Travel Trailer Upgrades to Improve Efficiency

Going camping with a travel trailer means that you can experience all the wonder and joy of the great outdoors without all the discomfort of tent camping. You’ll have a warm, dry place to sleep, bathe and prepare meals during your travels. While your travel trailer comes with a whole host of great features, you can always make some alterations to make it more efficient and comfortable to stay in.

The Outpost RV in Middlebury is your Indiana travel trailer dealer. Read on to learn more about how you can upgrade your travel trailer to make it more efficient and useful to you on the road.

1. LED Lighting

Standard incandescent lightbulbs burn out quickly and use up your travel trailer’s power more than energy-efficient LED lights. These bulbs use five times less energy and tend to burn brighter so you get more light for less power. You can replace brake lights, porch lights, interior lights and storage lights with LED bulbs to illuminate your travel trailer. Just make sure that your trailer is capable of holding the type of bulb you choose.

2. Solar Power

The future is here in the form of energy harnessed from sunlight! Equipping your travel trailer with a solar power panel system on its roof will help you to reduce your reliance on your generator or hook-up power sources. These panels are not cheap to install, but imagine how much you’ll save on propane when you’re boondocking! And the energy itself is free because sunlight costs nothing and is plentiful for much of the summer.

3. Vent Fans

Want to lower the moisture levels and cool the air in your travel trailer? Install some vent fans that will quietly blow away steam, smoke, odor, moisture and hot air to let you rest easily at night. Some models come with thermostats so that you can better regulate the temperature inside your trailer, even when you’re not there.

4. Headphone Jacks

For a traveling family or group of friends, it can be hard to find a compromise on whether or not to watch TV or listen to music. Installing some headphone jacks near the seats in your travel trailer will allow everyone to plug into the entertainment of their choice and enjoy it quietly.

5. Storage Solutions

Storage is unfortunately always at a premium in a travel trailer. It can be a real challenge to keep everyone’s gear corralled and out of the way. However, you can easily remedy this with a little DIY! Here are some great ideas for increasing the amount of storage in your travel trailer:

• Install wire shelves on the insides of kitchen cabinets for foil, saran wrap, plastic baggies and paper towels.
• Create a shoe-holder near the door with cubbies for each pair of shoes.
• Put in shower and towel racks in the bathroom.

6. Battery Capacity

Travel trailers typically come with 12V batteries that have anywhere from 85 to 105Ah capacity, which is fine for campgrounds with hookups. If you want to boondock, though, you’ll want to add some additional battery capacity to your trailer. 6V golf cart batteries can be a good solution to create more power storage, especially if you have solar panels to generate electricity for them.

7. Roof Seals

Roof leaks can be disastrous in a travel trailer, so you’ll want to make sure your sealant is in good shape. You can use roofing tape over the roof seams to add a barrier against weather. Clean up the sealant and make sure that it’s dry before applying the tape. Use your fingers to press the tape firmly in place.

If you need any assistance finding or installing parts on your travel trailer, contact the parts and service department here at The Outpost RV. We’ll be happy to assist you however we can in upgrading your current travel trailer. Looking for a modern travel trailer to make your camping trips so much better? Visit our dealership in Middlebury, IN, to take a look at our wide stock of new and used travel trailers for sale. The Outpost RV proudly serves the city of Kalamazoo, MI.