Nearly 20 years ago I developed what I refer to as my RV essential items and my nice to have items, for RV camping trips. Today I want to discuss my top 5 RV essential items you need to have on every RV camping trip. Both of these RV checklists, and many others are in my best-selling Checklists for RVers E-book
To help protect the RV’s electrical system, number one on my list is to use some type of RV surge protector. I use a product called Surge Guard, that is designed to protect the entire RV’s electrical system and all of your sophisticated appliances and electronic equipment. You never know what kind of electrical service you might encounter during your RV travels. The day will come when the power supply will surge, sag or spike, especially at the campground. Surge Guard offers products that will protect your RV from high and low voltage, open neutral, improperly wired power pedestals and electrical surges. Surge Guard models are available for both 30 amp and 50-amp RV electrical systems.
Another common problem after arriving at the campground is discovering you don’t have the correct adapter for the campground sewer or dump station drain outlet. To solve this problem, I keep a universal RV sewer adapter on-hand. It is designed to work in almost any situation you encounter, including different size smooth pipe and threaded pipe drain outlets. It’s also a good idea to keep some extra lengths of RV sewer hose in the RV . You never know how far you will be parked away from the campground sewer drain.
The next item on my list of RV essential items is an RV drinking water hose long enough to get you out of any jam. I keep a 4-foot, 10-foot and 25-foot RV drinking water hose in the RV at all times. I also keep a black or green colored hose in the RV for maintenance purposes like flushing the RV holding tanks, or washing the RV.
I recommend using a water pressure regulator when you connect the RV to the campground water supply. You never know what the water pressure will be at a campground. RV water pressure regulators help protect your RV plumbing system from high water pressure that is common at many campgrounds, especially when there are not lots of RVs there. Always connect the regulator at the water source, before it goes in the hose.
Last but certainly not least, I recommend some type of RV water filtration system. There are several types of filters available, designed for use in RVs. You can install an under the counter RV water filter directly to a faucet just for drinking water, or you can use a filtration system designed to filter all of the water going into the RV.
There are many more RV essential items, but these are my top 5 items to never leave on a camping trip without. For more information on what other RV essential items to have on hand check out our RV Essential Items course at RV Online Training
Happy Camping,
Mark J. Polk
Question: We own a motorhome and my question is; when we are not using it, and this could be for several months at a time, should I start the engine periodically?
About a year ago we purchased a permanent RV lot at the beach and put a fifth wheel trailer on the lot so we could do some destination type camping. When we started using the camper for a few short weekend trips I noticed our cellular signal and internet connection was spotty at the campsite. We plan to use the camper more often after we get it set up the way we want and a poor cellular signal could be problematic, especially if we stay there during the work week. 
I have been brand loyal to Dodge (Ram) trucks my entire adult life. I have owned seven Dodge trucks, three used and four new. I am now realizing brand loyalty is not always a good thing. Corporations change ownership, things change and it’s not always for the best. When you combine that, with today’s mentality in the workforce, brand loyalty can be extremely frustrating.
The truck continued pulling to the right regardless of what road I drove on. I am familiar with the crown in roads. Roads are designed with a crown to help shed water when it rains. We have a 2007 Jeep JK Wrangler and a 2007 Dodge Durango and when I drive either of those vehicles on the same roads they tend to drift to the right slightly due to the crown in the road. When I say drift I mean every hundred yards or so you need to make a slight steering correction because of the crown in the road. It is simply gravitational force that pulls the vehicle in the direction of the crown. But in my 2016 Ram 2500 it is not a slight drift, it is a hard pull. If you let go of the steering wheel you are going in the ditch. And rather than traveling about a hundred yards before a steering correction is required it happens about every 25 yards of travel. My 2004 Ram and the 2014 Ram never pulled like the 2016 Ram does. It is a safety issue.
I have done about every type of camping imaginable. I camped under the stars with nothing but a sleeping bag, I camped in pup tents with the boy scouts, I camped in less than desirable conditions throughout my military career in the Army, and I camped in every type of RV manufactured. As I got older the latter type, with more creature comforts, is by far the best type of camping.
