Firs time in the RV with hookups
We're going out for the first time in our RV to a site that has full hook ups. I'm still trying to get how everything works so have a few questions. 1. City water connection - So I think I understa...
Forum Discussion
1. The city water connection attaches to the pressure side of the water system, like the output of the pump. Generally you just have to hook it up and you have water; no additional valves to open or close, no need to turn on the pump or fill the tank.
2. Definitely leave the black tank valve shut until the tank is full or full-ish and its time to dump it. If you leave it open, the solids will accumulate but the liquids will drain off and you'll be left with a messy problem. Different people handle the gray tank drain valve differently. If you do decide to generally leave it open, it would probably be advantageous to close it for a spell before you dump your black tank so you have some water in it to help rinse out the hose.
If you won't be staying at the campground for an extended time, there's a school of thought that suggests it's best to leave the hose disconnected until you are ready to dump the tanks and leave.
3. People use all sorts of different things for power protection, ranging from nothing to rather elaborate setups.
At the bottom of the heap (well, aside from "nothing") are relatively inexpensive surge protectors that are basically just some MOVs in a box. These don't provide a lot of useful protection, in my opinion, and are somewhat of a waste of money. Some do have little neon lights to indicate some forms of outlet miswiring (which can equally well be checked with a multimeter or AC test light).
Next in line are various simple EMS units, the most common ones being Progressive Industries and Surge Guard models. (These two also sell devices in the first category, by the way.) These units will monitor the line voltage with a microprocessor and shut off power to the RV if it's too high or too low or if they detect that the outlet is miswired. The low voltage protection, in particular, is helpful; some campgrounds have inadequate or barely adequate electrical systems, and during high demand times the voltage can sag. Low voltage is troublesome for some appliances, in particular air conditioners.
There are some fancier EMS devices available, generally built into an RV, that can switch on or off various circuits as needed. For example, one might be configured to turn off an electric water heater when the air conditioner is running and the RV is on a 30A circuit, or cycle between two air conditioners under the same circumstances, but allow everything to run at once when connected to a 50A circuit. It would be quite an undertaking to install one of these as a DIY project.
Some people also use various autotransformers, manual and automatically controlled ones, that can adjust the incoming voltage as needed (within limits).
I have and recommend a Progressive Industries EMS unit. They're well made, have quite good factory support, and work effectively.
2. Definitely leave the black tank valve shut until the tank is full or full-ish and its time to dump it. If you leave it open, the solids will accumulate but the liquids will drain off and you'll be left with a messy problem. Different people handle the gray tank drain valve differently. If you do decide to generally leave it open, it would probably be advantageous to close it for a spell before you dump your black tank so you have some water in it to help rinse out the hose.
If you won't be staying at the campground for an extended time, there's a school of thought that suggests it's best to leave the hose disconnected until you are ready to dump the tanks and leave.
3. People use all sorts of different things for power protection, ranging from nothing to rather elaborate setups.
At the bottom of the heap (well, aside from "nothing") are relatively inexpensive surge protectors that are basically just some MOVs in a box. These don't provide a lot of useful protection, in my opinion, and are somewhat of a waste of money. Some do have little neon lights to indicate some forms of outlet miswiring (which can equally well be checked with a multimeter or AC test light).
Next in line are various simple EMS units, the most common ones being Progressive Industries and Surge Guard models. (These two also sell devices in the first category, by the way.) These units will monitor the line voltage with a microprocessor and shut off power to the RV if it's too high or too low or if they detect that the outlet is miswired. The low voltage protection, in particular, is helpful; some campgrounds have inadequate or barely adequate electrical systems, and during high demand times the voltage can sag. Low voltage is troublesome for some appliances, in particular air conditioners.
There are some fancier EMS devices available, generally built into an RV, that can switch on or off various circuits as needed. For example, one might be configured to turn off an electric water heater when the air conditioner is running and the RV is on a 30A circuit, or cycle between two air conditioners under the same circumstances, but allow everything to run at once when connected to a 50A circuit. It would be quite an undertaking to install one of these as a DIY project.
Some people also use various autotransformers, manual and automatically controlled ones, that can adjust the incoming voltage as needed (within limits).
I have and recommend a Progressive Industries EMS unit. They're well made, have quite good factory support, and work effectively.
