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Prioritizing (aka: where should the money go)?


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1 hour ago, Bigthinkers said:

We're now one week less than two years away from our "launch" date as extended/full-timers (up to 2 years on the road full time, more if we love it), and we're taking steps each day toward that goal. I've been putting money aside in envelopes marked with things we think will be important purchases/modifications for us once we buy a used 36ft Class A (gas). We're not made of money, so we'll have to pick and choose, and add things over time. All of this assumes things like insurance, new tires, memberships, etc are a given.

A new mattress is at the top of our list, so that's a given. A washer/dryer is non-negotiable for me, so that's also a given. But after that we get stuck. Of the following, how would you prioritize? We know everyone is different, but I'd be grateful for your insights based on experience!

++++ The washer/dryer might be in MH already. You do know that drying takes 2 times longer than your residential and you generally can't use it unless you have a sewer hookup. Your tanks are not big enough.

-Plumbed drinking water purifier (we would prefer not to buy bottled water, and we're not sure of the water quality everywhere we'll go)

++++ plumbed not needed, just 2 inline filters, see rvwaterfilterstore.com, he is very helpful

-Solar set-up (we DO intend to boondock, though we'll spend time in campgrounds, too. That flexibility is important to us, but without experience we don't know how long we'll boondock ((a few days or a few weeks at a time))

++++ how much you need depends on type of refrig. We have a residential refrig, have 4 165w panels and run generator once a day for an hour .Propane refrig you will need less.

-Upgraded batteries (at the very least Golf Cart, but would you prioritize for lithium?)

+++++ consider AGM

-Better-quality generator

+++++ Why? MH should have Onan which is fine

-Upgrades such as Safe T Plus, Rear Trac Bar, premium shocks, etc

+++++ probably most are on MH already

-Fan-Tastic vents, if not already installed

+++++ probably most are on MH already

-Something else I haven't thought of

We know solar can be added at any time, but is it something you'd prioritize fairly quickly? We don't know how much solar we'd need yet (obviously) but would you prioritize money toward it even if it will be purchased a few months into the journey?

 

 

8

I would continue to plan on everything but much of this depends on what is on the MH when you get it.

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We too bought a gas chassis motorhome and it served us very well so don't let anyone tell you that it won't work. We lived in it for 12 years and I'll answer based on our experience. Each one is different to take my answers for what they are.

Plumbed drinking water purifier:  We never had or needed one of these. We used water from our tank and plumbing. I did sanitize the system annually and I did use a high-quality water filter for all water that entered our RV and we only connected to approved water systems. 

-Solar set-up: We didn't add that but with our lifestyle of spending a lot of time as RV volunteers, there was little need. We rarely dry camped for more than 2 or 3 nights in a row and used the onboard generator set when we did so. 

Upgraded batteries: We had 2, golf cart type, 6V batteries and with our limited amount of dry camping that was sufficient. 

Better-quality generator: I'm not quite sure what you mean by this? Since you are shopping for a motorhome my recommendation is to find one that has a built-in generator. If you have a choice I would prefer one by Onan, but others do the job too so probably would not turn down a coach with a Generac or Kohler if the hours on it were reasonable. 

Upgrades such as Safe T Plus, Rear Trac Bar, premium shocks, etc: This is one of those areas that is difficult for me to evaluate and to a large degree will depend on what class A you pick. If you get one that has a wheelbase ratio of 50 or better you may not need much but if you get a poor one you could need more than one. I got a class A on an F52 chassis that had a wheelbase ratio of 54 and that came with shock absorber type steering stabilizer OEM and that was all that I did until about year 9 when I had rear airbags added due to tail sag issues. That probably would have been a good move sooner, as it did improve handling. 

Fan-Tastic vents: A powered vent in the bathroom is something that I'd consider a must have but I wouldn't replace an existing one just to get a "Fan-tastic" brand one. If adding one I would do that. 

