First off, love your forum. Been reading for a few months. First the specs. Wife wanted a travel trailer so I bought a new F150 and then bought a trailer. 2016 F150 4wd 4 door with the tow package, 3.73 gear with the 9.75" axle, integrated brake controller, etc. Bought a new Gulfstream 238RK trailer, (rear kitchen). Truck has 1,647 lb cargo capacity and trailer lists UVW at 5088 lbs. I got the 10K Equalizer hitch. After loading us, the hitch, and the trailer, I got about 500 lbs for gear to reach capacity. That's fine for just the 2 of us and our mutt.We've scheduled a shake down weekend about 10 miles from home next month. I'm having a devil of a time trying to compile a list of all the stuff I'll need being new to this. Seems every time I pick up the catalog I see 10 more things I haven't thought of. Does anyone have a basic list of things you should have? -Does everyone use a water filter when hooked up to city water?-Does everyone have a surge protector and what kind? Seems Progressive Industries has a nice surge system but is about $250, is something else better? Do you have a lock for it?-Do you use a water regulator and what pressure should I aim for?-My trailer has 2 dumps. Do most of you just switch the sewer back and forth or do you Y them together? I'll have more questions as I get further along in this. Please bear with me as I'm really green on this stuff. I've done a fair amount of towing in the past but it was an open air race car trailer with a 454 Suburban. Thanks in advance!

treyster wrote:-Does everyone use a water filter when hooked up to city water?-Does everyone have a surge protector and what kind? Seems Progressive Industries has a nice surge system but is about $250, is something else better? Do you have a lock for it?-Do you use a water regulator and what pressure should I aim for?-My trailer has 2 dumps. Do most of you just switch the sewer back and forth or do you Y them together?Usually a personal choice for the water. At a minimum I would suggest at least the camco in line one. Its fairly inexpensive.Surge Protector is a must. Progressive many swear by it, I have the inside one.Water regulator I feel is a must. Never know what kind of pressure there might be. You can get the basic one or upgrade to adjustable.Not sure what you mean switch back and forth. You probably have a grey tank dump and a black tank dump, dump black first then grey.Search the forum and you will find a lot of good information.

-Does everyone use a water filter when hooked up to city water? I do most of the time.-Does everyone have a surge protector? Very necessary! Never plug without it even at my home. -Do you use a water regulator and what pressure should I aim for? Yes. Always. Most are preset. -My trailer has 2 dumps. Do most of you just switch the sewer back and forth or do you Y them together? No dumping until 2/3 to 3/4 full. Black then grey. Cleans the hose. I say no Y since the grey wouldn't clean part of it. Stop worrying! You will have a blast.

#1 - no, but most of the time I am not connected to city water. #2 - no, never had an issue in 15 years of camping.#3 - yes when I use a city water hookup which is hardly ever.#4 - I only have 1, but if I had 2 I would simply switch.

I guess I should clarify the trailer. It has a black water/gray water dump in front of the axles, and another gray water dump behind the axles because it has a rear kitchen. So if i go with the adj water regulator, what is a max pressure I should see or adjust to? I assume there must be some pressure where you can back feed your internal water tank by overpowering the onboard pump right? Seems that would be a problem.You convinced me on the surge, we were planning on the PI system but wanted some confirmation it was a must.

treyster wrote:First off, love your forum. Been reading for a few months. We've scheduled a shake down weekend about 10 miles from home next month. I'm having a devil of a time trying to compile a list of all the stuff I'll need being new to this. Seems every time I pick up the catalog I see 10 more things I haven't thought of. Does anyone have a basic list of things you should have? -Does everyone use a water filter when hooked up to city water?buy the most expensive water filter you can afford i.e. double canisters. Almost all RV park city waters generally taste different than what you drink at home. i.e. Ariz. water is terrible. Only use white hoses to connect to your RV. -Does everyone have a surge protector and what kind? Seems Progressive Industries has a nice surge system but is about $250, is something else better? Do you have a lock for it?Buy the best you can afford. You can not rely on electrical systems in all RV parks. Replacing electronic systems in your trailer can get real expensive.-Do you use a water regulator and what pressure should I aim for?Buy the most expensive you can afford, I like regulators with gauges. 40 to 50 lbs.-My trailer has 2 dumps. Do most of you just switch the sewer back and forth or do you Y them together?Do not empty your black tanks until they are at least 3/4 full. Be sure you hook up your back flush while you are emptying your tanks. After your tanks empty, close the valve and fill your tanks about 1/4 full and then flush again. Then close the valves and put approx. 10 min. of water into the tanks. this will prevent the evil "pyramid" forming in your tank. Then open up your gray tanks to flush your sewer hose out. Thanks in advance!

