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Planning Pearls for Your Small Travel Trailer Adventures

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Planning Pearls for Your Small Travel Trailer Adventures

Having a small travel trailer means you are now free to travel the world (or maybe at least your continent)!  Interesting side note — although North and South America are treated as separate continents in the seven-continent model, they may also be viewed as a single continent known as America.  So, for all of us living in America, we have tremendous travel options for exploring with our small travel trailers…if you dare!

The first thing to do once you get your small travel trailer is to figure out what type of travel you want to do.  If you’re like me, you’re probably interested in exploring State and National Parks.  Starting in your home state is a good strategy because you won’t be too far from home if something happens and you need to regroup.  On our first preliminary “shake down” overnight trip to Palm Desert, just a couple hours drive away from our home in San Diego, we discovered we couldn’t get our hot water heater to work!  Fortunately, we were close to home and only had booked one night (which we spent without hot water).  I called Scamp when we returned home and we discovered a hidden on/off switch at the hot water heater on our Scamp 13’ which the factory was supposed to turn on!  In any case, I highly recommend taking your first few trips close to home so you are prepared in case something happens.

To discover which State and National Parks are in your home state, visit your State Parks website and the National Parks website.  The National Parks website has a search function for National Parks by state.  Google maps is a good tool once you find some parks you are interested in to get an idea of where the parks are and the drive time to each park.  It’s also a good idea to check monthly weather for the location to make sure it won’t be too hot or too cold the month you plan on going.  This is especially important for popular parks for which it is generally a good idea to reserve months in advance (5 – 6 months out for National Parks).  For strategies on how to secure a popular campground, see my article “Winning Yosemite’s Campground Reservations Online Lottery”.  On your first visit to a National Park, make sure to purchase the annual “America The Beautiful” National Park Pass.    One of the best values in all of camping, this pass costs only $80 and lets you and your family (not to exceed 4 adults) into the National Parks without paying the entrance fees (typically $35 per car).  You can also share the pass with family and friends (each pass can be signed by two main pass owners)!!!

Regional parks can also be great places to camp and explore.  These are a bit harder to find because they are generally run by cities and counties with a variety of different types of websites and reservations systems, but online searches of different cities can uncover some of these gems.  Additionally, apps like iOverlander, RV Parky, and ParkAdvisor may provide good leads on these campgrounds.  Be prepared to set up online accounts for these regional parks and expect different types of online experiences.  For example, one such park in California is Calico Ghost Town (a genuine old Western ghost town!).  I was able to make reservations for it on the San Bernardino County Regional Parks website.  This place was home to one of the largest silver strikes in California which happened in 1881.  Another interesting regional park in California is Cachuma Lake which can be reserved through the Santa Barbara County Parks website.   Like Calico Ghost Town, this campground requires one to sign up on the specific county website.  So, you’ll find that if you do decide to visit lots of regional park campgrounds (which you should plan on!), then you will end up having numerous park website accounts (all free).  So, it’s a good idea to have a great password manager that can store all these website URLs with your usernames and passwords.

We try to limit driving to no more than 4 hours to reach each campsite so that our trips are enjoyable.  Sometimes we are forced to drive a bit longer, but generally never more than 5 hours (unless there is an unusual circumstance).  One such circumstance was our trip last summer to Mammoth Lakes from our home in San Diego.  We were forced to drive nonstop over 7 hours because stopping halfway in the desert would have meant staying overnight in our trailer (which does not have AC) in unbearably hot conditions.  This is a long trip, but for a stay of a week or longer it was bearable.  But, overall, we choose to follow our 4 hour rule.  Another thing we like to keep in mind when planning our trips is that, for now, we currently need to Dump (main limitation is the Grey water tank) every third day.  With this requirement, we try to schedule trips so that we are staying at a location with hookups or a general Dump station every three days.  If that’s not possible, then we Dump during our ride to the next campsite at a service station which has a Dump station (these can be found within the apps like RV Parky or by an online search).  Note:  I’m currently working on a portable Grey water auxiliary storage system solution which should double our time between Dumps.  Stay tuned for a future article on this system.

With the 4 hour drive time rule in mind, it’s good to have some expanded options for mid trip stay over locations between your starting point and destination.  These options may include family driveways, Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome locations, free BLM public land areas, and private RV campgrounds.  Our favorite midway stays when travelling are either family driveways or Boondockers Welcome locations.  Our first choice is staying with family because it gives us a chance to reconnect and visit without being a burden since we are self-sufficient in our Scamp 13’.  We have stayed in driveways at my cousin’s in Santa Barbara and my sister’s in Oakland many times while in transit from our home in San Diego to destinations in Northern California and Oregon.  We have also had great success in overnights at Boondockers Welcome locations.  Please see my article “Free Stayovers with Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Hosts”.  These services are available via inexpensive annual subscriptions and allow for some unique experiences like overnights at farms and wineries.

In addition to using your small travel trailer for visiting State and National Parks, another idea is to explore other settings or locations in which you have a strong interest.  Of course, these can be fantastic outdoor wilderness locations, such as Lake Tahoe or the Oregon Coast (which we have enjoyed greatly).   But, such trips can also include other locations which interest you such as for rock hounding, museums, amusement parks, star gazing, city touring, etc.  One trip that I would like to do in the future is to stay at Gilbert Ray Campground in Tucson, AZ and visit the Pima Air & Space Museum since I love aviation.  And, because I love star gazing, trips to dark skies parks (like Anza Borrego Desert State Park) are always rewarding.  Another fun trip we had was a stay at Hearst San Simeon State Park which provided a great rock hounding experience (searching for moonstones on the beach in Cambria) as well as observing the elephant seals!

There are so many different ways and purposes for using your small travel trailer.  And, since everyone is different, there will no doubt be a lot of different viewpoints on the best types of trips.  But, however you choose to travel, there is one thing for certain –your small travel trailer will offer you a golden ticket to see the world (or at least your continent  …  if you dare)!

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

Drones 101:  Elevate Your Game with Awesome Aerial Camping Images

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Drones 101:  Elevate Your Game with Awesome Aerial Camping Images

Aerial imagery (both still and video) can give your camping snapshots serious dramatic impact by providing a bird’s eye point of view of your subject.  Whether you want to take an image of your small travel trailer from 200 feet up looking straight down on it or capture a coastal view from the air, a small drone can easily provide this capability.  Just remember to check the local rules before you launch to make sure your drone flight is legal and safe.  Although drones are prohibited at all National Parks in the United States, there are still many camping locations where drones are allowed.

I’ve personally built and flown numerous drones over the past five years (from very large to small) and my favorite recommendation thus far for anyone who wants a drone for their small travel trailer adventures is the DJI Mavic Mini (or Mavic Mini 2).  I like this drone the most because it is very small (folds up and fits into a very small travel case), is very quiet (discreet when flying), has very long flight time on a single battery (around 30 minutes), and is extremely stable and easy to fly.  You do need to verify that your smartphone is compatible with the Mavic Mini as it’s necessary to run the flight software used to fly the drone.  Most modern smartphones will be compatible, but it’s easy to check online on various websites or by contacting DJI directly.  As a side note, DJI support has been excellent.  My first Mavic Mini had a malfunction and flew into a mountain and DJI replaced the drone after analyzing the flight data.  I was flying at a very high altitude location in the mountains (around 8,000 feet above sea level) which may have been a factor.

