What Does RV Hookups Mean?
If you’re new to RVing, you’ll often come across terms like full hookups, partial hookups, and dry camping while searching for campgrounds.
- Full hookups: Provide water, sewer, and electricity, ideal for longer stays.
- Partial hookups: Offer water and electricity, suitable for stays up to a week.
- Dry camping: No hookups, best for shorter trips or as long as your freshwater tank and batteries last.
Related RV Product: The Camco Screen Door Cross Bar Handle (click to view on Amazon) makes it easy to close an RV screen door and protect it at the same time.
When planning an RV road trip, consider including full-hookup campgrounds for conveniences like showers, dishwashing, tank refills, and dumping.
Related: Save 50% On Campgrounds All Over The United States With Passport America
This guide will cover essential accessories for using full hookups and extras recommended by seasoned RVers.
Must-Have RV Accessories For RV Hookups
Sewer Hose & 4 in 1 Adapter
RV sewer accessories are essential and unique camping gear you’ll want to have ready before your next RV trip.
Most RVs use bayonet/lug fittings for sewer outlets, the standard connection type across all campers. There’s also a less common cam-lock fitting, typically an aftermarket addition that attaches via an adapter on the bayonet fitting. If your RV has a cam-lock, you can easily switch back to a traditional RV sewer hose if needed.
What I recommend:
- Two 10-foot sewer hoses for flexibility.
- An elbow with a 4-in-1 adapter to connect securely to dump station inlets.
You can find kits with all the sewer basics. Check out a range of options and reviews in this article.
The elbow adapter (click to view on Amazon) is a must-have accessory for your RV sewer hoses.
Required at all RV parks and campgrounds, this adapter seals the sewer hookup to prevent odors and smells from escaping. It screws into the outlet for a tight, secure connection, reducing the chance of spills.
Known as a 4-in-1 adapter, it fits four different sewer connection sizes, including RV dump stations, ensuring compatibility at any campground or RV park. Don’t hit the road without one.
See Also: How To Set Up At An RV Park Or Campground For Dummies
Potable Water Hose & RV Water Pressure Regulator
A safe connection to the water hookup is an essential RV accessory.
Although RV water hookups and city water connections use standard garden hose fittings, you should not use a regular garden hose. Non-drinking water hoses may leach harmful chemicals like lead, even if you don’t plan to drink the tap water. In emergencies, you’ll want safe water for drinking or cooking.
Drinking water hoses are labeled as potable-safe and are often white, though other colors are available. We use a Zero-G RV Water Hose for its lightweight and compact design, but many great options exist, including those in this review (click to view the best RV drinking water hoses).
Another must-have is an RV water pressure regulator. While it might seem optional, it’s critical for protecting your RV’s plumbing, designed to handle pressures between 45-60 psi. Water pressure at campgrounds can vary drastically and is sometimes dangerously high at the start of the water line.
Using an RV water pressure regulator prevents leaks in your RV’s plumbing and prolongs the life of your fresh water hose by preventing swelling or premature wear.
See Also: 7 Important RV Park & Campground Tips For First Timers
Electrical Adapters
Technically, RV’s are pretty much plug and play, so long as the electrical hookups have the right outlet/amperage for your camper.
The two most common RV plugs are 30 and 50 amp. Smaller vans and travel trailers may have 15 amp plugs, but 30 amp is the most common.
Most RV parks will have at least 30 and 15 amp outlets. 50 amp is becoming more common every year though.
RV parks are adding 50 amp outlets, but many campgrounds still only have 30 and 20 amp electrical hookups.
There are sometimes newer places that only have 50 amp service and they rely on the RVers to bring their own adapters for compatibility.
You should have at least two adapters that can plug into the two other kinds of outlets just in case.
If you’re not sure what amperage your camper is, the easiest way to tell is to look at the plug. 50 amp will have 4 prongs, 30 amp will have 3 and be bigger than a regular 15 amp plug.
A 15 amp plug is like what’s on your home appliances. It can plug into regular household wall outlets.
Adapters for 50 Amp RVs
- 30A Male to 50A Female (click to view on Amazon)
- For connecting a 50A camper to a 30 amp hookup. This is great for smaller RV parks and campgrounds that may only have 30 amp service. It happens more than you think and this is a good adapter to have on hand just in case.
