If you are in the market for taking your home with you on holiday, you basically have three choices, the tent (or trailer tent), a caravan or the recreational vehicle or RV. All have their advantages, but what is the best choice?

The Tent

Of the three choices, the tent is undoubtedly the cheapest, and the trailer tent variation can be quite comfy to, especially as much of the living accommodation is off the floor in the body of the trailer. But it is still a tent and as such offers limited luxury and protection from the elements cannot match that of a caravan or RV.

The advantages of the tent are price, ease of towing not to mention it is easy to store when you are not on holiday!

The Caravan

Caravans come in all shapes and sizes these days and there is one for the smallest car, and the largest, some being veritable double axled paradises on wheels with every comfort you can imagine. Even the smallest is more difficult to tow than the trailer tent though and some people just do not want to tow in the first place (which of course means that they have to go for a basic tent or a RV).

The advantages of the caravan over the tent are obvious in that they offer a better class of accommodation, are more durable and are normally a lot bigger, a far better choice for a family.

The Recreational Vehicle (RV)

The RV has been with us for many years, perhaps the one that sticks in the mind (at least for those over 50) is the VW camper van as used by countless hippies and Australians for there travels across the globe. Today however, the RV is a lot different and in most cases a lot bigger, and has luxuries un-thought of by the first RV users.

The top of the RV tree is occupied (you guessed it) by the American Motor Home, vehicles of such size and luxury that they need an HGV licence before you can drive one, some even having a garage at the back with a Smart Car for those shopping trips etc.

When it comes to luxury, even the top of the range caravan cannot match the biggest RV, with its sliding walls (which extend the living area out each side of the body) higher ceilings and well, just pure luxury. Of course, there are smaller RV’s, some smaller than the good old VW Camper Van, with one for every taste.

When it comes to disadvantages the RV however has quite a few, not the least cost, even the smallest being a big purchase, whilst the largest can cost £250,000 quite an investment! Besides the initial cost, there is the running costs and with fuel consumptions in the low 20’s mpg (even less with the big ones) and the fact that you need to road tax and MOT them every year (and that can be expensive for the HGV variants) makes them a poor bet for anyone on a budget.

But then, the American Motor Home has never been something for man in the street, they are for those with a high disposable income or those that sell up and decide to live in one instead of owning a house. They offer true luxury and for those that want to live the high life on the open road, the RV is really the only choice.

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This is a great question, but what type of RV to purchase, unfortunately, has no clear-cut answer. It is partly a matter of preference and partly dependent on the type and amount of RVing you plan to do.

Full-time or part-time RVer?

irst of all, if you will be living in your RV full-time, you want to choose a rig designed for full-timing. Generally you are looking at Class A motorhomes and 5th wheel trailers. You want the storage space and especially need to have your tanks enclosed so your water doesn’t freeze. The better constructed units have more insulation and storage space.

If you have a homebase and will be traveling to a place to work or volunteer in temperatures that stay mostly above freezing, one of the other types-Class B vans, Class C motorhomes, truck campers- could do. Some mountain locations, though, even in summer can get cold near the beginning or end of the season.

Comfort and convenience

Besides construction, consider comfort and living space. Vans and truck campers have limited space. If you are a solo traveler, you may do fine. Doing the do-si-do in a narrow aisle with a partner for months can get old. Consider also how comfortable the bed and the sofa is. Do you even have a sofa or comfortable chair? George and I traveled in a Lance camper on our Ford 350. It had a small slideout, which certainly increased the room. However, the only place to sit was the dinette. We could put our computers on the table, though the table was higher than comfortable for typing. We also read there. The only other option was lying down on the bed or to sit outside. The Lance was great for short trips but by the end of several months, we knew we needed a larger rig for travel and working on the road.

Smaller rigs like vans and campers have smaller refrigerators. It means more frequent trips to the store. If you are working or volunteering in a remote spot and don’t have access to another refrigerator, it will severely limit your supply of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Motorhome or 5th wheel?

The Class A and 5th wheel do have the most comfort and living space and are better choices for living in your RV for extended periods of time. But which is best for Workamping? Things to consider are:

1. One or two engines: With a 5th wheel you have one engine to maintain. With a motorhome you’ll probably have a toad (towed vehicle), which means two engines to maintain. Driving a motorhome without pulling a toad means you’ll either have to drive your motorhome to the store and Laundromat or bum rides with others. In a remote area, relying on others could prove difficult or cause resentment.
2. Fuel mileage and convenience: Having a toad can mean that your exploring and trips to town cost much less than if you use your tow truck. A smaller vehicle could be more comfortable and allow you to drive is less accessible places, particularly if your toad is four-wheel drive. Even driving in a downtown area is easier with a smaller vehicle.
3. Living space: A 5th wheel is 100 percent living space. In a motorhome, you have the driver’s area that can be wasted space.
4. Maintenance: A motorhome should not sit for six months. You’ll need to run the engine for 10-15 minutes each week and periodically take it out for a drive. The 5th wheel can sit all season without a problem.

