From zero experience to Full Time... Tomorrow!

[rmaly76]

Question. How long will OP be staying at each location and what are your daily driving need (how long will the commute be from campground)? You could consider hiring out each move if you are only moving every 3-6 months. Then you can actually drive a truck/car that is suited for what you will be using it for on a daily basis.

[Diesel_And_Desflurane]

Hey,

I will, if everything goes as planned, be doing contracts that last about 4 months a piece. So 3 moves a year. I really considered hiring out the moves, but I got some feedback from a few campgrounds that they wouldn't let you stay unless you had a vehicle to tow with.

Also, all of my contracts have 30 day notice clauses, meaning either party can give notice, and they contract dies 30 days from that time.

I felt like between those two things, it would be safer for me to be able to tow the rig myself. As painful as it was to let go of my 1500, it's already gone now.

[Diesel_And_Desflurane]

So, uh, another stupid newbie question --

Should you leave water in the bowl of an RV toilet after use? In other words, after flushing, should you fill the toilet back up with some water, so that it resembles what you'd see in a residential toilet (obviously not while traveling)? Does that help prevent smells? I tried doing this, just because it seemed to make sense, but when I came back an hour or so later all the water had drained into the black tank. Does that mean its time for a new gasket or seal around the flushing mechanism?

[livinthelife]

So, uh, another stupid newbie question --

Should you leave water in the bowl of an RV toilet after use? In other words, after flushing, should you fill the toilet back up with some water, so that it resembles what you'd see in a residential toilet (obviously not while traveling)? Does that help prevent smells? I tried doing this, just because it seemed to make sense, but when I came back an hour or so later all the water had drained into the black tank. Does that mean its time for a new gasket or seal around the flushing mechanism?

Yes, you should keep a little water in the toilet after flushing. Not a lot, like a residential toilet, but enough to cover the valve/gasket. It helps keep the seal and keep the gasket supple. I've found that I need to let the valve snap shut when flushing (not let it close gently) to ensure that it's all the way closed. Also, when the water starts leaking out like that, I will open the valve and wipe it down to help the seal. You can leave the little bit of water that's in there during travel.

[Steven@147]

Yes, you should keep a little water in the toilet after flushing. Not a lot, like a residential toilet, but enough to cover the valve/gasket. It helps keep the seal and keep the gasket supple. I've found that I need to let the valve snap shut when flushing (not let it close gently) to ensure that it's all the way closed. Also, when the water starts leaking out like that, I will open the valve and wipe it down to help the seal. You can leave the little bit of water that's in there during travel.

Agree, thats how we do it. I have heard that some people have had to change the seal/gasket, not a job I would like, at this point don't know how to change it. If needs be can the seal/gasket be rejuvenated with some kind of treatment, anybody tried it?

[livinthelife]

Agree, thats how we do it. I have heard that some people have had to change the seal/gasket, not a job I would like, at this point don't know how to change it. If needs be can the seal/gasket be rejuvenated with some kind of treatment, anybody tried it?

All I know is - don't use Vaseline. It doesn't play nice with rubber.

[Ramand337]

Since you are REALLY new to RVing let alone full timing, here are a few things a full timer needs to remember...
1. Keep your sense of humor with you at all times.
2. Expect to have problems with your rig.
3. All problems have solutions (some cost more than others )
4. Get to know your neighbors. At least 99% of us enjoy meeting others.
5. NEVER get in a hurry when getting ready to move.
6. Never be afraid to ask questions or for help, we're all here to help each other.

[LanerC]

Hi Everybody.

My wife and I have 3 nights of RV experience between us, in our lives. Those 3 nights came in the form of a Cruise America rental in Death Valley, just before COVID took off, in January 2020. Today we took possession of a used, 2019, gargantuan Momentum 376TH.

I am a nurse anesthetist, traveling around the country delivering high quality anesthesia care through various travel nursing contracts. My wife works remotely in a marketing job that she has held since 2011. I have done anesthesia work for some time, and for the past year and a half I did this work on a traveling basis, checking in and out of hotels, airbnb's, and hospital provided lodging. Those accommodations became kind of taxing on my wife and I, as some towns don't have decent extended stay hotels, and begging people to let us bring our dog and cat was stressful and sometimes impossible. So, towards the end of 2020, we decided to buy an RV and bring our home with us on each assignment.

We had been on the west coast for 4 years immediately preceding this adventure. We sold most of our stuff, packed a U-Haul trailer, and drove from CA to MO, where my current contract began on Feb 1. We struck a private deal with a seller on a Facebook RV forum. He agreed to delivery the RV from North Carolina to us in Missouri, for a few extra bucks. The seller ran into some title issues, and so the delivery was delayed by a month. In the meantime we rented a storage unit to store the stuff we planned to use in the RV, and checked in to an extended stay hotel. As inconvenient as I thought it was at the time, looking back, I think we lucked out, because much of February in Missouri was spent in the single digits, with some nights hitting -15F! We were OK being in a hotel instead of freezing and trying not to destroy our new to us RV.

Today we took possession of the RV. The seller backed it into a nice city park campsite for us. Next week I will trade in my Ram 1500 that I love, in order to buy a truck capable of hauling this thing. We are parked in Missouri until June. At which point we will head to Maine for the summer. Before we leave, I'm going to take an RV driving school course.

In the meantime, I'll be reading and posting on here a lot, as I try to figure out how to adjust to full timing from near zero experience. Please bear with me! It may be comical...

Camp a few nights at home or close by to get to know your rig and What things are needed and not needed . Always turn on the frig at least 24 hours before you hit the road. Travel with about a third of a tank of fresh water. Visually look to make sure the king pin has been captured by the 5th wheel hitch and the locking pin is in place, again, just before you drive off. Welcome! Itll be fun!

[Rhertzy]

North Dakota has a state income tax, South Dakota does not. Also, Wyoming does not have a state income tax.

[Tom67X]

Very excited for you! This is a huge possibility for us someday too. I get so much from everyone by lurking around in here. We hit our 1st year in August. Best to you!