When we are at home, the Travel Trailer is on shore power, parked under the overhang on my shop. The MarCELL unit continues to monitor conditions inside the trailer. Occasionally, during thunderstorms, the power will go out and I will get a notification. Such was the case on June 15th and 16th when numerous thunderstorms rolled through north Texas. The emails below were just one type of alert that I received. I also had the text and phone call alerts. While you might find that quite annoying since we were at home, it shows just how reliable MarCELL is as a product.

I’ve mentioned before that the travel trailer gets its shore power from the shop. So, when I get that alert I know that the shop power is out. In the winter this is important because my pool equipment runs from shop power. So, if it is below freezing, the alert serves as a reminder to start the generator so my pool equipment won’t be damaged. So, as you can see, it is a multi-purpose solution for us.

As you can see, the MarCELL becomes a multi-purpose solution to not only my trailer but my stick and brick house as well.

Since the MarCELL unit works off a cellular plan, I don’t need to worry if the internet goes down. That also means that I don’t need to install an expensive internet solution in my travel trailer.

We have had this unit now for over five years and it has been flawless both on the road and at home. I can’t imagine traveling without it. If the MarCELL unit seems like something you would like to research, then check out www.meetmarcell.com. If you decide to purchase a unit use the code TTN20 to receive $20.00 off at checkout.

Now, on a side note, Tammy is currently visiting family up north. So Eva and I are holding down the fort and doing some maintenance on the trailer. The MarCELL unit is also programmed to send alerts to Tammy. So when we have been having issues down here with power, I will get a text asking “What’s going on with the power down there?”.

Stay tuned for some updates on a few maintenance items.

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Camping in these conditions presents certain difficulties. The first is just being able to keep your travel trailer cool. Keep in mind that the best you can expect (usually) is about a 20 degree drop from outside air temperature. So if it is 100 degrees outside not only is it going to take a long time to cool the trailer but you had better be happy at 80 degrees inside. Personally if it’s 100 degrees outside, 80 is probably going to be pretty cool when you come in.

There are other things you can do to maximize the temperature inside your travel trailer:

1. Limit the amount of in and out activity. The more the entry door opens the more heat comes into the trailer.
2. Park in a shady spot if at all possible in order to limit the amount of direct sunlight on the RV.
3. There are insulation products available to put on windows and vents to reduce the outside heat coming into the trailer. We had a UV tint product put on all of our trailers windows; it greatly reduces the amount of heat coming into the trailer. At the very least you will want to have your window blinds closed.
4. Of course a second air conditioner on larger trailers is a benefit. Regardless of how many units you have, you need to keep them clean to help with their efficiency. Inspect and regularly clean the AC filters.
5. Use a portable fan to move the air inside the trailer.
6. Do all your cooking outside the trailer.

These items will help you control the travel trailers internal temperature. HOWEVER, if power at the campground or a mechanical failure should occur, the temperature in the travel trailer will increase quickly.

The reason I bring up power outages is because they are a very real possibility in this heat. Whether it is bad campground infrastructure, rolling brownouts, or a travel trailer mechanical (AC) breakdown; power outages happen.

You might think that the temperature in the trailer won’t increase quickly but that would be incorrect. Studies show that a travel trailer will get dangerously hot in one to two hours. If you are gone and you have left a pet in the trailer, it can, and will be a deadly situation for them. This is why I recommend that everyone who travels with a pet get some sort of power and temperature monitoring device.

There are a number of different units on the market, we chose the MarCELL unit. Quite frankly we love the MarCELL unit and can offer you a $20.00 discount at checkout using the code TTN20 (at www.meetmarcell.com). However, regardless of whether it is a MarCELL unit or another brand, for the sake of your family pet, please get a monitoring system. Your floor children will thank you!

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There are a few things to really be concerned about when the weather turns on a dime like this. First and foremost if you travel with a pet, please get a pet temperature monitoring system. We use the MarCELL unit, and are able to offer a $20.00 discount if you use the code TTN20 at checkout. We feel it has some major advantages to it including the fact that you can pair it with the MarCELL water sensors for extra protection. However the reason we like it is that we don’t need to worry about a power outage if we leave Eva in the Trailer for a short time.

Should something happen to our power supply or if the temperature should rise above the setting we entered in our App; we get notified immediately. If you want to read more about our experience with the MarCELL unit, click here. To visit their web site, click here.

Frankly, We don’t care what temperature monitoring system you purchase. However, if you travel with any Pets, please get a system so your pet is protected.

