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Save Time & Money with a Home Dump!

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Save Time & Money with a Home Dump!

One of the biggest concerns of small travel trailer campers is the status of their Fresh, Grey, and Black water tank levels and the necessity to Dump the tanks before it’s too late.  A small travel trailer with sink, bathroom and shower generally has four tanks [e.g. Fresh tank to hold fresh water, Hot Water tank (usually fed from the Fresh tank), Grey tank (the water that is drained from the sink and shower), and Black tank (holds what is flushed down toilet)].  Our 13’ Scamp travel trailer with bathroom has a 12 gallon Fresh tank, 6 gallon Hot Water tank, 21 gallon Grey tank, and 9 gallon Black tank.

It’s important to monitor tank levels so you don’t run out of water or, possibly worse, have dirty or hazardous water / waste back up into your trailer!  Most campers get an idea fairly quickly how long they can go without dumping their tanks.  When we purchased our Scamp travel trailer, we had a tank monitor sent directly to the factory and had them integrate it into our Scamp when completing our custom build.  We use the SeeLevel II tank monitoring system (we purchased ours on RVupgrades.com because the price was much lower than on Amazon).   This monitor allows one to see the levels of all the tanks as well as the travel trailer voltage (which you want to make sure doesn’t go much lower than 12 volts – around 50% charge).  We rely on the monitor religiously to make sure we are keeping our tanks and voltage at the correct levels.

We have found that with two people each taking a fast shower every day, regularly using the Scamp bathroom, and using the sink sparingly (using paper plates or washing dishes outside if allowed), we need to Dump on about day 3.  If we are at a campsite with full hookups, then it’s no big deal.  However, if we need to move the trailer to Dump, then we try to be very careful in how we use our water so the need to Dump is less frequent.  The Achilles heel for us is the Grey tank which fills up after a couple of days (primarily due to showers).  The Black (toilet) tank usually doesn’t need to be refilled until day 5.  And the Fresh tank is generally not an issue since there usually is a spigot or water hose wherever we camp (even at areas with no hookups).  So, at campsites without hookups, we either have to use a shared Dump in the campground on day 3 if we are staying more than a couple of days or drive to a Dump.  For the future, we are considering using an outdoor shower to extend our time between Dumps since it’s the Grey tank filled quickly by showers which greatly limits our time between Dumps.

A home Dump is similar to the Dump hookup used to dump the Black and Grey tanks at the campsite.  The home Dump just utilizes the sewer cleanouts (for use by plumbers when they need to clear a clog inside the main sewer pipe going from the home to the City sewer system).  This pipe is the conduit which takes all the material flushed down the toilets in the home to the City sewer system.  The sewer cleanout covers can typically be found somewhere in the front of the home.  Our cleanout covers are located in our garage.  There are two covers which both go into the same sewer pipe, but each hole directs the plumber’s auger in a different direction (the cover closest to the road on ours directs the auger toward the house and the cover closest to the house directs the auger toward the street).  It really doesn’t matter which cleanout you use to Dump because material dumped from your trailer will go down into the sewer line either way.

A home Dump is fantastic if feasible and allowed by local laws.  It’s especially useful when arriving home after staying at a campsite with no Dump, or where the Dump had a long wait or wasn’t easily available, or was a bit too expensive (we’ve paid as low as $7.50 to Dump at a Valero station in Santa Barbara up to $15 to Dump at a private location in Mammoth Lakes).  In our area, the closest Dump is about 30 minutes’ drive away!  The home Dump also makes it possible for us to test our systems (shower, sink, toilet), sanitize and flush these systems with Happy Campers, and sanitize and flush our Fresh and Hot Water tanks.  It would be much less convenient and more expensive to do these tasks away from home.

We were very fortunate in that our sewer cleanout access areas happened to be located right in front of where our Scamp travel trailer sits in our garage!  In order to utilize them, we just had to have our plumber cut a few inches of the pipe down into the hole so an enlarged PVC cleanout adapter (available at Home Depot) could be attached to easily accommodate our 3” RV sewer hose with the cement cover still able to sit on top when not in use.

When searching for your cleanout, keep in mind that there is usually a cover (cement) that says “sewer” on it.  The cleanout is likely to be outside your home between the foundation and the street or could be on the side of your home (closest to the bathroom).  Hopefully, it will be located in an area that is convenient for you to place your travel trailer within 6 feet of the opening. It’s also best if the cleanout is either level or below your travel trailer so gravity allows the material being dumped to easily drain into the cleanout.  The cleanout pipe is usually 4 inches in diameter with a screw cap that has a square knob or indentation on the top.  Please let me know if this works for you!

Cleanliness is next to godliness!

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. 

 

Stop Cranking Your Arm and Replace Your Manual Tongue Jack!

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Stop Cranking Your Arm and Replace Your Manual Tongue Jack!

One of the first few things we replaced on our Scamp travel trailer was our hand crank tongue jack.  The tongue jack sits on the front of the trailer and allows one to raise and lower the ball coupler so the trailer can be attached to the tow vehicle.  It didn’t take too long to understand how much cranking is required when hitching and unhitching the Scamp travel trailer!  Not only can cranking over and over be repetitively hard on your arm, shoulder and joints, but it takes a lot of time and energy.  It’s also the time when you want to be concentrating on other parts of the process and cranking the jack up and down can be distracting.

