Give me your "gotta have" travel trailer advice/gadgets/suggestions...

[Pescaphile]

@Pescaphile
I have a 15' Escape trailer and am running a pair of 6v interstate golf cart batteries. I have a 30 amp post in my trailer camping spot and leave it plugged in all the time. Is this a good way to preserve the batteries, or should I run it on battery occasionally while it is parked. I have heard that the life span of these batteries is about 4 years, does this sound about right? Thank you ! and would like any additional tips on keeping them going. I was lame once and got to boondocking spot with dead batteries. Appreciate the tips.

4 years isn't too long. I have two banks each using two 6v GC2s in series and am going on eight years with little signs of degradation. I've spent up to a month on my boat away from power and have no problems.

Keep them watered and avoid deep discharges and they'll last well over four years. Deep discharges and continual operation at partial state of charge (not fully recharging between discharge cycles) will greatly reduce the lifespan of the battery.

Keeping your trailer plugged into AC power won't affect your batteries unless you're using the AC to power a charger. If you do use a charger, make sure it's a model which will cycle your batteries through bulk and absorption phases and then float your batteries, typically somewhere around 13.6-13.8 volts for lead acid types. Overcharging will also reduce battery life and some older chargers simply keep the battery voltage up at the absorption voltage (typically 14.4v or greater) and can cook your batteries (and produce potentially hazardous off gassing!) if you don't turn it off after the batteries are fully charged.

Some people leave their chargers on continuously keeping their batteries at the float voltage. My charger does that but I just don't like leaving AC power on while I'm away. Since adding the solar, I've hardly used my conventional charger at all.

Different battery manufactures will have slightly different recommendations for their batteries for absorption and float voltages. I called Interstate and spoke with one of their engineers and got their recommended values and then programmed my solar charge controller and conventional AC charger to match what they recommend. The default values for lead acid batteries in those devices are probably close enough but since I have the ability to easily modify them I figured it was worthwhile.

 

[O clarkii lewisi]

4 years isn't too long. I have two banks each using two 6v GC2s in series and am going on eight years with little signs of degradation. I've spent up to a month on my boat away from power and have no problems.

Keep them watered and avoid deep discharges and they'll last well over four years. Deep discharges and continual operation at partial state of charge (not fully recharging between discharge cycles) will greatly reduce the lifespan of the battery.

Keeping your trailer plugged into AC power won't affect your batteries unless you're using the AC to power a charger. If you do use a charger, make sure it's a model which will cycle your batteries through bulk and absorption phases and then float your batteries, typically somewhere around 13.6-13.8 volts for lead acid types. Overcharging will also reduce battery life and some older chargers simply keep the battery voltage up at the absorption voltage (typically 14.4v or greater) and can cook your batteries (and produce potentially hazardous off gassing!) if you don't turn it off after the batteries are fully charged.

Some people leave their chargers on continuously keeping their batteries at the float voltage. My charger does that but I just don't like leaving AC power on while I'm away. Since adding the solar, I've hardly used my conventional charger at all.

Different battery manufactures will have slightly different recommendations for their batteries for absorption and float voltages. I called Interstate and spoke with one of their engineers and got their recommended values and then programmed my solar charge controller and conventional AC charger to match what they recommend. The default values for lead acid batteries in those devices are probably close enough but since I have the ability to easily modify them I figured it was worthwhile.

Thank you for this good info.

 

[MT_Flyfisher]

 

[SurfnFish]

when roughing it for 4 or 5 days, and time to empty the grey water and you haven't had your first cup of coffee yet...make sure to pull the grey valve, not the black,...don't ask how I know this...

 

[cdnred]

So, I ended up getting kinda screwed out of the bass boat I was going to buy. But then, a great deal on a travel trailer popped up for sale locally and I decided to give family non-tent camping a try. Not a giant trailer, 18 ft. Jayco Jay Flight SLX 184BH. Dinette turns into a bed for the wife and I, two bunks for the kids. But still plenty bigger than our old tent trailer.

So, those of you who have owned or used travel trailers, what advice do you have for me? Always have a dryZair inside? Never release the grey water before the black? No getting frisky before the stabilizers are down?

GIMMIE ALL THE LESSONS!

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Congrats on a very nice trailer, you're gonna luv it..

 

[cdnred]

You have an awning - use it. Just not overnight or unattended. If there is anything more than a slight breeze and it sails on you, the damage can get real ugly quickly.

So, those of you who have owned or used travel trailers, what advice do you have for me?

Speaking of awnings, might be wise to invest in some hold downs to secure your awning should a breeze come up..

