Favorite things Part 2

RV Tools

It seems like every time I take the trailer on a trip, I discover I need one more tool. If you have an unlimited budget, storage space, and towing capacity, this is not a problem. For the rest of us, take some time to determine: Do I need it? Do I really have the room for it? And can I afford it now?

Here are a few things that have made our trips more enjoyable.

TPMS

Whether you drive or tow your RV, a blown tire can ruin your trip. Besides the damage it can do to your rig, it can lead to deadly crash. Often there is little or no warning before the failure occurs. A Tire Pressure Monitoring System can help with this.

Here is a good article from Techno RV on the subject https://www.technorv.com/articles/rv-tire-blowout-cause-and-prevention/

I am using the TST 507 TPMS. It was easy to set up and use. I also purchased a Viair 300P-RVS air compressor made specifically for RV.

I would also recommend TechnoRV for all your RV tools (I am not paid to say this). They have great customer service and gave me all the educational materials I needed to use the products I purchased from them.

Cooking

Our trailer came with a small propane grill that attached to the side of rig. It didn’t last the first season. I would highly recommend having someway to cook outside.

I have an induction cooktop in the outside kitchen, but I prefer to smoke (or burn) my beef and chicken. So far I am liking my Traeger Scout.

Pros

• Easy to use
• fits in my truck bed under my BakFlip cover
• evrything tastes great on it

Cons

• weighs 45lbs
• cooking surface is 12×15
• needs electricity (comes with optional invertor)

Another downside to a pellet grill is that you may not be allowed to use it. In Oregon during extreme fire danger, some parks ban the use of anything that causes an ember while still allowing a propane grill.

Heat

I know most people like the convenience of using their built in propane furnaces but I would suggest using a small electric space heater.

Pros

• Saves your propane
• doesn’t put moisture in the air
• electricity is free if you have shore power
• quiet

Cons

• Finding an unobstructed space to use it
• storing it when not in use
• one more thing to buy

If you do have shore power, you usually have several plug-in options. We use the 30 amp for the trailer and plug an extension cord into the 20 amp receptible and thread it through a window for use with the space heater.

You will have to decide which unit to buy based on your space and needs, so I wont make a recommendation.

Let me know if you have any questions or if you have suggestions.