New A122 owner on Cape Cod, headed to Florida soon, with lots of questions.

[lotsip]

Originally Posted by TRAVELINBOB

Agree, wallyworld has a nice set at a reasonable price, 3 piece with hitch lock when parked! BOL

Wally world, just spent 100 bucks there on a 30 amp extension cord, 50 ' potable water hose, and a couple other things!!......will have to head back over this weekend for that 3 piece lock set !

Picking up my a122 tomorrow, i am soooooooooo excited (takes a deep breath).......a tad worried, might get a bit of snow overnite, and its a 30 mile drive.....how are these things towing in the snow? lol

I am thinking of staying in the trailer overnite in my driveway ! haha, and shush, no laughin at me !

[lotsip]

Originally Posted by lotsip

Been almost 30 years since i did 81 , have been to florida a few times, but, never towing......so, i put up with the '95 lunacy... But, now retired and in no rush, but, with less tolerance for city traffic, my priorities have changed Last time I drove to Florida, 4 years ago, i was still working, i did it in two days, 1400 miles.....never again, ha........this trip will take me three days, at least, and, if i am smart enough to slow down, four ;p I was thinking of the Flyin J Truck Stops, their web site says all of their locations welcomes RV's to park overnite for free. The thing that bothers me about Walmarts, is I hear not ALL of em allow Rv's. With my luck, every walmart I'd stop at would tell me to keep drivin down the road, lol



Pilot Flying J

Oh, found a neat thing in the yahoo groups last nite....POI (points of interest) files I can install on my Garmin GPS that tell me where all the Walmarts in the country are, and which accept RV's, and , of course, directions to them.....that will be so helpful......also shows all the Flyin J's, and Sam's club, which I've read never turn away RV'ers. Was thinking the Walmarts may be better though, likely to be quieter, those truck stops are busy all nite!

[gregory]

Originally Posted by lotsip

Wally world, just spent 100 bucks there on a 30 amp extension cord, 50 ' potable water hose, and a couple other things!!......will have to head back over this weekend for that 3 piece lock set !

Money well spent! Once you get it rigged up like you want it, you'll be golden.

Originally Posted by lotsip

I am thinking of staying in the trailer overnite in my driveway ! haha, and shush, no laughin at me !

We're not going to laugh! Driveway camping is always an excellent idea. There are many here that have done exactly that.

Originally Posted by lotsip

Was thinking the Walmarts may be better though, likely to be quieter, those truck stops are busy all nite!

I guess that's the price you pay for 'free' camping. I'd suggest parking away from the semis. There will probably be other RVs over-nighting at Flying J and Walmart. It'll be quieter (and safer) parking along side of other RVs.

Deb

btw, If you camp in your driveway, be sure your aframe is level. Operating the refrigerator, if you aren't level, can damage it. The jacks mounted under your aframe are not made to take pressure for leveling the camper, they are only for stabilization.

[lotsip]

Originally Posted by gregory

Money well spent! Once you get it rigged up like you want it, you'll be golden.



We're not going to laugh! Driveway camping is always an excellent idea. There are many here that have done exactly that.



I guess that's the price you pay for 'free' camping. I'd suggest parking away from the semis. There will probably be other RVs over-nighting at Flying J and Walmart. It'll be quieter (and safer) parking along side of other RVs.

Deb

btw, If you camp in your driveway, be sure your aframe is level. Operating the refrigerator, if you aren't level, can damage it. The jacks mounted under your aframe are not made to take pressure for leveling the camper, they are only for stabilization.

Thanks for the tips guys, so helpful ! Wait, I thought thats what the 4 jacks where for? I will make sure the "Presenter" from the RV place I picked up the camper from explains that clearly to me tomorrow !

