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Old 11-24-2015, 04:19 PM   #1
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The Clueless newbie again - some questions about my RV

Hello again,

So we are settling in and I have a few questions.


The model is 2715VS - 2016.


Question 1 - Leveling

It seems pretty level.
If I sit a level on the kitchen/living room floor - the bubble is in the middle.

However, the bathroom isn't level. The door even will close itself. The bubble is leaning toward the right.

I'm ok with this if it is 'fine'. Out of curiosity, how is this possible - the rv is on a metal frame.

Also, I really don't understand leveling. I know that you do not level with the stableizers. I know you can place blocks under the wheels, etc. I'm just trying to figure out why the kitchen is level and the bathroom isn't.


Question 2: Pipes bursting

I'm full timing through a mid - Arizona winter. Typically, it gets down to low 20's then gets to the 40's. Although, I'm told 0 degree weather is possible. I've got my hose warmed (I ran it through pipe foam, and placed an outdoor incancdescent light string in it - warms it just a bit - when I go out and stick my finger in the foam, it feels warm, but never hot). I read that somewhere on this forum.

Inside, I try to open the kitchen and bathroom undersides. I've removed the panel to expose the water pump and allow more warm air in there, and I keep the space heater in the bathroom.

My question comes from the water dripping. If I dripped water in the kitchen, it would fill my front grey tank. Should I do this?

What exactly do the tank heaters do? I know they don't behave as I believed, so I need a primer.

I'm really nervous about things falling apart, so I'm trying to take care of it.

I did put some foil insulation (the bubble stuff) around most of the trailer underneath and over the tires. I have it fastened with velcro and bricks holding down the bottoms. There are some gaps near the steps etc, but I think its better than nothing.


Question 3 - Water intake connection.

Is this thing as flimsy as it seems? I've currently got something leaning against the RV and the hose taped to that in a way that takes some of the weight off of it.


Question 4 - Propane/Heater safety.

I was told this unit has a carbon monoxide detector and I see a smoke alarm in the living room. Prudent to add another pair in the bedroom?

Please, please, please, link to any and everything you think would be good for me to know. I am completely new, so do be afraid to over explain.

Any organization tips, general care tips, etc - will be most welcomed as well.

Thanks everyone! This site is awesome.
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Old 11-24-2015, 09:08 PM   #2
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Just remember, your Rockwood is NOT a 4 season trailer, it's barely a 3 season trailer.
Not designed or insulated for extended cold weather climates.
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Old 11-24-2015, 09:28 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by bikendan View Post
Just remember, your Rockwood is NOT a 4 season trailer, it's barely a 3 season trailer.
Not designed or insulated for extended cold weather climates.
Well, we were mislead, and it is too late. Just looking for help.
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Old 11-24-2015, 09:28 PM   #4
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I will tell you that we had a Rockwood trailer and we were gone for a week and a half and it got COLD! Down into the teens with highs in the low 30s for 3-4 days. It warmed up then. When we returned home, I was livid because I had asked DH to do it a couple of weeks before we left and I assumed he had done it.

We then decided to winterize, but the water filter was completely frozen. It had busted, but since the water lines had frozen, no water was running in the trailer. We went to Lowe's and got a new filter, turned the heat on in the trailer and we then winterized. Everything was fine.

As long as it warms up during the day, what you are doing should be enough other than we do unhook our hose if it gets below freezing at night. Your solution will probably be okay unless you have extended (several days) sub-32 degree day/nights.

Lots of people will tell you to get one of the oil-filled heaters, but we had neighbors that were using one and it exploded and the house burned to the ground, so I won't recommend that kind. I will recommend
http://http://www.wayfair.com/Durafl...rnLxoCwU7w_wcB

We use one of these in the early spring and late fall and it will keep our 36' fifth wheel remarkably warm, even down into the 20's. We do keep the furnace on to supplement the heater and to warm our storage areas just enough to get the water areas from freezing.

I would level around the fridge. That is what needs to be level and as long as you can't feel it out of level and the fridge is level, you are good to go.
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Old 11-24-2015, 09:40 PM   #5
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I'll give you a quickie on my method of leveling. Using a level, I made sure the trailer was level when parked at my house. I put 2 peel & stick levels on the outside of the trailer, one on each side of a corner. These are my guides.