Our process typically works as follows:  once the rear stabilizing jacks on the Scamp trailer have been raised, I crank up the front of the trailer, so that the ball receptacle is higher than the ball on our SUV.  I then back up our SUV so that the ball is aligned with the receptacle.  Sometimes, I have to get out of the SUV and crank up the tongue a little more to make sure it clears above the ball.  Then, I back up the SUV so the ball is directly under the ball receptacle on the trailer.  Then, once the alignment is perfect, I crank down the trailer tongue until the ball receptacle goes down completely over the ball and the coupler latch can be completely locked into place.  When arriving at the campsite, after securing the trailer with wheel chocks, I unlock the couple latch and detach all cables connected to the SUV, and then start cranking again to raise the front of the trailer until there is plenty of room for the ball on the SUV to clear when the SUV is driven forward.  When the SUV is driven forward and away from the trailer, the trailer again needs to be cranked (usually down) until the trailer is level.  And, all of the above cranking processes are to be repeated when leaving the campsite and arriving back at home!

It didn’t take too long for us to realize that all the manual cranking wasn’t a fun way to enjoy our Scamp trips!  Fortunately, changing the tongue jack is super simple!  And, electric tongue jacks are easy to install and not too expensive!  The Scamp travel trailer has just three bolts – so, it’s just a matter of securing the Scamp onto the SUV (like you are going on a trip), raising the manual jack all the way up, removing the bottom plate on the jack, unscrewing the three screws that attach the jack to the trailer, and lifting the entire assembly up and out of the jack shaft.  It’s important to make sure that whatever electric tongue jack your order has the same screw hole pattern as your original screw hole pattern so that when you lower the jack into place, the screw holes match.  Then, it’s just a matter of screwing down the jack into position and connecting the power cord to the battery (and possibly a ground wire).  Be careful in that often Black is positive for DC power jack arrangements (and White negative) – so, it’s important to check your manual to make sure the correct color is attached to the positive battery terminal and perhaps negative terminal if required.

We ordered the Barker 32454 VIP 3500 Power Jack for our Scamp travel trailer and have been extremely satisfied with the jack and the company.  This is one of the pricier power jacks, but we feel the quality is worth it and have had really good interactions with customer service when we initially had questions.  The jack has performed really well and is fast and quiet.  We have never had an issue with it, using it regularly for almost a year.  The jack is grounded by the trailer itself by the screw plate, so only one positive wire goes to the battery.

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

I also had the opportunity to install a much less expensive jack for my friend Dana who has a 16’ Scamp.  She chose the Weize Power Jack, which is also a 3500 lb. jack and meant for A-frame trailers like the Scamp.  Installation was very similar to the Barker, except there were two connector wires.   Dana reports that she has been very satisfied with this jack.

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

Both Barker and Weize power jacks have a manual bar which can crank the jack in case the trailer battery is depleted.

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. 

 

Drain and Clean Your Tanks Regularly To Avoid Algae, Bacteria and other Bad Guys

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Drain and Clean Your Tanks Regularly To Avoid Algae, Bacteria and other Bad Guys

Algae, bacteria, and other harmful microorganisms can grow in your trailer’s Fresh and Grey tanks as well as other parts of the water system such as the pipes, hoses and water heater.  It may be possible to see the algae or it might just be that your water has a funny smell.  If you regularly are using a product to clean the Black and Grey tanks (after each trip) then it’s not likely there will be issues in these tanks.

Algae like to grow in a moist warm environment which is often the situation with the trailer’s tanks, water heater tank, and pipes.  Algae and other microorganisms have the potential for not only making the trailer water smell funny and clogging up water lines, but also could be dangerous to one’s health.  Personally, we only drink water that we bring from home that is produced in our reverse osmosis system and stored in 4 gallon BPA free plastic jugs.  But, even showering and washing dishes and hands with contaminated water could be potentially dangerous (e.g. skin, stomach, and lung issues).

Using a water filter before water enters your trailer is a must.  Additionally, the first thing to do when you get home from a trip is to drain all your tanks to eliminate the potential growing environment for the algae (this should include draining your hot water heater tank if the trailer will be stored more than a couple of weeks).  Draining the Fresh, Grey, Black, and Hot Water Heater tanks is easy and should be something you do after each trip so your trailer is ready to go for your next adventure.  When we get home, we usually park our Scamp in front of our house on the street so we can wash it before putting it back in the garage.  We open up the Fresh tank value located under the passenger side dinette seat so that the remaining Fresh water drains out on the road.  Once fully drained, we close the valve.  We also open the Hot Water Heater tank plug on the outside of the Scamp (open metal service access door on driver’s side) and let the tank drain as well (before opening, water should be cold and pressure released by turning on hot water tap at sink with on demand pump off).  On our Scamp’s Suburban hot water heater, a 1 1/16” socket is needed to unscrew the hexagonal bolt which is not only the plug to the hot water heater but also the Anode Rod (see image).  After washing the trailer and bringing it into the garage, we then drain our Black and Grey tanks using the sewer clean out drain in the garage.

It’s a good idea to sanitize your trailer water system once every six months and change your external water filter at the same time (or at least once per season or earlier if you notice decreased water flow).