[D-mo]

I think you need adapters ......
50//30 amps ... are a necessity when your out on the road ...
15/30 amps is also a necessity ... also a very good quality extension cord ...
Your 20 ft 30 amp wire ... from the post to the trailer, should be augemented with another 50 ft extension.
Another suggestion would be a "water thief". This little adapter connects to any faucet type, and can be used to fill your fresh water tank .. or conversly ...you can use it to offload water off your Taco .. from a Aquatainer or two into your fresh water tank ... have a look at the product and you will see what i mean ...

welcome .. d-mo

[D-mo]

another tip is dont camp at walmarts .. or truck stops/rest stops. In another neighbourhood, you should be much more carefull.
A 24 k taco, and a 11k trailer is an invitation for a breakin ...especially with out of state or out of country plates. I still dont know why people with bigger rigs park at these places than rather dumping 20 bucks on a secure campsite ... \

d-mo

[lotsip]

Originally Posted by D-mo

I think you need adapters ......
50//30 amps ... are a necessity when your out on the road ...
15/30 amps is also a necessity ... also a very good quality extension cord ...
Your 20 ft 30 amp wire ... from the post to the trailer, should be augemented with another 50 ft extension.
Another suggestion would be a "water thief". This little adapter connects to any faucet type, and can be used to fill your fresh water tank .. or conversly ...you can use it to offload water off your Taco .. from a Aquatainer or two into your fresh water tank ... have a look at the product and you will see what i mean ...

welcome .. d-mo

Oh thanks, will see if the rvdealer has those adapters tomorrow !
got a 30 amp extension cord tonite at walmart. but need those adapters.
will google water thief right now, thanks again !

[wfmdfm]

I am very close to the Cape. Good luck on your trip. I find 25 ft white hoses are much easier to work with than 50 or 100. You take out what you need for a particular site. Same with electric cords. One long and one short for me works fine. Once you get a little south you may find some State parks to stay in rather than the parking lots. You will find them more relaxing anot much $$ and you can have a campfire.

[lotsip]

Originally Posted by wfmdfm

I am very close to the Cape. Good luck on your trip. I find 25 ft white hoses are much easier to work with than 50 or 100. You take out what you need for a particular site. Same with electric cords. One long and one short for me works fine. Once you get a little south you may find some State parks to stay in rather than the parking lots. You will find them more relaxing anot much $$ and you can have a campfire.

Great suggestions, bought the hose at Walmart, so, I can return it And yes, was thinking maybe one or two nites at walmart or flyin J , just to get a few hours sleep, but, once i get into warmer weather, like the carolinas and south, campground then thanks

[lotsip]

Originally Posted by wfmdfm

I am very close to the Cape. Good luck on your trip. I find 25 ft white hoses are much easier to work with than 50 or 100. You take out what you need for a particular site. Same with electric cords. One long and one short for me works fine. Once you get a little south you may find some State parks to stay in rather than the parking lots. You will find them more relaxing anot much $$ and you can have a campfire.

BTW, which route do u take/suggest going south? I really am in no rush, and if I can avoid the new haven ct. to wash, dc stretch, without going too far inland (more hilly and more snow this time of year).

I was kinda toying with these routes. WHat do u think ?
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid...721b72bb&msa=0

[2Susan]

I can't speak to the route questions but two things come to mind.
1. They have stores where you are going. If you aren't sure need something why not wait and see? For example your electrical extension to the campsite hook up - doesn't sound like you will need one this trip. Waiting allows you time to consider differences between what is available as well as comparing prices. You might want to consider a nifty (bit expensive) gadget that cuts power to your rig if there is an electrical surge, and notifies you of ungrounded / backward wire service polls. Search this site for discussions on these
2. drinking water hose. Again you should be fine with a 25 ft hose for this particular campsite, but I would suggest getting better than the basic cheapo hose. We had nasty tasting water until upgrading the hose. You might find too that two 25' hoses are easier to handle than one long one. Not so much to have to drain and re-roll for most of your stops. We also have a non-drinking water hose (one of those that self coils and is light weight). I bring a container of bleach to swab off the faucet, ends of the water hose and connection to the rig before connecting.

Now some suggestions you might not have considered:
1. bring tools so that you can do minor repairs - such as remove replace a faucet or electrical switch, tighten screws, etc. You'll find something that needs adjusting!
2. purchase an inline water filter (find them at Walmart in the RV section) that attaches to your hose before the water goes into your rig. Traps the sand & sediment and crud that might otherwise clog your faucet areators
3. Do not buy black tank chemicals - you do not need them at all. Just make sure to flush your black tank well when you empty it - and do not leave the sewer connection open while you are in the campground. If you do you will have a pyramid of the solids drying out. Water is your friend in the black tank!
4. When you pick up your rig, check the dates on the batteries and get them to swap them out for newer ones. Rigs on the lots often have abused batteries - showing the units to potential buyers I think the batteries get run down and not recharged appropriately and damaged.
5. Before you leave find the fuses and pick up some spares - doesn't take much room and handy to have. Along those lines I also suggest good flashlights and plenty of batteries.