- Normal 50 amp power supplies up to 12,000 watts of power but 30 amp will only supply 3,600. That’s about 1/3 the power. You won’t be able to run all appliances at the same time like you may be used to but you still have enough power for things like one AC and the microwave.
- Read more about the differences between 30 and 50 amp RVs here.
- 15A Male to 50A Female (click to view on Amazon)
- For plugging in your 50 amp camper to a regular wall outlet.
- You will probably mostly use this at home. Your RV will only get enough power to charge the RV batteries and run small appliances.
- An AC cannot run with this small amount of power and if you use the microwave, make sure no other appliances are taking power.
Adapters for 30 Amp RVs
- 50A Male to 30A Female (click to view on Amazon)
- For connecting your 30 amp camper to 50 amp hookups. You will have full electrical service and be able to use your camper like normal.
- 15A Male to 30A Female (click to view on Amazon)
- For plugging your 30 amp camper into a regular wall outlet.
- This is the adapter most people use at home to plug in their RVs to keep the batteries charged and run the fridge on electricity.
- 15 amp power cannot run the RV AC (unless it has a special soft start on it) and if you use the microwave, make sure nothing else is drawing power.
- With this adapter, you get half as much power as a full 30 amp service.
Adapters for 15/20 Amp RVs
- 30A Male to 15A Female (click to view on Amazon) (Must-Have)
- If you need to plug a 15 amp RV or appliance into an electrical hookup that only has a 30 amp outlet you are going to need this adapter.
- I’ve been to more RV parks that only have 30 and 50 amp outlets than ones that have 15/20 amp outlets.
- This is a must-have for RVers with small 20 amp vans or travel trailers.
- 50A Male to dual 15A Female (Optional)
- Most RV parks and campgrounds have at least 30 amp electrical hookups that will be all you need for a 15 amp camper. That’s why this 50A to 15A is optional.
- The pro of this adapter is you will plug in two 15A plugs. If you plug in your camper to one and use an extension cord to plug in a high electric appliance like a microwave or air fryer, you won’t have to worry as much about blowing a fuse.
- You could use both of the RV adapters linked to above in RV parks that have 30 and 50 amp hookups to use a lot more appliances in your van or small travel trailer.
While it’s not 100% necessary, I highly recommend getting a surge guard with EMS (click to go to review) to protect your RV. You can read more about them below or in the review I linked to.
Highly Recommended RV Accessories For RV Hookups
Sewer Hose Stand & Carrier
Many RV resorts and parks have a rule that the sewer hose needs to be off the ground. When we first started full-time RV living we ran into this issue a few times before we bought a sewer hose stand.
I recommend getting one before you head out on your first RV adventure so you don’t have to employ creative solutions like what we had to do in the picture below.
The most lightweight and easy to set up RV sewer hose stand that I use and have seen the most at RV parks is the Camco Sidewinder (click to see my review of it).
There are other options, like this aluminum version by Camco (click to view on Amazon) or this one by Titan (click to view on Amazon).
You might also want to get a safe place to store your RV sewer hose. When we bought our travel trailer, the previous owner had just thrown the sewer hose into one of the outer storage compartments.
It was a pretty nasty mess that required lots of scrubbing and bleach to take care of.
Some people use plastic totes but I recommend either using the bumper with airflow end caps like these (click to view on Amazon) or installing a hose carrier (click to view on Amazon).
Many RV owners store their sewer hose in the bumper, but this method has drawbacks. Limited airflow inside the bumper can prevent the hose from drying properly, potentially leading to rust. Newer sewer hoses are often too large to fit, and some RVs don’t have bumpers at all.
Plastic sewer hose carriers are an excellent alternative. These carriers, like the one linked above, are easy to mount beneath any RV and can adjust to different camper widths. Being plastic, they eliminate the risk of rust and can be installed near the sewer outlet for convenient access.
Storing your sewer hose outside the camper keeps it away from raw sewage contamination in storage areas, provides better airflow, and prevents unwanted odors from building up inside your RV.
Water Filter
RV water filters are another highly recommended RV accessory you will want to use at any RV park or campground.