Supplies:

RV Fresh Water System Sanitizing Instructions (Frequency = every 6 months)

  1. Make sure water heater is off and the circuit breaker to it is off.  Also, make sure the hot water heater switches are all off (electric and gas) and the gas LP valves are also off.
  2. Fill your Scamp Fresh tank so it is ½ full.
  3. Wearing gloves / protective eyewear and using a funnel  and plastic hose tube, pour ¼ cup of household bleach (e.g. Clorox) into your ½ full Fresh tank (or whatever ratio is recommended by your trailer manufacturer) (never pour full strength bleach into an empty tank).
  4. Add fresh water to your Fresh tank until it is full.
  5. Turn on 12V On Demand Water Pump.
  6. Run each tap one by one (sink hot water, sink cold water, shower hot/cold) until you smell the bleach and then let the tap run a few more seconds and then turn off.
  7. Fill Fresh water tank again to 100%.
  8. Turn off 12V On Demand Water Pump.
  9. Let sit overnight.
  10. Drain the Fresh and Hot Water Heater tanks.
    1. On the Scamp 13’, remove the passenger side dinette seat cushion and access the panel underneath. Open the drain valve 180 degrees and the Fresh water will drain on the ground below.
    2. Release water pressure in system by opening kitchen sink hot and cold faucets with demand pump off until water trickles.
    3. On our Scamp 13’, the hot water heater service access panel is at the driver’s side rear of trailer. The plug/anode is at the bottom of the heater.  Use socket wrench (our Suburban hot water heater plug needs a 1- 1/16” or 27mm socket) to unscrew plug (which also has a long metal anode rod).  You may have to pull the plug bolt head with some pressure if the rod gives resistance.  Water will drain out once the plug/rod is removed (so move trailer onto the street or location where water draining isn’t an issue).  This is the time to inspect the Anode rod.  If it looks very eaten up or is 75% consumed replace it when this process is complete.*  See instructions at bottom.
    4. If you have a Hot Water Heater tank rinser, now’s a good time to pressure wash the inside of the Hot Water Heater tank to remove any leftover sediment. We use this one.
    5. Tighten the Dummy Plug (old Anode rod with wire clipped off so just plug remains), Existing Plug, or New Plug onto the Hot Water Tank so it is sealed.
  11. Fill Fresh tank and open hot water tap until water flows (so hot water tank is full).
  12. Run each tap (sink hot, sink cold, shower hot/cold) until there is no bleach / chlorine smell.
  13. If bleach smell persists, drain Fresh tank and water heater again using their drain valves and refill with Fresh water.
  14. Once smell is gone, drain the Fresh tank and Hot Water Tank again and let sit dry until next trip.
  15. Now firmly secure the Anode rod in with Teflon tape and socket wrench.
  16. Turn off 12V On Demand Pump.
  17. Replace external water filter with new one.

*Replacing the Anode rod (Frequency = every 12 months under hard water usage or when 75% consumed):  Take a wire brush to the clean drain port threads to remove sediment and any leftover Teflon tape on the threads.  Next, apply mineral oil on a cloth to the clean threads to prevent corrosion and assist in installing the new Anode rod.  Wrap Teflon seal tape on threads of new Anode rod, leaving the first few threads exposed so you can screw in plug by hand.  Screw in new Anode rod clockwise by hand to make sure it’s threaded correctly and then use socket wrench until it is firmly tight (do not over tighten to avoid stripping the threads).  Note:  the anode rod does not and will not need to go all the way in.  The anode just needs to be tightened enough to be water tight.  Tighten snug and do not crank down beyond this or damage to the threads or tank could occur.  If it leaks, tighten a little bit more if possible.

We order this 3 pack of Anode rods for our Suburban hot water heater, and it comes with Teflon seal tape:

(3 Pack) Suburban RV Anode Rod Replacement Part 232767

Why is the Anode rod so important?  The Anode rod is able to help keep the Hot Water Tank from rusting by promoting a chemical reaction called electrolysis.  The process makes the Anode rod corrode in place of the exposed steel in your water heater which can lead to leaks.

RV Grey & Black Water System Sanitizing Instructions (Frequency =  every or every other trip)

We use Happy Campers Organic RV Holding Tank Treatment for the Grey and Black Water (toilet) tanks.

First, we dump our tanks.  Then, we fill jug with 1 scoop of Happy Camper with 1 gallon of water and mix and pour into the toilet and then flush the toilet immediately (Black tank).  Then, we pour two more gallons of fresh water into the toilet and flush.  We do the same for the sink (Grey tank).  We let the tanks sit for a week, allowing Happy Campers to sanitize the tanks, and then dump the tanks.  Works great!

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. 

 

 

UnderGlow Your Travel Trailer!

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UnderGlow Your Travel Trailer!

One of the coolest purely unnecessary things we’ve done to our Scamp has been to add an underglow LED lighting kit!  It’s not necessary, but almost essential!

We installed the kit by MicTuning 4 POD RGBW LED Rock Light kit which has 4 LED pods.  Given the small size of the Scamp trailer (13’), we’ve found that 4 LED PODS are enough to underlight the entire trailer.  There are kits with more lights for larger trailers / vehicles, but this kit will work well for small trailers.

