I can't tell you the number of times I've been packing up to leave a campground, I check the air pressure on my fifth-wheel tires, and find one of them is in need of about 5 or 6 pounds more. So I decide to leave camp and hit the first truck stop on my route for air. After driving a couple of hours and having checked 2 or 3 truck stops for air to no avail, I finally give up and end up at my next campsite with low tire pressure. Sound familiar? Enter the Viair 400P-RV Automatic Portable Compressor, part number 40047. This kit is made especially for RV owners. 

The 400P-Automatic is VIAIR’s first Automatic shut-off function powerful portable tire inflator. This 33% duty cycle unit is capable of pressures up to 150 PSI and can be operated for up to 40 minutes at a time before needing to be rested (at up to 40 PSI). The 400P-Automatic comes with a close-ended gas station-style air gun for added convenience.

VIAIR portable air compressors and tire inflators (except automatic models) are shipped complete with an open-ended (free-flowing) air delivery hose. All models from 300P up to 450P-Automatic are equipped with a quick-connect coupling, a pressure gauge, an air filter element with replaceable air filtration media, a vibration-resistant sand tray, and a deluxe carry bag for simple stowage and increased portability.

Portable compressors with automatic shutoff come into play when moving from tire to tire, and when checking tire pressure in the middle of a tire fill. A typical portable compressor must be turned off between tire fills, and anytime you want to check tire pressure. If you aren’t near the compressor, this can turn into running laps back and forth to the portable compressor to turn the unit on and off. Automatic portables do not work in this fashion and will save you time & effort to get tires inflated quickly.

VIAIR Corporation offers the most comprehensive line of fractional horsepower DC oil-less air compressors & air accessories for on-road, off-road, and industrial markets, as well as specialized markets such as medical devices. Their quality-engineered compressors and components are also used in the OEM segment, and have become the industry standard for both 12-volt and 24-volt automotive aftermarket applications worldwide.

My thanks to a fellow full-timer for pointing me to Viair. As always, I welcome your comments, or questions.

​Happy Camping!

We are always happy to visit with other RV'ers, some of which are thinking about full-time living on the road. We get questions about our rig, equipment, options, and an assortment of other queries. However, the question we are asked the most is, "what about your mail?"  To be honest, in this digital age we are not as dependent on the United States Postal Service as we once were. Just about everything that requires our attention can be taken care of via the internet.

Since we full-time all across the country, it was important that we establish our domicile and create a place for what little mail we do receive to be delivered.

There are a number of companies out there offering mail forwarding services. We researched quite a number of them, spoke with actual customers, and in the end we chose one of the oldest and most reliable. The Escapees Mail Forwarding Service.

​The Escapees Mail Forwarding Service enables you to receive your mail, no matter where in North America you travel. When you subscribe, you’ll get a unique mailing address in Texas. You then give that address to anyone who sends you mail or packages by US Postal Service, UPS or FedEx. (They also offer addresses in South Dakota and Florida for legal domicile purposes.)

Escapees receives and holds your mail (including packages, certified, and registered mail) for you. When you’re ready to have your mail forwarded, just call, email, or send them instructions online with where you want them to send it. They'll mail it out to you the next business day. If you’ll be in one place for a while, you can even ask them to forward your mail on a regular schedule.

The following descriptions are from their website. See link below.

Personal service
Want to know what mail you’ve received? Need help with your account? Just call our toll-free number during business hours, and our in-house staff will assist you. If you want, they can even open a particular item and read it to you over the phone.

Mail scanning
With our optional Mail Scanning service, we will scan each envelope as it arrives, and notify you by email when you receive new mail. You can then view the scanned envelopes online and specify whether you want each item forwarded or destroyed. We can even scan the contents for you if you request.

Mail forwarding
Anytime you want your mail forwarded, just give us the address online, by email, or by phone. We’ll send your mail the next business day by the most economical method, email you the tracking number if there is one, and deduct the cost from your postage deposit account. You can also instruct us to ship your mail on a specific day, or to use Priority Mail, UPS, or FedEx if you prefer. The choice is yours.

For even more convenience when you’re in one place for a period of time, you may choose to set up a regular mail-forwarding schedule on a daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or other basis.

Postage deposit account
When you sign up for the Escapees Mail Forwarding Service, we’ll establish a postage account for you with an initial balance of $50.00. We’ll use money from this account to pay the actual cost of forwarding your mail. You can add funds to your postage account at any time, either online with a credit card or with a phone call to our staff. We will also email you a reminder when the balance in your postage account drops below $25.00.

Mail sorting options
Escapees Mail Forwarding Service offers three categories of mail sorting and forwarding, each at different annual rates:

• Category A (All Mail Types): We forward all First Class mail and all other mail with your personal mailbox number in the address.
• Category B (Selected Mail Types Only): We forward all mail of the types you specify–first-class only, mail from nonprofits, newsletters, advertisements, catalogs, magazines, newspapers, and/or travel guides & directories–and discard the rest.
• Category C (Custom Mail Sorting): We forward only the types of mail that you specify, as with Category B, but you can also request special sorting; for example, specific magazine titles but not others, or catalogs from certain companies but not others.

