Setting up your 5th wheel for the first time?

If you've just pulled your 5th wheel into your first campsite and you're staring at a pedestal, a water spigot, and a sewer pipe wondering where to start — this one's for you. Hooking up isn't complicated once you know the order and have the right gear. Here's exactly how to do it, and everything you need to buy before you arrive.

At Buckeye Beach Park, every seasonal site comes with electric, water, and sewer hookups. We see first-timers pull in every season and the same questions come up every time. So we put together this complete guide — what to buy, what order to connect, and the details that make the difference between a smooth setup and a frustrating one.

□ What to Buy Before You Arrive

None of this gear is expensive, but showing up without it makes setup miserable — or impossible. Get these before your first trip out.

⚡ Electric

Surge Protector or EMS — Buy This First

This is the single most important piece of equipment on this entire list. A surge protector plugs into the power pedestal before your rig connects and protects your entire electrical system — your air conditioner, refrigerator, microwave, everything — from voltage spikes, low voltage, and miswired pedestals. A surge event without one can destroy thousands of dollars of appliances in seconds.

A basic surge protector runs $30–$50. An EMS (Electrical Management System) gives you full diagnostics and more comprehensive protection for $100–$300. Either is fine to start. Just don't skip it.

Know Your Amperage: 30-Amp vs. 50-Amp

Most 5th wheels run on 50-amp service, though some smaller rigs use 30-amp. Look at the plug end of your RV's power cord — a 3-prong plug is 30-amp, a 4-prong plug is 50-amp. Know which you are before you arrive. Our pedestals at Buckeye Beach Park accommodate both.

Pick up a dogbone adapter that adapts your plug to the other amperage — they're about $15–$30 and there will come a time you need one.

Heavy-Duty RV Extension Cord

Depending on where your site's pedestal sits, your power cord may not quite reach. An RV-rated heavy-duty extension cord bridges the gap — but it must be rated for the amperage your rig draws. Never use a standard household extension cord under RV loads. It can overheat, melt, and become a serious fire hazard.

□ Water

Drinking Water Hose — White or Blue Only

Do not use a green garden hose for your fresh water connection. Standard garden hoses are made with materials that leach chemicals and harbor bacteria — you do not want that running through your pipes and into your drinking water. You need a hose specifically rated for potable (drinking) water. Look for labels reading "drinking water safe," "lead-free," or "BPA-free." They're typically white or blue so you can always tell them apart from other hoses. A 25- or 50-foot length works well for most sites.

Water Pressure Regulator — Don't Skip This One Either

Municipal water pressure at a campground spigot can easily run 80–100 PSI. Your 5th wheel's plumbing system is designed for 40–60 PSI. That difference matters — high pressure can crack PEX pipes, blow out fittings, and damage your water pump and water heater. A water pressure regulator threads directly onto the spigot and brings the pressure down to a safe level before it ever reaches your rig. They cost $10–$20 and last for years. Buy one.

Inline Water Filter (Highly Recommended)

An inline carbon filter connects between your pressure regulator and your hose and removes sediment, chlorine taste, and odor from your water supply. It's not required, but once you use one you won't want to go without it — especially early in the season when lines have been sitting dormant all winter. A basic setup runs $20–$40, and you replace the cartridge once a season.

Rubber Hose Washers

Pick up a small bag of rubber hose washers. They go inside every threaded water connection and prevent drips. They're pennies each and the kind of thing you'll be very glad you have when a fitting starts weeping at 11pm. Check and replace them at the start of each season.

□ Sewer

Sewer Hose — Buy Quality, Not Cheap

Your sewer hose is the flexible pipe that connects your RV's waste outlet to the sewer inlet at your site. Buy at least 15 feet — 20 is better. The most important thing here is quality: a thick-walled hose with solid fittings. Thin, cheap sewer hoses crack, pinhole, and leak. This is one area where you absolutely do not want to find out what happens when it fails. Store it in a sealed carry bag between uses.

Sewer Hose Support / Slinky Stand

Your sewer hose needs a continuous downward slope from your RV to the ground connection — gravity does all the work, but only if the hose doesn't sag and pool in low spots. A sewer hose support (sometimes called a slinky stand) holds the hose up at the right angle along its entire length. Many campgrounds require them. They fold flat for easy storage and cost about $15–$25.

Sewer Donut / Inlet Seal

A sewer donut is a rubber gasket that fits around your hose where it enters the ground inlet pipe. It creates a seal that keeps sewer gases from venting back up around the connection. Good campground etiquette — and your neighbors will appreciate it.

Disposable Gloves & Hand Sanitizer

Keep a box of nitrile or latex disposable gloves and a bottle of hand sanitizer stored right with your sewer hose. Glove up every single time you connect or disconnect the sewer line. Every time. No exceptions.

Tank Treatment / Holding Tank Deodorant

Drop a tank treatment tablet or pour-in treatment into your black tank at the start of the season. It breaks down waste, controls odors, and keeps your tank sensors reading accurately. Thetford and Camco both make reliable, widely available products. Use it at the start of the season and periodically throughout.

⚠️ Leveling vs. Stabilizing — Know the Difference Before You Hook Up: Your landing jacks (front) lift and lower the front of the rig for leveling. Your stabilizer jacks (sides and rear) reduce movement once you're already level — they are not designed to lift the RV. Using stabilizers to lift puts stress on your frame and can damage the jacks. Always level first, stabilize second.

□ The Hookup Process: Step by Step

Order matters here. Do it right and setup takes about 20 minutes. Do it out of order and you're untangling cords, tripping over hoses, and potentially dealing with a sewer situation nobody wants. Here's the sequence.