The kit comes with all the lights and cables necessary.  All that needs to be done is to attach cables to the trailer battery, test the system by installing the MicTuning phone app, and then mount the LED pods and cabling on the trailer frame.  Our friend Jon has a 3D printer and made some custom mounts that we glued strong rare earth magnets into, allowing the mounts to magnetically attach to the trailer frame.  He also made some magnetic brackets to hold the cables against the trailer frame.  As a precaution, we also secured the cable with Gorilla tape in select areas just in case a magnetic mount fails.  We’ve driven with the magnetic mounts over 2,000 miles to date and they haven’t detached or moved from their position on the trailer.  The kit does come with standard mounts and these should be satisfactory for mounting the PODS.  Or, other custom methods could be used to secure the LED PODS on the trailer.

The Scamp trailer in itself looks futuristic, with its all-white glossy finish and egg shape (along with the HD antenna on the roof).  However, lighting up the underside at night makes the Scamp look like a spaceship!  People really notice it, and often oohs and aahs can be heard at the campsite!  With the Bluetooth MicTuning app, the color of the lighting can be easily changed with just a tap on your phone screen.  There is even a music mode that will strobe the lights in sync with the music playing on your phone!  We’ve used these lights various times. On our first trip to Anza-Borrego State Park, it was so dark at night that it was really hard to find one’s way back to their trailer after dinner.  Having the lights on made our Scamp easy to find and weren’t offensive since they glow down toward the ground.  Be aware that one should not drive with the lights on as they could be distracting to other drivers and it is likely illegal in most, if not all, areas.

At a low cost and a high Wow! Factor, we highly recommend these LED ROCK lights!  Light kit, liked it!

Buy Here On Amazon

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. 

 

 

Use Checklists to Prevent Problems

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Use Checklists to Prevent Problems

There are enough details in taking out your small travel trailer that, unless you use checklists, you will inevitably have problems.  The veteran campers we’ve talked with invariably insist on using checklists.  Checklists help you avoid major issues such as driving off with underinflated tires, stabilizer bars still on ground, the hitch coupler not properly attached to the ball, etc. ……..  Pilots use checklists all the time because of the high number of critical systems.  In addition to a prelaunch checklist, maintaining separate checklists for other things [such as trip supplies and how to operate various utilities on your trailer] provide additional benefits.  We created a supply checklist after our last trip to Mammoth Lakes, where we really needed our solar panel, but it was inadvertently left in our garage!

You can create a checklist using just a pencil and paper if you want or on your computer using a word processing program.  We use a free app called Color Checklist which is on the Google Play store.  It’s nice in that you can keep it on your phone and it actually has check boxes and check marks!  It’s important that you can have the checklist in hand wherever you are.  Here’s our main checklist which we use whenever we are going to depart from home or the campground:

Scamp check list for Leaving site (opposite when arriving)

  • Fuel SUV to FULL TANK
  • Add Fresh water if going to non-hookup site or 50% if just wanting to use water on drive
  • Dump Black & Grey tanks
  • Remove tire boot lock, coupler lock, hitch lock, and tire leveler wedge
  • Raise stabilizer bars.
  • Trailer tires psi 48  / Volvo SUV @ 40 psi
  • Attach X cross safety chains
  • Attach wiring harness
  • Raise center Jack to Clear ball and lower on ball
  • Lower and lock coupler on ball
  • Close LP (liquid propane) tanks
  • All switches off
  • Close / latch windows
  • Secure power cord outside outlet cover
  • If you have 54″ bed,  put additional table support on floor
  • Close fan
  • Turn off water heater breaker, 110v Water Heater switch.  Make sure switches are off – Gas Water heater water switch and demand pump for Fresh Tank.
  • Check laundry line is inside trailer.
  • Check trailer lights
  • Refrigerator on 12V for driving (120V or LP at campsite with no hookups).
  • Lock Scamp door
  • Disconnect wiring harness from SUV when not driving to prevent car battery drain.
  • Check Scamp voltage when SUV hooked up and running – should be over 12.5V.
  • [When storing after trip, drain Fresh tank by opening valve under dinette seat – water will drain under trailer, drain Hot Water Heater tank (plug on outside of trailer under metal cover), and dump Black and Grey tanks.]

Here is our Scamp Supply Checklist  (note:  we leave many items in the Scamp such as plates, cups, and utensils so we don’t need to pack them every trip):

  • Food & water
  • Empty Water Jug / Dolly
  • Down jackets
  • Hiking Boots
  • Hats & Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen
  • Umbrella
  • Foam mattress topper
  • Outdoor floor mat
  • Solar panel (when applicable)
  • Shower & kitchen towels
  • TP & paper towels
  • Pots & pans with lids
  • Measuring cup and strainer
  • Pancake mix and maple syrup
  • Chocolate
  • Jackery 500 generator (for powering battery devices)
  • Camera and drone
  • Broom
  • Lawn chairs
  • Rain gear
  • Wet vac
  • Kayak (when applicable)
  • Campground surge protector
  • Scamp water supplies (e.g. hose, pressure regulator, water filter, 90 degree brass fitting)
  • Rubber gloves (for dump)
  • Toilet sanitizers
  • Hand sanitizers

Our additional checklists for operating the Scamp water pump, water heater, furnace, and refrigerator.  The procedures on these lists could vary since various model utilities are used in Scamp production.