RV Awning Hold Down Strap Kit

RV Awning Hold Down Strap Kit - Camco 42514 - Awning Accessories & Hardware

www.campingworld.com

 

[Josh]

If you do use a charger, make sure it's a model which will cycle your batteries through bulk and absorption phases and then float your batteries,

Any suggestions on a good one?

 

[Pescaphile]

Any suggestions on a good one?

Are you going to mount it in the trailer and hard wire it in through your panel or are you looking for a portable unit? Generally, for a house bank, a charger is sized to have a max charge rate (amps) at something like 25% of the batteries capacity in amp-hours. So for example, if you had a 12-volt system using two 6-volt GC2 batteries in series (typically GC2s are about 200-235 amp-hours) for your house needs you'd use a charger rated at about 50 amps (25% x 200). You can use a smaller charger, e.g., a 20 amp model, but it will take more time to charge the batteries. Charging time likely isn't a concern once it gets parked back at the barn awaiting the next adventure, but may very well be while you're out on the road and want to get it charged somewhere. I can't recommend solar enough for keeping batteries full or even just partially offsetting your battery discharge so you don't need to charge as much or as long while out using it.

I'd figure out what I was going to use for batteries before selecting the charger. You can do a simple energy budget to get an idea of your needs (AHs) to help pick a battery which will work for you and then find a charger. Most (all?) good units will work with different battery types, i.e., lead acid, Li, AGM.

If you want an inverter you might consider a charger/inverter combination unit. These are only available for hard-wired installations to the best of my knowledge.

I'm partial to equipment by Victron Energy but there are good chargers made by others such as Mastervolt, Charles, Newmar, Xantrex, etc.

 

[bobduck]

My 20ft Nash travel trailer sat in my driveway for nearly 3yrs during the pandemic and the wife and I decided to take a long trip through the western states. This was my experience. A most wonderful time interrupted a few times by issues. Departure was delayed 3 days for refrigerator repair. Should have been an omen. The tech that did the repair work inadvertently left the setting on "coldest". The first evening of the trip we discovered everything in the entire refrigerator compartment was frozen. Goodbye veggies. Reset and on we went. Two days later the hot water heater died. The same day in Zion my camera died. Returning to the park I spotted a "mobile" rv repair rig 3 spots away and he installed a new thermostat, The next day I bought a new camera. On the way to our next exciting adventure the power steering pump in my tow vehicle died. I arrived in Moab and luckily had a pull through spot. Unhitched I drove all through Arches without power steering. Upon returning to the park found a mobile mechanic who installed a new pump on a Sunday evening. Now fixed I drove on the Monument Valley where the new pump failed Drove on to Williams Arizona and finally found a mechanic in Flagstaff to install a new one again. (Incidentally O'Reillys in Moab refused to honor the warranty) So now I have a good power steering pump for only $850. In Camp Verde, my dump hose sprung a leak. Got a new one at Ace Hardware. All good till hit California and my fresh water hose sprung a leak so replaced that and also the tail light bulb on the trailer. Finally back to Oregon and all is good right? Wrong. My wife had moved the coffee pot to plug in her tablet charger and forgot to move it back. After lunch in Eugene we opened the trailer door to put the leftover lunches in the frig and immediately saw a coffee pot in a hundred pieces on the floor. At that point we just started laughing. Had to be one more thing. So what did I learn? One, there are a lot of really nice people in this world. There is such a thing as mobile mechanics and mobile rv repairmen. O'Reilly's corporate home office address. And even with a few problems on a long road trip one can still have a great time and see a lot of fantastic places. There are a bunch of good ideas in this thread and even us old guys can learn new tricks. The only other bad thing was my 5 wt Sage never made out of the truck except to show a guy from Texas that was bragging up his catfishing what a fly rod looked like.

 

[M_D]

It has already been mentioned to make sure your tires are in good shape and the manufactures date is relatively recent, good rule of thumb is change your tires every 4-5 years depending upon the amount of use. Once you know your tires are good do yourself a favor and buy a TPMS for your trailer tires. You can find them on Amazon, very cheap insurance that can save you lots of money from the damage of a tire blow out. You do not need a really expensive one.

https://www.amazon.com/Tymate-Pressure-Monitoring-System-M12-3/dp/B07S7CP3PB/ref=sr_1_7_sspa?crid=2JZZVUFQ4LG2R&keywords=tpms+tire+pressure+monitor+system&qid=1647209902&sprefix=tpms+%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-7-spons&psc=1&smid=AAJUNKN11W62R&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzRFlaOThOVTYxTE1LJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODQ4NDk1MUVLQkpCMTlYQUtUTCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDczNDMyMUdIWk5HU01KRVlXSSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX210ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Second buy wheel/tire covers and use them while storing your trailer. Best thing you can do for your trailer tires while your trailer is sitting is keep them off the dirt/gravel and cover them from UV damage. Again these are cheap and on amazon.

