Newbie with lots of questions about full-timing!

[msbluesky89]

Hello and thanks for welcoming me to the group! I have been entertaining the idea of downsizing for awhile and am considering an Airstream. Does anyone live full time in their Airstream and travel around from temporary job to temporary job? I'm a biologist and was thinking of jumping between national/state parks, nature preserves, etc. doing whatever work they need done. I would love to hear some personal experiences!

I'm considering trying a nomadic life, but have some concerns:
- Is it easy to forge relationships with people if you're traveling so much? It's just me and my dog for now!
- How easy is it to find temporary/seasonal jobs like this?
- How do Airstreams handle on winter roads? Should I plan to stay put in one place throughout a winter if I'm somewhere snowy?
- Composting toilets - intriguing, but do they smell?
- I have a 2014 F-150 4x2 with 5.0L V8. It has a 7100lb GVWR towing package, but in the owner's manual says the maximum GCWR is 13,500-15,300lbs depending on what my axle ratio is (I bought the truck used and don't know where to look up my axle ratio). I am confused as to the actual towing capacity of my truck and how big an Airstream I can go before stressing my truck out. Please help!
- Those of you who have gone solar, how big a system do you typically need?


Thank you!

[OTRA15]

Welcome to the forum!

The best place to start reading might be the Full-Timing forum. Tons of good info there.

Good luck,

Peter

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f314/

PS - The new search function in the blue box above works great. Because your questions cover many subjects, you might want to ask further questions in the various threads which you visit after your search for specifics.

[HHPJ]

Also check out Airstream life magazine, and their two books, newbies guide to Airstreaming. This help me out a lot when I first bought an airstream.

Go on YouTube and look at YouTube channels on full-time AirstreamIng. Long long honeymoon is a great one, and a few others out there.

Welcome have fun!

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Keep in mind that Airstreams are "three season" RV's. If it's snowing, that's not the season you want to be in an Airstream.

Bob

[Foiled Again]

Health insurance IS a BIG deal. I would look for one job that requires lots of travel.

I rolled an Airstream in 2013. Even with good insurance I had quite a bit of out of pocket expenses.... in $500 - $1000 dribs and drabs. Frugal takes quote a beating when the fertilizer impacts the ventilator like that. Comfort when waiting for the check for the new one... bleah.

An Airstream starts many comversations and a few great friendships, but buy a used SOB for 3 to 6 month trial run... easy to move up to an Airstream. Or easy to walk away from without 70K in debt.

[MontyV]

you will probably get as many opinions as you get responses use an online vin check to see what your truck came with from the plant. you might be able to look it up with ford. or a dealer could sure print out the original spec sheet for you. that is not a big engine nor a heavy truck. so be careful, towing to limits is asking for trouble. as to winter i do not tow in snow or ice. so winter really depends on where you are located. i would not use a composting toilet myself. we have sailed a lot more than TT'd. we have made great friends who we have only spent 2 weeks around over the last 5-6 years or so. when you have an AS people tend to remember you if you go to the same parks. i guess it just depends on how you define a relationship.

[Mattirs]

Originally Posted by msbluesky89

- Composting toilets - intriguing, but do they smell?
- I have a 2014 F-150 4x2 with 5.0L V8. It has a 7100lb GVWR towing package, but in the owner's manual says the maximum GCWR is 13,500-15,300lbs depending on what my axle ratio is (I bought the truck used and don't know where to look up my axle ratio). I am confused as to the actual towing capacity of my truck and how big an Airstream I can go before stressing my truck out. Please help!
- Those of you who have gone solar, how big a system do you typically need?


Thank you!

Composting toilets - there are several reviews on YouTube from people who have used them for a year or more. Feelings are mixed, not that they don't work but do they fit your life style. Watch the posts they are informative and interesting.

Axle ratio - It is encoded on the weight sticker on your door jam. (My mind remembers that I read something but not where) I think the chart is somewhere in the towing guide that Ford puts out. Search for your year truck Ford towing guide, you should find a pdf by that name.

The size of your solar system should be at least 25% of your daily use of power but no more than what your batteries can take. There is a limit on how fast a battery can be charged.
This way on a sunny day you can charge the batteries to absorption level in 4 hours giving you the rest of the day to top off the batteries or give you a cushion on cloudy days. There are a number of good websites that give you a lot of info on batteries. One I think is Northwest battery school? Rebuilding my computer right now so no access to my bookmarks.

Do a lot of reading and studying before you buy this way it is an informed rather than a how money can I be soaked for decision.

Thanks
Matti

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Mattirs

.......

