West HELP! Boondocking with Bambi 16?

[rvdreaming]

Hi all! I am new here and sure hope you can help me.

I am considering buying a slightly used Bambi 16. I have never owned an Airstream. I have almost exclusively boondocked in my previous RVs and intend to use the Bambi to do that, if I purchase it.

HOWEVER, I am not sure that the Airstreams will do what I am used to doing! My other RVs were not so upscale so maybe there wasn't much battery drain? I was able to run off of one deep cell for a week or more without recharging from the tow vehicle. It appears there is NO WAY I would be able to do that with the AS?

Previous RVs had all LP appliances when dry camping. I never used a micro, hairdryer or ??? The only drain would have been an occasional light and the water pump. I am happy to do that in an AS for sure! Is this possible?

Oh yeah, never had a generator.

Not even sure that the fridge can run on LP? I'm looking at a 2015. Not even sure, only ONE battery? The manuals are NOT much help.

The Airstreams are amazingly engineers and designed. I really hope I can do what I want to do with a Bambi!

Thanks in advance for all your help. PS solutions will need to be SIMPLE as I have little help and would have to do all the work myself.

[smithcreek]

The fridge can run on LP, but still uses electricity to run the electronics. That will be your biggest draw on the batteries. We have two batteries in our FC20. With the fridge running and minimal other electric use, four days without recharging is about the max, and that's if the weather is not to hot or humid which makes the fridge and fridge fan run more.

Simple plan would be to install a second battery and some sort of solar charging option. We have a 160 watt solar suitcase and can go indefinitely as long as we get a couple hours of sun a day. We camp mainly in state campgrounds in the northeast, so sometimes even that can be difficult. If you mainly camp in wide open spaces with sun, put a panel on the roof and you will be good to go.

[leedav]

I just traded one in here in OR. I added a second battery. Dry camping no problem. A generator is needed for more than 2 days. You can change the automotive bulbs out for LED. I used the warm white ones. Worked great.

Originally Posted by rvdreaming

Hi all! I am new here and sure hope you can help me.

I am considering buying a slightly used Bambi 16. I have never owned an Airstream. I have almost exclusively boondocked in my previous RVs and intend to use the Bambi to do that, if I purchase it.

HOWEVER, I am not sure that the Airstreams will do what I am used to doing! My other RVs were not so upscale so maybe there wasn't much battery drain? I was able to run off of one deep cell for a week or more without recharging from the tow vehicle. It appears there is NO WAY I would be able to do that with the AS?

Previous RVs had all LP appliances when dry camping. I never used a micro, hairdryer or ??? The only drain would have been an occasional light and the water pump. I am happy to do that in an AS for sure! Is this possible?

Oh yeah, never had a generator.

Not even sure that the fridge can run on LP? I'm looking at a 2015. Not even sure, only ONE battery? The manuals are NOT much help.

The Airstreams are amazingly engineers and designed. I really hope I can do what I want to do with a Bambi!

Thanks in advance for all your help. PS solutions will need to be SIMPLE as I have little help and would have to do all the work myself.

[farafield]

There are many factors involved in answering this question! I use mine pretty much always in boon docking mode. I have an 80 w solar panel and a group 24 AGM battery (80 ah). That means I have 40 ah available. The fridge running on propane uses .5 amps per hour just to run the circuit board. That means in 80 hours I will have used up my battery allotment. The solar panel helps but depends on the sky/weather/tree situation. I use candles and a headlight, a portable charger for my iPad and iPhone. I also am using stock monitor so am never 100% sure what the state of charge on my battery is. You can definitely do it but you have some work to do. Not sure why the Airstream would be much different from what you have history with if all you are using is the fridge and the occasional light and water pump.

[Halford1]

I could boondock but I haven't had the chance yet. Lights work great at the storage lot without use of electricity. I have 90 watt solar with just one Lifeline battery. I once left the light on by accident and came back 2 days later, the battery level was 95%.

If you do not have solar, get one. it is a godsend help in keeping battery charged.

[rmkrum]

Just spent 4 days Wallydocking and Crackerdocking running on propane and 150 watts solar charging/tv charging from CA to Alabama. No problems with charge levels even though it was raining a lot this trip.

[rvdreaming]

Well, don't know why my previous post, well, didn't.

Thanks for everyone's comments! It appears that Bambi WILL do the type of camping that I crave, just need to add a battery and/or solar. And change the lightbulbs to LED if they haven't been.

You folks are the BEST.

[cazual6]

Not knowing what you had in detail makes it impossible to give you a fair comparison.

Did your SOB only have ..... see where I am going with this?

Also note, as technology progress, it uses more power naturally.

