You don't take to exist an electrician and a plumber to enjoy all the comforts of abode while camping ground. With these simple tips y'all volition easily empathize how to hook up RV water, electric and waste at campgrounds and RV parks with total hookup service campsites.

These are some of the cleanest and dirtiest RV tips and hacks yous need to know!

How To Hook Up RV Water Electric And Waste by CampingForFoodies features a 5th wheel RV trailer set up next to a palm tree at a campsite on the ocean in California and hooked up to the utilities at the RV park with text over the image that reads how to hook up water electric and waste.

Psst we're compensated…see our disclosures.

How To Claw Up To Water

Potable water is also known as drinking water … it is safe to drink and use in food preparation.

When you tin hook up to drinkable water, RV camping is much easier than when you take to booty h2o to your military camp.

Nosotros have a DIY portable h2o tank for RV boondocking when we are camping without a water hookup.

DIY Portable Water Tank For RV Boondocking Using Gravity Fill Camping Water Container by CampingForFoodies

Keep a clean hose.

Apply one hose that is dedicated to drinking water.

Fresh water hoses are usually white in colour and easily distinguished from other hoses you take in your supply box.

Camco TastePURE Drinking Water Hose Camco TastePURE Drinking Water Hose Camco TastePURE Drinking Water Hose


Regulate the force per unit area.

If the water pressure into your camper is too loftier, your plumbing can be damaged … and so … you should always utilise a pressure regulator when you are connected to a h2o supply.

Camco RV Brass Inline Water Pressure Regulator Camco RV Brass Inline Water Pressure Regulator Camco RV Brass Inline Water Pressure Regulator

kim cooking outdoors

Send me FREE camping tips!

I desire "5 Secrets To Successful Camping ground Trips" plus weekly camping tips & recipes.


Steps to hook upwards to the water supply.

When your campsite has a water supply you need to connect to it with these steps:

  1. Connect your pressure regulator to the spigot at your campsite.
  2. Connect your fresh water hose to the pressure level regulator.
  3. Connect the other end of your fresh water hose to the city water connection on your trailer.
  4. Open the valve on the water spigot.
  5. Go into your trailer and turn on a faucet to purge the air from the system. Voila … you've got water!

How To Hook Up To Electricity

Yous don't realize how much power you demand until you don't have it!

Hooking upwards to electricity is uncomplicated in one case you sympathize the unlike styles of connections.

When we don't have an electrical hookup at our campsite, nosotros utilize portable solar panels for RV camping and run off the all-time RV battery for our needs.

Portable Solar Panels For RV Camping by CampingForFoodies

Call ahead for electrical data.

Before you get to a camp with electrical hookups, call ahead to find out what style plug you lot will need for your connection … you lot may need an adapter.

RV plugs are always female person … campground receptacles are always male.

You will need several different adapters to ensure that you are able to connect to electric power wherever you go.

RVing Tips For Beginners Prepare For Different Electrical Outlets by CampingForFoodies

Which outlet is for me?

Most campsites have diverse service levels on the electric belfry: 110 volt (normal household plug), 30 amp (well-nigh mutual for smaller trailers) and 50 amp (commonly for larger RV rigs).

Plug into the outlet that matches your RV plug … or use an adapter, if necessary.


RV Power Cord Adapter 30 Amp Male to fifteen Amp Female (for RVs with 110 volt/15 amp plug needing to plug into a 30 amp receptacle).

Epicord RV Power Cord Dogbone Adapter,Innovative 180 Degree Curved Design 30 Amp Male to 15 Amp Female,12'' 12AWG/3Cord Epicord RV Ability Cord Dogbone Adapter,Innovative 180 Degree Curved Design 30 Amp Male to fifteen Amp Female,12" 12AWG/3Cord Epicord RV Power Cord Dogbone Adapter,Innovative 180 Degree Curved Design 30 Amp Male to 15 Amp Female,12'' 12AWG/3Cord


RV Power Cord Adapter 15 Amp Male to 30 Amp Female (for RVs with thirty amp plug needing to plug into a 110 volt/15 amp receptacle).

