RV Camping; Tips, tricks & repairs

[Brent.ff]

Havent really had any issues, couple minutes on the way to camp to grab water, drove right into an empty boulton yesterday to dump. Plus fuel savings for not towing tanks. Dont think i've ever waited more then half an hour max

[ExtraSlow]

The crossfield one is the worst, and I have previously spent a lot of weekend at a family place around gull lake. Sylvan Lake is better than Crossfield, but still a 30-60 minute wait on a sunday. I like being able to drive home on sunday, then to take the trailer back monday and dump then at the stroage site.

If you don't need a sani-dump, the country hills places seem like they'd be $50/month roughly, and the yards looks fine.

[Tik-Tok]

I only used the Crossfield one once, whats the problem with it?

[ExtraSlow]

Just long lineups. Facility is fine.

[Brent.ff]

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The crossfield one is the worst, and I have previously spent a lot of weekend at a family place around gull lake. Sylvan Lake is better than Crossfield, but still a 30-60 minute wait on a sunday. I like being able to drive home on sunday, then to take the trailer back monday and dump then at the stroage site.

If you don't need a sani-dump, the country hills places seem like they'd be $50/month roughly, and the yards looks fine.

Go dump at gull lake..?

[Tik-Tok]

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Just long lineups. Facility is fine.

Ah. The only time I used it, there was no one there except me.

[ExtraSlow]

There's dump options, I don't dispute that. However, I know for my life, I'm happier to dump at my storage spot. That is worth a little bit of money for me.

[Brent.ff]

$30 bucks a month for dumping privileges you only use for 3-4 months (and really how many actual weekends) is too steep for me..

[Tik-Tok]

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There's dump options, I don't dispute that. However, I know for my life, I'm happier to dump at my storage spot. That is worth a little bit of money for me.

I kind of want to dig up my sewage line and make my own dump station on my RV pad. That would be so fucking handy.

[ExtraSlow]

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I kind of want to dig up my sewage line and make my own dump station on my RV pad. That would be so fucking handy.

Would be killer

[spike98]

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I kind of want to dig up my sewage line and make my own dump station on my RV pad. That would be so fucking handy.

Just use the street sewer (aka storm drain). Its all good.

Side note, I had a couple advertise there home sale RV parking as having sewer because thats what they would do....

[ExtraSlow]

I've dewinterized into the storm drains before. But that's non-toxic fluid diluted in a huge volume of water. Wouldn't dump the poops that way.

[ExtraSlow]

Just bought this because my black tank valve is leaking and I don't have time to fix it right now. Supported local by buying at Hobo even though it was $8 more than Amazon. I do love Hobo, they are really helpful.

Added bonus you can use it to connect the two grey tanks together for added grey capacity if you (like me) fill up the front grey tank before the back one. Not like I need to do that often, but nice flexibility. Although I suppose that's a little less awesome if the black tank valve is leaking . . . .

Anywhooo, should keep my hands and the ground cleaner when dumping.

[killramos]

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Whoever thought a full size diesel should be sold with a 96L fuel tank should be shot.

Preach

[Andy643]

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So, not a camping "trick" but I finished our remodel last week. Now I just need "Home away from home" in script adorning the wall to complete the glamping look...

Attachment 92759
Attachment 92760Attachment 92761

This looks great.
The wife and I are planning to do the same thing to our '96 Dutchmen. Any tips? Our goal is to do flooring, paint cabinets, new cabinet hardware and locks. Might redo some of the window covers but am not sure where to start. Our trailer is in great shape just very very dated. Trying to run it for a few more years as it owes us nothing now.

[superflychief]

Any one have experience with AC units constantly freezing up? Tried it on auto and high and it seems to always run and freeze up dropping ice into the rv. Thermostat works fine.

[ExtraSlow]

Not enough indoor airflow to take the "cool" away? This has never happened to me with the RV unit, but has happened at home, and a dirty filter can cause it at home.
Is your unit ducted? Or just blowing directly downwards? If ducted, and it has the grille you can open up to let it blow directly down, try opening that next time to get max airflow, and see if the ice still forms.

[ExtraSlow]

For all the people who were looking at storage, after quite a lot of time on the internet, plus some time driving around, phoning around, and then actually visiting one of them today, I think I've found my new home at stow-away RV storage. https://stowawayrvstorage.ca/.

Pros:
- Professionally managed, on-site staff during business hours in summer, and 24/7 access by key-code.
- Good looking chain-link fencing with lighting and security cameras
- Sloped site, with hard-packed recycled asphalt surface. Zero puddles when I was there today, and it has rained a lot recently.
- Wide lanes, 45 degree stalls, and well-marked (with rope) stall dividers.
- Cheap. My 30' stall will be $45+GST/mo. Larger sizes available. Hell they have pull-through and powered stalls for you real ballerz to store your mobile palaces.
Cons:
- surrounded by farmers fields, so you better hope those dozens and dozens of pest control bait stations are kept up!
- Nearly at Crossiron mall, and in fact, you'll probably end up driving past the mall to get there.
- 144th avenue from Metis trail (the way Google maps sends you) SUCKS. Bumpy, muddy and generally awful. You'll hate it, but you can drive past crossiron mall and down the service road to have only about 50 yards of decent gravel if you choose (and I will)
- Sewer Dump station costs money. $10 per dump or 5 token for $40 ($8/ea). Yeah, that's annoying, but should keep the lines down? Or you can dump before you come home and not spend anything. Up to you, and nice to have the option. Will be 4 dump "slots" by next summer.

All in all, compared to CanaDream, who are raising my rate to $80+gst/mo this year, and who have mud and ruts all over their yard, I'm sold on the benefits of this Stow-away place. I will be moving in before the end of July.
@Brent.ff and @prae , they have many more spots open, and they are developing another ~200 this summer, with total build-out of around 1800 stalls.

EDIT: The smoother way to get there, avoiding the clusterfuck on 144th avenue NE, and circling the lovely scenic New Horizons Mall.

[prae]

Appreciate the detailed report on StowAway thanks @ExtraSlow ! I ended up in a LARGE stall at Canadream because I didn’t want to spend time dealing with shopping for a storage yard while on vacation. $90/mo “month-to-month”, although in truth the contract they handed me was for a six month term.

If you can believe it they are “full” - which surprises me given how cheap and close stowaway is.

Worst case I’m there for the season and will revisit my options when the snow flies. Best case I’ll find some time and hope they let me outta the contract early. Meh experience with them thus far.

[ExtraSlow]

the reason they are "full" is that they have a hundred or so of their own rental units in there. Most summers the German and UK tourists rent them soldily. They are all hail damaged now too. That storm on June 13th hit that area hard. Lucky I was away that weekend. The lesson is to camp lots!