 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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It’s great that you are planning ahead for your future RV life. I would not put money in an envelope, I would set up a separate savings account with a local credit union and deposit your funds there. You mentioned that you want a Class A gas RV. Look for one that already has what you want, a good generator, washer dryer, fans etc or get the seller to add them as part of the purchase price. You can purchase a canister water filtration system for your water. Solar is great but unless you boondock a LOT it may not be worth the investment. If you have good batteries and a good inverter you will be alright without solar, especially if you have a generator to recharge your batteries while boondocking. I got a used BlueOx tow bar and it didn’t last a year. Buy a new one. 

2015 Itasca Ellipse 42QD

2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Hard Rock Edition

2021 Harley Street Glide Special 

Fulltimer

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I would put the batteries on top of the list.  They can be such an annoyance, and boondocking will be much better with reliable batteries.  Lithium batteries are expensive but you get a lot for that cost.  Solar can only be answered based on your boondocking time/needs, and great batteries will reduce the need for solar.  

I'm not sure what you mean by an upgraded generator.  Do you mean more power?  That's just a math formula based on what you need to run.  For example, a friend's generator is enough to run the AC *or* microwave but not both.  He doesn't care; just put the AC on fan when running the microwave, and deal with a little warmth for five minutes. 

 

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Regarding generator. I think you are reading about "construction" generators vs. RV Generator. The generator that comes with your MH should be fine.

Regarding Fantastic fans, that has become a generic term(like Kleenex). This style of fan pulls a lot more air(think whole house fan) vs. the standard el-cheapo fan RVs come with. Again, a used MH may have that style in already. Ours came with 2 "Fantastic" fans as standard.

Just make sure you get everything inspected and serviced so you know your starting points. Did you mention tires? They are very expensive and probably a pancake compressor would be nice.

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Are there brands/models of these fans to look at in particular?  In our area (Southwest), solar radiation heats up the RV like crazy, even when the outside temp might be a perfectly fine 75.  So moving lots of hot air out of the RV would eliminate AC needs for much of the season.

 

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Fantastic and MaxAir are the ones I know. Also, you will need a cover for the fan so you can run it during rainstorms.

You will need solar or be plugged in to run them. 

Minimally we have always kept the vents open(with covers).

Edited by SWharton
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I was.  I'm still screwed up by the pollen.  I was mostly joking, since this is completely unusual.

Those deluxe fans with the built in covers look fantastic.  I haven't looked at the price yet, I'm afraid to.  But I really want one.

 

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we have never been anywhere and we have been in a lot of places  were the quality of the water tested bad that is under state or Federal spec's. The problem is the taste and smell of the water in in different places. We have a filter system  for that.The mattress will probably not suit you. We have the sleep number in our Montana.The other things will  depend of your travel lifestyle.

Helen and I are long timers ..08 F-350 Ford,LB,CC,6.4L,4X4, Dually,4:10 diff dragging around a 2013 Montana 3402 Big Sky

SKP 100137. North Ridgeville, Ohio in the summer, sort of and where ever it is warm in the winter.

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We don't drink water from our fresh water tank. I don't trust what they are made of. Someone once told me that some of them are made in China? As for approved water supply, my three wells are not approved water supplies. I do have it tested every few years but I get that for free. Seems that you are on the right track but do you really put money in envelopes? That I find odd. What is wrong with banks?

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You use whatever "tricks" work for you for this.  Don't let people get you down on what YOU think YOU need.  This forum as a whoe is so judgy about doing unconventional things.

On the water, I forgot to post this.  Someone else had talked about it on another thread, and I got one for home.  Great RO unit:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XELTTG/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_4?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

 

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7 hours ago, Bigthinkers said:

-Plumbed drinking water purifier (we would prefer not to buy bottled water, and we're not sure of the water quality everywhere we'll go)

I suggest you purchase an under-the-sink RO (Reverse Osmosis) unit like this one. The RVWaterFilter store also stocks RO systems, but you'll pay less if you shop around.

RO water is about as high quality as you can get on the road. I also suggest buying clear filter housings as filters can clog up in no time in some campgrounds, like this one we were just at:

hitemineroad18-before-after-text.jpg

Edited by Zulu

SKP #79313 / Full-Timing / 2001 National RV Sea View / 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
www.rvSeniorMoments.com
DISH TV for RVs

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3 hours ago, SWharton said:

Fantastic and MaxAir are the ones I know. Also, you will need a cover for the fan so you can run it during rainstorms.

