Know the Terms

Full-Timer Glossary

Plain-English definitions for every term you'll encounter in full-time RV life.

A

ACA Marketplace: The Affordable Care Act health insurance exchange at healthcare.gov. Full-timers without employer coverage often use ACA plans. Key consideration: most plans have regional networks, so a plan based in your domicile state may not cover you well when traveling.
AGM Battery: Absorbent Glass Mat. A sealed lead-acid battery common in older RVs. Should only be discharged to 50% to preserve lifespan. Being replaced by LiFePO4 in most full-timer builds.
Amp-Hour (Ah): A unit measuring battery capacity. A 200Ah bank at 12V can theoretically deliver 200 amps for 1 hour, or 10 amps for 20 hours. Full-timers typically need 200–400Ah of lithium capacity.
Americas Mailbox: A mail forwarding service based in Box Elder, South Dakota. Popular with full-timers establishing South Dakota domicile. Provides a physical street address required for SD driver's license.

B

Boondocking: Camping without hookups — typically on free public land (Bureau of Land Management / BLM, USFS). Less central to full-timer life than to weekend RVers; most full-timers mix boondocking with paid campgrounds and membership parks.

C

Class A: The largest motorhome category — bus-style coach. Typically 35–45 ft. Most residential amenities. Higher purchase price, fuel cost, and maintenance. Popular for full-timers who prioritize comfort and space.
Class B: A camper van built on a cargo van chassis. Most maneuverable, best fuel economy, stealth-capable. Tradeoffs: limited living space and storage. Popular with solo full-timers and couples who prioritize flexibility.
Class C: A motorhome built on a truck or van cab-over chassis. Mid-size (20–33 ft). More affordable than Class A, more livable than Class B. The "starter motorhome" for many full-timers.
Converter / Charger: A device that charges your batteries from shore power. Most RVs have one built in. Full-timers should verify it can properly charge lithium batteries — many older converters cannot.

D

Depth of Discharge (DoD): How much of your battery capacity you use before recharging. AGM: 50% max; LiFePO4: 80–100%. Critical for sizing your battery bank correctly.
Domicile: Your legal home state for tax, licensing, voting, and registration purposes. Full-timers must choose a domicile state even with no fixed home. The Big Three: South Dakota, Texas, Florida. Each has specific residency establishment requirements.
Dry Camping: Camping without hookups. Used interchangeably with boondocking for free public land camping, but also applies to paying campgrounds that lack electric/water/sewer hookups.
Dump Station: A facility for emptying RV black and gray water tanks. Found at campgrounds, fuel stations, RV dealers, and some rest areas. Typically free or $5–$15. Finding your next dump station is a regular logistics task in full-timer life.

E

Escapees RV Club: The largest and most established full-timer RV club (founded 1978). Provides mail forwarding service in Livingston, TX, enabling Texas domicile. Offers campground network, emergency fund, and community. Most full-timers consider membership essential.

F

Fifth Wheel: A large tow-behind trailer that connects to a specialized hitch mounted in a pickup truck bed. Typically more residential than travel trailers — higher ceilings, multi-level floorplans, residential-quality construction. Popular choice for full-timers with trucks.
Florida Domicile: Establishing legal residency in Florida. No state income tax. Requires a Florida driver's license, Florida vehicle registration, and demonstrating intent to return. Popular with full-timers who spend time in the Southeast.
Full Hook-Up: A campsite with electric, water, and sewer connections. Most common at private RV parks. Full-timers typically need electric at minimum; sewer hookups reduce the need to find dump stations.
Full-Timer: A person who lives in their RV year-round with no permanent fixed residence. Distinct from part-timers (seasonal) or weekenders. Requires intentional decisions about domicile, health insurance, mail, and banking that weekend RVers don't face.

G

Good Sam Club: A large RV membership club offering 10% campground discounts at participating parks, roadside assistance, and insurance products. The discount pays for itself quickly at KOA and other partner parks.
Gray Water: Wastewater from sinks and showers. Stored in the gray tank. Must be dumped at an approved station — not on public land. Gray tanks typically fill faster than black tanks for full-timers cooking and showering regularly.

