GPS Buyer's Guide for RV'ers

Thinking about a new GPS? The task of choosing the one that's right for you can be very intimidating. With so many great brands, models and features to choose from, how do you know which one to buy?

When picking a GPS, the most important question to ask is "What do I want to do with it?" Any automotive GPS unit will tell you where you are and where to go, without getting you lost. As RV'ers, we all have a set of basic needs our GPS must fulfill. Beyond that, it's completely up to you whether you want, and are willing to pay the extra money for certain features.

Pre-Loaded Maps

The first factor to consider is what maps you need pre-loaded in your GPS. That, of course depends on where you plan to travel. Many systems come with road maps for the entire United States and Canada loaded into their main memory. Some come with all of North America and some come with Europe as well. This gives you the luxury to go anywhere without worrying about whether or not you loaded the proper maps; it also makes the device ready-to-roll, right out of the box. Pre-loaded maps occupy part of the main memory of the GPS; any excess main memory can be used for additional maps, MP3 music, or custom POI's like the CoolRVToyz Ultimate RV Parks & Campgrounds List. This brings us to memory capacity.

Memory Capacity

How much memory your GPS can hold is very important as well. If you purchase a unit that has very little extra main memory, and can't be expanded; you may find yourself unable to add features or points-of-interest (POI) when you want. Many GPS models only contain enough main memory to hold their pre-loaded maps, with very little left over. This is only a problem if they do not have a memory expansion slot. A memory expansion slot allows you to add memory to the GPS should you ever need it. Most take a Secure Digital (SD) card for memory expansion. SD cards are inexpensive and a great way to add memory to your unit when you need it. More expensive units typically have a considerable amount of their main memory free for your use, and also have a memory expansion slot. Less expensive units typically use most or all of their main memory for built-in features, but most of them still have a memory expansion slot.

Text To Speach

Another important feature to look for is "text-to-speech." Most voice-prompting GPS units will give an audio notification such as "Turn left in 300 feet" or "Take next exit." A unit with a text-to-speech function will speak not only the direction but the name of the street as well: "Turn left onto Mulberry Lane in 300 feet" or "Take Exit 23A." This is a huge help for many people, especially RV'ers, as they won't even have to glance at the screen to know where to go.

Live Traffic Service

A great new feature to consider is live traffic service. Available in larger cities, a subscription to a traffic service gives you real-time, up-to-the-minute updates on traffic and road conditions. Freeway's blocked from Exit 23 to Exit 29? Your GPS will notify you and offer an alternative route. After a free trial period, traffic service typically costs about $7/month. Some Garmin units also offer XM Radio services, so that you can get not only live traffic but XM Satellite Radio as well.

Even beyond a typical traffic service is the new Enhanced MSN Direct service. Many of the upper-end Garmin units, like the Nuvi 780 come with this capability. With MSN Direct, you can check the weather, avoid traffic backups, compare local gas prices, get enhanced movie listings, stock information, news and local events when you travel with your unit. Even plan trips from the convenience of your computer, via Windows Live Local, and then wirelessly send locations to your GPS. Like a traffic service, MSN Direct carries a monthly charge after the free trial period.

Bluetooth Enabled

One of the newest additions to GPS systems is the integration of a Bluetooth chip. If both your cell phone and GPS unit are Bluetooth-enabled, you'll be able to pair them up for hands-free calling, dial-a-POI features, and more, making your automotive electronics suite completely integrated. The CoolRVToyz Ultimate RV Parks & Campgrounds List takes advantage of this feature on the Garmin GPS units and allows you to dial a campground hands-free from a touch of your GPS screen.

MP3 Enabled

Another new addition to GPS systems is the ability to play MP3 music. By loading your favorite MP3 music or audio book into your GPS you can play it either through the GPS' speakers or your in-dash radio. Many of the better GPS units also come with an FM transmitter to link them directly to your in-dash radio so the music comes out of your vehicle's stereo system. This is particulary useful since the GPS will automatically lower the volume of the music to give you directions, or if you receive a phone call.

Travel Guides and TourGuide™

One of the most exciting new features is Garmin's new TourGuide™ capability. With TourGuide™ you can purchase completely guided tours for your GPS. Start the TourGuide™ and simply follow the tour. Your GPS will guide you to points of interest, explain them and even show you photos. It's like having your own tour guide right along for the ride. At CoolRVToyz, we're very excited about this new technology. We've already begun a project to create a Garmin TourGuide™ product for RV'ers who want to tour Route 66 from end to end. In the spring of 2008 we will be travelling the Route ourselves to test the product and plan to make it available by Summer 2008.

Conclusion

Among the most popular GPS navigation systems for RV'ers are the Garmin nuvi 200, 360 and 680, the Lowrance iWAY 600C, the Garmin StreetPilot c550, the Magellan Maestro 4040 and CrossOver GPS, and the TomTom ONE 3rd Edition. All of these units (and many more) are compatible with the CoolRVToyz Ultimate RV Parks & Campgrounds List.