Scamp On Demand Water Pump Checklist (used when not attached to City Water to pressurize system)

  • Make sure Fresh water tank is full before turning on
  • Only use when not attached to City water
  • Turn switch off when not in Scamp or Fresh tank is near empty (then fill tank before using water)

Scamp Water Heater Checklist (auto start)

  • Runs on 120V or LP
  • Hook up to City Water (or Fresh water see below)
  • Turn on hot water at faucet
  • When water comes out at sink, hot water heater is full with water (important to fill so water heater tank doesn’t burn)
  • If City water is not available, fill Fresh water tank, turn on demand pump, turn on hot water at sink until water comes out
  • For electric operation, turn on 120V breaker and then turn on 120V Water heater switch
  • For LP operation, open LP tank and then turn ON small rocker switch (down on our model) and light will momentarily come on.  No temperature controls.  (Uses electricity to start automatically)
  • Water heater can be left on until leaving camp (although we shut ours off at night after showers)

Scamp Furnace Checklist (auto start)

  • Uses both electric to start and run fan and LP to operate
  • Turn LP tank on, Turn on Furnace switch
  • Set thermostat to desired temp
  • Fan will start, Igniter will click
  • Furnace will light
  • Turn off LP tank if there is a sulfur smell
  • Turn on stove using lighter and run several minutes to bleed lines if Furnace doesn’t start

Scamp Refrigerator Checklist

  • 3 Way model — 120V, 12V, LP
  • Open outside vent to select power source (lower front panel on our Scamp 13′)
  • Three switches (Green 120V, Red 12V, Knob is LP) — ONLY ONE POWER SOURCE AT ONE TIME!
  • For driving — use the 12V Red switch
  • For hookup camping — use the 120V Green switch
  • For dry camping with no hookups — use the Knob for LP
    • Open LP tank valve first
    • Set gas thermostat to high on wheel>depress wheel knob>push red igniter button repeatedly and quickly multiple times while holding down wheel knob.  Keep knob depressed for 15 seconds.  Check to see pilot flame.  High setting is coolest.  If having trouble lighting, turn off knob and run stove burners in kitchen for a couple minutes to bleed gas line and then try again.
    • Set thermostat to 4 or 5 or higher if opening door frequently.

      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. 

       

Our Best Travel Trailer Modification

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Our Best Travel Trailer Modification

One of the most important assets of a travel trailer is the ability to get a good night’s sleep wherever you are.  Unfortunately, our brand new 2020 Scamp 13’ (with big bed and bathroom) failed for me in this regard.  I found the cushions so hard that I was constantly waking up during the night on our first trip.

The first thing I did when we got home was do some online research.  I quickly found this to be a common issue among Scamp owners with various solutions posted.  Some recommended just putting a foam mattress topper on top of the cushions.  So, I ordered a 2 inch topper to see how that would help.

When the topper arrived, I pulled the cushions out of the Scamp and laid them on our living room floor.  Then, I put the new 2” foam topper on the cushions.  The cushions still failed to be comfortable, even with the topper.  It felt like the foam was compressing and I could still feel the hard surface of the cushions.

Other Scamp owners talked about making new cushions from scratch with soft foam inserts.  Since we don’t own a sewing machine or specialize in this type of skill; we opted instead to bring the Scamp cushions into a local upholstery shop.  The upholstery guy felt the cushions, shook his head and laughed.  He said this foam is a “#40” in firmness a “#28”would be much better for sleeping.  We told him we wanted to use the existing cushions as a template, but use entirely new foam and coverings.  In addition to wanting a softer cushion that is easy to sleep on, we also wanted a material that is easy to clean.  The original Scamp cushions are covered in fabric.  We chose a faux “leather” material made from vinyl called Pebble Dark Stone (PEB250).

The total price for all new cushions was $1,028:  new foam $319, the new faux “leather” material $350, and $359 for labor.   Note:  our Scamp has the larger 54” bed, so more material was necessary compared to the smaller standard bed.  After a couple of weeks, our new cushions were ready.  We bagged the original Scamp cushions and have stored them in our attic in case we ever sell the Scamp and someone wants the originals.

We have found the new cushions to be extremely comfortable.  To make the sleeping experience especially luxurious, we also use the 2” foam mattress topper.  Since replacing the cushions, we have experienced a much better night’s sleep!  In addition, we’ve found that the vinyl covering makes it easier to maneuver the cushions when setting up and taking down the bed every day since the material is somewhat slippery.  Lastly, we’ve found the faux “leather” to be very easy to clean as it is a smooth non fabric surface.

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. 

 

 

Secure Your Power Cords To Prevent Damage

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Secure Your Power Cords To Prevent Damage

It’s very important to secure your power cords to prevent them from dropping and hitting the road.  There are two power cords on a Scamp.  One allows the Scamp to plug from the front of the trailer into the back of the car to provide 12 Volt power from the tow vehicle to the Scamp while driving.  This is useful for powering the 12 Volt refrigerator while driving.  The other cable is located at the back of the Scamp and is the charging cable.  If either cable drops while you are driving, it’s very likely that the head of the cable will get damaged as it bounces off the concrete.  Additionally, the cord could potentially hit your trailer, car and/or another car causing additional damage.

Unbeknownst to us, our Scamp has a plastic cover that snaps closed with a firm push to hold the power cord in the Scamp.  On our first few trips, I just pushed the cover closed (but not snapped down) and everything seemed to work fine.  On our way back home from Lake Tahoe, we noticed people in cars adjacent to ours on the freeway pointing to the back of our Scamp.  It’s always disconcerting when you see people with concerned expressions pointing to your trailer!  All sorts of thoughts come racing to mind.

