lessons learned after a few years of use

DO

DonC

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2011
Messages
397
Location
Biahop
I seem to get active posting after a trip as so many things come to mind. I just got back from 8 days in Death Valley by myself, mainly in the outback so didn’t see many people. Most days I was busy with hikes, exploring, photography. A few afternoons I took it easy reading, taking notes about the day. One afternoon I jotted down these notes about camping with my FWC and what I have learned over the last few years. Some of these I learned from others here on the forum and have adopted/adapted to my use.

So here are my ramblings in no particular order

  • Know your electric system – everything, I’m still learning
  • If you have solar your first upgrade should be a Trimetric or equivalent. The FWC idiot lights don’t tell you the entire picture. I have seen 4 lights at only 79% charge
  • On hot days park so your fridge side is in the shade, it can really make a difference
  • Make sure everything is secure when you hit dirt roads. If you have a paper towel holder you will find the entire roll neatly unrolled and folded on the floor if not secured
  • You can usually turn your fridge down a little at night. The fewer times it cycles on at night the better
  • Get a thermometer for your fridge – temps can vary greatly and it’s the only way to tell if your food is staying at the right temperature
  • Have a routine for lowering your roof – don’t get distracted, immediately clamp the roof or you might forget
  • Test your fridge seal and make sure it is not leaking. Open the door, put a piece of paper so it is half in and half out, close the door, and there should be resistance to pulling it out
  • Check your turnbuckles, often. First, make sure you still have 4 of them. I have had four failures – one turnbuckle broke and three bolts on the camper side have snapped. Carry spare parts and be able to make repairs in the field
  • Park in the sun if you have solar and need the charge. Most of us are used to looking for shade during breaks. I have found myself doing this when looking for a place for lunch. Then looking at my Trimetric I wonder whats going on - duh, I'm in the shade
  • If you have inside struts it only takes 30 seconds to remove them for the night
  • These are not light campers – pack light and prepare your truck appropriately. Firestone airbags or Tibrens, E rated tires (I would not go off road without these), and beefed up sway bars seem to be common upgrades
  • Know your water usage and only carry the water you need. I use about 1 gallon per day in hot weather. If I have a long drive I will get water near my destination. No since driving 400 miles with a full water tank
  • Plug your camper into shore power the night before your trip and pre-cool the fridge
  • Precool fridge items. The fridge is more efficient if it is relatively full. Add a water bottle to the freezer and add a few extras to the bottom compartment if needed.
  • If a solar panel does not cover the SAE plug, put it in a NEMA box as described by photohc. I did this and it is much neater, more secure, and I actually think it is a better connection because my amps seen to be higher. It is a simple and weatherproof mod and easy to do. I went though several solar installs because of the Renogy issue so was plugging and unplugging a lot. The pig tails are not very strong and I have broken off 3 of the male pieces– no more. You might want to check yours if you have plugged and unplugged a lot.
  • It seems to take very little smoke to set-off the smoke alarm. Even with windows and vents open, it is not uncommon for this to go off when making toast or cooking popcorn. Lately I just pull it down and take out the battery when I’m cooking and immediately put it back. That said, this never seems to happen when my wife cooks…
  • Know your propane use and only carry what you need. One bottle lasts me a long time so I only carry one bottle which saves 25 lbs in the very rear of the truck
  • Upgrade to a programmable digital thermostat if you don’t have one
  • If you have room, do the gray water mod. I have a Fleet on a first gen Tundra, so I had lots of room and it is very practical mod
  • Know your electric system – worth repeating
I use my camper a lot, and use it hard. I have never used it in a campground. I have 4x4 and am usually found far off the main roads, and usually by myself. So I'm always looking for ideas to make life easier and safer.

Please add to the list!

Safe travels

camper.jpeg
 
Excellent!
Good advice, especially about the electrical and being consistent & undistracted about lowering roof. I would add being just as consistent & undistracted about raising the roof. Don't forget to undo all the latches.

Paul
 
Good list. How many miles of washboard do you travel to break the tie downs. From the turn buckle discussions the consensus seems to switch to steel turn buckles and add a rubber mat. I'm at least going to get some extra hardware.

To the list I would add a checklist of equipment you normally use. On one trip I forgot to fill the coffee canister, and on another I forgot my coffee pot altogether in the dishwasher at home :(.

Oh ya if you have a 3 way fridge make sure you park in a level spot +/- 2 degees.
 
Excellent Don. Thanks for sharing.

Worth Printing out , Laminating and carrying in the truck or camper as a "check list" before
leaving on a trip.
 
duck tape reminds me of another. On really windy nights I duck tape the roof clamps to keep them from rattling around.
 
Have you thought about going with a top loading frig ? Seems like most of your issues are fridge related.

Regarding the turnbuckles, I feel that the rubber mat that FWC sometimes uses creates movement and therefore loosens the turn buckles.

I had this issue on my Tacoma and Eagle setup.

On my current Tundra and Hawk, the turn buckles have never been loose and all I have is line X bed liner with no mat.
 
DonC said:
I seem to get active posting after a trip as so many things come to mind. I just got back from 8 days in Death Valley by myself, mainly in the outback so didn’t see many people. Most days I was busy with hikes, exploring, photography. A few afternoons I took it easy reading, taking notes about the day. One afternoon I jotted down these notes about camping with my FWC and what I have learned over the last few years. Some of these I learned from others here on the forum and have adopted/adapted to my use.

