Off grid power 101
Hey all Long time rv'er but never but never a dry camper. As time goes on the more I want to try or even get into it more but first I would need to set up the fifth wheel do so. I understand the ...
Forum Discussion
I would look at batteries first, assuming you have a single 12V battery now. A pair of golf cart batteries will give significantly more usable power and is about the most economical way to do that. If you have incandescent lights, replacing them with LEDs--or at least the ones that get much use--would also be a significant help at a pretty modest outlay.
Beyond that, there are many variables. If you're only talking a weekend or a few days at a time in moderate weather (so no significant furnace usage) you may not have to do anything more. If you'll be camping in a mountain forest, solar is less useful than if you're camping out in the open and so a generator may be a good option to charge the battery bank. Conversely, if you're in an area with lots of sun, solar is a great option and you may not need too extensive or expensive of a setup. For only very occasional use, it may be more economical to charge the battery via jumper cables from your tow vehicle (of course having it running during the process).
Beyond that, there are many variables. If you're only talking a weekend or a few days at a time in moderate weather (so no significant furnace usage) you may not have to do anything more. If you'll be camping in a mountain forest, solar is less useful than if you're camping out in the open and so a generator may be a good option to charge the battery bank. Conversely, if you're in an area with lots of sun, solar is a great option and you may not need too extensive or expensive of a setup. For only very occasional use, it may be more economical to charge the battery via jumper cables from your tow vehicle (of course having it running during the process).