There are a lot of Mavic Mini reviews and videos online, so I won’t give a full review here.  I’ll just say that the Mavic Mini is very easy to fly and uses GPS to provide a very precise flying experience.  The flight software also checks to see if drones are legal and safe to fly at your location and will warn you if there are any issues.  Additionally, if one gets into trouble, the Mavic Mini can come back to you with just a push of the “return to home” failsafe button.  The drone can also auto takeoff and land.  And, features like battery indicator showing remaining flight time and continuous video feed (allowing first person view flying from the phone screen) make for a tremendous flying experience.

The Mavic Mini is a fantastic drone for taking photos and video.  The 2.7K high resolution drone camera is mounted on a three-axis motorized gimbal which keeps the camera stabilized at all times (with the exception of strong winds).  This means that images and video will be super sharp.  And taking still images or video is as simple as tapping on a button on the drone’s flight controller.  Once your drone has landed, the images / video can be instantly viewed and downloaded onto the smartphone and, if desired, uploaded to Instagram (providing mobile data is available).

I recommend getting the Mavic Mini (Original or 2) in the “fly more combo” package which comes with three battery packs.  If price isn’t a factor, the Mavic Mini 2 is the most recent version and has many improvements which include ability to fly in heavier wind and longer range.  But, even the original Mavic Mini (which I own) will be more than capable for taking awesome aerial images and video.

I always make sure to fully charge the batteries and load the Mavic Mini into our Scamp (in a storage compartment over dinette) before we leave on any trip.  When I arrive at the campsite, I always ask neighbors around our trailer if it would be ok if I made a short flight to take some aerial images of our trailer and campsite (assuming flights are allowed at the campground).  I’ve never encountered anyone objecting and I also usually offer to email campground neighbors aerial images of their trailers too after the flight (many fellow campers are really pleased when I do this).  Before I fly, I scout out the area and think about what types of images would be interesting.  I make sure there is very little wind since the Mavic Mini is very light (less than 250 grams and, in turn, exempt from FAA registration).  I often like views of our Scamp from a side down angle and ones looking straight down onto the Scamp from directly above.  I also like views looking across a big meadow at the Scamp if that’s available (or using tall mountains as a backdrop).  Another interesting viewpoint is from out over the ocean / lake looking back at the campground.  There are so many possibilities with aerial photography!  Give it a try and experiment.  Most importantly though, always fly safely and be respectful of the laws, campground rules, neighbors (including animals), and your surroundings.

I try to leave a small footprint when I fly – meaning, I don’t fly too low above anyone or campsites to keep noise from being an issue and I try to make sure the drone isn’t too visible (which is easy since the Mavic Mini is so small and quiet).   I always make sure the area is safe to fly and there are no major or hidden obstacles (like wires) which could be a problem.  Although I monitor my flight time, the Mavic Mini will let you know when it’s time to return to base.  When I’m done for the day, I usually fully recharge my batteries with our Jackery 500 inside the Scamp (this can take some time).

If you are careful and follow the above guidelines, you will no doubt be rewarded with some very dramatic imagery which will be sure to impress!

Click to Buy Original Mavic Mini – Fly More Combo with 3 Batteries

Click to Buy Mavic Mini 2  Fly More Combo with 3 Batteries

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

10 Frequently Asked Scamp Questions at the Campground

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10 Frequently Asked Scamp Questions at the Campground

When we purchased our 2020 Scamp 13’ we were sure we made a great decision and looked forward to frequent adventures at interesting campgrounds (see previous article “Why we Bought an RV and Purchased a Small Travel Trailer”).  Once our Scamp was all set up, we thought we would just go quietly about our way and enjoy the many planned trips we had scheduled.  With our Scamp being so small, one might think it would be hardly noticed in the great outdoors.  However, the one thing we never realized, which we quickly found out, is that these cool looking fiberglass egg trailers are a magnet for lots of questions during campground stay overs!  And, many of these questions tend to repeat themselves.  I discuss some of these frequently asked questions below.

  1. What type of trailer is that?
  2. Does it have a bathroom?
  3. Does the Scamp have a shower?
  4. Where do you sleep and how big is the bed?
  5. Does it have a kitchen?
  6. Is it comfortable?
  7. Is it difficult to tow?
  8. What type of vehicle can tow it?
  9. Where can you buy one?
  10. How much does it cost?

People are usually pretty amazed so many things fit into such a small trailer.  And, sometimes, people want to take a look inside (even during the Pandemic).  We usually open up the shades so they can stare into the many large windows that surround the Scamp and look inside.  However, on one trip, just before driving away from the campground, we did let a woman into the Scamp for a brief look since she wouldn’t leave us alone until she could take a quick peek inside.  The Scamp never fails to impress!

(1) Probably the most asked question, people sizing up the Scamp want to know is what type of trailer it is.  One of the nice things about the stock tire cover is that it lists the name of the trailer as well as the phone number for Scamp.  So, in the past, when people would ask what type of trailer we had, we would simply tell them a Scamp and refer them to the back of the trailer for more details.  Recently, however, we replaced the stock Scamp tire cover with our own Scampgrounds designed tire cover, so we might have a bit more explaining to do in the future when asked this most popular campground question!

(2 & 3) When we explain to people that our Scamp has both a bathroom and a shower in a “wet bath”, we usually have to show them so they can really believe it.  Fortunately, when the Scamp’s front door is open, the bathroom compartment can be seen from the outside (as long as the bathroom door is also open).  Sometimes questions about how the toilet and shower work follow.

(4) People usually approach us during the day, which means that the bed is always hidden (converted into the dinette).  So, when people look through the windows of the Scamp and see the dinette made up, they wonder where we sleep and how big the bed is.  We then explain to them that the kitchen table folds down and forms the base for the bed which is completely flat and covered by the seat and backrest cushions.  Sometimes, a demonstration of how the table folds down helps clarify the answer to this question as well.

(5) The kitchen question is easily answered by removing the stove cover to expose the dual burner stove, followed by a quick demonstration of opening and closing the refrigerator.  These things and the kitchen sink can also be easily seen either by looking through a window or opening the front door.  Some people also ask about what type of food we bring on trips, where we store it, and what we like to cook.  We show them how we pack the small refrigerator with our fruits and vegetables (and other foods that need refrigeration) and how we store boxes of food in the back of our SUV since we don’t have a lot of food storage space inside the Scamp.  Canned salmon, canned soups, tortillas, wraps, bagels, granola, pancake mix/maple syrup, and pastas (with bottled pesto sauce) are some of our camping food staples.

(6) We always tell people that the Scamp 13’ is very comfortable for us (just 2 people), but its comfort would vary depending on how many people and animals are in the Scamp as well as an individual’s lifestyle preferences.  For example, if there are more than 2 people or a large dog, the Scamp could very easily be too small a trailer to enjoy.  Additionally, if someone needs their own space and doesn’t do well in tight quarters, then the environment might be stressful for them.  However, for a couple that can coordinate well together, the Scamp becomes a highly efficient environment!