Now there are a few other things you will want to check before you go out on your first trip of the season. Some of these are very easy to do and some are more complicated. There is no shame in having your unit serviced by a reputable RV Repair facility. Never attempt to repair anything on your travel trailer that you feel is outside your abilities. Attempting repairs or even routine maintenance (like roof cleaning) that you are not qualified to do can result in damage not only to your RV but to you as well … or worse. I’m not saying this to scare you, just to protect you. Anyway, enough said about that, now on to some things to check:

Tire Pressures – Low tire pressure (as well as high) can lead to overheating and blow outs. Also, if you have a Tire Pressure monitoring System on your Travel Trailer, the beginning of the season is the best time to replace those batteries. The last thing you want to do is get an alarm for a low battery on your trip. Always visually inspect your tires before any trip.

Smoke Detector Batteries – Change these yearly.

Fire Extinguisher – Check to make sure it is still fully charged. I would recommend having a second one that is larger than what came with your trailer. Also, in the event there is an emergency, have an evacuation plan for the whole family. This would include how to get out of the trailer, and where to meet outside. Make sure everyone knows how to open and exit out of the egress windows etc.

Wheel Bearings – Also, remember wheel bearing maintenance is a yearly requirement. This type of maintenance isn’t extremely difficult but it requires some mechanical ability. It can also be dangerous since it involves lifting the tires off of the ground to do the work. If any of that makes you nervous, you really need to let the professionals do the work.

A/C system – Hopefully you have checked your AC system. There are a number of things that can interfere with your cooling including but not limited to dirty filters or mud daubers building a nest inside the unit. I saw a video on-line a few days ago where an AC unit would not turn on. The issue was due to a birds nest which had been built around the fan on top of the unit.

Water and Electric Systems – Make sure your water system and electrical systems are all working before you leave. Nothing ruins a trip faster than a water leak, or no power inside the travel trailer.

Propane System – Make sure your appliances are in working order with no leaks.

Hitch System – Make sure everything is adjusted to the manufacturers specifications. Every hitch system that I am aware of requires the owner to periodically check those settings.

Now hopefully you have maintained all your seals and the roof so in the even it rains, you will stay nice and dry.

A travel trailer requires regular maintenance. As mentioned above, if you don’t feel it is something you can do; find a reputable dealer that can perform it for you. While it is sometimes hard to find a decent repair facility, it is not impossible.

Also, remember to take your time in route to your destination. Your fellow travelers are counting on you to travel safe and not put them at risk. As a side note, going slower is going to save you some serious money at the gas pumps. In addition, traveling at slower speeds causes much less damage if you have a blow out. Traveling slower also gives you more time to react to any emergency.

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Last year, I had to pull the plugs on the pool as the February deep freeze hit Texas. I didn’t do this as a winterizing requirement; I did it because I was having shoulder surgery. So I knew I would be unable to take care of the pool should a power outage happen in the middle of the night. So, it seemed the most reasonable thing to do given the circumstances.

In my last post I talked about our MarCELL unit. Back in the late 80’s when we started owning travel trailers, nothing like this was available. If it had been available, I would have purchased it immediately.

The great thing about this unit is that it notifies you if there is a power outage in your travel trailer. Why is this important? Well, if you travel with pets, you take a risk every time you leave them alone in the trailer. Even if it is only for a short period of time. Campgrounds are notorious for having power outages which in the heat of the summer will quickly spell trouble; if not death for your pet. The insulating value of trailers will not protect your pet for long if your AC unit is not running.

Likewise, even brand-new units can experience electrical or appliance (AC) failures. So if your power is on to the unit but the AC unit fails, your pet is in the same situation as if you had a complete power outage.

That is the advantage of the MarCELL unit. It sends alerts to you based on settings that you create for temperature and humidity. This means the system alerts you both during power outages and when the temperature or humidity exceeds your set points. You can also pair MarCELL’s s-puck water sensors to the unit as well. That way you can catch any leak that may occur. As soon as it detects any water you will get an alert.

The system sends alerts to notify you by phone, text, or email. I chose Text and email initially but now have changed that to Text and Phone call.

So what does any of this have to do with the winter weather in Texas? Well, my unit is still in the trailer monitoring temperature and power. At his point though, I am really more concerned about power outages. That is because the power to the Travel Trailer (where the MarCELL unit is located) is coming from my shop. My shop power also supplies the electricity than runs the pool equipment. So, if the power goes out in the shop and its below freezing I only have a short amount of time to get my backup generator running so my pool is not ruined. That is exactly what happened last night.

Here is an example of the text notifications I received from the MarCELL unit.

I dressed, unlocked the shop, moved the generator outside, and got it running in about thirty minutes. That probably saved me hundreds of dollars in damage had the water lines frozen. Meanwhile in the neighborhood, some slept through the power outage, and that used to be my biggest concern – not anymore.

So as you can see, the MarCELL unit serves a dual purpose for us. Most importantly, It protects our Sable Shepherd Eva when we camp (her life is much more important than the pool), but it also protects my pool when the trailer is not being used in the freezing weather. Now, I could of course just move the MarCELL unit into the shop during the months we don’t camp but that would just be an extra step since all power comes from the shop.

