electric plug ?

This is our first camper. We brought it home and could not plug it in at home. What kind of adapter do we need to buy? I heard campsites have the correct 30 amp. connection.
Does the shower curtain really work or do I need to buy a new one?
Any helpful hints on camping with 3 small dogs ...that will run away?
Any helpful hints before we go on our first trip?
Thanks Margie

[mcgyver210]

Originally Posted by scjbob

This is our first camper. We brought it home and could not plug it in at home. What kind of adapter do we need to buy? I heard campsites have the correct 30 amp. connection.

You can find a adapter to plug it in a 120v in many places including your local WalMart. They are quite common

Does the shower curtain really work or do I need to buy a new one?

The shower curtain works fine but is water resistant not water proof. It works similar to the way a Nylon tent does as long as you don't touch it it holds water back. You will want to look at the shower mods here they give some great ideas how to make showers more enjoyable in your TM.

Any helpful hints on camping with 3 small dogs ...that will run away?

If they will run away I suggest making sure they are tied all the time since camp grounds frown on letting dogs get loose.

Any helpful hints before we go on our first trip?

1. Before you go if possible try to setup everything just like you are camping this really helped us & we didn't really need to buy much because we forgot it. We set ours up with all its own silver, dishes, tools etc. This has helped allot with getting ready for trips.

2. Also if you use the awning be sure to slant it in case of rain so that the water runs off instead of puddling & collapsing the awning blocking your door.

3. Take some time & read as many of the post here as you can as I did this will help allot.

quote "The shower curtain works fine but is water resistant not water proof. It works similar to the way a Nylon tent does as long as you don't touch it it holds water back."

I can't help but touch the shower curtain while showering. I have no problems.

[mcgyver210]

Originally Posted by AstroBruce

quote "The shower curtain works fine but is water resistant not water proof. It works similar to the way a Nylon tent does as long as you don't touch it it holds water back."

I can't help but touch the shower curtain while showering. I have no problems.

I understand what you are saying maybe I should have been even more technical in my answer. A nylon fabric has a natural resistance to water but if you touch it with your fingers & transfer body oil to the fabric it can cause the water resistance to be temporarily lost in that spot. Now if you touch it on the horizontal it will possibly still shed water without much issue.

I would never completely trust a untreated thin nylon curtain to be 100% water proof.

Hopefully my answer is more clear now. I do understand fabrics & how they work I just have issue sometimes explaining what I know in text especially.

There are several threads on this forum with lists of what we carry. Search for lists. They are a great start. I suggest a 1 or 2 day trip to somewhere close t home for starters. Take paper and a pen so you can note all the things you need to have or would like to have. Get a 13/16 lug wrench as the wrench on your TV will most likely not work on the TM. Also recommend a bottle jack in case of tire trouble. Look for an inexpensive plastic shelving system that comes apart ( Legs and shelf sections) They work great under the rear bed for storing storage bins and fire wood out of the way. You will need a good water hose and pressure reducer if you camp where there is water at the site. Also suggest a heavy 25-20Ft extension cord as most site power boxes have a 30 amp ( for TM) and spare 15 amp outlet for coffee pot or other appliance you might want to run on your picnic table.
Most importantly enjoy your new TM and come back here often as you can find answers to just about anything you need here.

Originally Posted by mcgyver210

You can find a adapter to plug it in a 120v in many places including your local WalMart. They are quite common

SCJBob, Just something to remember when using an adaptor, on your main trailer plugin. Most of your home 110V plugs are going to have 15 amp breakers. If you use over 15 amps of stuff in your trailer, you will trip your house breaker (if the breaker performs as manufactured), so I would stay away from running your campers air-conditioning while hooked up to just a 110 household plug-in. Of course it may not be as hot in PA as it is down here in Louisiana. The size/length wire of the extension cord (if one is needed) that you run from your house to your trailer will also need to be adequate.

Most of what the adaptor is used for, is when at campsites, when you need an extension cord to power something. You can then take an extension cord that has a regular 110v/15amp end (like you are used to seeing in your house), attach the adaptor, and plug it into the breaker box at the campsite (which will have 30 and 50 amp plugs) that does not have your normal household receptacles.

I am not sure how many amps that your onboard battery charger requires to function properly. Maybe Bill will point this out. Even when you are properly hooked up to a 30 amp breaker at a campsite, you can only run so many things in your camper at once. I think there are some forum topics here that kinda point out what you can and can't use at the same time. You are limited to 30 amps. A 15 amp service at your house, halves or more what you can run there. You may possible even have stuff in your house running off the same breaker too, and won't even have 15 amps to share.

I strongly advise that you have an electrician wire you an outside 30 amp service (if you're not qualified or building codes don't allow the homeowner to do it themself). That way you can power your trailer, just like at a campsite.....and can campout in the driveway, using the air conditioner......unless you like dry camping, which many of our members do.

I point all of this out because even breakers don't always trip as they are designed. We had one at the shop the other day, arc out and start a small electrical panel fire that was hooked up to our air compressor. That incident has kinda made me paranoid. Don't want anything bad to happen to you and yours.......if you are using an adaptor on your campers main plug-in.

Hopefully, our resident electrical engineer here will chime in with what is safe.

Bobby

[mcgyver210]

Good points Bobby I can actually run most everything including the AC on a 20 amp dedicated service I already had in place for our pool but I do have plans on adding a true 30 amp circuit in the future. We leave our TM setup in drive with electric hooked up also. My wife likes to just go have some quiet time in the TM every now & then.

I have noticed at full hookup camp sites there is usually an extra 20 amp circuit beside the 30 amp one. For this reason I am seriously considering adding auxiliary circuits for when we have this setup available. We definitely push the electrical demand when we go camping. Usually we have at least once on a trip we trip the breaker. We are very much into technology & usually have 3 computers among other items going. So far I am very surprised at what we can run on the 30 amp circuit.

[mcgyver210]

Oh I have also noticed the on board charger is working pretty well & not over charging the battery which is surprising also.

go to Interior - then the New Owner: what is needed for first trip? thread and there are several suggestions that helped me on our first trip. There is a checklist that Bill put together that is almost a bible on how to operate your TM.

A note from a fellow dog owner - if your TM has perforated exit stairs, consider covering them with carpet. There is a kit to do this available at most Walmarts and all RV dealers. They aren't expensive and it takes less than a minute. Two years ago our aging labrador tried to go down the steps at an angle, got a nail caught in the perforations and certainly would have broken a leg had DW not been standing there and caught her. A side benefit is that the step carpet gives moisture and dirt one additional chance to be dislodged before entering the TM. - camp2canoe