Another problem is, even with proper wiring, your RV’s electrical system is exposed to other dangers at the campground. The quality of electrical service at RV campgrounds changes based on numerous factors, like old electrical connections, how many RVs are using the campground power and the load they are putting on it, faulty wiring and bad weather. Any of these conditions can result in exposing your RV to voltage sags, surges and spikes.
The operating ranges for 120-volt appliances in your RV are 103 volts to 132 volts. If you operate appliances above or below these ranges there is extreme heat build-up. Electric motors, circuit boards and electronics cannot withstand this kind of heat. The bottom line is your RV is equipped with highly sophisticated electronics and expensive appliances that need to be protected against all of these potential threats. Now that we understand what the threats are let’s see what can we do about it?
I highly recommend using a surge protector designed to identify and help protect the RV’s entire electrical system from the potential dangers I just discussed. You just plug the surge protector into the campground’s electrical supply, check for any faults indicated, and plug the RV power cord into the opposite end and you are done. But you need the right surge protector for the job. I personally use 
For the sake of an example let’s say you have a travel trailer with a 30 amp electrical system. A very affordable Surge Guard product that provides lots of features would be Model 44280. It is 120-volts, 30 amps with a 2100 Joule rating.
That’s a lot of bang for the buck! There is an entire family of Surge Guard products available for any size or type of RV. You can choose a portable model or hard-wire a unit into the RVs electrical system. There are numerous features available depending on the model 
#10-Coax Cable
#9-Disposable Gloves
#8-Water Regulator
#7-RV Extension Cord
#6-Stackable Leveling Blocks
#5-Water Filtration
#4-Electrical Adapters
#3- RV Drinking Water Hoses & Regular Garden Hose
#2-RV Sewer Hoses & Adapters 
#1-Surge Protector for the RV
The first step was to remove the old antenna. I use a plastic scraping tool to remove the old sealant and access the mounting screws. Whenever you remove old sealant from a rubber roof be extremely careful not to tear the rubber roofing. Remove all of the sealant and the mounting screws, but do not attempt to remove the antenna before you remove the antenna handle on the inside of the RV.
Go inside the RV and remove the old antenna handle. Remove the Allen screw from the handle using the correct size Allen wrench. After the handle is removed the entire assembly can be removed from the ceiling.
Go back on the roof to remove the old antenna. Disconnect the coax cable and carefully separate the antenna from the roof. In most cases there will be putty tape under the antenna base. I use the plastic scraping tool to work around the base releasing the old sealant. Try not to tear the roofing material. After the antenna is removed clean any remaining sealant that was under the antenna base. As a final step I like to clean the roof surface with some denatured alcohol on a rag. Do not pour the alcohol directly on the roof surface.
If this was a new installation this is where you would select a location for the new antenna and drill a hole through the roof. Since I am replacing the existing antenna the hole is already there.
The instructions state to position the antenna in the hole with the arrow on the base plate facing the front of the RV, and draw an outline around the antenna base. The outline is used so you can apply an approved sealant around the inside surface of the line to seal the antenna base to the roof when it is installed. I prefer to apply the sealant directly on the antenna base so I know the screw holes are covered and I will get a good seal.
Connect the coax cable from the RV to the coax on the new antenna following the instructions. Position the antenna on the roof with the arrow at the base of the antenna facing the front of the RV.
There are screws provided to secure the antenna to the roof. I tighten the screws until I start to see the butyl tape ooze out around the edges. Remove any exposed butyl tape and apply an approved sealant over the screw heads and around the base of the antenna. This antenna has a smaller footprint than the original antenna so there were two existing screw holes in the roof that were not covered by the new antenna base. I added some sealant over the screw holes and as a precautionary measure I will add some roof sealing tape over the sealant after it cures.
You are finished on the roof. The remainder of the installation is done inside the RV. Install the plastic extrusion in the hole and rotate it until the keys line up with the bottom of the antenna. With the keys aligned push the extrusion up until it bottoms out. Check to make sure the antenna rotates and follow the instructions to cut the extrusion to the proper length for your ceiling.
Follow the instructions to assemble the new handle and install the handle using the screws provided. Test the operation of the handle by pushing up on the handle and rotating it in either direction. The antenna on the roof should rotate as the handle is turned.
Is your RV ready for the upcoming camping season?
Awnings are a great feature to have on your RV. There are several different types of RV awnings and they serve different purposes. There are window and door awnings that provide shade and keep rain away from your RV windows or entry door. There are slide-out awnings that protect the slide-out roof from debris and water. And there are patio awnings. Patio awnings extend the living area of our outdoor world. Similar to the front porch of your home, the patio awning provides us with shade and cover from a light rain when we want to sit and enjoy the great outdoors.
Some awnings have an aluminum or vinyl wrap-around weather guard that protects the awning fabric when it’s in the travel position. When you open the awning for the first time each year, or if it has been stored for a while, you will need to inspect the awning fabric for any signs of mildew or stains. Remember vinyl awnings will mildew. To prevent dirt from embedding into the woven fabric of an acrylic awning fabric you should simply hose the fabric off on a monthly basis. Avoid scrubbing acrylic awning fabric. Scrubbing can remove the water retardant finish. For stubborn stains blot the approved cleaner on the acrylic fabric with a sponge or soft cloth.
When you are getting ready to take a trip in your RV there are lots of things that need to be done. Planning the trip itself can be overwhelming. Travel guides, magazines, state tourism boards and Internet sites offer valuable information to help you plan your next RV trip. To help make planning your trips a little easier I wrote this trip planning checklist. This is an excerpt from my 
Question: Can you tell me the correct pressure to inflate my RV tires to prior to taking a road trip? My travel trailer tires show a max psi of 70lbs on the tire’s sidewall. I can’t seem to get a straight answer from our local shops, and I want to make sure I don’t overheat or damage them. Thanks for any information you can provide.
Welcome back to another edition of RV Consumer E-Magazine. In this cold weather issue Mark discusses important topics like winterizing your RV, cold weather maintenance and RV storage. This issue also features a fall and winter camping tips article and three RV videos of the month.
Have you ever arrived at your camping destination only to realize the RV sewer hose wasn’t long enough to reach the sewer drain outlet? I think this happens to most of us eventually. To help solve the problem I recommend keeping some RV sewer extension hoses on hand in the RV.
In our special RV 2017 edition of RV Consumer e-Magazine take an inside look at new 2017 RV makes and models inside America’s largest RV Show with Mark Polk. Read Mark’s interview with John Serro’s grandson about the new vintage style Serro Scotty trailer line being reintroduced in 2017, and read a review on Dometic’s new dual zone portable refrigerator/freezer that can refrigerate and freeze food at the same time.Get all of this and more in this issue of RV Consumer e-Magazine.
We started with a smaller portable unit and when our needs changed we checked out the new CFX-95DZUS Dual-Zone Portable Refrigerator & Freezer. It is loaded with features and options, but the most unique feature is the separate compartments so you can refrigerate and freeze at the same time. One compartment is 54 liters and the other compartment is 40.5 liters for a total storage capacity of 94.5 liters. The dual-zone feature is available in the CFX-65DZUS and CFX-95DZUS models. On the CFX-95DZUS model you can set either compartment anywhere from -8 degrees F to +50 degrees F so you can make either the 54 Liter side or the 40.5 liter side freeze or refrigerate (or both sides freeze or both sides refrigerate).
It comes with removable wire baskets for easy loading & cleaning. The CFX-95DZUS holds 117 12-oz. cans so keeping your kids entire sports team hydrated, or keeping beverages cold for an outdoor party is easy. It also features a dairy compartment for perishables.
The features don’t stop there. When it is turned on you will notice a digital temperature display and a soft-touch control panel. The temperature an be set from -8°F to +50°F (-22°C to +10°C). The memory feature maintains presets if the system is turned off and there is a quick-chill turbo feature too.