(7 & 8) One of the greatest things about the Scamp is that it is very easy to tow and can be towed by almost any SUV and many cars.  Since it weighs less than 2,000 lbs. (weights vary) and is so short (13’), it is very easy to maneuver and fits in the smallest of travel trailer campsites.  And, finding a tow vehicle for such a small and light travel trailer is easy.  See my previous article:  “How Easy is Towing a Small Travel Trailer for the First Time?”.

(9 & 10) When people ask about how to order a Scamp and its cost, we refer them to Scamp’s website.  We tell them that they can order a Scamp on the phone through the factory directly (since there are no Scamp dealerships) and that the cost varies depending on the desired options.  We purchased our 2020 Scamp 13’ with bathroom (almost fully loaded) for less than $20K which included delivery (Minnesota to San Diego).  Please see my previous article:  “Ordering Our 2020 Scamp:  Choosing a Model, Picking Options, and the Price”.

Now that we’ve been on a number of trips, including one all the way up the coast from San Diego to Coos Bay, Oregon, we have fielded these top 10 questions many times and feel comfortable educating those interested in the Scamp.  We’ve learned that having such a fun and cool trailer isn’t only about enjoying the adventures, but it’s also about public relations!  So, if you decide to get a small travel trailer, just be warned that not only will you have many really fun times; you will also be getting the responsibility of being a brand ambassador for your trailer!

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

No AC, No Problem!

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No AC, No Problem!

If you are a California camper and/or can be flexible with your travel plans like us, then you might chose to forgo the installation of an air conditioner unit on your small travel trailer.  When ordering our 2020 Scamp 13’ small travel trailer, we strongly considered adding the rooftop AC option.  We thought it would be great to be able to cool the trailer if we ever stayed in hot weather.  And we didn’t like the idea of going to a location reserved months in advance and being surprised by an unexpected heat wave.  Ultimately, though, we ended up not ordering AC because our goal was to store the new Scamp in our home garage and the factory rooftop AC would eliminate that option.

We decided to travel with our new Scamp 13’ without AC for a year and then make a determination if AC was really necessary.  I did some research and found a couple of possible options if we did think we needed AC that could be added on later (e.g. slim rooftop model, small back window removable AC).  Since California has varied geography, including ocean, mountains, and deserts, trip planning to avoid uncomfortably hot weather would focus on these regions based on the seasons.  First, we tried to avoid travel during any type of heat wave since this condition can affect any location.  For summer and warmer conditions, we avoided valley and desert areas since they can be devilishly hot.  This meant planning summer trips along the coast and in the mountains, which are typically cool areas year round.  In the late fall, winter and early spring, the deserts make for great trip locations – often offering warm sunny days and cool nights.

Our first Scamp trip was to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in late February 2020.  The weather overall at this desert location was perfect – sunny warm days (low 80’s) and cool nights (50’s).  It was a little warm on our first day however, reaching into the mid 80’s, but our powerful rooftop Maxx Fan was enough to keep the air moving and comfortable.  In June, we travelled from San Diego up the coast and onto Lake Tahoe.  We made stops in Santa Barbara, Paso Robles, and Oakland before spending several days at D.L. Bliss State Park in Lake Tahoe.  Once again, the weather was great on most of the stops, with the exception of our overnight stay in Paso Robles (an inland location that we needed to pass through on our way to Oakland).  We arrived at the Harvest Host location (an olive oil farm) in the late afternoon and it was still 95 degrees outside!  Fortunately, we were able to make camp in the shade behind the barn.  We opened all the windows and ran our Maxx Fan.  It was fairly windy outside and, with all the air blowing around, the temperature was tolerable but not comfortable in the Scamp.  Fortunately, the temperature dropped quickly (into the 60’s at night) as soon as the sun set.  Our other Scamp trips in 2020 (Observatory Camp @ Palomar Mountain, Mammoth Lakes, Coos Bay Oregon, Joshua Tree National Park) were also very comfortable experiences, none requiring AC (some were very cold at night, but the Scamp furnace is fantastic and kept things cozy).  So after a year of travel in our Scamp (7 trips, 23 locations, and 33 nights), we could have enjoyed using AC only a couple of days.  Given these experiences, we have decided for now to hold off on installing an aftermarket AC solution.

Although we really didn’t need AC much in the past year, we were still a bit tempted to have a low profile unit installed just in case.  However, after doing some more research we decided the benefit of AC just wasn’t there for us in the way we travel when also considering the disadvantages of having AC installed.  First, a rooftop AC costs a bit of money.  The one that would likely work for us is a Coleman Mach 8 Plus low profile unit which runs about $900 including tax and hundreds of dollars more to install.  And, having an AC likely will mean additional costs down the line for maintenance and eventual replacement.  Additionally, a hole needs to be cut into the roof which can possibly introduce leaks if the AC is not installed correctly.  Side note:  we ordered our Scamp 13’ “AC Ready” (at no extra cost) so all the wiring is there and the roof is supported in case an AC is added later.  There’s also the issue of additional weight (close to a hundred pounds) and drag an AC adds to the trailer which can potentially reduce trailer handling quality and fuel mileage.  Noise can be another complaint people have concerning running an air conditioning unit right above their heads in a small travel trailer.  And, possibly the biggest elephant in the room for us regarding a rooftop AC (beyond not fitting in our garage), is that it cannot be run when dry camping without a generator!

The last point above (ACs require hookup electricity or a generator) turned out to be a big deal breaker for us in considering adding a low profile AC unit for occasional use.  Most of our trips involve a high percentage of non-hookup locations (e.g. State/National/Regional parks and Boondockers Welcome locations).  In turn, we would need to haul around a generator and fuel to use the AC at most of the places we visit.   Scamp recommends the Honda EU2200i which runs around a thousand dollars and weighs almost 50 pounds.  It is recommended never to haul around a generator in your car because the gasoline fumes (even from an empty tank) can overwhelm you.  For those, like us, without a pickup truck, a tongue box is often used at the front of the trailer to house the propane tanks and the generator.  These are often custom built and can be expensive.  There’s also the issue of how to safely haul gasoline without a pickup truck.  Lastly, exhaust fumes (carbon monoxide) from a running generator are deadly and the generator itself can be a potential fire hazard.  Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death.  So, it’s recommended that a generator be downwind of the trailer so the exhaust fumes don’t blow into the trailer and some say to keep it at least 10 feet away from any windows on your travel trailer.  Side note:  a friend of ours got so fed up with dealing with generator issues and hauling fuel that he got rid of it and told us that if the weather ever got hot he would just go to a campground with hookups to run his AC.

Now that we’ve had a year of experiences, and considering the type of travel we like to do (mostly non hookup locations), we are very happy we ordered our Scamp 13’ without an AC unit.  We would have ordered AC had the garage height not been an issue.  It just turns out that this height restriction worked in our favor.  We are still glad we ordered our Scamp 13’ “AC Ready” though, because if our goals change and we decide we would like to take different types of trips, we might possibly add an AC unit in the future.  For example, if we were planning a cross country trip then having an AC would probably be a must.  Or, if we frequently crossed certain “hot zones” like California’s Central Valley on our way to mountain lakes, then the AC also would be very good to have.  So, for many, AC still is very desirable or an absolute must.  But, for people like us, having no AC is no problem!