You will need solar or be plugged in to run them. 

Both of those exhaust fans operate on 12V power from the batteries. 

On water filter systems, there are many choices that have been used successfully by RV folks for years. I suggest that you take a look at the RV Water Filter Store website. I assure you that properly used there is no health risk in drinking and cooking with water used from the RV's tank and plumbing. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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Memberships? I only recommend Passport America whens starting out. Give yourself time to lean how you like to travel before investing in others.

Water filter. We bought exterior ones from the RV water filter store then drank from our tank since we always filled up from already approved sources anyway.

Solar is expensive. Unless you plan to boondock more than a day or two here or there your generator will supply enough power. We put solar on all our rigs anyway since we liked the freedom to not always have to plug in. But we had that money available without financial pain.

Batteries. I like AGM because they don't outgas so you can put them anywhere and because they require no maintenance. Lithium are cool but expensive

Generator. You built in one should be fine. The generator discussion is usually about free standing ones.

Upgrades to steering. What you might need here depends on the rig you buy. 

Vent fans. Powered vent fans are crucial for most of us. Rain covers are great but don't pay for a fan with a rain sensor if you are going to install a cover. I prefer the cover, myself, because I often wanted to run my fan in the rain.

I would put all my savings toward these projects in a bank or credit union in one account. Since you are prioritizing items I would just draw from that account for each item as its turn comes up.

Linda

 

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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8 minutes ago, Carlos said:

You use whatever "tricks" work for you for this.  Don't let people get you down on what YOU think YOU need.  This forum as a whoe is so judgy about doing unconventional things.

 

Thanks! I've got a pretty thick skin, so I didn't take any of the comments personally. I know what works for me, and often it's something that looks pretty odd, I guess. ;)

6 minutes ago, Zulu said:

I suggest you purchase an under-the-sink RO (Reverse Osmosis) unit like this one. The RVWaterFilter store also stocks RO systems, but you'll pay less if you shop around.

RO water is about as high quality as you can get on the road. I also suggest buying clear filter housings as filters can clog up in no time in some campgrounds, like this one we were just at:

 

I had RO in a house that was on well water, and I really liked it. Thinking about going that direction again.

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On the RO, I really recommend that you look at units which replenish the minerals and alkalinity, like the one I linked above.  There have been some studies that correlate pure RO water with mineral and bone loss.  We get some of those things just from water, and normal RO is 99.999% pure, which actually seems to be bad when we talk about minerals.

I have a change dump that about once a year nets $150 and I just make myself spend it on something completely stupid.  Otherwise I look at cash as fungible, but like the "stupid fund."

 

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13 minutes ago, sandsys said:

I would put all my savings toward these projects in a bank or credit union in one account. Since you are prioritizing items I would just draw from that account for each item as its turn comes up.

We do already put money into a vacation account, but being able to see it build up in my "stash" really helps me save that much more.

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3 minutes ago, Bigthinkers said:

I had RO in a house that was on well water, and I really liked it. Thinking about going that direction again.

You can plumb an RV RO system so that the brine (aka RO waste water) flows back into your water holding tank instead of your gray tank.

SKP #79313 / Full-Timing / 2001 National RV Sea View / 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
www.rvSeniorMoments.com
DISH TV for RVs

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7 hours ago, Bigthinkers said:

We're now one week less than two years away from our "launch" date as extended/full-timers (up to 2 years on the road full time, more if we love it), and we're taking steps each day toward that goal. I've been putting money aside in envelopes marked with things we think will be important purchases/modifications for us once we buy a used 36ft Class A (gas). We're not made of money, so we'll have to pick and choose, and add things over time. All of this assumes things like insurance, new tires, memberships, etc are a given.

A new mattress is at the top of our list, so that's a given. A washer/dryer is non-negotiable for me, so that's also a given. But after that we get stuck. Of the following, how would you prioritize? We know everyone is different, but I'd be grateful for your insights based on experience!