Another newbie, need advice | Good Sam Community

15 Replies

MarkTwain
Explorer
Mar 07, 2017
treyster wrote:
First off, love your forum. Been reading for a few months.

We've scheduled a shake down weekend about 10 miles from home next month. I'm having a devil of a time trying to compile a list of all the stuff I'll need being new to this. Seems every time I pick up the catalog I see 10 more things I haven't thought of. Does anyone have a basic list of things you should have?

-Does everyone use a water filter when hooked up to city water?

buy the most expensive water filter you can afford i.e. double canisters. Almost all RV park city waters generally taste different than what you drink at home. i.e. Ariz. water is terrible. Only use white hoses to connect to your RV.

-Does everyone have a surge protector and what kind? Seems Progressive Industries has a nice surge system but is about $250, is something else better? Do you have a lock for it?

Buy the best you can afford. You can not rely on electrical systems in all RV parks. Replacing electronic systems in your trailer can get real expensive.

-Do you use a water regulator and what pressure should I aim for?
Buy the most expensive you can afford, I like regulators with gauges. 40 to 50 lbs.

-My trailer has 2 dumps. Do most of you just switch the sewer back and forth or do you Y them together?

Do not empty your black tanks until they are at least 3/4 full. Be sure you hook up your back flush while you are emptying your tanks. After your tanks empty, close the valve and fill your tanks about 1/4 full and then flush again. Then close the valves and put approx. 10 min. of water into the tanks. this will prevent the evil "pyramid" forming in your tank. Then open up your gray tanks to flush your sewer hose out.

Thanks in advance!
treyster
Explorer
Mar 07, 2017
I guess I should clarify the trailer. It has a black water/gray water dump in front of the axles, and another gray water dump behind the axles because it has a rear kitchen.

So if i go with the adj water regulator, what is a max pressure I should see or adjust to? I assume there must be some pressure where you can back feed your internal water tank by overpowering the onboard pump right? Seems that would be a problem.

You convinced me on the surge, we were planning on the PI system but wanted some confirmation it was a must.
troubledwaters
Nomad
Mar 07, 2017
#1 - no, but most of the time I am not connected to city water.
#2 - no, never had an issue in 15 years of camping.
#3 - yes when I use a city water hookup which is hardly ever.
#4 - I only have 1, but if I had 2 I would simply switch.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Mar 07, 2017
-Does everyone use a water filter when hooked up to city water? I do most of the time.
-Does everyone have a surge protector? Very necessary! Never plug without it even at my home.
-Do you use a water regulator and what pressure should I aim for? Yes. Always. Most are preset.
-My trailer has 2 dumps. Do most of you just switch the sewer back and forth or do you Y them together? No dumping until 2/3 to 3/4 full. Black then grey. Cleans the hose. I say no Y since the grey wouldn't clean part of it.

Stop worrying! You will have a blast.
FKT4387
Explorer
Mar 07, 2017
treyster wrote:

-Does everyone use a water filter when hooked up to city water?
-Does everyone have a surge protector and what kind? Seems Progressive Industries has a nice surge system but is about $250, is something else better? Do you have a lock for it?
-Do you use a water regulator and what pressure should I aim for?
-My trailer has 2 dumps. Do most of you just switch the sewer back and forth or do you Y them together?

Usually a personal choice for the water. At a minimum I would suggest at least the camco in line one. Its fairly inexpensive.
Surge Protector is a must. Progressive many swear by it, I have the inside one.
Water regulator I feel is a must. Never know what kind of pressure there might be. You can get the basic one or upgrade to adjustable.
Not sure what you mean switch back and forth. You probably have a grey tank dump and a black tank dump, dump black first then grey.

Search the forum and you will find a lot of good information.

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Another newbie, need advice

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