2016 Camping Thread- RVing Edition

[craigwd]

Originally Posted by MacDaddy77

Haven't stayed in the tepees but I've camped there and looked inside. Unless something drastically changed I wouldn't let my dog sleep in there. They were disgusting

Yikes. Thanks for the info.

[cracher]

Thought I'd run this by the experienced RV folks before executing. Was about to buy a new small trailer, but a custody battle has done a number on my expendible cash reserves. Simply can't lay out 50k right now, so I was thinking of an idea: my friend's business folded and he is willing to sell me a good condition cargo trailer 6X10 for very little. Instead of wiring up a deep cycle battery, I use one of these: http://www.goalzero.com/p/140/goal-z...olar-generator. This should be able to run a furnace, 12v cooler box, fantastic fan, lights for a couple days. Throw in an Ikea bunk, portable coleman bbq, 12 pack of water bottles. Should be around $7k when all is said and done. Too ghetto or will it work for a season?

[Nufy]

Originally Posted by cracher

Thought I'd run this by the experienced RV folks before executing. Was about to buy a new small trailer, but a custody battle has done a number on my expendible cash reserves. Simply can't lay out 50k right now, so I was thinking of an idea: my friend's business folded and he is willing to sell me a good condition cargo trailer 6X10 for very little. Instead of wiring up a deep cycle battery, I use one of these: http://www.goalzero.com/p/140/goal-z...olar-generator. This should be able to run a furnace, 12v cooler box, fantastic fan, lights for a couple days. Throw in an Ikea bunk, portable coleman bbq, 12 pack of water bottles. Should be around $7k when all is said and done. Too ghetto or will it work for a season?

For 7K you should be able to get a good used RV...

[dino7c]

You can get a nice used RV for 7k and it will also be safe lol...less even

[cracher]

In the <10k range, you are looking at something 10+ years old. Do you trust CO emitting appliances of that age? I like to wake up in the mornings. For 7k, everything except the trailer is new.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by cracher

In the <10k range, you are looking at something 10+ years old. Do you trust CO emitting appliances of that age? I like to wake up in the mornings. For 7k, everything except the trailer is new.

What a weird fear. Buy a CO detector for $30

[foshizzle11]

cracher, we bought a 1976 bonair tent trailer and the stove and furnace still work like a dream. We have woken up every morning after using it, so a 10 year old unit shouldn't be too big of a concern. As long as you vent your trailer (open the hatch on the roof a bit) you shouldn't have any CO issues, if it is a worry, get a battery powered sensor for your trailer. Obviously with a tent trailer that old there is a lot of places for air to escape.

For $7,000 you shouldn't have an issue finding something. I would widen your search for a good deal to Red Deer, Medicine Hat and Lethbridge. Usually find some good deals on there.

I just took a quick look on Kijiji and there are a few hits between $6,000 and $8,000 that are 2006 or newer.

[foshizzle11]

I have been meaning to post this here but haven't gotten around to it, but for those of you who use propane. The Costco in Okotoks or Cross Iron fill 20 lbs propane tanks for $8. Can't beat that anywhere that I have found.

Does anyone have any other places in Calgary that can come close to that? I haven't found any yet.

[greyshep]

Originally Posted by foshizzle11

I have been meaning to post this here but haven't gotten around to it, but for those of you who use propane. The Costco in Okotoks or Cross Iron fill 20 lbs propane tanks for $8. Can't beat that anywhere that I have found.

Does anyone have any other places in Calgary that can come close to that? I haven't found any yet.

That is a really good price. I assume they fill 30# tanks too or is it just a tank exchange thing?

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by cracher

I use one of these: http://www.goalzero.com/p/140/goal-z...olar-generator. This should be able to run a furnace, 12v cooler box, fantastic fan, lights for a couple days.

Have you actually tried? The 12 volt cooler I have in my office shows 5.4 amps on 12 volts DC. So with a 100 amp hour battery, and not wanting to put it below 50%, you could run my cooler for a little less than 10 hours.

I don't see the point of that box. Essentially it is a $200 battery in a box.

I will also echo buying a used trailer. You are looking at a $50K new trailer, but then looking at converting a cargo trailer. You say you are concerned about CO from a 10 year old travel trailer, but have no issues with a trailer with no emergency exits. It just seems like you are all over the map on this.

[cracher]

All over the map is right. I've never been a camper, the ex has always been the driving force so I rarely paid attention to much. Will start scrounging for a used unit. I do have a yeti for home as a backup. The thing is bloody powerful; I used it the garage to run an air compressor and various power tools. I just figured it can survive a couple days of camping....

[Top Shelf]

Anyone have any recommendations on RV storage around the city? We are in the NW and would prefer something around there. Picking up a trailer this weekend and the total length is about 33 ft. Somewhere between 60-80 bucks a month I'm guessing?

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by Top Shelf

Anyone have any recommendations on RV storage around the city? We are in the NW and would prefer something around there. Picking up a trailer this weekend and the total length is about 33 ft. Somewhere between 60-80 bucks a month I'm guessing?

Not sure if they have any spots available or not, but it couldn't hurt to give them a try.

http://www.symonsvalleyrvstorage.com/

[Lubicon]

There's several places out near Springbank airport, one right beside the airport (we store ours there) and another on the south side of #1. Extremely convenient for us, less than 15 minutes from the house and if you are heading west it isnt even necesssary to bring the unit home before leaving, just pick it up on the way out of town and drop it off on the way back in.

Springbank Self Storage is where we are, I'm not sure of the name of the other place.

[foshizzle11]

Originally Posted by greyshep

That is a really good price. I assume they fill 30# tanks too or is it just a tank exchange thing?

No tank exchange, they fill it. As long as the connect is the same as the 20lbs tanks you should be good to fill there.

[Madman]

Going to park our 5th wheel long term and trying to figure out the best way to truly stabilize it.

I've read some people use cinder blocks to take most of the weight off the tires, and then I've seen other people use those screw type jack stands.

Anyone have any experience with either method? Or some better ideas?

[WCan_Kid]

2x4 cribbing, something like this:



I made mine 18" x 18" with three 2x4s per layer. Little more flexibility with height than cinder blocks and they'll handle mobile homes, park model trailers, modular houses, etc so plenty strong enough for an RV.

Tried using tripod stabilizers/jack stands and was never able to get rid of the sway, set the trailer on 6 of these and it's like being on a foundation.

[Madman]

Thanks for that. I actually use that design right now for stabilizer bases, so I can easily make more of them.

So did you jack your trailer up somehow and then put those under?

[WCan_Kid]

Originally Posted by Madman

Thanks for that. I actually use that design right now for stabilizer bases, so I can easily make more of them.

So did you jack your trailer up somehow and then put those under?

I've got a 10 ton bottle jack that I used. Lifted one side just enough to take the weight off of the tires and set the first block in the middle, near the axles, did the same on the other side, and then just seesawed the trailer with the the front stabilizer jacks to get the corners set. Once the cribbing was in I flattened the tires and slid them off.

Did you find a lot?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by cracher

In the <10k range, you are looking at something 10+ years old. Do you trust CO emitting appliances of that age? I like to wake up in the mornings. For 7k, everything except the trailer is new.

All trailers built before 2007 will kill you got it...you can have these things inspected you know...CO2 detector ect.

A brand new trailer and certainly a home made one would also be susceptible to leaks