In the end, it is a matter of preference. If the rest of the year you prefer a motorhome for its advantages, you can certainly live for a few months in it where you work or volunteer.

My experience:

Bill, my late husband, and I chose a motorhome for a couple of reasons. One, we could leave the motorhome in a Wal-Mart parking lot for the day and explore in our jeep. We got better gas mileage with the jeep, could go four-wheel driving or drive downtown and find a place to park. Two, we felt safer being able to drive away in our motorhome at a moment’s notice if camped. Since we did a lot of boondocking, this was important.

After finding that we spent six months working in one location each year, we often thought that a 5th wheel would have been a better choice. When we purchased a homebase, we downsized to a truck camper. After Bill passed away, George and I tried the camper for a summer and decided we’d stick to his 5th wheel. We did spend several months at Big Bend National Park in Texas in the 5th wheel where he volunteered and found it much more comfortable than a camper. This past summer we traveled in the 5th wheel. Sometimes we were limited in roads we took. While my little Suzuki has 4WD and goes most anyplace, a big dually GMC doesn’t do so well on back roads.

Your choice

A recent subscriber survey of subscribers by Workamper News found a that 41.73% had motorhomes, 38.13% owned 5th wheels and 9.49% have trailers.

So there you have it. Each type of RV and setup has advantages and disadvantages. Weigh all the factors, go to RV shows and dealers and walk through many RVs and then make your best decision.

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Recreational vehicle (often referred as RV) is an enclosed equipment with dual purposes. First it functions as a regular moving vehicle, and second as a temporary home. Some people call this as a motor home or a motor caravan. A recreational vehicle is intended for almost every use, to travel to different places yet still feel like being at home.

RVs can be rented in many cities. People who opt for an RV versus a car when traveling rave about the complete amenities inside of an ordinary house. It’s a great innovation that’s in demand nowadays.

A look-see inside an RV:

• Beds where you can take a rest or nap
• A multi-functional table
• Fully-equipped kitchen

Larger models of RVs have additional features like:

• Bathrooms
• Refrigerators
• Living areas
• Master’s bedrooms

Recreational vehicles are sometimes used as mobile-on-the-go. These RVs have special features like satellite TV and Internet access, slide-out sections and awnings. You just have an extra table and other needed equipments needed to be used in typical offices. Some have a small storing area for an ordinary car. An RV typically has sufficient supply of electricity and generator.. Other RVs are used just to tow small cars.

Types of RVs:

• Class A motor home – constructed with different kinds of chassis. Be it a commercial truck, a specially-designed motor vehicle or a commercial bus chassis.
• Bus conversion – highly-customized with luxury components; typically the largest motor vehicle available.
• Class B Campervan – like a conventional van with raised roof added or the back has been replaced by low body profile.
• Class C motor home – built on truck chassis with an attached cab section. It has a cab-over profile called mini-home motor.
• Truck Camper – favored by hunters and other back wood travelers.
• Folding Trailer – this is also known as tent camper, collapse for towing and storage.
• Travel Trailer – a unit with rigid side which is designed to be towed
• Teardrop Trailer – is a lightweight travel trailer, sometimes towed by a motorcycle
• Hybrid Trailer – combination of a travel trailer and a folding (tent) trailer
• Fifth-wheel Trailer – towed by a pick- up or a medium duty truck
• Park Model – is a standard traveler trailer but is not self-contained; designed for park camping only and not for dry camping. It has hot water storage tanks and must be used with hook ups.
• Toterhome – for pulling of large and heavy trailers
• Toy hauler – designed to be part living space and part garage.

Renting RVs are expensive, and is not a better alternative to hotels or inns. But try it at least once in your life for the experience.

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Towing
Whenever you are determining the tow capacity of a vehicle make sure you know what the rear axle ratio is. It is quite possible to have the same type and size of vehicle with the same engine and the tow ratings vary by several thousand pounds. The axle ratio is a comparison of how many times the drive shaft rotates, versus the rear wheels. A 4.10:1 axle ratio means the drive shaft or pinion gear rotates 4.1 times for each rotation of the rear axle or ring gear. The higher the numeric value the better the vehicle will tow. Some people have a misperception that a vehicle with 4-WD will have a higher tow rating than an identical vehicle that is two-wheel drive. In reality the 2-WD vehicle will have the higher tow rating. The reason for this is the transfer case in the four-wheel drive vehicle adds additional weight to the vehicle, usually close to 500 pounds, which lowers the tow rating by that same amount. Keep in mind that any weight you add to the tow vehicle takes that same amount of weight away from the vehicles tow rating and Gross Combined Weight Rating.

