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Topic: Newbie: What to buy before pickup Posted: 16 Aug 2015 at 7:30am |
Camco 40043 TastePURE Water Filter with Flexible Hose Protector
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WillThrill
Senior Member
Joined: 04 Jul 2014
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 298
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Posted: 15 Aug 2015 at 6:14pm |
I purchased a much longer (5 ft. I think) sewer hose tube than the standard one, which won't quite hold my sewer hose with the fittings on. I attached it with zip ties under the chassis, fairly close to the steps and at a slight angle in order to be sure it was secured properly. I check them periodically, but good zip ties last for many years!
Be sure that the chemicals you use in your gray and black tanks are formaldehyde free. We just use add some water softener to our black tank after every dumping. Don't dump the black tank unless it's at least half full or you might not clean everything out in the process.
You mentioned a pressure reducer, which is a good item to have. Something else worthwhile is a Water Bandit, which enables you to 'connect' your white hose line to spigots with poor/no threads. Also very useful is a quick fill nozzle with a shut-off that lets you stop water flow at the end of the hose. I have one from Valterra that was about $5 and highly recommend it.
Wheel chocks and leveling blocks are a MUST.
A support for your sewer hose is not a bad investment, though I don't think it's necessary for occasional camping. They're almost worthless to me unless we are staying for multiple days at a site with full hookups, which isn't the norm for us.
A 30 amp to 15 amp 'dog bone' electrical adaptor is a MUST as well. Many campgrounds only have 15 amp hookups, and the dog bone adaptors are much better than the 'hockey puck' styled ones.
Do your state parks have hookups? Some do, but most do not. If not, you will need to be prepared to deal with that. That means going light with showers (both for minimal water usage and to conserve battery power since the water pump uses a fair amount of battery power), TV watching, etc. Some battery power is also needed to keep your refrigerator's electrical panel working even in propane mode.
There are a number of ways you can recharge the batteries, including a simple DIY solar setup. Alternatively, if you don't care about running the air conditioner while dry camping, you can connect jumper cables from your tow vehicle to the Pod and let the vehicle run for an hour or two a day (burning maybe 1 gallon of gasoline in the process). For better battery charging, you can have your RV or auto dealer install a heavier gauge power line to your 7 pin trailer light receptacle and just idle the vehicle for a bit every day that way.
For one or two day trips, you don't really need to do anything. Beyond that, you need to make some plans for battery recharging.
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"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien
2014 Hood River 177
2005 GMC Envoy XL
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NMJohn
Newbie
Joined: 28 Jun 2015
Location: Grand Rapids MI
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 35
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Posted: 15 Aug 2015 at 12:42pm |
Thanks for your input. It sounds like I need to call the dealer and ask a few specifics. Hope I haven't already bought things that they will give us. The consumable chemicals are good to have anyway, but some of the other items probably can't be returned anymore. :-(
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jstrenn
Groupie
Joined: 14 May 2015
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 71
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Posted: 15 Aug 2015 at 9:39am |
I just purchased a new RP178 in May. Pretty much all the stuff you bought was given to me at the dealership in a start up package they threw in. (With the exception of the surge protector) Mine came with a 30 amp electrical cord, sewer hose and fittings, water pressure regulator and hose, chemicals for the black tank, toilet paper, and adapter for 30 amp to 15 amp. All of that was in a 5 gallon bucket, which I use for my garbage can when camping.
The RPods come with a sewer hose storage tube, but it's kinda short. It will fit a 10 foot hose in it, but if you put on the fitting for an elbow it won't fit. So I just put my hose in my 5 gallon bucket once I've dumped my tanks.
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Leo B
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Lyndonville, VT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4518
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Posted: 15 Aug 2015 at 9:29am |
Welcome to the group and congrats on your 179! They have a great floor plan and a lot of storage. Not sure about your dealership, the one we bought from gave a starter package, which contained a sewer hose plus the end connectors, camping TP, tank deodorizer,a plug adapter and a few other odds and ends. My 179 also already had the hose carrier attached. Though it is really to small and not practical to carry the hose in. Most have had to create a practical carrier out of PVC pipe. Good luck and Happy Podding!!
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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2025 Ford Transit Camper van
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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NMJohn
Newbie
Joined: 28 Jun 2015
Location: Grand Rapids MI
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 35
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Posted: 15 Aug 2015 at 9:20am |
My wife and I will be picking up our new 179 in 10 days We're planning on driving it from the dealer to a state park (have the reservations for electrical hookup). We've dry camped in a tent trailer for 35 years but never did anything with power or water. I have ordered a bunch of things I've read that I needed (surge protector, gray/black water tablets, white water hose, water pressure reduction valve, etc.) but am not sure if I've gotten everything. We'll pack our old camping stuff like lawn chairs, etc., but what would you recommend to consider bringing along? For example, does the new 2016 179 model come with a sewer hose to use from the black water/gray water connections? Does it have a storage tube for this already installed or do I need to get it installed? I'd appreciate your long checklists to make sure I don't forget something. I just hate calling the dealer for all these questions because we're in the western US and have to travel a long way to the dealer and can't just drop in and ask. Thanks!
John
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