When I pull into the spot (still hooked to the truck), I check only the side-to-side level stuck to the front. If needed, pull up and back onto some LYNX blocks to raise one side till that level is good.


Then I unhook the truck and use the tongue jack to level front-to-back. Then I put down the leveling jacks. Cranking these too hard can damage them and cause a slight twist to the frame - which could result in the conditions you describe. These trailers have some give to them or they would break up on rough roads.


Then I put my X chocks in between the tires and I'm locked in. Hope this helps.
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Old 11-24-2015, 09:46 PM   #6
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Question 3 - Water intake connection.

Is this thing as flimsy as it seems? I've currently got something leaning against the RV and the hose taped to that in a way that takes some of the weight off of it.


Get a brass 90 degree angle so the hose isn't trying to snap off the plastic mount.


Question 4 - Propane/Heater safety.

I was told this unit has a carbon monoxide detector and I see a smoke alarm in the living room. Prudent to add another pair in the bedroom?


Won't hurt, the el cheepo smoke detector that came with my unit was eating expensive 9v batteries quickly, so I replaced it with a good unit that uses AA batteries, and I use rechargables. From experience, if you run your battery down to nothing the carbon monoxide detector will start beeping. Can make you think you have a gas leak, when you really just need to charge up the 'house' battery.
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Old 11-24-2015, 09:52 PM   #7
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One more note on water. Do you have a 40 pound pressure regulator and a filter? If not, get them, they are not expensive. You can't trust the water quality or pressure. too much pressure can cause leaks in your lines - usually in places you can't see till it's too late.


So coming out the side of my camper is a brass 90 angle into a 6" piece of hose, then the filter, then the pressure regulator, then the long hose.
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Old 11-24-2015, 10:02 PM   #8
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One more note on water. Do you have a 40 pound pressure regulator and a filter? If not, get them, they are not expensive. You can't trust the water quality or pressure. too much pressure can cause leaks in your lines - usually in places you can't see till it's too late.


So coming out the side of my camper is a brass 90 angle into a 6" piece of hose, then the filter, then the pressure regulator, then the long hose.
We were given a 'pressure regulator' by the dealer. It is hooked to the water source first, then to an inline filter, then to the hose, then to a 90 degree adapter, then to the RV.

If something is wrong with this order, do let me know. Thanks.
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Old 11-24-2015, 10:58 PM   #9
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Leveling has been pretty well covered, so I won't beat that horse to death, except to say, as good as Dave's explanation is, I think he ruins it when he calls the jacks "leveling". They are stabilizer jacks, nothing more, snug them a bit to help reduce movement of the camper when walking around inside. Many people try to stabilize their camper to the point it feels like a house on a foundation; this leads to frustration and more money spent than necessary IMO. A good set on your chocks front and rear and a bit of pressure on your stabilizer jacks will go a long way.
Bursting pipes - the pex that most campers use these days is pretty stout. However, the connectors are all plastic, and that's where the weak link is. Keep everything warm or empty and you'll do fine. Not familiar with your tank heaters. If they are electric, then they are pads that, when turned on keep the tank above freezing, otherwise it is just warm air from your propane heater keeping them warm. Holding tanks are not an issue as long as they are not full. Dripping a faucet will fill your grey tank and not really do you any good. Your best bet is, as you noted, to open your cabinets and such to allow warm air into where the plumbing is.
The foil skirting you installed is great. Moving air is your enemy. By enclosing the undercarriage, you have reduced the freezing risk significantly. If you ever find yourself lost in a blizzard, dig a hole and crawl into it, then seal the hole. You are less likely to freeze below the snow than up on top of it. Same principle.
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Old 11-25-2015, 12:55 PM   #10
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Low Point Drain