If the MarCELL unit looks like a good option for you I would recommend you read our review here. For more on the cost and functionality, you can always visit the MarCELL site here and use the code TTN20 at checkout to get $20.00 off.

For now North Texas will have a brief warm up that will melt the ice off the trees and power lines here. However, Saturday is predicted to have more freezing rain. Here we go again.

Please be safe out there!

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I am always touting the MarCELL unit, primarily because we travel with our German Shepherd Eva. Having the MarCELL Multisensor allows me to monitor my travel trailers environment in real time. The Multisensor alone tracks temperature and humidity. It constantly looks for power interruptions, temperature fluctuations, and humidity issues. Once detected it sends an immediate notification. This notification can be tailored to be a Phone call, Text Message, or Email alert.

So If your campground has a power outage, your power pedestal fails, your generator stops running or your A/C system fails, you won’t need to worry about your pets health. That is the beauty of the MarCELL Multisensor. It provides peace of mind so that you can be sure your pet is always comfortable and safe.

Rest assured that you will never miss an alert because MarCELL is cellular-enabled (via a Verizon or AT&T plan through MarCELL) and the unit communicates with 4G networks to transmit data and send the alerts. Unlike similar units that utilize Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices, MarCELL will continue to operate during power outages and equipment failures for up to 48 hours. While there is a cost for this cellular service, it is very reasonable; as low as $8.25 per month.

Now beyond all of these benefits, Marcell also has a water sensor (called an SPuck) which is about the size of a quarter. The SPuck Water Sensor expands upon the monitoring capabilities of the MarCELL by detecting and reporting water leaks. The SPuck is a wireless device. Place the SPuck near a water heater, water pump, sink, shower, or any other area where leaks may occur. The SPuck monitors for water and reports leaks immediately. The Multisensor pairs with and manages up to 16 SPucks.. This gives you, as an RV owner, an additional level of protection against any water damage or flooding that might take place.

The unobstructed range of the wireless SPuck is 300 feet; that’s plenty of room to cover any RV. The battery in the SPuck lasts up to a year.

So as you can see there are a lot of good reasons to own a MarCELL unit. Here is another reason: Use the code TTN20 at checkout at www.meetmarcell.com and get $20.00 off a Multisensor. We think you will enjoy the peace of mind this unit provides, and the protection it provides for your Pet.

If you want to read our review of the MarCELL Multisensor that we wrote in July of 2020, then click here.

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Lately Tammy and I have had two major power outages. One lasted for almost twelve hours.  Can you imagine what that would mean for your pet in a travel trailer if you weren’t there?

An RV doesn’t have the type of insulation that a stick and brick house has. That means that your RV is going to start rising in temperature quickly.

There are many stories on line that didn’t end well for pets in an RV due to power outages.

The reality of the situation is that RV parks don’t always have the best infrastructure. Power goes out OR perhaps your AC just happens to fail and your pet is alone as temperatures rise.  This can be tragic for your floor child.

With a MarCELL unit you will immediately get notified if your power goes out OR your temperature rises above the set point that you created in the MarCELL app.  This way you’re covered, not only for power outages, but also if your RV temperature unexpectedly rises.  You can choose between texts, emails, or phone call alerts.  We chose email and text alerts.  It has worked flawlessly.

This is why we always have a MarCELL unit. In addition to the temperature and humidity sensor of the main unit, you can also buy water (spuck)sensors so you’ll know if you have a water leak.  We have an spuck sensor under each sink, the shower, water pump, and water heater.

The folks at MarCELL will give you $20.00 off if you use the code TTN20 during checkout at www.meetMarCELL.com.

To read our complete review of The MarCELL Monitor click here.

We spend so much more on upgrades and other items for our RV that don’t give us the same peace of mind that MarCELL does.  Please consider MarCELL for the safety of your pets.  It is money well spent!

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One of the repetitive topics on any RV page happens to be water leaks. In fact recently I was reading about some brand new 2021 models that are hitting the road right from the factory with their plumbing loose. In this particular thread their were at least ten folks that had brand new rigs with this issue. Obviously this is a huge concern. Water causes damage quickly. Many times you don’t know it’s happening until the damage is done. Often times water damage to a floor won’t be apparent for years.

Back in 2017 when Tammy and I had our brand new trailer at a campground we suddenly heard a hissing noise inside the main area of the kitchen. We had no idea what could be causing the sound, and began to look through the cabinets, and then we spotted the problem. A screw for an awning switch had gone into the water line (bad design by the manufacturer for sure) to the sink. Why a manufacturer would place an awning switch on a kitchen island is a bit of a mystery to me.