Update July 2022:  we’ve still found that strategically planning trips has eliminated the need for AC over 95% of the time.  However, when heading to mountain lakes in the summer months, we have either needed to make stops a bit out of our way or drive non-stop to cross the hot parts of California (e.g. Central Valley or Mojave Desert) to beat the heat.  These heat avoidance workarounds have meant taking less efficient longer routes or very long rides straight to our destination.  So, we’ve recently added a temporary window mounted mini AC solution!

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

Take a Page from Star Trek and Log Your Travels!

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Take a Page from Star Trek and Log Your Travels!

One of the best ideas we had when we first started travelling with our 2020 Scamp 13’ small travel trailer was to keep a log book of our travels.  We purchased a small brown leather bound journal with blank lined pages so we could document each of our trips in as much detail possible.  On the first page of our log book we wrote the Year and Name / Model number of our small travel trailer and stapled the business card of the Scamp salesperson who helped us with our purchase.  We keep the log book in our Scamp 13’ so we can make daily entries during our trips.  This log not only serves as a way to remember our past trips but also to provide helpful information for future trips.  Note:  Star Trek captains use spoken log entries to document notable events which happen during their adventures; we still use written logs.

Here are some of the things we like to document on each trip:

  1. Dates of trip
  2. Location of each destination (with park name)
  3. Weather
  4. Daily price of campsite
  5. Ease of campsite access (e.g. bridge access, unpaved road, narrow site, etc.)
  6. Services offered (e.g. electric, water, sewer, cable, wifi….)
  7. Solar capability (e.g. sunny / shady)
  8. Cellular phone signal quality (and good locations for stronger signals)
  9. Number of HD TV stations we were able to access
  10. Locations of nearby gas stations / stores / restaurants, etc. we utilized
  11. Locations / Prices of Dump Stations we used
  12. Visitor center information (e.g. what’s available there, like supplies, t-shirts, etc.)
  13. Daily levels of our fresh, grey, and black tanks (and voltage levels when dry camping)
  14. Our top picks of the best campsite #s for future trips
  15. Fun things we did daily, including trail hike names
  16. Meals we prepared
  17. Friendliness of the camp hosts / park staff
  18. Any campground annoyances (e.g. loud campsite, campsites too close together, bugs, …..)
  19. Trip highlights (e.g. starry nights, hiking trails….)
  20. Any issues we had with our Scamp / accessories and the fixes we used
  21. Drive time between locations
  22. New friends’ names and contact information
  23. Tips for future trips (e.g. things we wished we had packed).

Making notes in your travel log for each trip can be extremely helpful in so many ways.  First, if you ever decide you want to revisit a spot, you will be your own guide to the best campsites at each location.  We make it a point to walk through each campground with our travel journal in hand and note our favorite spots just in case we ever want to return.  For example, we stayed in the Mammoth Lakes area in the High Sierra this past summer at some fantastic public campgrounds and noted all the great campsite #s we thought we would enjoy parking our Scamp in for future summer trips!    Additional details, like pricing, ease of campsite access, and any campground annoyances are also great to remember.

Another very helpful bit of information your travel log can provide concerns hookups and campground facilities.  Specifically, many State campgrounds list no hookups but often have water spigots scattered throughout the campground as well as a centralized dump station.  Knowing this can make a big difference in making a campground decision.  For example, we can usually generate all the power we need for our Scamp 13’ with the solar panel briefcase we bring on trips.  So, if we know we can get all the water we need at campground water spigots, and dump whenever we want at a centralized dump station (or a dump station close by), then what would otherwise be seen as a very limited stay over with no hookups could actually be an inviting location for a longer stay.  For example, we had a wonderful stay at Van Damme State Park in Mendocino County, California (about a 3 hour drive north of San Francisco) where there are no hookups, but water spigots are placed throughout the campground and a $10 Dump station is located at the entrance of the park.  So, all our utility needs were still taken care of quite well.  We also made note in our travel log that there is a gas station very close to the entrance of Van Damme State Park (as these are few and far between in this area).

Connectivity is another good thing to note in the travel log.  Information on cellular phone strength (for both voice and data) as well as WiFi availability at the campground or close by can be very helpful.  We like to be connected just in case there is an emergency or urgent news from family or friends.  And, it’s nice to check email and news when staying for more than a day or two.  In the case of Van Damme State Park, there was no good cellular phone connectivity at the park, but we found a good signal just up the road near the entrance of a private RV park (which we used every morning).  If you have an HD antenna and TV inside your small travel trailer, it’s also helpful to know if there are many watchable channels.  If not, you might consider downloading some movies / shows onto your phone and playing them on your TV (see How To Watch Movies in the Wild).  This is all great information to have for future trips.

We’ve found keeping a daily log of our tank status (fresh, grey, and black) as well as our voltage to be useful.  This will likely only be possible if you have onboard tank monitors and a voltage meter.  Knowing this information allows us to understand how long we can go between resupply / dumping and plan out our trips so we stay at hookup / dump locations when appropriate.  For example, after a year of recording these readings, we now know our average limits (for 2 people) are about 1 – 2 days to deplete our Fresh tank (with 2 short showers per day),  2-3 days until our Grey tank is full, and about a week before our Black tank is full.  As long as we have sun every few days, our electricity can pretty much last indefinitely if we use our solar panel briefcase.   Since many public campsites have water spigots, our Grey tank tends to be the most limiting factor on most trips — we usually can go 2 – 3 days before needing to dump the Grey tank.  In turn, our trips often plan for stays on the third night at a location with full hookups or a nearby dump.

There is also a lot of other useful information that can be gained from the list above and applied to future trips.  Some other significant items to note in the travel log are your meals (e.g. what you prepared and what worked well) to help meal planning for future trips, trip highlights (ideas for future trips), any type of trailer issues (to help plan and prevent these going forward), and tips for future trips (to make future trips even better!).  If logging your travels is starting to sound too time-consuming, we essentially do most of it while eating breakfast each day as an afterthought, so don’t sweat it and make it a breakfast ritual.  In the end, travel logging provides not only a good record to remember one’s adventures but also a tremendous resource for future travels!  So, we recommend you take a page from the Star Trek Captain’s Log, and log your travels!

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

How a Thermostatic Shower Wall Mount Can Change Your Travel Trailer World

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How a Thermostatic Shower Wall Mount Can Change Your Travel Trailer World

Like most small travel trailers, our Scamp 13’ came with an old fashioned plastic wall mounted shower controller with two clear plastic knobs (the left one labeled H for Hot and right one labeled C for Cold).  To get the right mix of hot and cold water to avoid freezing or scalding, a delicate approach of rotating each of the knobs just the right amount is needed.  We quickly found out on our Scamp 13’ that this was easier said than done!  It usually took some fiddling and a bit of wasted water (and some uncomfortable freezing and scalding water sprays) to get a comfortably heated stream.  And, with multiple people showering, it usually meant leaving the shower on at this setting (with the shower head controller in the position to stop the flow) so that the next person could just jump in without having to repeat the process of temperature mixing (although a trickle would still run from the showerhead in this position).

