Starting points

Resources

Where to look for a campsite, how to handle the dump station, every Megawatt tool in one place, and the power terms our guides use.

Find a site

Where to camp

We don't keep our own campground list. These are the official sources the parks and agencies update themselves.

Recreation.gov
Reservations for federal campgrounds, including Army Corps of Engineers lakes, national forests, and many national parks.
National Park Service
Each park's own page lists its campgrounds, vehicle length limits, and seasonal closures.
USDA Forest Service
National forest campgrounds and the rules for dispersed camping, which is boondocking on forest land.
Bureau of Land Management
Public land in the West, much of it open to free dispersed camping with stay limits.

The unglamorous part

Dump stations

Use the campground's own dump station and follow its posted rules. Many charge a fee if you aren't staying there, and some close in winter.

The 2019 Bounder owner's manual says to keep the black tank valve closed until you dump, and it's fine to leave the gray valve open while you're on a sewer hookup. Most owners dump black first and gray second, so the soapy gray water rinses the hose on its way out.

Check your own coach's manual for its valve layout. The arrival checklist has the hookup order.

Megawatt tools

Everything else on the site

The calculators, planner, and manuals are in the main menu. These are the extras. Two are waiting on outside services before they switch on.

All calculators

Ready to use
My Rig
Save your coach once. Guides, manuals, kits, and the forecast open on it.
Ready to use
Solar forecast
Seven days of expected panel output for your ZIP code, from live sunlight data.
Ready to use
Problem fixer
Step-by-step checks for a dark coach, a quiet fridge, a stuck slide, and more.
Ready to use
Gear kits
Bundles of the Amazon gear Megawatt already recommends, with one-click carts.
Ready to use
Owner builds
Send in your own solar build. Nothing is published until James reviews it with you.
Ready to use
Solar payback chart
When a solar setup pays for itself against generator fuel and hookup fees.
Coming soon
Ask Megawatt
Questions answered from the manuals, guides, and checklists on this site.
Turns on once an AI service is connected.
Coming soon
Maintenance reminders
Seasonal emails for winterizing, spring startup, and monthly checks.
Turns on once an email service is connected.

Plain English

Glossary

The terms our guides and calculators use, said once and simply.

Shore power: 120-volt power from the campground pedestal. The 2019 Bounder gas manual describes a 30-amp cord for that coach. Yours may be 50 amps.
House battery: The battery bank that runs the lights, pump, and fans inside. It's separate from the chassis battery that starts the engine.
Watt-hour (Wh): One watt used for one hour. A 100 W TV on for three hours uses 300 Wh. Our calculators count your day in watt-hours.
Amp-hour (Ah): Battery capacity at a given voltage. Multiply by the voltage to get watt-hours: a 12.8 V, 300Ah lithium battery holds about 3,840 Wh.
Peak sun hours: How many hours of full-strength sun a day adds up to. Our calculators use 3 for winter, 4 for spring and fall, and 5.5 for summer and the desert.
LiFePO4: Lithium iron phosphate, the battery chemistry most RV lithium batteries use. It needs a charger with a lithium setting.
Inverter: Turns 12-volt battery power into 120-volt household power for outlets and appliances.
Boondocking: Camping without hookups: no shore power, water, or sewer. Also called dry camping.
GVWR: Gross vehicle weight rating, the most your coach may weigh loaded. It's on a sticker near the driver's seat.
GCWR: Gross combined weight rating, the most the coach plus whatever it tows may weigh together.
Payload: What's left of the GVWR after the coach itself. People, gear, water, and propane all count against it.