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Newbies Need Your Guidance

Hello -

After many years of being a "wannabe" CC owner, I finally bit the bullet, and now wife and I own our very first RV, a 45' 2005 Affinity 770SL.

Being total newbies to RV ownership, we are totally ignorant of all the do's and don'ts of RV ownership, and will surely be looking for major support on even the most basic of things. (Owners manuals were shipped to us, so we don't even have basic references to fall back on.)

Like, how to protect batteries when leaving it in storage without any shore power?

Where do you wash it after a 3000 mi maiden cross-country trip to bring it back to MD?

What kind of ladder is recommended for maintaining the exterior? One dealer suggested a telescoping ladder, but parked at the dealers lot, all I saw used were Little Giant ladders.

Storage site has a 20 amp outlet available. How can I take advantage of that? Can it be used to keep batteries charged? Power a small heater during the winter?

I am looking forward to getting up to speed asap and being an active contributor on this forum.

Thanks in advance for your support and patience as I undergo this process.


Schake
'05 Affinity 770LX Stags Leap, C-13

Re: Newbies Need Your Guidance

Reply #1 –
I park my much simpler Magna in storage with the Chassis Batteries left switched on and the House Batteries switched off.  I also installed a single 100W solar panel on the roof which adequately maintains all the batteries while in storage here in the Central Valley of Ca for many months.
You likely have more batteries.  I have two 8D chassis batteries and 4 Golf Cart 6v house batteries.

You might be able to power you battery charger (inside your inverters) with the 20A circuit power.  However running two chargers (you likely have two inverters) may not be possible.

Some folks have Blue Beacon truck washes do their MH washes.  I use the street in front of my house, judiciously.  Others hire contractors at RV parks to wash their rigs.

Have fun...
1995 CC Magna 38' #5280 (purchased in 2002) towing Jeep WK 05

Re: Newbies Need Your Guidance

Reply #2 –
I too am a new rv’er. I purchased a 2006 inspire 360.  I put new house batteries in it before putting it in storage.  I turned the house battery switch off and the inverter off. Within 3 days my house batteries were dead.  Should I be doing something with the Xantrex controller?  Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Re: Newbies Need Your Guidance

Reply #3 –
These rolling homes tend to have various "parasitic" electrical draws that are always present -- i.e., not controlled by any switches. Your choices are basically to disconnect the batteries or connect them to a charging source that can keep up with the constant low level drawdown without overcharging when left on continuously.

If stored in a sunny location, a solar panel may suffice.
--
Tom -- 2002 Allure
Rapid City, SD

Re: Newbies Need Your Guidance

Reply #4 –
Thanks, I’ll try disconnecting the batteries when I store it next week.  I’ve been checking various circuits today.  The inverter is drawing 3 to 4 amps when disabled, is this normal?

Re: Newbies Need Your Guidance

Reply #5 –
OP here.
Ended up biting the bullet and moving our Affinity to an indoor facility with constant 50 amp supply. Wallet is lighter but coach is smiling.
Schake
'05 Affinity 770LX Stags Leap, C-13

Re: Newbies Need Your Guidance

Reply #6 –
OP again.
Will look for Blue Beacons on the road in the future.
 
Meanwhile, new facility has a person who washes and waxes coaches for an extra fee. He offered to teach me right ways to care for Coach exterior, which offer I gladly accepted. Spent 3 hours on a Sat morning with him at the facility, and our coach once again looks almost new.

Immediately ordered some quality cleaning tools on Amazon.

Thanks for all the feedback.
Schake
'05 Affinity 770LX Stags Leap, C-13

Re: Newbies Need Your Guidance

Reply #7 –
Although this post is several months old I feel the need to reply regarding storage with 20 amp outlet.  Appears the OP relocated to higher cost storage where 50 amp plug was available.  The 20 amp outlet works fine for storing Coach and keeping batteries charged... just need to buy two “dog bones” connectors, one stepping the 50 amp outlet down to 30 amp, and the next stepping down from 30 amp to 20.  You can plug the Coach into a regular 20 amp socket and keep batteries charged, but that electric outlet won’t be able to run the AC or other high load devices.  Those dog bone connectors available at Walmart or any other place where RV stuff is sold.
John Coleman
2002 Intrigue (36’) #11461

Re: Newbies Need Your Guidance

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Tom Harsch –
These rolling homes tend to have various "parasitic" electrical draws that are always present -- i.e., not controlled by any switches. Your choices are basically to disconnect the batteries or connect them to a charging source that can keep up with the constant low level drawdown without overcharging when left on continuously.
If stored in a sunny location, a solar panel may suffice.
--
Tom -- 2002 Allure
Rapid City, SD

I think such kind of flexible solar panels can easily fulfill your needs of rolling homes electricity because they are very reliable and perfect for this purpose. These have such kind of advanced systems that they can automatically disconnect batteries to avoid overcharging.

Re: Newbies Need Your Guidance

Reply #9 –
Just a thought on using Blue Beacon truck wash facilities. There brushes are used on a lot of grimy vehicles. Might just have it sprayed.

Re: Newbies Need Your Guidance

Reply #10 –
I'm such a newbie I don't know how to post can someone help me I'm trying to locate the Gray vs Black tank. The diagram in the manual says the black is on the left and we emptied the Gray on the right but the shower is still clogged and it was brown and smelly. 2000 allure by CC Thank you for any help posting my own Post?
Sandy
2000 Allure by CC

Re: Newbies Need Your Guidance

Reply #11 –
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