Most members start with Category A service. Once you begin receiving “junk mail”–usually about six months after you change your address with the Postal Service–using a higher mail sorting category can help to reduce your postage costs by forwarding only the mail that you really want to receive.

Online account management
Our online dashboard enables you to easily manage your mail service account at any time. From your dashboard, you can set one-time forwarding instructions, send address changes, and adjust your forwarding schedule. You can also easily view your postage balance and add more funds as needed. Of course, our staff can also help you with any of these tasks by phone.

For more information, click the link here. www.escapees.com/mail-service/how-escapees-mail-forwarding-service-works/

Every RVer knows leveling matters. That's why the folks at RV SnapPad have designed the world's only permanent jack pad. RV SnapPads not only improve the look and feel of your rig, but eliminate all of your major leveling hassles.

SnapPad won't just change how you use your RV, it'll change your camping experience. No more positioning jackpads or levelers under your RV. No more storing dirty blocks or boards. Durable and long lasting, SnapPads can withstand extreme weather and environmental conditions. SnapPads increase the stability and weight distribution of your rig, while protecting your jack foot from rust and other damage.

We installed a set of six SnapPads within the first week that we had the new rig and absolutely love them! I've had many fellow campers stop by and ask me about them and most have installed them as well.

Check them out for yourself by following this link: www.RVSnapPad.com
​

One of the things that I admire about RV'ers is their willingness to help one another out and share their own tips. And you can count of them to spread the word on new gadgets and gizmos that they come across. One such fellow RV'er watched me fighting to coil up my old RV water hose one day and suggested I take a look at his zero-G RV water hose. I was instantly sold and quickly discarded my old hose for a new zero-G. I have a 25' and a 50'.

Research with hose purchasers overwhelmingly indicates a preference for hoses which offer light weight, easy handling, kink resistance and lasting performance. 
 
The zero-G™ advanced hose design takes these must-haves to a higher level than ever before.

Compared to traditional heavy and professional water hoses:

• Up to 40% lighter weight than heavy duty vinyl hoses
• Kink-free uninterrupted flow
• Easy to store – small and compact
• Tough G-Force™ woven fiber jacket resists leaks, abrasion and punctures.
• 600+ psi burst rated
• Consistent, high flow equal to a conventional 5/8” hose
• Flexible and easy to maneuver even in cold weather down to 35°F
• Lead Free - Drinking Water Safe

Tru-Flex™ Inner Core

• Pliable inner core prevents kinking
• Remains flexible in cold weather to 35 Degrees
• Easy to maneuver
• Coils easily for storage

G-Force™ High Density Jacket

• Durable, long lasting wear equal to commercial grade hoses
• 600+ PSI burst rated
• Consistent high flow equal to a conventional 5/8” 
• Glides smoothly over surfaces; will not snag or tear
• Puncture resistant

New Coupling Design

• Commercial-grade, ergonomic, aluminum couplings
• Crush-proof up to 900 lbs
• Lead Free
• Knurled’ Male and Female for easy grip

​For more info, please click here for the link to zero-G

When we were putting together the specs for our new Landmark Fifth-wheel, a fellow RV full-timer suggested a built in water softener. We had used water softeners in our sticks and bricks homes for many years and already knew of the advantages. He recommended the Flow-Pur RV-PRO 10,000 Portable Water Softener.

We had the RV dealer install this in-line so that water flows through the factory installed filter and then immediately through the water softener delivering filtered, softened pure water to the rig.

The Flow-Pur RV-PRO Water Softener provides clean, soft water for up to 20 days for only pennies a week.It has a compact design for easy storage, portability, and functionality. And for ultimate value, the Flow-Pur RV-PRO 10,000 is specially engineered for low-cost operation and high-quality performance.


Features and Benefits:

• 1/3 cu. ft. tank uses premium-grade resin for strength and performance
• Full-cradle base to keep tank base safe and secure
• Softens water and removes calcium, magnesium, and trace amounts of iron to increase quality
• Prevents hard water stains and helps preserve useful of appliances and fixtures
• Uses common table salt, softening up to 1,000 gal. of water at 10 grains of hardness per cycle
• Double-hose shut-off valve eliminates need to manually switch inlet/outlet hoses for regeneration
• Built-in drain line flow restrictor increases capacity up to 55% for more effective regeneration – less than 40 minutes
• Engineered for high flow rates – up to 4 GPM with low pressure drop
• Includes hardness test strips for checking softness and quality of water

We took a leap of faith with a tip from a fellow RV'er and we are so glad that we did! When we ordered our new Fifth-Wheel, we had our dealer include the purchase and installation of an On-Demand Tankless Water Heater with “State of the Art” Electronics and Components.

Our dealer simply removed the factory installed water heater tank and components and slid in the new Girard GSWH-2. With an on-board washing machine, dishwasher and shower we experience an endless supply of hot water! 

Endless Hot Water at a Competitive Price!

