New 13' Scamp (first RV) need help with basics please

[the_fixer]

Hello,

Picking up our new 13' scamp in a little over a month and we are departing on a 2 1/2 week trip down to High Springs FL to go diving in the springs and then heading to topsail state park on our way home for a week.

Scamp has the full bathroom, brakes, A/C, fridge, heater, stove, large battery, awning and it is pretty loaded minus the extra propane tank and TV.

I am trying to figure out what basics I need and have no idea what all we need. I would prefer to buy items that will last (unless it is a item that should be replaced from time to time)

Also trying to be as minimalist / space efficient as possible considering the size of the scamp.

Leveling device - The Anderson ones looks easy to use or should I go with the lego style blocks if blocks what brands hold up well and how many do I need?
https://andersenhitches.com/Products...r-leveler.aspx

Chocks - ANY recommendations? Just go with cheap ones and not worry about them when I leave one behind?

Water pressure regulator - recommendations please

Fresh water hose - Is this something that I should just buy cheap and replace? I really like the pocket hose we have at the house do they make anything like that for potable RV water?

Sewer Hose supports - is this something worth buying / storing?

Power protection - What if anything is needed?

Power adapters / cords - what if anything is neded

What else???

We have basic camping supplies that we have used over the years

-camp stove
- LED camp light (red and white)
- Plates and nesting pots / pans
- Silverware
- HD Disposable nitrile gloves
- First aid kit

Thanks for the help

[floyd]

Originally Posted by the_fixer

Hello,

Picking up our new 13' scamp in a little over a month and we are departing on a 2 1/2 week trip down to High Springs FL to go diving in the springs and then heading to topsail state park on our way home for a week.

Scamp has the full bathroom, brakes, A/C, fridge, heater, stove, large battery, awning and it is pretty loaded minus the extra propane tank and TV.

I am trying to figure out what basics I need and have no idea what all we need. I would prefer to buy items that will last (unless it is a item that should be replaced from time to time)

Also trying to be as minimalist / space efficient as possible considering the size of the scamp.

Leveling device - The Anderson ones looks easy to use or should I go with the lego style blocks if blocks what brands hold up well and how many do I need?
https://andersenhitches.com/Products...r-leveler.aspx

Chocks - ANY recommendations? Just go with cheap ones and not worry about them when I leave one behind?

Water pressure regulator - recommendations please

Fresh water hose - Is this something that I should just buy cheap and replace? I really like the pocket hose we have at the house do they make anything like that for potable RV water?

Sewer Hose supports - is this something worth buying / storing?

Power protection - What if anything is needed?

Power adapters / cords - what if anything is neded

What else???

We have basic camping supplies that we have used over the years

-camp stove
- LED camp light (red and white)
- Plates and nesting pots / pans
- Silverware
- HD Disposable nitrile gloves
- First aid kit

Thanks for the help

You will need bedding and cook ware etc.
Good news is there is a Walmart at every exit.
Get the yellow legos, 6 is enough.

Get the Brass water pressure regulator, the plastic ones are junk.

Get the white fresh water hose with the blue stripe, brass ends are better but not too important.

Forget the sewer hose supports, but do buy Valterra RED or equivalent sewer hose. (discard the one which comes with the camper)
Get a rubber sewer seal, they are required some places even if you get good elbows.

Get a 15 to 30 amp adapter and a 30 to 15 adapter. Get a good 12/3 extension cord its good for more than just an extension.

Get a few long bungee cords and a length of 1/4" NYLON rope.

Get a butane lighter.

Get Toilet paper, Scot is fine and a water proof container to keep it in.
Get ODORLOS (best choice) or equivalent toilet treatment.

There are hundreds of other ideas, but you will soon discover what you need or like.
ALWAYS have a cheap 5X7 plastic tarp, good for everything from knealing on the ground to covering a dirty picnic table to an emergency poncho.
If you don't have a Patio mat right away, get a cheap floor mat for outside the door.

[stevebaz]

Make Scamp show you where and how to jack up the trailer in order to change a tire. After the first 25 to 50 miles check your lug nuts on the trailer. Watch the trailer setup videos on Scamps site before you pick up the trailer.

[Jeff T]

We picked up our 16 this past spring. A few thoughts from our pickup at the factory and having traveled with ours this summer.

- The tour of your new camper will go fast. You can try and take notes but its a lot of things to take in if you have never had an RV. This was our first one. In the end you are handed a fist full of owners manuals. We camped our first night locally and read the manuals and tried everything on the trailer to make sure it worked properly. We did stop back at the factory for a couple minor concerns. This will boost your confidence and help will be close by as they are very helpful in answering questions.

