dahkota wrote:
If one is dry camping at a camp ground, one can use the toilets and/or shower there, extending your length of stay by days - potentially up to the 14 day limit.
If one is boondocking, one is limited by the size of one's fresh water tank. Our fresh water tank is 85 gallons. We can stay 8 days if we are conservative and don't add water while there (we carry a five gallon tank portable tank).
We travel with our fresh water tank at least 2/3 full all the time. We have never had any problems. The problem people typically encounter with traveling with full tanks is the weight limit/cargo capacity of the rig - as long as we travel with less than 100 gallons (800 lbs) between our various tanks, we are not over weight. TTs often have a lower cargo capacity and so are more sensitive to the weight of the water.
Typically, we go 5-7 days between dumps. Even with full hook ups, we try not to dump until 2/3s full, minimum.
Lots of really good information, so far, and dahkota sums it best.
You are really limited by the place you are dry camping, first of all. Most campgrounds (Wal-Mart are dry camp locations too) have a maximum stay. BLM/Forest Service and National Park campgrounds stick pretty much to the 14 day limit and in certain parks, 30 days in a park for the year. This is usually regulated if you reserve online.
In answering how long one can stay, I use what I refer to as the; “TP Factor.” How long will your supplies last for the number of people you have with your and your stores (Tanks, Batteries, Fuel for vehicles, Food and of course, Toilet Paper). No one can actually tell you what you are capable or willing to do. You need to go and test this for yourself.
Typically one person can conservatively use 17 gals of water for a week. Can you do this and how big are your water tanks and holding tanks. Do you know how to conserve water? Such as using a Water Bottle (like for a bicycle) beside the sink and toilet to conserve potable water to wash hands and flush toilets. (Refrain from turning on your water pump) Then you have the waste tanks and how much they hold. If you are staying at a campground, pick one that has potable water and dump station (Death Valley campgrounds or Yellowstone) and the problem is solved. If you are in campgrounds without hookups, you simply conserve. When possible, use outside showers, to bath. Like using solar shower bags or a cooking pan, with water from a stream or lake. Do not wash in a water source or within 200 ft of one.
Batteries for camping are sized for AmpH use and discharge. How many amps will you use? (A Kill a Watt meter from Home Depot can give you an idea in how many amps you will use) Have capacity for that. The normal camper family will use 20-30% a day. You will need a plan to replenish these used amps. Having a good charging regime is important. Typically charge your battery first thing in the morning and check your State of Charge (SoC) at night and charge then too. Refrain from charging more than 1 ½ hours at a time, to eliminate the waste of generator fuel by tapering off that occurs after this amount of time, due to surface charge. Again, TP Factor. How much generator fuel can you safely carry? (TP Factor)
Winter season you will lose approximately 60% of your battery capacity and will need to adjust for cold season camping. Driving between locations for more than an hour will help charge up your house battery bank, too. Spending on more capacity batteries and an auxiliary battery charger can help. Then you can plug your charger into your outlet (extension cord) and help your convertor charge faster the bank, thus less run time on your generator.
Carrying extra water in the Blue 6.2 gal Wal-Mart Tubs is another way. Having a way to transfer the water into you potable water inlet is good to have too. (short length 18” to 20”) Place one on the counter for normal cooking, drinking and washing hands is a great way to conserve. Catching the water in a basin and disposing the water where it is allowed. You can carry extra tubs on the floor of your camper. (TP Factor)
Food is great to store. Prepare the food to fit your freezer and freeze in place so it takes the shape of the other items in there, not at home. Prepare courses of food before leaving home. Buy food that require less preparation and one pot/pan menu items. Many items can be sourced walking up and down the aisles of grocery stores that work the same as expensive dry foods used by backpackers. Have a container-of these items and throw them into the camper sleeper or bed. Buy staples, like eggs and milk along the way, and bring things you won’t be able to source in the areas you will be staying or traveling. How much food does each person need or require daily? Find this out by watching your own use for a period of time. (TP Factor)
To answer your question of how long I could and do stay? The longest time I have stayed Boondocking without going into town, to replenish fuel, water and food is, 8.5 weeks. I stayed in 6 different remote camps in the Vermillion Cliffs/Escalante/Grand Staircase National Monuments of Utah. I prepared my vehicle with larger tanks, dry composting waste and techniques I learned in jobs and 45+ years of backpacking. These skills can be learned to. Just go out and test yourself over a series of weekends and see how you can conserve and do without things you will normally want to have in your daily life. You might surprise yourself in how resourceful you can be.
If you were to share what type of RV you are using, we can better tailor the answers to your specific needs. You might even find someone here that has the exact same set up, as you do. Don’t be shy.
b
