RV Gear Upgrades Your Rig Didn't Come With
RV Tire Pressure Monitors (TPMS), Tank and Battery Monitors
Grundig Auto sells RV propane and CO detectors, WiFi tank level and battery monitors, and RV tire pressure monitoring systems.
Grundig RV TPMS for a single motorhome or travel trailer. Kits with 4, 6, or 8 external sensors, pressure monitoring from 14.5 to 116 PSI, tire temperature alerts, and a 5-inch display.
Grundig 550S solar-powered TPMS for RVs, trailers, and trucks. Monitors 6 to 36 wheels up to 200 PSI, with separate alarm settings for each axle and a display that charges by solar or USB‑C.
Grundig WiFi tank level monitor. A non-contact ultrasonic sensor mounts on top of the tank, with level readings and high or low alerts sent to a phone app. Works with fresh, gray, and black tanks.
Grundig WiFi battery monitor with a 600A shunt. Measures current in and out of the battery bank and shows state of charge on a 2.4-inch display and in a phone app.
Grundig solar wireless backup camera. Mounts magnetically to steel with no drilling or wiring, charges from its own solar panel, and sends 720P video with color night vision to a 7-inch monitor that plugs into a 12V or 24V outlet. Kits with 1 to 4 cameras.
- Tires. Trailer tires are the ones you cannot feel from the driver's seat, and they usually age out before they wear out. Goodyear, Michelin, Carlisle, and Maxxis recommend replacing trailer tires at five to six years regardless of tread. The last four digits of the DOT code give the week and year of manufacture. A TPMS reports pressure and temperature for every wheel, so a slow leak or a tire running hot, which can also point to a bearing problem, shows up before it turns into a blowout. External sensors screw onto the valve stem; pair them with metal bolt-in valve stems, since rubber snap-in stems can flex and fail under a sensor's weight.
- Tanks. Factory probe sensors sit inside the tank and read "full" once tissue and grease coat them. A non-contact ultrasonic monitor mounted on top of the tank reads the level without touching the contents.
- Batteries. A voltage reading does not tell you how much charge is left, especially with lithium batteries, which hold nearly the same voltage until they are almost empty. A shunt-based monitor measures current in and out of the bank and tracks actual state of charge and remaining runtime.
- Propane and CO alarms. Hard-wired RV gas alarms have a limited service life. Safe-T-Alert, a maker of RV LP and CO alarms, rates its units at five years and stamps the date on the back; if the date has passed or is missing, replace the alarm. The propane sensor belongs near the floor because propane is heavier than air.
- Shipping. Grundig ships free on all US orders.
Skip the Black Tank: RV Dry-Flush Toilets
Ask RVers which job they would give away first, and most will say dumping the black tank. A dry-flush toilet does away with it. Each use is sealed into its own bag with a coagulant, with no flush water, no chemicals, and nothing going into the black tank.
Modiwell Elite R1808 (fixed). Replaces the RV's existing toilet. It needs no fresh-water hookup and no black tank, and runs on the RV's 12V or 24V system or its own charger, for about 100 uses per charge.
Modiwell EVO LE-310 (portable). Folding legs collapse it to under 11 inches tall for storage. About 70 to 100 uses per charge, weighs 16.5 lb, and has an optional 12V adapter.
Modiwell Space Egg LE-330 (portable). A compact egg-shaped model with a carry handle that folds to about 12 inches tall. About 100 uses per charge, weighs 17 lb, and is rated for up to 330 lb.
- The gray tank stays. Sinks and the shower still drain to the gray tank, so dump stops don't disappear entirely. They just stop involving black water.
- Disposal. Dispose of the sealed bags like diapers, in household trash.
- Shipping and warranty. All Modiwell toilets ship free to the United States, Canada and Australia and come with an 18-month warranty.
RV Portable Power Stations
A portable power station is handy away from the rig, for lights, a fan, or charging devices at the campsite or on a day trip. It runs silently and needs no fuel.
Bluetti Elite 300. 3,014Wh capacity and 2,400W AC output, with an outlet for a 30-amp RV plug and a 12V/30A DC port, plus wall, solar, and vehicle alternator charging.
Bluetti Elite 400. A 3,840Wh LiFePO4 battery and 2,600W AC output on built-in wheels, with up to 1,000W of solar input for longer stays away from hookups.
Bluetti AC180. A 1,152Wh LiFePO4 battery and 1,800W AC output in a 35 lb unit, with up to 500W of solar input.
Bluetti Elite 30 V2. A compact 288Wh LiFePO4 unit with 600W AC output for phones, laptops, lights, and fans at the campsite, with up to 200W of solar input.
Bluetti 200W portable solar panel (SP200L). A foldable panel for recharging a power station away from hookups. Bluetti lists the Elite 300, Elite 400, and AC180 among its compatible models.
- Runtime math. Hours of runtime is roughly capacity (Wh) × 0.85 ÷ load (W), with the 0.85 covering inverter and conversion losses. On a steady 100W load, that works out to about 2.4 hours from the 288Wh Elite 30 V2 and about 25.6 hours from the 3,014Wh Elite 300.
- Recharging. Solar charging is capped by the station's rated solar input, so panel wattage beyond that rating does not charge it any faster. Alternator chargers such as Bluetti's Charger 1 and Charger 2 top the station up while driving.
- Shipping. Bluetti ships free to the lower 48 states.
RV Surge Protectors
A surge protector sits between the campground pedestal and your shore cord and absorbs voltage spikes before they reach the RV. The circuit analyzer built into these models also shows wiring faults at the pedestal before you plug in the rig.
GEARGO 50-amp RV surge protector, rated at 18,000 joules. A built-in circuit analyzer with an LED display shows pedestal voltage and flags wiring faults before you plug in, and the plug has an IP68 waterproof cover. For 50-amp RVs.
GEARGO 30-amp RV surge protector, rated at 12,000 joules. A built-in circuit analyzer with indicator lights flags wiring faults before you plug in, and the plug has a flip-up protective cover. For 30-amp RVs.
RV Internet and Campground WiFi
Campground WiFi can be slow, crowded, or unavailable at the campsite. A portable travel hotspot can provide a private WiFi connection by using available mobile networks while traveling.
Globlinker portable travel WiFi hotspot. Connects to available mobile networks in the U.S. and more than 130 countries without a SIM, contract, subscription, or roaming fees.
RV Overnight Stays at Wineries, Farms and Breweries
Harvest Hosts is a membership that lets self-contained RVs stay overnight at wineries, breweries, farms, golf courses and other small businesses across North America. There is no camping fee.
Harvest Hosts membership. Find and book overnight stays at wineries, breweries, farms and attractions through the Harvest Hosts app.
RV Rentals from Private Owners
RVshare is a marketplace for renting RVs directly from private owners across the United States. Renting is a way to try a different type of rig before buying, or to have an RV waiting at the end of a flight.
RVshare RV rentals. Class A, B and C motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels and campervans, with many owners offering delivery and setup at the campsite.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should RV trailer tires be replaced?
Every five to six years, regardless of tread. Goodyear, Michelin, Carlisle and Maxxis all recommend it, because trailer tires age from sun, ozone and sitting parked long before they wear out. The last four digits of the DOT code on the sidewall give the week and year the tire was made.
Do external TPMS sensors need metal valve stems?
Yes. Rubber snap-in stems flex under the weight of a screw-on sensor and can fail at highway speed. Metal bolt-in stems cost a few dollars each and fix the problem.
How long do RV propane and CO alarms last?
About five years. The manufacture or replacement date is stamped on the back of the unit. If the date has passed or is missing, replace the alarm.
Can a dry-flush toilet replace my RV's toilet?
Yes. A fixed model like the Modiwell Elite R1808 takes the place of the existing toilet and needs no water hookup and no black tank. Sinks and the shower still drain to the gray tank.
Which surge protector do I need, 30-amp or 50-amp?
Match your RV's shore power plug. A 30-amp RV has a three-prong plug and a 50-amp RV has a four-prong plug. A 30-amp service supplies up to 3,600 watts, and a 50-amp service supplies up to 12,000 watts across its two 120-volt legs.
How long will a power station run my gear?
Multiply the station's capacity in watt-hours by 0.85, then divide by the watts you're running. A 3,014Wh Bluetti Elite 300 runs a steady 100-watt load for about 25 hours.
