TEXAS BEACH CAMPING INC.

Corpus Christi, TX.

25’ Sportsmen Operations Manual

Table of Contents

Welcome, Introduction and Contact Information ............... Error! Bookmark not defined. Dry Camping versus a Campground ........................................ 2 Safety and Security…………………………………………………3

Power ....................................................................................... 4 Where is the light switch?

Propane

110 volt (campground use)

12 volt and Solar (dry camping)

Fresh Water ............................................................................. 5

Hot Water ................................................................................. 6

Refrigerator .............................................................................. 7

Range ...................................................................................... 8 Stove top

Oven

Microwave

Television ................................................................................. 9 Heat…………………………………………………………………10 Air Conditioning (campground only)………………………….....11 Toilet…………………………………………………………….….12 Sewage………………………………………………………….….13 Vacating at the end of your stay…………………………………14

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1. Welcome

elcome to Corpus Christi, TX. We are very happy that you chose us to provide you with your lodging accommodations. It is our every intention to do our part in making your stay comfortable and enjoyable. Please do not hesitate in contacting us if you have any questions or concerns.

Telephone (800) 398-7751

Cell or Text (361) 633-9227

Email eric@texasbeachcamping.com

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2. Dry Camping versus

Campgrounds

RV’s have the ability to plug into city utilities or operate independently on their own utilities. In either case the RV essentially operates the same. When you’re attached to city utilities, water, sewer and electricity resources are limitless. Your resources become limited to what is on board when dry camping. In this case, conservation is the key.

Electricity

While dry camping, electricity is provided from a 12 volt battery. This RV Travel Trailer is equipped with solar panels to charge the battery and should keep up with normal use. However, other factors can affect the electrical operations. For example, solar panels do not charge in cloudy or foggy weather. Their charging ability is also limited on shorter winter days. Furthermore, excessive use of lights, TV, radio or other electrical items can limit the solar panels ability to maintain a charged battery. For these reasons we encourage you to conserve your electrical use whenever possible. Turn off lights, the TV, and other electrical items when not in use.

Water

While dry camping water is limited to what is stored in an onboard holding tank. For this reason we encourage you to limit water use whenever possible. Word of warning, showering is hands down the biggest use of water. One trick is to turn the water on and off while showering. For example, turn it on to rinse and then turn it off to lather up or shampoo. Turn it on again for your final rinse. We provide you with portable water tanks so that you can re-fill your water tank. A good habit is to refill what you use on a daily basis to prevent it from becoming one big chore. More on this in a later chapter.

Sewage

While dry camping sewage doesn’t just magically disappear. Whether it goes down a sink drain or the toilet, it all ends up in 2 holding tanks below the RV. One holding tank is for grey water. This is the water that is drained out of sinks or the bathtub/shower. The other is the black water tank. This is for the water and sewage from the toilet. The Corpus Christi area beaches often have public restrooms or chemical toilets nearby. Use them as much as possible. We provide you with a specially made grey or black water transportation tank which you can use to empty the tanks as

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needed. A good practice is to empty the grey water tank daily. More on this in a later chapter.

Propane

Your stove, oven, water heater and furnace run on propane while in a campground or dry camping. The propane is stored in 2 bottles located on the front exterior of the travel trailer. The good news is that they are easily replaceable when empty. They are the same type that you use on your home barbeque and empty ones can be exchanged for full ones at most area convenience stores. The two tanks will be full upon your arrival, but refills are not included.

3. Safety and Security

Please read this chapter completely.

Fire Extinguishers. Please make yourself familiar with the locations of the fire extinguishers.

Emergency Exits. In case of an emergency, this travel trailer is equipped with emergency exits. Each sleeping area has either a door or emergency exit window. The window can be identified by a RED handle which opens it. Please make yourself and every member in your party, familiar with its location and operation.

Window and Door locks. Each window and door has a lock. The door(s) have both a deadbolt and a latch. We encourage you to lock your windows and doors while away from the Travel Trailer

Fume Detector The travel trailer comes equipped with a fume detector located near the floor and in the cooking area. Its primary purpose is to detect a propane gas leak. An unlit stove burner could set it off. Should this occur, simply turn off the stove and vacate the travel trailer immediately. Only return if you are certain that the gas has dissipated. Propane gas has a strong odor so give it a good smell test. DO NOT turn on any electrical item unless you are absolutely sure that the gas has dissipated.

Contact Us. Please contact us as soon as possible if you have any safety or security concerns. Our contact information is listed in chapter 1.

