Planning Your Big RV Trip
Each year, we answer a lot of questions about RV rentals from first-timers and RV veterans alike. Here are five of the most frequently asked questions:
- What type of RV should I take?
- When should we rent an RV?
- How long can I take an RV without hookups?
- Do we need to bring our houseware?
- How much will it cost?
We have your answers! We are going to break down each question into a five blog-post series. We have a lot of information to cover! Let’s get started with #3
Why do you need RV Hookups?
RV hookups at campsites supply water, power, and waste dumping. An RV needs to be connected to these sites routinely to keep you moving on down (or off) the road. How long you can go after each time you dump, fill, or charge your vehicle depends significantly on the unit and your use. Each RV have different storage sizes for their auxiliaries. When these storage spaces get low, you will find yourself needing to get back to camp more often.
Water
Motorhomes vary in the size of their water tanks. Smaller trailers with no bathroom may have a water tank with only 15 gallons. Larger motorhomes can go much further, with holding tanks of 40 gallons or more.
A 40-gallon tank for a motorhome will likely run out before a 15-gallon tank in a trailer. Without a bathroom in the trailer, your water consumption goes down dramatically. With regular usage, you will likely find yourself heading back into town to fill up on water every 2 to 3 days.
Power
The appliances in your RV consume a lot more power than you think. Customers are often surprised to find how quickly a battery will die while “dry camping.” RV’s are very dependent upon good batteries and proper battery voltage. Most, if not all, the RV appliances are dependent upon battery power to operate, so when they are dead; so is your fridge, water heater, furnace, water pump, etc.
Ensure that if you plan on being out in the wild for extended periods that you charge up every day, and as needed. A reasonable charge should last you for at least a few hours with moderate consumption. If your batteries die on you frequently, they may need replacing.
If you don’t have a generator for your trailer, consider buying one. The cost of renting a generator can be made up in about 2-3 good trips if you choose to buy one instead.
Waste
RV plumbing systems are not like your home plumbing system. When you flush your toilet at home, the waste ‘magically’ goes away. But when you flush your RV’s toilet, the water and waste go 3 feet away and stays there until you dump your tanks. It would do you well to educate yourself on the fresh and wastewater systems on your RV. You’ll need to know about things like RV/Marine toilet paper, waste tank treatments, water conservation (your RV’s tank only holds so much), flushing and sanitizing tanks, etc.
Empty your waste system often. Most of our customers find themselves dumping the RV plumbing waste every 3-5 days on the road.
Conclusion
Now that you’re up to date on RV Hook-Ups, we’d love to help you plan your next trip. We have a full-blown trip planner attached to the menu on our main page. If you’re planning on an RV trip in Utah, make sure to check it out!