[farafield]

I just received an amp draw list from AS. Not sure how accurate it is but here it is:

120 Volt AC Amp Ratings

Appliance or Electronic Equipment Estimated Amps
Air Conditioner (X number of A/C) 12-16 Amps
Blender 5-6 Amps
Coffee Maker 5-8 Amps
Compact Disc Player 1 Amp
Computer (Laptop) 2-3 Amps
Converter 1-8 Amps
Crock Pot 1-2 Amps
Curling Iron <1 Amp
Drill 2-6 Amps
Electric Blanket 0.5-1.5 Amps
Electric Fan 1 Amp
Electric Water Heater 9-13 Amps
Electric Skillet 6-12 Amps
Hair Dryer 5-12 Amps
Iron 5-10 Amps
Light (60 watt % 120V) <1 Amp
Microwave 8-13 Amps
Microwave (Convection Oven) 13 Amps
Refrigerator in AC mode 5-8 Amps
Space Heater 8-13 Amps
Television 1.5-4 Amps
Toaster 7-10 Amps
Vacuum (handheld) 2-6 Amps
VCR 1-2 Amps
Washer/Dryer 14-16Amps

12 Volt DC Amp Ratings
Appliance or Accessory Estimated Amps
Aisle Light 1 Amp
CO Detector 1 Amp
Fluorescent Light 1-2 Amps
Furnace 10-12 Amps
LP Gas Leak Detector 1 Amp
Overhead lights (Per Bulb) 1 Amp
Porch Light 1 Amp
Power Roof Vent 1.5 Amps
Radio/Stereo 4 Amps
Range Hood (Fan & Light) 2-3 Amps
Refrigerator (LP Gas Mode) 1.5- 2 Amps
Security System 1 Amp
Television (12 volt) 4-5 Amps
TV Antenna Booster <1 Amp
TV Antenna Booster 12 Volt outlet Up to 8 Amps
Variable Speed Ceiling / Vent Fan 4 Amps
VCR Recorder / Player 2 Amps
Water Pump 4 Amp
Wattage % Volts = Amps
Amps X Volts = Wattage Jan-11

[Sport 16 STL]

We are newish owners of a sport 16 Bambi. We have 2 12 volt batteries, and 2, 90 Watt solar panels. If careful we can boondock for several days. No inverter so no appliances, coffee maker, hair dryer, etc. In my limited experience I would think you need 2 batteries to do any extended boondocking. Sounds like you have experience in another unit, the AS will be similar in power usage depending on size of previous unit. Feel free to ask any questions

[waninae39]

go to the sport/bambi forum area. many of these question shave been asked and answered there.

add solar and add Lion batteries are the two starting points.

[57Wanderer]

Why not look at installing some solar? In our experience, it's worth it. Happy trails to you!

[Airhead59]

I put 340W of Zamp solar panels (2x170) on my 2005 Safari 25 (two flooded cell lead acid batteries) two years ago and haven't worried about battery power since. 95% of my trips are boondocking. I run exclusively on 12V; no inverter.

The 340W panel capacity charges the batteries effectively, even indirect sunlight, overcast weather, and in most forests I've boondocked in. The only time my net daily drawdown has exceeded daily charging was earlier this year when camped in old growth, dense canopy forest in the Pacific NW. For 10 days stationary, my drawdown was 130 - 150Wh/day with charging of only 40 - 80Wh/day. After 10 days my battery State of Charge was about 50% (12.1V). I parked out on the street at my daughter's house 1 mi away and the SOC was back to 100% before 11am.

[Ray Eklund]

RVDreaming... tent camping to a trailer... even with nothing working you are going the right direction. The rest is up to the... trailer.

Solar can be portable for $120 from Costco with a controller shipped to your door with instructions. I wrote something up about doing to my 25 footer. Worked perfectly.

Don't make things expensive or complicated. Make adjustments as you need them. If you want all of the bells and whistles... buy a 2020 as it would be under warranty.

Do not trust a seller... completely. If the propane tanks are empty and the battery dead... you may want to check tires, brakes and bearings. A used vehicle or trailer is AS IS no matter what you may think. I have seen used trailers that were full timed and a couple years old that I would not want it on my property.

Floor vinyl rippled. Soft plywood floor. Parts missing. $$$$$$

If nothing works, for sure... pay half of what people say it is worth. If you want a real deep hole to dig... this would be a good way to find one.

Find someone who knows Airstreams. You are not the first to take a look. If your pulse is up and looking over your shoulder if another buyer may be coming over... go home. This could be the smartest 'trailer advice' I can give to you.

