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HIGH PROFILE — A fifth-wheel trailer with a higher-than-normal front to allow more than 6 feet of standing room
inside the raised area.
HITCH — The fastening unit that joins a movable vehicle to the vehicle that pulls it.
HITCH WEIGHT — The amount of the camper’s weight that rests on the tow vehicle. It should be approximately
12% – 15% with conventional trailers; approximately 18% -21% for fifth wheels.
HOLDING TANKS — There are three different holding tanks on most RVs; fresh water tank, gray water tank and
back water tank. The fresh water tank holds fresh water that can be stored for ater use. The gray water tank holds
the waste water from the sinks and showers. The back water tank holds the waste from the toilet.
HONEY WAGON — Euphemism for the sewage pumping truck. Honey wagons are used to empty RV holding tanks
in paces where full hookups and dump stations are not avaiable.
HOOKUPS —The ability of connecting to a campground's facilities. The major types of hookups are electrical, water
and sewer. If all three of these hookups are avaiable, it is termed full hookup. Hookups may also include telephone
and cable TV in some campgrounds.
HOUSE BATTERY — One or more batteries in a RV for operating the 12 volt lights, appliances, and systems. House
batteries can be 12 volt units tied in parallel or pairs of 6 volt batteries tied in series (to double the voltage). The term
house battery is of more significance in motor homes because they contain one or more other batteries for the op-
eration of the engine, referred to as the chassis or starting batteries.
HULA SKIRT — Term used for a type of dirt skirt accessory some RVers use on the back of their motorhome to aid
in the protection from debris thrown from their rear wheels to the vehicles directly behind them or being towed
behind them. This dirt skirt is usually the length of the rear bumper and resembles a 'short' version of a Hawaiian
'hua-skirt', hence the term.
INVERTER — An inverter is a device that changes 12 volt battery power to 120 volt AC power. It is used when "boon
docking" (camping without hookups) to power certain 120 VAC only devices like a microwave oven. The amount of
avaiable power depends on the storage capacity of the batteries and the wattage rating of the inverter.
IRON RANGER — A fee collection box used at campgrounds that do not have full time attendants. Upon entrance
to the campground, you deposit your nightly fee(s) in an envelope with your name and site number and drop this in
the collection box. At some time during the day, a park ranger will make rounds of the campgrounds and collect the
fees. You will often see these in National Park and National Forest campgrounds.
ISLAND QUEEN OR ISLAND KING — A king or queen-sized bed with walking space on both sides.
JACKKNIFE — 90% angle obtained from turning/backing fifth wheel or travel trailer with tow vehicle. Jackknifing
a short bed truck towing a fifth wheel without the use of a slider hitch or extended fifth wheel pin box can result in
damage to the truck cab or breaking out the back window of the truck cab from the truck and fifth wheel "colliding".
KING PIN — The pin by which a fifth wheel trailer attaches to the truck. It slides into the fifth wheel hitch and
locks in pace.
GLOSSARY
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