• On-Board Micro-Processor Monitors:
  • Inlet Water Flow
  • Inlet Water Temperature
  • Outlet Water Temperature
• Regulates the burner to maintain the set HOT Water Temperature:
  • Now you can add COLD Water to the desired temperature
  • All the HOT Water you want when you want it!
• 42,000 BTUs which provides the optimum performance for an RV’s plumbing
• No special LP gas lines or special plumbing required
• Quiet Brush-less Motor
• 12V power that operates at less than 3 AMPs
• Freeze Protection – Designed for Winter Use
• Designed Specifically for Recreational Vehicles
• Compact Design – Fits in any tank water heater cut-out opening

For more information, click this link to Green Products

I recently discovered the Andersen Camper Leveler system and couldn't be happier with setting up my rig now. With the innovative Camper Leveler you can level your RV or trailer on the FIRST try - every single time! No more guesswork! No more hassle! Simply drive up until you are level and then chock - it's that simple. The Andersen Camper Leveler provides 'dead-on' leveling at any increment from 1/2" to 4" - no other leveler is this precise - or this easy to use! I can perform the task alone (no more ambiguous hand signals from my co-pilot) and get perfectly level in seconds. You'll love this system.

The Camper Leveler from Andersen Hitches is built tough and built to last.

Each kit includes 1 leveler and 1 chock. We recommend 1 leveler per axle.

• Level your trailer on the first try!
• Precise leveling at any increment between 1/2 inch and 4 inches
• Lifts up to 4 inches
• Works great on trailers up to 30,000 lbs and with tires up to 32" diameter


Visit Andersen Hitches for more information. Available from a variety of vendors. Made in the USA
LIFETIME PRODUCT REPLACEMENT!

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.
​
Happy Camping...​

** UPDATE **
The WeBoost RV 4G detailed below has been discontinued. However, a newly improved model is now available as of 10/29/2018. I've included a link below.

CONNECT RV 65 (FCC Approved 65Db Gain)
The weBoost Connect RV 65 cellular signal booster is a simple, effective solution to significantly improve the strength of cellular signal within any RV. This signal  booster system provides benefit for all users on all cellular enabled devices on all carriers while in your parked RV. Included in the kit is a telescoping pole (can go up to 25' tall) which allows the outside directional cellular antenna to maximize the signal from the nearest cell tower. Initial installation takes approximately 30 minutes, with only 10 minutes needed to set up and take down pole and outside antenna when parked. The Connect RV 65 uses a powerful 5-band cellular signal booster to provide maximum signal inside your RV, making it most effective even when used in weak cell phone signal areas. weBoost cellular signal boosters improve data speeds as well - including 4G LTE - no matter which cellular carrier you use in the United States. The Connect RV 65 comfortably handles multiple simultaneous connections across multiple carriers, providing effortless cellular voice and data communications for all users. ​www.weboost.com/products/connect-rv-65

Poor cell service in your RV? A signal booster can fix that. Get cell and data signals up to 32x stronger, and enjoy more bars in your rig. Dropped calls and slow data are generally caused by three things: (1) Distance from a cell tower; (2) Building materials in your RV; (3) Obstruction from tall objects such as trees, topography, and buildings. Cell booster kits capture an exterior signal, even one that is far away, and they amplify it and broadcast it in your RV. Most of these devices are carrier agnostic. They boost the entire spectrum of frequencies, meaning they will work for any carrier, to give you a stronger signal.

I hesitate to use the word "frustrating" because, after all, we ARE camping and always have a beautiful backyard while we enjoy the great outdoors, but occasionally our cell phone or internet service can be quite frustrating. Dropped or missed calls. No internet access for my Hulu, Netflix and Amazon Video services. Unable to read e-mails. These can all contribute to a frustrating trip for us. For several months I've been asking fellow campers what their solutions have been to avoid these issues and interestingly enough, I've gotten a varied and wide response. In fact, no two campers have used the same solution. So, that being said, I'm going to share with you what I recently chose to help with this issue.

As I conducted my research, one brand name continued to pop up. Wilson Electronics.They clearly seem to be leading the industry when it comes to cell boosters. They are behind the WeBoost brand of boosters and antennas. Here's what I ended up selecting. The WeBoost RV 4G (470201). This system boasts that it provides 4G fastest network speeds, rural and urban gain strength, and multi-user access. On this particular unit, max gain is 60db. This is at the very top of the allowable gain spectrum and is a powerhouse!

For all of the details and specs, please visit WeBoost at https://store.weboost.com/products/rv-4g

At the time of this post, this kit sells for $399.99 and is available from a variety of sources including Camping World. I did my research and of course searched the internet for a better price on Amazon, Google Shopping, etc. The price is fixed and every vendor was the same. I chose to purchase mine from Camping World, though if you're not happy with the product, because it's electronic it can't be returned. Do yourself a favor and purchase directly from WeBoost because they offer a 30-day money back guarantee and a 2-year warranty.​

I've only been using this unit a week now, at Lake Whitney Thousand Trails, but have noticed about a 20db gain. I should note that this particular park is notorious for poor cell reception as there are no towers close by, and those that are within range are very poor and provide low signal at best. So, is the WeBoost working for me? Yes. Do I wish I had a stronger signal? Yes! Always! But the truth of the matter is, I'm able to use the internet, and watch Netflix.So, I'm a happy camper!

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

Happy Camping...