Permanent Packing List
Documents & Admin — Kept in Trailer
These never leave the RV. Keep physical copies in a labeled folder in the glove box or a dedicated document pouch.
Safety Gear — Non-Negotiable
Check these monthly. CO is odorless. A failing propane detector has killed people. This gear costs less than one campsite.
Electronics
Kitchen
Bedding
Bathroom Staples
Tools & Maintenance
Power Tools Worth Packing. These items seem like overkill until you need them. The impact driver alone saves you from a miserable roadside tire change in 90°F heat. The leaf blower prevents hundreds of dollars in slide seal damage in 2 minutes.
Emergency Gear
The 3am Problem. Full black tank. Campground bathrooms closed. Dump station 10 miles away. Happens to every RV owner eventually. The $25 emergency toilet pays for itself the first time you need it.
Hookup Gear — Always in the Trailer
These stay permanently. You'll need them at every campsite. Never leave home without them.
Outdoor Living
Kids' Gear — Permanent in Trailer
Food — Permanent Pantry Staples
Restock after every trip. These should always be in the trailer so you're never starting from zero.
Week of Trip Prep
Confirm the Trip
Home Prep — Before You Leave
Food & Supplies
Clothing & Personal Gear
Pack per person, per trip. These don't live in the trailer.
Personal Care & Health
Electronics & Devices
Kids' Trip Gear
Trip Documents
Bring these — they don't live in the trailer.
Hitch & Go Safety
Run this checklist every single trip. Most trailer failures happen in the first few miles because a step was skipped. This sequence is in the correct order. Do not skip ahead.
Step 1 — Tow Vehicle Checks
Step 2 — Safety Devices Check
Do This Before Every Trip. These devices save lives. None take more than 30 seconds to check. Make it a habit.
Step 3 — Hitching Sequence (Do in This Exact Order)
Safety Chain Rule. Chains must cross in an X-pattern so they cradle the coupler if it separates. Too long = drag on pavement. Too short = bind when turning. Correct: a J-curve when hitched, just clearing the ground.
Step 4 — Weight Distribution & Sway Control
Why It Matters. Too little tongue weight causes dangerous trailer sway. Too much overloads your tow vehicle's rear axle. The safe zone for single-axle trailers is 10–15% of total trailer weight on the tongue. How you load the interior matters just as much: roughly 60% of cargo weight should sit in front of the axle and 40% behind — this directly affects tongue weight and how the trailer handles on the road.
Step 5 — 7-Pin Connector & Lights
Step 6 — Trailer Tire & Wheel Checks
Check the Trailer Sticker, Not the Sidewall. Trailer tire pressure is often different from your tow vehicle's. The correct spec is on a sticker inside your trailer's door frame — not on the tire sidewall.
Step 7 — Trailer Interior & Exterior
⚠ TV Antenna — Check Every Single Trip. The most common cause of costly overhead clearance damage. A highway overpass or drive-through clearance bar will shear it off and potentially peel back your roof.
⚠ Pets in the Trailer. NEVER travel with pets inside the trailer while towing. No climate control, temperatures can exceed 130°F in summer, carbon monoxide risk from exhaust, and they're trapped if something goes wrong. All pets ride in the tow vehicle with you.
Step 8 — Final Road Check
The 1/4-Mile Stop. This is the single most important step beginners skip. Drive 1/4 mile, pull over safely, walk around the trailer. Loose lug nuts, lights that stopped working, chains that shifted — this stop catches all of it.
Campsite Arrival & Setup
Do steps in order. Hooking up water before leveling, or extending slides before checking clearance, are among the most common first-trip mistakes.
Step 1 — Scout the Site Before Parking
First-Timer Tip. Request a pull-through site for your first few trips — no backing required. You can practice backing skills once you've mastered the setup sequence.
Step 2 — Level Side-to-Side (While Still Hitched)
Why First. Leveling must happen before you unhitch, before hookups, before slideouts. An unlevel trailer means the fridge won't cool properly, doors won't stay open or closed, and sleep is uncomfortable.
Step 3 — Chock Wheels (Before Unhitching)
Step 4 — Unhitch from Tow Vehicle
Step 5 — Front-to-Back Level (Tongue Jack)
Why This Step Is Separate. Front-to-back leveling can only be done after unhitching because the hitch controls tongue height while attached. Adjust the tongue jack now, not before.
