Our first RV is a B, suggestions for "things to have?"


abbyarts

New Member
We'll be proud owners of a new PW Lexor in about a month. This is our first motorhome, so any suggestions for things we will want to know, own, etc?
And thanks to all who write in these forums, you're assistance was invaluable in choosing the right unit for us.
 

hertig

Senior Member
Re: Our first RV is a B, suggestions for "things to have?"

Probably your best move is to live in it a few days 'in your driveway' This way you can see what you need and have easy access to whatever it is. Another good move is to try it out for a few days in a RV park near your home. Same reasoning, particularly to do with hooking up in RV parks.

Things which you should consider is how you will hook up to water, sewer and electricity, and possibly cable TV and phone if your RV is so equipped. There are many different parks out there, so you will probably need an assortment of parts to handle a wide variety of hookups.

Another thing is leveling. I don't know if class B's have levelers built in, but if not, you will want to carry something to level the unit with. Lightest are the interlocking 'yellow' blocks, just build a little hill on the 'low part, and drive a wheel up on it. Probably good chocks to keep the unit from rolling off the levelers may be needed.
 

Kali_Mist

New Member
RE: Our first RV is a B, suggestions for "things to have?"

Ill add some
RV Toilet paper (very important) if you dont think so you will when you have a dealer repair your sewer line cause its clogged,$$$

RV Holding tank treatment (very,very, important) you need this enzyme in your black tank to break down things,if not refer to above.$$$$

RV Water Pressure Regulator (very,very,important) for hooking up to city water at campground, your water lines clamp fittings can only handle 45lbs of water pressure anything above and you guessed it water leak repairs$$, shoot i was a camp site that had 80lbs of water pressure no joke.

Fuses for the converter, you never know when one will go and most appliances and things in your rv need 12/vlts as well as 110/vlt like the fridge.

DvD's for chillin in the rig when their is no local channels.

Those are the most costly mistakes i see alot. ps if you have grandkids or whatever remind them not to put any thing down the toilet or sink. Traveling with a full tank of fresh water is not needed if your going to a camp site, thats 250lbs at 25gal thats rolling around under your coach, gass mileage!.
The previous post is a must too.
Cheers.
 

hertig

Senior Member
Re: Our first RV is a B, suggestions for "things to have?"

Toilet paper is a necessity, but not necessarily 'RV' toilet paper which is pretty pricey. Get the cheapest single ply you can find and do a comparison (sheet of RV and sheet of the cheap stuff in separate containers of water), and you'll probably see the cheap stuff is comparible in breakdown rate.

Holding tank chemicals are important, but not very, very important. In the big rigs, many people use none without problems. They compensate by using lots of water. This may not be as practical in a class B with small tanks, so the chemicals may be more important in the Class B than bigger rigs.

Yes, regulator is critical. Even if the pressure is 'ok' when you hook up, what if the sun hits the hose for a while? The last time I didn't use one, I blew the pressure switch on my water pump and the supply line to the toilet. Fortunately, that was all, but that was enough for me.
 

Kali_Mist

New Member
Re: Our first RV is a B, suggestions for "things to have?"

Heritag,
most class bs have a 24 gal grey tank & 10-12gl black.

Every big rig that i have to repair because their sensors on their holding tanks quit showing tank levels, was because they didnt use holding tank chemicals & the improper toilet paper.
Sometimes i can fix them by adding a few cups of fabric softner to the tanks, filling them completly and letting them sit overnight.


The sensors are gromets with a screw going into the tank, they are usually corroded from no chemicals & hard water or their is tp hung up on them. replacing a holding tank is not cheap if you want the sensors to work & replacing the tank besides removing the tank and repairing it is usually cheeper.

Sometimes i can fix them by adding a few cups of fabric softner to the tanks, filling them completly and letting them sit overnight.

No RV tech likes working motorhomes sewage when a customer does not use the proper materials.period. and when i do run across this it is a $25.00 epa waste & disposal fee. Nobody likes playing in Crap. Use your chemicals or dont bring your rig to a dealer for repairs.
 

hertig

Senior Member
Re: Our first RV is a B, suggestions for "things to have?"

Certainly, working with a sewage tank would not be fun. And improper care of a tank will increase the chances of it needing service. But there is more to tank care than 'chemicals' and 'RV toilet paper'.

Chemicals are not magic. They are aides, only. Using them does not guarantee a pristine tank, and not using them every time does not guarantee a disaster. Many of the tank additives are 'enzyme' based, which help the bacteria in the tank dissolve the solids (and paper) at a faster rate. Some are cleansers, which make the water 'wetter' to help clean the surfaces in the tank. Most tank chemicals also help reduce oder and lubricate the seals of the valves. Generally I would recommend using them; particularly for occasional users. Many full timers claim they don't use chemicals, just lots of water, and don't have any problems. Are they hastening the demise of their tanks? Maybe, or maybe the excess water and continuous usage with good dumping and cleaning techniques are just as effective as the chemicals.

As for RV Toilet paper, there is nothing special about it. It is chosen to dissolve quickly in water. In many cases, this is by having it be a flimsy 1 ply. Any toilet paper which dissolves at the same rate as the 'RV' paper should be equally good for RV use. Scot single ply and the stuff you get at CostCo are touted as being equivalently RV friendly, and are probably 1/2 to 1/10th the cost of the official RV stuff. If you like, you can experiment to find a brand or brands which are equivalent at dissoliving as RV paper, and start out, at least, with a stock of the cheaper stuff. If you run out on the road and can't find your normal brand, the RV brands would be safer than any untested brand.

I think that proper dumping and cleaning techniques will have at least as much impact on tank life as the chemicals used. And will minimize the problems of toilet paper fouling or clogging by most reasonably non-durable brands.
 

Captain's Lady

New Member
RE: Our first RV is a B, suggestions for "things to have?"

I finally started carrying a toaster oven. it is nice to have real 'toast' plus we have the option to bake.

for coffee we use an insulated french press.

I also find a foam pad on the bed a necessity -- it is awkward, but makes a huge difference in comfort.

We've had a Pleasureway for nearly ten years.
 

brodavid

Senior Member
Re: Our first RV is a B, suggestions for "things to have?"

We used a eggshell foam with the points down in the provan tiger. Can not pack as much as we wanted but can go anywhere a van can. And welcome to the forum.

brodavid, msjackie(th boss), sarah(assit boss)
 

rjfboylan

New Member
Re: Our first RV is a B, suggestions for "things to have?"

@abbyarts: All the previous suggestions are very good (although I wonder about the emphasis on black water :cool:. Don't forget your personal things. I would not leave the house without my PowerBook and aircard so I can get on the Internet almost anywhere we go. I also bring along my teddy bear (hey, I'm only 70) as something to remind me that this is the first day of the rest of my life! Further, congratulations on the purchase and here's to many happy trips.
 

goreds2

New Member
RE: Our first RV is a B, suggestions for "things to have?"

I gotta have my satellite radio and coffee percolator before departing.
 
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