Epicord RV Power Cord Dogbone Adapter,Innovative 180 Degree Curved Design-15 Amp Male to 30 Amp Female,12'' 12AWG/3Cord Epicord RV Ability Cord Dogbone Adapter,Innovative 180 Caste Curved Pattern-fifteen Amp Male to xxx Amp Female,12" 12AWG/3Cord Epicord RV Power Cord Dogbone Adapter,Innovative 180 Degree Curved Design-15 Amp Male to 30 Amp Female,12'' 12AWG/3Cord


RV Ability Cord Adapter fifty Amp Male person to 30 Amp Female (for RVs with 30 amp plug needing to plug into a l amp receptacle).

Kohree 50 Amp to 30 Amp RV Plug Adapter Heavy Duty Dogbone Electrical Power Adapter with Grip Handle, 50M/30F 125V/3750W 18 Kohree 50 Amp to 30 Amp RV Plug Adapter Heavy Duty Dogbone Electrical Ability Adapter with Grip Handle, 50M/30F 125V/3750W 18 Kohree 50 Amp to 30 Amp RV Plug Adapter Heavy Duty Dogbone Electrical Power Adapter with Grip Handle, 50M/30F 125V/3750W 18


RV Power Cord Adapter 30 Amp Male to 50 Amp Female (for RVs with 50 amp plug needing to plug into a 30 amp receptacle).

Kohree 30 Amp to 50 Amp RV Plug Adapter Heavy Duty Dogbone Electrical Power Adapter with Grip Handle, 30M/50F 125V/3750W, 18 Inches Kohree 30 Amp to 50 Amp RV Plug Adapter Heavy Duty Dogbone Electrical Ability Adapter with Grip Handle, 30M/50F 125V/3750W, 18 Inches Kohree 30 Amp to 50 Amp RV Plug Adapter Heavy Duty Dogbone Electrical Power Adapter with Grip Handle, 30M/50F 125V/3750W, 18 Inches


Hook up your electrical.

When yous take an RV spot with an electrical hookup, here are the steps to follow to connect your RV to it:

  1. Pull your electric cord out of its storage location in the RV.
  2. Connect the cord to an adapter (if necessary).
  3. Plug into the campsite'south electric outlet.
  4. Ensure the breakers are on (the military camp's electric ability box and your camper'south breaker on your electrical console).
  5. Become inside your RV and flip a switch to something that requires electricity to run (like a fan) to ensure everything is working. As well, make certain your refrigerator is operating properly. Ta –da … you have power!

How To Hook Upward For Dumping Waste matter Tanks

This is the dirty stuff I mentioned earlier … really, who likes talking about poop?

Every bit gross as information technology is, dumping is a necessary evil when you are RVing … so let'southward dive right in! 😉

When we don't accept a waste hookup, we employ a portable holding tank to transport our waste to the sewer.

Camco Rhino Heavy Duty 36 Gallon Portable Waste Holding Hose and Accessories-Durable Leak Free and Odorless RV Tote Tank Camco Rhino Heavy Duty 36 Gallon Portable Waste Property Hose and Accessories-Durable Leak Free and Odorless RV Tote Tank Camco Rhino Heavy Duty 36 Gallon Portable Waste Holding Hose and Accessories-Durable Leak Free and Odorless RV Tote Tank


Pack dump gloves!

You will not want to touch annihilation when y'all dump so make sure you pack waterproof gloves (we like disposable ones) and don't ever run out of them!

RV Dump Gloves RV Dump Gloves RV Dump Gloves


Never keep your black tank valve open while camping!

Fifty-fifty if you are camped at a site with full hook-ups, you want to continue your black tank valve closed until it is time to dump.

Why?

Because yous don't want to drain the liquids while the solids remain in the relatively flat holding tank to get a big pile of dried poop that is almost like cement and practically impossible to remove … eeeewwww.

