Оглавление
Christopher Hodapp. RVs & Campers For Dummies
RVs & Campers For Dummies® To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “RVs & Campers For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box. Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Illustrations
Guide
Pages
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Getting Started with RVs and Campers
Joining the Cavalcade of Rolling Nomads
Everybody’s Doing It
Weekenders and vacationers
Snowbirds and retirees
Full-timers
Traveling workers and the gig economy
Women on the road
Workampers
Road scholars
Going green and living off the grid
Glampers
International tourists
THE GYPSY IN THE SOUL
The Song of the Open Road
“Intrepid autoists”
RECOMMENDED VIEWING: IT’S A GIFT
Getting scientific
GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66
President Eisenhower and the Interstate Highway System
The Road Less Taken
BEHIND THE DOORS IN TRAILERDOM’S MECCA: ELKHART, INDIANA
Surveying the Wide World of RVs and Campers
Motorhomes
GASOLINE VERSUS DIESEL
Class A motorhomes
SAFETY SYSTEMS
Getting used to driving
Considering the pros and cons
BUS CONVERSIONS
Class B motorhomes
Big features, small packages
Yays and boos
SUPER BS
Class C motorhomes
SUPER CS OR C+
Towables
TRAVEL TRAILERS, PARK TRAILERS, AND DESTINATION TRAILERS
Toy haulers or sport utility trailers
Lightweights
Teardrop trailers
Off-road trailers
Pop-up trailers
Fifth wheels
Truck Campers
Decisions, Decisions: Knowing What You Need
To Pull or Be Pulled, That Is the Question
CAMPING TOAD-FREE
Go big or go home: Opting for a motorhome or fifth wheel
DISCOVERING VINTAGE STYLES OF THE ’40S AND ’50S
Space Odyssey: How Much Do You Need?
SQUIGGLY LINES AND LABELED SQUARES: MAKING SENSE OF FLOOR PLANS
SLIDES AND WHY YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THEM
Traveling with kids
Traveling with pets
Working from the road
Honestly Assessing Amenities
Fireplace
Washer and dryer
Dishwasher
RVs ON TV
Buying Your RV
Fitting an RV into Your Budget
New or Used: The Wide World of RVs
Buying used
Buying new
Taking Out a Loan
UNDERWATER EXPLORATION
SOME COMFORTING NUMBERS
Expecting the Unexpected
The tax man cometh
Insurance
Storage
Doing Your Homework
Working on Your Short List
Getting to know the major players
Considering smaller RV makers
AN RV IS NOT A CAR
Zeroing in on the RVs you’re interested in
Finding Resources You Can Trust
YOUR FIRST HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: WATCH THE LONG, LONG TRAILER
The Internet
Review websites
Facebook
YouTube
Books and magazines
RV shows
Campgrounds
Factory tours
Dealing with Dealers
Getting the Lay of the Land
DEALING THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY
Choosing an RV Dealer: Giant and Nationwide or Small and Local
Following the Rules of the Road: Tips for Working with RV Dealers
Worrying Over Warranties
LEMON LAWS AND RVs
Adding a Tow Vehicle to Your Trailer
Choosing Wisely
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FAMILY STATION WAGON?
Finding Your Vehicle’s Tow Ratings
KNOWING YOUR WEIGHTS FROM YOUR CAPACITIES
Shopping for a Tow Vehicle
“YOU CAN TOW THAT 28-FOOT TRAILER WITH A JAGUAR!”
Understanding truck sizes
Midsize (or compact)
Full-size (or half-ton)
Heavy-duty (or three-quarter-ton)
Ultra-duty (or one-ton)
A DIFFERENT OPTION FOR FIFTH-WHEEL HAULING
Cab and bed configurations
More seating
Bed length
Bed covers
Tailgates
Considering optional features
Factory tow packages
Optional diesel engines
Four-wheel drive
Cosmetics
ELECTRIC TOW VEHICLES?