After several camping trips in our Scamp dealing with this shower conundrum, I decided to do a little research to see if there might be a solution.  The first thing I did was called Scamp to see if the hot water heater temperature could be adjusted lower (since one of the biggest issues was scalding water).  I was told this is not possible.  I later found out that most travel trailer water heater thermostats are preset at the factory and cannot be adjusted!  And, typically, the water heater is set so the water is much hotter than at home because there are only 6 gallons (or sometimes on some trailers 10 gallons) to mix with the cold water (which makes the hot water last longer since less hot water is needed to heat the cold water flow).

After a bit more research, I found the answer – the thermostatic shower valve!  Popular in Europe, thermostatic shower wall mounts offer an amazing solution!  The thermostatic valve mixes hot and cold water to a set temperature and reacts instantly to changes in pressure or temperature of the water by re-adjusting the mix of hot and cold water.  What this means is that you can set your desired water temperature in your small travel trailer shower and forget about setting it again (eliminating the need for manual temperature adjustment)!  Additionally, there is usually an anti-scald safety feature that prevents the temperature from being set too high (red button override for hotter temps).  This is great for families with young children or the elderly who might not be able to properly set the water temperature.  Bar valve shower mounts seem to be the most popular being sold in the U.S. on Amazon.  They are attractive chrome bars (see images) that mount to the wall of your small travel trailer shower.  The temperature is typically set with the right hand knob and the flow rate (from off to higher flow) is usually controlled on the left hand knob.   Most of the bar valve shower mounts I found are produced for the European market and, in turn, have heating measurements in Celsius and 6 inch hot cold water line spacing (instead of the typical 4” spacing found in most U.S. small travel trailers).  This usually means one new hole will need to be drilled in the fiberglass shower wall to accommodate pipes spaced 6” apart.

Because they are primarily designed for Europe, the thermostatic wall shower mounts have parts which may not fit well with parts in small travel trailers built in the U.S.  As such, it’s common for leaks to occur when trying to join the pex/compression fittings in the small travel trailer to the European style thermostatic shower mount if the proper materials and methods aren’t used.  That’s because the compression fittings (like SharkBite) which join the PEX water hoses to the shower mount hardware may not fit properly.  In the case of our Scamp 13’, I found that when screwing down the Scamp’s stock SharkBite elbow connectors on the shower mount’s brass threaded water inputs, the thread patterns didn’t seem to match exactly and the compression gasket wasn’t a good match against the brass.  Even after using plumbers tape on the threads and pipe thread sealant, the connections leaked.  After trying a bunch of different connection types and with the help of my friend and neighbor, Roman, who is an engineer, we found a working solution which did not leak when taking a shower.  Please see below for the steps and materials I used to successfully install a thermostatic shower wall mount in our Scamp 13’.

Step 1:  Gather materials:

  1. Thermostatic Shower Wall Mount
  2. ½” x ½” FNPT Female Swivel Elbow (2 of these)
  3. Metal Worm Gear Hose Clamp (adjustable, 40mm–63mm)
  4. White plastic cutting board (2 of these to be safe)
  5. Thick plumber’s tape
  6. Clear Silicone
  7. Hole Dozer – 7/8”
  8. Level
  9. Blue tape

ALWAYS USE EYE PROTECTION WHEN WORKING WITH TOOLS!  AND, WEAR A PROTECTIVE RESPIRATOR MASK WHEN CUTTING FIBERGLASS!

Step 2:  Disconnect water if hooked up / make sure the on demand water pump is off and release water pressure by running sink.

Step 3:  Remove original shower water mount by unscrewing plastic wall nuts in closet behind the mount.  The shower mount should then pull right out.  Make sure to have a towel to absorb any water coming out of the PEX hoses.

Step 4:  Using adjustable pliers (Irwin Groovelock Plier Set) and with the pliers loose, slap the metal plier faces (top and bottom) with a fast motion against each SharkBite connector end so the connector comes off the PEX, leaving just the blue and red PEX hoses exposed.  Example here.

Step 5:  Wrap each Swivel Elbow brass end piece with thick plumbers tape, push one into the red and one into the blue PEX hoses (should be very tight), and secure it with metal worm gear hose clamps (screw down tightly).  Alternatively, PEX cinch rings, or crimp rings, may be used instead.  Whatever method is used to attach the brass fitting to the PEX, it’s important the joint doesn’t leak.

Step 6:  Cut a straight line on a piece of white cutting board with a wood saw 4” down from the rounded edged top.  We bought several small white cutting boards at Wal-Mart for 88 cents each.  Note:  I first tried with a dremel wheel cutting tool, but the plastic melted leaving a messy surface.  The cut piece will be about 4” long and 8.5” wide, with the rounded edges at the top.  This piece will be used inside the shower directly behind the wall shower mount.

Step 7:  Cut a couple more identical pieces to the above (although having top rounded edges isn’t important) – these two pieces will just be used for spacers in the closet so they don’t have to be that precise.

Step 8:  Assemble the Thermostatic Shower Wall Mount as pictured.  Plumbers tape will need to be wrapped on the brass threads on both sides of the hot/cold brass input fittings (in the opposite direction the pipe will be turned).  Make sure to insert the screen gasket on each side of the mount and rotate the decorative chrome covers over the brass threads.  Be careful not to over tighten the brass fitting on the wall mount side as it could strip the inside threads of the mount.  Hand tightening should be sufficient.  The brass fittings coming out of the wall mount should be uniformly positioned in the same orientation (I positioned them straight out and up).

Step 9:  Place the wall mount over the 4” white plastic back plate piece cut previously and position so that the decorative chrome wall covers will touch the plastic all around when holes are cut.  Mark the position of the holes on the plastic cutting board with a marker using the brass pieces coming out of the wall mount as a guide (the holes should be level and low enough below the rounded top that the decorative chrome covers sit against the plastic all the way around).  Drill the two holes with the 7/8” hole dozer.  Make sure the new backsplash slips easily over the brass fittings on the wall mount.  Make a couple more pieces with the extra plastic cutting board using the original as a template for the holes.  Cut the holes for these two pieces.

Step 10:  Hold the wall mount bar with the right side brass fitting aligned with the farthest shower wall hole on the right and then, with a level sitting on top of the bar, use a marker to trace a circle where the farthest left hole will need to be cut in the shower fiberglass wall.  Be very careful to make sure the holes are aligned horizontally to each other so that the shower mount bar will be level.

Step 11:  Make a dot with a marker in the very center of the hole to be drilled in the shower fiberglass wall.  Then, to protect the area around the hole, stick blue tape down so only the little dot marking the drill location is visible.  Using the 7/8” hole dozer, at very slow speed, carefully drill a hole into the fiberglass shower wall.  There should now be three holes in the shower fiberglass (the center one, used for the stock mount with 4” water line spacing, will no longer be used and will be covered by the backsplash).

Step 12:  Insert the completely assembled wall shower mount with the plastic wall backsplash into the holes in the shower.  Add the two plastic spacer pieces on the brass pipes on the closet side and then screw down the swivel elbows onto their respective pipes (Hot and Cold inputs are marked on the back of the thermostatic wall shower mount), using a level on top of the mount to ensure it is level when firmly attached.  Note:  the original wall nuts are no longer used as they block too much of the brass threads.