What y'all do want is the combination of the ii building within the black tank … and so, when you pull the handle to open the valve and drain the tank, information technology is the forcefulness of the mixture that nigh thoroughly empties the tank.


Attach your dump hose.

Yous Practise Non want the hose to accidentally become unattached from either terminate.

When you are prepare to dump, make sure y'all create a leak-proof seal.

How?

Attach the finish of the dump hose with the locking-tabs to your RV's waste drain fitting.

You will plough the hose clamp clockwise until it deeply connects to the notches.

Camco Black 39551 Complete Rv Sewer Kit Camco Black 39551 Consummate Rv Sewer Kit Camco Black 39551 Complete Rv Sewer Kit

Now, place the other stop of your hose into the sewer drain opening … and … you are set up to dump.

Camco Black 39551 Complete Rv Sewer Kit Camco Black 39551 Consummate Rv Sewer Kit Camco Black 39551 Complete Rv Sewer Kit


Dump black outset, flush, then dump grayness.

Hither are the steps you lot demand to take to actually dump your tanks:

  1. Once your dump hose is securely attached, pull the handle to open up the black tank'due south valve and wait for it to empty.
  2. If your RV has a Sani-Flush system, employ information technology to more thoroughly rinse the inside of the black tank.
  3. At present, close the black tank's valve by pushing the handle in.
  4. Next, pull the handle for the grayness tank to open the valve and empty it.
  5. Once the grey tank is empty, push the handle back in to shut the valve.
  6. The concluding thing you need to exercise is disconnect the dump hose from the RV … usually the gray water sufficiently flushes the hose but for extra measure, you may want to use the fresh h2o at the dump station to do a last rinse of the dump hose.
  7. Now, remove the other end from the sewer drain opening and stow it abroad.
  8. If you go along to stay at that same full-hookup campsite location and will need to dump again before you lot exit, you may want to get out the dump hose connected.
  9. Lastly, add holding tank treatment to your black tank by flushing it down the toilet.
  10. It liquefies waste matter in your black tank, including poop and toilet paper.

Thetford Aqua-KEM Original - Holding Tank Treatment - Deodorizer - Waste Digester - Cleaner Thetford Aqua-KEM Original – Holding Tank Treatment – Deodorizer – Waste Digester – Cleaner Thetford Aqua-KEM Original - Holding Tank Treatment - Deodorizer - Waste Digester - Cleaner


More than RV Tips

We have lots more fun and useful data about RV camping ground!


Just for women.

We've got more RV tips 101 for women traveling solo!

RV Tips 101 For Women Traveling Solo by CampingForFoodies features a woman jumping in the air full of joy and a big smile on her face with an RV in the background and distant mountains on a bright sunny day under a beautiful blue sky and text over the image that reads RV tips 101 women traveling solo.

Essential tips for RV newbies.

If you want to learn more RV camping tips for beginners, we've got them!

11 Tips For Beginners RV Camping by CampingForFoodies

Stay organized with checklists.

Use checklists to make certain you are fully stocked.

We have two lists that volition keep you lot organized:

One is a regular camping checklist for packing your personal items and consumables …

The other ane is an RV tool kit checklist for the items you may need during RV traveling.


Want to endeavor dispersed camping?

We always recommend new RVers stay in campgrounds or RV parks but if y'all get comfortable with your rig and the whole RV camping experience, yous may want to explore a flake more and go boondocking in areas without hookups or paved roads.

Boondocking How And Where To Go Dispersed Camping by CampingForFoodies

Our FREE printable camping ground trip planner template will make it like shooting fish in a barrel to plan your RV trips!

Camping Trip Planner Template Free Printable by CampingForFoodies is a whimsical illustration of a cute old orange car towing a blue and white vintage camper trailer down a road in a landscape of green trees, light green grass and brown mountains with fluffy clouds in a blue sky; thumbnail images of multiple pages of a camping trip planner under the text that reads camping free trip planner.

Our Cool Camping Products Make Great Gifts!