Welcome to the Beginner’s Guide to RVing from RVtravel.com. The information we present here every Monday through Friday is for brand-new RVers – those in the market to buy their first RV and those who just purchased theirs. If you are an experienced RVer, this material may be too basic for you.
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Tuesday, August 16, 2022
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DID YOU MISS reading this morning’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter? Good stuff there.
Page Contents
RVing Basics
How do I use the RV’s water pump?
Simple. Flip a switch. It should be very visible inside the RV, usually in the bathroom or on a control panel with other gauges that show water tank levels and battery condition. Be sure to turn off the water pump when it’s not needed and when traveling. You do not need to use the pump when you are hooked up to a water source (faucet).
Speaking of gauges, are they dependable?
Good question. Alas, according to a poll of 3,200 RVtravel.com readers less than 12 percent said their gauges were “very accurate.” Another 49 percent said they were not generally accurate and 40 percent reported they were not accurate.
Protect your RV’s awning from rips and tears
Camco RV Awning De-Flapper is designed to protect your RV awning from costly rips and tears while preventing noisy wind flapping. The De-Flapper holds securely with hook and loop straps & is made of durable nylon with UV stabilizers. It’s chemically and rust-resistant with a universal fit. It features soft, non-marring grippers that protect the awning fabric & can be used with screen room in place. Learn more or order.
Quick Tips
Used-RV buyer beware!
Buying a used RV? Don’t just settle for a “bill of sale.” Make sure you see the title – and match the VIN numbers on the title against those on the rig, before you hand over your hard-earned cash.
An easy way to avoid flooded RVs
Jett S., a full-timer with 11 years’ road experience, writes: “We never leave our campground without turning the water off at the spigot. We make no exceptions and we’re consistent – if we’re away from the RV, the water is turned off. We’ve seen RVs with water pouring out of them and no occupant to be found. We don’t ever want to have that experience! Also, when we get someplace where we plan to stay for a while, we fill our fresh water tank and use that first. If the pump runs when we’re not running water, we know something has loosened during travel and it’s time to inspect our water lines.” Thanks, Jett!
If you could tell someone new to RVing just one thing, what would it be?
From the editors: We asked our readers this question. Here is one response:
“If you’re really serious, tour some models and ask some owners for their thoughts! If you know what you want in amenities get them on your first RV! Better to have as close to everything you want and need than be ‘trading up’ after a few months or trips!” —Tom M.
Random RV Thought
When you are far from power or don’t want to fire up the generator but find your RV carpet needs a good vacuuming, you can do a halfway decent job of making it look better by just sweeping it with a broom.
Eight things to keep in your RV in case of an emergency
• Lifestraw • Flashlight • First Aid Kit • Fire Extinguishing Aerosol Spray • LED Road Flares • Solar-Powered Phone Charger • Fire Starter • Freeze-Dried Food
Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
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Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.
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I still half fill the tank, but I also turn off the city water line when I am not in the Airstream Trailer.
The last time we left the city water faucet on overnight, I flushed the toilet in the night. The park water supply was broken and only had about 5 psi which wasn’t enough to shut off the toilet valve. We woke up with water all over the floor. Now we just fill our tank and shut the water pump off at night.
I don’t know what kind of toilet you have but in my 50 years of RVing I’ve only run across toilets that close with a spring. Can you enlighten us as to the brand?