05 2021 Wayfarer TM Series Campground Tips and Vehicle Specifications
Campgrounds
ARRIVING AT THE CAMPGROUNDS
Always try and arrive at your destination while there is still some daylight so you can register and be able to locate your campsite. Some campgrounds have obstructions and trees, which can damage the overhead or undercarriage of the motorhome.
If you arrive after the campground office is closed, you may still be able to check in after hours. It is helpful to call ahead so the campground doesn't give out your site and you may end up with a site that doesn't have full accommodations.
While you can still run your generator for electricity, you may be restricted from using your generator after dark.
ELECTRICAL HOOKUP
Ask for electrical hookup whenever possible. If your stay is for longer than one day, you should ask for full hookups (electric, water, and dump facility). This will make your stay more enjoyable, because you will be charging your coach battery(ies), while also running your appliances without using the 12V coach battery(ies). You will not worry about your appliances not functioning, due to having drained your 12V coach battery(ies).
Connecting your motorhome to the campsite electric supply is simple and easy. Just remove the motorhome shore line from the receptacle inside the shore line compartment (Image 49.1) and plug it into the campsite 120V receptacle (Image 49.2)
If an adapter is needed due to a larger or smaller power supply, those adapters can be purchased from the campgrounds or most RV dealerships.
WATER HOOK UP
Remove your fresh water hose and connect to the motorhome and the campsite water faucet. Caution: some campground water supplies are on wells and the water may not be fit to drink. It is recommended that bottled water or a filtration system be used for safe drinking water.
NOTE: Some campgrounds have very high water pressure, which may cause a leak in your water system. If you encounter very high water pressure, a 30-50LB. water pressure regulator is recommended to prevent your water lines from rupturing. These regulators can be purchased at most campgrounds or RV dealerships parts departments.
SEWER HOOK UP
Remove the sewer hose from its storage compartment (Image 50.1) and connect the motorhome sewer drain outlet. (See "Dumping the Holding Tanks"). Keep the two waste dump valves closed even while connected to the campground sewer system.
Monitor the tank levels and empty the tanks when the panel reads 3/4 or above. After dumping, close the valves and fill the toilet 1/4 full. Add toilet chemicals and flush so waste can dissolve in the water.
CAUTION: If you are camping and are able to leave your sewer hose hooked up, please keep the gate valves closed. Open the valves only for dumping and then promptly close them again.
Dump only after the tanks are 3/4 full so there will be ample pressure. If you leave the valves open, solid waste will settle and your waste tank will become clogged.
Campground Etiquette
Common sense rules of etiquette prevail when you check into any campground, public or commercial. Whether you plan to stay for one night or an extended stay, you are joining a community and you are expected to be a good neighbor and comply with campground rules. You will be expected to refrain from excessive noise, to respect the environment around you, to clean up any litter and to never run the generator after posted allowed hours. If you arrive at a campground late in the afternoon or at night, keep your lights dim and make as little noise as possible. It is a good idea to stock up on toilet chemicals and RV toilet paper while you are at the campground since these items will not be available to you at a regular supermarket. Wal-Mart may be a second option if the campground office is closed and you are low on these supplies.
CAMPGROUND VEHICLE SECURITY
Do not leave valuables in the motorhome while you are away. Take valuables with you. Secure all windows. Close the side and rear curtains as well as the front privacy curtains.
OVERNIGHTING AT PRIMITIVE SITES
If your campsite does not have electrical, water or sewer hookups, ask the campground office where their dump station and water fill are located.
1. If not hooked up to electricity, be sure the engine fuel tank has enough fuel to run the generator. (The generator will use about 1 gallon of fuel per hour of operation and will shut down when the level in your fuel tank drops below 1/4 full).
2. Be sure that the fresh water tank is full.
3. Light the water heater only when you need hot water. Turn off after use.
4. Use the generator for all electrical operations inside the coach. THIS WILL ENSURE THAT YOUR COACH BATTERY(IES) REMAIN FULLY CHARGED.
IMPORTANT: Using the furnace and your interior lights will quickly drain your coach battery(ies).
5. Check that the refrigerator pilot light is still lit. If necessary, relight the pilot light per the instructions in the refrigerator section of this guide.
