Whom Of Us Boondocks 14-days Or More At A Stretch?
I mean on a regular basis? Vacations like... Trying to get an idea of whom is whom...it helps. SOLAR or GENERATOR?
Forum Discussion
Biddeford (?)
I probably have the name wrong.
Scratchy, lumpy, and for my feet, like a canvas tarp. When I am on battery power, the 180-watts is more like 200-inverter watts. When it is cold "here" I like retiring at 1700 hours and not getting "up" until around 0930. I am retired. Sue me.
The "smart" electric blanket thinks it has got to shut off after ten hours. Wonderful. At 0500, the incredibly intelligent blanket plays possum. After sucking at least 1 kWh out of the batteries.
When my neurosurgery is complete I go home. No more blankets. Merely a sheet. Then I head to Panajachel because the car permit expires. Elevation 5,300 feet and back to blankets. "Summer" mornings are 49F.
Electricity there is SEVENTY US CENTS PER kWh.
So "wilderness camping" for some of you is 24/7/365 for me. In Las Peñas, we do not go for three days without an outage. Even here, in "modern Baja California" I have awakened three days in the last WEEK with the microwave clock flashing in 24-hour mode, the correct time for Guam or Khartoum. I have my Bi-Pap connected to the AGM battery, and when I sleepwalk to the bathroom all the lamps are 12 volt LED (on motion detectors).
70% (more or less) of the time, power is restored and the 4024 Trace recharges the batteries at 120-amps. The WFCO huffs and puffs and recharges the Lifeline.
But the outages can last ten days. Then the Kubota and even the Lombardini comes on line. Wonder how many solar panels I'd need to obtain 700+ amperes at 24 volts? To risk $5,000 dollars worth of Jesús' lobster just isn't worth it.
Over here, in Baja, with a 2X4 house made out of 1/2" plywood I might as well be camping. Last year I turned four stove burners on for the night, a week of doing this cost me $76 US dollars for LPG. I was chilled in the bedroom but my eyes watered. Neat huh? The thousand dollar a night hotel suites in San Lucas do not have a micro-gram of insulation. Seven grand a week pays the electric bill for heating.
My standard of living is WAY lower then you folks that have full service RV's. In essence I live full time boondocking. I heat shower water on a stove. The last shower-head heater I had was six-years ago.
When Quicksilver is on the road my standard of living shoots upward. But RV parks down here charge three times what a hotel costs. So I have to economize with bare minimum heating. LPG is $2.76 per gallon, and 9-amps of usable AC power in RV parks is not much. Why nine amps? Draw 15 amps and see where 102 volt power takes you.
The thinsulate 3 comforter is a blessing. I am now going to access "Land's End" and see what a decent robe and bunny slippers is going to cost...
I probably have the name wrong.
Scratchy, lumpy, and for my feet, like a canvas tarp. When I am on battery power, the 180-watts is more like 200-inverter watts. When it is cold "here" I like retiring at 1700 hours and not getting "up" until around 0930. I am retired. Sue me.
The "smart" electric blanket thinks it has got to shut off after ten hours. Wonderful. At 0500, the incredibly intelligent blanket plays possum. After sucking at least 1 kWh out of the batteries.
When my neurosurgery is complete I go home. No more blankets. Merely a sheet. Then I head to Panajachel because the car permit expires. Elevation 5,300 feet and back to blankets. "Summer" mornings are 49F.
Electricity there is SEVENTY US CENTS PER kWh.
So "wilderness camping" for some of you is 24/7/365 for me. In Las Peñas, we do not go for three days without an outage. Even here, in "modern Baja California" I have awakened three days in the last WEEK with the microwave clock flashing in 24-hour mode, the correct time for Guam or Khartoum. I have my Bi-Pap connected to the AGM battery, and when I sleepwalk to the bathroom all the lamps are 12 volt LED (on motion detectors).
70% (more or less) of the time, power is restored and the 4024 Trace recharges the batteries at 120-amps. The WFCO huffs and puffs and recharges the Lifeline.
But the outages can last ten days. Then the Kubota and even the Lombardini comes on line. Wonder how many solar panels I'd need to obtain 700+ amperes at 24 volts? To risk $5,000 dollars worth of Jesús' lobster just isn't worth it.
Over here, in Baja, with a 2X4 house made out of 1/2" plywood I might as well be camping. Last year I turned four stove burners on for the night, a week of doing this cost me $76 US dollars for LPG. I was chilled in the bedroom but my eyes watered. Neat huh? The thousand dollar a night hotel suites in San Lucas do not have a micro-gram of insulation. Seven grand a week pays the electric bill for heating.
My standard of living is WAY lower then you folks that have full service RV's. In essence I live full time boondocking. I heat shower water on a stove. The last shower-head heater I had was six-years ago.
When Quicksilver is on the road my standard of living shoots upward. But RV parks down here charge three times what a hotel costs. So I have to economize with bare minimum heating. LPG is $2.76 per gallon, and 9-amps of usable AC power in RV parks is not much. Why nine amps? Draw 15 amps and see where 102 volt power takes you.
The thinsulate 3 comforter is a blessing. I am now going to access "Land's End" and see what a decent robe and bunny slippers is going to cost...
