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blickcd · 06-02-2010, 10:33 AM

Just got back from a two week trip, some of which was spent at places with no hookups. I just wanted to post some comments here since there are always a bunch of boondocking newbies, myself included, checking this forum for stuff about battery usage.

Overall it was a good experience and certainly a cheaper alternative to parks that have full hookups. I specifically chose this time of year to try the no hookup routine since there was little chance I'd really need heating or air conditioning.

Spent two nights at Elkmont in the Smoky Mountain National Park and one night at Hidden Valley in George Washington National Forest. Short stays, I know.

We ran the Fantastic Fan and TurboMaxx fans quite a bit, kept unused lights off as much as possible, and even kept the water pump switch off when not in use.

Having checked before, I know that when my battery level meter drops from Good to Fair, the batteries are about 50% discharged. Never got to that point. Really didn't feel like digging out the multimeter to see what the voltage had dropped to, though I would have if we had stayed longer than three nights at any boondock location.

I have upgraded my trailer from the standard two (forget the group number) batteries to four, which I know helped, but I think I could have easily gotten the same results with just two, especially only staying two nights max at either location.

Used a Coleman stove top percolator for morning coffee instead of the normal electric coffee maker. My sweetie was okay with not having use of the microwave for a few nights.

Christopher

AirsDream · 06-02-2010, 02:56 PM

Couple of comments: adding those two additonal batteries more or less doubled your storage capacity of course, so that no doubt helped a lot ... unless you are a) using incandescent lights, b) ran a lot of lights for a long time, and/or c) ran a television, etc. for many hours, I bet you never got close to halfway discharged.

Looks to me as if it's perhaps five hours drive or so between Elkmont and Hidden Valley ... you should have gotten a fair amount of battery charge in that drive ...

With a couple of solar panels and/or a small generator run a couple of hours a day, you'd never have to have "shore power' to camp in the manner in which you did! If you can avoid big-draw items such as air conditioner and microwave, these machines are pretty self-sufficient for quite a long period of time.

And the beauty of boondocking is that you are where most of the people aren't!

blickcd · 06-02-2010, 04:01 PM

I'll clarify that we were on the road for two weeks. Elkmont was the first stop for two nights, then other destinations with hookups. Hidden Valley was just an overnight stop on the leg home, so the batteries were topped off when we got there.

If we get into more boondocking in the future with extended stays, I'll probably get a small Honda generator to run for an hour a day to charge the batts. I like the idea of solar panels, but the places we stayed, there was too much shade.

On a side note, I know Elkmont has a lot of fans, but there is currently a lot of construction going on there. Some restrooms closed, water faucets out of order, piles of debris and building materials scattered around, etc. It was nice and I'd stay there again, but I've attached some photos so you can see the current contrast in scenery.

Christopher

bryanl · 06-02-2010, 04:26 PM

re: " adding those two additonal batteries more or less doubled your storage capacity of course, so that no doubt helped a lot" -- The doubling does sound dramatic but compared to the actual amount of energy involved, the variance that is to be expected in battery energy availability, the variance in use over a period of a couple of days, and the nominal discharge levels, the difference between 1 and 2kwh energy availability in nominal use of an RV is not usually significant.

A lot of folks looking for magic bullets like more batteries or solar systems to solve their RV energy woes end up finding that they need to make significant adjustments to their energy use anyway. Practicality sometimes doesn't match obviousness.

Ray Eklund · 06-13-2010, 01:22 PM

Battery use with the stove top vent and for the 23 footer, vent for the fridge are the big 12v users. Winter camping... that furnace fan will do a battery in faster than anything. Long showers are not battery savers with the water pump.

Tent campers find the conversion to an AS with 12v power easier than those who have not conserved water in past experiences and conserve the battery use with minimal evening light use. We even find ourselves conserving water and electricity at home now! You cannot break good habits.