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4. Power

Lights, Propane and Electricity

Where is the light switch? This simple question can be a bit confusing in an RV. Almost all lights are located on the ceiling. Each light has a switch attached to it. In some cases the lights have an additional switch on the wall. This is the tricky part. If the wall switch is off, the direct light switches will not work. Conversely, the wall switch will not turn on the light if the switch on the light is turned off. Take a moment to locate the wall switch(s) and see what lights they control. The wall switches are usually near a door. This may require some experimentation.

Propane is used for the stove, hot water heater, and furnace. The propane tanks are located on the exterior, front side of the RV as indicated in the following picture. Turn the valves counter clockwise to turn them on, and clockwise to turn them off. Go ahead and turn them BOTH on if they are not on already. The system is designed to draw from only one tank at a time. Should they become empty, they are easy to remove. They are just like your barbecue at home. First turn off all propane appliances. Then use your hand (no tools needed) to unscrew the gas line from the tank. The tank can be exchanged for full ones at most area convenience stores. Repeat the process in reverse to re-install them.

Campground Electricity. (Do not mistake for Dry Camping Electricity) While staying in a campground you can plug the travel trailer into 110 volt electricity. This is the only option if you want to use the air conditioner. Locate the campsite power box. There is usually one per site and may be labeled with your site number. Next, locate the travel trailers electrical plug as indicated in the following pictures. Pull it out and plug it

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into the campsite power supply. Turn on the campsite power supply circuit breaker if it isn’t on already. Now you should have power.

Dry Camping Electricity. While dry camping you are limited to the electricity which is stored in the onboard 12 volt batteries. They will be slowly recharged with the solar panels located on the roof. Keep in mind that your electricity is a limited resource so use it wisely. A solar charge controller is mounted on an interior wall according to the following picture. It can be used for monitoring the status of the batteries.

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5. Fresh Water

Campground and Dry Camping

Water Pump. In order to have running water you will have to turn on the water pump. Locate the switch as indicated in the following picture and turn it on if it isn’t already. It can be left on throughout your stay because the pump will cycle on and off automatically as water is used. Please note that this panel can also be used to monitor your fresh water supply and the level of water in your grey and black water tanks.

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Campground Water. Each campsite at a campground usually has its own water supply. Please note that some of the County and National campgrounds do not have water supply at each campsite; in which case you will follow the instructions for dry camping. For campground water, start by locating the garden hose which is located in one of the exterior storage compartments. Next locate the campsite water supply. It looks similar to your exterior water supply at home. Attach one end of the garden hose to it. Next, locate the water inlet on the travel trailer according to the following picture. Unscrew the cover and insert the other end of the garden hose. Turn on the campsite water valve. Fill the RV until the storage tank is full. You will know it because water will overflow from the travel trailer water inlet. Turn off the water, remove the garden hose and replace the water inlet cover.

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Dry Camping Water. The travel trailer should come equipped with a full water tank. With careful water use this can last for several days but is dependent upon the number of people in your party. Remember that your water is a limited resource so use it wisely. Located in one of the exterior storage compartments are portable water containers. They can be used to refill the onboard water tank using the water inlet which is indicated on the picture above. However, you will need to locate a source of water first to fill the water jugs. There is a water fill and waste disposal station located at the Malaquite campground located within Padre Island National Seashore. Water fill and waste disposal stations are also located at the 2 county campgrounds, I.B. Magee in Port Aransas and Padre Balli Park on Padre Island. Please let us know if you find other convenient sources of fresh water so that we can add them to this manual.

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6. Hot Water

This RV comes equipped with an automatic hot water heater.

Hot Water Heater Switch. Assuming that you already turned on the propane as discussed in chapter 4, all you must do for hot water is turn on the switch. The switch is located on the bathroom wall and is indicated in the following picture. It should operate correctly with the switch in the on position and the reset light off. Turn it off and wait 1 minute before turning it back on again if the reset light turns on. The switch can remain on throughout your stay.

7. Refrigerator

The refrigerator operates on propane while dry camping and on electricity when plugged in at a campground.

Make sure that the propane tanks have been turned on as discussed in chapter 4. Press the on/off button on the refrigerator to ensure that it is on. Choose the automatic mode and desired temperature. Upon the initial startup or after the propane tanks have been removed, you might see a fault code. The letter “F” will display on the panel.

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This happens because propane has not completely traveled through the line. Should this happen, turn of the refrigerator, wait a few seconds and turn it on again. It might take several attempts.

This is an absorption type refrigerator which is very different from yours at home. While being very efficient, they have very slow recovery rates. This means that they cool very slowly. Every second that the refrigerator or freezer door is left open you lose cold air that takes a long time to replace. Limit the time in which you leave the doors open to avoid spoiling food and an un-frozen refrigerator.

8. Range

Stovetop and Oven

Stovetop. The stove and oven run on propane. Make sure that the propane tanks have been turned on as discussed in chapter 4. Locate the igniter/lighter which should be near the stove, either on a shelf or in a drawer. It is basically a cigarette lighter with a long stem. Light the lighter and place it near the desired burner. Turn on the burner control valve and the flame should ignite. If it doesn’t, turn of the burner and lighter immediately. Wait a few minutes for the gas in the air to dissipate and then try again. If it still doesn’t work, check the propane tanks. You may be out of propane.

Oven. Unlike the stovetop, the oven has a pilot light. Open the oven door and locate the pilot light. It should be toward the back and under the center shelf. Ignite the igniter as discussed above. Turn the oven valve to the pilot position and ignite the pilot light. Turn the oven valve off and wait several minutes if it doesn’t light. It may take several minutes and tries for the pilot to remain lit as the thermo coupler needs to heat

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up. After it is lit, turn the oven control knob to your desired temperature. It’s a good practice to turn the pilot light off so when not in use so you aren’t wasting propane.

Microwave. The microwave operates on 110 volts only. This means that it only works while you are plugged into electricity at a campground. It does not work while dry camping.

9. Television

The Television chapter is purposely placed in this section of the manual. After a long day of travel and figuring out how all of the systems work as previously discussed, you now deserve a break. Feel free to turn it on, kick back , and veg out.

This travel trailer is equipped with a TV/DVD combo that works on 12 volts. It will work the same even if you are dry camping or in a campground. It operates with a remote and similar to your TV’s at home, but there are 2 things you must do to set it up. It is equipped with a roof mounted power antenna. Start by raising the antenna. Do this by locating the hand crank on the ceiling in the forward bedroom and turn it according to the directions above the crank. If you step outside, you will see the antenna in the up position while looking at the roof. The final step is to turn on the powered antenna amplifier. It is a small black switch located above where the TV plugs into the 12 volt power, and indicated on the following picture. A red light will appear when it is on. It is a good practice to conserve electricity by turning the amplifier off when not in use.

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10. Heat

Yes, you are on the tropical Texas coast, but sometimes a big nasty cold front will come down from the north and cool things off. If this happens, just keep in mind that it is still warmer here than it is there.

Forced Air furnace. This travel trailer is equipped with a propane/12 volt powered furnace. It is ducted throughout the RV. Make sure that the propane tanks have been turned on as discussed in chapter 4. Locate the thermostat on the wall as indicated in the following picture. Find the on/off switch at the bottom and turn it on. Finally choose your desired temperature.

A word of advice, the furnace is the biggest user of both propane and 12 volt electricity in the RV. Use it conservatively.

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11. Air Conditioning.

The air conditioner is only operable while plugged into 110 volt electricity at a campground.

Air Conditioner. The air conditioner controls are attached to the unit itself which is on the ceiling and centrally located. It is white and has vents on it. Below is a picture for your reference. The controls operate like a window air conditioner at home.

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12. Toilet.

I hope that you have not been reading this manual from the beginning with your legs crossed and wondering when the author is going to get to this subject.

Toilet Operation. An RV toilet is a pretty simple system that uses gravity to evacuate the waste from the bowl to a holding tank directly below. Start by making sure that the water pump is on as discussed in chapter 5.Notice that there are 2 small levers on the upper right side of the toilet. One is within the other. The inner one will fill the toilet bowl with water. The outer one will drain and rinse the toilet bowl. Partially fill the bowl with water prior to defecating. Then use it as you would any other toilet. RV toilet paper is the only type that is allowed. Additional RV toilet paper is available at every Walmart. Some has already been supplied for you, and is in the bathroom vanity cabinet. Any other type of toilet paper will clog the system. Use the outer lever to drain and rinse the bowl when finished. It is your choice whether to add water to the bowl prior to urinating. To do so uses water, a limited resource in a RV. You may notice some urine splatter if you don’t use water. You make the call.

Controlling Odors. 2 Packs of holding tank deodorizers are flushed down the toilet after the tank is drained. They lose their effectiveness over time and more may needed. They are located in the vanity cabinet. Flush one at a time down the toilet as needed. Don’t use too many or too often. They have a strong chemical smell.

13. Sewage

Fair warning, this is not going to be the most enjoyable part of your vacation.

Grey Water. This is the water that is drained from your sinks and bathtub and is held in its own tank. Grey water really isn’t that gross. Unfortunately grey water tanks usually fill rather quickly. A good practice is to drain it daily so that it doesn’t become too big of a chore.

Black Water. This is the water, urine, and fecal matter that is drained from the toilet and held in its own tank. This is the gross stuff. Fortunately, black water tanks tend to fill at a slower rate than grey water. By using public restrooms whenever possible and conservative use of water in the toilet, you might not have to empty the black water tank during your vacation.

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Draining the Black and Grey Water Tanks while Dry Camping. Locate and put on the supplied disposable gloves. They will be found in one of the exterior storage compartments. Contained in the travel trailer is a portable waste water tank. It is used for transporting the grey or black water from the RV to a sewage dump station. Dump stations are located at Malaquite campground in Padre Island National Seashore and at the 2 county campgrounds, I.B. Magee in Port Aransas and Padre Bali Park on Padre Island. Please note that dumping is free at Malaquite for those camping at any location within Padre Island National Seashore. It is also free for those camping at the county campgrounds. The county campgrounds will let you dump even if you are not camping there but for a fee.

Remove the portable tank (pictured below). Your RV has 2 drain hoses. One is a long one for connecting directly to a campsite sewer drain. The other is a short one for connecting to a portable tank. They are large diameter hoses (about 4” diameter). Locate and remove the short drain hose. It is the one with a clear 90 degree connector on one end. Locate the grey and black water drain valves as pictured below. Remove the cover from the end of the drain valves and attach the end of the drain hose without the 90 decree adaptor to it. Connect the other end with the clear 90 degree adaptor to the portable tank. Notice that there are 2 valves. One is connected to a large diameter pipe and the other is connected to a smaller one. The large one is for Black water and the small one is for Grey water. Choose which one you are going to drain. Open it and allow it to drain until the portable tank is almost full. Look down through the clear 90 degree adaptor to determine when the tank is almost full. Turn off the valve before the tank is full. Remove the hose from the RV side, lift it and drain all liquid from the hose into the portable tank. Remove the hose and place it in a large kitchen garbage bag. Place the cover back on the portable tank. Go into the bathroom and flush 2 Holding Tank Deodorizers packets down the toilet if you drained the black water tank.

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Draining the Portable Tank. Transport the portable tank to one of the above mentioned sewage dump stations. Transport the tank lying flat with the wheels and handle close to the ground. Do not transport the tank in an upright position. Locate the sewage drain in the ground. Remove the cap from the storage tank and attach one end of the drain hose to it. Place the other end of the drain hose into the sewage drain. Lift the tank on the opposite side of the drain. This will allow the waste to leave the tank, travel through the hose and into the drain. Do so until it is empty. Locate a water hose near the dump station. There should be one that is for rinsing sewage tanks but not intended for fresh water. A fresh water hose will be near. Don’t use it. Use the sewage rinse hose to rinse out the portable tank and hose. Notice that there is a small, covered hole on the portable tank. Use this for rinsing the tank and hose.

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Draining the Black and Grey Water Tanks at a Campground. Most privately owned campgrounds have sewage drains located in the ground at each campsite. The county campgrounds and Padre Island National Seashore do not. It is much easier to dump your sewage when you have a drain at your campsite. Follow the instructions for draining into a portable tank but with only 2 differences. One difference is to use the longer drain hose. The other difference is that you will connect the end of the hose to the sewage drain rather than the portable tank.

Cleanliness. Always wash your hands and any part of your body that came into contact with waste water. Thoroughly wash with soap and hot water.

14. Vacating at the end of

your stay.

We are sorry to see you leave and hope that you had a great time in the Corpus Christi area.

Upon your departure please take a moment to make sure that you packed all of your personal belongings. Clean the travel trailer. Return it to the condition as to when you arrived. Please let us know if anything is broken or damaged. We understand that things break with normal use. Let us know so that we can take care of it for the next occupants. Lock the door as you depart. Place the key back into the key box. Contact us and let us know when you leave so that we can pick it up. Don’t worry about the fresh or waste water tanks. We will drain or fill them as needed. We will also re-fill the propane tanks.

Toll Free (800) 398-9227

Cell or Text (361) 633-9227

E-mail eric@texasbeachcamping.com

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