H

Harvest Hosts: A membership program (~$99/yr) allowing one-night free stays at wineries, breweries, farms, distilleries, and attractions. No hookups. Members are expected to support the host business. A good supplement to campground stays.
Health Sharing Ministry: A non-insurance alternative where members share each other's medical costs. Not regulated as insurance. Lower monthly cost than ACA plans but with significant coverage limitations and exclusions. Popular with some full-timers; research carefully before relying on it.

I

Inverter: Converts 12V DC battery power to 120V AC for running household appliances. Pure sine wave inverters are required for sensitive electronics (CPAP, laptops). Full-timers should size for their largest simultaneous loads.

L

LiFePO4: Lithium Iron Phosphate. The standard battery chemistry for serious full-timers. Can be discharged to 80–100%, lasts 2,000–5,000+ cycles, charges 3x faster than AGM, and weighs 60–70% less. Higher upfront cost, significantly lower 10-year cost.
Long-Term Stay: A campground stay typically defined as 7+ consecutive nights. Most parks offer monthly rates 30–50% lower than nightly rates. Essential strategy for full-timers managing costs.
LTVA: Long Term Visitor Area. BLM-designated areas (mainly AZ and CA) permitting camping up to 7 months for a flat annual fee (~$180). The Quartzsite, AZ area LTVAs are a major full-timer wintering hub.

M

Mail Forwarding Service: A service that receives, scans, and forwards your mail to wherever you are. Essential for full-timers. Top services: Escapees (TX), Americas Mailbox (SD), Traveling Mailbox (multi-state). Your mail service address typically becomes your legal domicile address.
Medicare: Federal health insurance for Americans 65+. Medicare Advantage plans have regional networks — a major consideration for full-timers. Original Medicare (Parts A+B) with a Medigap supplement is generally more full-timer-friendly due to nationwide coverage.
MPPT: Maximum Power Point Tracking. The more efficient type of solar charge controller. Recommended for any serious full-timer solar setup, especially in variable light conditions. Use instead of PWM for systems over 200W.

P

Passport America: An RV club offering 50% off at 1,900+ campgrounds. Annual fee ~$44. The discount applies to one night per visit at most parks. Useful for full-timers moving frequently; less valuable for long-term stays.

Q

Quartzsite: A small town in western Arizona and the unofficial capital of full-time RV life in winter. The annual RV show in January draws 100,000+ visitors; surrounding BLM LTVAs host tens of thousands of full-timers from October through March.

R

Rig: Full-timer shorthand for your RV or tow vehicle+trailer combination. "What's your rig?" is a standard greeting at campgrounds.

S

Shore Power: Electricity from a campground hookup (30A or 50A). Full-timers relying on solar/batteries must manage power carefully in cloudy periods or high-consumption situations. Shore power is the backup that makes everything else forgiving.
Solar: Photovoltaic panels mounted on your roof that charge your battery bank. Full-timer standard: 400–800W of panels. More solar means more days without hookups. Critical companion to a lithium battery bank.
South Dakota Domicile: The most popular domicile state for full-timers. No state income tax, easy residency establishment (one overnight stay + DMV visit), and straightforward vehicle registration process. Requires a SD mailing address (Americas Mailbox or similar).
Starlink: SpaceX's satellite internet service. Offers an RV/portable plan with no fixed address requirement. Currently the most reliable high-speed internet option for full-timers in remote areas. ~$150/mo for hardware + service.

T

Texas Domicile: Establishing legal residency in Texas. No state income tax. Escapees mail forwarding in Livingston, TX is a common path. Vehicle inspection required annually. Popular with full-timers who use Escapees RV Club services.
Thousand Trails: A campground membership network with 80+ parks in the US and Canada. Monthly or annual memberships allow unlimited stays. Popular with full-timers who stay in one region; members can also upgrade to access all zones. Paid campsite costs drop dramatically with consistent use.
Travel Trailer: A tow-behind RV without its own motor. Ranges from small teardrop trailers to large 40-ft fifth wheels. The most popular RV type overall. Full-timers often choose fifth wheels (with pickup) for better construction quality and living space.

W

Workamping: Working at a campground or attraction in exchange for a free campsite and sometimes a small wage. Common with KOA, state parks, Amazon CamperForce (seasonal warehouse work), and national park concessionaires. A way to reduce campground costs while earning income.

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