The size of your solar system should be at least 25% of your daily use of power but no more than what your batteries can take. There is a limit on how fast a battery can be charged.
This way on a sunny day you can charge the batteries to absorption level in 4 hours giving you the rest of the day to top off the batteries or give you a cushion on cloudy days. There are a number of good websites that give you a lot of info on batteries. One I think is Northwest battery school? Rebuilding my computer right now so no access to my bookmarks.

Do a lot of reading and studying before you buy this way it is an informed rather than a how money can I be soaked for decision.

Thanks
Matti

Hi

There are a lot of good threads on solar around here, just as there are good threads on the other stuff. Rather than trying to get into everything in full detail here, I'd suggest that you dig into those threads for the details.

Solar is rated in watts of maximum output. Batteries are rated in amp hours. Your power usage is measured in kilowatt hours. Since the units are different, there is no direct comparison without some math.

If you get 7 hours of "full solar" that's pretty amazing (= don't count on it). Seven times max watts gives you the best KWH you probably will ever see. Divide that by 10 (or more) for a bad day. If solar is your only power source ... it better keep up with your total usage.

KWH x 1000 / 12 gives you amp hours. 1.2 KWH per day or 100 AH per day is not a crazy usage number.

With batteries, numbers are all over the place. Lead acid's are low cost up front. Lithium's are expensive. Over a long time (with daily use), lithiums win out because they last longer. 200AH of lead acid gives you 100AH of usable capacity. 100AH of lithium gives you 100AH usable. Yes, it's confusing. Either way, you likely want enough battery to run for a couple of rainy days.

Yes, there's lots more to it ....

Bob

[JRF0st3r]

An important factor in determining what your truck could safely tow is the payload capacity. You should find this on the Tire & Loading sticker on the door or door frame, see mine attached. My truck has 1811 lbs capacity. This is how much weight can be safely added above the truck as it came from the factory such as occupants, added accessories such as a tonneau cover, all the gear and luggage you plan to carry in the truck AND the tongue weight of your fully loaded trailer.

[quietguy]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Health insurance IS a BIG deal. I would look for one job that requires lots of travel.

I rolled an Airstream in 2013. Even with good insurance I had quite a bit of out of pocket expenses.... in $500 - $1000 dribs and drabs. Frugal takes quote a beating when the fertilizer impacts the ventilator like that. Comfort when waiting for the check for the new one... bleah.

An Airstream starts many comversations and a few great friendships, but buy a used SOB for 3 to 6 month trial run... easy to move up to an Airstream. Or easy to walk away from without 70K in debt.

This x1000!!!

(SOB = Some Other Brand. Yes Airstream owners recommend trying SOB first if you’ve never done this before as it’s not for everyone. Dropping $15-25k for an RV is much different than dropping $50-120k for an RV!)

[ejami5]

Welcome MSBlueSky89! I'll address your first 2 points. I'm a contractor in the IT technical field and full-time it from my AS. The contracts I land may not be considered 'seasonal' from a job perspective but are seasonal in that I leave an area before snow becomes imminent. However, I have read about other Streamers that do stay in snow areas (such as the woman who loved to ski and worked from her AS all winter long in Canada with her 2 young sons so that she could ski her favorite mountains each weekend).


Be aware if you do avoid states prone to snow certain states are well known to be quite full of RV'ers of all types in the winter months (think Arizona and Florida). Not saying you wouldn't be able to find somewhere to hunker down but just a heads up for popular spots.


It's just me and my 2 dogs and I make friends all the time. Just be open to conversation and/or start one up. Most people are happy to chat and share their experiences. I've heard some hilarious stories from other full-timers and their background leading up to full-timing can pretty interesting.



Happy travels!

[Betty Farmer]

Can't advise you on anything else, but can do so on the pickup. I pulled a 25' Airstream all through the Northeastern mountains with a 1/2 ton Chev Z71, with a tow package with absolutely no problems. We moved up to a 28 foot. The 1/2 Ton will pull it on flat ground but there is too much tongue weight. I would not attempt mountain travel with it. Others may have a different opinion. But, we have been there and done that.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

One of the .... errr ... minor points about doing this: Can you make the financial numbers work?

One of the most basic ways to improve your chances is to go into it debt free. That may mean buying an older used AS and putting some DIY into it. Not everybody is into that sort of thing or has the tools / space / time / skills to make it work well.

Another way to make it work is to have somebody leave you a big pile of money. If so, congratulations / condolences. Best to take a "long view" of anything like this. It's really easy to burn through it spending on nonsense ....

Yet another option is to be in a high pay temp field. Various nursing specialties fall into this category. There are a number of other specializations that work well this way. If you don't happen to have the training / skills / licensing, having multiple "less in demand" skills can work. If you spend some time talking to people in "destination locations" it is not at all uncommon to find that they have three jobs in each of two, three or four seasons ....

No matter what the plan. You *do* need a buffer fund in the bank ....

Bob

[uraljohn]

Originally Posted by msbluesky89

Hello and thanks for welcoming me to the group! I have been entertaining the idea of downsizing for awhile and am considering an Airstream. Does anyone live full time in their Airstream and travel around from temporary job to temporary job? I'm a biologist and was thinking of jumping between national/state parks, nature preserves, etc. doing whatever work they need done. I would love to hear some personal experiences!

I'm considering trying a nomadic life, but have some concerns:
- Is it easy to forge relationships with people if you're traveling so much? It's just me and my dog for now!
- How easy is it to find temporary/seasonal jobs like this?
- How do Airstreams handle on winter roads? Should I plan to stay put in one place throughout a winter if I'm somewhere snowy?
- Composting toilets - intriguing, but do they smell?
- I have a 2014 F-150 4x2 with 5.0L V8. It has a 7100lb GVWR towing package, but in the owner's manual says the maximum GCWR is 13,500-15,300lbs depending on what my axle ratio is (I bought the truck used and don't know where to look up my axle ratio). I am confused as to the actual towing capacity of my truck and how big an Airstream I can go before stressing my truck out. Please help!
- Those of you who have gone solar, how big a system do you typically need?


Thank you!

Write down the serial number of your truck. Walk into any Ford dealer and nicely ask one of the sales persons if they would print a copy of the trucks window sticker. As long as vehicle is less than ten years old they can print off sticker. It will tell you how the truck is equipped. Axle Ratio, Locking or not locking, whether it has a TOW PACKAGE, (not all trucks do) ect. A truck with a 3.31 axle (Fords standand rear ratio) is not a great tower. A 3.55 or 3,73 is way better. look at the I.D. sticker in your drivers doorwell. It will list the axle ratio by code. If it begins with a letter, like H or B, it is a LIMITED SLIP diferential. You definitely want that as an OPEN DIFFERENTIAL is not good for towing in slippery (dirt, mud, loose gravel, ect).

[TheGreatleys]

We full time and work. We went the remote work route rather than seasonal, so I can't comment on your job prospects, but if you can get one gig lined up, you can probably get more than one.

It's easy to make short term friends with other full timers, since you have so much in common, but much harder to have a larger community. I don't have a good answer to this yet.

I try to avoid towing on icy roads. It's not just you, it's everyone trying to run into you. And the salt doesn't do any favors to the aluminum. Try to schedule your Winters in the South, and you can avoid the problem for the most part.

I love love having a composting toilet. We boondock as much as possible, and having the composting toilet means we can stay in one place indefinitely without moving the rig. It's a tremendous day to day convenience for our lifestyle. It does not smell at all when properly managed. I've never been in a rig with a traditional RV black tank that didn't smell at least a little, but the composting toilet is totally undetectable when stepping inside. A unit with an exhaust fan is highly recommended, since that makes the system far more forgiving. The solids tank doesn't really smell at all when emptying, but the liquids tank smells horrible when emptying. I have a few tricks to manage the smell when you're dumping in a bathroom, but it's still not the most pleasant task to empty a couple gallons of two day old human urine. Still, totally worth it for us.

Brace for lots of conflicting truck advise. As long as your rig weight is within spec, you'll be fine. Get a good weight distribution anti sway hitch. Also, you'll get lots of advise about that here.

Depends on your lifestyle. We're doing well with 400 watts (200 wasn't enough when it's cloudy more than a couple days in a row) with a single 100AH AGM battery. The battery is just a placeholder until we upgrade, but it's working very well for an interim solution. Our system allows us to run fans, water pump, lights, LP detectors, charge two cell phones, a mifi, and two laptops with very little trouble. We can even run the dishwasher on the fast/eco setting on a sunny day. We do not have a furnace to run (heat is from the wood stove or electric if on shore power) and obviously we need hookups for AC if it's hot enough to need it. We don't have a TV but we do watch some Netflix on laptops. We can't park in the shade for very long without running out of power, so long-term forest boondocks are out of the question. We don't own a generator.

Welcome, and enjoy the journey. Whatever rig you choose, the freedom of full-timing is worthwhile if you want that kind of life.

[dbj216]

Living full time in an Airstream, or any RV for that matter, isn't the cheapest option. There are a lot of "overhead" expenses that stay the same whether you are in an Airstream or in an apartment. Health insurance is a BIG one. But so is vehicle insurance, trailer insurance, cell phone connections, and so forth. And remember you must maintain a "domicile" as the government needs to know where to send your income tax forms.

There are threads here on the Forums that display the expected budgets for full time living. If I recall correctly, $3000 a month or more is typical. There are a lot of factors that affect this number.

For me, I see many full timers in the RV parks we visit while traveling. For me, I don't think I would enjoy living is a trailer park, even if it was in a National Park. But many folks do it and are happy about it.

As mentioned, we consider Airstreams "fair weather trailers". They really aren't designed for four season living. The walls are only 1 1/2 thick, and the aluminum exterior is an excellent conductor of heat and cold. Sure, folks do it, but it takes a lot of heat to maintain a decent interior temp. I do not tow my trailer on slick roads, I'm not experienced enough.

You are wise to make this decision with both eyes open and lots of good planning.

David

[guskmg]

Airstreams are as well equiped as any trailer for winter camping. You just use more propane or electricity to stay warm, the reverse of being in a hot summer climate with A/C where you use more electriricy. On other posts, I have mentioned how much we like our AirHead compost toilet. It is the better brand because it has rubber seals between all separating parts, even the seat and lid. Absolutely no smells. I have full timed up to six months with out any problems in NE and OH. Just plan ahead.
guskmg

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Ok, let's get into the details about winter ....

As the weather gets cold, so do the walls and windows of your trailer. It's warm inside and you breathe / sweat out a lot of moisture. Cooking also adds to the moisture load. This condenses on the walls and windows. Wiping down the windows on a daily basis becomes part of the daily routine. Moisture / mold in the cabinets becomes a real risk.

Next up, your water supply is outdoors / above ground. Hoses split when they freeze. That makes getting water into your trailer a bit tough. The fresh water tank on the trailer is exposed to the outside. Get below freezing for a couple of days ... it will freeze as well. When it does, you have damage. There are also cute little fittings in the fresh water system that can freeze and break.

After this, you have the waste water system. Just like the fresh water setup, it can freeze as well. The hose used to hook up to a sewer is sitting out on the ground. It can ice up fairly quickly. You can put heaters on all this stuff, they only work just so well.

Heat in a trailer is propane based. It is not uncommon to go through a load of it in a few days of cold weather. The capacity of the bottles simply isn't targeted at full time living. You either run off to fill them a lot or you rig something bigger and attach it to the trailer. Either way, you spend a lot of money on heat. It's not just the walls, as noted in a number of threads, the trailers are not 100% airtight.

Indeed there *are* trailers targeted at dealing with cold weather better. They have more insulation and fewer windows. They also do a better job of insulating and heating the fresh and waste water tanks. I still would not want to trust one when it gets really cold.

Bob

[NY24]

The single BEST thing you can do would be to attend an RV Boot Camp. At RVBC you, along with ~ 200 other "newbies" will have all the systems found on a modern RV explained and demystified. Mistakes made with RVs are often expensive and, sometimes dangerous. The Escapees RV Club run an EXCELLENT RVBC, often over a weekend. RVSEF, FMCA, RV~Dreams and other groups offer their own versions of RVBC, some as long as eight days (more social activities). As already mentioned, there are forums for Full-Timers (and wannabe FTs). There are also forums for solo females. A Ford F150 is NOT a lot of truck. RVBC will explain IN DETAIL how to calculate exactly what IS safe (and I would recommend a generous safety margin as well). Many RVers DO winter camp BUT, that's a whole other level of complexity I'd recommend you avoid until you have a LOT of experience with "regular" camping. Although Airstreams ARE wonderful and beautiful, have you considered starting with a fiberglass trailer first? Fiberglass will save you a lot of weight and, are very easy to maintain. I started with a new, 17' 2010 Casita Spirit Deluxe Travel Trailer. In four years, I put over 50,000 miles on it and learned a lot about RVing. I realized early that I really enjoyed the RV lifestyle and, spent three years searching for the RV I finally "graduated" to (a 2015 Dynamax DX3-37RB Super-C Class diesel puller). I did lust after an Airstream but, the vehicle I then owned was not suitable to tow the 25' Flying Cloud I then wanted. When you already have a tow vehicle, it's VERY easy to buy more trailer than said vehicle can SAFELY handle (towing is easy; stopping, especially under adverse conditions, may not be). Again, find and attend an RVBC. You can thank me later. Stay safe and, GOOD LUCK!
Regards,
John

[pappy19]

My wife and I have a 30' Classic with a slide. We did contract permitting for pipeline and power line projects all over the country. We did this for many years and loved it. On weekends we would go to local AS rallies and meet other AS folks, learn more about our new surroundings, and made new friends.

I added solar panels to take care of the batteries, satellite dish, went the LT truck tire route, and have cold weather water line protection.