Newbie Questions

[ribeccalin]

Please be kind, this is my first post

We are looking at getting a race hauler with living quarters. But the living quarters don't include a fridge or stove.  This might be a stupid question, but I won't know until you answer me....

Can I use regular household appliances in an RV.  I don't know much about wiring.  The current owner said it has 12v and 110 currently.  The weight wont be an issue.  I'm just wondering if this would work.

Thanks,
Ria

 

[geodrake]

Welcome Ria. 

You will have other responses soon, but in the mean time here is my reaction to your question.

Yes, you can use regular household appliances.  However, they will only operate when 110vac is available.  In transit the only way to supply 110vac is either with a generator or an inverter in conjunction with batteries.  You would likely be happier purchasing RV appliances.  Most RV appliances can be used with 12vdc, 110vac, or propane.  

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

Welcome Ria,

First question is will you always have electrical hookups when you're at the races?

If you will, then yes, you can use regular household appliances. Having said that I would still go with a gas stove. I don't know of any RV like you are looking for that would be wired for 220VAC and you would need 220VAC for a household stove.

If you will be boondocking then I would say to go with RV appliances.

 

[ribeccalin]

Well.... We're not actually going to use if for racing.  We're looking at using it for a full-timer type RV.  We are thinking that this way we'll be able to put the car in the back when we're moving and have two cars when we arrive.  Then we'll use the back space as play space for the kids (two very active boys, 3yrs and 1yr).  Would there be a problem with parking this in an RV park?  We're looking at 48' which is about the length of a lot of larger 5th wheels or motorhomes.  Since we would use it mostly at RV parks, we would have full hook ups presumably.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Does the 48 feet include the tow vehicle or is that just the trailer?

The electric on RV sites comes in a couple of varieties. Some parks have all or mostly 30 amp sites, which gives a modest amount of power but not enough to run two air conditioners, for example. Or not enough to run the microwave while the a/c and water heater are also working. The next step up is 50 amp, which costs more but provides plenty of power for all your needs, so you are pretty much unconstrained for power.

What sort of appliances were you thinking of adding?  A typical residential stove and oven or just a microwave and a hot plate? There's a world of difference between those.  You could probably run a house type refrigerator once you get to the campground, but you also need to keep the food cold on the way there. That means some alternate source of power while driving. That's do-able too, e.g. run a generator or add an inverter and 4-6 batteries.

Lots to think about if you start reconfiguring a trailer to provide real  living quarters.

 

[ribeccalin]

Just the trailer is 48'

Is it difficult to find 50 amp sites?  Since we will have two air conditions that's probably going to be important.  Though maybe less so away from the hot, hot AZ summers.

We were thinking of having a traditional (ie home) refrigerator.  I'm not sure what we're going to do about a stove and range.  I prefer gas, but there is nothing installed currently.  We'll probably have a microwave too.

As for the intransit times, we'll probably get a generator first, though I'd like to have solar eventually (I know it won't run everything, but every bit helps, right?)

 

[Jeff]

I believe you would find a 48' trailer a challenge for a large number of RV parks. The longest manufactured RV I know of is a 45' motorhome and it is quite a bit more maneuverable than a trailer and the size hauler it would take to pull it.

 

[Marsha/CA]

I'm gonna play the devil's advocate here.  There are a lot of "toy haulers" out there, which is what you are talking about.  Here are a couple of my concerns:

*My guess is that you could be overweight with putting a car in the back.  The toy haulers are made for just that, toys: motorcycles, bicycles, kayaks etc.  The frame may not be able to carry the car, let alone the ramp to drive the car up into the back.
*If the unit you are looking at doesn't have a fridge, or stove, it is probably not wired for that and you would have to do some wiring or run the existing wiring to where you want.  If you put a household refrigerator, which is sized for a family, it could weigh quite a bit.  If you install it on one side of the toy hauler it could make one side weight more than the other.  Plus you may have to brace it to keep it from moving/sliding a bit.
*It sounds like the toy hauler you are looking at was built for light duty use over a weekend or a vacation week, so it may not be insulated for full time living.  If it doesn't have a stove/fridge, I'm wondering if it has a furnace?

With as long as it is, you will have to watch your length.  Some states will give tickets for rigs longer than 65'.  California is one of them.  If you add a big truck to pull the 48' trailer you may be over that 65' law.

Marsha~

 

[Rick and Cheryl]

You are really trying to make a racing trailer into a full-time living rv, and my guess is that you will run into lots of issues,,ie, likely its not wired for 50 amp, more likely 30.  Then you have the issue of buying appropriate appliances, and building in cabinets or some other way to secure them.  In any event, you are likely to end up with a hodge podge result, and one that isnt insualted too well. 

I think I would solve the problem of two vehicles by using one to pull, and the other following behind.  It doesnt sound as if you will be traveling constantly, like some of us that are retired.  Once you dont need to haul the second vehicle, standard 5th wheels or trailer toyhaulers become a possiblity, ones that are specifically designed for what you are planning to use it for.  The other aspect is that used toy haulers are easy to find.

Last, 48 feet plus the tv, is going to be a challenge in most parks, and the ones that have sites large enough for you will tend to be pricey.  To find reasonable rates that will accomodate your length, you may need to find old mobile home parks, which some might find unacceptable.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

There are lots of parks with some or all 50A sites, but requiring 50A will still limit your choices.  Most newer parks have plenty of 50A sites, but older ones (more than 15 years old?) are often 30A only. It depends on where you want to go.

The 48 foot trailer length, on the other hand, is going to be a real challenge. A typical site is designed to accommodate a 30-40 foot RV. Worse, campground roads are often tight even for a 40 footer. Again, there are a number places that can handle big rigs easily enough, but your choices are narrowed considerably. You also probably don't want to back in a trailer that size, so may be limited to using ultra-long pull through sites. Again, these exist but are a small subset of the total. You are also going to need a substantial tow vehicle for that size trailer, which means even more space on the site. Plus you need parking for the extra car when you get there and unload it.

If you want to travel around and see the nation's great sites, the rig you have in mind is going to be very awkward and a continual challenge. If you merely plan to move it a couple times a year, say summer and winter locales, then finding a suitable site for it is not such a big issue.

 

[ribeccalin]

Would a 38' or 40' trailer be more reasonable in most RV parks?  I realize I'm still going to have the issues with the electrical and insulation.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Is 40 more reasonable than 48? Sure. But you still have to deal with the two vehicles.  You might want to take a drive around some RV parks and check typical site sizes. Get a broad sample, e.g. state parks, rural campgrounds, some city parks, etc.

 

[LindaH]

First, what are you planning on towing this 48' trailer (fifth wheel, I presume?) with?  Something way larger than a 1-ton pickup, I hope!

Second, why not look at toy haulers?  They have room in the back for your toys and they already come with all the appliances that you'll need and they're already insulated.

There are many people who haul large fifth wheels with HDTs (Heavy Duty Trucks...the kinds that commercial truckers use, that have been retrofited for pulling a fifth wheel) that carry a small car (something like a Smart Car) on the back of the truck.  Some even triple tow, towing the car behind the fifth wheel.

 

[RoyM]

"Some even triple tow, towing the car behind the fifth wheel." That is illegal in many areas and downright dangerous.

 

[ribeccalin]

I like you're idea, RV Roamer, of checking around at different parks to see what size is available.

We have a F550 for the TV.

Most Toy haulers have a weight rating aroung 1000 lb for the ramp and the rear storage area.  Our car weighs 3500.  So unfortunatley the toy haulers are out.