Deep Cycle Battery
RVs come equipped with deep cycle batteries for the coach’s 12-volt DC electrical system. House or coach batteries need to be true deep cycle batteries that are designed to provide a steady amount of current over a long period of time. Starting batteries and marine batteries should not be used in this application. True deep cycle batteries have much thicker plates and are designed to be deeply discharged and recharged over and over again. Many RVs use a single deep cycle battery. Deep cycle batteries are rated in amp hours. How many amps the battery can deliver for how many hours before the battery is discharged. If you enjoy dry camping, without utility hook-ups, you depend on your deep cycle battery(s) to take care of your 12-volt needs. You can purchase a deep cycle battery with a higher amp hour capacity that will last longer. The higher the amp hour capacity is the larger and heavier the battery is. If you have room for a larger battery and enjoy dry camping you may want to upgrade your deep cycle battery to one with a higher amp hour rating. If your RV is equipped with a marine RV battery you may want to upgrade to a true deep cycle battery.

Water Pressure Regulator
Water pressure at campgrounds can be extremely high and can cause damage to your RV plumbing system. Always use a water pressure regulator when you hook-up to the campground water supply. Always connect the water pressure regulator directly to the campground water source. This way you regulate the water pressure where the water pressure originates. It’s also a good idea to turn the water supply off if you’re going to be away from the campground for extended periods of time.

Water Filters
You never know the condition or quality of potable water at different campgrounds. Always use a water filtration system to filter the drinking water in your RV, or take bottled water with you for drinking water.

Pet Safety
Take updated photos of your pets with you on camping trips. If they should get lost you can use the pictures to assist in finding them.

Safe Drinking Hose
Always use a non-toxic, white RV drinking hose for your potable water connection at the campground. Take a black or green garden hose along for all other purposes such as cleaning the RV or flushing out holding tanks. You will always be able to distinguish the difference by the color of the hose.

Pre-Trip Checks
Before leaving on a trip always check the license plate and inspection/emission sticker on the RV to make sure they are current or won’t expire while you are away. Always make sure your RV insurance is current.

Simple Test for Water Leaks
A quick and easy way to test your RV plumbing system for leaks is to turn the 12-volt water pump on when there is water in the fresh water holding tank. Once it pressurizes the system and shuts off it should not come back on until you open a water faucet. If the pump does come on sporadically, even for short periods of time, water is leaking somewhere.

Trip Routing
Print a detailed map and routes of your entire trip from an Internet trip planning service. It is a free service and it is a great help in tracking distance, routes, and exits that you need to be watching for especially in congested areas. A GPS system helps too.

Proper Tire Inflation
Always check and add air to the tires when they are cold, before traveling. When tires get hot the air expands and you get a higher-pressure reading. If you let some air out they will be under inflated when they are cold.

Awning Protection
Awning tie downs help to protect your patio awning, but you should never leave your awning out during bad weather, or when you’re not physically at the campsite. Wind and rain can damage your RV awning very quickly and it can be expensive to repair.

Wiper Blade Maintenance
Check the condition of your windshield wiper blades before you leave on a trip. This is one of those things we don’t think about until the next time we need them. Periodically clean the wiper blades with windshield washer fluid.

Happy Camping!

Mark J. Polk

Copyright 2008 by Mark J. Polk owner of RV Education 101

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An RV vacation can be a lot of fun! It can make for a great family adventure, and it is typically less costly than other types of vacations. According to PKF Consulting, a consulting firm with expertise in travel and tourism, RV vacations are 27 to 61% less expensive than other types of vacations studied.

While an RV vacation can be fun and relatively inexpensive, there are a few basic pointers to follow to plan a successful trip.

Plan Ahead

The key to a successful RV vacation is planning. Anyone considering such a vacation should think about:

• Planning an itinerary that includes the places you want to go and things that you want to see.
• Mapping out driving directions that are easy and direct.
• Mapping out the places you will be staying. There are many resources to find RV campgrounds, including the websites of KOA (Kampgrounds of America), Passport America RV Campgrounds, Recreation.gov, RV and Camp Out West.com, and Thousand Trails to name a few.
• Making your reservations for both the RV and the RV campgrounds that you will be visiting.

