Whether it's your first Bonnaroo or you’re a music festival veteran, we welcome you to Inforoo.
Here you'll find info about artists, rumors, camping tips, and the infamous Roo Clues. Have a look around then create an account and join in the fun. See you at Bonnaroo!!
Post by hotchocolate on May 21, 2007 12:15:44 GMT -5
2007 will be my 3rd trip to the 'roo.. but my first bringing an RV
actually, it will my first experience with an RV EVER.. so consider me an extreme RV noob.
i've searched the web looking for an RV user 101 type guide that could tell me the basics, but haven't had much luck- so i'm posting here hoping someone would be kind enough to take the time to explain some RV basics for me
Any general tips with the generator & usage, showers, bathrooms would be appreciated.. as well as any tips from anyone who's already taken an RV to the festival. what can i expect? how long can i keep things running? will i need additional water? fuel? how often will i need the waste tank emptied?
i know these are basics and naive.. but any help without making fun of me too much would be appreciated..
Post by rpmoriarty on May 21, 2007 12:39:33 GMT -5
Our rules for the RV are pretty simple.
Only use the AC while you sleep. Running the AC all day really runs down the battery and uses up a lot of gas. The generator is charged using the engine, so watch your fuel consumption and FILL UP right before going in. A full tank of gas at the beginning is KEY.
As for showers, take very quick "ship" showers. turn on the water, get wet, turn off the water, soap down, turn on the water and rinse off. Use as little water as possible for the showers, although, if you see the water truck running and want to fill back up, it is good time to use as much as you want. You want the water to last as long as possible though, because who knows when the water truck will come around and who knows if you will be around when it does.
Bathrooms. USE ONLY THE RIGHT KIND OF TP. I even like to buy rolls from the RV center itself to ensure we are using the right stuff. If you use the wrong kind, it will really f**k up the tank and it is not a pleasant thing. -In our RV, dOOds are not allowed to use the RV to urinate. Seriously guys, go to the Porta-potty. Deuce's are fine and ladies can do either or anything they want. This helps keep the tank from filling up too quickly. 4 or 5 days is a long time without a dump, plan as though it will be this long, even if you have a chance to dump in the middle of the festival. -We also try not to use the bathroom on the trip down. Go either way on this, on one hand, part of the point is that you have a mobile bathroom, but for me, the bathroom is for the fest and I treat the ride down like any other road trip. Hold it until you stop.
Make sure you keep it locked when no one is around. We generally try to have meetup times if the group is splitting up so that the one person with the key is around. You may want to try to get a copy or two of the key if you have time.
We use the refrigerator for food and the freezer for ICE. Beer, water and other drinks go in a cooler. Ice being the commody that it is, we just pack the freezer with ice so hopefully we won't need to buy more.
Keep it as clean as possible at all times. It is so much more enjoyable if the thing doesn't have old food and dirty dishes and stuff sitting around. It will also make it a lot easier when you return it (where they usually will charge you a cleaning fee if it is trashed). Use a tarp or a mat on the outside to keep the amount of dirt/mud down in the RV. You may even consider not wearing shoes in the RV.
Generator, most use around .5 gal per hour. So fill the fuel tanks ( If you have a class A or C) somewhere close by Manchester and you will be fine.
Refrigerator, I run mine on propane.
Water usage, I don't know what type of RV you are bringing but my trailer holds 36 gallons of "fresh" water. that is enough for four people to take showers, toilet usage, wash dishes for the day with some water left over. You need to take "Navy" showers. That is rinse, stop the water, lather, rinse.
I would bring one or two 7 gallon water containers (available at walmart) to refill the fresh water tank. You can fill the water containers at the areas where people wash. Bring a old washing machine hose to get the water from the faucet to the container. Then place the containers on a table above the water fill and siphon the water into the fresh water fill.
The "on site" water people got $50 per fill for water last year. Not bad if the camper holds 100 gallons of water.
Black tank (toilet), have a 20 gallon black tank. I am good for a four day weekend with four people using the bathroom. After the weekend I dump at a Pilot truck stop. Look at www.rvdumps.com
Gray tank (sink and shower water), the water just evaporates out of my tank throughout the night . I am sure most people tend to drain the gray water overnight. Do what you wish with this.
Hope this helps a little and ask if you have any more questions.
