Top 10 Most Popular RV Upgrades
So which RV upgrades should you get?
Main Topics of this Article:
Top 10 Most Popular RV Upgrades
Tankless Water Heater
There are a few benefits and a few drawbacks of installing a tankless water heater. I’ll not go too far into it but key aspects to consider are size, flow rate, energy usage, portability, and the time it takes for hot water to reach the fixture (usually about 5 seconds or is a lot of water wasted especially if you’re off-grid for a few days). If you don’t camp a lot there are probably better ways to spend your money like a solar system or installing insulation in key areas.LED Lighting
The first thing I did after I bought the Airstream was to replace the old light bulbs with LED lighting. The old incandescent bulbs get hot and need a lot of energy but LEDs don’t. It cost around $24 to replace every interior bulb.LED lights last a lot longer than traditional light bulbs plus they have a higher wattage to illuminate all the corners of the RV. You can pick up these light bulbs at any department store or home hardware store.
You can also purchase surge protector power bars to decrease the chances of disrupting the power throughout the RV. These surge protectors are available at local stores or through online sources.
Install Solar Panels
Another smart RV upgrade is solar power. There’s a lot more to a solar system than most realize though. The solar panels themselves are just the beginning. You also need a charge controller to regulate the energy that flows from the panels into the battery bank in DC (direct current) form. To use the energy stored in the batteries you need a pure sine wave converter to convert the DC energy to AC so you can use your appliances. This is a great resource to learn more about an RV solar system. Solar panels have been getting more affordable with each passing year. This can be a complex project and if you’re not comfortable with drilling holes in your RV’s roof it’s probably best to pay a professional.Upgrade Your Mattress and Sofa Bed
Upgrading a standard RV mattress to a thicker and better-made one will make a huge difference. There are some great mattresses and sofa beds on the market for RVs and Campers. You can spend anywhere between $99 and $1500 on a pull out sofa bed or a mattress.Get Storage and Organization Products for Campers and RVs
One complaint that people tend to have when it comes to RVs is the amount of storage space located inside or, the lack thereof. You can use scrap wood located around your garage to build a small set of shelves that will fit underneath the sink of the RV, shelving that can go up the overhead of the bunks, or a little end table to place next to the couch with shelving inside. Paint the exterior of your shelving bright and welcoming colors then use it to proudly display knick-knacks and pictures from previous camping trips.
There are some great mattresses and sofa beds on the market for RVs and Campers. You can spend anywhere between $99 and $1500 on a pull out sofa bed or a mattress.