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Full Hookup

A campground site with electric, water, and sewer connections at the site. The standard for modern RV resorts.

Also called: full hookup, full-hookup site, FHU, all hookups

A full hookup campground site has three connections at the site itself: electric power, fresh water, and a sewer drain. With a full hookup, you don’t need to use the RV’s onboard fresh water tank or holding tanks at all — you’re tied into infrastructure the way a house is.

What’s included at a typical full-hookup site

  • Electrical pedestal, usually offering 30-amp and 50-amp service. The RV plugs in with a shore power cord.
  • Fresh water spigot with a threaded hose connection. You connect a hose from the spigot to the RV’s city water inlet.
  • Sewer hookup, a 3- or 4-inch pipe at ground level that accepts the RV’s sewer hose. You drain both the black and grey holding tanks directly to this connection.
  • Sometimes: cable TV, fiber internet, propane refill on-site.

What “30-amp” vs “50-amp” means

  • 30-amp service delivers about 3,600 watts. Enough to run one AC unit, the fridge, lights, and small appliances simultaneously.
  • 50-amp service delivers about 12,000 watts. Enough to run two ACs, the fridge, the microwave, and small appliances simultaneously.

If your rental is Class A or large Class C, it’s likely a 50-amp rig. Confirm at pickup. Plugging a 50-amp RV into 30-amp service is fine with an adapter (you just can’t run all systems at once). Plugging a 30-amp RV into 50-amp service is fine but requires a different adapter.

Full hookup vs. partial hookup

Campground listings usually distinguish:

  • Full hookup: electric + water + sewer at the site
  • Water and electric: electric + water, but you must visit the dump station before leaving to empty holding tanks
  • Electric only: just power. Use the RV’s fresh water tank, dump at the dump station.
  • Primitive / no hookups: no connections at all. This is dry camping in a campground context.

For renters who don’t want to deal with sewer hoses or holding tank management, full hookup is the easiest option. The full-hookup premium is typically $10–$20 per night above no-hookup sites at the same campground.

Where to find full-hookup sites

  • Private RV resorts (KOA, Sun RV Resorts, Encore) almost always have full hookups
  • State parks: varies widely — some have full hookups, some only electric+water
  • National parks: almost never have full hookups. Most NP campgrounds are no-hookup. Plan accordingly.

If you’re renting an RV for a trip primarily to national parks, expect to be off hookups most nights and to use dump stations when you exit the park.