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These terms will become a part of your RV vocabulary
eventually
Backup Monitor
A camera in the back of a motorhome, with the monitor
positioned somewhere on the dashboard for the driver,
to aid in backing up the motorhome. It is also used
while driving to see the traffic behind and to keep
an eye on the towed vehicle.
Ball Mount
The
part of the hitch system that supports the hitch ball
and connects it to the trailer coupler. Ball
mounts are available in load carrying and weight
distributing configurations.
Boondocking
Also
known as dry camping, boondocking refers to camping
without any hook-ups, namely camping without hooking
up to any electric, sewer or water facilities. You
can still have electric from your RV batteries and
water from your freshwater holding tank.
Black (Water) Tank
The
gallons of black water waste that can be held. Black
water is the waste from the toilet.
Break-Away System
A system designed to automatically lock the trailer
brakes in the event of a hitch failure and the trailer
breaks away from the tow vehicle.
Converter
An electrical device for converting 120-volt AC
power into 12-volt DC power. Most RVs with electrical
hookups will have a converter, since many of the
lights and some other accessories run on 12-volt
DC.
Diesel Puller
The
term for a motorhome with the diesel engine mounted
in the front of the vehicle. Also know simply
as a Puller.
Diesel Pusher
The
term for a motorhome with the diesel engine mounted
in the rear of the vehicle. Also know simply
as a Pusher.
Dinghy
The
term for a vehicle that you are towing with your
motorhome. It is also known as a Toad.
Dry Camping
Also
known as boondocking, dry camping refers to camping
without any hook-ups, namely camping without hooking
up to any electric, sewer or water facilities. You
can still have electric from your RV batteries and
water from your freshwater holding tank.
Dry Weight
The
weight of the RV without any fuel, fresh water,
propane or passengers.
Dump Station
A facility for dumping or emptying your black water
and gray water holding tanks.
Equalizing Hitch
A
hitch that utilizes spring bars that are placed under
tension to distribute a portion of the trailer's hitch
weight to the tow vehicle's front axle and the
trailer's axles. This hitch is also known as
a weight distributing hitch
Fresh (Water) Tank
The gallons of fresh water that can be stored for
later use.
Full Hookup
The ability to connect to all three of the campground's
facilities; electric, water and sewer.
Full-Timers -or- Full-Timing
The term used for people who live in their RV
full-time, or at least the vast majority of their time.
Generator
An electrical device powered by gasoline or diesel
fuel, and sometimes propane, for generating 120-volt
AC power.
Gray (Water) Tank
The
gallons of gray waste that can be held. Gray
water is waste from the sinks and shower.
Hitch Weight
The amount
of a trailer's weight that rests on the tow vehicle's
hitch. For travel trailers this weight should
be 10% to 15% of the total weight of the trailer.
For fifth wheels this weight should be 15%
to 20% of the total weight of the trailer.
Holding Tanks
There
are three different holding tanks on most RVs:
Fresh Water, Gray Water and Black Water. The
fresh water tanks hold the water you will use for
water you will pump into your RV when you are not
getting water from an outside source. The gray water
tank holds water from your kitchen and shower. The
black water tank holds the water and waste from
your toilet.
Hookups
The ability of
connecting to a campground's facilities. The major types
of hookups are electrical, water and sewer. If
all three of these hookups are available, it
is termed full hookup. Hookups may also include
telephone and cable TV in some campgrounds.
Inverter
An electrical device for converting 12-volt DC power
into 120-volt AC power.
LP Gas
Liquefied Petroleum
Gas. LP gas is used to fuel appliances in
the RV, such as the stove, oven, water heater and
sometimes the refrigerator. Propane tanks are
usually rated as pounds or gallons.
Part-Timers
The term used for people who use their RV more
than usual (more than just a few weekend trips a
year), but who still use it less than full-time.
Pop-Out:
The term for a room in an RV that pops out for additional
living space.
Popup or Pop-Up
Another name for a folding camping trailer.
Porpoising:
A term used to define the up and down motion in
an RV while traveling.
Puller
The slang term for a motorhome with a front-mounted
diesel engine.
Pull Through
A
camping site that allows you to pull through while setting
up and leaving the area. A site where you
do not have to back into or out of.
Pusher
The slang term for a motorhome with a rear-mounted
diesel engine.
Safety Chains
A
set of chains that are attached to both the trailer A-Frame
and the tow vehicle while towing. Safety
chains are intended to keep the trailer attached
to the tow vehicle in the event of a hitch failure,
preventing the trailer from completely separating
from the tow vehicle.
Shore Power
Electricity provided to the RV by an external source
other than the RV batteries.
Slide-In
The term for a type of camper that mounts on a
truck bed, because this type of camper slides into the
truck bed.
Slide-Out
A room or area in your RV that slides out to make
additional space for living.
Tip-Out
The
term used for an area or room in an RV that tips
out for additional living space. The Tip-Out
was generally used in older RVs. Newer RVs mainly
use a slide-out.
Toad (towed)
The
term for a vehicle that you are towing with your
motorhome. It is also known as a Dinghy.
Tow Bar
A bar used for connecting a towed vehicle to the
motorhome for towing with all four wheels on the
ground.
Trailer Brakes
Brakes that are built into the trailer and are activated
either by electric impulse or by a surge mechanism.
Weight Carrying Hitch
A
hitch designed to accept the entire hitch weight of
the trailer. This hitch is also known as a dead
weight hitch.
Weight Distributing Hitch
A
hitch that utilizes spring bars that are placed under
tension to distribute a portion of the trailer's hitch
weight to the tow vehicle's front axle and the
trailer's axles. This hitch is also known as
an equalizing hitch
Wet Weight
The weight of the RV with the fuel, freshwater and
propane tanks full.
Wide Body
The
term for an RV exceeding the normal eight feet wide.
Wide Bodies are usually 102" (8' 6")
wide. |
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| Weight Terms |
Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
The
manufacturer's maximum load weight, in pounds, that
can be placed on the axle. If an axle has a
3500-lb. GAWR and the RV has two axles (tandem axles),
then the RV would have a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR) of 7000 lbs. (see GVWR below)
Gross Combined Weight Rating
(GCWR)
The
manufacturer's maximum load weight, in pounds, allowed
for the trailer and tow vehicle. This rating
includes the weight of the trailer, tow vehicle,
fuel, water, propane, supplies and passengers.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR)
The manufacturer's maximum load weight, in pounds,
allowed for the vehicle. This rating includes the
weight of the vehicle plus fuel, water, propane,
supplies and passengers.
Net Carrying Capacity (NCC)
Sometimes called the payload capacity, this is the
maximum weight of fuel, water, propane, supplies
and passengers that can be added to an RV without
exceeding the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).(see
GVWR above)
Payload Capacity
The maximum allowable weight that can be in or on
a vehicle, including all cargo and accessories,
fuel, freshwater, propane, passengers and hitch
loads.
Unloaded Vehicle Weight (UVW)
Sometimes
called the Dry Weight, it is the weight of
the RV without adding fuel, water, propane, supplies and
passengers. The manufacturer's UVW will not include
any dealer-installed options. |
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| How much stuff weighs! |
Propane weighs 4.25 pounds
per gallon
Water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon
Gasoline weighs 6.3 pounds per gallon
Diesel fuel weighs 6.6 pounds per gallon |
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