Avoid Disaster in Your RV With a Little Knowledge
Now that you have bought your recreational vehicle, you're proud of it and ready to hit the road. That sounds good. However, it is not a good plan. Like anything new to you, it is wise to really check it out before you go on a long trip.
Learn the Amenities
Your RV should have come with an owner's manual. This is your guide to all the great things it will provide. You will probably have a stove, refrigerator, microwave, TV and all of the usual amenities. You will be living in style as you explore America, its National and State Parks as well as all the great sites in between.
If you don't know how to use the RV amenities, how they are powered, or the general maintenance of each and everything it provides, then you are asking for trouble.
General RV Knowledge
Let's start with the general knowledge of your RV.
Water Storage
You should have three types of storage for your hygiene needs: clean water, hot water, grey water.
Size of the RV
How long is your RV, and how wide is it? The outer dimensions will be necessary to know so you can pick out a camp site and reserve it in advance. Reserving a campsite too small just won't work. Just as bad is pulling into a campsite and not knowing if your RV will fit. You just have to know this information.
Review you owner's manual to find out where all the shut off valves are, all the drain valves are and where the fuse boxes are located. Knowing these things will help you have a great trip instead of a disastrous one. If things go wrong and chances are they will, you will know what to do. The more you know about your RV the better it can serve you.
Learn the Amenities
Your RV should have come with an owner's manual. This is your guide to all the great things it will provide. You will probably have a stove, refrigerator, microwave, TV and all of the usual amenities. You will be living in style as you explore America, its National and State Parks as well as all the great sites in between.
If you don't know how to use the RV amenities, how they are powered, or the general maintenance of each and everything it provides, then you are asking for trouble.
General RV Knowledge
Let's start with the general knowledge of your RV.
- * How much electricity does it take to run everything 20 amps, 30 amps or 50 amps? You will have to know this in order to plan where you can stay and have the proper hook-ups to match your needs.
- * Do you have a generator? What kind of fuel does it use? Is it certified to the standards of the National and State Parks?
- * What is the capacity of storage water, and sewage you have? This is necessary to know so you can plan how long you can stay and where are the available dump stations.
Water Storage
You should have three types of storage for your hygiene needs: clean water, hot water, grey water.
- * How will you use these? Knowing this will be essential to trip planning.
- * How much gray water storage and how much sewer capacity do you have? You cannot allow your gray water (bath water and dishwater) to drain onto the ground. This is unsanitary and illegal in most states as well as National Parks. Knowing how much capacity and how to tell when it is getting full is a must. These things are in your owner's manual.
Size of the RV
How long is your RV, and how wide is it? The outer dimensions will be necessary to know so you can pick out a camp site and reserve it in advance. Reserving a campsite too small just won't work. Just as bad is pulling into a campsite and not knowing if your RV will fit. You just have to know this information.
Review you owner's manual to find out where all the shut off valves are, all the drain valves are and where the fuse boxes are located. Knowing these things will help you have a great trip instead of a disastrous one. If things go wrong and chances are they will, you will know what to do. The more you know about your RV the better it can serve you.