-Plumbed drinking water purifier (we would prefer not to buy bottled water, and we're not sure of the water quality everywhere we'll go)

-Solar set-up (we DO intend to boondock, though we'll spend time in campgrounds, too. That flexibility is important to us, but without experience we don't know how long we'll boondock ((a few days or a few weeks at a time))

-Upgraded batteries (at the very least Golf Cart, but would you prioritize for lithium?)

-Better-quality generator

-Upgrades such as Safe T Plus, Rear Trac Bar, premium shocks, etc

-Fan-Tastic vents, if not already installed

-Something else I haven't thought of

We know solar can be added at any time, but is it something you'd prioritize fairly quickly? We don't know how much solar we'd need yet (obviously) but would you prioritize money toward it even if it will be purchased a few months into the journey?

 

 

I agree with what others have said about much depends on what gas coach you end up getting.  You should not totally rule out finding a good deal on a used DP when you get down to your RV search though.

As far as the w/d goes we would not be full time without they also. 

Drinking water:  we shy away from drinking directly from our fresh water tank.  About 90% of the time we are hooked up to the campground water supply and will drink it.  When we fill the fresh water tank it goes though our whole house filter system plus a newly added water softner.  When we drink directly from the campground water supply it goes though our whole house filter system, our water softner, plus the extra refrigerator filter.  A large model water softner currently costs about $280 and you regenerate it about once a month with regular table salt.  They are very efficient and our model is about 9" around and 22" high.  We simply set it outside next to the campground water spout.

Batteries/solar/generator:  you will have to decide what type of camper you will be.  You may end up off the grid with no utilities for weeks at a time or you may rarely if ever actually boondock.   We will preplan and find a Walmart, Cabellas, or similar retail lot where it is okay to stay when we are going from point A to B.  When we are there and set up our battery bank is large enough (eight 6v) to run everything all evening and all night without the generator.  The only thing we need the generator on for is the a/c units.  We can even run the microwave and a fantastic fan all night and we will not drop below 12 volts.  For other boondocking camping where we might be staying off grid without hookups I will either let the AGS (automatic generator start) system handle keeping the battery bank above the critical point or I will monitor it and start the gen set myself.  The only thing solar would do for us would be help us cut back on some generator run time.  IMHO the worse thing for any generator is not regularly putting hours and a good load on it.  As far as wet batteries vs sealed batteries, or the lithium batteries, there are huge differences in prices.  I lean toward wet batteries and don't mind taking care of them.  I keep them watered and I don't let them get drained.  Maybe someday when it is time to replace my chassis/house batteries I will be tempted to spend the big bucks for sealed or AGM batteries but I am getting good service out of my wet ones.

Safe-T Plus, Trac Bars and such:  this is something you will know after you have your coach.  While it is true on a F-53 chassis that a lot of handling issues have to do with the length to wheelbase ratio, I would first "load for the road" and put some miles on in windy conditions before pulling the trigger on expensive suspension upgrades.  Our last coach was a 37' gas coach and within the first year we spent just over $2,000 doing one suspension upgrade after another.  We started with an alignment, and then the CHF (cheap handling fix).  These two things helped a lot but it still handled like a top heavy bread truck in 15mph winds.  Next we did the Safe-T and Sumo springs all around.  That improved the handling by another 30% or so.  

Most class A coaches (gas or diesel) will come with ceiling vent fans.  We have three that have rain sensors in them which don't really matter to me.  It is a nice feature if you leave them open when away from the coach and it start raining because them will automatically close.  However, I put the MaxAir cover on them so now when it starts raining nothing comes in and we can still keep them running.

The other thing you may want to budget funds for is something I think is the number 1 piece of safety equipment for any RV, and that is a TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system).  It will show you each tires temperature (ambient) and psi, plus sound an alarm if the tire overheats or rapidly deflates.  A TST brand system currently is around $300 to $400 with six sensors.

I know this got kind of long but my darn finger just wouldn't stop!  Good luck with your research and planning.

Joe

Joe & Cindy

Newmar 4369 Ventana

Pulling 24' enclosed (Mini Cooper, Harley, 2 Kayaks)

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