Step 13:  Now that everything is complete and attached, the system needs to be tested under pressure.  It’s good to have someone standing by the closet and shower inspecting the joints while another person turns on the hose hookup.  As the system is pressurized, inspect for leaks on both the PEX side and shower side of the system.  Hopefully, there won’t be any leaks.  However, it may be necessary to tighten down the nuts on the wall mount if you see some dripping.  Once satisfied the system is holding pressure and there are no leaks, apply a bead of silicone all the way around the backsplash inside the shower (and also along the outside of the spacers in the closet) to prevent water from leaking behind the backsplash into the closet.

Step 14:  Fill up your hot water heater (if not already filled) by running the Hot water in your sink until water comes out.  Then, turn on your water heater and wait until the water is hot.  Take a hot shower!  Inspect again for leaks.

I did reposition the wood block that holds the PVC coat hanger because it was right in the way of the PEX piping and wasn’t allowing flexibility in positioning the PEX.

With a bit of preparation and care, it is possible to have a reliable thermostatic shower wall mount in your small travel trailer!  And, once you are all set up, you will likely enjoy much more comfortable showers and save some water too!  After you try a thermostatic shower valve, you probably will never want to go back to mixing hot and cold water manually in your small travel trailer again!

 

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

10 Must-Haves to Accessorize Your Small Travel Trailer Interior

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10 Must-Haves to Accessorize Your Small Travel Trailer Interior

Now that you’ve figured out all the basic necessities and operating procedures for your small travel trailer, it’s time to configure it for maximum enjoyment, comfort, and efficiency.  Here are ten items we use on every trip in our Scamp 13’ small travel trailer which make our trailer much more functional.

  1. Wall Mirror. One of the first things we did to our Scamp 13’ was to install a frameless vanity mirror on the outside of the bathroom door.  The mirror, slightly beveled at the edges, is one foot wide by four feet high and super thin.  We use 3M Scotch Interlocking fastener tape for securing almost all wall hanging items in our Scamp, including this mirror.  To install the mirror in the Scamp, the first thing we did is lay the mirror face down on a carpet and then measure lengths of tape to span horizontally across the back of the mirror.  To prevent breaking the mirror, we interlocked the tape lengths (one side for the mirror and the other for the bathroom door) separately on the floor with lots of pressure.  We then removed the adhesive covering on one side of the tape and pressed it against the mirror.  Next, we figured out exactly where we wanted the mirror to be in the Scamp (we chose about 7” from the base of the door opening and 3” to the left of the door handle).  With the assistance of a level at the top of the mirror and four hands, we removed the adhesive backing on the tape facing the door and carefully pushed the mirror against the door.  Then, we firmly pressed a towel against the mirror and moved up and down the face of the mirror to make sure the adhesive tape was all properly joined to the door.  We have travelled in our Scamp now for over a year, spanning 34 days of trips (some over rough roads), and the mirror continues to stay tightly pressed against the door!  The mirror is great because it really opens up the space of the Scamp, making it appear much larger then it is!
  2. First Aid Kit. Having a first aid kit in your small trailer is a good idea.  If it’s up on the wall, you will also know where it is, it will be available whenever you need it, and it won’t take up any closet space.  It doesn’t have to be a giant kit, but have some basics like band aids and antiseptic.  We’ve used our first aid kit a few times while travelling, just for small cuts.  It’s really handy to be able to have the items available on a moment’s notice.  We have ours secured on the wall (with the 3M Scotch Fastener tape) next to the fire extinguisher.
  3. Flashlight.  Get a good flashlight and attach it to the wall of your small travel trailer.  You never know when you might need it.  We use ours regularly for all sorts of different reasons!  For example, it’s often very dark in the campgrounds at night and a flashlight comes in handy when having to look for items outside or to take a walk.
  4. Long stick lighter. It is essential carrying at least 2 lighters to ensure the stove is able to be lit (for campers not having electric stove lighting option).  We were camping in the high sierras at Lake Mary when we discovered our lighter ran out of juice.  We were just preparing to cook up some pancakes!  How untimely!  Fortunately, the Twin Lakes General Store right down the road was open and had them in stock!  Now, we always make sure to carry two!
  5. Giant wall clock. One item that is super useful is a giant wall clock.  The one we purchased has big LED numbers and is illuminated and easy to read in the dark.  We put ours up on the wall opposite the head of our bed and at a height that makes it easy to read while lying down to sleep (using 3M Scotch Fastener tape).  So, if we have an early morning hiking trip planned or some other meet up with friends, we can easily see what time it is (and it’s not so bright that it affects our sleep).
  6. Paper towel holder (suction cup). Having paper towels next to the sink is a great idea, but there is limited table space in the Scamp to hold them.  This paper towel holder solves the space problem – it has a strong suction cup and sticks to the wall above the kitchen sink!  We’ve had it in position over a year and it hasn’t come off the wall yet!  We use it extensively on every trip and really like it.  One thing we did notice though is that it’s a good idea to secure the paper towels in a closet while driving or they tend to unroll by themselves into the sink!
  7. Toilet paper holder (suction cup). The wet bath in a small travel trailer is generally pretty tight quarters!  There’s usually a shower area and the toilet right behind it.  So, it’s a great idea to partition out the space and keep the toilet area as dry as possible (see article called “How to Turn Your Wet Bath into a Comfy Dry Zone”).  A great addition to the toilet area is a holder for toilet paper.  This will help keep it off the floor, from getting wet, and give easy access.
  8. Soap and Shampoo Dispenser. This dispenser sticks to the wall of the shower with two way tape.  Just pop the top and fill with your favorite shampoo / soap and cover and you won’t ever have to deal with rolling bottles on your shower floor again!  The dispenser has a nice pump button that makes it easy to squirt out shampoo into your hand.  We fill with a natural 3-in-1 Soap (Shampoo, Body Wash, Bubble Bath), eliminating the need for more costly and bulkier multi-dispensers.  CLICK FOR 3-IN-1 LAVENDER, CLICK FOR 3-IN-1 CITRUS & MINT
  9. Powerful Shower Head. The Oxygenics Fury puts the shower back into RV showering!  We went from a placid trickle with our Scamp’s stock handheld shower head to a real blaster with the Fury!  The nice thing is that the Fury actually conserves water and ramps up pressure by mixing air into the shower head.  This results in a really powerful efficient stream.  We’ve found showering takes less time as well since it’s a really fast rinse with better water flow.  It’s also super easy to install – just unscrew the old hose /showerhead  at the shower wall mount and screw on this hose / showerhead.
  10. Deer Coat Hook. What a cool way to hang your towels in the bathroom!  We found this unique cast iron coat hook from CastIronHooks on Etsy.  They also have plenty of other styles to choose from if deer aren’t your thing!  The main goal for shower towels is that they need to be secured nicely so that don’t drop onto the shower floor and get soaked!

