Complete list of everything we need!

Photomom

After a rainy weekend in the Adirondacks wherein our tent leaked and we woke up achy every morning after a night on our camp cots, we are ready to begin the process of moving forward with a T@B.

My task is to compile a list of everything we will need to order or purchase so we know what the total tab (lol) will be. We have decided on a Max S model. A few things I've gleaned from the forum:

2000 watt generator (we mostly camp in shady campgrounds without electricity)
Outside shower option (dog, etc.)
Diamond plate propane cover/platform from the Outback (assuming it is possible to get as a mod)
Solid neutral color upholstery from the Tabitha (assuming it is possible to get as a mod)
Front window option
Spare tire mounted on trailer tongue
Battery cut off switch
Permanently installed surge protector
Small solar trickle charger for when the T@B is resting on the driveway
Trickle charger/battery maintainer for when the T@B is stored for the winter and we bring the battery home
T@B visor or awning ( Which? - We will keep our 12x12 screen house till it is no longer serviceable)
Trailer storage cover
Brake controller and trailer wiring in our TV (We already have a good hitch and 4-pin trailer wiring)
BAL leveler and stick on level indicators
Wheel chocks
Potable water hose and RV water filter
Sewer hose, rubber gloves and utility hose for rinsing tank
Battery voltage indicator that plugs into 12V outlet
Tire lock/immobilizer

What am I missing? 

Any rule of thumb or general estimate for total cost of the stuff you need to buy in addition to the T@B itself?

Nomad

Hitch Lock - I prefer a simple pin lock as you can lock the hitch to the TV when moving
Sewer Hose - Think the Rhino Flex is the best
Water Pressure Regulator
Hose Attachment that slides down into your fresh water inlet
Battery Charging Cable - The Hondas have a special plug/cable specifically for charging a battery - works for either TV or T@B - I'm using it as we type (long story but glad I have it)
Roof /Vent Fan Cover - Allows you to have the vent open when it's raining (right now for me)

Nomad

An aside... Once you have your list, have your T@B dealer give you a price for the whole package as they can get all this stuff wholesale. That's what I did and got a great deal. Paid roughly what others paid for just their T@B. I custom ordered mine about this time last year and the dealer considered it more like a end of season bonus order.

ChanW

Photomom, it's clear that you've been planning this for quite some time, and that you're probably the one that did the rain dance that made it storm all weekend in the Adirondacks! Shoot, now you have to get a Tab!

Good starting list! You'll never be able to figure it all out ahead of time, though. It's an evolving kind of thing, y'know?

It's been mentioned here before, that it's probably more practical to get the Tab first, see what you need (and don't need), and then buy stuff. It seems to be a common dilemma finding out that many of the cool accessories you thought you needed actually end up in the garage.

But your list above does seem to be a good one.

As for the "rule of thumb", it's a bottomless pit.... B-)

Have fun! Hope to see you in the mountains sometime, comfy and dry!

Nomad

Agree with ChanW - Don't buy much beyond what you know you'll need to set up and run. Need to be in it to figure out what works for you and what doesn't organizationally. Don't see much of that extraneous stuff on your list though, that's good :-)

Photomom

The goal at this point is to be able to establish a total budget so there are no major surprises down the road. Spouse will not be happy if we set aside, say, $22K and I tell him later we need to spend a few thousand more!

The idea to ask for the package price is a good one so I'll separate out the absolute must haves from the things that we will probably need at some point.

The good news is we've accumulated 30 years worth of camping gear so we won't need anything that is not directly RV related.

Verna

Good list and good additions from PXLated. Just don't buy any special items for the inside...from a new T@B owner. There's nowhere for the paper plate dispenser, maybe it will fit in my house kitchen after the remodel.  

It's all a work in progress, trust me. You'll find other things you'll need.

A large and long funnel helps if you need to pour water from a 4 or 6 gallon jug into your water inlet.
A rug to clean off shoes outside and a mat outside your shower to stand on while drying off.
I also bought a clear rubber shower mat (the suction cup kind), cut it to fit the shower base area. It comes in handy for showers and also to help keep down tracking in dirt during the day when using the facilities. 
I like a 5x7 or a 6x9 outdoor rug/mat to keep the dirt down near the T@B. Yeah, a bit of glamping maybe, but if I'm spending more than one day at a campsite, it's nice.  

