Remembering everything you need to do to set up an RV at a campsite for the first time can be overwhelming! A checklist is helpful to have so that you don’t forget anything. Depending on what type of RV you have, your list will vary. Here is what we do when we arrive at a site with our 42-feet fifth wheel!
Check in
There will be signs explaining where to park while checking in. During check-in, you will most likely get a map of the property, info about the park, and a site assignment.
Scout the space
As we pull up, we get out and walk around the site. We make sure there isn’t any broken glass or debris in the site that could damage the rig. We take note of where the hookups are, so we know where to place the rig in the space. If you have slides, you’ll want to make sure you notice where trees, large rocks, or electrical posts are. You have to make sure your slides will have room to open fully!
Pull in
The way you pull in will vary, depending on whether you have a pull-through site or a back-in site. Pull-through sites are the easiest to get into. You literally just pull on in! For back-in sites, having a backup camera is extremely helpful. If you don’t have one, hopefully you have a partner with you that can assist you! Your passenger should have a walkie talkie (because phones don’t always work in spotty service areas) and stand in the back of the site, helping guide the driver in.
Disconnect the tow vehicle
We manually lower the two front jacks and chock the wheels. Using our automatic leveling system, we raise the RV so the weight is no longer on the truck. We then disconnect the truck and pull away.
Level the RV
We push the “auto level” button and our automatic leveling system levels the rig and brings the rest of the jacks down. Every once in a while, we will get an error code and have to use a level on the back bumper to manually level it.
Connections
First, plug the surge protector into the electric panel. Next, turn on the breaker to make sure it works. Then turn it back off. Plug in the power cord. You now have electricity! Connect the water hose and turn on the water, then the sewer hose, and your outside connections are complete.
Accessories
While one person is hooking up the connections, another can unload any chairs, rugs, or outdoor accessories you want to set out.
Slides
If your RV has slides, someone can go inside and start opening them up as soon as the rig is level. We like to have one person push the button to open the slide while another person watches the space that is opening up to ensure nothing has fallen or is in the way of the slide opening up. We usually have a few things that need to be straightened up and put back in place once we arrive, so someone has the job of setting up the inside.
As mentioned earlier, setting up will look different for different RV types. I hope this glimpse into our family’s fifth-wheel setup is helpful as you make a checklist for your RV!
And while you’re at it, download our Ultimate RV Checklist bundle to make sure you don’t forget anything!
You might also be interested in this free video: Proper RV Campground Etiquette: Being Good to Your Neighbors.
Other Related Videos:
RV Checklist for Camping: Checking the Campground Source
How to Add an RV Water Filter at the Campground Source
About the Author: Lauren is a wife, mother of two, photographer, blogger and lover of nature and adventure! Currently traveling around the U.S. in a fifth wheel, Lauren and her family seek to live life to the fullest and continue to look for ways to simplify their lives in order to live larger with less. Follow along on their journey by visiting their family travel blog.
Before connecting into your power supply, I strongly urge that you take a voltmeter and make sure that the power coming in is correct. For example, you do not want to plug-in if you have more than 125 V on each leg of a 50 amp connection. Nor do you want to plug-in if you have less than 105 boats on each of those legs, I learned the hard way, and after plugging in my search protector turned on the power and burned up my surge protector— basically sacrifice itself to save the electronics in my RV. But that sacrifice cost me over $300 to buy a new surge protector. Best to always check your voltage before plugging in your surge protector.
Take some photos of your site before you pull into the spot. Then when you break camp you can look at the before photos to restore the site as it was when you arrived. This was a good video.
Don’t forget to turn the power back on after testing and plugging in.
Thank you SO MUCH for the good tips cuz we’re NEWBIES with our 2007 23’ Skyline
How to properly level my 29’ Motorhome properly
Hello Rick,
It depends on what your motorhome is equipped with. If you have an autoleveling system, you often need to get your unit as level as possible before engaging the leveling system. Electric and hydraulic leveling systems can only do so much. If you are at a spot that is very off level, the jacks could reach the max before getting near level or it could even take the wheels off of the ground because it lifted so high, which is not good to do. It is best to get a buddle level and set it somewhere flat and see what it looks like once you are in your spot. If you need to adjust some before engaging the auto level, you can pull forward or back a food and place leveling blocks under the side that needs to be raised. Lynx Levelers work well for this. Once you get it close enough, you can turn on the auto leveling system. If you don’t have auto leveling, you will need to do the same process until you get it as level as possible. This could take a few tries and it could also require a tall stack of blocks to get it level. All RV sites are different and even if it looks level, it could be pretty far from it. Once it is level you want to add the rest of the blocks under the stabilizer jacks. The less the jacks need to be extended, the better stability the RV has. Here is a link to the leveling blocks I would recommend.
https://trilynx.com/products/lynx-leveler-10-pack
Sincerely,Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Water hook up
Hello Rosellen,
Thank you for contacting us. if you want to ask the experts a question, please resubmit your question and with more detail. The expert will also need to know the make, model and the year of the RV you are asking about.
Sincerely,
Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Proper way to set up
“Connect the water hose and turn on the water, then the sewer hose and your outside connections are complete.”
Unless you need to connect a coax TV cable (or other rare connections like a phone line or ethernet cable).
I have read several articles that Laure Grijalva has written and always has kept my interest, thanks Lauren
Looking for clues on care and upgrades.
Hi Jay,
Great question! The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members of our online community. By becoming a member, you will have access to our expert’s knowledge. With your membership you will also receive discounts on products and hours of Premium video content.
If you are interested in becoming a member, please click on the special offer below:
https://go.rvrepairclub.com/a19774/
Thanks!
How to level my camper
Hi Larry, can we please get the year, make and model of your RV? Once we have that we can send your question to our expert.
Thanks
Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Is there a video available showing how to set up a pop up camper?
Hello Kathy,
Thank you for contacting us.
What is the year, make, and model of your RV?
Sincerely,
Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
If ground is not level what device helps.
Hello Diane,
Please send the year, make and model of your RV, and then I can forward your question to our expert. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Sarah
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Haven’t been camping since I was a kid. I have no idea what I’m doing. Anyone have an original manual for the Tioga?
how to maintain slide outw
Hi John. Can we please get the make, model and year of your RV?
Jean
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Need to replace lenses for rear and side view camera. Got washed buy “pro” and never worked again, just a fuzzy image. These side views are approx. 1+” dia. mounted on lower side mirror.
BTW, it is setup to a Pioneer AVH-P1400dvd head unit. Came standard that year model (2012)
Hello Michael. Most likely the whole cameras will need replaced when the lens get damaged or blurry. There are many different kinds of cameras out there. The Pioneer system you have is just what they are connected to, most likely the cameras are not Pioneer. You would have to contact the RV manufacture to see what was used for that year. I have tried looking for lenses in the past but never had any luck, I always had to replace the complete camera.
Dan
RV Repair Club
electric protector
My refrigerator is a 3 way. I was told by the retailers where I got my truck camper that I should turn off the refrigerator when traveling
This does not make any sense to me as it seems to me it should run off 12v DC as long as the truck is supplying a charge to the camper ( which I have confirmed it does). So why would couldn’t I switch to DC power while on the move? Sure I could use gas, but was advised against this due to problems of wind turbulence and jarring while on the road.
Please advise. Thanks in advance!
Hi David. The point of the 3 way fridge is to operate on battery while traveling. The 12v option isn’t made for standard use, it is only put there for travel reasons. The 12v doesn’t cool as well as gas or electric, it just does a good job of keeping it cold once the fridge is cold. This is why it is only good for travel and as long as your hot wire from the vehicle is working fine then this is what you should be using during travel. The only times you want to make sure to turn it off is if you park the vehicle for a while so you don’t drain the chassis battery and also if parked on a steep incline for more than an hour, this can damage the cooling unit. Other than that, you are fine using the 12v while traveling.
Dan
RV Repair Club
I am a new to RVing. I have been out with my RV twice so far. After reading various post I wondered if should I also purchase leveling blocks.
Thanks.
We are new to RVing. Got ours in January and have only been on two short trips due to Pandemic. I don’t have automatic levelers so want to know how to set up and level my RV when I get to a campsite. Thanks for any help.
Hello Ronald!
We will need more information in order to further assist you. What is the year, make, model of you’re RV?
Thank you
Sincerely
Ayan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
My fridge works during the early morning and in the evening it stays at 37 degrees, but gets up to 47 degrees during the middle part of the day. We are very adamant about not opening it unless we have to in
order to keep it cool.
