pre-trip preparation
- Review the Digital or text-based Renter’s guide (good news, you already are!)
- Respond to questions from the Fireside team (limited, but some insurance based questions are required from time to time)
- If you’re towing yourself, tell me where you are going, this helps me research local maintenance shops in that area in case of an unexpected issue
- Coordinate special things like early p/u or later drop off
- Coordinate linens if you want me to provide them.
- Research the place you’re going to be RVing, check things like do they have water at every site or is it centralized, what’s the layout and how hard is it to maneuver, check in/out times, anything that will impact your ability to enjoy your trip.
- Coordinate water fill if you want me to do so.
- Confirm delivery time and provide delivery instructions (campsite #, special check-in steps, etc)
- Coordinate any special requirements
- Understand how to get assistance during your trip. My ‘business hours’ are between 8 am and 9 P.M. EST, if you try to reach out outside of those hours you will get a response the next morning. You have an on-call RV tech as part of your rental, they can be reached at 802-393-8324
pick up or receipt of RV
– Coordinate the pickup location and time if you haven’t already
– Pre-inspection: fill out the pre-inspection sheet:
– if you rented from Outdoorsy or the Fireside website
-if you rented from RVShare, fill out via the RVShare app
before driving (every time!)
- Walk-around: ensure you’ve disconnected shore and sewer, look beneath the RV for fluid leaks, loose components, unusual wear patterns on tires
- Ensure all external doors are closed and locked
- Disconnect all external connections (gray tank, shore power, etc). It’s so important I mentioned it twice.
- Check brakes: specifics in the video on the right
- Tires: pressure, uneven wear, discolored lug nuts (indicates loose), tread condition
- Lights: turn signals, running lights, brake lights, hazards
- Interior: lock cabinets and drawers, shut rooftop vents and fans, switch off water pump and heater, secure the bathroom door
site setup (skip if I’m delivering)
- Thank you RV Tips and Travels YouTube Channel for a great starting list
- Before you pull into the site, walk the spot you’re given as well as the campsite itself, looking for potential problems (look both down and up)
- Check power from your site’s hookup using the surge protector (turn off breakers before plugging in).
- Confirm clear, running water from your water hookups.
- Unlock all doors and storage compartments.
- Check clearance (your RV fits both length and width (slides out) wise) and length of connection equipment (power cable, water, sewer, cable)
- Keep your steps off the ground until it is time to lower them. Espec. important before you’ve leveled the RV.
- Level side to side, then engage your trucks emergency brake. Use ____ level app to level when pulling in
- Place wheel chocks under wheels
- Put blocks under tongue
- Completely disconnect truck (except for safety chains), raise tongue off & above hitch.
- Confirm no movement then remove chains.
- Store sway bars & breaker bar.
- Turn on propane.
- Move truck far enough away to walk around the trailer.
- Connect shore power. (turn off breakers before plugging in).
- Lock EMS, padlock tongue.
- Level front to back.
- Lower stabilizing jacks (not for leveling!). Stabilizer can be lowered by the button on the right side of the RV in the front and back of the RV
- Install X chocks (really stabilizers), store ratchet tool.
- Open slide outs. The coach needs to be as level as possible whenever slides are extended, battery power should be strong, and you want to run the slideout FULLY out or FULLY in whenever you use the slides. Hold that button 2-3 seconds after the slideout is all the way out or all the way in to allow the motors that run the slideouts to sync themselves and you will hear a sound when they do that. It may sound like a small reverse sound from the slideout sound. Doing this will ensure that your slideout is fully synced.
- Turn on air/heat, power up fridge. INSIDE IS OPEN.
- Cover tongue jack w/ bucket, remove fuse & put fuse in pass-through storage.
- Lower steps.
- Disinfect the water spigot
- Connect regulator, water hose, filter & switch valves to personal preference. (don’t turn on water yet)
- With water off, turn switch on water pump to desired water (city water or fresh tank fill)
- Turn on water & (If filling tank, be aware of when it is full moving forward, if using city water, check & adjust water pressure regulator (40-50 psi).
- Connect cable TV coax line along with others
- Open stove hood vent.
- If using fresh water tank, power on water pump, wait for water pump to shut down (audible).
- (Optional) Check water heater for water (burp pressure valve).
- Turn on water heater power.
- Put on rubber gloves, connect sewer hose, put a few gallons of water in each tank along with treatment.
- Set up ground mat, tables, chairs lights, grill, etc.
- Get phone numbers & addresses of hospitals
- If using city water, you could put water in fresh tank for emergencies.
- Recheck, readjust your stabilizer jacks.
systems
water
Water:
– The Sunset Trail has a 45-gallon fresh water tank
– You can either fill the fresh water tank on site (and use your water pump) OR connect straight to city water and bypass the fresh water tank (you don’t need the pump)
– Connection information was covered in the Campsite Setup above
I am aware the video below is of a different RV, it was just a great explanation of RV water systems
Sinks, Shower, and Toilets
– with your water hooked up (either filling the fresh water with the water pump on OR connecting to city water) simply turn on/off sinks as you would in your home
– You already turned on propane in setup above, you can also check to ensure it’s on. The Sunset trail has a 6-gallon water heater tank and is not tankless. Turn on the water heater switch about 20-30 minutes before a shower for full heating. Check temp before getting in shower and adjust before showering. Ensure you clean the drain often and use the hair catcher in the shower when you receive it to minimize slow drainage.
– RV toilets are not like house toilets. They require special toilet paper (in the rig when you arrived, if you need more ensure you purchase RV toilet paper-most Walmart’s have this) and a lot more water than you might be used to. Put water in the bowl before and after toilet activities. Watch the hyperlinked video for the word “RV Toilets” above if you’ve never used one before
Black and Gray Water
Black and Gray Water tanks can reach 2/3 full relatively quickly. Ensure this is something you check regularly to ensure nothing ‘backs up’ in either your shower or toilet.
– The Sunset Trail has 2 30-gallon gray water tanks that collect everything EXCEPT toilet waste. Use the gray water tank level on the control panel and dump gray water when the tanks reach 2/3 level (specific order below)
– The Sunset Trail has a 30-gallon black water tank and a black water tank panel, it should also be dumped when it reaches 2/3 full. There is tank treatment below the bathroom sink.
– Dump black tank first, shut the black tank release, THEN Gray. SHUT both drains after dumping. Rubber gloves are in the crawl-space at the front of the rig.
electric
The 2022 Crossroads Sunset Trail includes 3 basic components:
– Shore power: A 50-amp four-wire setup that gives you up to 12,000 watts of power
– Conversion: A converter that ‘converts’ AC power (from shore) to 12V DC power
– 12V DC: A 12V DC power system (this is your ‘house’ batteries). MOST of your switches (on/off lights, etc) are run by 12V DC system, this system ‘rules’ all the others
– The Sunset trail’s breaker box is ______. Spare fuzes are ________.
– Like the water system, the electrical system (batteries) have sensors to check the state of batteries. You must be OFF shore power to get an accurate reading of battery power.
Air Conditioner:
– The Sunset trail has 2 air conditioners, a 15,000 BTU main unit and a 13,500 bedroom unit. Obviously these 2 A/Cs are the most significant draw on the RV’s power supply. Your AC might run non-stop in really hot weather. That’s normal – RV air conditioners can only cool about 20 degrees below the outside temperature. Your AC might run non-stop in really hot weather. That’s normal – RV air conditioners can only cool about 15-20 degrees below the outside temperature. Efficiency is key for the A/C, and the easiest way to keep your RV cool is to start the A/C at a time of day when it’s cooler. If you start the A/C when the cab is 100 degrees, the best it can do is lower it to 80-85 degrees (15-20 degrees below that)
– Good air flow can really cool an RV, so make sure your fans are optimizing the cooling of the rig.
– Thermostat Control is from the Airxcel Digital thermostat (video below is for Forest River, but it’s the same thermostat and operation)
Lights:
– the main light switch panel is near the entrance to the RV
– control specific light fixtures with individual switches
Fridge: the Sunset Trail has a ____ fridge. (video below)
propane
The Sunset Trail uses propane for a number of things, some you might not even think of. Obviously the system uses propane for cooking and for heating the shower water (if you select the “gas” option on the control panel), but the system can also be used for operating the refrigerator and for operation of the Sunset Trails furnace. We check propane levels between renters and propane is very efficient so a little goes a very long way. Ensure your first step in troubleshooting any propane related issue is to ensure that your propane is turned on, it’s one of the steps of setup but it is possible to miss it. For safety reasons, make sure you turn off LP gas when you are filling the RV with fuel.
end of trip
This section is a mix of things you may do or I may do dependent upon if you’re towing or having me pick up after your trip is over. Stuff you will DEFINITELY do will be regular text, stuff my team or you may do will be italicized and bolded.
- Thanks again RV Tips and Travels for the starter list!
- (The day before leaving) Check weather forecast/pack outdoor items if weather is a potential
- Fuel up truck.
- Check tire pressure (TPMS).
- Pack chairs & table, ground mat, grill, family signs, and other outside misc. (DO NOT pack water, sewer & electric connections).
- (ONLY IF YOU HAVE A CAMPGROUND SITE SEWER CONNECTION) Put on rubber gloves.
- You MUST dump black and gray waste before my drivers will take the vehicle. If you don’t there will be a fee for dumping this for you.
- Open gray tank in front of RV to confirm no leaks on connections or tubing, close gray tank valve, then completely dump black tank.
- (Optional) Rinse black tank in front of RV.
- Close black tank valve in front of RV after empty, add water back to tank (about 10% of capacity), plus your preferred treatment.
- Dump gray tanks in BACK of RV, rinse if preferred, close gray tank valves & add water/treatment.
- Open gray tank in BACK of RV to confirm no leaks on connections or tubing, close gray tank valve, then completely dump black tank.
- (Optional) Rinse black tank in BACK of RV.
- Close black tank valve in BACK of RV after empty, add water back to tank (about 10% of capacity), plus your preferred treatment.
- Dump gray tanks in BACK of RV, rinse if preferred, close gray tank valves & add water/treatment.
- Disconnect both sets of sewer hoses, then store hoses. Cap both sets of hose pipes.
- Discard gloves & wash hands.
- Disconnect fresh water hoses & accessories (if you don’t need any more water in the RV).
- Open fresh water tank drain and drain.
- Close all windows & shades.
- Latch interior doors & open spring loaded shower doors.
- Secure the TV. It stays on the bed in the master bedroom
- Close roof vents & turn off ceiling fans.
- Clear all countertops & collapse countertop extensions.
- Secure any free standing furniture.
- Oven and stove top burner knobs turned off.
- Collapse or reposition any roof antennas for travel.Close all cabinets & drawers.
- Clear shower shelves & put shower head on floor.
- Take out the trash
- Turn off thermostat, fridge, radio, water pump, water heater, all electronic & gas devices. Turn off exterior lights.
- Turn off propane.
- Close stove hood vent.
- Ensure nothing is on the top of any of the slides.
- Put important items in truck & lock truck.
- Here down will be the joint inspection with the renter and the driver.
- Conduct interior walk around and document condition.
- Close slides
- Close steps & ALL doors.
- Raise stabilizers.
- Remove & store X chocks but not rubber chocks.
- Conduct exterior walk around and document the state of the RV:
– walk around with my drivers
– confirm that water systems are dumped - Driver only: Sign return inspection if you are able before leaving the campsite
- Raise tongue, pull truck back, line up the hitch & engage truck e-brake.
- Connect safety chains first then lower the trailer on the hitch.
- Close & lock coupler, install sway bars & connect brake cable. DO NOT CONNECT POWER CORD YET!
- Raise trailer off ground.
- Store tongue wood/blocks if you use them under your trailer.
- Turn off breaker, disconnect and store shore power cord & surge protector/EMS.
- Store any cable or satellite lines.
- Connect trailer power cord to truck.
- Close all RV doors (steps up too!).
- Remove chocks & store.
- Pull truck off leveling ramps/blocks & pack.
- Complete walk around: look around & under RV, store any loose items.
- Lock 4 doors & close grab handle.
- Check brake controller for connection.
- Engage tow/haul.
- Turn truck lights to “manual on.” Turn on hazards and check trailer lights.
- (ONLY IF DRIVING TO DUMP STATION) Dump tanks as outlined earlier.
- Head home.
all the videos in a single playlist
2022 Crossroads Sunset Trail 272BH Orientation
2022 Crossroads Sunset Trail 331BH
2021 CrossRoads Sunset Trail 331BH
Virtual Walkthrough of Used 2020 Crossroads Sunset Trail 242BH Travel Trailer at Parkland RV Center
How Do I Hookup My RV To Fresh Water? | RV Quick Tips - Ep. 2
2022 Crossroads Sunset Trail 272BH Orientation