RV Systems Your RV depends on several systems that are intricately designed to fit beneath your RV while still supplying you with electricity and fresh water. These systems are very intricate and should be taken care of properly. There are also several ways that you can supplement your RV systems as well such as solar panels to help you generate electricity. All RVers need fresh and clean water. You will have to use your water for sinks, the toilet and drinking water. You will need to invest in a few supplies to help insure that your water is fresh and pure. There are special potable water hoses for RVs that will keep your water from getting warm in the sun as well as picking up that plastic hose taste. You will also need a pressure reducer, as your RV cannot handle high water pressure. High water pressure will cause pipes and joints to burst wherever they are weak. You will also need a filter to insure that the campground water is safe to drink. Prior to hooking up at the campsite you will want to expel some water from your water source. This will insure that any debris, bugs, etc. are washed out prior to hooking up your hose. Next, you will want to hook up your water hose and flush it out as well. You will then hook-up your hose with the filter either directly on the water source or between the hose and the RV. You will want to sanitize the tanks if you have not used your system before or if they have not been used in a while. RV dumping is probably the most dreaded experience. There have been so many horror stories of RV dumpings gone wrong. To insure that you don't have any problems in this area, here are a few steps to follow. Always start with your black tank before the gray. The black tank holds waste while the gray tank holds the soapy water from your sink. Things will generally flow better if you allow the tank to fill up half way prior to dumping. You should also invest in some sort of support system for your hose such as a slinky support. This will insure that your hose does not get clogged in any low places. If you have not yet purchased your RV, look for a sewage flush system. This will allow you to be able to flush out your tank. The system will spray water into the tank while your tank empties your sewage. After you dump your black tank, dump your gray tank, as this will allow the soapy water to flush out your hose. If you enjoy boondocking and camping where there are no hook-ups you will eventually need to depend on either solar power or generators. Generators are convenient as you can have all the power you need, whenever you need it. Many campsites may limit how long you can run your generator, as they are pretty loud. You may not be able to run them at night. Older generators are not recommended for this reason. Generators also require a lot of fuel and if you run out of gas you may not have any power depending on where you are camping. Generators also produce fumes that many people in campsites may not enjoy. You will also have to expand your battery capacity with a generator so that you can store your power when you are unable to run your generator. If you intend to use AC appliance you will most like need an inverter. Solar panels are a more environmentally friendly option and they are quite. Solar panel technology has increased over the past few years and has become more efficient. As long as the sun is shining you will be able to have power. There are different sizes of solar panels that may be placed on your roof or the ground around your RV. Panel sizes include 80 and 120-watt sizes, which are great for roofs, as well as 240 and 480 watt size solar panels. In order for your solar panels to work properly you will need a bank of deep cycle batteries. Many solar retailers will provide you with work sheets to help you determine the size of your system. There are several options to choose from with the solar panels including portable systems that will pop-up in modules. Solar panels also allow you to save money on fuel, as you will need to provide fuel to your generator. Shaded locations may have difficulty with solar panels being able to access direct sun all day. You should always have a back-up plan and you may need to look for a hook-up at a campsite. If you are looking for the ultimate and most power you can get, you can combine the use of solar panels with generators. You will need a deep cycle battery bank and possibly an inverter if you use either a generator or solar panels. These batteries are different from auto batteries and are designed to be drained and recharged over and over. You should discharge the batteries to below about half of their capacity for the best performance. Your battery capacity will depend on your generator and solar power use. The Kirkby book will help you determine the battery sizing system you need for your RV. Your battery system will also need a charge controller. This will insure that your batteries are not overcharge and many controllers will include temperature protection as well. If you plan on operating AC appliance you will most likely need an inverter. Many appliances will not function on low-end inverters so you may need a mid-range inverter. You will also want to get the highest rated efficiency that you can afford. Many RVers are able to wire and install their own systems but your dealer may offer this service as well.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you are a business owner get listed at Best Finance Site, part of Localwin Network.