Category Archives: Camper Upgrades

When Should I Replace My RV Batteries: Testing and Ponderings

Camper Upgrades, Camping, , ,

It has been almost five years since we bought our Milan 26RLS travel trailer. Hard for me to reconcile the fact that each year seems to accelerate faster and faster towards the end of the game. When we bought this trailer it replaced our 2006 Fleetwood Niagara that had been “totaled” by our insurance company when vandalizing thieves destroyed it.

Two Exide CG-135 6-volt golf cart batteries installed in September 2013.

That whole process meant we didn’t go camping all summer. Once we got our new Milan the first order of business was to install a solar system and other electrical upgrades prior to its maiden voyage. At the time I was working so there wasn’t a lot of time to shop for the needed materials and components. Fortunately the best deals are on the internet if you know what you really need. There is one exception: batteries. Since 6 volt deep cycle batteries weigh over 60 lbs. each, in 2013 shipping costs made the internet cost of lead-acid batteries prohibitive. Not having a lot of time, and no local retailers close by that sold Trojan brand batteries, I compromised and bought a pair of Exide 6 volt golf cart batteries. At best, at the time, I hoped they would last for 5 years. Continue reading When Should I Replace My RV Batteries: Testing and Ponderings →

Rock Steady: How to Level, Chock, and Stabilize a Travel Trailer

Camper Upgrades, , ,

Back in 2013, before we bought our double-axle Eclipse Milan 26RLS, I wrote this post on How to Level and Stabilize a Tent Trailer.  I should have titled it, How to Chock, Level, and Stabilize a Tent Trailer.

I finally have, after almost five years and some not-so-good products, come up with the solutions to quickly and securely level, chock, and stabilize our travel trailer.

Through trial and error, and a couple of almost disastrous and dangerous events with our Milan, I have finally figured things out so we can camp safe and secure. Not only have I eliminated some potentially serious problems, our travel trailer now sits rock solid without any noticeable shaking when we move about inside.

Hopefully this post will help my readers who own campers to avoid some of the mistakes I have made with our tandem axle travel trailer.

The solutions include a pair of Andersen Camper Levelers, a Fastway ONEStep Chock, an Ultra-Fab Odyssey 4000 electric tongue jack, a pair of BAL Industries X-Chock tire stabilizers, and replacement stabilizers jacks that are 6” taller than the originals that came with the trailer. I will review each of these and go through the process of how to level, chock, and stabilize a tandem axle travel trailer. The steps should be applicable to any multi-axle trailer including 5th wheels. Continue reading Rock Steady: How to Level, Chock, and Stabilize a Travel Trailer →

How Our Honda Quiet Generators Saved Us (product review)

Camper Upgrades,

Last week was hot at home.

The temperature wasn’t bad for us desert dwellers. Then a large wildfire starting burning in Idyllwild. Although the fire was on the other side of the San Jacinto Mountains, it was less than 15 miles from our house as the crow flies. No danger of fire at home, but the air quality was poor.

So we decided to leave. Given the local mountains were out of the question and the Southern Sierra further and crowded, we headed to Lake Mead.

Continue reading How Our Honda Quiet Generators Saved Us (product review) →

Reader Question: Can I Charge My RV Battery With An Inverter Connected To The Battery?

Camper Upgrades,

Ah, perpetual energy without solar panels or a generator!

Readers of this website normally can’t contact me, because there isn’t a “Comments” function, nor is there an “Email” button. But hey, this is the Internet Age, and it shouldn’t be too difficult to contact me if one really wants to. Then of course, it is more than likely I will ignore you. However, in this case, I recently received an interesting inquiry worth discussing.

Continue reading Reader Question: Can I Charge My RV Battery With An Inverter Connected To The Battery? →

What Is A RV Awning/Patio Mat And Which One Is Best?

Camper Upgrades,

Reader Beware: this is a product review. After 20+ years of using this product it is safe to say it has been tested thoroughly and long enough.

When my kids were young we did a lot of tent camping and most trips were 1 – 2 weeks long. When they were 5 and 7 years old (in 1992) the tenting experience was becoming somewhat of a hassle and a small camper was an obvious solution. Owning a 4 cylinder Dodge Caravan, with a modest towing capacity, trailer choices were limited. And being 1992, the Internet as we know it today didn’t exist and neither did Yahoo or Google. Plus camping was such a simple thing to do, it didn’t dawn on me to check and see if there was such a thing as a trailer-based camping magazine – so I decided to purchase a trailer the old fashioned way… go look at campers and figure out own my own what was best without asking anyone for advice  — what a concept! After visiting several RV dealers I ended up buying a small Starcraft Meteorite tent trailer, which turned out to be an excellent decision. It was a great little trailer.

Anyway… let’s get back to the title of this post.

Continue reading What Is A RV Awning/Patio Mat And Which One Is Best? →