When I looked in the rear view mirror, I saw the Scamp power cable bouncing off the road.  I quickly pulled over and put the cord back into its holder and then used tape to secure the hatch.  Fortunately, we caught it quickly and the plug on the cord only had minor scrapes and it was still functional.  I called Scamp later and they told me to make sure to “snap” the cover into place!

A couple weeks later, our friend Dana told us about her issue.  In her case, the front cable, which connects the Scamp to the tow vehicle (in order to power the brake lights, flashers, and auxiliary 12V power), came lose while driving.  Unfortunately, the cable was damaged beyond use by scraping against the road.  She is going to look into either replacing the entire cable or perhaps just the plug.

I’ve added checking the snap on cover to the power cord on our trip checklist to make sure this never happens again!  Additionally, we will also check to make sure the cable that plugs into the car is firmly seated and providing ample power to the Scamp (using Voltmeter installed in Scamp).  When the car is running, the Scamp generally shows over 13.5 Volts when plugged into the vehicle.

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. 

 

Protecting Yourself and Your RV From City Water

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Protecting Yourself and Your RV From City Water

There are several essential items you will want regarding your City water supply.  If you just hook up any hose to the City water connection at the campground and attach it to your trailer you could have serious issues.  Among these are:

  1. contaminated water from a dirty hose,
  2. chemicals in the water from using a non BPA free hose,
  3. particles and debris entering your trailers pipes / screens / pumps,
  4. excessive high pressure from the City water potentially damaging the trailer’s pipes,
  5. damage to your City water connection attachment from the weight of the hose / filter

Using the following essential products will greatly reduce the risk of a problem caused by the City water supply and enhance your enjoyment while camping.

Camco (40055) RV Brass Inline Water Pressure Regulator:  This device should be the first thing to be attached to the city water spigot.  It will limit the pressure to acceptable levels so your RV pipes don’t burst from excessive water pressure.  Additionally, it is brass so it is lead free and safe.

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

Camco (22783) 25ft TastePURE Drinking Water Hose – Lead and BPA Free:  RV City water hoses should be white, and lead and BPA free to ensure your trailer sink and shower water is safe to use.  I’ve found the 25’ length to be a good size.  The hose may also be used to fill your Fresh tank when not connected to City Water.  You want to make sure you use your own hose to fill your trailer with water because public hoses at campgrounds may have been used to clean septic systems and, in turn, may be contaminated.

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

Camco 40045 TastePURE Inline RV Water Filter:  Your white hose should be screwed into a water filter so that contaminants and sediment will be prevented from entering your trailer’s water system.  The filter may also reduce chlorine and odors from the water.

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

Brass 90° Lead-Free Hose Saver:  This clever brass right angle device attaches to your trailer’s city water port and allows your water filter to attach hanging down so that less weight hangs from the port.

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

Another great option is Camco 40043 TastePure RV/Marine Water Filter with Flexible Hose Protector:

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

Camco Water Tank Filler with Shutoff Valve:  This little spout can be attached directly to the white water hose to make filling the Fresh water tank on the trailer much easier.  It can also be attached to a Water Bandit* on a water jug spout.  It has a valve so you can easily turn off the hose water without being next to the spigot.

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

Camco (22484) *Water Bandit:  This is a cool little product that allows you to connect a hose or water filler to a water spigot without threads (or one with stripped threads).  It probably doesn’t support a lot of pressure, but is a nice small tool to carry just in case.  I use it to attach to a jug spout to fill the Fresh water on our Scamp.

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

Ozark Trail Desert Patrol 6-Gal Water Jug:  This water jug is BPA free and does a great job of holding water to fill up the Fresh water tank at campgrounds not equipped with direct hookups.  Simply take the jug over to the nearest water spigot and fill it up.  I always take a collapsible dolly as well since water weighs about 8 pounds per gallon – meaning this jug will weigh almost 50 pounds when full.  I recommend using the Water Bandit on the included spout and have someone help in lifting the jug to fill the Fresh tank.

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON WALMART

Vergo Industrial 275 lbs Capacity Folding Hand Truck Dolly (Model S300BT):  This dolly easily fits in the car and is great for moving heavy water jugs.

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

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. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mammoth Lakes

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Mammoth Lakes
August 23rd – 29th, 2020

The drive from San Diego to California’s High Sierra is a long one (over 6 hours) and, following our 4 hour maximum drive time rule, would normally be broken up into a couple of stages. However, due to the intense summer high desert heat that prevails along most of the Highway 395 drive, we were forced to make the trip in one drive.

Our first stop was Silver Lake Resort, an RV park next to Silver Lake (elevation 7,200 feet) (about $49 / night including tax, although we were told later there are some discounts, if you ask, including AAA). The campground is in a stunning location which is surrounded by mountains, featuring a lake in the center. This is a popular spot for those who like to fish and people wanting to stay months at a time. The RV sites are fairly close together and this park is difficult to get a reservation as people tend to visit year after year and they are given priority for reservations. Large trailers and motor homes tend to be the norm here and our trailer was the smallest one in the park (although everyone made us feel very welcome)! We chose this campground because our friends Hugh & Cheryl (who we first met at Anza Borrego campground in February 2020) have been coming here the same week in August for the past 13 years and we wanted to see them again. They said the resort normally provides a lot of activities, but because of Covid things were much more limited this year. There is a general store and a café and great trails that border the property. There are also nice stables alongside that provide full day trail rides up to some of the high lakes ($125 per person for a full day ride including lunch as of 8/2020).

