Newbie to RVing

[Josiegirl13]

Picking up my first RV ever on Thursday. Winnebago Outlook 27D - 2019 - excited and scared. Gypsy at heart - ready to explore and reconnect safely.

[Sun_Seeker]

Originally Posted by Josiegirl13

Picking up my first RV ever on Thursday. Winnebago Outlook 27D - 2019 - excited and scared. Gypsy at heart - ready to explore and reconnect safely.

Hello, Gypsy Soul! Have a blast...and like any good Carpenter...measure twice, and only cut once. Same for newbie RV'ers...relax at your first camp site. Take your time, in your set-up. If something is too hard to crank or turn...that's for a reason. Stop, read the manuals...or ask for advise/help to the left or right of your campsite. Everybody will be most happy to assist you with advice, or answer any set-up questions..and those inevetable do's...and don'ts...

Set up always with a beer in your hand...for it slows your set-up action down...and allows you a sip or three while doing it....

[Josiegirl13]

Sounds like good advice - my first adventure will be within miles from home. Need to get acquainted with the new baby. I'm sure I will have lots of questions before I hit the road.

Thanks for the welcome

[Sun_Seeker]

Originally Posted by Josiegirl13

Sounds like good advice - my first adventure will be within miles from home. Need to get acquainted with the new baby. I'm sure I will have lots of questions before I hit the road.

Thanks for the welcome

Have fun, and I'm sure you got some initial advice and recommendations from your selling dealer, but two that I would like to mention, that are so critically important:

1. To have, and use ALWAYS, a water pressure limit regulator at the water tap end of your water hose. Most are factor set to not allow any PSI over 45 PSI past them onto your hose. So very important, to not ever hook up your water lines, WITHOUT it. It is a little brass round body that is about 3-4 inches long. So many camps have really funky water pressure supply PSI pressure to each campsite facet, and you can (if the PSI is over the max limit of your neoprene water lines inside your trailer, you can blow the lines...around where they all pinch onto the fittings at the compressor fitting, and resultant water cabin flow and damage. Always use the water pressure regulator, with City (your home) or Campsite water service

2. To purchase and always use, a Camping R.V. SURGE PROTECTOR, that also has an automatic-upon-connection circuit testing capability that will SHUT DOWN, and not allow any current from the Hook Up Pedestal, if there is anything wrong with the wiring...(bad polarity, corroded, sparking/surge) for if those physical conditions exist as you hook up...you can IN SECONDS...blow your Inverter Panel, ruin your Start-Up A/C compressor board, blow fuses, blow LED's... the all of it--->in mere seconds after you hook up, without the use of a Circuit Testing Surge Compressor between the male end of your Winnie OEM 30 amp cord, and the female of the 110 electric service post. The two above will alleviate the "shoulda, coulda, woulda's"...and protect you from a great camping experience, into one of instant woe!

Another suggestion, regarding water...is that you purchase a brass 90 degree water fitting that will allow your water hose to NOT sit sticking straight out from the screw in female city water connection. It will allow the hose to come up from the ground parallel to the side body of your trailer. That way, there will be no TORQUE and weight effected upon your water connection. Over time, if you do not use this...it will cause fitting stress and resultant leaks and headaches. That simple and cheap 90 degree brass fitting will nip all that, in the bud.

My suggestion, is never 'cheap out' on the feature list and cost of the Surge and Test Protector, for it is in the long run, the best non-damage one time 'insurance' payment and produce ease of mind, that you can buy. At your dealer, also ask about the hard plastic anti-theft locking coupler, that prevents/impedes a criminal from taking your Surge Protector off of the Electric service pedestal, and then disconnecting it from the male end of your O.E.M 30 amp cord.

One more tip, if I might, ---->...buy two plastic over chain, locking bicycle locks, that you can very tightly WRAP AROUND the Surge Protector 30 amp cord that comes out of the head...and tightly wrap the two bicycle chain locks around the cord and the power post. This will impede a thief from being able to remove your Surge Protector from the power post. This is a highly sought after grab-and-run item stolen (unfortunately this happens) from your campsite, usually in the dead of night, or while someone observes that nobody is at the campsite.

All of the above suggestions, is intended to have you NOT experience the effects of not taking this to heart.

Cheers, beers/wine, and ample fire-ember poking! Have fun!

[Josiegirl13]

I followed your advice and bought the surge protector and water pressure regulator. More things to follow. But getting it all together.

Thank you!

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by Sun_Seeker

Another suggestion, regarding water...is that you purchase a brass 90 degree water fitting that will allow your water hose to NOT sit sticking straight out from the screw in female city water connection.

I've been worried about that too, and realized this non-camping Covid summer that I had one of these lying around. I figure the water hammer arrester function won't hurt and might even help. I haven't tried it yet though.

https://www.amazon.com/Sioux-Chief-6...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

I bought it for a sprinkler system component but ended up not using it.

[akeagle]

Originally Posted by Josiegirl13

I followed your advice and bought the surge protector and water pressure regulator. More things to follow. But getting it all together.

Thank you!

I'll vouch for all three of those recommendations. We took a two day trip just to get out of town for a bit and the first campground we overnighted at had water pressure of 80 PSI. My pressure regulator was set at 60 PSI but at the next opportunity I'll back it down to 45.

I also did the chain anti-theft thing for our surge protector too, but instead of using the traditional bike lock, I got one from Home Depot (I think Lowes carries it to) that instead of opening with a key or combination, it uses a 4 position movement of a flat "knob" on the face of the lock. The possible movements are up, down, left, right, and you can set your own combination using those 4 movements - not necessarily in the order of course. That way you don't have to worry about losing the key or forgetting the combination. After using the movement combination just a few times that method quickly becomes second nature. And the lock comes in several different colors!

The 90 degree water inlet adapter is also a good thing to prevent strain on the connector and the hose end. I put my water filter there letting it hang straight down, partly because the water supply faucet is often too low to allow the filter to be in the recommended vertical position. Be sure to get the brass version - they're the most sturdy. Not the cheapest; about $8 if I remember right. I have two, in case one may be needed at the faucet end too.

[Goodspike]

BTW, getting a surge protector that also monitors draw (watts) is useful for when you have a generator. It will likely show an open ground condition though.

[creativepart]

My advice is to read up on PDI (Pre-Delivery Inspection) procedures.

When picking up your RV the dealer or previous owner if not buying from a dealer will “go over everything.”

This is vital - not only will you learn how to operate things but you will insure that EVERYTHING works properly.

Do a Google search for “RV pdi checklist” I’m sure you’ll find tons.

Dealers try to rush buyers through this process. Especially “newbies” . They may breeze over things and skip a number of steps.

Before signing and closing you should check that everything works and that you fully understand its operation. This may take 4-6 hours and the dealer may want to give you one hour. Keep in mind that you are in charge and hold the purse strings. I’m guessing you may be a female judging by you username and as you no doubt are already aware males at at dealership my not treat you with the proper respect.

After the PDI, you’ll go through “closing” and it’s here that a F&I person will do their best to increase their profit margin by selling you worthless products at outrageous prices. It’s up to you how you react, but I would suggest turning everyone of these “valuable” options down. IF you want something from this list you’ll do much better getting it later when you can shop for more realistic pricing.

The number one thing they will try VERY hard to sell you is an “extended warranty”. Getting one of these or not is up to you. Many consider these vital to have but just as many perhaps more do not. For sure though the dealer will paint this as mandatory. More importantly the dealers price for this will be as much as 2-3 times higher than buying later from another independent seller such as Wholesale Warranties. Heck even Winnebago can sell you one.

Hope this helps! Enjoy.

PS. Some folks worry about things more than others. We’ve never locked our surge protector and we’ve been camping for 20-yrs. Looking around the campground I see maybe 1 in 10 campers locking their surge protector with one chain. Two chains? I doubt I’ve ever seen that. But hey, whatever makes you feel safe.

[Sun_Seeker]

Originally Posted by creativepart

My advice is to read up on PDI (Pre-Delivery Inspection) procedures.

When picking up your RV the dealer or previous owner if not buying from a dealer will “go over everything.”

This is vital - not only will you learn how to operate things but you will insure that EVERYTHING works properly.

Do a Google search for “RV pdi checklist” I’m sure you’ll find tons.

Dealers try to rush buyers through this process. Especially “newbies” . They may breeze over things and skip a number of steps.

Before signing and closing you should check that everything works and that you fully understand its operation. This may take 4-6 hours and the dealer may want to give you one hour. Keep in mind that you are in charge and hold the purse strings. I’m guessing you may be a female judging by you username and as you no doubt are already aware males at at dealership my not treat you with the proper respect.

After the PDI, you’ll go through “closing” and it’s here that a F&I person will do their best to increase their profit margin by selling you worthless products at outrageous prices. It’s up to you how you react, but I would suggest turning everyone of these “valuable” options down. IF you want something from this list you’ll do much better getting it later when you can shop for more realistic pricing.

The number one thing they will try VERY hard to sell you is an “extended warranty”. Getting one of these or not is up to you. Many consider these vital to have but just as many perhaps more do not. For sure though the dealer will paint this as mandatory. More importantly the dealers price for this will be as much as 2-3 times higher than buying later from another independent seller such as Wholesale Warranties. Heck even Winnebago can sell you one.

Hope this helps! Enjoy.

PS. Some folks worry about things more than others. We’ve never locked our surge protector and we’ve been camping for 20-yrs. Looking around the campground I see maybe 1 in 10 campers locking their surge protector with one chain. Two chains? I doubt I’ve ever seen that. But hey, whatever makes you feel safe.

I just came back from a 6 day camping trip on the shores of Lake Huron. I had my Surge Protector locked up with my cable lock. The other campsite sharing the pedestal, did not. Two nights into their camping, another very honest camper, removed their Surge Protector, and plugged in (how nice of them/him/her...) the other couples O.E.M. male end. They lost their Surge Protector to a campsite thief. He told me,....he is going to buy not ONLY another same model surge protector...but...the same kind of bicycle cable lock he saw that was securing mine to the pedestal leg,...and put it on, exactly as I had mine.

Yes...they get stolen...

Mine wasn't.... for mine was locked to the pedestal. The other couples...was not...and it is now------> GONE!

[creativepart]

Trees fall on RVs in the woods, too. But I still don't mind parking under them.

Outside of anecdotal comments, usually made by those that are worried about campground theft, I've never experienced it. Never seen it happen anywhere near me. And generally take no precaution to prevent it. We don't lock our RV door when we leave, either.

When I owned two Honda gensets that sat outside the RV I used to lock them with a bicycle lock. And usually, but not always I lock my electric bike in the campground. But I routinely leave my grills, my fishing gear, etc sitting out all the time. I've been camping since 2000 and never had nor seen any problem.

As I said, if it makes you feel safer go for it. Clearly there are bad people and stuff gets stolen in the world. Maybe it's where we camp that makes the difference - but I'm not worried about it in the least.

[Sun_Seeker]

Originally Posted by creativepart

Trees fall on RVs in the woods, too. But I still don't mind parking under them.

Outside of anecdotal comments, usually made by those that are worried about campground theft, I've never experienced it. Never seen it happen anywhere near me. And generally take no precaution to prevent it. We don't lock our RV door when we leave, either.

When I owned two Honda gensets that sat outside the RV I used to lock them with a bicycle lock. And usually, but not always I lock my electric bike in the campground. But I routinely leave my grills, my fishing gear, etc sitting out all the time. I've been camping since 2000 and never had nor seen any problem.

As I said, if it makes you feel safer go for it. Clearly there are bad people and stuff gets stolen in the world. Maybe it's where we camp that makes the difference - but I'm not worried about it in the least.

I don't follow the comment; "you still camp under trees..." yes...trees don't have a mind that could be bent on not paying for a Surge Protector, by stealing yours. Trees...uh..don't do that, in my experience. We all have differing opinions, (I also camp under trees, and have no fear they will steal anything from my campsite!) but my viewpoint, is, that you are perfectly then setting yourself up for not if...but when, someone walks away with something seen on your campsite, or out of your unlocked R.V.....and, that it hasn't happened yet...in 20 years...is not as I see it, with having seen other's having reported items stolen from their campsite...as a rather good 'assurance' tactic.

As I said, just this last week, the poor couple just back to me, had their Surge Protector removed from their O.E.M. 30 amp cord,..during their second night at the provincial park, campsite, and no doubt....no doubt at all...had mine not been secured by taking one minute to do so...it would have also been taken by the very same thief. One will take the minute and a few dollars to secure their $$$ Surge Protector from threat of theft,...or not. I read that you won't. All is good...but then again, I won't be the one not 'if'...but 'when'....the 'whens' always come, sooner or later. I wish you luck, in this regard of a nonchalant view to securing your personal possessions or a thief's unauthorized entry into your R.V. when you are not in campsite attendance, because as you have stated, you do not bother to secure it, before you leave its location, because why?---"but I'm not worried about it in the least". Differences in levels of executing Due Diligence, absolutely makes the world go around. Safe camping, my friend.

[Goodspike]

My ounce of prevention story is from about 40 years ago. I was with friends at a state park and we were going to go swimming. Only one of my friends walked back to the car with me to lock up our wallets. We were also the only ones who went back home with our wallets.

I still regret that situation today, not because I didn't convince more friends to follow my lead, but because I was in the situation where I had to lock something up in a car in a place it was already parked. That is not safe either, but it was safer than just hiding the stuff.