Destinations Unknown wrote: Are all electrical hook-ups the same in both the US and Canada. 50amp is 50amp and 30amp is 30amp etc...
Also is water and sewer hook-ups the same everywhere you go, campgrounds, state parks, and Canada?
You probably weren't looking for all this info so I'll say that as far as sizes of plug ins go, sure, they're all the same...sort of.
When your new at something you welcome all the correct information you can get, thanks! & everyone else also.
Yes to your first question at all the private campgrounds that I visited last time that I was in Canada! Your wind question stop driving in the wind, when you feel uncomfortable driving in it. Both good questions!
To your first question, so far all the electricial outlets, sewage, and water connections have been the same, USA & Canada. Just in different location. Some parks put them in the rear, some more to the center. We just carry extra water and sewage hose. We also carry the 50 amp/30 amp adapter. Some places will not have a 50 amp site avaliable and we have to use the 30 amp.
Secong question concerning the wind, if it doesn't feel good don't drive park or stay parked. I have pulled over in 20-25 mph gust. The wind was hitting me from the side and it was terrible. But we have also driven in much worse, but the winds was head on.
Regarding the electrical adapters mentioned above...I assume I can purchase electrical adapters on-line from the Good Sam store.
While working on a budget, I'm at a loss for the cost of propane. If it's only used for hot water and a couple times a week to fry something on the stove how long does a 32 gallon tank last and how much does it cost to fill up?
Wind--there really isn't a rule to go by except to gauge how you and the vehicle handle it! If it's difficult, with gusts, changes when other vehicles are near you or it gets out of hand when the terrain changes...time to get off the road. It's not worth fighting it.
Any wind higher than about 40 is tough to deal with especially if it's a side or head wind. Higher wind speeds-in excess of 50, are just plain horrible to withstand.
In any wind...your coach will use fuel so fast you'll wish you had pulled over sooner, especially with prices going higher.
Destinations Unknown wrote: Regarding the electrical adapters mentioned above...I assume I can purchase electrical adapters on-line from the Good Sam store.
Yep, and you can find them at WalMart or in nearly any store that has a hardware/automotive section. Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hdwr, etc. You never said what kind of RV you're getting or have but I'll assume it's 30Amp. If so, you need a 30A-15A adapter. Like this: Adapter... If you have a 50A rig, they make 50A-30A adapters too. Only $8 so save the shipping expense and buy local if you can. And yes, you do run into RV parks where they still only have 15A outlets.
Quote: While working on a budget, I'm at a loss for the cost of propane. If it's only used for hot water and a couple times a week to fry something on the stove how long does a 32 gallon tank last and how much does it cost to fill up?
Depends where you buy it and how you'll use it. You want to get in the habit of looking for a propane distributor as you drive in/out of towns. (Or check the phone book). See those big white tanks? Stop in. Average cost of propane in the US is $2.87/gal right now at those places. Stopping in is less expensive then having it delivered to an RV park. Service stations that have low prices posted for their fuel are a good bet too. So are truck stops. RV parks are all over the place as far as pricing, so I seldom buy at one, but I do check often and occasionally run into a bargain. You go somewhere where they focus on filling the 20lb tanks you'll be looking at $5/gal.
In 8 years of full timing, I've averaged $20 per month for propane. And I have a propane fired Genset too.
Hot water: Invest in a Hot Rod or similar electric heating element...installs in your tanks drain hole. Then, get in the habit of only turning on your water heater 10-15 minutes before you need hot water. Leave off all the rest of the time. One simple trick to save you gallons.
Doing that, and using the stove top, crock pot, & microwave for cooking, but not the oven, will allow you to go for months without a fill up.
If you have to use the furnace you can still go for weeks between fill-ups depending on how cold it is. The refer hardly uses any propane, and none when on shore power.
Jim@HiTek wrote: Depends where you buy it and how you'll use it. You want to get in the habit of looking for a propane distributor as you drive in/out of towns. (Or check the phone book). See those big white tanks? Stop in. Average cost of propane in the US is $2.87/gal right now at those places. Stopping in is less expensive then having it delivered to an RV park. Service stations that have low prices posted for their fuel are a good bet too. So are truck stops. RV parks are all over the place as far as pricing, so I seldom buy at one, but I do check often and occasionally run into a bargain. You go somewhere where they focus on filling the 20lb tanks you'll be looking at $5/gal.
In 8 years of full timing, I've averaged $20 per month for propane. And I have a propane fired Genset too.
Hot water: Invest in a Hot Rod or similar electric heating element...installs in your tanks drain hole. Then, get in the habit of only turning on your water heater 10-15 minutes before you need hot water. Leave off all the rest of the time. One simple trick to save you gallons.
Doing that, and using the stove top, crock pot, & microwave for cooking, but not the oven, will allow you to go for months without a fill up.
If you have to use the furnace you can still go for weeks between fill-ups depending on how cold it is. The refer hardly uses any propane, and none when on shore power.
Absolutely spot on.
You have determine how you are going to use propane. We are usually in CG that have electricity and we are never using the MH in freezing weather. Therefore, we do not worry about the water compartment or tanks freezing. That allows us to use space heaters most often, on the electricity we have already paid for at the camp site. We do not have a gas oven. We have a MW/Conv. combo oven. We do have a propane stove top. We did add a "T" to the large propane tank and got high pressure hoses and adapters for the grill, so we would not need to haul smaller tanks. I still keep 1(+) - 1 lb propane tank, in case we want to take the grill to the beach. We had a Hotrod installed in the WH and use that primarily. We rarely use more than $40 a year on propane.
You are asking very good questions.
May God bless your travels
Me, The Wonderful Wife
and two Spastic Border Collies U.S. Army Retired 2004 Coachmen Aurora, 3480DS 2007 Saturn Outlook, FROG
Destinations Unknown wrote: Are all electrical hook-ups the same in both the US and Canada. 50amp is 50amp and 30amp is 30amp etc...
Also is water and sewer hook-ups the same everywhere you go, campgrounds, state parks, and Canada?
Keep in mind a lot of our provincial campgrounds are awesome but only have water,no power and U have to go to the dumping staion up the road
Gee, a lot of provincial parks I've stayed at are the opposite, power at the site but water up the road or around the circle. Same at most NY state parks.
Chris
Maybe ontario but the norm in BC is water,some have water+ power and some are full. Never seen one with power and no water
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