Resources

Where to camp, where to dump, and what the words mean

A short list of places to start, the Megawatt tools in one spot, and the RV power terms people trip over, each explained in a sentence or two.

Campgrounds

We don't keep our own campground list. These two are where most federal sites book.

Recreation.govNational forests, Army Corps lakes, and other federal campgrounds.
National Park ServicePark pages list campgrounds, season dates, and vehicle length limits.

Dump stations

Follow the park's own posted directions. Fleetwood's 2019 Bounder manual says to keep the black tank valve shut until you dump, and it's fine to leave the gray valve open on a full hookup.

Dump black first, then gray, so the gray water rinses the hose. Check your own coach's manual if it's a different year.

Tools

Everything Megawatt built, in one place

Solar planner

Your coach, your loads, your roof. Out comes a panel layout and a parts list.

Calculators

Battery bank, solar array, wire size, payload, wind, and fuel savings.

Solar forecast

A week of sunshine for your ZIP, in watt-hours for your roof.

Problem fixer

One check at a time for dead power, the fridge, the slide, and the pump.

Manuals hub

Fleetwood's own manuals by model and year, plus the appliance makers.

Checklists

Pre-trip through winterizing. Tick them off, then print them.

Glossary

RV power terms, in plain English

Shore power: The 120-volt power you plug into at a campground pedestal. The 2019 Bounder gas coaches use a 30-amp cord.
House battery: The bank that runs your lights, pump, and fans. It's separate from the chassis battery that starts the engine.
Amp-hour (Ah): How much a battery holds at its own voltage. Multiply by the voltage to compare banks: 300Ah at 12.8 volts is 3,840 Wh.
Watt-hour (Wh): Volts times amp-hours. The Megawatt calculators count a day of use in watt-hours, because amps alone don't tell you much.
Peak sun hours: How many hours of full-strength sun a day adds up to. The Megawatt solar calculator plans on 4 unless you pick 3 or 5.5.
Lithium (LiFePO4): Lithium iron phosphate, the battery chemistry in every pack the Megawatt calculators link. Lighter than lead-acid, with more of the rated capacity usable.
MPPT controller: A solar charge controller that tracks the panels' best voltage as the light changes. It sits between the roof and the battery.
Boondocking: Camping with no hookups: no shore power, no water line, no sewer. Your batteries, tanks, and solar are all you've got.
GCWR: Gross combined weight rating: the most your coach and anything it tows can weigh together. Find it on the coach's weight label or in the owner's manual.
Payload: What you can still add before you hit the coach's GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating), after people, cargo, water, and propane. The payload calculator does that subtraction.