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Question about taking an RV to Yosemite

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 4:59 am
by Marliboco
Please excuse me if this is a really stupid Question. I have never even been in an RV before, so I don't know how it all works...

I understand there are no Hook-Ups in Yosemite Park but would really like to stay inside the park when we travel in a hired RV. How do we go about using electrical equipment in the RV? I assume it comes from the RV Battery, but surely this will drain the Battery pretty quickly unless the engine is running??? Is there some sort of extra Generator that we need to have. Any advice would be appreciated no matter how basic it is. I really am a novice.

Many thanks

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:43 am
by hotrod4x5
Motorhomes have built in generators in 99% of cases. The battery will run your lights, heater and water pump. If you want to use the microwave, tv or plug in something, you'll have to use the generator. Yosemite has limited generator hours from 7 am to 7pm. This is the only time you can run it and they say you can use it "sparingly." But that is not really very precise, I've run mine for a few hours at a time before. It is possible that you'll have an inverter, which will convert the battery to 110 volts for limited usage like charging a cell phone.

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 7:24 am
by Nacci
Be sure to read the Yosemite NPS webpage about RV camping. It's harder to find a campsite for a longer RV, and you must have reservations at many of the campgrounds.

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:01 am
by gtbhiker
Also, your battery is recharged when you run the generator and drive the RV. That's the easy part. Depending on when you are going to Yosemite, the hard part will be getting a campsite in the valley. If you are going during the summer the only way you will get a reservation is to find a cancelation or wait and go after mid September. Another option is to stay at a private RV campground near Mariposa or Groveland and drive into the park. Then park your RV and use the very good free shuttle bus that will take you around the valley.