Our RV Essentials
We bought our RV in April 2022. It was a brand new, gorgeous 5th wheel made by Forest River. When it finally got home, we realized it came with nothing except the power cord! Here is a list of what we feel like the essentials are for RV living. We’ll make a list at a later point for all the “fun” stuff you can get to make your life easier, but for now, just what you need to be able to use your RV.
Disclaimer: All links in this post are Amazon affiliate. If you choose to purchase any of these items, we would receive a small commision when using said links! Thank you!
Water Hose
I would recommend an anti-kink hose. It makes storage, setup, and take down so much easier when you can basically pile it up, and place it in a small bag. There are many brands out there, but we have two 50 foot Zero-G hoses. We have used both quite frequently, so you really need about 100 feet of water hose. We also use a couple different fittings to keep everything running smoothly. I use a splitter at the source, just in case anyone else needs to get to the water. I also have a brass 90 degree fitting that stays in the inlet for the water at the camper side. The reason for this is actually two-fold. It aids the hose to stay straight as it drops down the side of the RV, and prevents kinking in the hose. It also helps so that I’m not constantly screwing and unscrewing anything into the (cheap) plastic inlet, avoiding any risk of cross threading or breaking that part.
Wheel Chocks
These are a safety measure for when you go to park and unhook your RV. We have stayed at a few different spots where there is a downhill grade behind our RV, and the last thing you want is for your rig to end up at the bottom of said hill. I recommend rubber wheel chocks, as they seem to grip better than plastic ones. Just remember that there is a “dirt side” and a “tire side” for most wheel chocks, so pay attention to which way they go!
They are always first to put down and last to
Extension Cords
We have run into multiple situations where the 25 foot cord that came with the RV is not long enough. I bought a 75 foot extension, and we have used it a lot. With needing such a large cord for our 50 amp RV, it is a bit pricey to go out and buy one, but it is worth it. We use a RVGUARD brand cord, and it has stood up very well to the elements. It’s heavy duty, and extremely durable. We have used it at full capacity numerous times and there’s no sign of overheating or plastic melting.
Surge Protector
Another pricey purchase, but well worth the investment. We use Hughes Autoformers WatchDog to protect our RV. It monitors the shore power (a.k.a. Park power, Power pedestal, or whatever you connect your RV to) and checks to ensure correct voltage, proper grounding, that you have a neutral, and so much more. The model we have automatically shuts off in the event something is wrong and alerts our phone. This item is essential for your RV due to all the electronics that your RV runs. From batteries, the 12 volt side of your panel, power inverters, control systems for your HVAC, and so much more. All these systems can easily be fried if you’re not careful with the power you’re hooking up to. Once you’re hooked up, if the surge protector returns an error message, make sure you contact the park you’re staying at to let them know. Most likely it’s not just your shore power that’s faulty, and you could save your neighbor from frying something in their rig! This is also a good reason to have an extension cord, because it may just be your power and you can plug into another power pole somewhere close by.
DogBones
No, not the kind you give to your dog! These items are essential, especially when you have a 50 amp hookup for your RV. Most parks, especially the old ones, have little to no 50 amp plug-ins. A DogBone attaches to your power cord, and steps down the 50 amp to a 30 amp, or 30 amp down to 15 amp, depending on what you need. We bought both types, and have used them on occasion, especially when we’re “mooch-docking” (staying at our relative’s for free).
Sewer Hoses
Our RV did not come with any sewer hoses, so we elected to get a couple. I recommend the RhinoFlex brand, they make good, durable ones. They also have caps that go on either end to keep the stink in. We have not used the total length of hose that we actually have, but I bought 20 feet of hose just in case we’re ever at a full hookup site where the sewer is a little out of reach of the 10 foot hose. It is also important to mention the necessity for a 90 degree sewer hose attachment. We have one that will twist on to the park’s sewer pipe, but we use it more often to get the correct angle for going into a dump station’s port. Without this 90 degree attachment, your waste runs the chance of spilling all around the port instead of going in. Another item we just got to use is the sewer hose stand. You will need these if you plan on using a full hookup site, as they ensure the proper downhill grade needed to keep everything moving forward the way it should. Lastly, don’t forget you need to be using different toilet paper in the camper! We have only used Scott brand for a long time and it never disappoints!
Finally got to use the hose support for our first full hookup site!
We have been RV living for about 5 months now, and every day we’re learning something new about the rig. This list is truly the very basics, but for someone who has never done this before, it is an excellent jumping off point to find the hundreds of different products out there that are perfect for your own personal rig. Please leave any questions you may have in the comments section, we look forward to hearing from you!
Always be prepared, but if you can’t be prepared, at least have a good sense of humor!
- C
