We are heading out tomorrow for a weekend of dry camping. This will be our first time doing it. To prepare for dry camping, I have switched out about half of our lighting to LED. I have enough to do all the lights, but figured that since the LED's are dimmer, that we would keep some of the lights with the regular bulbs for regular camping with hook ups. I also had 2 fantastic fans installed and another group 27 12volt battery. So with the 2 group 27 batteries, occasional possible use of the fantastic fans, and using LED's, how long can we figure on going before needing to crank up the genny to recharge the batteries? We also will be using the fridge on propane and water pump for showers for 3 of us, and I know that willl draw some as well. We will arrive around 6pm on friday and leave on Sunday around noon. We won't be watching any tv.

You shouldn't have any problems over the weekend, if you are keeping an eye on your electrical use.Question....how old is the "old" battery? If it's more than a few years, you may have an un-equal load on the pair of them, which may (or may not) cause a problem.Since it doesn't sound as if you'll be using the inverter (you didn't mention A/C or microwave use), and only using the batteries when you are about to go to sleep, you should be fine.With 3 people taking showers, I think I'd be more worried about water use than the battery use:)

You should make a 3 day weekend easily. I get almost a week out of 1 group 27 battery, sans the fans, and I don't have LED lights.

I went all LED even if dimmer. I just turn on more as needed.I doubt you will need the generator. Watch your battery voltage.If you have a portable battery charger it is probably faster charging than the oem converter. Post the converter model for best answers.

From reading above, I think your biggest concern will be gray water, depending on tank size and if family is used to conserving water. If you get a little bit on the high side in the gray water tank, put some gray down the black side. Our gray always fills up first. We do dishes in the sink in a plastic tub, just toss it down black side when done. Black tank likes the soap suds anyway, gives it bath bouncing around till you dump.

Gray/black water will be ok. Installed the oxygenics a few weeks ago and went an entire weekend and had to put some more water in the gray tank before dumping. Water won't be too much an issue. I picked up a couple of the 6 gallon jerry type containers from Walmart. I figured I would probably do at least trip with them on saturday some time. Maybe two by the end of the day. Maybe another Sunday morning in order to get more water into the black tank to dump. We will also do whatever little dishes we will use in a tub and pour down the toilet as well. Planning on using mostly throw away stuff. Dinners will be cooked on the grill and using pie irons.I also picked up some small LED lanterns that run on AA batteries. My daughter will be the biggest user of lighting, so I have instructed her to use that little light first. The battery is newer. Dated February this year. Had them check to see if it was ok to just add one battery or if I needed to buy two alike. They said adding the one was good to go.

First time dry camping this weekend | Good Sam Community

24 Replies

path1
Explorer
Aug 16, 2013
From reading above, I think your biggest concern will be gray water, depending on tank size and if family is used to conserving water. If you get a little bit on the high side in the gray water tank, put some gray down the black side. Our gray always fills up first. We do dishes in the sink in a plastic tub, just toss it down black side when done. Black tank likes the soap suds anyway, gives it bath bouncing around till you dump.
time2roll
Nomad
Aug 16, 2013
I went all LED even if dimmer. I just turn on more as needed.
I doubt you will need the generator. Watch your battery voltage.
If you have a portable battery charger it is probably faster charging than the oem converter. Post the converter model for best answers.
rfryer
Explorer
Aug 16, 2013
You should make a 3 day weekend easily. I get almost a week out of 1 group 27 battery, sans the fans, and I don't have LED lights.
PapPappy
Explorer
Aug 16, 2013
You shouldn't have any problems over the weekend, if you are keeping an eye on your electrical use.

Question....how old is the "old" battery? If it's more than a few years, you may have an un-equal load on the pair of them, which may (or may not) cause a problem.

Since it doesn't sound as if you'll be using the inverter (you didn't mention A/C or microwave use), and only using the batteries when you are about to go to sleep, you should be fine.

With 3 people taking showers, I think I'd be more worried about water use than the battery use:)

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First time dry camping this weekend

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