Modification ideas for boondocking
I've got some ideas and I thought I'd run it by you guys (gals): First of all I have an 2002 Arctic Fox 24-5N 5er which I plan on exclusively using for boondocking in the high mountain western sta...
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I chose to use a vented "Sportsman" heater instead of the trailer's forced air furnace. It uses no electricity and the pilot is usually enough to keep warm inside once the interior is heated.
The biggest thing I did for my off-grid trailer was to pull the paneling and get some decent insulation in walls, floor, and ceiling. I also changed/removed most of the windows, replacing with Low-E sliders. I can easily heat the trailer with a 1500W heater at home or at the pedestal.
All of the fresh water supply is inside the trailer. I am still working on drain and tank heating, planning on using heat tapes and cords in a fully insulated drain/tank enclosure. This removes the need for exchanging any heated air to keep the tanks/drains functional.
I have one 235W solar module and 300 AH of battery capacity. I use a 120V dorm fridge for refrigeration. An inverter with the rest of the solar system runs all of the entertainment gear, chargers, and the fridge.
Pictures of what I did are in the restoration thread in my sig line, "the Cowboy/Hilton".
I have thought about putting a black tank on the roof for hot water but I use little for bathing and cleaning so the trailer's water heater is adequate for that. I am thinking of using the solar controller's load output and a 12V element to heat the water in my steel fresh water tank. If I go that route, I'll also install a heat exchanger for hydronic heat.
The biggest thing I did for my off-grid trailer was to pull the paneling and get some decent insulation in walls, floor, and ceiling. I also changed/removed most of the windows, replacing with Low-E sliders. I can easily heat the trailer with a 1500W heater at home or at the pedestal.
All of the fresh water supply is inside the trailer. I am still working on drain and tank heating, planning on using heat tapes and cords in a fully insulated drain/tank enclosure. This removes the need for exchanging any heated air to keep the tanks/drains functional.
I have one 235W solar module and 300 AH of battery capacity. I use a 120V dorm fridge for refrigeration. An inverter with the rest of the solar system runs all of the entertainment gear, chargers, and the fridge.
Pictures of what I did are in the restoration thread in my sig line, "the Cowboy/Hilton".
I have thought about putting a black tank on the roof for hot water but I use little for bathing and cleaning so the trailer's water heater is adequate for that. I am thinking of using the solar controller's load output and a 12V element to heat the water in my steel fresh water tank. If I go that route, I'll also install a heat exchanger for hydronic heat.