I have a 2715VS also but don't camp in the cold areas. Can you tell me where you low point drain is on your camper. Evidently someone took the sticker off that indicates where they are at.
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Old 11-25-2015, 01:02 PM   #11
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When we are hooked up to shore power our main heat source is an electric convection heater. The unit has a safety shut off if it tips over. Does a good job keeping a 23' trailer warm. The propane furnace is a backup if it gets too cold.
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Old 11-25-2015, 01:39 PM   #12
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Go to this website and read about holding tank heaters. We have had them on all four of our Rockwoods. Do need to have "x" amount of water in tanks before turning on heaters. Heaters come on around 40 degrees and below. UltraHeat, Inc. - Home. Enjoy your Rockwood.
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Old 11-25-2015, 02:10 PM   #13
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I have a 2715VS also but don't camp in the cold areas. Can you tell me where you low point drain is on your camper. Evidently someone took the sticker off that indicates where they are at.
Low point drains aren't normally labeled on the outside. Simply look under the camper for some capped tubes hanging down (one red and one blue). Remove the caps and allow the lines to drain. The fresh water tank has a capped tube hanging down as well. Open it and let it drain as well.
On some campers, there are valves under the bed or under the fridge that you open to drain the lines. These are usually labeled.
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Old 11-25-2015, 02:29 PM   #14
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Propane

If I was you I would consider calling your local propane company and see what it costs to have a 250 gallon or 500 gallon tank installed outside your trailer. Much cheaper and more convenient than using small bottles. A 250 gallon tank holds 200 gallons of liquid propane and the top twenty percent of the tank is for propane vapor. As the pressure in the tank drops the liquid turns to vapor. Under the lid of the tank is a gauge that will show you the liquid content of your tank in percentages. 80% is full which is 200 gallons, 40% is 100 gallons etc. Sign up for the keep full program from your propane company and they will periodically fill your tank without you calling them. The propane company estimates your usage based on the outside temperature and since they won't have any track record on your usage it is best if you check the tank periodically. If you get down to 30% I would call them so they can get an idea of how much you are using. I would also advise you to be there when they bring out the tank so you make sure they don't set the tank in a place where you can't get your trailer out. Also they can show you the gauge, the tank shutoff, and make sure your appliances are lit as they can be hard to get going as there will be air in the lines when a new tank is installed.
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Old 11-25-2015, 02:35 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by episodic View Post
Well, we were mislead, and it is too late. Just looking for help.
Episodic,

We have all been trying to help you out here since you sorta jumped into the pond with both feet

How, exactly, were you mislead by your salesperson? If you have anything in writing that states your camper is 4 season, you may actually have a case against the dealership. It sounds like they sold you a line about what you could or could not do in your RV.
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Old 11-25-2015, 02:46 PM   #16
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Episodic,

We have all been trying to help you out here since you sorta jumped into the pond with both feet

How, exactly, were you mislead by your salesperson? If you have anything in writing that states your camper is 4 season, you may actually have a case against the dealership. It sounds like they sold you a line about what you could or could not do in your RV.
BBob,I think they would be allowed to Do Lots of things In their RV that would Not require the Salesmans or Our Approval! Youroo!!
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Old 11-25-2015, 06:58 PM   #17
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No one mentioned this but so far as your bathroom door goes, it may not be plumb. Our trailer is level but the bathroom door will close itself, not really a problem...some folks would pay extra for that! Don't worry about it.
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Old 11-26-2015, 09:06 AM   #18
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For fire extinguisher info see My Business - Home
He knows his stuff and sells good gear.
I'm in Conway AR For a couple of weeks. If you are nearby I could ride over and give what help I can.
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Old 11-26-2015, 11:10 AM   #19
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I haven't seen much discussion on the black water. Does the place you are connected have a black water dump connection? In case you didn't know, don't leave your black water valve open. Let it get 3/4 full and close your grey tank at that time so it will fill up with shower and sink water. Flush that after your black water to wash it out.

I am watching this for cold weather use. We are not full time but do have Yankee family we would like to visit in the winter with our 5er.

The water connection seems right. How's the shower? We have an adjustable water pressure regulator to tap it up a bit (45 psi). It really helps the shower pressure.

Good luck Episodic!
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Old 11-26-2015, 11:17 AM   #20
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If you are going to be in cold weather for months on end, you may want to consider this--we have a friend who camps in the Smokies in the winter. The CG has heated water spigots and he uses this to get the water to his rig:

http://smile.amazon.com/Camco-22902-...+RV+water+hose
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