We put a key lock box (one with a 3 or 4 digit code) on the RV door handle so that anybody in our group could get the key out and open the RV at anytime. Worked out great.
Post by sparklybecca on May 21, 2007 13:50:31 GMT -5
grafty said:
We put a key lock box (one with a 3 or 4 digit code) on the RV door handle so that anybody in our group could get the key out and open the RV at anytime. Worked out great.
Post by oleander124 on May 21, 2007 13:53:14 GMT -5
grafty said:
We put a key lock box (one with a 3 or 4 digit code) on the RV door handle so that anybody in our group could get the key out and open the RV at anytime. Worked out great.
Post by hotchocolate on May 22, 2007 10:49:42 GMT -5
thanks for the replies.. very much appreciated. karma to ya.
so what i gather- make sure to have a full gas tank upon arrival, and moderate generator use for 4 days will be fine.
good tips w/ water usage. i'll see if i can find some jugs for refill - from past bonnaroo's, how often did the onsite RV company come around?
getting mixed messages about the bathroom situation - what's the standard tank? 20gallons? would that be suitable for 4 days w/ 4 people? i guess it's always better to play it safe, than end up sorry, but staying constipated for 4 days isnt going to happen... haha..
anyone have any idea where to get a key lock box? that's a great idea, as i'm sure our group will be split up for a good part of the weekend?
Post by panictime06 on May 22, 2007 11:11:07 GMT -5
I am bringiing a camper apposed to an RV. My friends and I usually fill several coolers with beer and water and keep the fridge for food. Run the fridge off of propane if that is an option. Take quick showers!!! The water runs out quick. I agree with everyone on running the AC at night. It conserves gas, but we are also taking extra gas cans incase we run out. Also I would recommend getting some of the mint green fluid for your toilet. It decomposes everything and keeps it from smelling bad You don't want that!
A grill is a must, and pack a small table to set stuff up. This year we are bringing a flag pole to mark our camper. Big black pirate flag, "Surrender the Booty"
From what I can remember the truck will come around two or three times over the course of the weekend(The thing is you will need to be there . It will run you about $40.00 or $50.00 bucks for fresh water and the same for dumping your holding tank.We had 3 people last year We took all the showers we felt we needed and use the bathroom just like you would at home and we only took on one tank of water and one dump for the whole weekend..As for your generator, The gas use all depends on what all you are trying to run and the max output of the generator.I use a powermate framed model.It has a 5 gallon tank. I can run my Ac/Tv/Fridge/fans/ps3 and so on for about 7 hours on 5 gallons. You should also be able to run your fridge,Hot water heater and stove off the LP gas tanks.So when your gen is off you still have your fridge staying cold. I hope this helps.
Post by canexplain on May 22, 2007 11:24:19 GMT -5
panictime06 said:
I am bringiing a camper apposed to an RV. My friends and I usually fill several coolers with beer and water and keep the fridge for food. Run the fridge off of propane if that is an option. Take quick showers!!! The water runs out quick. I agree with everyone on running the AC at night. It conserves gas, but we are also taking extra gas cans incase we run out. Also I would recommend getting some of the mint green fluid for your toilet. It decomposes everything and keeps it from smelling bad You don't want that!
A grill is a must, and pack a small table to set stuff up. This year we are bringing a flag pole to mark our camper. Big black pirate flag, "Surrender the Booty"
Does anyone know the rules for Tiki Torches??
i think and hope i am right, you are bringing a truck camper right ... you didnt get an rv camping pass did you ... we didnt ... cr****
Post by panictime06 on May 22, 2007 15:23:20 GMT -5
I am pulling a 25' camper with my Ford 150 truck. I did get a RV pass! As stated above by rpmoriarty from the FAQ, you will need a pass if you are pulling a camper.
Three weeks and counting. I might pull my camper out of storage this weekend!
All very good info above. We took one last year and filled up with gas right before we got to manchester and did not have a problem with running out of fuel for the a/c. We were careful about keeping it turned off except when we were sleeping (most of the time). I will say - use your water sparingly, there's no need to shower much.
We got one of those magnetic hide-a-key things and stashed our key in a designated spot under the rv so we could all come and go whenever.
Got the same RV rented for this year, can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another thought, make sure your propane tanks are full. If you are renting a RV ask and check the level of the propane tanks.
The size of fresh/gray/black tanks are all different.