⚠️ Do this before anything else: Level your rig and chock your wheels. An unlevel 5th wheel stresses your refrigerator cooling system, your slide-out seals, and your frame. Level first — then connect.

Step 1 — Connect Sewer First

It feels counterintuitive, but sewer goes first — while you still have full room to move around the site without tripping over water and power cords already on the ground.

• Glove up before you touch anything.
• Make absolutely sure both your black tank valve and gray tank valve are fully closed before you start.
• Connect the swivel fitting end of your sewer hose to your RV's sewer outlet — it's usually located toward the rear of the rig on the driver's side.
• Set up your sewer hose support along the ground, creating a continuous downward slope from the RV outlet to the site's sewer inlet (the capped pipe in the ground).
• Remove the cap from the sewer inlet, insert your hose end, and fit your sewer donut around it to seal the connection.
• Drop in your tank treatment tablet now so it's already working when you start using the facilities.

□ Critical tank tip: With a full sewer hookup, leave your gray tank valve open so sink and shower water drains freely all the time. Keep your black tank valve closed until the tank is at least two-thirds full — then dump it. Immediately after, open the gray valve briefly to flush the sewer hose clean with gray water. Leaving the black valve open continuously lets liquid drain away but leaves solid waste behind, eventually causing a buildup called a "poop pyramid." Don't let that happen.

Step 2 — Connect Electric

Getting power connected second means your air conditioner or heat starts working and your refrigerator begins cooling while you finish the rest of setup.

• Flip the breaker on the power pedestal to OFF before you touch anything else.
• Plug your surge protector into the pedestal first. Most surge protectors have indicator lights — check them. They'll tell you right away if there's a wiring problem at the pedestal before your RV is ever connected.
• Once your surge protector shows a green light (or equivalent "safe" indicator), connect your RV's power cord to it.
• If your cord doesn't reach, add your RV-rated extension cord between the surge protector and the pedestal — never between the surge protector and your rig.
• Flip the pedestal breaker back to ON.
• Step inside and confirm power is live — check a light switch or your RV's control panel display.

⚠️ Never plug your RV directly into the pedestal without your surge protector in between. One power event without protection can destroy your air conditioner, refrigerator, and other appliances simultaneously. The surge protector pays for itself the first time there's a problem at the pedestal.

Step 3 — Connect Fresh Water

Water goes last — it's the easiest connection to make and easy to check for drips once everything else is out of the way.

• Thread your water pressure regulator directly onto the spigot. Hand-tight is enough — don't overtighten.
• If you're using an inline filter, connect it next, between the pressure regulator and your hose.
• Connect your white potable water hose to the filter (or directly to the regulator), then run it to your RV's city water inlet — typically on the driver's side of the rig near the front or middle.
• Before turning on the spigot, let the water run freely for about 30 seconds to flush out any sediment sitting in the line — especially important early in the season.
• Turn the spigot on slowly and walk every connection point — spigot, regulator, filter, hose ends — and check for drips. Tighten anything that's weeping.
• Step inside, run a faucet briefly to confirm flow, and check under the sink for any leaks at the city water connection inside the rig.

□ Note: When you're connected to city water (the spigot), your RV's internal water pump is not needed and should be turned off. The pump is only for drawing from your fresh water tank when you're not hooked up to a water source.

Step 4 — Final Checks Before You Settle In

• Water heater: Turn it on — but make sure it's full of water first. Firing a water heater with an empty tank (electric or propane) burns out the heating element. Run a hot faucet until water flows steadily before powering on the heater.
• Refrigerator: Turn it on and give it at least 4–6 hours to reach temperature before loading it with food. Running a warm fridge at full capacity slows it down significantly.
• Slide-outs: Check that all cords and hoses are clear of the slide path before extending. Extend slowly and verify each slide seats and seals properly.
• Stabilizer jacks: Lower them until they make firm contact with the ground — on a pad or board, not bare dirt or asphalt. Snug contact only — do not use them to lift the rig.
• Awning: Deploy it and stake down your tie-down straps. Lake breezes are real and an unsecured awning can fold back on itself fast.
• Walk the site: Take one full lap around the rig. Check that no hose or cord is pinched, kinked, or rubbing against anything. It takes 60 seconds and catches problems before they become problems.

□ Mistakes First-Timers Make (So You Don't Have To)

Plugging into the pedestal without a surge protector. The most expensive mistake on this list and the most common. Don't do it even once.

Using a garden hose for fresh water. It looks the same, but it isn't. Keep a dedicated potable water hose and never mix it up with anything else.

Skipping the water pressure regulator. You won't know there's a problem until a fitting blows out or a pipe cracks. The regulator costs $15. A plumbing repair inside an RV costs a lot more.

Leaving the black tank valve open. It seems like it would help things drain — it doesn't. It causes a buildup of solid waste over time. Keep it closed until the tank is two-thirds full, then dump.

Extending slide-outs before leveling. Always get level first. Operating slides on a tilted rig wears out the seals and mechanism over time.

Turning on the water heater before it's full. Run a hot faucet until water flows steadily before you switch it on. A dry heating element is a ruined heating element.

The first time takes the longest — that's normal. By your third or fourth hookup you'll have it done in under 20 minutes without thinking twice. The key is having the right gear with you when you pull in and knowing the order before you start.

And if you ever pull into your site and something doesn't look right or you're not sure about something — stop by the office. That's what we're here for. □

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□ Ready to Pull In? We're Ready for You.

Buckeye Beach Park is the only RV park and marina right on Buckeye Lake — with electric, water, and sewer hookups on every seasonal site. Come spend a season with us.

Reserve Your Spot □ 740-538-LAKE

□ buckeyebeachpark.com

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