https://rvtrove.com/ Independent RV equipment guides built from manufacturer documentation and published specifications — electrical, water, towing, gear, camping and maintenance. en-us https://rvtrove.com/gear/rv-mattress-size-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/gear/rv-mattress-size-calculator/ Measure the platform and find the RV mattress that fits it — and see why "RV King" is published as three different sizes by three different sellers. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/how-much-solar-do-i-need-for-my-rv/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/how-much-solar-do-i-need-for-my-rv/ Size an RV solar array on NASA's monthly sun figures for where you actually camp — flat to the roof, not tilted — and on the roof space you actually have. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/what-size-generator-for-rv-air-conditioner/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/what-size-generator-for-rv-air-conditioner/ Size a generator from Dometic's own published minimum, then derate it for altitude and heat — and see why a 4,500-watt unit is already short on a 95-degree day at sea level. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/what-size-solar-charge-controller/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/what-size-solar-charge-controller/ Size an MPPT controller on the two figures that can destroy it — cold open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current — not on watts, which Victron says it simply limits. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/trailer-lug-nut-torque-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/trailer-lug-nut-torque-calculator/ Look up trailer wheel nut torque from Dexter's and Lippert's own tables, in staged passes — and see where the two makers publish figures that do not overlap at all. Sun, 20 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-extension-cord-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-extension-cord-calculator/ Work out the voltage your RV actually gets through its shore cord and an extension — counting the round trip, the coiled slack, and the drop a portable EMS at the pedestal never sees. Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/rv-tire-pressure-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/rv-tire-pressure-calculator/ Set your motorhome's cold tire pressure from weighed axle ends, read off Michelin's own RV tables — and see why dividing by the tire count leaves the duals 15 psi short. Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/water/rv-water-pump-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/water/rv-water-pump-calculator/ Find the RV water pump that holds pressure with your shower and faucets open at once — read off each maker's own flow curve, not the GPM on the box. Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/camping/rv-propane-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/camping/rv-propane-calculator/ Weigh your cylinder twice and get your real propane use, or estimate it from the appliances. Includes the 5 lb an exchange tank does not have, and which cylinder lasts the days you want. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/gear/rv-leveling-block-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/gear/rv-leveling-block-calculator/ Turn a tilt reading into inches at the tire, then into a count of blocks. A ramp is not one block per inch, and every tire on the low side needs its own. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/water/rv-hot-water-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/water/rv-hot-water-calculator/ Work out how many minutes of hot shower your RV water heater gives, from your own shower head, temperatures and heat source — and which free change buys the most time before you spend anything. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/rv-cargo-capacity-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/rv-cargo-capacity-calculator/ Your trailer's GVWR minus its empty weight is everything you may load, and water counts. See your margin in pounds, and which lever closes it — the free one or the expensive one. Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/maintenance/rv-winterizing-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/maintenance/rv-winterizing-calculator/ How many gallons of RV antifreeze you need, what skipping the water heater bypass costs, and why a tankless heater must not be bypassed at all. Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/rv-tire-age-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/rv-tire-age-calculator/ Decode the four digits on your sidewall, and find out how much of the five-year warranty was already gone when you bought the tire. The clock starts at manufacture, not purchase. Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/ball-mount-drop-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/ball-mount-drop-calculator/ Two measurements and one subtraction give the drop your ball mount needs. Work out the number, see which way to miss if you cannot land on it, and where one-input estimators go wrong. Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/best-trailer-brake-controllers/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/best-trailer-brake-controllers/ Five controllers, organised by what actually rules them out — axle rating and brake type — because those differ far more than the prices do, and the ratings do not follow the money. Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/do-i-need-a-brake-controller/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/do-i-need-a-brake-controller/ Answer it from the trailer, not the tow vehicle. Work out what your brakes draw, which controllers are actually rated for your axle count, and when a controller does nothing at all. Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/proportional-vs-time-delay-brake-controller/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/proportional-vs-time-delay-brake-controller/ Every guide answering this question was written between 2014 and 2017, when there were two kinds of brake controller. There are now three, and the cheap one is more compatible than the expensive one. Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/tekonsha-p3-vs-redarc-tow-pro-elite/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/tekonsha-p3-vs-redarc-tow-pro-elite/ Almost every comparison of these two is published by someone who sells one of them. Here is what both manufacturers print in their own manuals — including an axle limit that rules one out entirely. Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/trailer-brake-controller-not-working/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/trailer-brake-controller-not-working/ Everyone lists the causes. Three measurements from the axle manufacturer's own manual tell you which one you have — controller, wiring or magnets — before you buy anything. Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/best-weight-distribution-hitch/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/best-weight-distribution-hitch/ Four different ways of controlling sway, and the choice is between mechanisms rather than between brands. Plus the legal claim this category keeps making, checked against the actual statutes. Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/what-size-weight-distribution-hitch/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/what-size-weight-distribution-hitch/ The question has three answers — the hitch load, the shank rise or drop, and your receiver's own rating. Every page ranking for it gives you one. Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/why-does-my-trailer-sway/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/why-does-my-trailer-sway/ A crosswind did not cause your sway. Every rig meets crosswinds. What matters is why the oscillation grew instead of dying out — and the fixes for that are ordered by cost, starting at free. Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/best-rv-battery-monitors/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/best-rv-battery-monitors/ Four monitors compared on published accuracy, and the one engineering trade-off the category never mentions — coulomb counters drift when you never reach a full charge, which is most of boondocking. Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/andersen-vs-equalizer-hitch/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/andersen-vs-equalizer-hitch/ The category calls this chains versus spring bars. That is the weight distribution half. Both control sway by friction — the real difference is what the friction is made of, and what it weighs. Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/equalizer-vs-blue-ox-swaypro/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/equalizer-vs-blue-ox-swaypro/ Two hitches that control sway by opposite means — friction against geometry. Both manufacturers agree on what that costs you, and no comparison in this category mentions it. Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/rv-towing-payload-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/rv-towing-payload-calculator/ Works out your tongue weight, spends it against the door sticker, and turns it into the hitch rating you need. No green light or red light — the margin in pounds, and the assumptions behind it. Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/do-i-need-a-shunt-if-my-battery-has-bluetooth/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/do-i-need-a-shunt-if-my-battery-has-bluetooth/ Depends entirely on which kind of Bluetooth battery you bought — and the word "smart" covers three products that answer this differently. Victron sells two of them, with opposite answers. Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-battery-state-of-charge-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-battery-state-of-charge-calculator/ Enter your voltage and what is running, and see how much of the reading is load sag rather than charge level. On lithium the answer is usually that the number cannot tell you. Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/victron-smartshunt-vs-bmv-712/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/victron-smartshunt-vs-bmv-712/ Same shunt, same accuracy, same resolution — Victron's own datasheet lists exactly two differences. Which means this is not a measurement decision at all, and the relay matters more than the display. Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/what-size-shunt-for-battery-monitor/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/what-size-shunt-for-battery-monitor/ A shunt has two ratings, not one — full-scale amps and the millivolts it puts out at that current. Get the second wrong and every reading is quietly scaled by a fixed factor. Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/water/rv-water-tank-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/water/rv-water-tank-calculator/ Work out how long your fresh, grey and black tanks last on your own usage — and which of the three actually ends the trip. It is almost never the one people plan around. Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/12v-wire-size-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/12v-wire-size-calculator/ Size DC cable for an inverter, a DC-DC charger or any 12V circuit. Shows the gauge voltage drop needs, the gauge ampacity needs, which one binds — and whether it will fit your device's terminals. Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-battery-charge-time-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-battery-charge-time-calculator/ Work out how long your bank takes to charge from your own numbers — bulk and absorption separately, and whether your converter or your battery is the thing setting the pace. Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/water/best-rv-water-filters/ https://rvtrove.com/water/best-rv-water-filters/ Four RV water filters, with every certification claim checked against the public NSF, WQA and IAPMO databases. Three publish nothing, and the fourth's listing could not be found. Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-shore-power-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-shore-power-calculator/ Tick what you run at once and see the amps against your service, the start-up spike that actually trips the breaker, and what to switch off — with the protection sized to your rig. Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-battery-calculator/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-battery-calculator/ Tick your appliances and hours to get daily watt-hours, the amp-hour bank that covers it in lithium or AGM, the inverter that clears your biggest load, and the batteries that make that bank. Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/water/clearsource-vs-beech-lane/ https://rvtrove.com/water/clearsource-vs-beech-lane/ The premium system has the shorter warranty and the cheaper cartridges. The budget system has the lifetime warranty and the unpublished specs. Decided on what each maker documents. Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/water/how-often-to-replace-rv-water-filter/ https://rvtrove.com/water/how-often-to-replace-rv-water-filter/ Every guide gives a different number of months because months is the wrong unit. Filters are rated in gallons — here is the maths that turns capacity into your replacement schedule. Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/water/is-campground-water-safe-to-drink/ https://rvtrove.com/water/is-campground-water-safe-to-drink/ Usually yes at the source — the real risk is everything between the well and your tap. How campground water is regulated, where it goes wrong, and the layers that protect you. Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/water/rv-water-smells-like-rotten-eggs/ https://rvtrove.com/water/rv-water-smells-like-rotten-eggs/ Hot side only means the water heater — and the fix depends on which heater you have, a fork every guide skips. Both taps means the source or your tank. Diagnosis and fixes, in order. Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/water/what-micron-water-filter-for-rv/ https://rvtrove.com/water/what-micron-water-filter-for-rv/ 5 micron for most hookups, 1 micron absolute where cysts are the worry, 0.2 for the finest protection sold — and why "lower is better" is only half true. Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/best-fifth-wheel-king-pin-locks/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/best-fifth-wheel-king-pin-locks/ Four king pin locks compared on what their makers actually publish — and only one of the four states a warranty term on its own product page. Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/do-trailer-hitch-locks-prevent-theft/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/do-trailer-hitch-locks-prevent-theft/ An honest answer using what lock manufacturers publish about their own limits — including the one that states in writing it is not an insurer. Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/proven-industries-vs-fort-knox/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/proven-industries-vs-fort-knox/ The shortlist RV owners keep arriving at on forums, settled on what each company publishes — and the built-in versus replaceable cylinder that actually separates them. Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/what-size-coupler-lock-do-i-need/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/what-size-coupler-lock-do-i-need/ Ball size is only the first of three measurements that decide whether a coupler lock fits — with a diagram for identifying your latch style, the step every other guide skips. Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/inverter-vs-inverter-charger/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/inverter-vs-inverter-charger/ One makes 120V from your batteries. The other also replaces your converter and switches automatically between shore and battery. Your existing converter decides which one you buy. Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/renogy-3000w-inverter-review/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/renogy-3000w-inverter-review/ A documentation-based review of the Renogy 3000W P2 — the battery bank it actually requires, the cables not in the box, and a one-year warranty against what owners report. Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-air-conditioner-on-batteries/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-air-conditioner-on-batteries/ Yes — with a 3,000W inverter, a soft starter and more battery than most rigs carry. The arithmetic, the parts list, and when shore power remains the right answer. Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/victron-vs-renogy-inverters/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/victron-vs-renogy-inverters/ One sells you an inverter, the other sells you a power system. Compared on published output, idle draw, warranty structure and what each purchase actually commits you to. Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/towing/best-trailer-hitch-locks/ https://rvtrove.com/towing/best-trailer-hitch-locks/ Six trailer hitch and coupler locks compared on cylinder grade, coupler fitment and warranty terms — including which widely recommended locks have been publicly demonstrated as easy to defeat. Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/battle-born-vs-dakota-lithium/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/battle-born-vs-dakota-lithium/ The two best-known US lithium RV battery brands compared at 100Ah on published specifications. One includes heating as standard and fits a smaller tray; the other publishes what everything costs. Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/best-rv-inverters/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/best-rv-inverters/ Seven RV inverters and inverter/chargers compared on continuous output, idle draw and warranty terms — and sized against the battery BMS limit every other roundup ignores. Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/best-rv-lithium-batteries/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/best-rv-lithium-batteries/ Five 12V LiFePO4 RV batteries compared on charge temperature, continuous discharge current and warranty terms, using manufacturer datasheets rather than invented test scores. Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/do-i-need-a-pure-sine-wave-inverter-rv/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/do-i-need-a-pure-sine-wave-inverter-rv/ Usually yes — the price gap has collapsed. But the honest answer depends on your load list, and the published distortion figures show exactly what the modified sine discount buys. Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/do-i-need-a-dc-to-dc-charger-rv/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/do-i-need-a-dc-to-dc-charger-rv/ The RV forums genuinely disagree about this one. The answer turns on four things you can check — your alternator type, your battery chemistry, your cable run and how long you drive. Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/lithium-vs-agm-rv-battery/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/lithium-vs-agm-rv-battery/ Most comparisons of these two are published by lithium manufacturers. Here is where lithium genuinely wins, where AGM still does, and what switching really costs once the charger is included. Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/what-size-inverter-for-rv/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/what-size-inverter-for-rv/ Three numbers size an RV inverter — your biggest simultaneous load, its startup surge, and what your battery bank's BMS will actually pass. Most guides stop after the first one. Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/what-size-lithium-battery-for-rv/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/what-size-lithium-battery-for-rv/ "Size" means two different things — the case that has to fit your tray, and the capacity that has to last the night. Published dimensions for real batteries, and the arithmetic for amp hours. Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/30-amp-vs-50-amp-rv/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/30-amp-vs-50-amp-rv/ A 50 amp RV gets more than three times the power of a 30 amp one, not 67% more. How to tell which you have, what each will run, and what adapters do and do not give you. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/best-rv-converter-for-lithium-batteries/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/best-rv-converter-for-lithium-batteries/ Five RV converters compared on output voltage, lithium charge profile and fitment, plus how to tell whether your existing converter is quietly stopping your lithium bank at 80%. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/best-rv-surge-protectors/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/best-rv-surge-protectors/ Eight RV surge protectors and EMS units compared on joule rating, voltage protection and warranty, using manufacturer specifications rather than invented test scores. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/do-i-need-an-rv-surge-protector/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/do-i-need-an-rv-surge-protector/ Probably — but first check whether your rig already has one, because a transfer switch is not the same thing. Plus the insurance gap that makes this decision cost more than it looks. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/ems-vs-surge-protector/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/ems-vs-surge-protector/ A surge protector stops spikes. An EMS also disconnects on bad voltage and miswired pedestals — which is what actually damages RVs. How to tell them apart and when the cheaper one is genuinely enough. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/hardwired-vs-portable-rv-surge-protector/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/hardwired-vs-portable-rv-surge-protector/ Portable units get stolen and rained on. Hardwired units have to be uninstalled to claim a warranty. The trade-offs nobody spells out, and how to decide. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/hughes-power-watchdog-review/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/hughes-power-watchdog-review/ A documentation-based review of the Gen II Power Watchdog, including the warranty clause that catches second-hand buyers and the WiFi requirement behind most connection complaints. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/progressive-ems-pt30x-review/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/progressive-ems-pt30x-review/ A documentation-based review of the EMS-PT30X, including the staged voltage response that sets it apart and the warranty conditions that have caused owners real trouble. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/progressive-vs-power-watchdog/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/progressive-vs-power-watchdog/ The two leading 30 amp RV surge protectors compared on published specifications. One protects better per pound spent; the other tells you more about what the pedestal is doing. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-breaker-keeps-tripping/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-breaker-keeps-tripping/ Most tripping RV breakers are a load problem, not a fault. How to tell an overload from a genuine fault, work out which breaker is actually tripping, and know when to stop and call an electrician. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-lithium-battery-cold-weather-charging/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-lithium-battery-cold-weather-charging/ Every RV lithium battery refuses to charge below some temperature, and the threshold varies by 16 degrees between brands. What each manufacturer publishes, and what a heated battery costs you. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-surge-protector-buying-mistakes/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-surge-protector-buying-mistakes/ Joule ratings mislead, transfer switches are not protectors, and every major warranty in this category is narrower than its name. What we found reading the manufacturers' own documents. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-surge-protector-error-codes/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/rv-surge-protector-error-codes/ What each EMS error code means, taken from the manufacturers' own charts — Progressive Industries E-codes and Surge Guard LCD messages — plus what to do about each one. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://rvtrove.com/electrical/surge-guard-vs-progressive/ https://rvtrove.com/electrical/surge-guard-vs-progressive/ Surge Guard has more joules and a live display. Progressive cuts power sooner. And the connected-equipment warranty people buy Surge Guard for excludes the damage RVs actually suffer. Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT