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ZeeLet50's avatar
ZeeLet50
Explorer
Aug 13, 2013

First long weekend boonedocking....

4 days and 3 nights in KOA in Watkins Glenn. Great weather and caught Nascar at the Glenn. it was cool enough at night to just sleep with a window open.
Now the bad part...tried my power inverter to run the TV in eves to watch movies. First night was fine. Initially tried to plug in camper external plug so the outlets would work on the inside. Turned off breakers for everything except GCFI plugs. Got a momentary flash of voltage but then my display for the progressive surge protector just went blank. So I abandoned that and just ran an extension cord into the trailer. So day2 notice battery indicator at less that full so I ran the generator (after I had bypassed the power protection) for about an hour to charge up. Watch another movie that night. Forgot I had left furnace on at 60degrees. So in middle of night it kicks on. Get up and turn off. Hour later inverter starts buzzing meaning low voltage, so I get up and disconnect that. Half hour later all power in TT goes off. Now I am worried about fridge. Nothing I can do till morning. Get up in morning and put meter on battery....reads about 5 volts! Not good. Hook up generator and ran it for 3 hours. Took off inverter and put away. Only used lights when we had too even tho they are all LED. Got the battery up to 12.8 volts. Was good all the last night and into morning.
So no lost food or fun. Will have to send the progressive unit in for repair. I can see a resistor on board with one end only connected. Must have been a cold solder joint. Battery will get tested and water checked. I will be buying a second battery also. First one is barley 1 year old. Just a few frustrating events and one sleepless night.
  • CavemanCharlie's avatar
    CavemanCharlie
    Explorer III
    Aug 13, 2013
    I have a pair of deep cycle 6 volt golf cart batteries and I can go for days without them ever falling below 11 volts. But, I will admit I only use my cheap wall mart inverter and watch the TV for about a hour each day.
  • JiminDenver's avatar
    JiminDenver
    Explorer II
    Aug 13, 2013
    When it comes to power, there is little difference between dry camping and boondocking. In this case the difference is he could have started the generator at night when the battery went dead and on one else would have known.

    You said you ran the generator for a hour the first time, that wasn't long enough to do the job. Also when you left your inverter on while not in use it was sucking your battery down.
    We used a generator 2 hrs a day last year and never had a issue even though we we using the furnace and watching movies and such. Replacing the lights with LEDs helps and we probably could have gone every other day if we had too.
  • BurbMan's avatar
    BurbMan
    Explorer II
    Aug 13, 2013
    If you are planning future type trips I would suggest getting a pair of 6v true deep cycle batteries, they are much better suited for that type of use. Plus it helps if all batteries are the same age.

    BTW: "boondocking" means camping with no hookups, not camping in the boondocks! You can "boondock" in a CG, a Wal-Mart, or anywhere for that matter.
  • ZeeLet50's avatar
    ZeeLet50
    Explorer
    Aug 13, 2013
    Alright lowsuv....I should of said "with no services"! I get the definition now. Yes and there was no sign of Daniel either. LOL
    Anyhow, lesson learned and a second battery will be installed for future type trips.
  • korbe's avatar
    korbe
    Explorer
    Aug 13, 2013
    When we dry camp we don't watch movies. That will keep the battery doing its job for a few days. No need for a generator either.
  • Lowsuv's avatar
    Lowsuv
    Explorer
    Aug 13, 2013
    as pretty as watkins glen and the finger lakes region is ....
    i don't think you were boonedocking .
    out west boondocking means camping Not in an organized campground .
    unless you had a decendent of daniel boone with you in which case you were boonedocking, as you suggest .
    in Oregon the legal term is dispersed camping .
    that means no forest service table or steel fire ring .
    that also means no overnight fees , no need for the " geezer pass " , and of course no camp host .
    pack it in and pack it out .
    for our gang it also means no generators .
    and as for cable .. golly gee shucks , man we don't got no cell service or tv reception , either .
    we do have s'more fixins and a campfire every morning and night , though .
  • ZeeLet50's avatar
    ZeeLet50
    Explorer
    Aug 13, 2013
    Well we booked next year with full hookups. Even has cable. Should not have to worry about power. Just need to have Progressive Idustries warranty my surge protector.
  • Doug33's avatar
    Doug33
    Explorer
    Aug 13, 2013
    I camped at the Glen back in 2000 when I had a PU. I've camped several times at Pocono with the TT. In June it can be downright frigid at night, which is part of the reason to go from a PU to a TT. Even in July, it was still cool enough at night in the TT.

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