So here are my ramblings in no particular order

  • Know your electric system – everything, I’m still learning
  • If you have solar your first upgrade should be a Trimetric or equivalent. The FWC idiot lights don’t tell you the entire picture. I have seen 4 lights at only 79% charge
  • On hot days park so your fridge side is in the shade, it can really make a difference
  • Make sure everything is secure when you hit dirt roads. If you have a paper towel holder you will find the entire roll neatly unrolled and folded on the floor if not secured
  • You can usually turn your fridge down a little at night. The fewer times it cycles on at night the better
  • Get a thermometer for your fridge – temps can vary greatly and it’s the only way to tell if your food is staying at the right temperature
  • Have a routine for lowering your roof – don’t get distracted, immediately clamp the roof or you might forget
  • Test your fridge seal and make sure it is not leaking. Open the door, put a piece of paper so it is half in and half out, close the door, and there should be resistance to pulling it out
  • Check your turnbuckles, often. First, make sure you still have 4 of them. I have had four failures – one turnbuckle broke and three bolts on the camper side have snapped. Carry spare parts and be able to make repairs in the field
  • Park in the sun if you have solar and need the charge. Most of us are used to looking for shade during breaks. I have found myself doing this when looking for a place for lunch. Then looking at my Trimetric I wonder whats going on - duh, I'm in the shade
  • If you have inside struts it only takes 30 seconds to remove them for the night
  • These are not light campers – pack light and prepare your truck appropriately. Firestone airbags or Tibrens, E rated tires (I would not go off road without these), and beefed up sway bars seem to be common upgrades
  • Know your water usage and only carry the water you need. I use about 1 gallon per day in hot weather. If I have a long drive I will get water near my destination. No since driving 400 miles with a full water tank
  • Plug your camper into shore power the night before your trip and pre-cool the fridge
  • Precool fridge items. The fridge is more efficient if it is relatively full. Add a water bottle to the freezer and add a few extras to the bottom compartment if needed.
  • If a solar panel does not cover the SAE plug, put it in a NEMA box as described by photohc. I did this and it is much neater, more secure, and I actually think it is a better connection because my amps seen to be higher. It is a simple and weatherproof mod and easy to do. I went though several solar installs because of the Renogy issue so was plugging and unplugging a lot. The pig tails are not very strong and I have broken off 3 of the male pieces– no more. You might want to check yours if you have plugged and unplugged a lot.
  • It seems to take very little smoke to set-off the smoke alarm. Even with windows and vents open, it is not uncommon for this to go off when making toast or cooking popcorn. Lately I just pull it down and take out the battery when I’m cooking and immediately put it back. That said, this never seems to happen when my wife cooks…
  • Know your propane use and only carry what you need. One bottle lasts me a long time so I only carry one bottle which saves 25 lbs in the very rear of the truck
  • Upgrade to a programmable digital thermostat if you don’t have one
  • If you have room, do the gray water mod. I have a Fleet on a first gen Tundra, so I had lots of room and it is very practical mod
  • Know your electric system – worth repeating
I use my camper a lot, and use it hard. I have never used it in a campground. I have 4x4 and am usually found far off the main roads, and usually by myself. So I'm always looking for ideas to make life easier and safer.

Please add to the list!

Safe travels

attachicon.gif
camper.jpeg
Click to expand...

All good tips. Also -

Have a spare tire, compressor and patch kit.
Have a Sat Phone or EPERB device if you go off road. Hopefully you will never use them.
 
Bombsite - yes, I've had one since gen 1, using gen 2 now. I do a lot of stuff by myself and it helps my wife stay sane, but she's also used to it. I did a solo 14 day hike of the John Muir Trail the summer of my 60th birthday a few years ago and even though I complained about how heavy it was, agreed to carry it. Its nice when I go to Death Valley, I can give her an "ok" ping when I get to my campsite for the night, which is usually in the outback somewhere. She gets an email with a google map location.
 
I've seen the SPOT in action and I was not impressed at all. If you want an emergency device get an ACR personal locator beacon. You register it with NOAA at the same spot online where commercial fishing boats register their EPIRBs.
 
I've heard complaints about Spot, often by people that have never actually used one, but I've used one every month for years and have sent hundreds of "ok" messages, has worked every time. Some people simply don't wait long enough for the gps sync and the signal to be sent. They are very commonly used on Everest to track climbers. That said, it has its problems and there are certainly options.

Most ACRs only allow a "SOS rescue call", all or nothing. If that's all you want, then they are probably a better option for you.

Spot allows an "ok" signal, a custom message, and the SOS that calls a rescue. For my custom message I have "injured, need rescue, but not life or death". That way my wife could call in my climbing friends to come get me. It is a big big deal when you call the international search and rescue number.

I was on a technical mountain rescue team for 12 years and have gone on hundreds of rescues. The problem with ACRs is its all or nothing and there are many cases of people using them, calling in the rescue helicopters, and its because they were tired or bored, and didn't want to finish their hike. They put rescue people in dangerous conditions unnecessarily.

There are many devises - most are SOS only, some allow one way messages, some allow two way messages. For 99.9% of my needs, I like the ability to send a one way "ok" message. At work we use a Delorme devise that allows for two way messages when we send people to Africa or other hot spots, based on latest State Dept violence and kidnapping ratings for the area.

Bottom line, none of them work 100% of the time, all have different features, choose one that meets the majority of your needs and your tolerance for risk.
 
I use a SPOT for 'ok' signals but also have a PLB if I need the cavalry in a hurry. Thankfully I haven't had to use either in a real emergency but I travel alone a lot so I carry both.
 
I let my spot subscription run out. I never used it. No one is interested in checking up on me. I'll get a plb soon as I'm mostly interested in the life or death stuff. CB, ham and cell work well enough for the rest. That said I'm keeping my eye in the inreach. See what happens with garmin.
 
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