I also suggest running water through your new hose before using it - gets rid of the chemical smell / flavor. At home if you can hook it up to a bathroom sink and fill the tub for example you'll have rinsed it pretty well.

[lotsip]

Originally Posted by 2Susan

I can't speak to the route questions but two things come to mind.
1. They have stores where you are going. If you aren't sure need something why not wait and see? For example your electrical extension to the campsite hook up - doesn't sound like you will need one this trip. Waiting allows you time to consider differences between what is available as well as comparing prices. You might want to consider a nifty (bit expensive) gadget that cuts power to your rig if there is an electrical surge, and notifies you of ungrounded / backward wire service polls. Search this site for discussions on these
2. drinking water hose. Again you should be fine with a 25 ft hose for this particular campsite, but I would suggest getting better than the basic cheapo hose. We had nasty tasting water until upgrading the hose. You might find too that two 25' hoses are easier to handle than one long one. Not so much to have to drain and re-roll for most of your stops. We also have a non-drinking water hose (one of those that self coils and is light weight). I bring a container of bleach to swab off the faucet, ends of the water hose and connection to the rig before connecting.

Now some suggestions you might not have considered:
1. bring tools so that you can do minor repairs - such as remove replace a faucet or electrical switch, tighten screws, etc. You'll find something that needs adjusting!
2. purchase an inline water filter (find them at Walmart in the RV section) that attaches to your hose before the water goes into your rig. Traps the sand & sediment and crud that might otherwise clog your faucet areators
3. Do not buy black tank chemicals - you do not need them at all. Just make sure to flush your black tank well when you empty it - and do not leave the sewer connection open while you are in the campground. If you do you will have a pyramid of the solids drying out. Water is your friend in the black tank!
4. When you pick up your rig, check the dates on the batteries and get them to swap them out for newer ones. Rigs on the lots often have abused batteries - showing the units to potential buyers I think the batteries get run down and not recharged appropriately and damaged.
5. Before you leave find the fuses and pick up some spares - doesn't take much room and handy to have. Along those lines I also suggest good flashlights and plenty of batteries.

I also suggest running water through your new hose before using it - gets rid of the chemical smell / flavor. At home if you can hook it up to a bathroom sink and fill the tub for example you'll have rinsed it pretty well.

Great suggestions Susan!! Gonna return the 50' hose and get a 25'. also gonna return the extension cord...thank God for walmart's return policy, plus I think they have plenty of walmart's and rv's store down south Will definitely get the inline water filter, and I always carry tools, and have no black water tank on my rig. I bought a '12 leftover, but, still new, i bet that battery is worn down some.......I'm also guessin the RV dealer will squack with I ask them to replace it, ha, but, will try.

[toleworks]

We use a 22 inch flat screen and set it on the counter top above the microwave. I made a small U shaped shelf that the TV sits on so I can put a DVD player or satellite receiver under the TV. I don't think you'll have much luck picking up local channels with rabbit ears. I bought an omni directional antenna and put it on a pole and I still get a limited number of channels. Some campgrounds are better than others. I've seen other threads about different antenna setups. I don't use a satellite system on the road, but I do record a ton of movies and TV programs on my Dish network receiver, then take the receiver with me and play back my recordings.

For internet we have an IPad that can go Wi-fi or 3G. We can do practically everything on an iPad that we can do on a laptop. Older iPads probably could be found dirt cheap, I imagine, but I haven't really looked into that.

I hope your vehicle is set up with an electric brake controller and proper trailer connection.

The slime air compressor is a good emergency unit to have around. I got it to take on motorcycle trips, which came in handy, but I haven't needed it while camping. The Slime unit is good since it comes with different connectors. The cigarette plug may work but it may not be located near the problem, and it may blow the fuse in the vehicle. Alligator clips can be connected to the trailer battery, and the battery can be moved to where you need it.