We never run the air conditioning at night, it cools down enough after sunset. We will start it up before we go to bed for a while to cool down the camper, then it off and then open the windows for the night. No doubt that you fire it back up by 8-9 AM to keep the camper cool.
If you are renting or borrowing an RV- try and go see it sometime (i.e. a week or more) before you leave. Today I went and saw the same kind of RV I'm renting at a nearby rental place so I could have a good idea of packing, functionality and such. A great example of what I discovered: Our rental RV won't have an awning, so I'll need to pack our portable shade gazebo- something I wasn't going to do originally.
That reminds me, most is not all rental RV's do not have awnings or self leveling systems.
Make sure to bring some planks (2x8's) of some kind to place under the wheels to level the camper. A small level to put on the counter (by the sink) to see if you are level, side to side and front to back.
The camper needs to be level for the refrigerator to work properly and also to sleep comfortable.
We see this at NASCAR races when people rent RV's. They never have planks to level the camper and no shade. I usually have extra planks.
Another generator note. If you have a portable one make sure to bring some kind of locking device. Either chain or a cable lock to lock it to your camper or truck. You don't want it to grow legs during the weekend.
Yeah bugs, I forgot about the locking your generator up.Most of the time we will just unplug it ,pick it up and lock it inside the camper.Just make sure your gas is turned off so you don't leak gas all in your camper.
Maybe one of you guys can help me out with this. I was wondering what I can do with the eight 5 Gallon gas tanks I will have for my weekend Generator refueling needs. O have no way to lock the tanks up.
Is putting them in the bed of my truck and covering them with a tarp my best bet?
Eight 5 gallon containers? That is a lot of gas.. Our Honda burns a little under .5 gal a hour with the air conditioning on in the camper. I leave for the weekend with the generator full (3.5 gallon) and take two 5 gallon containers. That is more then enough for the weekend. Again we don't use the air conditioning at night to sleep, it cools down plenty there at night. We just use it for a couple of hours in the morning, afternoon when we stop back at the camper and before we go to sleep.
As far as storage of the containers, the bed of your truck would be fine. I would leave the cap cracked a little open or the vent open. The containers will balloon up from the heat of the sun.
I have rented an RV for two Roos, and the main thing that I would say if you are renting an RV, make sure that you have the person renting it to you give you a full demonstration of everything. Have them show you where all of the pumps are, how to expand the slide-out if you have one, if you have an awning have them pull it out for you and then put it back. Make sure that you understand the a/c and how to restart the battery if it goes dead on you. It should probably take the rentor about 30 minutes to an hour to show you everything, but it is well worth it. If I did not know about the battery booster button last year, we would have had a dead battery from Friday night on.
Even if the walk through seems tedious, try to pay attention, and try to get a buddy to pay attention too, because it never hurts to have a little help when you might be too intoxicated.
Well this being my first time using this generator I was not sure about how much gas it will use. I am figuring my ac will be running 90% of the time.Being that the wife is pregnant, I want to make sure she has a cool place waiting for her at all times. I rather have to much gas then not enough.You may be right.. It might just be an overkill.
bug512 said:
Eight 5 gallon containers? That is a lot of gas.. Our Honda burns a little under .5 gal a hour with the air conditioning on in the camper. I leave for the weekend with the generator full (3.5 gallon) and take two 5 gallon containers. That is more then enough for the weekend. Again we don't use the air conditioning at night to sleep, it cools down plenty there at night. We just use it for a couple of hours in the morning, afternoon when we stop back at the camper and before we go to sleep.
As far as storage of the containers, the bed of your truck would be fine. I would leave the cap cracked a little open or the vent open. The containers will balloon up from the heat of the sun.
. I am sure most people tend to drain the gray water overnight. Do what you wish with this.
You don't want that!
. It will run you about $40.00 or $50.00 bucks for fresh water and the same for dumping your holding tank.We had 3 people last year We took all the showers we felt we needed and use the bathroom just like you would at home and we only took on one tank of water and one dump for the whole weekend..As for your generator, The gas use all depends on what all you are trying to run and the max output of the generator.I use a powermate framed model.It has a 5 gallon tank. I can run my Ac/Tv/Fridge/fans/ps3 and so on for about 7 hours on 5 gallons. You should also be able to run your fridge,Hot water heater and stove off the LP gas tanks.So when your gen is off you still have your fridge staying cold. I hope this helps. 