Getting Hitched and the Alchemy of Weight
Getting to Know Your Trailer Hitch
FIFTH-WHEEL HITCHES
The hitch receiver
What’s what on the trailer hitch
Trailer hitch sizes
Weight-carrying and weight-distributing hitches
Weighing Your RV
Taking Your First Camping Trip
Stocking Up on Accessories: What Your RV Didn’t Come With
BEFORE HITTING THE RV CAMPING MEGASTORE
The Bare Necessities
Wheel chocks
Leveling blocks
Water hoses
Sewer drain hoses and accessories
Electrical cables and accessories
Shore power cables and extensions
Household extension cords
Surge protector/power analyzer
Gozintas, gozontas, and dog bones
Basic tools
Expendables
Fun Extras
Packing for the Road
Following Some Basic Packing Tips
Packing a First-Aid Kit
Finding Fun Storage Hacks
Plastic storage totes
Hooks and Command strips
Shelf and drawer caddies
Tension bars
Stackable cabinet organizers
IMAGINATIVE REUSE
Packing Your Tuxedo
CUBIST ART
Kitchen Aid: Packing Food and Utensils
King of the roast
Food safety and storage
THE 300-POUND FANTASY
Driving, Parking, and the Dread of Backing Up
Preparing to Pilot Your Own Private Battleship
Drafting a copilot
BACK TO SCHOOL
Practicing until you can’t practice any more
What’s Your Clearance, Clarence? Knowing How Big You Are Before You Hit the Road
HEADS UP!
Backup Plan: Backing Up Like a Pro
Getting from Point A to Point B Stress-Free
Paying attention to your speed
GONE WITH THE WIND
SHORTER DAYS AND MORE BREAKS
Keeping your distance
Steering you right
JACKKNIFING
Coming to a stop: “Trailer brakes first!”
Handling hills
Going up …
… and going down
The Shakedown: Your Maiden Voyage
Taking Your Shakedown Cruise
Whither do we wander? Deciding where to go
Getting set to set up camp
FRANKENSTEIN’S MONSTER
Knowing what to check
HOW SOON WE FORGET
Finding a Campground
“I THOUGHT CAMPING WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CHEAP!”
Knowing your options
The big names in campgrounds
National and state parks
Resort and membership parks
Making reservations
Checking in
Setting Up Your Campsite
Pulling into the Campground and Finding Your Campsite
On the Level: Leveling Your RV
Leveling side to side
Unhitching your trailer from your tow vehicle
“CAN’T I JUST STAY HITCHED?”
Leveling front to back
Connecting Your Utilities
Electricity
Water
Sewer
Propane
Making Life Comfortable
Opening your slides
Getting TV service
Connecting to cable TV
Programming your TV
Tuning in to satellite TV
Streaming TV
Communicating with the outside world
Wi-Fi hotspots
Campground Wi-Fi
Cellular data
Onboard RV mobile routers
CAMPGROUND ETIQUETTE
Understanding How Your RV Works
Electrical Systems
One RV, Two Kinds of Power
UNDERSTANDING WHAT’S WATT
What Runs What
Engine or chassis system
The 12VDC house power system
STALKING THE PERFECT BATTERY
Shore power
THE CAMPGROUND POWER PEDESTAL AND WHY THAT PLUG WON’T FIT
WHY YOU SHOULD USE A SURGE PROTECTOR
Convertible Electricity
The Fuse Panel
12V fuses
120V circuit breakers
Generators
Power output
BREAK THE RULES WITH A SOFT STARTER
Weight
Fuel
Noise
Maintenance
LITHIUM “GENERATORS”
Security
Water World: The Wonders of Plumbing
Understanding How Water Works in an RV
THE FIRST RULE OF WATER
Using the Freshwater System
Getting fresh water
From a campsite
CAN YOU DRINK WATER FROM YOUR RV FAUCET?
When you’re on your own
FILL ’ER UP
MAN THE PUMPS!
DEALING WITH TROUBLE
KEEPING FRESHWATER FRESH
Getting to know your water heater
Standard propane/electric water heaters
Tankless/on-demand water heaters
Dealing with the Wastewater System
Getting down and dirty with your RV toilet
DEFYING THE FIRST RULE OF WATER: MACERATING PUMPS
Checking your holding tank monitor
Emptying your wastewater tanks
At a campsite
CONNECTING YOUR SEWER LINE
PREPLANNING YOUR TANK DUMPS
DUMPING YOUR WASTE
At a freestanding dump site
Other ways of dumping wastewater
CALLING THE MOBILE PUMPER TRUCK
NO, YOU CAN’T LET IT ALL HANG OUT
USING YOUR OWN PORTABLE HONEY WAGON
Washing out your blackwater tank
Using your RV’s built-in tank washout hookup
Using ice and water softener or detergent
Doing it manually
Caring for and feeding your blackwater tank
Deodorizing the tank
Choosing the right toilet paper
WHAT ABOUT WINTER AND WATER?