[lotsip]

Originally Posted by toleworks

We use a 22 inch flat screen and set it on the counter top above the microwave. I made a small U shaped shelf that the TV sits on so I can put a DVD player or satellite receiver under the TV. I don't think you'll have much luck picking up local channels with rabbit ears. I bought an omni directional antenna and put it on a pole and I still get a limited number of channels. Some campgrounds are better than others. I've seen other threads about different antenna setups. I don't use a satellite system on the road, but I do record a ton of movies and TV programs on my Dish network receiver, then take the receiver with me and play back my recordings.

For internet we have an IPad that can go Wi-fi or 3G. We can do practically everything on an iPad that we can do on a laptop. Older iPads probably could be found dirt cheap, I imagine, but I haven't really looked into that.

I hope your vehicle is set up with an electric brake controller and proper trailer connection.

The slime air compressor is a good emergency unit to have around. I got it to take on motorcycle trips, which came in handy, but I haven't needed it while camping. The Slime unit is good since it comes with different connectors. The cigarette plug may work but it may not be located near the problem, and it may blow the fuse in the vehicle. Alligator clips can be connected to the trailer battery, and the battery can be moved to where you need it.

Thanks so much for the wonderful tips ! I was thinking 22" TV......but, now u got me thinking of at least a 26". Am gonna start with some kind of antenna and hope for the best in Florida, if I get sick of crummy reception, I can pick up a Dish Network weekender package at any of the Camping World stores in Florida.

I thought of an IPad, but, not sure if I want that expense....already have a laptop, so, was kinda thinking of the Verizon Jetpac with a monthly data plan, we'll see.

Picking up my a122 today and the rv dealer is installing a Voyager electric brake controller in my Tacoma. I've trailered boats for years, so, there is some carryover knowledge there, hopefully.

I'm gonna ask the RV dealer today what they would recommend, I want to make sure I get a compressor that's powerful enough to blow out the water lines .

Thanks again for the help !

[lotsip]

YAY, big day! Set the camper up in my driveway, got the camper level, then had to run to the hardware store for a male to male 3/8" bit for a 3/4" socket to put the stabilizers down with my drill !, But, that made it a lot easier....... The sides went up easily, just have to be careful with that door !...plugged into my outside 110v outlet with a 30amp to 110v adapter they gave me at the RV dealership yesterday, and turned on the propane....my friend bill came over and we got everything working....took a while to figure out the Dometic thermostat, but, finally did, and the Cool cat worked, heat or AC, as well as the furnace, stove, microwave, stereo, put the refrigerator on propane, worked fine.....all in all a great day....!! I took more pics...!

New Camper Pics Photos by pcr1125 | Photobucket

[gregory]

Lookin' good! Are you sleeping in 'er tonight? Exciting stuff



Deb

[lotsip]

Originally Posted by gregory

Lookin' good! Are you sleeping in 'er tonight? Exciting stuff



Deb

Hahahaha, I was actually thinkin about it !.....(sounds like you been there before, Deb )

[TRAVELINBOB]

CONGRATS, LOOKS GREAT! Enjoy, tip I have seen listed on the sight that maybe is not mentioned here, 24 hours before you leave hook up shore power and turn the fridge on 120, then hook her up to the car, switch to 12v while driving, unhook from car to prevent draining vehicle battery at night, should be cold when you arrive at your destination!

[lotsip]

Thanks Bob, I am already in LOVE with my a122, so cozy, and so many toys in it !

Thanks for the refrigerator tip, not sure if i will have anything to put in the fridge, but, if I do, your tip is a great one !!!

Still don't know when i am going, sometime after my doctor's appointment on monday.......haha....should be within a week or so after that......not sure of the route yet, might stay in the Panhandle for a few days at first, got a couple park tips there from Deb, and they don't look like they fill up.

[TRAVELINBOB]

remember if you put a bunch of not so cold stuff in it and its not already cold it will take forever to GET COLD, best to Pre-cool it,,,the SPACE POD as I call it is sooo cool! you barely need a fridge :>)