Mouseketab

What might be more effective for when the T@B is resting at home is to have a 30 Amp plug installed at your house. That way you can keep the battery charged, and also can driveway camp

If you have an outside outlet at your home already within reach of the T@B, you can use a 30 Amp to 15 Amp adapter and plug into that and keep the battery charged.

(Unless you envision using the solar while camping).

That also reminds me, a 30 Amp to 15 Amp adapter and a 50 Amp to 30 Amp adapter comes in handy.

I've arrived at a campground where the 30 Amp is bad and the 50 - 30 adapter allowed me to still use the pole.

Photomom

We have a 15 amp outlet in the garage - would that be enough to charge the battery and run the refrigerator (to pre-cool it)? Or would we need 30 amp service? I don't anticipate camping in the driveway :-)

Mouseketab

Yes, that would be enough to charge the battery and run the fridge. You may or may not be able to run the air conditioner. Some have success, some do not. Depends on what other loads are on the circuit with the garage plug.

Leisansteve

Love our bike rack #cloth hanger#cooler 
carrer #off ground storage 

DABWCA

If you're custom ordering your T@B, then consider substituting a Maxxair Maxxfan rather than adding a cover for the Fantastic fan. The Maxxfan has a built in rain cover that works really well but has a lower profile. It also has 10 speeds. I've had mine wide open during several downpours and have taken no water. I wonder why LG hasn't adopted the Maxxfan for their T@B MAXX configuration. But then, they haven't chosen an LG air conditioner either!

http://www.maxxair.com/products/maxxfan/maxxfan_deluxe_manual.php

Photomom

In order to lie flat, does the maxxair fan stick down into the camper?

DABWCA

On the inside it fits exactly like the stock fan. On the outside it extends further towards the rear of the T@B but doesn't extend upward as an add on rain cover would. I have the model with the manual controls, which can be easily reached even when in bed and works great.

Photomom

That's what I was thinking - the manual controls should be fine for us. 

kybob

I wish I had know this when I ordered my T@B. Where did you buy your fans DABWC and Sandra? I couldn't find a dealer on the Maxxair website within 250 miles of my home base in the Greater Cincinnati area. 

DABWCA

The Maxxfan was installed by LG at the factory for a small upgrade charge. The fan can be ordered from Amazon for a good price but would need to be switched out. Your T@B dealer can probably do that and also is likely to be able to get the fan from Maxxair.

Kevin@7

As someone who has blown a new trailer tire going through a construction zone I would recommend a flat emergency kit.  There's plenty on Amazon, walmart, target, Lowes, etc and they're highly recommended.  You can just get the self inflating cans to give you just enough pressure to hobble to a repair shop or the ones with a built in inflater for full pressure.  Again, to get you to a repair shop but you can travel longer distances and faster speeds.  Definitely keep your spare incase of side wall damage or severe damage but the kits are really good for quick repair.  No one wants to change to a spare on the side of the interstate.

Cheaper...
The pressurized cans with built in slime

Mid range...
http://www.amazon.com/Slime-40013-Smart-Emergency-Repair/dp/B003RNWOAQ/ref=sr_1_7?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1440593862&sr=1-7&keywords=slime+tire+inflator

More expensive...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YMP1SA/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Photomom

Massive Amazon Prime delivery today - the guy had to use a hand cart. When our T@B arrives we'll be ready! (I think we'll need more bins though.)

Photomom

And yes those are party lights. My one fun doodad. 

Verna

Great buys!  If the Scott TP is the textured single ply, it has become my favorite brand. It's available at every Walmart I've shopped at since January.  If you have a Harbor Freight, I buy their medium weight blue nitrile gloves. I don't know how the price compares. I certainly feel better using the nitrile gloves with the tanks and hoses.

Photomom

I am amazed how bulky the leveling/chocking stuff is. I had no clue. Was planning to stow in in one action packer. No way. 

Ratkity

Of all your wonderful things on the list, one that has been mentioned is the water hose pressure regulator. Buy an extra. A cheapo one was provided by my dealer (plastic) and it failed on me.

I know lots of people don't buy temporary water filters, but I do and was very thankful for it at Bull Run SP, VA. I wasn't at a water hookup and topped off my water tank after a longer than normal stay (for me) via 2.5 gal water jug. The potable water had a very strong sulfur smell. I don't drink the water that comes from the fresh water tap, but I certainly don't want my little camper to smell like rotten eggs after flushing, showering or doing dishes (ha, me? do dishes? lol). That little filter not only filled my water jug a couple times, but also filled up several other bewildered people's water jugs who weren't real impressed with the odor either (odor is not harmful, just annoying). Always run some city water through your water hose with a new filter to get loose carbon out (make sure water pressure regulator is not on the filter - it'll clog the regulator). 

The funnel Verna mentioned needs to be able to bend a bit or water-filling becomes nearly a two person job - that or you'll get wet shoes.  Link below to the one that I can bungle to the T@B handle and then am able to lift up a 20 lbs of water jug to slowly pour in the water tank without having to balance the jug and the funnel position.

http://www.amazon.com/Hopkins-10710-FloTool-Multi-Task-Funnel/dp/B000EH0OQY/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1462468863&sr=8-17&keywords=adjustable+funnel

I wouldn't purchase much more! I have different bins for different types of camping. Also have a "winterizing" bin which also keeps spare camper parts, I have an awning/chairs/table bin, and general bin (water hose, nitrile gloves, filter, water regulator, other misc things that are camper specific, and the 50-30 Amp adaptor (30 to 20 A adaptor stays in "Anything" box). The Anything Box stays in the camper. This holds anything that is small enough to escape from any internal storage and could roll to an inconvenient spot (Murphy's Law).

Photomom

In the pile of stuff is a water pressure regulator. I suppose I'll get a spare, they're small. And there is a nozzle thing you use with a hose to fill the water tank. 

There is an RV water filter in the pile. We have taken a Pur filter/dispenser when tent camping and will continue to use that for drinking water.

My plan (hope?) was to store everything T@B related in or on the T@B. We are tired of having to load/unload the SUV every time we go camping. 

Ratkity

I've gone through so many "cullings" of items. I know better. I still do it! I have Verna's tool affliction AND PXL+Jenn's photography bug. *sigh* And I've had teardrops since 2009 and a popup before that. There's an inner pack-rat in me that keeps escaping!

Photomom

Well, I also have camera gear. And depending on where we are going we have kayaks and accompanying gear, bicycles and related stuff, and/or hiking boots, poles, and packs. And watercolor paints, and books, and board games...

Ratkity

Ok, add guitar, music (trying to xfer my personal books to ipad - interesting exercise), small battery-powered amp, cabling, accessories, pen & ink drawing supplies, drawing paper/books, and Inktense color pencils... yes, indeed... I can relate! I think you win with bulky items though (bikes and kayaks)! Harvey complains all the time. He's worse than a cat on how much bed he can occupy.......

And I'm still trying to figure out how to put the Harley in the truck bed with an auto-lift and pull camper too. Ah, the marriage of two fun things!!

Verna

OK, I guess I can mention my carving chisels, the small pieces of wood, and my new 12V rechargeable lithium powered Dremel tool. I can't seem to find my Kevlar protective glove, so I guess I'll have to buy another one.

Verna

Photomom, tge water regulator spare is a good buy. I left my first one at a state park. Then I luckily found out it is better to put the regulator at the T@B. So I leave the 90* angle and the regulator connected to the T@B end of the hose abd I don't keave them connected to a water spigot. I'll get a new photo of how I've made a better water filler end instead of using a funnel. I'll be back......

Photomom

My plan was faucet -> hose -> filter -> regulator -> T@B.

Is the right angle thing helpful? Amazon has our credit card on file and I can order more stuff with one click, lol.

Verna

The black plastic spigot broke on my 4-gallon Reliance water jug, actually on two of them. I bought  the brass 3/4" hose bib and it screwed into the same hole in the black lid. (If you
don't have strong hands, have one of the guys in the hardware store move the lever a couple of times for you because that thing is screwed on tight!). Then I put the 12" plastic hose on the end of the hose bib. I can now add water to the fresh water tank without loosing 1/4 of a gallon or so, as was happening with the funnel.  If you're short, put one of those folding stools on the ground, put your foot on the stool, support the jug with your leg, and you don't even know you have 32 lbs of water in the jug.