The water systems used to supply water to RVs aren’t always the greatest. The hydrants are sometimes a little old and rusty and there can be sediment in the water.
Common water contaminants are not only bad for your health. They are also bad for your camper’s plumbing and water pump.
I’ve replaced RV water pumps in multiple campers. All of them gummed up and burned out with sand and gunk from unclean water sources.
Using a simple RV water filter like this (click to view on Amazon) will help stop sediment and most contaminants from reaching your camper.
If you drink water from the tap I recommend something a little more heavy duty like this (click to view on Amazon).
You should even use an RV water filter when filling the fresh water tank to keep any sediment from collecting in the tank or getting to the water pump.
To see more RV water filter options and read reviews check out this article here.
Electrical Surge Protector
Many RVers, myself included, consider surge guards (also known as surge protectors) to be an essential accessory. While they aren’t required to connect to an electrical hookup, they’re highly recommended.
Power surges, though not common, do occur—especially in RV parks with complex electrical systems that may not always be up to standard. A surge protector can safeguard your RV’s electrical system from potential damage caused by these surges.
There are two types of surge protectors: inline and portable. Many motorhomes already have inline surge guards built in. You can check your RV manual or look behind the converter to see if yours has one. It’s usually a small black box labeled as an electrical management system or surge guard.
Most RVers rely on portable surge protectors, and I recommend choosing one with an EMS (electrical management system) like this. These devices not only protect against power surges but also test the power source to ensure it’s safe to use.
An EMS-equipped surge protector can detect wiring issues or faults in the power pedestal at RV parks and campgrounds, providing a warning before you connect. Be sure to select the right version for your RV’s electrical setup, as they come in 50, 30, and 15 amp options.
While not an absolute necessity, they’ve saved us from unsafe electrical conditions at questionable RV parks. Considering their cost is far lower than rewiring a camper after a surge, they’re a worthwhile investment.
To read more about surge protectors and to see reviews check out this article here.
RV Park Cable
Some RV parks still offer free cable TV, though it’s becoming less common as Wi-Fi grows in demand. If you visit a park with cable TV and want to use it, you’ll need a coaxial cable (click to view on Amazon).
Most RVs have an exterior cable input, typically covered like outdoor outlets. Many mistake these for power outlets until opening the cover to reveal the cable TV port. To connect, simply attach the coaxial cable from the RV park’s cable hookup to your RV’s input.
Inside the RV, ensure your TV is connected to the internal cable port, switch the TV settings from “antenna” to “cable,” and scan for available channels. Occasionally, RV parks may use satellite TV, requiring a satellite box for access.
Must-Have RV Accessories List
For 50A RV
For 30A RV
Last update on 2025-03-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Highly Recommended RV Accessories List
Last update on 2025-03-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Frequently Asked Questions About RV Hookups
How do Full Hookups Work?
Full hookups in RV parks and campgrounds provide all the essentials for your camper.
Electricity is supplied through a power pedestal that connects to your RV with the appropriate plug.
Water is delivered via a hydrant or faucet, which you hook up to your RV’s city water connection using a potable water hose.
Sewer is managed with a designated sewer connection, where you attach your RV’s holding tank outlet using a sewer hose.
Where can I Find RV Hookups?
RV hookups are most commonly found in RV parks and resorts, but they’re also available in many large campgrounds.
State and national parks often offer at least partial hookups, and some even provide full hookups where space and infrastructure allow.
Many casinos also cater to RV travelers by offering hookups for their guests.
You can use various websites with filter options to easily find campgrounds offering full hookups that meet your specific needs.
Our favorite is campendium (click to go to website).
How Long Does it Take to Set Up Hookups at an RV Park?
Setting up hookups at an RV park usually takes about 10 minutes for experienced campers. If you’re new to the process, it may take a bit longer, especially as you familiarize yourself with your RV and equipment.
With the must-have RV gear mentioned in this article, setup should be straightforward. Allow yourself extra time to avoid stress—about 30 minutes is a reasonable goal once your RV is leveled and unhitched.
Remember, setting up is part of the RV experience, and everyone starts as a beginner. Most RV park or campground staff are happy to help if you run into any issues.
Have any more questions about what you need to use hookups at an RV park? Leave a comment below.