The CFX-95DZUS model also has an iOS & Android app to control the portable cooler functions with your smartphone. I mentioned earlier that these portable refrigerator freezers are great for RV trips, back yard BBQs, sporting events, camping and tailgating. If you are active and on-the-go and need to keep food and drinks cold or frozen check out these versatile 
Whenever I discuss RV roof care and maintenance I like to start with the basics, washing the RV roof.
Welcome back to another issue of 
It’s important you know what type of RV roof you have so you can properly clean and maintain the roof. For the most part there are two categories RV synthetic roofs fall into:
Welcome back to another edition of 
Next you simply connect the supplied 25’ coax between the G2+ and the power inserter, connect the 3’ coax between the power inserter and your receiver, and connect an HDMI or coax from the receiver to the TV. After the connections are made power up the receiver, the TV and the power inserter and the automatic antenna will start searching for a signal. That’s all there is to it. It literally took less than 20 minutes to set the system up right out of the box.
It works great for RVs, and it can be used on other camping trips, for tailgating, backyard BBQs and more. The G2+ also offers several mounting options. Some options include temporary tripod and window mounts and there are more permanent roof, ladder and vehicle mounts. My primary goal was to use the G2+ on the RV so I opted to convert the portable Carryout G2+ into a permanent roof mount using the roof mount kit available from Winegard.
The G2+ features the latest technology in satellite acquisition. It is small, but powerful and it is fully automatic. What that means is after the connections are made the automatic antenna quickly goes to work locating the maximum signal strength. Keep in mind if there are trees, buildings or other obstacles in the path no satellite antenna will get a signal, but with a clear unobstructed view to the southern sky the G2+ quickly locks in on the strongest signal.
The Carryout G2+ solved this concern too. The antenna has two output connectors, one for the main receiver connection and another for a second receiver. You simply run a separate coax from the second antenna port to another receiver in the RV. Now you can view any program you want on both TVs as long as both programs are on the same satellite.
There has always been confusion when it comes to the type of tires used on travel trailers and 5th wheel trailers, or any type trailer for that matter. I think lots of folks are somewhat familiar with what are referred to as P-rated (passenger) or LT-rated (Light Truck) tire designations because that is what we use on our automobiles, SUVs and trucks. When you purchase a travel trailer or 5th wheel trailer and the time comes to purchase new tires people are confronted with a new type of tire designation, ST-rated or “Special Trailer” tires.
When summer temperatures arrive you want to make sure your RV refrigerator can deal with the heat. Today I would like to offer some tips and tricks so the RV refrigerator can do its job more efficiently.
Heat created by the cooling process is vented behind the refrigerator. Periodically inspect the back of the refrigerator and the roof vent for any obstructions like bird nests, leaves or other debris that might prevent heat from escaping. The outside temperature directly affects the operation and efficiency of your RV refrigerator too. When it’s hot out try parking your RV, with the side the refrigerator is on, in the shade.
In this special edition of RV Consumer Magazine readers can take a trip through RV time at the RV/MH Hall of Fame Museum, and read an informative article on how to protect your RV water system. You can also test your RV knowledge by playing a crossword puzzle on RV fresh water systems.
Question: I read an article you wrote about the ideal ratio of hitch weight to overall trailer weight. The numbers you gave for trailer tongue weight were 10 to 15% of the loaded trailer weight, and the reasons you stated made a lot of sense to me. Recently I was talking to an RV salesman at our local dealership and he claimed the ratio didn’t matter if you use a weight distributing hitch. I am not sure if he is correct or not. I would appreciate your take on his statement.
Take a minute to think about the water system on your RV.
Your RV generator is powered by an internal combustion engine. When it comes to maintenance internal combustion engines need two things to operate properly and help prolong engine life; it needs fresh air and clean oil.
The first step is to start and run the generator for a couple of minutes. This warms the oil up making it easier to drain the crankcase. Just keep in mind the engine, oil filter and oil itself will be warm so be careful. Shut the engine off, place a drain pan under the oil drain plug or tube and drain the old oil.
Mark Polk
