Resources
The rest of the trip
Where to book a site, where to dump, and every Megawatt tool in one place. We point to the agencies that run the land instead of keeping a list that goes stale.
Campgrounds
Book with the people who run the land
We don't keep our own campground list. These four sources are official and current, and they cover most public sites in the US.
Recreation.gov
Federal campground and permit bookings in one place. Most national forest, Corps of Engineers, and park sites book here.
Open recreation.govNational Park Service
Each park page lists its campgrounds, length limits, and seasonal closures. Check the length limit before you book.
Open nps.govBureau of Land Management
Public land in the West, much of it open to dispersed camping. Rules and stay limits vary by field office.
Open blm.govUSDA Forest Service
Know Before You Go covers fire restrictions, stay limits, and road status. Read it before you pull off a forest road.
Open fs.usda.govDump stations
Ask the park first
Most campgrounds with hookups have a dump station, and many state parks let you use theirs for a small fee even if you aren't staying. Truck stops on interstates often have one too. Call ahead, since hours and fees change and some close for winter.
The 2019 Bounder manual says to keep the black valve closed until you dump, so solids leave with the liquid. It says the grey valve can stay open while you're on a sewer hookup. Check that against the manual for your own coach.
Tools
Every Megawatt tool
Free, no account, and nothing leaves your browser unless you send it.
Solar planner
Panels, battery, and controller sized from your roof and your day.
OpenCalculators
Battery, inverter, payload, fuel, wind, and more.
OpenSolar forecast
Seven days of expected harvest for a ZIP code.
OpenProblem fixer
Step through a dead outlet, a weak battery, or a cold fridge.
OpenGear kits
Short lists of gear for a job, with one Amazon cart button.
OpenMy Rig
Save your coach once so the tools open on it.
OpenOwner builds
Real solar setups sent in by owners. Each one is reviewed first.
OpenManuals hub
Fleetwood and parts-maker manuals by model and year.
OpenAsk Megawatt
Questions answered from the guides and manuals on this site. It goes live once an AI service is connected.
Reminder emails
A seasonal nudge to winterize or check the batteries. It goes live once an email service is connected.
Glossary
Words you'll see on this site
- Shore power
- 120-volt power from a campground pedestal. The 2019 Bounder gas manual describes a 30-amp cord for that coach. Yours may be 50-amp.
- House battery
- The bank that runs lights, the water pump, and anything else 12-volt inside the coach. It is separate from the chassis battery that starts the engine.
- Amp-hour (Ah)
- How much charge a battery holds. It only means something next to a voltage. A 100 Ah battery at 12.8 volts holds about 1,280 watt-hours.
- Watt-hour (Wh)
- Volts times amp-hours. The calculators work in watt-hours because that is how loads and solar panels add up.
- Boondocking
- Camping with no hookups. Power comes from the batteries, the panels, and the generator, and water comes from the tank.
- Inverter
- Turns 12-volt battery power into 120-volt household power. Its size limits what you can run at once.
- GVWR
- Gross vehicle weight rating. The most the loaded coach is allowed to weigh, printed on the sticker by the driver's seat.
- GCWR
- Gross combined weight rating. The coach plus whatever it tows. Some state license rules use this number.
- Payload
- What is left between the empty coach and GVWR, after people, cargo, water, and propane.
- Black and grey tanks
- Black holds toilet waste and grey holds sink and shower water. Dump black first so grey rinses the hose.