Step 6 — Stabilizer Jacks
Step 7 — Shore Power
EMS Surge Protector — Non-Negotiable. Campground power is notoriously unreliable. Faulty pedestals can send voltage spikes that fry every appliance in your trailer. The EMS protects everything. Never plug in without it.
Step 8 — Water Hookup
Step 9 — Sewer Hookup (Full Hookup Sites Only)
⚠ Never Leave Black Valve Open. Leaving the black tank valve open lets liquids drain continuously but leaves solids behind. They dry out and create a "poop pyramid" that requires professional service to remove. Always dump black when 2/3 full.
Step 10 — Slideouts & Awning
Step 11 — Interior Setup
RV Solar & Power Setup
There are two ways to add solar power to a trailer. The first is dead simple: buy a power station and a portable panel, plug them together, and you're done. The second is a permanent wired system — more capacity, more customization, more involved. This guide covers both. Most people should start with Path 1.
Know Your Power Needs First
Before buying anything, get a rough sense of how much power you actually use. Everything else flows from this number.
A realistic weekend estimate. A typical trailer with LED lights, phone and laptop charging, and a 12V compressor fridge uses roughly 800–1,200 Wh per day. Broken down: the fridge is the biggest draw at 400–600 Wh/day (it cycles on and off — it's not running constantly). Lights and devices add another 200–400 Wh. That's it for most weekend trips.
| Device | Typical Daily Use |
|---|---|
| 12V compressor fridge | 400–600 Wh |
| LED lighting (whole trailer) | 40–80 Wh |
| Phone charging (2 phones) | 20–30 Wh |
| Laptop | 150–250 Wh |
| 12V fan | 80–160 Wh |
| CPAP (no heat, with DC adapter) | 60–100 Wh |
| Air conditioner | Not solar-viable — needs shore power or a generator |
A 1,000Wh power station covers a typical no-fridge weekend comfortably. Add a 12V fridge and you want 1,500–2,000Wh to get through two days without recharging.
Path 1 — Power Station Setup
No wiring. No installation. Plug in a panel, plug in your devices, go. A portable power station is a battery, inverter, and charge controller all in one unit. This is the right starting point for most trailer owners — and for many people, it's all they'll ever need.
The Essentials Setup
Good for: weekend camping, devices + lighting, no 12V fridge.
Together these two handle a weekend trip easily and recharge the station in roughly 6–8 hours of decent sun.
The Extended Setup
Good for: longer trips, a 12V fridge running full-time, or powering more.
Around-Camp Companion
Quick Win: Upgrade Your 12V Battery to Lithium
You don't need solar to get more out of your trailer's battery. If your trailer has an existing 12V system, swapping the stock AGM battery for a LiFePO4 battery is one of the highest-impact upgrades you can make — more usable capacity, lighter weight, and it lasts 3–4x longer.
Standard AGM batteries give you about 50% of their rated capacity before damage. A 100Ah AGM = 50Ah usable. A 100Ah LiFePO4 = 80–100Ah usable. That's a significant difference before you've added a single solar panel.
Path 2 — Wired System
For more capacity, a permanent install, or a system you can keep expanding. A wired system has four main components. You don't need to understand all of them deeply — you need to understand what each one does so you can buy the right size and have a conversation with the person installing it.
The Four Components
Solar Panels collect sunlight and convert it to DC electricity. Size is measured in watts. More watts = faster recharging. Portable panels work; rooftop panels are more efficient since they can angle to the sun at all times.
Charge Controller sits between your panels and battery bank. It manages the charging process and protects your batteries from overcharging. Always buy MPPT — it recovers 15–30% more power than cheaper PWM controllers. Size it to handle your total panel wattage.
Batteries store the power your panels collect. This is the most important part of the system and where it's worth spending real money. LiFePO4 (lithium) is the right choice for anyone building new — more usable capacity, longer life, lighter weight than AGM.
Inverter converts 12V battery power to standard 120V AC for wall-plug devices. You only need one if you're running AC-powered devices off the battery bank. Always buy pure sine wave — modified sine wave inverters damage sensitive electronics.