The Propane Gas System
Understanding the Basics of Propane
WHY LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM IS A REAL GAS
Knowing what it runs
Furnace
Stovetops and ovens
Water heaters
Refrigerators
HOW DOES A PROPANE REFRIGERATOR WORK?
Outdoor accessories
Getting to know your propane tank
Types of propane tanks
DISPOSABLE TANKS
The mystery of tank sizes
Tank inspection requirements
Tank anatomy
Tank mounting stuff
Keeping Your Tanks Full
Determining how much propane you have left
Filling up your propane tanks
Locating Leaks
“PHEW! WHAT’S THAT STENCH?”
THE ETERNAL DILEMMA: LEAVE IT ON OR TURN IT OFF?
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
Starting with the Basics
Awnings
Rooftop fans
Depending on Your HVAC System
Air conditioners and heat pumps
HEAT PUMPS VERSUS AIR CONDITIONERS: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Propane furnace
Hydronic heating
Trying Alternative Heating Methods
Electric space heaters
Propane space heaters
Tackling Some Advanced RV Topics
Storage and Old Man Winter
FINDING A PLACE TO STABLE YOUR RV
Winterizing and Storing Your RV
“ICEBERGS, DEAD AHEAD!”
Step 1: Housecleaning and more
Fighting humidity
Getting the food out
Keeping the critters out
Step 2: Away goes trouble down the drains
Step 3: Dealing with the water heater
Step 4: Dumping your wastewater tanks
Step 5: Evicting the last of the water
Using compressed air
Pumping in RV antifreeze
Step 6: Dosing your drains
Step 7: Beware the phantom menace
MOTORHOMES: DON’T FORGET THE “MOTOR” PART
Step 8: Taking care of odds and ends
Pulling Your RV out of Storage
Wintertime RVing
Keeping you and your RV warm
AVOID CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING!
Keeping water from freezing
Using helpful cold weather accessories
SNOW CHAINS REQUIRED
Tow, Tow, Tow Your Toad: Towing Your Car Behind Your Motorhome
Considering Your Towing Options
Flat towing
First things first: The tow bar
Required safety systems
SAFETY CABLES
TAIL LIGHTS
SUPPLEMENTAL BRAKES
FORWARD! ALWAYS FORWARD!
Tow dolly
Car trailer
Considering the Vehicle You’re Towing
GUARD YOUR NOSE
Boondocking and Living off the Grid
This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land: Finding a Place to Boondock
TRAMPING DOWN THE ROAD LESS TAKEN
NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST
Attending to the Necessities of Life
Power me up
Water: Finding it, storing it, conserving it, dumping it
Finding water
Storing water
Conserving water
Dumping wastewater
The Part of Tens
Ten Potential RV Catastrophes and How to Avoid Them
Destroying Your Jack
Watching Your Rig Roll Away
Tangling with Wildlife
Running on Empty
Causing Your Own Power Failure
Dancing on an Uninsured Ledge
Losing Your Own Trailer
Flooding Your Rig
Swarming Nightmares
Losing It All
PACKING A BUG-OUT BAG
Ten Smartphone Apps You Can’t Live Without
Google Maps
CoPilot GPS
Roadtrippers
GasBuddy
Allstays Camp and RV
RA Camping
SkySafari
AccuWeather
RV Pocket Reference
Ultimate RV Checklist
Ten Great Attractions Just off the Highway
National Route 66 Museum
Custer Battlefield Museum
The Thing
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
Meteor Crater
Wisconsin Dells
Pedro’s South of the Border
Wall Drug
Solvang, California
Star Trek Original Series Set Tour
Index. Numbers
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
About the Authors
Dedication
Authors’ Acknowledgments
WILEY END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT
