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Old 05-19-2015, 09:13 AM   #1
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Dropping off TT at park early?

We are picking up our TT tomorrow. The park we plan to stay in is closer than home and we will be camping there Friday night. The park rangers are most reassuring about the safety of leaving it there. I have some questions for y'all though: Should we leave the slides in or out? Electricity connected or not? We plan to connect water, but turn it off. Please give us your experienced advice as this is our first ever RV excursion. We are VERY excited.
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Old 05-19-2015, 09:20 AM   #2
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If not staying, I'd personally just unhitch and lock it up. I wouldn't connect water or power and I'd leave slides in. And I'd put a lock the tongue latch.
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Old 05-19-2015, 09:25 AM   #3
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Slides in or out is personal preference. Depends on how much more secure you think it will be. Keeping them in is probably slightly safer. Less chance of damage to them.

Electricity on or off depends in if you want your fridge to stay cold or not.

Turning the water off is a good idea but if it's just a matter of connecting two ends, why not just leave the hose off completely?
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Old 05-19-2015, 09:30 AM   #4
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Being a new trailer I would probably just unhook and lock it up. I would want to be there in case there was a problem somewhere. You never know until you use it. You'll probably have no issues at all but better safe than sorry.
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Old 05-19-2015, 09:41 AM   #5
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Thanks this is very useful! We will open it and load our gear and then close it back and unhook everything before we leave the park. I have always christened my canoes. Is this appropriate for TT?
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Old 05-19-2015, 09:48 AM   #6
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Just my two cents if you plan on getting in late on Friday night hook everything up less to do when you get there..... Other than that what ever you want to do will work. We have done it every way. I would put the slides out a thief isn't as apt to try to hook up & drive off. If the trailer is sitting there buttoned up it says hey I am ready to go.................

I would leave the water turned off & put a lock in the hitch at minimum.

Campground theft is very rare though.

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Old 05-19-2015, 09:49 AM   #7
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Your brave.

I am too protective to leave my camper alone for too long. I do not mind leaving for most of the day to do some sightseeing but leaving it for a few nights would be a bit unnerving. I just think that once the sun goes down, then all the crazies come out.

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Old 05-19-2015, 09:54 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LoBill View Post
Thanks this is very useful! We will open it and load our gear and then close it back and unhook everything before we leave the park. I have always christened my canoes. Is this appropriate for TT?
Just don't drip it in the lake!

I agree leaving things unconnected. Most parks I have been in are safe, a state park most likely is isolated, relying on local rangers is good.
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Old 05-19-2015, 09:55 AM   #9
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I look at it like at home if it looks like someone is there they will move onto on that looks empty......... Having said that if gone for the day usually lock the doors but not always. Gone several days yes lock. But we don't bring anything in. Leave the chairs & grill etc out.... 30 years of camping nothing has been taken to date.

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Old 05-19-2015, 10:05 AM   #10
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I look at it like at home if it looks like someone is there they will move onto on that looks empty......... Having said that if gone for the day usually lock the doors but not always. Gone several days yes lock. But we don't bring anything in. Leave the chairs & grill etc out.... 30 years of camping nothing has been taken to date.

More or less the same for me

I have had one thing taken, a Satellite Dish that was locked. The new dish is double chained now. Camping in one form or another since 1965 and never had anything stolen.
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Old 05-19-2015, 11:47 AM   #11
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I agree leave everything unhooked. Especially electric if you do not have a surge protector yet.
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Old 05-19-2015, 11:56 AM   #12
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Your biggest RISK ?? Someone will break in and steal? OR SOMEONE WILL STEAL THE UNIT. Harder to steal the whole thing if the slides are out and looks more like someone lives there than like an abandoned trailer. Hook it up mostly, but not turn anything on.

Now my question. I have been wondering, since I went all LED if anyone has seen a good "on at dusk, off at daylight", porch light. While I would be hesitant to leave the water on I am similarly wondering if leaving the shore power on is a good idea. My power cord is permanently attached in a compartment, but how frequently are external screw-on power cords stolen?

Definitely LOCK IT UP. We put two on the hitch and one scissor chock between tires with a LOCK on it. My DW requires it to be locked when parked in out back yard. Trusting soul huh?!
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Old 05-20-2015, 06:29 AM   #13
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there are a lot of time we will take ours out on thursaday night to get a better spot set it up hook up electric so frig runs just turn off water head back home if we need to work the next day cuts about another 15 miles off the trip to work the next morning at 5am never had any problems
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Old 05-20-2015, 07:20 AM   #14
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Definitely do not connect the water if you are not going to be around. I had a new hybrid I took to the local KOA for a shakedown run. I set up, hooked up and then left. After I left the water feed to the the toilet popped off. I had water running out from under the trailer door, creating a nice waterfall on the steps, when I came back! All covered under warranty but a mess I didn't need....
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Old 05-20-2015, 10:54 AM   #15
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Y'all are the best! I hope that someday we will be helping others start their on-the-road lives
Going to get surge protector and hitch lock before we leave dealership. I will check weather before final decision about slides, but everything will be off when we leave it. Thanks!!!
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Old 05-20-2015, 01:11 PM   #16
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If this is indeed your first trip out with this trailer I would leave slides in and water/power disconnected. You'll want to know the slides are waterproof and the plumbing doesn't have any leaks before leaving it for any length of time. The same probably goes for the power....and propane

If you've stayed in the trailer before when it rained I'd say slides out is ok but I'd still leave the water/power/propane disconnected or at least off in case something develops while you're away.

Have fun.

BTW Great idea going up early and getting things ready for the weekend.
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Old 05-20-2015, 01:49 PM   #17
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We do this on a lot of holiday camps. Call me stupid or lucky, but I've always completely set it up turn on the fridge set the a/c and roll out, have never had a problem)! The way I see it, is if some one wants to steal your camper or something in it and they want it bad enough they are going to get it (that is why I have full coverage insurance). Another thing is, if equipment in the rv is going to fail while it sits there over night, it could fail while your out hiking just the same during the weekend.


I'll be doing exactly this tomorrow after work. I am setting up 3 camp sites tomorrow and wont see it again till Friday evening.
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Old 05-21-2015, 11:07 AM   #18
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We did it! Got the TT from the dealer, drove to park, (we have never towed before) DH did a fine job. Unhooked, made friends with neighbors, opened slides and loaded TT before closing it and disconnecting everything. We are back at work today and anticipating the weekend Thanks again for all the good advice.
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Old 05-21-2015, 03:17 PM   #19
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Get to the campground on Thursday. Call in sick on Friday. Problem solved.

All kidding aside, I'd put the slides out, disconnect the water, and lock the door and tongue.
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Old 05-21-2015, 11:01 PM   #20
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The site team had to do a little off-topic cleanup in this thread. Thank You
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