I'm pulling it with my Ex so I figured I'd be safe asking here too

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post13090014

 

Power, sewer, water?

Many people leave their units at seasonal campgrounds, so it certainly can be done.

Power could be solar to keep the battery up, water you can bring, it's dumping the sewer that can be an issue.

 

Aaaand this is why I asked! I dont have any utilities there now. If I use this as much as I expect to... I probably will have them there soon. Thats why I want to keep it as mobile as possible though. If I need to run it to the RV center and fluch the sewage/refill with water... I want to be able.

 

The thing is, you'd need to do that about every weekend, and that's using the systems conservatively.

You could dig a pit and put in a dump tank, that wouldn't be real hard. The holding tanks on the trailer will only last maybe 5 days if you really watch the water that you use. Sure, it's a good idea to go #1 out by a tree, but make sure you still use plenty of water in the toilet. If not, you'll have a big clump of nasty in the tank that won't come out easily.

The size of fresh water tank in the trailer will depend on the trailer itself. Toy hauler trailers generally have bigger tanks all around. You could carry your own water in with you to the property, but that's not easy and takes up a lot of space. If you can afford to dig a well, I'd do it.

Electricity. The trailer needs a battery on the front to run essential systems, and then the shore power coming in keeps that battery charged. You can run it without a battery, but it isn't the best idea because the output from the power converter isn't all that much. Sure, you could spend quite a bit of money to set up the trailer with solar panels, a bank of four deep cycle 6 volt batteries on the tongue, and maybe a wind turbine, but that's an involved process. If you want to go out there and not worry about stuff, you'll want to have power pulled in. Running off the grid does require a strong consciousness of what you use. Of course you can get a generator too, but the noise of that gets old and you would need to manage the gas with it. In order to use the microwave or air conditioning in the trailer, you'll need power pulled in or a bigger generator.

Here's a link to a friend's site about what they did to make their trailer go off the grid. When they were actively traveling, they rarely stayed anywhere with any sort of hookup.

Every_Miles_A_Memory

 

Reps to you sir... Thank you!

 

No problem!

Another thing to consider is hitch equipment. Many people selling used trailers sell them with a hitch, but not always. It is ESSENTIAL to have a weight distribution hitch when towing any significant sized trailer (24'+) with an Excursion because of how bad the stock Excursion springs are. The Super Duty guys can sometimes get away without it, but not us.

Depending on the weight of the trailer, a new basic weight distribution hitch will run you about $300-$600. IIRC, my complete system with 1200# equipment and dual cam sway control was about $600 back in '08, but that was dealer cost pricing since I worked there.

 

Should I just give up now since I don't even know what a weight distribution hitch is? Haha

 

This:



Also, the biggest thing that you need to look for with used trailers is water damage. Wrinkles in the ceiling panels or wall panels, discoloration in the vinyl flooring, or funny smells usually indicate water damage.

The one exception is sometimes there will be small wrinkles in the wallpaper around where windows are mounted. They are small wrinkles and not bubbles like water damage. I guess the wrinkles happen like that when they cut the radius for mounting the windows.

Also check roof seams if you can. They shouldn't be split anywhere. Depending on the brand, there may be a pressboard type of thing under the rubber roof material, if it's new enough to have a rubber roof (mid '90s+). Move the ladder around and push down. It should be fairly solid, but not solid enough to walk on by any means. if you can push down on the rubber and it sinks way down (like pushing on a balloon), that's a sign of water damage too that just hasn't made it through to the inside. I'm not real familiar with the construction of other brands from the one I'm fluent in, so I'm not sure if this all applies or not. But if you notice a difference in the way it feels between the rafters, that isn't a good sign.

If it's older than about 10 years old, make sure the refrigerator works. They are expensive to replace and people usually just replace them with cheap dorm refrigerators.

Also, just in case you didn't realize, the refrigerator and water heater will use the same propane system for the stove/oven and furnace use to run when you don't have electric. Depending on the trailer, the water heater may only be propane. You will get a decent amount of time on a pair of 30# tanks, but if you run everything off of it and shut everything down when you leave for the week, you shouldn't have to fill the tanks more than once or twice a season, though it depends on use. You will definitely use more propane when it's cold out too.

 

Thanks Sunline. A lot of useful info there!

 

"Help with camper/rv/travel trailer...
<hr style="color:#D1D1E1; background-color:#D1D1E1" size="1"> So I'm looking at picking up a Camper of some sorts. I have some property in VA that right now is just unused. I want to take a camper or something just to leave on the property and do mini vacations with my boys (and wife if she so desires). I'm looking on Craigslist and see some great deals for not so old campers and trailers. I thought about doing a mobile home, but I'd rather have something easy to set, and take back out if I need to. Can you or would you recommend leaving a camper or trailer on the grounds? It's kind of out of the way... so I'm not incredibly worried about anyone coming along and stealing it... but I dont even know if there's maintenance issues or something that would make that a bad idea. Anyone else do what I'm thinking?"