[skitger]

I have a 2018 Bambi Sport 16, like others said, you need to upgrade to 2 batteries, I added a second Interstate to match the original. Added a Victron 712 battery monitor, and 100 watt Renolgy solar suitcase. Just got back from the lake, 4 days, the panel topped off the battery every day in the sun. No problems boondocking, water was only down to 40%, we are thrifty. With the 712 BMS you can watch your Ah use and plan accordingly. It’s a great little AS, and I can fit into most tent sites too

[farafield]

Originally Posted by skitger

I have a 2018 Bambi Sport 16, like others said, you need to upgrade to 2 batteries, I added a second Interstate to match the original. Added a Victron 712 battery monitor, and 100 watt Renolgy solar suitcase. Just got back from the lake, 4 days, the panel topped off the battery every day in the sun. No problems boondocking, water was only down to 40%, we are thrifty. With the 712 BMS you can watch your Ah use and plan accordingly. It’s a great little AS, and I can fit into most tent sites too

Yes, I really love my AS! Less to maintain and so nimble, easy to tow and maneuver. I get a lot of compliments as many people think of AS's being bigger. I took a shower in her for the first time last week and it was glorious! (Not sure why it took me so long but this whole thing has been a kind of one thing at a time--so much to learn.)

Skitger I'd love to know how you did the Victron install, where you put the shunt and monitor, any wiring info as I am definitely going to have to do that, upgrade my solar and add a battery.

[Sport 16 STL]

This may be a good option to the victron.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FGFFHC6/?coliid=I1IJ9ULYZF5F8D&colid=12LQBIPOTR49K&psc=1&r ef_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

I have a sport 16, with 2 90 watt solar panels. I am also frustrated at times with the stock battery monitor and would like to add a better one.
Has any one installed one themselves. If so, where did you put the monitor and how difficult was it to pull the wires? Where did you place the buss bar.
Thanks.

[farafield]

Originally Posted by Sport 16 STL

This may be a good option to the victron.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FGFFHC6...v_ov_lig_dp_it

I have a sport 16, with 2 90 watt solar panels. I am also frustrated at times with the stock battery monitor and would like to add a better one.
Has any one installed one themselves. If so, where did you put the monitor and how difficult was it to pull the wires? Where did you place the buss bar.
Thanks.

My understanding is that you get what you pay for and the monitor you linked to is not the same as the Victron. You will have to account for temperature and charge/discharge status to calculate an accurate SOC. Some info here: https://youtu.be/tObHbsSDWeQ

But I would also love to see an installation in a 16 as I don't understand exactly where to put the shunt and the monitor, where the wires go, can you use existing wiring etc. etc.

[Len n Jeanne]

Originally Posted by rvdreaming

Hi all! I am new here and sure hope you can help me.

I am considering buying a slightly used Bambi 16. I have never owned an Airstream. I have almost exclusively boondocked in my previous RVs and intend to use the Bambi to do that, if I purchase it.

HOWEVER, I am not sure that the Airstreams will do what I am used to doing! My other RVs were not so upscale so maybe there wasn't much battery drain? I was able to run off of one deep cell for a week or more without recharging from the tow vehicle. It appears there is NO WAY I would be able to do that with the AS?

Previous RVs had all LP appliances when dry camping. I never used a micro, hairdryer or ??? The only drain would have been an occasional light and the water pump. I am happy to do that in an AS for sure! Is this possible?

Oh yeah, never had a generator.

Not even sure that the fridge can run on LP? I'm looking at a 2015. Not even sure, only ONE battery? The manuals are NOT much help.

The Airstreams are amazingly engineers and designed. I really hope I can do what I want to do with a Bambi!

Thanks in advance for all your help. PS solutions will need to be SIMPLE as I have little help and would have to do all the work myself.

We have 2 6-volt batteries in our current Bambi. An Airstream mechanic installed them. When they're fully charged they are good for 3 full nights with no generator use. When boondocking, we bring backups like flashlights, candles (now a solar lantern-- really cool) battery packs for e-reader and cell phones, and a second cooking method (usually a small gas grill or camper stove.) These are especially handy if the electrical system, or a portion of it, conks out when we're boondocking. Which we have had happen.

We're among the odd ducks who do not run our fridge while driving. We take along frozen blue gel packs, and use the fridge as kind of a very well insulated picnic cooler when we're not running it. Because we refreeze the gel packs again at night, they keep the fridge cold all day long even when we shut off the main battery while boondocking and trying to conserve our power. If we drop the Bambi somewhere and take off for the day, this is an energy saving system.

We take along a Honda 2000. We have inverters, but don't want to draw down the battery.

[OTRA15]

Great overall advice, LnJ, thanks!

Peter