 

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

 

Let the “Vikings” Heat Your Small Travel Trailer

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Let the “Vikings” Heat Your Small Travel Trailer

We were cooking lunch at a State park on a recent trip up to Oregon and the flames on our Scamp 13’ stove went out all of a sudden.  I immediately checked the gauge on our propane tank and it still showed GREEN.   Just to make sure it wasn’t an empty propane tank with a faulty gauge reading, I switched over to our 2nd tank and, viola, we were able to light our stove again!  Hmmm.  What was going on with the gauge?  After a bit of research, I discovered that propane gauges are notoriously unreliable.  Maybe in our situation the gauge was stuck.  In any case though, it seems that relying on a gauge to determine when the propane tank is near empty may not be a good idea.  We were very fortunate we had a 2nd propane tank on our Scamp 13’.  At some of the locations on that recent trip, the temperatures dipped down into the teens at night and we would have been very uncomfortable had our propane powered furnace stopped working.

After investigating several possible solutions (including different types of pressure gauges) to help solve the problem of having an unexpected empty propane tank at perhaps a very undesirable time, I discovered Viking Cylinders (made in Norway).  These are tanks made from composite materials (3 layers – seamless blow-molded liner, fiberglass-wrapped plastic casing, and a durable outer case) which offer several advantages over steel and aluminum tanks:

  1. Translucent – you can actually see the liquid propane in the tank if you wiggle the tank a little (although you have to look very carefully).
  2. Lightweight – Viking claims their tanks weigh “more than 50% less than steel propane tanks”.
  3. Safer than metal – the cylinder is not supposed to explode in a fire (but melt and allowing the gas to safely escape).
  4. Non corrosive – since it’s not metal, it won’t rust or corrode or leave rust marks on surfaces.
  5. Stable – the base of each cylinder is very stable, making it harder to fall over.
  6. Attractive – a really superb looking cylinder!
  7. Easy to handle – it’s easy to pick up and move around with great handles and light weight.

When I saw Viking was having a 25% off sale ($80 in total savings), I purchased two of their 17# tanks to replace the 20# tanks on our Scamp 13’ along with their custom double RV mount (since the Scamp mount wouldn’t accommodate these tanks).  The first thing I noticed when unboxing them is how great they look and how light they feel!  I had read online that some service stations have refused to fill these types of composite tanks, so it was nice to see that each tank had a DOT (Department of Transportation) Certification Certificate attached (meaning the tank is certified to travel on highways and roads).   Putting the tanks in the back of my SUV was a breeze and the service station down the street had no problem filling them!  Installing the new mount was easy and the new mount looks much nicer than the old one, appearing to have a nice thick white powder coating.  All the stock Scamp parts (regulator, hoses, and switch) worked fine on the new mount.

After filling the new Viking composite tanks at the service station (the tanks came purged and ready to fill), I weighed them.  Each filled Viking tank (holding about 3.8 gallons of propane per tank) weighed around 26.6 lbs.  The Scamp’s original 20# steel tanks (holding about 4.5 gallons of propane) each weighed around 37 lbs. when filled.  So, in my testing, the filled 17# Viking Cylinders weigh about 40% less than the stock 20# steel propane tanks that came with the Scamp (albeit with slightly less propane).  The weight difference is even more striking when comparing empty tank weights (tare weights).  An empty 17# Viking Cylinder only weighs around 10 lbs. (compared to around 17lbs. for an empty steel 20# propane tank)!  That’s a 70% difference in weight when empty!  This weight difference between the composite and steels tanks is very noticeable when removing each tank and moving it into your vehicle.  Additionally, it can make a big difference on hitch weight (especially when considering a 2 propane tank setup).

The main reason I purchased the Viking tanks wasn’t for weight reasons though – it was for the ability to see the liquid propane inside the tank.  The Viking tanks have cut out patterns which allow visibility into the liner holding the liquid propane.  I was a little disappointed when I first had the tanks filled because I couldn’t see the liquid.  However, I later figured this was because the liquid was at such a high level that it was above the viewing cutouts.  After one camping trip using the Viking tanks, the liquid propane level in the tank dropped such that I was able to see the liquid moving around when slightly shifting the top one of the tanks.  Even so though, you do have to look very carefully to see the liquid.  In the end, despite the liquid propane being a bit difficult to see in the tank, I still think the Viking tanks are much better than the steel tanks in determining how much propane is left.

I’m very satisfied with the Viking Cylinders.  They look great, are super light, won’t rust, are safer than steel tanks, are easy to handle, and offer the ability to see the liquid propane inside the tank (mostly eliminating the guessing of when the propane is likely to run out).  They are much more expensive than regular steel tanks ($140 for a 17# Viking cylinder vs. around $35 for a 20# tank as of this writing), so I wouldn’t call them a necessity.  They also do need to be requalified every 5 years (from the manufacturing date on the tank) through a visual inspection by an approved requalifier.  Viking has a searchable list of requalifiers on their website.   If the extra cost isn’t a factor, then the added benefits of the Viking Cylinders are well worth switching out your steel tanks for these composite ones!

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

Powerful Solar Power Solution for your Small Travel Trailer

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Powerful Solar Power Solution for your Small Travel Trailer

After a year of trips with our Scamp 13’ (33 nights, 23 locations, 7 trips), we’ve gained a good understanding of how the trailer functions and which accessories provide added benefit.  Because our adventures often involve locations without electricity (such as some State and National parks and boondocking campsites), one excellent solution we implemented is a solar panel system.  The system ensures that our small travel trailer has the power needed to run the most essential functions (e.g. indoor LED lights, water pumps, heater, fans, and perhaps an electric tongue jack).  Most small travel trailers are powered by an on-board 12 Volt DC battery when off-grid or 110V AC onshore power when hooked up to a campsite’s electrical outlet (which is then converted to 12V DC).

The trailer’s battery is usually around 12.7 volts when fully charged and a good rule to ensure long battery life is to keep the trailer’s battery charge level above 12 volts (about 50% of its capacity).  A battery voltage meter should always be used to monitor the trailer’s battery voltage throughout each trip (we had Scamp install a SeeLevel II system when our 2020 Scamp 13’ was being built and Scamp now installs voltage monitors on its 2021 models).  There are aftermarket voltage monitors that simply plug into the 12 volt DC port in the trailer.  Here’s one with a BLUE display and here’s one with a RED display.

We’ve found that a basic 100W solar briefcase (two 50W solar panels which fold up on each other into a briefcase when not in use) is all that is necessary to provide enough power for essential systems in our Scamp 13’ (as long as the camper has sun exposure every few days).  The solar briefcase is nice because it is relatively light and can fit in the back of the tow vehicle when not in use.  We use an auxiliary battery power bank, a Jackery 500, for charging our phones, cameras, drone, and television when boondocking to reserve all of our Scamp’s 12V battery power for essential devices/functions.

The items needed to create a reliable solar system for your small travel trailer are:

  1. High quality 100W solar briefcase (monocrystalline)
  2. 2 pin waterproof male/female connector for the plastic battery box (houses the trailer battery)
  3. 20 foot solar extension cables
  4. 50 foot solar extension cables
  5. Solar crimper tool
  6. 12AWG (thickness) Wire (about 12 inches black / 12 inches red)
  7. Solar panel cable connectors
  8. Solar panel connector assembly tool
  9. Multi-meter Tester
  10. Portable Power Station

Update Sept. 2022:  after a few years, the bag that came with our solar panels split apart (it was always too small and difficult to deal with).  Here’s a much better bag!  Also, we’ve found having 50 foot cables which can extend the 20 foot cables to be a great option when the campsite is in shade most of the time and the longer cables can get the solar panels out into the sun!