So this was the original question, and many of the guys have answered you quite well. My Family and I were/are Avid Campers. Before we moved to an Island in Alaska, we first had a 22 ft 1978 Ideal TT, then later we got a great deal on a Bank Repo 2001 Nomad 308 TT that is 30ft with a 14 ft super-slide. We would leave the TT's stocked with food, water propane and clothes and bedding. Since I was in the military, I never knew when I would have time off... There would be days I came home from work and said "Let's Go!" Sometimes finding a place last minute, or going dry-camping somewhere. All my wife would have to do was grab the fresh or frozen stuff out of the house, while I fired off the propane fridge, and backed up the Ex to the TT. Pile the 4 kids in the truck and we were off! It usually takes a few more minutes to get somewhere towing a TT, and maybe a half hour one you get used to it, to set of the TT on site, but you arrive with a fully charged battery, and all your stuff is in the TT ready to go.
(Our TT (travel trailer) and old Excursion from our camping days in WA state)


Fast Forward to here in Kodiak, Alaska. We still camp, but it is different. We have a little 10ft Truck Camper(TC) on my 02 F350 CCSB. We did this after trying 2 class C motorhomes. The difference is that I can get anywhere I want to with the Truck and TC. The Motorhomes couldn't get half the places my truck and TC can. Additionally the Ferry rates were killing me since they charge by the foot.. So a TT with the Excursion was a no go from the beginning. My F350 and TC measures 25ft long tip to tip. My "23ft" motor home measured 26 ft tip to tip, and couldn't get to half the areas we wanted to. We did have to get creative with sleeping and eating arrangements, but it works for us.

Camping in Remote Alaska!!





But to address you question concerning leaving it in one place... Here in Kodiak, my dad has a cabin, only accessible by boat. It is a 16 mile gravel road trip over a mountain pass with switchbacks to trail my boat over the pass, then launch it in a Bay then take a 15 minute boat ride to another island where the cabin is. We leave bedding, and some clothing at the cabin, we also try to leave propane, gasoline and water there (except during winter). But when we go it is quite the production to take everything we need from the house to the Excursion and boat, load it all up, (gasoline, Water, clean linens from the last trip, food, perishables, propane etc) then get to the launch, get the boat in the water, load up the family of 6 and all the gear, park the truck and trailer, then boat to the cabin, then offload everything out of the boat up the hill to the cabin. You will be amazed at the amount of gear needs to be packed for the family for just an overnighter or weekend.... Then when you leave, take inventory of what food was used, what is needed, take back any bedding that needs laundered, pack out trash, empty water and fuel containers, fuel up the genset and lamps to be ready for the next trip, and then repeat the process in reverse to get home.

Here is the boat anchored up out in front of the cabin!



On the front porch of the remote cabin... No water, just an out house and a wood stove for heat. Propane for stove and fridge. Is about 30x30 with two bedrooms and a great-room with kitchen on one side and living room on the other.


To compare to returning from a trip with the trailer... We get home with the trailer in tow, dump the septic/grey at a dump site on the way home, get home park the trailer, take ot the laundry and perishable's. Restock the non-perishable's, refill the water and propane and you are ready for the next trip except for the perishables and clothing!

If you have room for the trailer at home it is safer than on a bare piece of property, and is easier to prepare for the trip. We have loved our camping rigs/trips, and it is great family memories for the kids. They also work well for vacations visiting family, since the kids (even when young) get excited about staying in the Trailer or camper, but do not like hotels because the RV is a known safe place. Especially when our kids were little they LOVED camping, and when it was time for bed, they went right to sleep because they were in "their" bed. On the few occasions we traveled without the RV, the kids did not sleep well...

Hopefully this gives you some pro's and cons. Since you are new to RV's and trailering, don't go too big too quick. A 22-24 ft self contained trailer can do a family of 4 comfortably, and up to a family of 6 when you get cozy. Heck we do 6 in a 10ft Camper! Get used to towing a smaller trailer, and see how you like it. If you need to step up later, then do it then, but you will find the smaller trailer (TT) will allow you to go more places than a 30 ft or longer!

Good Luck with your decision, and let us know how it goes!

Garry in Beautiful Kodiak, AK

 

Gary, those are awesome pics. I agree it would be best to trailer back and forth.. My land is about 3.5 hours from where I live. I'd rather not lug it back and forth. I guess there really hasn't been much progress made in terms of security for trailers recently. I have an idea on how to secure it... I'm sure it's nothing new. Thanks for all the feedback guys, I really appreciate it.