Rent Early

Similar to vacation homes, RVs are in demand during peak vacation seasons. It is not at all out of the ordinary for an RV Rental company to have most or all of their RVs rented by early spring. Renting ahead also applies to space in RV campgrounds. The best ones in the best locations are also booked early.

A Tutorial Will Remove the Guesswork

Most RV Rental companies provide a video or in person tutorial before letting someone drive off in an RV. You should make sure that any rental company you are considering offers such a tutorial. Prior to leaving the rental lot, you want to be comfortable with the following:

• How to drive the RV – Yes, RVs drive slightly differently than cars. It is important to get the “feel” of driving an RV.
• How to operate basic equipment such as the furnace, generator, liquid propane tank, water heater, and water pump.
• How the electrical system works (when to start it and when to use the generator or plug in).
• When to use gas or electricity to run the refrigerator.
• How to dispose of waste such as black water (toilet waste), grey water (sink and shower), and garbage.

Have Fun

It’s supposed to be an adventure! Make sure to leave your cares at home and enjoy the open road. With all the sights and attractions in the United States, you’ll never run out of things to see and do on your RV Vacation!

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There is no one right RV. RVs include all manner of recreation vehicles from small, pop-up campers, to travel trailers, to a single unit motor home. Like the wide variety of personal vehicles on the road the type of RV that one chooses depends on the need of the buyer and her intended purpose for the vehicle.

Road Warrior or Weekend Warrior?

There are two types of RVers, full-time and part-time. Each have different needs for their recreational vehicle.

A full-time RVer is looking for a moving home. For most this means a vehicle with most of the modern conviences and that directly impacts the size of the vehicle. Class A motor homes and luxury fifth wheels are usually the answer for the full-timer.

Part-time RVers can usually consider smaller vehicles with fewer extras. Smaller pop-up campers generally offer the traveler little more than a bed and multi-function table and for many this is plenty. Other smaller models of RVs may include things such as sinks and bathrooms. It is also important to the part-time RVer that their vehicle be storable when not in use. While a big fifth wheel trailer may dominate a garage or swallow the driveway, a camper can often be tucked away beside the garage or somewhere else unobtrusive.

Tow or Turtle

Whether one is a full or part-time RVer the choice must be made between a trailer or motor home. Both are available in almost every size. Some things to consider when choosing between the two are: 

1. Destination freedom – Fifth wheals and travel trailers must be towed. This means that once one arrives at his destination he can park and unhook his trailer. Instant personal vehicle. Motor home users must rely on local transportation resources or tow a separate car.
2. Mileage – Both motor homes and trailers result in high pump prices. A motor home offers some relief in this aspect, though, if a smaller vehicle is towed with it. Once at the destination errands and day trips can be accomplished in the smaller, more efficient car. Trailers require a big, gas-guzzling engine which will continue to guzzle whether it’s towing a trailer or not.
3. Room to Stretch the Legs – Travel trailers and especially luxury fifth wheels tend to offer a lot more living space. Motor homes must devote a good deal of the front of the vehicle to the driver’s area.
4. Downtime – When not in use travel trailers can generally sit forgotten. Motor homes, however cannot. They must be started on a regular basis and occasionally taken for a drive to keep the engine and tires in order.

Ultimately it is the traveler’s choice. After desiding to what uses the vehicle will be put and how often it is best to start visiting RV dealerships and carefully weigh the option.

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Travel trailers, fifth wheels, RVs – call them what you will but for those of us that love to live in them they are home. And one likes to surround oneself with the amenities of modern living whether the home is mobile or not. Some place the priority of mobile living on escape – going to the country, finding the quiet and relaxing. Others want to embrace the RV lifestyle while remaining connected to current events and their favorite television programs. Still others, especially those with children, find that it is important to bring along with their home TV, music, Internet and video games. The priorities of entertainment vary and are as numerous as the models and options of travel vehicles.

These days technology is certainly on our side. The entertainment system options in RVs have changed dramatically in the last few years. Television screens alone have made an amazing difference to the necessary efficiency of travel trailers and RVs. Where before a small, relatively speaking, 19″ screen required a much bigger devotion of space than do the massive screens of today. Doing away with the tube was perhaps one of the biggest advances in RV entertainment technology. In addition to efficiency of space these flat screen TVs add the possibility of multiple televisions. This is especially helpful for a family traveling with kids.

Often new RVs and travel trailers come equipped with entertainment systems. When shopping for a new vehicle it is important to understand what is included with the quote. Often one sees a show model which is outfitted with the fullest package while the quoted price does not include the full entertainment system displayed. While entertainment system upgrades are generally available make sure that the hike in cost is realistic when compared to the actual cost of the additional components. This is an important consideration when one considers that electronics stores often offer great deals on the various components of an entertainment system. However, the additional cost can be worth it for a vehicle that is fully equipped and ready to roll on day one. A professional or factory installed entertainment system can save a lot of space and do away with the eyesore and hassle of the cables and connecting hardware of additional equipment.