Some have mention a chemical dry air "damprid", these work but I prefer to use the following. This only works if you have the luxury of storing your trailer and plugging it in. It adds a little heat but keeps the air bone dry and no smells.

https://www.amazon.com/Davis-Instruments-Air-Dryr-1000-Dryer/dp/B0014TMXVA/ref=sr_1_1?crid=320D3T69L2LQU&keywords=air+-dryr&qid=1647210407&sprefix=air+-dryr%2Caps%2C214&sr=8-1

Just like fishing, it seems like you will spend more in accessories than you did the trailer.

Enjoy your new trailer.

Reviving an old thread here...but Max, I picked up one of the Air Dryr 1000's and have a question. When you use it, do you close all the windows and only leave the roof vents open? Or windows open a crack? What's been best in your experience? The included instructions didn't cover this.

Thanks in advance,

Mike d

 

[Greg Armstrong]

For decades with a variety of boats and campers that we’ve had, I’ve used a combination of the AC electric Air Dryer along with those dehumidifier pellet products similar to these…

Boat Dehumidifier Container

Eliminate musty odors and deodorize air with Better Boat dehumidifier! This disposable moisture absorber is perfect to keep your boat cabins smelling fresh.

betterboat.com

I keep the windows and vents closed during the winter while using this combination and I’ve never had issues with moisture buildup. You just have to remember to empty or change out the moisture that collects over time as the desiccant pellets absorb the vaporized moisture.

 

[M_D]

For decades with a variety of boats and campers that we’ve had, I’ve used a combination of the AC electric Air Dryer along with those dehumidifier pellet products similar to these…

Boat Dehumidifier Container

Eliminate musty odors and deodorize air with Better Boat dehumidifier! This disposable moisture absorber is perfect to keep your boat cabins smelling fresh.

betterboat.com

I keep the windows and vents closed during the winter while using this combination and I’ve never had issues with moisture buildup. You just have to remember to empty or change out the moisture that collects over time as the desiccant pellets absorb the vaporized moisture.

Thank you

 

[Max Morris]

Reviving an old thread here...but Max, I picked up one of the Air Dryr 1000's and have a question. When you use it, do you close all the windows and only leave the roof vents open? Or windows open a crack? What's been best in your experience? The included instructions didn't cover this.

Thanks in advance,

Mike d

Mike,

It works best to have the trailer all closed up. Opening the windows or vents allows moist air to enter the trailer which defeats the purpose. I close everything up and plug in the Air Dryr 1000 and let it do its thing. I never have a musty smell or any moisture issues. Hope this helps

 

[bobduck]

In my prior post in this thread I mentioned that O'Reillys had refused to honor their warranty on the oil pump. I downloaded a complaint form from the Utah state attorney general's office and sent it in with copies of all my receipts and the letter I sent to O'Reilly's home office. On the bottom of that letter I advised them of a carbon copy to Utah's AG. I got calls from O'Reillys and eventually a check for the price of the pump and the labor to replace it in Flagstaff.. I sent a letter to the attorney general's office to advise them I was now happy that the problem had been resolved to my satisfaction. However I didn't have a case number since they didn't have the common courtesy to acknowledge my complaint. I said a reply wasn't needed nor expected. I managed to say that without a single swear word and put in the mail. Not two hours after mailing it, the Utah AG's office called me to see if anything had been done and I said yes and thanks for calling and please disregard the caustic letter they were about to receive. So its all good.

 

[O clarkii lewisi]

So, I ended up getting kinda screwed out of the bass boat I was going to buy. But then, a great deal on a travel trailer popped up for sale locally and I decided to give family non-tent camping a try. Not a giant trailer, 18 ft. Jayco Jay Flight SLX 184BH. Dinette turns into a bed for the wife and I, two bunks for the kids. But still plenty bigger than our old tent trailer.

So, those of you who have owned or used travel trailers, what advice do you have for me? Always have a dryZair inside? Never release the grey water before the black? No getting frisky before the stabilizers are down?

GIMMIE ALL THE LESSONS!

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@Josh - the recent rodent thread made me think about your thread. Always pack mouse traps at some point you will have a rodent guest and need a way to dispense them from your truck or trailer.

 

[Josh]

@Josh - the recent rodent thread made me think about your thread. Always pack mouse traps at some point you will have a rodent guest and need a way to dispense them from your truck or trailer.

That is solid advice, and I should go do a bit of digging in the storage spaces to make sure we haven't had any recent visitors.

 

[wanderingrichard]

Josh, thanks for starting this thread. I've learned so much reading the replies. Gave me a very large list of things to do before we start using yoir old pop up.
Rich