Our friend and neighbor, Dewey, also caravaned up with us in her Lazy Daze motorhome and parked in the spot next to ours. We were in spot D1, which was at the very end of one row, so we didn’t feel squeezed in by other giant motor homes. Dewey’s daughter, Lily, and boyfriend, Bretton, also came up from LA and joined us all. Dewey also brought her dachshunds Sammy and Lu Lu who love to camp! I just purchased a new astrophotography camera and was looking forward to taking images of the stars. It turned out that Bretton is also into astrophotography and we spent one fun late evening snapping images of the Milky Way! After catching the excitement of nighttime photography, we will try to plan future trips around the new moons for darker skies.

The first day at Silver Lake resort was a bit smoky due to fires across northern California, so we had to curtail our morning hike. However, we also brought our inflatable kayak and it was fun taking it out on Silver Lake. Lily and Bretton took turns with us enjoying kayaking on the lake as well. Additionally, there are some beaches on Silver Lake that are nice to walk along to see what the fishermen are catching. Our longest hike was to Lake Agnew and then to Gem Lake. It’s about 6 miles round trip to Gem Lake and took us about 4 hours to hike the steep trail and back. The trail is shared with the horses who take day trippers up to Gem Lake as well, so you need to watch your step. We saw the (utility) Edison’s mountain train along the way which seems to go almost straight up along the incredibly steep slopes, taking men and equipment up to lake Agnew to work on the power generation equipment at the dam. About a mile past Lake Agnew is Gem Lake within the Ansel Adams Wilderness area. Gem Lake is beautiful with striking blue waters.

Our friends Hugh & Cheryl are incredibly generous and insisted we all have dinner with them, social distancing, outside their motorhome every night! Food highlights were the grilled hot dogs and the fresh trout which Hugh and his friend Louie caught on the lake! On our final day, Hugh and Louie served their grilled Silver Lake trout which included 5lb and 7lb rainbow trout (career records)! Cheryl always made sure we had enough ice cream from the general store to follow the meals [including rocky road, turtle tracks (caramel and nuts), and mint chip]!!!

Before leaving Silver Lake, we had a chance to walk across the street to check out the public Silver Lake campground (which borders the lake). The campground is much more spread out than Silver Lake resort [and cheaper at as low as $23 / night (or $12.5/night with Senior Pass 62 or older)], with many of the spots offering extremely private surroundings. The main drawback here is that there are no hookups (and no dump station). There are water spigots spread out within the campground. So, if you plan to stay here you must account for how long you will be able to stay without a dump or electrical hookups. I think if we took outdoor showers we could probably stay about 5 days without needing to dump (black tank). Our solar panels allow us to have enough electricity pretty much indefinitely as long as there is sunshine since the Scamp is very energy efficient and we don’t have AC. Our top site picks after walking the public campground are sites: #18 (lake view, close to water spigot), #20 (lake view, private, water spigot close), #23 (along lake, private), #24 (private, no lake view, water spigot close), #25 (private, close to lake), #26 (private, mountain view), #27 (private, mountain view), #28 (private, mountain view, close to lake), #33 (private, close to water), and #37 (private, mountain view, and close to water).

We tried Birch Benders Pancakes (gluten free) for the first time the morning just before leaving Silver Lake ($4.49 / bag at Sprouts Market). The nice thing about these pancakes is there great taste and all you have to do is add water to the mix and then cook on your propane stove. Highly recommended (especially served with real maple syrup)!

The next few days would be without our solar panels (which I forgot to pack!). So, we weren’t sure if we would last from Thursday morning to Sunday morning (3 days) with just the power in our Scamp battery. We had 12.5V on Thursday morning (after being hooked up the past four days while staying at Silver Lake Resort) and were intent on making the battery last by using power sparingly. There are some essentials that are necessary to make the Scamp work (like the on demand water pump for the sinks, on demand pump for the toilet, and the pump for the shower drain).

Our second stop was the Twin Lakes public campground (30 minutes south of Silver Lake), part of the Mammoth Lakes chain. Dewey and Lily also joined us here (Bretton had to go back to LA early for work). At almost over 8,000 feet (8,563 ft.), this lake is high up there! Some campers told us they felt the altitude and some reported having slight headaches. Fortunately, we acclimated first a little lower at Silver Lake, so we felt ok. You may feel a little winded when exercising at this altitude. It’s important not to push it too hard your first couple of days and respect the elevation. We stayed at the Twin Lakes campground, which is a beautiful public campground adjacent to the lakes (which has a bridge between the two lakes) ($26 / night). There is water available here but no hookups, but the general store offers a dump ($15) and some other services including showers. We had Site #8 right next to the General Store. Our favorite site picks are: 23, 24, 31, 33, 34, 47, 49, 53, 54, 60, 61, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70.

The privately owned General Store here is excellent with some very nice souvenirs (including Mammoth Lakes t-shirts, coasters, and other Mammoth mementos), a lot of camping supplies, and food items. We purchased 2 lighters for our stove (always have a backup lighter!), Hershey bars, 2 High Sierra fisherman t-shirts, and 2 Mammoth coasters.
There is great kayaking and fishing on the lakes here and you can see the Twin Lakes Falls high up above. We hiked two great trails with Lily, one steep one up to the top of the Twin lakes Falls overlook and the other which looks down on the Twin Lakes from another side. We just had one night here at Twin Lakes (due to the lack of available reservations) but really enjoyed it. Dewey and Lily (and Sammy and Lu Lu) had to head back to home to San Diego the next morning. We headed on just a short drive higher to Lake Mary (elevation 8,966 feet), our third stop.

We stayed at Lake Mary Campground which is adjacent to Lake Mary ($26 / night) in sites #33 and #38 (we had to change sites due to availability). Our sites were not right on the lake, but were nice and quiet. Our favorite site picks at Lake Mary campground are: 12 (lake), 15 (lake), 18 (lake), 22 (lake), 23, 33, 37. Most of the campers here were tent campers with some motorhomes and trailers mixed in. There is a paved bike / walking path that runs through Mammoth Lakes and this path crosses through the campground. It provides a nice way to explore the area, including taking the Horseshoe Lake loop walk. It’s an easy walk that winds around Horseshoe Lake (a popular beach lake). You can also walk to Lake George from this campground (which is very close by). Lake George is popular for fishing. There were lots of stand-up paddle boarders and kayakers on Lake Mary. Coldwater Creek Campground is close by and serves as the trail head for the popular Duck Lake hike (long full day hike). We drove up to the campground, but it was so crowded that there was nowhere to park. There was a similar situation at Lake George with lots of auto traffic looking for parking spots. There is a small campground at Lake George, but we were told there are no reservations as it is first come first serve only.

Two must visit spots when staying at Mammoth Lakes are the Devils Postpile National Monuments and Rainbow Falls. They are about a half hour drive along a winding mountain road to get to the ranger’s station. After parking, its about a .4 mile easy walk to the Devils Postpile. It’s a solid wall of rock columns (columnar basalt). From there, it’s about 2 more miles to see Rainbow Falls which plunge 101 feet to the turbulent water below. Rainbows appear in the fall’s mist on sunny summer days. By foot, it’s about an hour each way to see both sights, but well worth it. It’s also possible to hike down to the base of Rainbow Falls, but that makes the trip much longer and more difficult.

In the end, we had a great trip and would highly recommend Mammoth Lakes. There are lots of things to do here with activities to satisfy just about anyone. Fishing, kayaking, hiking, stargazing, camping, biking and horseback riding are some of the top choices. And, as it turns out, that with careful use (only running the fan minimally and the lights and pumps when necessary) we were able to sustain our Scamp battery without solar panels. We ended the trip with 12.2V (minimum recommended voltage is 12V)! And our group of friends all decided to come back again next year!

How to Turn Your Wet Bath into a Comfy Dry Zone

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How to Turn Your Wet Bath into a Comfy Dry Zone

One of the biggest complaints people have about small travel trailers is the Wet Bath.  Because room in a very small travel trailer is at a premium, the bathroom areas are usually combined (toilet and shower in one room) and, in turn, are often finished so that all surfaces in the entire bathroom (toilet, sink, and shower) can be wet.  The advantage of this is that one can enjoy almost all the comforts of home, including a full bathroom, within such a small space.  However, no one likes to walk into a bathroom and get their feet wet or sit on a wet toilet seat!!!

Instead of opting to buy a larger trailer just so you can have a separate shower and toilet area or spending time after each shower drying off the toilet and floor, there are some easy inexpensive solutions that will ensure that the shower area is insulated so that the toilet compartment stays dry and comfortable.  Additionally, a couple of extra items will keep the floor in the shower relatively dry after each use.

Insulating the two compartments is easy if you have the right supplies.  The first thing you will need is a simple shower curtain with holes and plastic rings.  You will also need some medium utility hooks and perhaps some 3M adhesive fastener tape (sold a home supply stores) if you are affixing the hook to headliner (furry insulating material).

August 2021 UPDATE (use Magnets instead of Hooks)

First, we used the already existing pvc rod in the Scamp (above the inside of the bathroom door used to hold the door curtain) to secure the door side of our curtain by putting our ring on it at the end.  Next, we used 3M fastener tape and stuck it onto the back of one of the hooks (instead of using the double sided tape that comes with the hooks).  We used this one hook with the 3M tape for the headliner, because the fiberglass shower wall doesn’t come up too high in the Scamp and the regular tape doesn’t stick to the insulated headliner material.  The Scamp has a rat fur type of headliner which the 3M fastener sticks to really well.  We attached the double sided tape for the other two hooks because they were going directly onto the fiberglass wall, so we could secure the shower curtain against the entire wall (see images).

The idea is that the shower curtain is used when showering and then simply unhooked and tucked on the door side when done.  You will find that this method works well for keeping the toilet area dry (along with the toilet paper / rolls placed on toilet bowl cleaner’s handle).

To keep your feet elevated off the shower floor (which can be damp or wet), we recommend using a teak “mat”.  It is a really nice way to stay elevated from the floor while also allowing water to fall between the slits into the drain.  Additionally, it may provide some anti-slip properties versus standing directly on potentially slick fiberglass flooring.  We purchased this one (measure your floor area to make sure the mat you purchase fits):

CLICK HERE TO BUY ON AMAZON

If your shower floor holds some residual water after showering, like ours does, we recommend using a squeegee after showering to move water manually into the shower drain (with shower floor pump running and teak mat removed).  Once you have done your best, simply place the teak mat back over the floor.

After doing everything in this article, you should have a reasonably dry toilet compartment after each shower!

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.