The next years model had the switch where it should have been; on the control center panel. We were very fortunate to have been in the trailer when the line developed this leak. Had we been on a hike, we would have come back to a lot of water in our rig. Many Campers have not been as lucky.

Many Travel Trailer owners look for ways to get alerted to water leaks the minute they happen. This is where the folks at MarCELL can help. If you already have one of the MarCELL multisensors, you can add up to 16 remote wireless S-pucks to your sensor. These s-pucks are very small but extremely sensitive. The sensor sends an alert to the owner as soon as it detects water. These alerts can be in the form of a text, email, or phone call.

My plan is to put one under each sink, shower, water heater, and water pump area. Since the set up allows you to name them differently, if there is an issue you will know exactly where to go to find the leak. Here is an example of the texts I received when testing the s-puck sensor. Please note that the message specifies the location of the water. In this case it is the Imagine Kitchen Sink.

We have the MarCELL multisensor because we want to monitor the temperature inside the trailer when our puppy is inside and we are away. To read about our review of the multisensor click here. Frankly, I think it is the best monitoring system on the market. We spend almost as much on jack pads and other accessories for the travel trailer, but nothing will give you the peace of mind that this unit provides.

I have to say the folks at MarCELL never cease to amaze me with their products.

The s-pucks retail at 29.00 USD per unit. This is not very expensive considering what money you will save, in terms of damage, if a leak should occur.

Remember you will need to have the MarCELL Multisensor for the s-pucks to operate. The multisensors are available at www.meetmarcell.com. Use code TTN20 to save $20.00 at checkout on the multisensor unit.

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Travel Trailers are not as safe as your stick and brick house if the power goes out. Regular homes are much better insulated and would take a very long time to become uncomfortable for your pet. With an RV simply leaving the air-conditioning running in your travel trailer does not guarantee that your pet will be safe.

Air conditioners often fail; many RV Facebook pages talk about AC issues and outages. In addition, no campground is immune from power outages. Fortunately for the RV community there is a solution to keeping your pet safe; a pet temperature monitor! There are many different models and types to choose from.

I did a lot of research before I purchased my temperature monitor. Temperature monitors fall into basically two categories; those that use a cellular network or those that use an internet connection to communicate any issue to you. I knew I did not want to rely on the internet. Because it’s rare that you will find a decent internet connection at campgrounds. I also didn’t want to spend a fortune on an internet system for my travel trailer. So, it made perfect sense to me to seek out a unit that used a cellular network.

Once I knew I wanted a cellular unit, I began doing research on the units available. I spent hours reading reviews and blogs. I finally settled on the MarCell Remote Monitoring System. Not only did they have the highest reviews of any system I researched, their support is based here in the USA. My personal opinion is that having support here at home is a big benefit.

In the case of MarCell you can choose between AT&T or Verizon as your cellular provider; We chose Verizon.

There are several different cellular plans that you can choose from with the yearly plan (paid up front) being the cheapest. You can also pick a monthly or a seasonal plan.

So what will having a MarCell Monitor do for you? It will constantly watch for power outages and deviations in the temperature set points that you create on either your “Sensored Life” App (that you download to your smart phone), or on the Sensoredlife.com web page.

Although your dashboard is only updated every 8 hours, you will get instant text, call, or email updates should something go wrong with your temperature or power. If you really have a desire to view real time information, you can purchase instant update bundles. To be quite honest, the alerts should give you enough peace of mind that you really don’t need instant updates on your dashboard; but that is just my opinion.

If you are worried about the water leaks in your travel trailer you can also buy a remote sPuck water sensor for your MarCell. You could place this under a sink, shower etc, and it will notify you of any leak that occurs.

Once you take this unit out of the packaging, it really is just plug and play:

1: Plug the unit in

2: Register the unit on-line or with the APP and pay for whatever cellular plan you like.

3: Set up your limits for temperature and humidity. Then set up your email, text, or call notifications. The MarCell is unbelievably easy to set up in just a few minutes.

4: The Unit transmits data.

We have tested it for no power, out of temperature rage, and high humidity. It sent us both text messages and emails alerting us to take action. In addition we received alerts when power was restored. Our opinion so far is that this unit works flawlessly. If anything out of the ordinary happens, we will know immediately.

The cost of the unit on-line is typically $199.00 USD, however I bought directly from MarCell via their site www.meetmarcell.com for $179.00. If you are interested in purchasing a MarCell Remote Monitoring System you can use the code TTN20 and you will save another $20.00 off the purchase price, and that is a great value!

The Verizon cellular plan was $99.00 for the entire year. There are so many things we buy for our travel trailers that cost much more than $99.00 but fail to provide as much peace of mind. I think for the sake of our pets, a temperature monitor is a necessity and this one is a great value. Please remember to keep your pets safe!

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