This can be caused by blocked ventilation or bad door seals. I would check the top vent of the fridge and make sure nothing is blocking it. It is common for leaves to build up around the sides or insulation to fall on top of the fridge fins. If that is fine I would then check the door seals and make sure there aren’t any cracks and it has good compression when closed. A big part depends on the ambient temperature as well. The fridge can only cool so well if it is extremely hot outside so it can get up into the 40’s inside of the temperature outside is in the 90’s and the sun is hitting that side of the RV throughout the day. We do offer a video showing how to test the door seals and some tips for better cooling, I will share the links below.
https://www.rvrepairclub.com/video/rv-refrigerator-troubleshooting-checking-fridge-seals-007876/
https://www.rvrepairclub.com/video/simple-tips-for-keeping-rv-refrigerators-efficient-007874/
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
Could you explain how to level your trailer when you get to the campground?
The best thing to do is back into the spot where you want the trailer to be. Once you have a good spot you want to check to see how level it is side to side. I use an 8 inch level on the floor inside of the entrance door. You can use any flooring though like in a storage compartment. Don’t set it on the A frame, these are not always level with the main frame the floor sits on. If you need to raise a side you want to pull the trailer one foot forward and then put a leveling block behind the tires on the one side. Make sure all tires on the same side have the same amount of blocks. You then back the trailer up onto the block and check again. If it was really off level you might need more than one. Once it is level side to side you disconnect the trailer and pull the vehicle away. You then use the front tongue jack to level it front to back. This is all you need to do. I hope it helps!
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
New RV owners; What SURGE PROTECTOR for our 30 AMP system would you recommend?
the hood latch is missing. where do i get a replacement and can I jury rig a fix and how.
loulentini@aol.com
Hello Louis,
Than you for contacting us. We do not sell any parts but here is the link of 30 RV parts stores in your area:
https://www.yellowpages.com/lake-worth-fl/rv-parts
If you have any other concerns, please contact us at 1-855-706-3536, or chat with us on our site.
We greatly appreciate your business!
Sincerely,
Joan
RV Repair Club Video Membership
I would like to see what others have done to “organize” these little boxes. They were obviously not designed by Campers. I am looking for hints as to how to maximize my storage spaces!
That’s the door lock for the cabin. The key doesn’t turn in the lock . And am looking for maintenance ideas. Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks
Hello John!
We’d love to help!
What is the year, make, and model of your RV by chance?
Thank you!
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
A couple of doors on the outer storage compartments won’t stay closed. I see no adjustment and don’t know if I loosen the locks if that mech will slide to make it stay closed.
Hello Charles!
We’d love to help!
Could we have the year, make, and model of your RV?
Thank you!
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
We cant figure out how the plumbing work and we cant find the hot water
Hello Virginia!
That’s a great question!
The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members to our online community. We do have a promotional offer if you are interested. This would include access to expert advice (like this), plus discounts, hours of Premium videos, etc. Please feel free to take a look. You can message us right back with your question if you decide to become a member and you will have a response within 1-2 business days from our experts!
Please follow the steps below to receive the annual membership at the introductory rate:
1. Click on the email link: https://go.rvrepairclub.com/C21042
2. Click on the Premium Membership offer.
3. The Checkout page will display your Premium Membership purchase.
4. Fill in your Billing Details and create an account password.
5. Fill in your debit/credit card information.
6. Finish by clicking Complete Order.
If you have any further questions, please contact Customer Service at 1-855-706-3536 at your earliest convenience, or chat with us on our site.
We greatly appreciate your business!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
#11 – don’t park your vehicle partway into the road way (as shown in step #10 of this video). 😉
I would like to know how and if I can level my motor home, the material needs and when.
Hi John!
We’d love to help!
What is the year, make, and model of your RV?
Thank you!
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Have seen a number of different set ups over the years . How far should I extend the front jacks.
Don’t have cars, trucks, or RV extending out over the roadway, especially when they are often so narrow.
Thanks for the review
Great web site
How to secure my household fridge from coming out?
Gene,
Residential refrigerators have rollers on the bottom to make them easier to move when installed in between cabinets in houses. These are not easily removed so I found the easiest way is to chock the rollers. Usually there is a lower plastic fascia piece that can come off. It might have a few screws and others just snap into place but you should be able to tell when on the ground looking at it. Once the fascia is removed you should see the rollers. You can either create a wedge and attach it to the floor with a screw or adhesive in front of the wheels or if you have a good enough angle you can just drive a screw right into the floor leaving the head of the screw up a little bit to block the wheel from rolling over it. Most fridges will have stoppers that can lower down to help it not move when in use but these aren’t good for travel. Creating a chock is the best option. I hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
One more thing to add to the list of being a good neighbor is to not leave outside lights on all night.
Love to know how to properly level my 36’ motor home????
Hello Donnie!
We’d love to help!
What is the year, make, and model of your RV?
Thank you!
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership