres, note the attirbution is a joke but if you know the show you knwo the joke).


15 amp, (Standard house outlet with two straight slots) one big item, no more

20 amp (Standard home outlet with one straight and one "T" shaped) one big item and a few small ones

30 amp Two big items and most all your small ones

50 amp (You can not use this but if you had a 50 amp rig) All you can eat

Bit Items.. I'm reather enjoying my new Air Conditiner, Water heater, Space heater, Microwave and if the batteries are really hungry your converter MAY be a big item.

Small items are TV, Radio, converter if batteries full,

Fridge is kind of an In-between, I would run it on propane if I had the A/C on and was on 15 amp. but I'd let it run on electric if on 20.

(I had an air conditioner go bad, We just replaced the upper part with another make,, Yes, I know that is not possible.. but if you have what I had (Carrier Air V non-heat pump ducted) then Advent makes a kit that does it.

Beats changing what's in the ceiling.

[marmoss]

I feel smarter and smarter after reading each one of your responses. So happy I found this forum. Cannot believe that so many of you are willing to share your knowledge.

Thank you again,

marysia

[marmoss]

Originally Posted by Ramblin

Good catch. yes it was.

So, if you DO rent the movie, DO what Chevy Chase did (and watch it). DON'T do what Robin Williams does.