Built for boondocking

[tlsmit1]

We are renovating a '62 Tradewind and need advice --

If you were going to start over, or "do it your way" -- what are the features you would put into an Airstream renovation in order to optimize it for off road use, 3 (or 4) season camping, and boondocking?

[InsideOut]

Add a gray tank or two...definitely.

To get "four seasons" boondocking is going to be a tough one...

Shari

[Boondocker]

• Lots and lots of fresh water capacity. Generally best accomplished by putting axillary tanks in the TV, although there is some room in the frame between the A-frame and wheels
• Large capacity battery bank.
• LED lighting
• Portable ice maker. May sound silly, but trust me on this one.
• Depending on how much use the unit would get, and where, maybe solar. Definitely a generator, think out if a 1000 watt will handle your needs before buying one of the beast.
• Pergo or other non-carpet floors.
• XM radio
• Hughes net internet
• Catalytic heater

[lewster]

As much solar as you can get on the roof, a quality MPPT charge controller like a Morningstar 45 amp unit and a nice, large bank of AGM batteries for power. Maybe a quality inverter like a Magnum Energy ME-1212 for 120VAC power when off-grid. Also, a couple of 40 gallon LP tanks for your water heater and furnace needs, not to mention cooking and maybe an Olympian catalytic heater instead of a standard LP furnace.

[tlsmit1]

Originally Posted by lewster

As much solar as you can get on the roof, a quality MPPT charge controller like a Morningstar 45 amp unit and a nice, large bank of AGM batteries for power. Maybe a quality inverter like a Magnum Energy ME-1212 for 120VAC power when off-grid. Also, a couple of 40 gallon LP tanks for your water heater and furnace needs, not to mention cooking and maybe an Olympian catalytic heater instead of a standard LP furnace.

Would you permanently mount the solar on the roof? Or have portable solar that can mount on the roof once you park?

[tlsmit1]

Originally Posted by Boondocker

• LED lighting

Our trailer does not have any original 12v wiring in it.

Would you bother to run separate 12v wiring for LEDs or would you just use 110v LEDs and accept the inefficiency of using the inverter?

[lewster]

Originally Posted by tlsmit1

Would you permanently mount the solar on the roof? Or have portable solar that can mount on the roof once you park?

Due to possible (and probable) theft of portable units, I would mount them directly to the roof with 'tilt bars' that allow you to aim the panels at a better angle to the sun's path for improved efficiency.

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by tlsmit1

Our trailer does not have any original 12v wiring in it.

Would you bother to run separate 12v wiring for LEDs or would you just use 110v LEDs and accept the inefficiency of using the inverter?

There are better electric folks than me to ask. My bias is everything I want to do should run on 12 volt or propane. The ice maker is the only exception on my rig

[richie rich]

Originally Posted by tlsmit1

We are renovating a '62 Tradewind and need advice --

If you were going to start over, or "do it your way" -- what are the features you would put into an Airstream renovation in order to optimize it for off road use, 3 (or 4) season camping, and boondocking?

If Wally's caravan made it from Cape Town to Cairo,I would say you're pretty well set.High tech is nice,but don't recall seeing any in the old pictures of the desert trek.I would venture to say the best way to optimize your off road stay is to find a buddy with another Airstream.Carry on.

[Over59]

Solar bolted to roof. I use 4 x 80 watts w/ MMPT
All 12 volt or get a 1000 w propane genset for 120v. With enough solar amd 400AH battery do dont need 120. Wire for AirC and battery charger and fridge and maybe ice maker.

Cat heater. I have furance and will replace it.

Pay attention tp your lighting choices. Some 12 V lights suck alot of juice. Amps

Recycle gray water to rise toilet.

Make sure your axle is up to the load if you add fresh and used water tanks.

Have fun.

[purdiferis]

Hi, We have a 67 24' Tradewind shell, going a simple route too. No plumbing other then the kitchen sink hand pump and water jugs, will drain on the ground when I find a hole 9000 btu vented heater, standing pilot, no fan. Porta Poti. When I do my DC I want to use all LED lighting, simple solar and drycell batteries. I would like to add vented cat heater, $500 bucks. At 9450' in the rockies I like vented heat and no water pipes.

I go for the simple and stupid method.

William

[Gringo]

I am a little surprised that some of the Colorado people are using portable wind power generators. Solar just isn't there, quite yet.

[RickDavis]

Solar ,roof mounted
LED 12 volt lighting
Gas light
XM radio
Catalytic heater
Fantastic Vents
small generator for charging when parked in the woods
small 12 volt TV
Small 5 and 10 gallon blue tanks that can be carried/ dumped in a porta toilet.
Internet via cellphone, mifi etc.. external amp and antenna.
small inverter for those few thing that can not be run on 12 volt
Spare water pump . Use it to pump water from 5 gal containers into trailer so you don't have to hold them up.
Extra 30lb propane tank in truck

Things we no longer use or carry.
Bicycles
satellite TV
Microwave

This works well for us for months at a time. Rarely have any hookups except at rallies

[TouringDan]

I plan to do lots of boondocking going to bluegrass festivals. I have 4 golf cart 6v batteries and a Honda 1000W gen. On my wish list to minimise electrical usage and stay cool is 12v LED lighting, Fantastic fans, the Endless Breeze fan and small 12v personal fans like the Caframo Sirocco that only use .34 amps. I also have a nice Vizio 22" tv that only weighs 8 lbs and runs off 12v- so no invertor losses.

Dan

[TG Twinkie]

I don't believe an Airstream is the right trailer for off road camping. The frames are not strong enough to take the beating and they don't have the ground clearance.

[Wsmith]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

I don't believe an Airstream is the right trailer for off road camping. The frames are not strong enough to take the beating and they don't have the ground clearance.

Airstreams have been pulled all over the world for at least 50+ years, I remember looking at photos when I was a kid of some of the caravans in Africa and other places. They even had airstream mechanics and parts with them. If I am remembering clearly they even carried some segments with them for skin damage repair. The axles are probably better today than back then.

I have had my 31' in some fairly rough terrain a few times and have even done a river crossing of the Colorado River with it.
I have been on dirt passes in the late 60's in Colorado. and 60-70 mile trips on the logging roads from Wolf Creek pass back into Chama, New Mexico.

It has never had a problem except old age ailments.

[TouringDan]

One item that I believe is necessary to try to maintain comfort while boondocking without AC is an efficient fan that moves a lot of air. I considered the Endless Breeze 12v fan, but I did not have time to order it and ended up going to Lowes to see what they had. They did not have much in 12v, but I found a good and very efficient 14" 3 speed fan (by Utilitech) that even has an ocillation feature over about 20 degrees. On high speed the specs indicate 50 watts on high. My old 14" fan (Patton), for comparison uses 150 watts on high. I ran both of them using my 400watt inverter and the Utilitch used 60 watts while the Patton used 120 watts. So the new fan only used 1/2 the power of the old fan plus has the ocillation feature. It also moves a lot of air and is reasonably quiet. My logic is that this will keep us reasonable cool while we are sitting under the awning in the shade (plus keep the bugs away) or while sleeping at night. Oh, and the price was very reasonable ($55) and it appears to be well made. Photos of both fans are shown below. The item # is 0015531 and the model # is HV-14S180.

I used a 400 watt inverter, but I also tried a 100 watt inverter and the Utilitech fan started and ran fine on all 3 speeds.

My next test was to see how much battery power I used to run this fan for 24 hours. The initial voltage was 13.13 volts for my two golf cart batteries. After 24 hours of operating the fan on high, the voltage was down to 12.4 volts. Using my voltage table this is still only down to a charge state of about 75%.