New member with a 2005 Aspect Class C

[travelMN1]

Hello. I purchased my 2005 Aspect in May of 2025. I love it! I am a beginner. I live on a farm and run farm equipment but am not knowledgeable of the RV world. I bought the RV which is in great shape, to travel to Plein Aire events in my State and across the country. This will allow me to learn to watercolor paint and draw better as well as see beautiful places. Thank you in advance for any help in my progress along the learning curve I am excited!

 

[be happy]

Nice looking unit, welcome to the forum. Rving can be as relaxing and peaceful as you make it.
Enjoy your new world.

 

[travelMN1]

Thank you!

 

[Morich]

Farm background can be a big asset when moving to RV! Some thing can be the same? Always something else that COULD be done! But don't consider that to all be bad. Yes, RV does need frequent attention but then there is also the fun part where we COULD invent some reason top take off and have some fun!

I'll let you invent the fun parts to fit but mention some of the things new users are prone to miss until it gets bad.

Batteries and sealing the openings in the RV roof and sides are two I might say are almost certain to catch the new users!
The batteries are often a problem on RV, just because we don't use the RV the same as our dailly driver cars. The RV may set too long and that gives both the chassis/start batter y and also the coach batteries time to slowly drain down. On our cars, we start the darn thing and that tends to recharge the chassis battery.

But the RV has more involved as well as we often don't start it often enough and certainly don't drive it far enough to get the chassis battery fully charged as it often takes several hours to get a low battery back up to fully charged.
Both the chassis for starting and the coach batteries for running the RV things are left with various drains to run the battery down. This is true, even when we think we have turned those drains off with a battery cutoff switch! There are various small items like safety things which are left on and drawing a bit of power. Leave it for a month and the batteries may be damaged/dead when we come back! A 200-300 dollar hit is not the fun way to start!
I recommend trying to provide some clear plan for getting charge to each group at least monthly or more often, at least until you get a firm grasp of some of the tiny little points that can kill our batteries!
Keep the voltage up and don't let them run dry?

WATCH those batteries way close as things are often NOT what we expect and letting them go way down is one way to damage them!

Heah? One way to do that is take it out and have fun every time you get a chance! Like muscles, RV are less prone to wear out than rust out!

 

[travelMN1]

Thank you Morich. Appreciated. I have 2 AGM batteries for the camper and not sure of the chaise battery. I am considering a “smart battery charger” or use to be called “Tricklers”? Do they address those “tiny little points”?
Any experience with these?
I live in a Northern climate. I looked at winter adventures but decided for my first months as a newbie I will store it on the farm until spring. Something exciting to look forward to Thanks again.

 

[Morich]

Oka, sound slike a good start at a good plan to keep the batteries charged. AGM are absorbed glass mat batteries. they are a nice step up from the older lead acid as they need less watch on water and such, but still can be a problem as we learn what to expect.
You are likely to find that there will be some small drains left on both the coach and the chassis batteries.
Yes, a small trickle charger can be a big help BUT it takes some thought to make sure the charge is getting to both sets!
I see the chassis batteries seem to be in a panel just behind the driver. But I don't see the coach batteries and not sure how the best way to get the positive of both tied together? Some RV have both sets in a panel under the steps but that doesn't seem to fit what you have. Since both sets have the negative tied to the frame as ground, if we connect the positives together at some easy point, we can use one trickle charger to keep all the batteries charged!
If we have both sets of batteries charged when we pull in to store, the current need to keep both charged is very low, so we can use small simple wires instead of the huge bulky cables we use for jump starting things!
I use a stranded number 12 wire with alligator clips on both ends to tie them together and only use one charger. Others find two chargers works for them.

Just to be alert to not let either set run down so low it damages them.
Stay alert, keep them alive, may fit?

I'm an old fan of Moose Lake and North of Ely! Those were the days! Long ago when I had no more fun than living in a half frozen ice box!
Is that why my knees hurt so much every time it gets down to 50? Maybe they've forgotten what real cold feels like? AARGH!

 

[Battle Born Clan]

Welcome. I grew up on a ranch and the "Use it until it's used up" lifestyle has paid off in out trailer/RV life. Have fun.