Just bought my Class C rig, LOTS of questions

[Not Sure1]

Hello,

I have just purchased a 1995 Gulfstream Conquest Class C RV for an AMAZING deal.

While I have researched the lifestyle and the rigs extensively, I have a lot to learn!!

Right now here are some of the holes in my knowledge:

Currently shopping for a tow bar. Can I get a basic, solid piece bar with a ball latch, or is a fancy one that tongue fits to the RV hitch receiver required? Price dif there is $80-$600, so I need some experienced roadies to help me out!

Our rig came with solar. So far, I have located the battery, converter, and the solar power gauge, but I am unsure if something needs to be switched to move from shore power to solar. I have photos of all of my electrical stickers, including the top of the extra battery bank. I am taking a crash course in electrician's jargon, but it's a little confusing.

I also went to remove the froofy padded window frames, but was bummed to discover that the pull down blinds are attached to the top runner! Is there a way to separate the blinds from that monstrosity? Or do we need to get creative in recovering it with something else? These things seem to take up a lot of peripheral space!

We have propane, a generator, solar, and shore. I am unsure about a surge protector, the label on the fuse box seems like it might have an installed protector, but I am not sure.

It came with all the goodies: spare parts, bulbs, pipe fittings, black tank dissolve packets, almost everything I would have loaded a cart up with to get started, we are very blessed. What repair equipment do you use the most while on the road?

I am going to be flat towing my manual transmission 2015 jeep patriot. I will be installing the baseplate myself, and looking forward to some sound advice on tow bars, but I also want to make sure I understand all the GVWR stuff so it isn't wrong. If anyone would be willing to walk me through that, I feel like I need the COMPLETE IDIOTS GUIDE.

All of the repair paperwork and appliance manuals are intact and present. Tried to troubleshoot the dash light fuse, but the electrical mapping in the book spun my head around.

Anyway, LOTS of questions, I'm sure I have more, and I look forward to getting to know the community here as I reach out for support and read through older threads.

If you have a link to a relevent thread, I would love the share. Don't want to be one of those asking the same old questions a hundredth time!

Cheers!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The ball mount tow bars are less convenient to hook up and release than the articulating types that fit into the receiver. Especially on uneven terrain.  If you only use it a few times each year, maybe the convenience is worth less than the extra $$, but I would buy the upgraded towbar.

the label on the fuse box seems like it might have an installed protector, but I am not sure.

Tell us about the label. Better yet, post a photo of it.

I also want to make sure I understand all the GVWR stuff so it isn't wrong. If anyone would be willing to walk me through that, I feel like I need the COMPLETE IDIOTS GUIDE.

Your coach has a rating for max towing capability. There may be a label right on the hitch receiver. Or if you can find a number called GCVWR and GVWR, you can use the difference between those two.  In a typical 1990's vintage class C, the max tow rating will be 3500-4000 lbs, which is probably right at the edge for the curb weight of a Patriot.

 

[Kevin Means]

Congratulations on your new-to-you RV. I'm quite sure the solar is installed so that it works in conjunction with your converter. The solar controller monitors the battery's state of charge, and adjusts the charge accordingly, so you don't have to turn anything on, or off.

I doubt that your RV came from the factory with a surge guard, but a previous owner may have installed one. I don't know what type you have, but I highly recommend having one - one that not only protects from high voltage spikes, but also from low voltage. In my experience, low voltage from campground power pedestals is far more common than high voltage spikes, and the damage to appliances often goes unnoticed for awhile.

Kev

 

[Ex-Calif]

Welcome aboard - I bought my RV about a month ago maybe. Joined here a day later. The folks here are awesome at answering questions and there is a ton of knowledge.

The best advice I would give is to ask you questions separately in the tech, class C or most appropriate forum you can guess at. If you put something in the wrong place the admins will move it.

If you ask a bunch of questions in one message the answers can quickly get confusing and not all topics can be thrashed out or given proper focus.

 

[Isaac-1]

Welcome, and I agree, you need to start a separate message thread for each general topic, otherwise things will become a big mess as one person answers about tow hitches and another answers about electrical surge guards.

 

[Not Sure1]

Will do, thanks for the advice!

 

[X-Roughneck]

Welcome aboard - I bought my RV about a month ago maybe. Joined here a day later. The folks here are awesome at answering questions and there is a ton of knowledge.

The best advice I would give is to ask you questions separately in the tech, class C or most appropriate forum you can guess at. If you put something in the wrong place the admins will move it.

If you ask a bunch of questions in one message the answers can quickly get confusing and not all topics can be thrashed out or given proper focus.

I'll agree with EX. I tend to ramble and have been guilty of writing long novels with many different chapters per post.

Short, sweet, and detailed is the best approach.

I am not sure actually, cant remember, but a guy named Jose C., probably co-authored some of them.

You cant buy what you can find here for $0.00.

Welcome to your Adventure.

JD