On Installation
The wiring is where people get into trouble. Undersized wire is a fire hazard. A poorly fused system can start a fire. If you're not confident with 12V electrical work, hire an RV tech or mobile installer to do the battery and wiring connections. The component costs are where you save money — not the labor on safety-critical connections.
A professional install on a basic system (panels, controller, one battery, inverter) typically runs $200–400 in labor. It's worth it.
Remote Work Setup
The two things that make or break remote work on the road. 1. Reliable internet that isn't campground WiFi. 2. Enough power to run your setup. Get these two right first. Everything else is comfort.
Internet — Pick Your Setup
Connectivity Checklist
Power — Know Your Numbers
Quick Power Math. Laptop: 45–95W. Hotspot: 10–20W. Starlink Mini: ~30W. Ring light: 15–40W. Total typical work setup: 100–185W. A 1000Wh power station runs that for 5–8 hours without recharging.
Video Call Setup
Why This Matters. RV interiors are dark and echoey. Without a proper setup, you look and sound unprofessional on every call. These four items fix the problem completely.
Ergonomics — The Problem No One Talks About
The Dinette Problem. The RV dinette is your default workspace. The bench seating will give you lower back pain within 2 hours. This is not dramatic — it's physics. Fix it before your first work trip.
Schedule & Communication
Connectivity Backup Plan
Campsite Teardown
Step 1 — Before You Start Breaking Camp
Step 2 — Secure the Interior
Interior First. Secure everything inside before you start disconnecting outside. Once you start hitching up, you'll be moving and can't keep running back in.
Step 3 — Slides & Awning Prep (Critical Order)
Leaf Blower Step. Before retracting any slide, spend 2 minutes with a leaf blower on the slide roof. Pine needles, leaves, and dirt on top of the slide get dragged into the seal and mechanism when retracted. This is the single most preventable source of slide seal damage.
Step 4 — Waste & Utilities Disconnect
Dump Before You Drive. If you're more than 2/3 full on black or gray, dump before leaving. See the Tank Dump Procedure for full instructions.
Step 5 — Hitch Up
Use the Hitch & Go Safety list for the full hitch sequence. The most common departure mistakes: wheel chocks not removed, tongue jack not fully retracted, breakaway cable not connected.
Step 6 — Final Site Walk (Leave No Trace)
Walk the Full Site — Twice. First pass: collect everything yours. Second pass: verify the site is clean for the next camper. Most often left behind: camping chairs, door mats, kids' toys under the trailer, items behind fire ring, and cord adapters at the pedestal.
Step 7 — Pre-Departure Safety Check
Stand at the back of the trailer and do one full visual pass. You're looking for anything moving, hanging, or not where it should be.
Tank Dump Procedure
The only rule that matters. Always dump black tank before gray tank. Gray water acts as a final rinse through your sewer hose. Reverse the order and your hose stays dirty.
Before You Drive to the Dump Station
Tank Monitor Reality Check. Most built-in monitors read wrong after a few uses — sensors get coated and read "full" when they're not. Use the monitor as a rough guide. When in doubt, dump if you've been there 2–3 days.
Step 1 — Gear Up
Step 2 — Connect to Sewer
Slope Matters. Hose must run downhill from trailer to dump inlet with no sags. Sags trap solids and cause backup, odors, and clogs.
Step 3 — Dump Black Tank First
The Clear Elbow Is Worth $8. You can't see through an opaque sewer hose. The clear 45° elbow shows you exactly when the black tank is empty and when flush water runs clean. Always in the kit.
Step 4 — Dump Gray Tank Second
Why Gray Goes Second. Gray water from your sinks and shower is relatively clean compared to black tank waste. Running it last sends a final rinse through the entire sewer hose before you disconnect.
Step 5 — Disconnect & Rinse
Step 6 — Treat & Refill Black Tank
Always Leave Treatment in the Tank. Empty tanks = odors. Enzymatic treatment needs water to activate and coat the tank walls. Don't leave the black tank completely dry — always add treatment + a gallon of water.
Step 7 — Clean Up
Tank Level Reference Guide
When Things Go Wrong
Winterization
⚠ Strong Recommendation: Have a Professional Do This
How to use this list even if a pro does the work. Read through before your service appointment. It tells you every step that should be completed, what supplies the tech is using, and what to ask about when you pick up your trailer.