DEPARTING THE CAMPGROUND
1. Disconnect the shore line from the campsite receptacle, plug the end of the electric cord back into the 120-VOLT receptacle in the motorhome shoreline compartment. If you used any adapters, store those in the shoreline compartment as well.
2. Close both dump valves. Disconnect the sewer hose from the motorhome. Lift the hose to drain any excess liquid from the hose.
3. Turn off the water spigot and disconnect the fresh water hose from the motorhome.
4. If you need to add fresh water to the motorhomes fresh water tank, remove the fresh water fill cap and place the hose end in the fill hole. Only turn the faucet partway as the tank has to vent to fill. Complete the filling of the fresh water tank.
5. Stow the sewer hose back in its compartment.
6. Turn off the water and disconnect the fresh water hose from the campground spigot, allowing the excess water to drain off before stowing the hose in its compartment.
7. Secure all compartment doors before departing the campsite.
8. Turn off the water heater. We advise this because the water heater is a rapid recovery system.
9. Secure the refrigerator door and check to ensure that your refrigerator is operating on liquid propane (LP) gas while you are driving.
10.Close the roof vent(s).
11.Make sure all loose articles inside the motorhome are secured and stowed away.
12.check all tires. If any tires are low inflate them as soon as possible.
13.Adjust the side mirrors if necessary.
14.Always have someone outside the vehicle guide you while you are parking or backing up.
15.Latch and deadbolt the side entry door.
16.Before driving away, make sure all passengers are buckled up with seat belts provided.
Typical Motorhome Specifications
Monitor Panel
These panels allow you to conveniently check the approximate levels of such items as the fresh water tank, black tank (toilet waste) and liquid propane (LP) gas tank (Image 54.1).
You can also check the condition of you auxiliary coach battery(ies), turn on the water pump, water heater and start or stop the generator.
CHECKING TANK LEVELS
To check the amount of water available in the fresh water tank, push the levels test switch and hold. For example if the tank is 2/3 full, the 1/3 and 2/3 lights will illuminate on the panel. This will apply to all tank levels on the panel. (See the following table):
CHECKING BATTERY CONDITION
The battery condition switch tells you the approximately what condition your coach battery(ies) charge is in. To check the battery(ies) condition, you must first have the shore power disconnected and the generator and engine must be off as well. Press the levels test switch and the lights on the panel marked 10V, 11V or 12V will light up. If the 12V light is not on, you should charge your coach battery(ies) by plugging into shore power, running the generator or the motorhome engine.
CONTROL SWITCHES ON THE MONITOR PANEL
On the monitor panel (Image 54.1) you will find the generator start/stop switch (if equipped), the water heater switch and the water pump switch.
The GENERATOR SWITCH turns the generator on and off. For more information, refer to the generator section of this manual.
The WATER HEATER SWITCH turns on the water heater for hot water. It also has an indicator light to let you know if it is on or not. Refer to the water heater section for more instructions on water heater usage.
The WATER PUMP SWITCH has an indicator light to let you know if it is on or not.
HELPFUL HINTS
The monitor panel is a very useful convenience, but if a malfunction should occur, below are alternative ways to check most of your levels.
The liquid propane (LP) gas tank has a secondary gauge mounted on the tank. Look there for the most accurate tank level.
The fresh water tank will be located either under the rear facing dinette seat or under the rear bed, depending on which model you own. It is a translucent white and you can see the water amount in your tank.
You can determine the level in the black tank (toilet waste) by looking down the toilet to see how full the tank is. On occasion, the toilet waste gauge on your panel may read incorrectly. This is because the sensor probes mounted on the inside of the tank sometimes get coated with particles, causing faulty readings on the panel.
To prevent this, always flush with plenty of fresh water when using the toilet. Never pour grease or oil down the toilet. Always use the easily dissolved special RV toilet tissue and clean with dry or liquid enzyme RV toilet chemicals. If you get faulty readings, you may correct this in the following way. Drain the tank, then fill with water and 1/2 cup of dish-washing soap. Drive your motorhome for a while. The sloshing water will usually clean the probes.
The level in the gray tank (sink and shower drain water) cannot easily be determined. However, if you have water coming up in the shower it is an indication that your gray tank is full.