- Just north of the factory, I think a mile or so, is a grocery/hardware store. Also south in Brainerd there are several good stores (easy to spot on google maps) where you could obtain any missing essential.

- Yes, check the hubs after the first 40 miles. They should run warm but never so hot you can't hold your hand on them. Also have a pressure gauge to check the tire pressure. As we travel we check the tires and hub temps as we stop for gas or at rest areas. We have had no issues with ours.

- A few small plastic baskets/containers of various sizes help to segregate items and organize your travel. Ours go on the floor and hold items in the trailer so bouncing along the road doesn't break things. It's also helpful to bring a couple towels both for you and wrapping up something that could get broken in transit.

- The Scamp television. Ours works fine but the mount on the wall is adjustable and was loose at every stop and moved away from the wall. I had visions of it banging into the wall as we went down the road. We now use Velcro stretched between the side and rear window frame keeps it in place. So I would keep an eye on that.

- A basic carpenters level is good to get you setup at the RV park. Nothing worse that sleeping down hill for the night.

- The furnace is noisy and works OK but we use a very small electric heater. We took some time to research this to get one with good safety features and adjustable so it ran warm but not hot to the touch.

The startup and learning process was a challenge for us as we had never been camping nor had an RV. As has already been suggested the video's, Scamp staffers and the blogs are a great resource. We continue our travels, love our trailer and keep a note pad close by to list things we have forgotten or something we should add later.

Best of luck as it will be a fun adventure.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by Jeff T

- A basic carpenters level is good to get you setup at the RV park. Nothing worse that sleeping down hill for the night.

There is an app for that. Mine's is called 'Bubble Level' and works well on my iPhone. Can't remember if it cost or was free.

[Jon in AZ]

For us a simple round bubble level is more than adequate for comfortable sleeping and fridge operation. I lay it on the counter when setting up and store it in the silverware drawer when not. Under $2 at Walmart.


Floyd's list is pretty much what we started with, too.

I would have Scamp leave off the factory sewer hose holder (if it's not too late). It's too small for a larger upgraded hose and turns yellow over time. You may have to improvise on the way home. A 5" vinyl fence post cover attached to the frame under the rear of the trailer is a common alternative to the factory holder.

[Jeff T]

Once we got ours home we did minor upgrades:
- LED interior light bulbs
- small 'stick-on' RV bubble levels on the outside frame for easier setup.
- added bug screens to furnace, water heater & frig. outside vents
- throw rug runner on our vinyl flooring. (we opted for vinyl in our Scamp)

I categorize 'must do' vs. 'nice to have' items and each time we camp I add items onto our list and when we get home spend the time to research my ideas and figure out what would work best.

[Jeff T]

Parts ideas

When we picked up ours I stopped into the parts department and picked up extra snap caps and the "mouse hole" where the 30 AMP shoreline cord goes. All these plastic parts look easy to break and fix as time goes by.

Maybe a bit odd to think about fixing things that are not yet broken but that is how my mind works I guess.

[J Ron]

We use the Anderson leveling device and really like it. No guessing how many blocks to stack up and guessing wrong. Wife watches bubble on front of trailer and motions to stop when level. I may buy one or two more so we can level unit for one night stops. Could put one under each TT tire or each TV tire to raise front or back of TT. In very deep and soft sand the Anderson burries in sand, this has happened only once and was not a problem, we were level enough anyway. Another item we use is a 90 deg bronze elbow on city water hookup.

[TomK]

Don't forget to bring pair of lightweight folding camp chairs, and your choice of beverage to enjoy your first of many, many campfires! Might see you there. We pick ours up on the 12th of Oct. Have fun!

Tom

[MrJohn]

For leveling, we purchased the BAL. I really like this because it serves as a chuck and we don't have to back up a bunch. Also the anderson I was worried they would kick up and hit underneath and dent something.

https://www.amazon.com/BAL-28050-Lig.../dp/B000BH5MAA

Good luck

[Tom 72]

Buy a small cheap whiteboard to attach to a cabinet near front door. Use it for projects, To Do's, or a shopping list.

Print and laminate arrival and departure checklists. You may find templates here. They will put your mind at ease. Did you disconnect the ______ ?

Two of many, here:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ing-81138.html
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ist-81545.html

[DougOlson]

Inline water filter for city water hookup. I store sewer hose & fittings in 5 gal Home Depot bucket. Get some disposable gloves. I often use a kneeling pad (like for a garden) when hooking up sewer line. A length of thin shock cord is good for making custom bungees for holding cabinets, drawer, and frig closed while moving.
Have fun!

[the_fixer]

Is a 25 ft water hose long enough and does it matter if I go with 1/2 or 5/8 ID?

Looking at the apex never kink 25 ft 5/8 it is around $17 and looks well built

Sewer hose 15ft, 2 10 ft sections or one solid 20 ft section?

Got a few little items in the mail today.

I am going to try the wedge it was pretty cheap and shorter than the Anderson units. I will provide an update on how it works.

[Jeff T]

- 25' fresh water hose should do the trick. I looked until I found a good pliable one that was easy to stow. (remember the electric is only 25' at best so unless you extend the electric any a longer water hose won't be of much use.)

- Brass water pressure regulator is a must.

- A good quality 20' sewer hose. Ours is one piece and collapses easily for storage. A right angle fitting will be extra must have as well.

We created three plastic tote containers. Fresh water, sewer & RV setup. Everything fits and keeps the dirty stuff segregated so we never worry about cross contamination.

The first two are obvious (fresh water & sewer) in what they contain. The setup container keeps wheel chocks, hitch locks, rear stabilizer jack handle, 20AMP to 30AMP connector and items like that.

I also created a specific tool kit for the Scamp. We used garage sales to inexpensively stock this as I never wanted to just grab tools out of the garage and hope I brought essentials each time we chose to travel. I then looked for things that specifically fit the Scamp. (examples; torque wrench, breaker bar, sockets, 12v fuses, 7 pin trailer tester, etc.) If I used tools to make adjustments to the Scamp at home I then duplicated the tool in my RV tool box.

Common sense will lead you to a brand or price point you like with things you purchase. Sounds like your making good choices.

- Jeff

[the_fixer]

Ordered the following items this week and found camping world to have the best prices even compared to Amazon and other online retailers.

One thing that perplexed me is that I went into the local camping world to buy the items and their prices were much higher than the online store. The person told me that I have to buy a membership to get the online price in store so I just ordered from the online store.

Just a few more things and I think I will be done.

Still need to figure out how to de-winterize it on the way to Florida and re-winterize on the way back from Florida to Colorado.

Watched the Scamp video and seems straight forward then someone posted that the new ones come with a blowout valve s one more thing I need to figure out.

Did I mention that this is our first time and I really have no idea what I am doing


SEWER SOLUTION waste hose and 10ft extension
SewerSolution® System, Boxed - Valterra.com | Valterra.com

I was a bit hesitant at first thinking it was just a gimmick but they get great reviews and people rave about it so I am going to give it a try.

Apex neverkink white 25X5/8
https://www.apexhose.com/rv-marine-drinking-water-hose

Seems flexible and strong and was not very expensive @ $16. I went with the 5/8 over the 1/2 becuase I liked the feel of the end better

Apex grey water hose 25FT
https://www.apexhose.com/gray-water-hose

Just a hose, went with it because of the difference in color = less chance of mixing it up with the fresh water drinking hose

Valterra high flow water regulator
Water Regulator, High Flow, Brass, Lead-Free, Carded - Valterra.com | Valterra.com

No real reason for picking it other than thinking if we go with a larger camper down the road it might supply more water to a larger system


Camco TastePURE water 2 pack with hose protector
TastePURE KDF/Carbon Water Filter - Camco

Not sure if we really needed it or not? Seems like a good idea but I am sure I will learn more as we meet other people and they were somewhat inexpensive.

[clairemr1]

dave, congratulations on your acquisition! don't worry too much about buying a lot of stuff at first. i raided my home for pots/pans/bedding/towels, etc and now have been full timing for nearly 4 yrs in my 13ft casita Patriot Deluxe. i store things in a storage unit at one of my rent houses, so i periodically go there and add/subtract items as necessary. it will all come together with time, that was part of the fun, figuring out where to store items, changing them to other locations within the trailer/truck til i got it fine-tuned. enjoy!

[the_fixer]

Thanks Claire!

I need to sort through our camping supplies and pick out some stuff to take on the trip like our nesting hard anodized cookware so we should be set there.

[the_fixer]

Originally Posted by floyd

Get a 15 to 30 amp adapter and a 30 to 15 adapter. Get a good 12/3 extension cord its good for more than just an extension.

Get ODORLOS (best choice) or equivalent toilet treatment.

Anyone have some links / tips on the power adapters? There are so many different types I have no idea what to got.

Also on the ODORLOS, how much do I need and liquid or dry?
Search - ODORLOS - Camping World

[thrifty bill]

I use this one on my Escape to plug in to my garage (15AMP). Trailer plug is 30 AMP.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-55165-P...trical+adapter

I used to have one of these, but I like the first one better. https://www.amazon.com/Camco-55223-1...trical+adapter