Supplies — Order 2–3 Weeks Before Your Appointment
Step 1 — Dump & Flush All Tanks First (30–45 min)
Do This Before Everything Else. Never winterize with full or partial tanks. Follow the Tank Dump Procedure in full, then add a double dose of black tank enzyme treatment.
Step 2 — Drain the Fresh Water System (20–30 min)
Water Heater Bypass — Saves 2 Gallons. Before adding antifreeze, engage water heater bypass valves to isolate the heater from the plumbing circuit. If not already installed, add the Camco bypass kit ($10–20).
Step 3 — Add Antifreeze to Plumbing (30–45 min)
⚠ Pink RV Antifreeze Only. Never use automotive antifreeze (ethylene glycol) — it is toxic and will contaminate your water lines. RV antifreeze is propylene glycol. It looks pink. Anything else is wrong.
Step 4 — Battery & Electrical (15 min)
Battery Left Uncharged in Winter = Permanent Damage. A 12V lead-acid battery left discharged in freezing temps suffers permanent capacity loss in as little as one winter. A $30 smart maintainer pays for itself in avoided replacements.
Step 5 — Exterior Inspection & Seals (30–45 min)
80% of RV Water Damage Enters Through Failed Seals. Five minutes of lap sealant in the fall prevents thousands in delamination and mold remediation in the spring. Walk the entire roof and every seam.
Step 6 — Tires, Wheels & Security (15 min)
Tires Develop Flat Spots After 30 Days Stationary. Place trailer on leveling blocks or tire cradles for storage longer than 30 days. Move the trailer a few inches every month if possible.
Step 7 — Pest & Moisture Prevention (15–20 min)
Mice Will Find Your Trailer. A stored trailer is a perfect winter home for rodents. They enter through gaps as small as a dime and nest in insulation, chew wiring, and destroy soft goods. Skip this step once and you may spend 8 hours cleaning in spring.
Step 8 — Final Lockdown (10 min)
Spring Startup & De-Winterization
⏱ Plan this for the day before your first trip, not the morning of. The water sanitation soak takes 4–8 hours unattended. Start early, let it soak through the day, flush in the evening. First trip the next day.
Supplies to Have on Hand
Step 1 — Exterior & Interior Inspection (30 min)
Step 2 — Battery & Systems Restart (15 min)
Step 3 — Flush Antifreeze from Water System (30 min)
⚠ Flush All Antifreeze Before Sanitizing. Antifreeze and bleach together can produce chlorine gas. Flush antifreeze out completely before adding any bleach solution. Don't rush this step.
Step 4 — Water Heater: Drain, Anode Rod, Refill (30 min)
Anode Rod: Inspect Every Spring — Replace Every 1–3 Years:. The anode rod is a sacrificial magnesium rod that corrodes so your water heater tank doesn't. When it's 50% gone or the steel core wire is exposed, replace it now. Cost: $10–18.
Step 5 — Bleach Sanitation: Fresh Water System (20 min active + 4–8 hr soak)
Bleach Formula. Use PLAIN unscented household bleach (sodium hypochlorite, 6–8.25%). Ratio:¼ cup of bleach per 15 gallons of tank capacity.Always pre-dilute in a gallon of water before adding to tank — never pour bleach directly in.
⏱ Soak: 4–8 Hours Minimum — Overnight Is Better. Let the bleach solution sit in the full system for at least 4 hours. Do not use any water during the soak. Set a timer and walk away.
Step 6 — Flush Bleach & Rinse (30–45 min, possibly next morning)
Expect 2–3 Full Tank Flushes to Clear the Bleach. The water must smell and taste neutral before it is safe to drink.
Step 7 — Final Spring Startup Checks (15 min)
Fresh Water System Sanitation
Run this procedure at least every 6 months. Also run it any time you notice an off smell or taste in your water, after purchasing a used trailer, after using a questionable water source, or after the trailer sits unused for 2+ months.
⏱ Most of the time is the bleach soak (4–8 hours unattended). Start in the morning, soak all day, flush in the evening.