If one already owns a travel trailer or RV and is looking to upgrade the entertainment system it is important to consider such things as size, storage and compatibility. Certain questions should be answered. Can this component be hooked up with minimum hassle such as pulling out existing components to get at the plugs in the back? When not in use can it be stored while respecting the efficiency of space? Can it be plugged into and powered by the existing power sources of the RV?

The options for entertainment on the road are vast and today’s technology makes them incredibly flexible. Finding the right options for you and your travel companions is important. Take the time to make the right choice.

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Trailer sway is a condition that is inherent in most towed trailers. When a trailer is hitched with a tow vehicle with a hitch ball it might sway when the trailer is acted upon by some outside force. This push or pull can be applied by gusting winds, passing trucks, uneven loads or tow vehicle driver reactions into the trailer.

High winds from unsatisfactory weather can induce trailer sway. A wind gust that buffets the side of the towed trailer will attempt to sway the trailer on the hitch ball. This results in the rear of the tow vehicle being pushed to the side when the sway force acts on the hitch ball. When the rear of the tow vehicle is forced to the side the driver might have a natural inclination to steer in a counter direction. This might be disastrous.

Another type of wind that can apply a sway force to the trailer is from a passing truck. Semi trucks push a bow wave of air that passes along the side of the trailer. The unstable pressures of this air will suck the trailer in the direction of the truck. This might evoke a driver reaction that may start the trailer to vacillate.

A uneven load in the trailer might also evoke trailer sway. If a load suddenly shifts or falls to the side during travel that force could allow the trailer to begin to sway.

Whenever any of these conditions occur it is essential that you do not answer in a fashion that will start the trailer to oscillate behind you. It is also imperative that you do not apply the brakes on the tow vehicle because that could evoke a jackknife.

If trailer sway begins there are very clear actions to take to minimize it. The first thing to do is accelerate lightly. This may seem counter intuitive to what you would do but it will make the trailer start to straighten out. The next step is to manually implement the electric trailer brakes. This will also straighten the trailer back behind the tow vehicle.

Trailer sway might be controlled with excellent equipment. The first type of equipment that most people are sold can only be marginally acceptable to control trailer sway. These are usually friction based hitches that will only operate only during light trailer movement. The best performing type of sway control comes through a pivot point projection style hitch. This excellent design will eliminate trailer sway through projecting the location of the pivot point of the trailer. A pivot point projection hitch can control your trailer sway.

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If you’ve been unhappy with the quantity of hot water provided by your conventional RV water heater, there is an alternative. In November 2006, I decided to take the plunge and invest in a tankless water heater for our RV. I was really tired of G.I. showers. As a Viet Nam era veteran, I’d had more than my share of them when I was younger. We did our research and made our choice. Now, I’ll never go back to a conventional water heater again! Read on and I’ll tell you how I am now able to take a hot shower whenever I want, for as long as I want.

Basic Water Heater Design

A conventional water heater uses a storage tank to heat its water. It fills the storage tank with a quantity of water, then heats it up to a specific temperature and keeps it there. This is true whether we’re talking about your home or your RV. In a home, this usually doesn’t present much of an issue. Most home water heaters are at least 30 gallons in size, many are much larger. If you continuously run out of hot water at home, the solution has always been to replace your 30 or 40 gallon heater with a 60 gallon model, or even larger; problem solved. Unfortunately, as RV’ers, we don’t have that luxury. Most RV water heaters have either 6 gallon or 10 gallon tanks. Even if a larger heater is available, there is always a size and weight consideration in an RV. Water weighs 8 pounds per gallon, so even if you had room for a 20-30 gallon unit, the extra 80-200 pounds of water plus the weight of the bigger unit is usually a problem. Simply put, changing the size of your water heater is usually not an option in an RV.

The Alternative

The alternative is a technology that’s been around for more years than you might think – tankless water heaters. A tankless heater is just what the name implies, it doesn’t have a storage tank.

Instead, it heats the water on-demand as it flows through the unit. This seems simple enough, but actually wasn’t really a viable alternative until the last 10 years or so. It took the computer revolution to make the technology viable and inexpensive enough to make it commercially feasible. With modern microcomputer controllers, the heating rate and flow can be controlled with enough precision to make the tankless heater a great alternative.