Monocrystalline solar panels have the highest efficiency rates (more power per square foot) and perform best in low light conditions, so that’s the type we chose and we’ve been very pleased with the performance.  Make sure you choose a solar panel briefcase which comes with a charge controller.  The charge controller will keep your small travel trailer’s battery from overcharging.  On a recent trip to Joshua Tree National Park, we were down to 12.3 volts one morning.  As soon as the solar panels were plugged into the battery, the power registered 13.6 volts and maintained that steady voltage through most of the day.  When the solar panels were unplugged at sunset, the Scamp battery registered 12.7 volts (100% charge)!  We were staying at a Boondockers Welcome location without any hookups and relied on our Jackery 500 to charge our phones and other non-essential devices (including watching TV at night).  So, as long as there is sun every few days, the solar panel setup will keep the small travel trailer battery charged almost indefinitely!

Once you have the items needed to create your solar system, you will need to connect everything together.  Solar panel briefcases which come with charge controllers usually have a couple of metal clips on the end of each cable (black and red) which attach the solar panel cables directly to the small travel trailer battery (similar to the clips on car jumper cables, by clipping on to the red and black terminals of the battery).  Sometimes these clips are attached directly to the cables coming out of the solar controller and in other cases are separate and have connectors that plug into cable connectors coming out of the charge controller.  In any case, it is cumbersome to use the clips if your small travel battery is covered by a plastic housing box (like with our Scamp 13’).  We would have to take our plastic battery housing on and off each time we used the solar panels if we used the clips.  So, to make things easy, use a waterproof 2 pin male female connector port on the case.  Before installing onto the plastic battery case cover, some black and red 12AWG wires need to be soldered onto the inside port half, and ring terminals crimped onto the ends of the wires so they can connect to the trailer battery (Ring Terminal 12-10 Crimp Connectors, 5/16” Home Depot).  (If you are not familiar with soldering, either have a friend do it or hire an expert.  Otherwise, skip this step and just use the clips directly onto your battery terminals and omit the battery port.)  Once the inside port half has its cables, drill an appropriately sized hold in the plastic battery case cover and mount the port (the outside piece of the port screws into the inside piece to hold it in position on the case).  Then, screw down the ring terminals to the red and black battery terminals and close the battery housing box.  The last step is to solder the outside male connector (which plugs into the battery port) to the 20’ solar extension cables.

Depending on how the solar briefcase is configured, it might be beneficial to create two short cables (red/black) with the 12AWG wire and add MC4 connectors at the end which the 20’ solar extension cables can plug into (they should already have MC4 connectors on them, sometimes male on Black and female on Red).  Some solar briefcases are already configured with these short cables and connectors and it’s important to understand which connectors are male and which are female so they plug in appropriately.  Having short cables connected to the charge controller will allow the solar briefcase to be folded with the short cables still attached to the charge controller.  With this setup, all one needs to do when arriving at the campsite is open and position the solar panels, lay out the solar extension cable, and then join the connectors at the solar panels and plug the other end of the solar extension cable into the small travel trailer’s battery port.

It may be helpful to have a digital multimeter to check there is continuity from one end of the extension cables to the other and also to verify power is coming out of the extension cable at the male side of the port.  On my first attempt, no power was coming out of my extension cable.  So, I tested the continuity of the cable using the meter (makes a tone when the connection is continuous).  I found that one of the factory installed connectors wasn’t making a good connection and, after I reinstalled the connector, everything worked great!  You can also tell right away if your system is working just by checking your voltage.  If everything is good, the sun is out, and the panels are plugged into the system, the voltage will go up to the 13 voltage range right away (almost like the trailer is plugged into an electrical outlet).

Once you discover solar and how effective it is, you will never want to leave home without it!

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly. 

How to Consistently and Easily Hook Up your Hitch Ball

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How to Consistently and Easily Hook Up your Hitch Ball

One of the trickiest procedures for new small travel trailer owners is backing up and lining up the hitch ball so the hitch coupler will drop securely on top of it.  Getting the ball (on your tow vehicle) properly aligned with your trailer coupler takes some practice, but gets easier with experience.  One trick I like is taping a ribbon (about 6 inches long) on the travel trailer’s tow coupler so the ribbon hangs straight down (I attached the ribbon with Gorilla Tape so it stays for a while!).  I use my SUV’s rear camera (set to Tow Bar line) and slowly and carefully back up, keeping my SUV aimed at the ribbon.  If your tow vehicle doesn’t have a rear camera, I recommend purchasing one aftermarket.  It’s important that the tow vehicle is aligned so it’s on the same line to the trailer to ensure the hitch ball will fit properly when the hitch coupler is lowered (e.g. no angles between tow vehicle and trailer).  Also, make sure the coupler is raised high enough so the hitch ball doesn’t hit it when you back up under it.  Once I get fairly close to the hitch coupler, I very slowly inch my way back until the ball on the SUV hitch brushes up against the ribbon and then a smidge beyond.  At this point, the tow coupler is right over the ball.  Make sure to take your time and don’t be concerned if it initially takes a number of times to get it right.

If your ball is directly below the hitch coupler and your tow vehicle is aligned with the trailer (e.g. no angles between vehicle and trailer), you can now drop (hand crank or electric power jack) the coupler onto the ball and it should sit so that none or barely any of the bottom of the ball will be visible if looking at it from the side.  If the coupler doesn’t go all the way down and it seems the lower portion of the ball is visible, it’s likely that the alignment wasn’t quite right.  In this case, it will also not be possible to secure the hitch latch into the locked position.  If this happens, raise the trailer coupler, pull away, line up your tow vehicle, and try again.  Never try to force the coupler to lock.  It does take some force to latch the coupler down, but not an excessive amount.  I had one experience, when we were boondocking on a farm in Bakersfield, where everything appeared nicely lined up but the hitch latch wouldn’t close.  The ground was dirt and very uneven and I suspected the coupler just wasn’t seating properly on the ball, so I pulled away and lined up again and everything worked smoothly.  I was glad I didn’t try to force the coupling.

After locking, I recommend pulling up on the travel trailer coupler a couple times to watch the tow vehicle rear end go up and down to make sure the ball is really securely locked into place in the coupler (again, none or barely any of the bottom of the ball will be visible if looking at it from the side).  In addition, I recommend using a coupler lock, not only as a theft security device, but also to help prevent the coupler latch from popping open while driving.  After securing the coupler latch, it’s imperative to attach your safety chains and plug in your trailer to the tow vehicle so your trailer’s lights and emergency brakes are communicating with the tow vehicle (and check that the trailer lights are working before leaving).

Securing the trailer coupler onto the hitch ball is one of the most important things you can do to ensure a safe towing experience with your small travel trailer.  With practice and following these tips, securing your trailer to your tow vehicle should become a successful, easy, and stress-free experience.

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly.