2-Horse Gooseneck Living Quarters Questions
cookiesforme
Reg. Feb 2006
Posted 2006-02-08 2:14 PM (#36730)
Subject: 2-Horse Gooseneck Living Quarters Questions


Member


Posts: 30
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Location: High Point Pennsylvania
Hey all!  New to this forum (although been on the site many, many times) and I hope these aren't questions you all have answered a billion times.  I just bought (haven't even picked it up yet!) a Exiss 2-horse slant with a 4 foot shortwall with electric hookup and my husband and I are planning on installing a weekender package of some sorts.  We are quite handy with plumbing, running electric, etc. as we buy and remodel apartment buildings BUT I don't really understand how the hookup at shows work.  I only ever had a bumper pull (have a 2H straight load, 2003 Hawk for sale right now) and never had a hookup.  When you hook up to water at a show for your shower and cooking does all of that water you use go into your holding tank or is there a grey water line that you can hook into also?  I assume that your toilet water goes to a separate tank?  What about putting in a shower??  I know that a 4 foot SW is small but I've pics of them with showers so I know that it can be done.  I'm just not sure if I really NEED a shower even though I'm sure I'd LIKE a shower but what is the best way to get the water heated?  I don't understand the whole propane vs. elctric etc.  Can you tell I'm a total newbie???? LOL.  Anyone know where I could get some plans or instructions on how to run the plumbing, electric, install tanks, the whole shabang???  Any help would be truly appreciated!

Edited by cookiesforme 2006-02-08 2:16 PM
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huntseat
Reg. Oct 2003
Posted 2006-02-08 3:04 PM (#36733 - in reply to #36730)
Subject: RE: 2-Horse Gooseneck Living Quarters Questions


Expert


Posts: 1989
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Location: South Central OK

Around here in the summer you just shower at the show grounds.  You can't get very much hot water outta a small water heater and you'll need more room.  I've been toots of show grounds around here and they don't have water hook-ups unless you run a line to the barns and then people will unplug you when they need water.

Call the show grounds you plan on going to and ask them about their set-ups.

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Dunoir
Reg. Sep 2005
Posted 2006-02-08 3:36 PM (#36738 - in reply to #36730)
Subject: RE: 2-Horse Gooseneck Living Quarters Questions


Elite Veteran


Posts: 648
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Location: Coconut Creek, FL

I camp with a club and there is quite a variety of LQ trailers.  I camped for 3 years with a good friend that had bought a 2H Sundowner shell and had amenties installed such as electric water heater & fridge, cowboy shower in the horse area, microwave, AC, cabinets, countertop, sink, etc.  Since hers is electric she has a generator or can plug into 210 (the big plug so I think that's what it is). She also insulated the trailer afterwards which was more expensive and a hassle, but well worth it.  She now wishes she had gone the route of propane for the following reasons:  while driving, her fridge is basically a cooler and she has to keep frozen bottles in it to keep the food cold.  If we don't have electric at the campsite, she has to run the generator to cool the fridge.  Same with AC or microwave. 

   The cowboy shower works fine - she puts the hot water heater on for 30 minutes and we can take 2 showers and have plenty of hot water.  However she doesn't have holding tanks, so the water runs out of the trailer. This might present a problem at some locations and I don't recomend it.  We clean the back of the trailer out upon arriving at the location.

You really need the pass through door so you can shower and then go thru into the DR to dress, etc - running the AC sure makes it more comfortable.  The AC's heat strip doesn't work all that great, so she bought a $15 heater that works on electric and we have to keep it on low or it gets too hot.  Keep in mind we live in Fla. 

She did get a very good onan generator which is fairly quiet, but of course you can't run it at night, so once again the fridge becomes a cooler.  I always bring my own cooler for my stuff.

Hope this helps. 

 

 

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MIfarmbabe
Reg. Oct 2003
Posted 2006-02-08 3:45 PM (#36739 - in reply to #36730)
Subject: RE: 2-Horse Gooseneck Living Quarters Questions


Extreme Veteran


Posts: 565
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Location: Michigan

There are few members on this forum who have done or are in the process of doing their own living quarters in their 4-6' shortwall trailers. They even have websites with their progression photos and I know they would be happy to help you. Maccwall and MBRA18 are two I can think of off the top of my head who are doing theirs and they look very nice!

I think if you did a search on pass topics you could find some more info.



Edited by MIfarmbabe 2006-02-08 3:47 PM
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cookiesforme
Reg. Feb 2006
Posted 2006-02-08 4:32 PM (#36745 - in reply to #36738)
Subject: RE: 2-Horse Gooseneck Living Quarters Questions


Member


Posts: 30
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Location: High Point Pennsylvania
Thanks for the info. Well that makes sense that if everything is electric that it will only work when plugged in but can't you run anything off of the truck battery when you are driving? How does the propane work to cool the fridge?

Well, I don't really know if I need a shower. A 4' shortwall is so small and all of the weekend shows I would go to have showers at the grounds. I have long hair and it is so hard to get it washed, conditioned, and rinsed with just a really quick shower. So I don't know that I'd have enough room in my holding tanks to really take a shower anyway unless there is such a thing as a grey water line hookup to send your water away with. A cowboy shower at the shows wouldn't work because you aren't allowed to discharge the water on the ground.... For camping I could just use one of those sun showers and would be ok with that. We do lots of backpacking and sometimes don't take a shower for five days, I know, it's gross but one learns to deal with the odor lol. So I'm thinking that maybe I should just stick with a setup that has a sink, rangetop (or hotplate maybe?), microwave, fridge, self-contained camper toilet, ac and lots of cabinets and I could do all of that with just a electric hookup right? I just don't understand the whole propane thing.... NEWBIE!!
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cookiesforme
Reg. Feb 2006
Posted 2006-02-08 4:33 PM (#36747 - in reply to #36739)
Subject: RE: 2-Horse Gooseneck Living Quarters Questions


Member


Posts: 30
25
Location: High Point Pennsylvania
Thanks, I'll do a search.
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Dawnya
Reg. Aug 2004
Posted 2006-02-10 8:38 AM (#36872 - in reply to #36730)
Subject: RE: 2-Horse Gooseneck Living Quarters Questions



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Posts: 456
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Location: south of Cowtown, TEXAS

I have a 2h GN with 4' shortwall.
I have, and use, a 'cowboy shower' in the summer.
My trailer doesn't have a gray tank - the sink water dumps on the ground and to date, it's never been a problem.  However, since I will be hauling heavy this summer I'll carry a gray bucket to put under the drain if necessary. (if I have to hook-up at an official 'RV' station)

There's a deep-cycle marine battery mounted under the neck and it runs all the lights and the water pump - it's awsome rigged this way if you don't have access to power!  The truck charges the battery while running.

The electric is wired just like a house.  There's a small breaker box.  We don't use the 110 converter because frankly, there's no need.  All RV hook-ups and 90% of generators are AC power.

I have a porta-potty and it's super easy to use and no holding tank!

As far as cooking, the microwave has been great.  I do have a 'hot plate' in the trailer and have never used it.  I will be putting in a convection oven/microwave this spring.

Click the link below to see pics of our DIY LQ progress.  There's a floorplan in there too!

 

 

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threehorses
Reg. Mar 2006
Posted 2006-03-04 4:05 PM (#38259 - in reply to #36738)
Subject: RE: 2-Horse Gooseneck Living Quarters Questions


Member


Posts: 45
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Location: Houston, TX
Concerning the water running on the ground at a campsite where you don't have a hook up, there are these things called Tote-r-tanks (or something like) that are like a little grey/black water tank on wheels that you can hook up to your trailer and leave there and use as a holding tank. When it's full or you're done, then you just uncap and pull it (via your truck or by hand) to a dumping area and empty.You can find them at most rv supplies and on ebay.Hope that helps!Nat
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