Checklist

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dmiller226

Active member
Joined
Aug 30, 2017
Posts
34
Location
Coastal North Carolina
Being a newbie, I'm making myself a checklist to follow for setting up and taking down our camper from what I've either read or been taught about it. I don't want to find out the hard way that I've forgotten something. I would appreciate any advice for anything crucial (or not crucial, for that matter) that I may be missing or maybe even something that should be done earlier than I have it posted on the list. Thanks in advance!

Setup

Make sure level left to right ? leveling blocks if necessary.
Unhook from truck.
Level front to back.
Stabilizers down.
Hook up electricity (Make sure AC is off and breaker switch is off prior to plugging in.)
Turn on AC, refrigerator & hot water heater.
Hook up water connection.
Hook up sewer connection.
Hook up cable if supplied.
Open propane tank.
Check stove to flush propane lines.
Open awning.
Put water and deodorizer in black water tank.


Break Down

Close Awning
Make sure everything inside is secured for travel.
Turn off hot water heater, refrigerator and AC.
TV antenna down if used.
Close propane tank.
Drain and flush black water tank. Close drain valve.
Drain gray water tanks. Close drain valve.
Unhook sewer line.
Unhook water line.
Unhook cable.
Unhook electricity.
Stabilizers up.
Steps up.
Hook up to truck. Check lights.
Final walk around to double check for stray items and ensure everything is put away
Pull forward and collect leveling blocks if used.
 
Setup
Hook up water and bleed air out of lines to ensure water heater is full before turning on the water heater.
I always plugged into shore power before operating my stabilizers and slides. That makes it a bit easier on the battery.
Water in black tank good, deodorizer not really needed.

break Down
Kinda like above-I leave shore power plugged in until my slides were in, and the stabilizers were up.
One could also have a separate checklist for the "Make sure everything inside is secured for travel." Things like shower door locked, wardrobe door secure, etc.

Here's the checklist section from the library on this site. You may gather some tips there too.

http://www.rvforum.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=15&Itemid=132


 
Thanks kdbgoat for the advice and thanks for pointing me in the right direction on this site. I thought I had searched the site fairly well but had not seen the area of the link you sent me. That's exactly what I was looking for. It also shows me that my initial list barely scratches the surface.

Thanks again.
 
Like previously said, no need of chemicals in the black water tank. I haven't used any for years and never had a smell issue.  Just make sure the tank is close to 3/4 full before dumping.

On break up, I would add about 5 gallons of water to the black tank. Sloshing around on the way home or the next destination, the water will break up anything left behind.
 
One more thing in initial setup and before unhooking chock the wheels as you don't want the trailer travelling after unhooking. I know I have done it on a steep downhill site.
 
martin2340 said:
One more thing in initial setup and before unhooking chock the wheels as you don't want the trailer travelling after unhooking. I know I have done it on a steep downhill site.

^Good advice^
 
We've got a number of checklists we use to cover everything from setup/breakdown to pantry and tools. DW put them all on spreadsheets on her iPad and phone so they're easy to find and keep up with. That being said, no checklist will do any good if you don't use it. You'll feel twice as dumb if you forget something that's on the list. Don't ask me how I know.....
 
i Have made a list and add to it all the time... even after 4 years! The best advise somebody gave me, was drive to the first stop sign, about 1 or 2 blocks and pull over... SOMETHING... IS NOT SHUT... OR forgotten on the list... door was shut but now is open, shower door is open... If we just drive a few minutes down the road and I check, seems like we are much happier campers when we get to our destination...

Enjoy! I also have a list of stuff to pack before our trips... makes life easier, I don't have to think, just pack and go!

Donna
 
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