Supplies
Step 1 — Prep (10 min)
Step 2 — Mix & Add Bleach Solution (10 min)
The Formula. ¼ cup of plain bleach per 15 gallons of fresh tank capacity. Pre-dilute in 1 gallon of water before adding to tank. Never pour undiluted bleach directly in. Examples: 30-gal tank = ½ cup bleach · 45-gal = ¾ cup · 60-gal = 1 cup
Step 3 — Distribute Through System (15 min)
⏱ Soak: 4–8 Hours Minimum. Leave the bleach in the system for at least 4 hours. Overnight (8–12 hours) is better. Do not use any water during the soak. Set a reminder and walk away.
Step 4 — Flush & Rinse (30–45 min)
Clear the Bleach Fully Before Drinking. You may need 2–3 full tank flushes. The water is not ready to drink until it smells and tastes completely neutral.
Step 5 — Finish (10 min)
Troubleshooting
Eggy or Sulfur Smell — But Only in Hot Water? Your water heater anode rod is the culprit, not the tank. Replace the rod (see Spring Startup Step 4 for full procedure) — the smell typically clears within 1–2 uses.
Pre-Purchase Inspection
A professional inspection costs $200–$400 and is worth every penny. But if you're standing in a seller's driveway — or just want to know what the inspector is looking at — this is the exact walkthrough they run. Work through it in order. Give yourself at least 90 minutes. Rushing this is how people buy someone else's problem.
Before You Go — Tools to Bring
You don't need much. These six things will catch 90% of issues a casual eye misses:
Schedule on a sunny day
Natural light makes water stains, delamination, and roof cracks dramatically easier to spot.
Section 1 — First Impressions & Exterior
Walk the entire rig slowly before touching anything. You're looking for the story the trailer tells before anyone starts selling it to you.
⚠ Dealbreaker Watch
Bubbling or rippled sidewalls are delamination — water has already gotten between the skin and the frame. Small patches can be repaired; large sections across a whole wall cannot be economically fixed.
Section 2 — Frame, Axle & Running Gear
Get low. This is where the most expensive surprises hide.
⚠ Dealbreaker Watch
A bent frame or cracked welds at structural points are walk-away conditions. These are not repairable to original spec.
Section 3 — Tires & Wheels
Trailer tires fail more often than people expect — and almost always at highway speed.
Why Age Beats Looks
A trailer tire can look nearly new and still fail from UV and ozone degradation. Age is the real number — always check the DOT date. Sellers often don't know it and buyers almost never ask.
Section 4 — Roof & Seams
More RV damage comes from the roof than anywhere else. Water damage always starts here.
⚠ Dealbreaker Watch
Any soft spot on the roof means water has already penetrated the decking. If it's soft in one place, check directly below it inside — you'll almost certainly find staining or rot.
Section 5 — Interior: Floor, Walls & Ceiling
Water damage is the most expensive thing you can inherit. Every soft spot or stain has a history.
The Smell Test
Before you look at anything, close the door, stand quietly, and take a breath. Mustiness, mold, or a sharp ammonia smell (rodents) are flags worth paying attention to. You can fix a lot of things — you cannot fully un-mold a trailer.
Section 6 — Plumbing & Water System
Winter Bypass Confirmation
Ask the seller if the trailer was properly winterized each year. A single season of burst pipes can mean hidden plumbing damage throughout the rig. Signs: water stains with no obvious source, low pressure at specific fixtures.
Section 7 — Electrical System
⚠ Dealbreaker Watch
Any signs of DIY electrical work — exposed splices, wire nuts, mixed wire gauges — should make you nervous. RV electrical fires are real and usually start at a bad connection.
Section 8 — Propane & Appliances
Why Test Both Modes on the Fridge
RV absorption refrigerators can fail in one mode while working fine in the other. A fridge that runs on electric but won't light on propane — or vice versa — is a repair job. Replacement absorption fridges are expensive.
Section 9 — Hitch & Tow Connection
Final Walk — Dealbreaker Summary
Run through this before you decide. These are the conditions that justify walking away or negotiating hard:
The Offer Rule
Every item that's wrong is a negotiating point, not a dealbreaker by itself. Get two things: a written list of everything you found, and a rough repair estimate. Then decide if the asking price — minus those repairs — is still a fair deal.