How a Tankless Water Heater Works

Instead of a storage tank, a tankless heater has a coiled chamber in it that works similar to the radiator in your car. Your car’s radiator is designed to remove heat from water as it flows through. This cools your engine. The tankless water heater works the opposite and heats the water as it flows through. This means as long as you have water flowing, and don’t run out of whatever fuel (propane, electricity, etc.) you use to generate the heat; you have continuous hot water.

Understanding The Differences Is The Key

There are several key operational differences between tankless and conventional heaters. If you’re considering a tankless heater, you should be aware of these differences in order to have a successful experience.

When we were doing our research to make our decision, I went to many of the forums on the Internet to see what people were saying about their experiences. What I found was amazing. In almost all cases where someone was unhappy with their decision to “go tankless”, it was due to a misunderstanding of how they work. This misunderstanding led to unrealistic expectations, which led to dissatisfaction with the product.

A conventional heater heats the water in a storage tank to a specific temperature, typically about 120° Fahrenheit, and keeps it there. That means you will always get 120° water from your hot faucet when you turn it on, until the tank begins to replenish the tank from the cold water source. Then, the temperature of your water will slowly decrease until the hot water in the tank has been completely replaced with “cold” water. It which time, the water temperature from your hot faucet will be equal to the temperature from your cold faucet. With only 6 to 10 gallons of storage capacity, this usually doesn’t take long. The typical person takes a shower at somewhere around 105° at a flow rate of roughly 1.5 gallons per minute. Since you need to mix some cold water into the hot to lower the temperature from 120° to 105°, that gives you about 5 to 7 minutes from a 10 gallon tank before the water temperature drops below the 105° point and you begin to feel the shower is too cold to be comfortable. During this time of course, you’ve been constantly lowering the amount of cold water in the mix to keep the shower at a constant 105°.

A tankless water heater works very differently. It heats its water based on temperature rise and flow rate. The computer controller prevents the temperature from ever exceeding the preset maximum, typically the same 120°, just like a conventional heater. What you should understand is this means the temperature of your hot water can be lower than the maximum if one or both of 2 conditions are present. If your source water (the cold water) is very cold or if your flow rate is very high, your hot water temperature may be less than 120°. The tankless heater we purchased is rated to heat water 85° at a flow rate of 1 gallon per minute. A little simple math will help us understand this. If my source water is 64° and I set my shower at a flow of approximately 1 gallon per minute, then the hot water would be the maximum of 120° because 64° + 85° = 149°. Typical groundwater temperatures range from about 42° in Michigan during the winter to about 72° in Florida during the summer. Of course, if you lower the temperature of the source water and/or raise the flow rate, that changes the equation. Taking a bit of an extreme as as an example, if I’m in Michigan during the Winter (42° source water) and I set my shower at 1.5 gallons per minute (a typical shower rate), then the temperature rise of the heater I have is closer to about 70° than 85° at that flow rate. That means the temperature coming from my hot faucet is 42° + 70° = 112°. At that rate and temperature rise, I would need to mix far less cold water with the hot to get my desired 105° shower. It is possible, at very low temperatures (cold climates) and high flow rates (2 gallons per minutes or more), that you may find yourself taking a shower with nothing but hot water since 100° to 105° is about the maximum the heater can produce. The bottom line is this. As you change climates, the way you mix your hot and cold water to achieve a desired result will change also. As long as you understand this, and it doesn’t bother you, you will have a successful experience owning a tankless water heater.

There are advantages to these differences as well. The first of course is there is no storage tank to run out of hot water. As long as the water flows, and you don’t run out of propane, you have a constant flow of hot water at a consistent temperature. Once you have your hot and cold water mixed, there is no need to move it during your entire shower. The second advantage is cost. A conventional water heater keeps the storage tank hot around the clock, whether you are using the hot water or not. This requires energy (fuel) even when you don’t need hot water. A tankless heater only uses energy while it’s heating water. This can represent a significant savings. In our case, we’ve noticed about a 25% savings in propane since we switched the heater, and I have a tendency to take long showers – just because I can. You may see as much as a 50% savings in propane costs according to the manufacturer. For me that works out to a return period of less than 4 years. In 4 years my tankless water heater will have paid for itself in propane savings alone. That’s great! Especially considering I get to take REAL showers instead of G.I. showers.

Conclusion

Based on my experiences, a tankless water heater is beyond a cool toy, it is an essential part of my RV. I will never be without one again. Even if I decided to quit RV’ing full time and go back to a conventional home, it would have tankless water heaters in it. The model we chose is the RV-500 from PrecisionTemp. It is the only tankless water heater designed specifically to be a direct replacement for conventional 6 gallon and 10 gallon RV water heaters. Installation was a breeze, I even did it myself. If you’re not inclined to do it yourself, any qualified plumber can install it in a short time. If you are a do-it-yourself’er, both the documentation and the support I got from PrecisionTemp when I had questions were superb. The quality of the unit is excellent and it has operated flawlessly since installation. I went ahead and got the model with the Cold Weather Protection kit so I could stay in cold climates, even though we typically head to warmer climates in the Winter.