Cold weather camping is the toughest with furnace operation. Hot weather and the ceiling fan use is not as bad. Sometimes in the hot weather we pull out the awning and sit out with windows open to cool things off. Some people can make the changes in life style. Some people cannot. Those who cannot have their AS up for sale shortly. Of course, when in town and 120 volt hook up, lay back and fire things up! You earned it.

Frank's Trailer Works · 06-13-2010, 02:55 PM

I want to follow this better, for at first I got the impression you went two weeks without hook ups. What was the longest number of days without service? You do realize hooking and towing charges the battery right?

nick6930 · 06-13-2010, 03:19 PM

I only have 1 battery and have gone 5 days at the same location, fantastic fan running with no issues. I would imagine that many batteries you should good for a lot longer. It is a little nerve racking since we don't have any meters so when it is dead it is dead, but it camping. I know dead is bad but I rather replace ever few year than have the weight.

JimmyT · 06-13-2010, 05:18 PM

This is our first year with the Airstream and we're loving the "off the grid" boondocking. We added a 130 Watt Kyocera solar panel this year but are keeping it portable. So we can park in the shade and put the panel in the sun limited to its 20 foot leash, of course. Well, that was the idea anyway. A few days at a shaded campsite in Glacier NP last week had us moving the panel between sunny spots. Not the best process. We know there's more sunny days here in Colorado so not too worried about summer trips. The panel doesn't need all that much direct sun either to recharge the batteries. During a week of 'docking in Missoula at a friend's we had cloudy/rainy days throughout. Regardless, even with limited sunshine we recharged the batteries (11.4 to 13.1 volts) in 2-3 overcast hours every day. We're sold on solar.
Now if we could just manage the water a little better we could stay out longer.

blickcd · 06-14-2010, 10:11 AM

Frank, the trip was two weeks but only three nights were spent without and electric hookup. Two nights in a row at one location, then after a week and a half at other locations with full hookups there was an overnight stop with none.

I know that towing charges the batteries, slowly. That's covered in RV 101. I also realize that with four batteries, and two nights stay max, there was no serious concern about running out of power. The no hookup stops on this last trip were done as sort of a trial run for possible longer stays with no electric hookup.

Jim, your portable solar panel with a long cord is the type of thing I would set up, if I ever did get one. It sounds like moving that panel around is a hassel but on warm days I want to be able to have the trailer in the shade if possible.

Could you please elaborate or post some photos of the type of plug you've installed on the trailer for the panel wiring, where you've placed the regulator, and the stand you use for the panel?

Christopher

JimmyT · 06-21-2010, 10:06 PM

Hey there Christopher, I was planning on posting a few pics. Will get to it this week.

ZoominC6 · 06-24-2010, 07:38 AM

We've gone for three days on our two batteries with no problems and of course minimal electrical use as well. I don't know how long we might have gone as the meters seemed to indicate a moderate supply of current still available.

Frank's Trailer Works · 06-29-2010, 04:55 PM

I wanted to test this boon docking longevity quotation also. I was at Baker's Acres for 8 days straight in exactly that situation. I have one group 27 AGM. We ran the Fantastic Fan non stop mostly on the highest setting, pumped about 65 gallons of water (many people used our shower, for they had none, at least 6 people used it besides the four of us), and had lights every night to read by and use while in the bathroom. I went four days without any feeling the battery actually needed to be charged up. The only reason we fired up the generator was to be able to use the crock pot.

HiHoAgRV · 06-29-2010, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62overlander

I wanted to test this boon docking ... 8 days straight ...one group 27 AGM. We ran the Fantastic Fan non stop mostly on the highest setting, ...I went four days without any feeling the battery actually needed to be charged up. ...

Your Fantastic fan must not pull anywhere near the current that mine does...My medium speed is 2.5 amps...even at 10 hours a day that's 25 Amp hours...for 4 days thats 100 amp hours on a group 27 that has a max of 105 amp hours.

I suspect you were getting a bit lower on capacity than you thought.

AirsDream · 06-29-2010, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryanl

A lot of folks looking for magic bullets like more batteries or solar systems to solve their RV energy woes end up finding that they need to make significant adjustments to their energy use anyway. Practicality sometimes doesn't match obviousness.

Folks ALWAYS have to adjust their energy usage if they're gonna' boondock ... batteries won't do it for microwave, hair dryer, air conditioning and such. But if you can "adjust" so as to get along without those energy hogs, you can do pretty much what you want. With three Group 27 Lifelines and two AM Solar panels, I NEVER run out of electricity, even on overcast winter days near zero temps. ... granted, I've converted all lights to LED and am a long-time backpacker, so I probably conserve better than most folks, but no matter how I conserve, I always run out of water first these days, not electricity. I suppose if it were overcast enough for long enough, I'd run the batteries down, but it's not happened so far.

But about that water usage problem: hmmmm - must be all those ice cubes for the adult beverages! I've taken to leaving the generator at home and bringing largish water jugs when boondocking. Maybe if I just learned always to take my whisky neat ...

bonginator · 06-29-2010, 09:33 PM

Hi -

We just got back from a 10 day trip to Southern CO with our AS 23' Safari. It has two batteries and we also took along 2 Honda companion 2000 generators and filled our freshwater tank before leaving.

We were able to make it 5 days without dramatically depleting the batteries - the monitor light did not even go to yellow.

We ran the generator for microwave use in the morning - had to have our coffee... I also ran it 1 day for 30 minutes and another day for 1.5 hours to charge the batteries but that was it for the 5 days.

We used the interior lights in the early evening and also used the water pump for washing dishes, toilet, showers. Took 1-2 showers every day.

Overall I was surprised at how much power we had - I did not feel like we were walking around with candles/lanterns. We used lights as needed and when we went to bed, we did use reading lanterns instread of interior lights.

I am sold on boondocking! Later in the trip we went to RV parks but we lasted 5 days boondocking - did have to drain the gray water tank at the next RV park though so timing was right to visit the dump station after 5 days.

Sandy

2airishuman · 06-30-2010, 01:25 AM

good report sandy...

off the grid is truly liberating.

so how was the "towing with water" issue?

were you happy with the towed water or was a fill available at the boondocking location?

keep in mind LONG sunny days and moderate temps use much less juice...

than shorter cooler spring/fall days.

hiho' is correct the F vents are amp hungry.

and with the vents UP and windows open,

passive air flow is adequate and uses much less battery power.

cheers
2air'

bonginator · 06-30-2010, 01:48 PM

Thanks, 2Air..

The towing with water was fine. Based on your advice, I loaded up the freshwater tank before leaving and had no problems towing it over the mountain passes (other than my nervousness towing for the first time and going over some of the biggest passes in Colorado - I went over 5 passes that were in the 10K plus range with 7-9% grades on both sides)

Now I figure I can conquer anything!

I was glad I filled up with water since our first 5 days was boondocking and it was great to just pull into camp and set up rather than dealing with finding water.

Had a great first extended trip in the AS.

Sandy

JimmyT · 07-05-2010, 05:10 PM

We're that way too - have "rough camped" and backpacked far more than Airstream luxury. But this sure is nice!
Water is our new concern, too. And taking my whisky neat is certainly a ' cube saver. I'll drink to that! We always have a bottle of single malt in the cubbie so come see us when you are in Colorado!
Now I certainly must get those bulbs changed out to LED...maybe AFTER changing that noisy water pump. Sheesh, it shakes the whole trailer...

pip8688 · 07-22-2010, 03:27 PM

Sandy,

How discipline did you have to be with water to last 5 days. I have solar and led lighting so I am not too worried about power, but water is another concern. We just bought a 28' INT and are planning several trips out to the coast without hookups. It's me, my wife, and 4yr old daughter.

Tom

**Janet H** · 07-22-2010, 04:03 PM

There is no need to give up ice under yer single malt!
Check out this small manual ice maker that fits in almost all tiny trailer freezers. ice cubers are covered - no leaks, it stores extra and can even be used to chill a bottle 'o beer in a pinch (not that I would know any thing about that....)

It's spendy - but so is the single malt....
See how it works here: fusionbrands