So which GPS is the "best?" That depends entirely on your needs, your preferences and your budget. At CoolRVToyz, we've partnered with Tiger GPS, one of the top GPS retailers in the world. Tiger GPS has enough models to choose from that we're certain you'll find exact what you need. To make your selection even easier, you can use their Automotive GPS Selector. It will let you select the features you want and show you the models that fit your needs.

How to Take a 1-Hour Shower in Your RV

If you've been unhappy with the quantity of hot water provided by your conventional RV water heater, there is an alternative. In November 2006, Karen and I decided to take the plunge and invest in a tankless water heater for our RV. I was really tired of G.I. showers. As a Viet Nam era veteran, I'd had more than my share of them when I was younger. We did our research and made our choice. Now, I'll never go back to a conventional water heater again! Read on and I'll tell you how I am now able to take a hot shower whenever I want, for as long as I want.

Basic Water Heater Design

A conventional water heater uses a storage tank to heat its water. It fills the storage tank with a quantity of water, then heats it up to a specific temperature and keeps it there. This is true whether we're talking about your home or your RV. In a home, this usually doesn't present much of an issue. Most home water heaters are at least 30 gallons in size, many are much larger. If you continuously run out of hot water at home, the solution has always been to replace your 30 or 40 gallon heater with a 60 gallon model, or even larger; problem solved. Unfortunately, as RV'ers, we don't have that luxury. Most RV water heaters have either 6 gallon or 10 gallon tanks. Even if a larger heater is available, there is always a size and weight consideration in an RV. Water weighs 8 pounds per gallon, so even if you had room for a 20-30 gallon unit, the extra 80-200 pounds of water plus the weight of the bigger unit is usually a problem. Simply put, changing the size of your water heater is usually not an option in an RV.

The Alternative

The alternative is a technology that's been around for more years than you might think - tankless water heaters. A tankless heater is just what the name implies, it doesn't have a storage tank.

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Instead, it heats the water on-demand as it flows through the unit. This seems simple enough, but actually wasn't really a viable alternative until the last 10 years or so. It took the computer revolution to make the technology viable and inexpensive enough to make it commercially feasible. With modern microcomputer controllers, the heating rate and flow can be controlled with enough precision to make the tankless heater a great alternative.

How a Tankless Water Heater Works

Instead of a storage tank, a tankless heater has a coiled chamber in it that works similar to the radiator in your car. Your car's radiator is design to remove heat from water as it flows through. This cools your engine. The tankless water heater works the opposite and heats the water as it flows through. This means as long as you have water flowing, and don't run out of whatever fuel (propane, electricity, etc.) you use to generate the heat; you have continuous hot water.

Understanding The Differences Is The Key

There are several key operational differences between tankless and conventional heaters. If you're considering a tankless heater, you should be aware of these differences in order to have a successful experience.
When we were doing our research to make our decision, I went to many of the forums on the Internet to see what people were saying about their experiences. What I found was amazing. In almost all cases where someone was unhappy with their decision to "go tankless", it was due to a misunderstanding of how they work. This misunderstanding led to unrealistic expectations, which led to dissatisfaction with the product.

A conventional heater heats the water in a storage tank to a specific temperature, typically about 120° Fahrenheit, and keeps it there. That means you will always get 120° water from your hot faucet when you turn it on, until the tank begins to replenish the tank from the cold water source. Then, the temperature of your water will slowly decrease until the hot water in the tank has been completely replaced with "cold" water. It which time, the water temperature from your hot faucet will be equal to the temperature from your cold faucet. With only 6 to 10 gallons of storage capacity, this usually doesn't take long. The typical person takes a shower at somewhere around 105° at a flow rate of roughly 1.5 gallons per minute. Since you need to mix some cold water into the hot to lower the temperature from 120° to 105°, that gives you about 5 to 7 minutes from a 10 gallon tank before the water temperature drops below the 105° point and you begin to feel the shower is too cold to be comfortable. During this time of course, you've been constantly lowering the amount of cold water in the mix to keep the shower at a constant 105°.

A tankless water heater works very differently. It heats its water based on temperature rise and flow rate. The computer controller prevents the temperature from ever exceeding the preset maximum, typically the same 120°, just like a conventional heater. What you should understand is this means the temperature of your hot water can be lower than the maximum if one or both of 2 conditions are present. If your source water (the cold water) is very cold or if your flow rate is very high, your hot water temperature may be less than 120°. The tankless heater we purchased is rated to heat water 85° at a flow rate of 1 gallon per minute. A little simple math with help us understand this. If my source water is 64° and I set my shower at a flow of approximately 1 gallon per minute, then the hot water would be the maximum of 120° because 64° + 85° = 149°. Typical groundwater temperatures range from about 42° in Michigan during the winter to about 72° in Florida during the summer. Of course, if you lower the temperature of the source water and/or raise the flow rate, that changes the equation. Taking a bit of an extreme as as an example, if I'm in Michigan during the Winter (42° source water) and I set my shower at 1.5 gallons per minute (a typical shower rate), then the temperature rise of the heater I have is closer to about 70° than 85° at that flow rate. That means the temperature coming from my hot faucet is 42° + 70° = 112°. At that rate and temperature rise, I would need to mix far less cold water with the hot to get my desired 105° shower. It is possible, at very low temperatures (cold climates) and high flow rates (2 gallons per minutes or more), that you may find yourself taking a shower with nothing but hot water since 100° to 105° is about the maximum the heater can produce. The bottom line is this. As you change climates, the way you mix your hot and cold water to achieve a desired result will change also. As long as you understand this, and it doesn't bother you, you will have a successful experience owning a tankless water heater.

There are advantages to these differences as well. The first of course is there is no storage tank to run out of hot water. As long as the water flows, and you don't run out of propane, you have a constant flow of hot water at a consistent temperature. Once you have your hot and cold water mixed, there is no need to move it during your entire shower. The second advantage is cost. A conventional water heater keeps the storage tank hot around the clock, whether you are using the hot water or not. This requires energy (fuel) even when you don't need hot water. A tankless heater only uses energy while it's heating water. This can represent a significant savings. In our case, we've noticed about a 25% savings in propane since we switched the heater, and I have a tendency to take long showers - just because I can. You may see as much as a 50% savings in propane costs according to the manufacturer. For me that works out to a return period of less than 4 years. In 4 years my tankless water heater will have paid for itself in propane savings alone. That's great! Especially considering I get to take REAL showers instead of G.I. showers.

Conclusion

Based on my experiences, a tankless water heater is beyond a cool toy, it is an essential part of my RV. I will never be without one again. Even if I decided to quit RV'ing full time and go back to a conventional home, it would have tankless water heaters in it. The model we chose is the RV-500 from PrecisionTemp. It is the only tankless water heater designed specifically to be a direct replacement for conventional 6 gallon and 10 gallon RV water heaters. Installation was a breeze, I even did it myself. If you're not inclined to do it yourself, any qualified plumber can install it in a short time. If you are a do-it-yourself'er, both the documentation and the support I got from PrecisionTemp when I had questions were superb. The quality of the unit is excellent and it has operated flawlessly since installation. I went ahead and got the model with the Cold Weather Protection kit so I could stay in cold climates, even though we typically head to warmer climates in the Winter.

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Pack All Your Books Into a 1" Space

I love to read. But, as a full-time RV'er, I don't like the space and weight taken up by all my books. My solution until now has been to get my books in electronic book (e-book) form and read them on my laptop. That works fine, but it isn't the greatest if I want to read in bed, or outside under a tree. Now Amazon has the perfect solution for RV'ers who love to read - the Kindle Wireless Reading Device.

This gadget is beyond cool. First of all, it's only a little over 5" x 7" and less than 3/4" thick. It only weighs 10.3oz, and has enough memory to hold over 200 titles at a time. But, even if you fill that up, you can move the books you've read to an optional SD memory card or to your computer to make room for new ones. There are currently over 100,000 book titles available and thousands of newspapers, blogs and other content as well. And, you don't even need a computer to use it. You search all that Amazon has to offer for the Kindle right on the screen, make your choise and download it wirelessly. You can begin reading is less than a minute. You can even download and read the first chapters of a book for free, just to make sure you're interested. You only pay if you decide to download the remainder of the book. Currently, the New York Times® Best Sellers are $9.99 each unless listed otherwise.

Another great feature are the newspapers and magazines. As an RV'er, I had given up subscriptions to magazines and newspapers because of the hassles of having them mailed to me. Since I don't stay in one place very long, it was just too much trouble to have them follow me, and too expensive to keep forwarding them from my permanent address. Now I can subscribe to top U.S. newspapers including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post; and top magazines including TIME, Atlantic Monthly, and Forbes; and they're all auto-delivered wirelessly to my Kindle. Even top international newspapers can be subscribed to and auto-delivered wirelessly. If you're a blog reader (which you may be because you're reading this one), you can get more than 250 top blogs from the worlds of business, technology, sports, entertainment, and politics, including BoingBoing, Slashdot, TechCrunch, ESPN's Bill Simmons, The Onion, Michelle Malkin, and The Huffington Post; all updated wirelessly throughout the day.

The Kindle uses the same EVDO wireless technology used by the cellular network. You don't have to search for a WiFi hotspot to receive books and updates. You can download content from anywhere you have cell phone coverage. I even use mine to read my email. You can forward your email to it so you can read it any time, anywhere you want. In fact, you can read just about anything on your Kindle. Just put it in a Microsoft Word Document and download it from your computer or forward it to your Kindle via email. It has a built-in dictionary and free wireless access to Wikipedia, the Internets largest and most comprehensive online encyclopedia. Battery life is great too. With the wireless turned on (so I can receive blog updates any time), I only have to charge it about every other day. I never turn my wireless off, but if you do, Amazon says it will go up to 10 days without a recharge.

For the RV'er who is also an avid reader, this is a must-have. No more heavy, space-consuming books in my RV - just my Kindle. Click here for more information on how to get your own Kindle.