RV Technology 2021: 7 Helpful Devices RV Folks Should Get
Posted by Greg Knell on 5th Oct 2021
A lot of SureCall customers are RVers - people who live in their RV, work from their RV, travel in their RV, etc. Cell phone signal boosters aren’t just popular with these folks. They’re usually a necessity. And it’s been a while since we’ve given some up-to-date, RV technology-related advice here on our blog.
We’ve found that our RV-using customers are a lot more tech savvy than the average person might assume. That’s why we’ve curated this list of 7 helpful devices that RV people should get. We know you’re going to like these.
1. LevelMate Pro
One of the first things you have to do when you pull up to your site and park is level. Depending on what kind of setup you have, this can be a real pain. Many RVs have auto-levelers, but they almost always over-compensate; they lift or lower more than they should. Some people decide to just manually level using one of those traditional bubble levelers.
The LevelMate Pro makes all of this so much easier. It’s a small device that you put inside your RV. It requires you to calibrate before first-time use, but it’s easy. Once you’ve set it up, you open up the app on your phone and it shows you exactly how off each side of your RV is. For example, it’ll tell you if your driver’s side needs to be raised 2 inches.
This awesome device brings the total time you spend leveling your RV down to a couple of minutes. Once you experience this thing, you’ll never go without it again.
Price: $144.99
2. MircoAir Thermostat
The MircroAir is a smart thermostat for RVs. When you get one, you uninstall the existing dometic thermostat on the inside wall of your RV and you install this one directly in its place. This device is Bluetooth and Wi-Fi compatible, which means you can monitor the temperature inside the RV remotely. You can create customized temperature programs and set them, change them, or turn them off all using the app. You can control the heat pumps, furnace, air conditioning, everything.
It has a touch screen so you can toggle the settings right from the interface itself or use the app remotely. You can use Fahrenheit and Celsius settings. You can create different zones that represent different sections of your RV and customize the settings for each individual zone.
Super simple to install. Very easy to use.
Price: $249.99
3. Amazon Fire Stick
Many RVers like to use satellite TV, but there as just as many who prefer not use it. Weather affects it. Trees affect it. There’s a better option. The Amazon Fire Stick.
If you’re not familiar with this, it’s a streaming device. It’s a small black rectangle with an HDMI output at the end. You plug it into the back of your TV into one of the HDMI ports.
This device allows you to stream everything. Sling, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, IP TV, Pay Per View, live sports. Anything you want to watch is possible with the Amazon Fire Stick. (Some of these things just mentioned require subscriptions).
If you’re an RVer hung up on satellite TV because you’ve been using it for so long and you’re apprehensive about upgrading to modern technology, just give this a try. It’s so simple and so versatile that it’s almost impossible to go back to any other way of watching TV. Also, it’s really inexpensive.
You need internet connection in your RV to use this device
Price: $37.99
4. Ring Doorbell
Ring is a smart doorbell that you install outside your RV where a regular doorbell would be. You can get a battery version that needs to be recharged every so often. Or you can get a version that doesn’t require batteries but that plugs into the wall (which can sometimes require a small wiring job depending on your setup).
When somebody rings the doorbell, it activates the camera feature and sends you (or multiple people) a notification. You can then immediately see live what’s going on. Also, the bell does not have to be rung in order for you to view through the camera. Anytime you want to, you can open the app and see what the camera sees (and hears).
You can also sign up for their paid service, which allows you to save all recorded videos in the cloud for instant access. So if your RV is burglarized or vandalized, you’ll have a recording of the incident.
Also worth mentioning is that you don’t have to take it off while the RV is in motion. It can stay on there permanently or easily removed only when the battery needs to be charged. A lot of RVers install the Ring Doorbell with VHB tape and silicon.
Price: $99.99
5. Google Wifi System
Google Wi-Fi this piece of RV technology is sometimes called a mesh network. It’s a very simple internet setup that broadcasts an internet signal inside your RV and outside. This particular device is known for its powerful signal and long range. Some users say that RVers on the other end of the campground can sometimes pick up their signal (they would need a password, of course).
If you want WiFi in your RV, this is about as easy and good as it gets. It’s also very affordable.
Price: $99
6. Waggle
Waggle is a piece of RV technology that is particularly important for those of you traveling with your pets. Sometimes you leave your pet inside the RV for short periods of time for various reasons. And even though your RV may be hooked up at the campground, sometimes things happen. Things like losing your power. If this happens in the middle of summer, the inside of your RV can go from 75 to 100 quickly. This is obviously extremely dangerous for pets that are inside the RV without you.
The Waggle device is a small, black square that monitors temperature and humidity inside your RV. It also has an app that you download. The Waggle is different from a traditional thermostat (or even a smart thermostat) because it has a cellular modem inside. This means you can set up parameters (for example, 39 degrees low and 79 degrees high). Anytime the temperature inside your RV goes outside those parameters, you receive a text message and an email every 10 minute until you address the issue.
What’s also great about it is that if you have it plugged in inside your RV and the power goes out, you will get a text message and email every ten minutes telling you. (It also has a rechargeable battery inside so it doesn’t have to be plugged in all the time).
There’s a version of the Waggle that has GPS built in that tells you the longitude, latitude, and Google Maps location of the device.
Installation is so easy. It comes with an adhesive-backed mounting plate so you can put it wherever you want.
The cellular modem inside the Waggle uses only the Verizon network at this time.
Price: $199
7. Cell Phone Signal Booster
You knew this was coming, but we can’t make a list of helpful RV technology without including cell phone signal boosters. The SureCall Fusion2Go 3.0 RV is the most powerful Cell Phone Signal Booster for RVs and trailers.
Two different antennas need to be installed out of the box: an interior and an exterior. With the omnidirectional outdoor antenna, you don’t have to figure out which direction to point it to get the best signal. It finds it for you. The interior one can be placed in any convenient spot inside your RV, as long as it can reach a power outlet and the wire cable connecting it to the outdoor antenna.
It can be used in tandem with a Wi-Fi booster. So if you already have a Wi-Fi booster and are concerned that installing a Cell Phone Signal Booster will interfere, don’t worry. It won’t. Also, the packaging comes with an O-ring so you can easily connect it firmly to an exterior pole, saving you a trip to Home Depot.
The coverage of this device is great. It will almost certainly cover the whole interior of your RV. But the closer you are to the interior antenna, the better your cell signal will be.
RV Technology 2021: 5 Helpful Devices RV Folks Should Get - Conclusion
Have you tried any of these? If so, what has your experience been like? What other kinds of RV technology do you have in your rig that you swear by? Let us know in the comments!
Here are some other RV-related articles from our blog for you to check out:
7 Devices To Maximize Cell Phone Usage In An RV
7 Easy Steps To Install A Cell Signal Booster In An RV
How To Glamp In An RV (And The One Thing That Changes Everything)