All kinds of questions:

[Buckeye Nut]

I'm a noob to travel trailers having purchased a used Rockwood and about to embark on my first trip.

While checking out the TT, the black water lights indicate the tank is full but the rest are empty. So my first stop will be a waste disposal station. The question is if it is indeed full, and no other water on board, how do I rinse the hose and stuff...or do I need to?

Secondly, driving through the camp sites tonight, I noticed a lot have large amounts of blocks under their stabilizers, and one TT was on a make shift ramp using firewood, a plank, and the concrete block to park against. How many blocks, slabs of wood, or other stabilizing support pieces do you carry with you?

Thanks in advance !

[Sharps45120]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Nut

I'm a noob to travel trailers having purchased a used Rockwood and about to embark on my first trip.

Congrats on your purchase!

While checking out the TT, the black water lights indicate the tank is full but the rest are empty. So my first stop will be a waste disposal station. The question is if it is indeed full, and no other water on board, how do I rinse the hose and stuff...or do I need to?

Is that from a previous owner? If so...eeewwwwww. Anyway, there will be a hose at the dump station, non potable water for you to rinse.

Secondly, driving through the camp sites tonight, I noticed a lot have large amounts of blocks under their stabilizers, and one TT was on a make shift ramp using firewood, a plank, and the concrete block to park against. How many blocks, slabs of wood, or other stabilizing support pieces do you carry with you?

DH usually carries a couple of 8' 2x10 boards as well as 1' sections of 4x4 posts to block up the landing gear and wheels. But we have a level driveway where we keep our camper for the season.

Thanks in advance !

Good luck and have fun!

[rsdata]

While checking out the TT, the black water lights indicate the tank is full but the rest are empty

COuld be that there is TP or "other" crud on the sensor and you really do NOT have anything in the tank.

There are many threads here about solving that type of problem, with most using soapy water and ice cubes to scour the tank while driving around for an hour or so... then dump and hopefully the sensors get clean.

[Buckeye Nut]

First trip out:
Lost bolt on slide out mechanism in driveway, so started out kinda rough.
Black water lights showing full so pulled to dump station on arrival, but very little in there. Lights still showing full.
Filled up with water, smelled horrible....apparently the water system needs flushed?
ABS uint went out on truck...constant clicking from under hood...unplugged for now..
Water supply lights show 1/3 full even when full.
Broke the strap on awning.

Most of weekend was pretty smooth after that.

What do I do about the water supply?

[RSchleder]

You need to sanitize the fresh water tank. You can pick up a bottle of fresh water sanitizer from most RV dealers or Camping world. Also, you can order it online. The bottle will have detailed directions on it so just follow them and you'll be fine.
Also, when connected to city or campground water facets, be sure you use a "pressure regulator" to control the pressure your RV water system is exposed to. These can also be purchased at a RV dealer, Camping World, to online.

[aceinspp]

Once you return home fill the fresh water tank and add cup of bleach run the water through the system faucets. Let set for a day then totally drain tank. Flush then fill and run water through system again to remove remaining bleach. You also need to clean and flush black water tank but need to do at camp ground. Make sure to add chemicals to the black tank after flushing and add about 1 gal of water to this tank. Also drain the hot water heater.

I use Lynx levelers for the stabilizer jacks. You can purchase it camping dealers or CW. Later RJD

[Buckeye Nut]

Thanks for all the great advice. Bleached the water system, and drained a lot of rust from the hot water tank. Rinsed and repeated a couple times until water was clear. Going to install new anode rod and hope for the best. Camping this weekend with full hook-ups so should be able to run a lot of water through it.

Do you also clean the city water inlet anyway?

[Dave Lyon]

The tank sensors are notoriously unreliable, especially, if you don't know how they were previously maintained.

You need to service the holding tanks. I would fill them 2/3 full with water and a mix of 1 cup powered laundry soap and 1 cup of Calgon water softener (Geo Method - Google it) and drive with it either to your next campground or home for your campground......flush and repeat.....and repeat.

Remember, you should always dump 5 gallons of water into your black tank prior to using it and don't dump it until at least 2/3 full.

[aceinspp]

The old Ice cube trick works the best. After dumping add couple gallons water and then add a bunch of ice cubes and drive to next camp ground and dump. Should now show emty. Later RJD