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I don’t believe there is an RV-related subject that causes more arguments than RV weight, unless maybe it’s the argument over trailer vs. 5th wheel vs. motor coach. Between the cryptic way that RV weights are reported by the manufacturers, the lack of clear standards by the DOT and the often deliberate misinformation spread by RV dealers; RV weights are confusing at best. We recently purchased a new RV – a process that finally prompted me to attempt to fully understand this subject. The following is what I learned, and in my humble opinion, an authoritative explanation of what the truth really is.

Let’s start with the 2 stickers that are required by law on every RV sold in America. The RV manufacturer is required to include a Weight Sticker on the RV that details all the important weight ratings and maximums. This sticker is usually located on the inside of one of the kitchen cabinet doors. The other sticker required by law is a tire capacities sticker. This is usually outside the RV, somewhere near the hitch on towable RV’s. It can be on the inside door frame, near the engine compartment or on the inside of the service door for motor coaches. In addition to these 2 stickers on the RV, you’ll also need the ratings from your tow vehicle if working with a towable.

The Weight Stickers

The RV’s weight sticker displays all of the most important weights as they apply for your RV. The information on this sticker has changes over the years, but it should contain at least some combination of the following:

• GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating). The maximum gross weight that the axles will carry. This is independent of the weight rating of the tires.
• GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The maximum weight that the axles and/or the tires will carry. It is the lesser of the axle carrying capacity or the tire carrying capacity
• UVW (Unloaded Vehicle Weight). The total weight of an RV as it was delivered to the dealer. It does not include any dealer installed accessories.
• NCC (Net Carrying Capacity). This is the actual amount of cargo allowed. It is in simplest terms, GVWR – UVW = NCC. This is sometimes listed as CCC (Cargo Carrying Capacity).
• GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating). This is the maximum weight of this RV plus any towed vehicle combined. This is listed on the RV for motor coaches, but not towables. For towables you can get this rating from the sticker on your tow vehicle.
• Hitch Weight. The maximum weight the hitch can support. In the case of a towable this is the maximum weight the RV’s hitch can support and has nothing to do with the hitch rating of the tow vehicle. In the case of a motor coach this is the hitch rating of the hitch used for towing a chase vehicle.
• GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight). See GVWR
• CCC (Cargo Carrying Capacity). See NCC
• Gross Dry Weight. See UVW
• Dry Axle Weight. The weight of the trailer when the RV is on the hitch. This can be calculated as UVW – Hitch Weight = Dry Axle Weight.

All of these may not be on your sticker since some only apply to certain RV classifications. In addition, there may be other weights listed. In addition to the RV’s sticker, you’ll need to understand the weight rating of your tires. For towables you’ll also need to get the ratings from your tow vehicle. This sticker is usually found on the door frame of the driver door, or can be located in your owner’s manual. It contains many of the same ratings as they apply to the tow vehicle only. 

By this point I was already beginning to feel the effects of information overload. Did I really need to fully understand all of these numbers as well as the mathematics involved? Was it possible to reduce this down to a manageable level and make intelligent, informed decisions? I finally worked it out to a few basic formulas that allowed me to fully comprehend all the important information. With that in hand, we were able to make an informed purchase for our new RV.

Gross Weights

Let’s start with the gross weights since these are ratings that are difficult to modify. It’s easy to adjust the amount of cargo you’re carrying, or reduce the amount of fresh water in the tank. The gross weights are fixed however, and short of making major modifications to the RV, are absolute barriers.

In our case we had already decided on a large travel trailer for our new RV. I don’t intend this article to be a debate in the age-old travel trailer vs. 5th wheel vs. coach argument. Suffice it to say we have very good reasons for choosing a travel trailer over the other classifications. With this is mind, let’s look at the all-important gross weights.

The most important weight to us were the:

• GVWR of the trailer, the
• GAWR of the trailer, the
• Hitch Weight of the trailer, the
• Hitch Rating of the tow vehicle, the
• Load Ratings of all our tires and the
• GCWR of the entire rig as noted on our tow vehicle’s sticker.

These are the ratings we couldn’t exceed regardless of how we configured the RV or what we carried as cargo. There are very good engineering and legal reasons for not exceeding these ratings, no matter how you slice them. In my opinion, these are the most important ratings to consider when buying a new RV, regardless of what the RV dealer may try to convince you of. 

