Dry camping with a trailer
What's it like to dry camp with a trailer? We don't have a generator.
Forum Discussion
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
... in the sierra nevadas (trips lasting an average of 2 weeks) I learned to camp from scratch. Same for backpacking - I learned to adapt and love it with basics.
A plywood shed 6 feet by 10 feet would have been a mansion.
Yes. We are getting older. 8 feet by 23 feet mansion of a trailer already doesn't feel roomy enough.
Back to the OP: you need to clarify the question, there are few things to consider. Batteries, fresh water availability, sewage, fridge, do you need A/C or not, can you cook on propane or not.
If camp has potable water, showers and toilets, you can stay there for weeks without a generator, but here are some drawbacks.
Your menu won't be what you had back home because you won't have a fridge. Fridge needs 12V when in propane mode, and together with CO/LP sensors it will suck a single 90 AH to 50% in about 3 days, and this is when you don't use absolutely no other loads like trailer radio or ceiling lights. The battery "doesn't like" to remain in half-empty stage for long time. So you can't run it down to 50% and then stay there for a month. It won't die immediately, but it will sulfate, and you'll have to deal with this later. So if you're staying longer than a few days, just forget that you have a battery at all. So you need canned food, dryfoods etc. Beans, rice and pasta don't need to be refrigerated, so you won't die. Doable, but gets boring after a while.
Lights and radio can be dealt with. You can bring a portable radio that runs a week on a handful of AA, and LED lanterns. My favorite is $1 LED lawn marker, it has a tiny solar panel and a rechargeable battery inside. Cut the stake off, tie some string and hang it outside in daytime, in the evening hang it on the cabinet knob above the counter, it will make enough light to have a supper and make a bed. Now with 500W solar I don't need that tiny lantern in trailer anymore, but it's my favorite for night jaunts to camp toilet.
Cold weather can be dealt with, TAD. You can bring a portable propane heater, though it's better not to sleep with this thing on, so you need a good sleeping bag or duvet.
Our trailers are not really made for drycamping. Heat and sound insulation is often a so-so, light bulbs need to be replaced with LEDs, fans are loud and inefficient and also need to be replaced with better after-market models. People that drycamp a lot, have done all these improvements to their rigs, and more.