The Dealer Dilemma

In our search we ran across both honest dealers and those that were not so honest about RV weight ratings. The majority of the time however, the dealers were neither. They simply didn’t understand these weight ratings and were either misinformed or had no clue how to truly help. Of the dealers that either weren’t properly knowledgeable or those that were downright dishonest, most tried to convince us that the only weight that mattered was the UVW and whether or not that was at or below our tow vehicle’s max towing capacity. In addition, I don’t know how many dealers tried to convince us that these weight ratings have a little “fudge factor” engineered into them.

One of the smartest things we did was speak to our attorney before making a purchase. He informed us that exceeding any of the weight ratings of the RV or the tow vehicle was nothing more than a negligence lawsuit waiting to happen. If it’s proven that you exceeded the manufacturer’s ratings in any way, it can easily be argued that constitutes negligence on your part in the event of an accident. That can lead to problems ranging from very large settlement amounts to even the possibility of your insurance company refusing to pay the claim due to the negligence on your part. Simply put, don’t exceed these weights under any circumstances.

The best way to look at it is to take each and every maximum rating and make sure you are under every one of them. Especially after you are loaded, fueled and ready to get on the road. Often, the only way to do this is to load up your rig and head for the nearest truck stop with a scale. Weighing your rig and understanding the weights you get are key to a safe outcome.

Weighing Your Rig

Weighing your rig is easy and costs very little compared to the alternatives. Load your rig with everything your think is necessary, fill it with fuel and drive to your nearest truck stop with a scale. In order to get enough information to calculate all the primary weights, you’ll need to get to weighings.

First, weigh the entire rig as being towed, or in the case of a coach with chase car attached. Just make sure both your TV (Tow Vehicle) axles and the TT (Travel Trailer/5th Wheel) axle(s) are on 3 separate weighing pads. That will give you weights for your steer axle, your drive axle and your TT or chase car axle(s). Next, take the TT or chase car and “drop” it in the parking area so you can come back and weigh just the TV or coach; again making sure the steer axle and drive axle are on different pads to get 2 separate weights. From these 2 weighings you can calculate all the weights you need.

GCVW (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight) is the total weight of the first weighing. It is important that you do not exceed your TV’s rating or your coach rating on this. If you do, you could be find yourself facing that law suit for negligence I mentioned earlier, not to mention that fact that it’s unsafe. You coach or TV are only engineered to handle that much weight and you could face brake failure, tire failure of other issues if this weight is exceeded.

TV GVW (Tow Vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Weight) is the total of the second weighing. Like the GCVW, it is important to not exceed your TV or coach’s max rating.

Axle weights. Each of your TV’s axles have a max rating, as does your TT. From the individual weights of the axles in both weighings you can tell if you’re exceeding any of the max ratings for your axles. Pay particular attention to your TV’s drive axle from the first weighing. It will be heavier than it is in the second weighing because of the tongue weight of the TT or chase car.

TT GVW (Trailer’s Gross Vehicle Weight). For this one you need to do a bit of math, but it’s not difficult.

TT GVW = GCVW – TV GVW

Both your TT and your hitch have a max rating for this. This weight must not exceed either the GVWR of the TT as found on the sticker, or the Max Towing Capacity of your TV. Hitches also have 2 max ratings, one for the max towing weight (this weight) and one for the weight of the trailer tongue.

Tongue Weight. For this one you need to do a bit of math as well:

Tongue Weight = GCVW – TV GVW – TT Axle Weight

This needs to be within the max tongue weight rating of your particular hitch.

Tires

One last thing … your tires on both your TV and TT. Many people overlook their tire load rating. The load rating is found on the tires sticker and written on the side of your tires and should not be exceeded. Personally, I want plenty of safety margin here. If you run your tires very close to their max load rating it will wear the tires prematurely. More importantly, if you experience a blowout of 1 tire on a tandem axle, the other tires are now carrying considerably more weight than they are rated to carry; especially the ones on the same side as the blow out. It is possible to damage multiple tires in a situation like this before you can even get the rig stopped.

Conclusion

If you pay the most attention to your gross weight ratings, the rest of the capacities seem to take care of themselves. Not that the others aren’t important, it just seemed easier for me to deal with the gross ratings and let the other level out as needed. Since we’re full-timers that travel a lot, I weigh often. It will surprise you how much “cargo” you accumulate as time goes by.

It’s easy to weigh at commercial truck stops and the cost is usually reasonable. Most truck stops will only charge you full price for the first weighing, then a small additional price for the second weighing. The last time I weighed at a CAT scale at a Love’s truck stop, they charges me $7.00 for the initial weighing and only $1.00 for the second one. A small price to pay for peace of mind.

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