Boondocking Tips

[Roads_Less_Trav]

We've been living without hookups full-time for nearly 8 years, and I recently put together a blog post describing all the things we've learned about how to boondock happily and comfortably.

I'm hoping some of the tips will be helpful to a few folks here...

RV Boondocking - How to Live Off the Grid in an RV

[Roads_Less_Trav]

Super!

On our trailer:

4 Interstate wet cell 6 volt golf cart batteries
3 120 watt Mitusbishi solar panels, 1 130 watt Kyocera solar panel, wired in series
1 Outback FlexMax FM60 charge controller
1 Exceltech XP 1100 pure sine wave inverter

Average daily demand: 100-125 ah

We have boondocked in the western and southern states

On our sailboat:

4 MasterVolt 4D AGM batteries (house)
1 MasterVolt Group 27 AGM battery (start)
3 Kyocera 185 watt 24 volt solar panels wired in parallel
1 Xantrex 150 Charge Controller
1 600 watt pure sine wave inverter
1 Xantrex 2500 watt inverter/charger

Average daily demand: 180-230 ah

We sailed the entire western coast of Mexico from San Diego to the Guatemala border including the Sea of Cortez

[bka0721]

Emily, the link below is an example in how I share information to help others in furthering their ability to stay out longer/boondocking. Not everyone is fulltiming. But also directing readers to a site that does generate clicks and income for the party/host that is providing the venue.


Water Availability Clicky


Safe Travels.

b

[bka0721]

Hi Emily! Thanks for writing back. Yep, any way someone can make their adventure work and even continue, I am there to help and watch. My recommendation would to be more transparent about this fact. While you will have those that won’t appreciate it, but I suspect many more will wish to help. Especially tangentially by clicks. Share this too, by clicking other people’s pages too.

Sort of like on Facebook, a lady is on a Motorcycle tour and likes to post a lot, and lots of selfies. She gets a lot of likes. Supported by Revzilla (motorcycle sales) and I always give her the referral when I order from them, so she gets the credit. (Sponsorship/free stuff) I am getting the stuff anyway, so why not help out another person. But, she never likes or comments on other pages. Things should be beneficial. IMHO. With you, understand others are not in competition but a compliment to you. As well as we don’t possess the final word on topics. Because of the varied use and needs, most outcomes are different.

Nothing is wrong with your hosing site. It is on my end. It is the level of signal, as well as the time of day and bandwidth being used. The trouble becomes the number of attempts, as it uses more bandwidth each attempt. Sure I could just move to the city and solve everything. Just like the challenges in getting things shipped to you. It is no one else’s problem, I chose this lifestyle. I don’t expect others to adapt to my needs, by being the victim. But find ways to make things work, like a trick I use to get Amazon & FedEx shipments. Or companies that will work with you, in the unusual needs of shipping a package to you. This is how I had everyone one of my solar panels shipped and I delivered each one to camp, on the back of my motorcycle. With each Fulltimer, things will be different. With the majority of Fulltimers, they just have things shipped to their RV Park. With me, it is different in that it is sometimes 40 to 70 miles, one way, to the nearest town and post office. Thus, an extreme boondocker.

My writing style is challenging, and I know it too. It works wonderfully when I am writing a story, but a hindrance when I am wishing to share something technical. Letter writing is a disappearing art and being replaced with “ur” instead of you are. Thus the reader too, is becoming impatient too.

I am often judged by my rig and shock when people find me where I am. I liken this to a “Hill climb” on a motorcycle/snowmobile. The lighter, faster and better equipped will make it higher up the hill. Same thing with RVs. Maybe why I have never ever seen a 5th Wheel RV where I boondock, nor will you find me boondocking where the tricked out Jeeps go. But here is the difference, with the “Hill Climb.” I just share; “you can only go as far as what you brung.” Sort of like the old racing cliché; “Race what you brung.” This results in that I can stay longer and go higher and farther than the tricked out Jeep and motorcycle. Those guys will ride/drive fewer miles, starve and freeze and see less than me. When they learn that, my rig takes on an entirely different look. The trick is to build consensus, not conflict and opposition. There will always be those you will be unable to reach. So be it. Also, embrace others, not as a threat but as someone to share ideas and comparisons with.

As for my five questions, a simple answer of;

What type of batteries?
“I use a mix of batteries in 2 different banks. They are AGM and FWC (Flooded Wet Cell Batteries)

Quantities?
Two banks, two 6v AGM and ten 6v FWC.

Solar and watts?
I have two systems of Poly panels, in parallel, for a total of 1,860 watts.

Your average daily AmpH demand?
150-200 average AmpH documented for over 4 years.

Where do you boondock (regions) for the different seasons?
I love to avoid the heat of summer (as I don’t run A/C) and cold of winter (it is a lot of work, to stay warm off the grid) by heading to the mountains of the north and the deserts of the southwest, the Chihuahuan and Mojave Deserts.

My answers are framed in such a way, it begs more questions. And then, (if I had a web site) I certainly have a story and information in how I do all this and got here, in more detail, on my website. You haven’t divulged anything, but provided a tease of what you have to share. Building consensus.

Have fun and I hope your exit plan is a long ways off, as mine is too.

b

[Roads_Less_Trav]

Thanks again for clarifying, Bryan.

I live with scant internet too, as I am off the grid 100% of the time and in remote places most of the time.

We have lived without a cell phone since 2007 and we did not get a Verizon Mifi Jetpack until 2012, so we had no internet access from our trailer for the first 5 years of our travels.

On our boat, I waited 21 minutes for a 68k (kilobyte) file with the (very important) weather report to download as we sailed past a town. I had to hold the laptop over my head to keep the connection going!

So I fully understand your concern about lack of good internet signals and how long it takes for pages to download!!

I am sorry that my site is slow to load. If I could afford a faster host, my site would load much faster. You see, if my ads paid more, I would pay for a faster host!

I am glad you are not averse to advertising on websites, as this one, coming to us courtesy of Good Sam Club, has lots of advertising on it too.

[bka0721]

Hi Emily. You certainly misunderstand things. Again, I am all in favour of people finding ways of earning a living, or defray costs in what they are doing by using different funding sources. In fact the moderator of this forum, does exactly what you are doing, as does the other couple I mentioned earlier, Truck Camping Magazine. It is just being transparent about it. If you wish to have people come to your site for clicks and not share information here, as I have stated, there is nothing wrong with that.

But Dan saw exactly the issue boondockers like myself, ones that stay away from populated areas, have. My iPhone has a terrific app that can show where internet service is and I often try to route through those areas. Thus avoiding populated areas with good service. The issue is when pages are heavy with data, like large photos, or long streams of photos (58 photos in a single post). A boondocker's internet connection often times out, or either doesn't load the photos. The issue for many rural watchers is how Dan described, not having a high speed or Fiber Optic connection. In fact it took me 5 days to finally upload 28 photos and another article. So clicking and then getting to your page and then clicking again to the post is a challenge of patience, for remote boondockers. I could put heavier filters on, but I don't have an issue with your ADs or others I wish to support.

Emily, again, your page is great and I sent 2 people, last night, links to your blog and will continue to recommend it. As I too share and write about boondocking and fulltiming. I just don't have the patience and discipline needed to do a Blog/Web page to the quality of yours. I choose to provide content to others to publish and or post. I share often how important it is to prepare and have a revenue source for doing an adventure such as yours, before they start and sell everything. We are doing very different things and I for one look forward to learning more from you and Mark. I am all for helping those people, like Mello Mike, the White's and now, you and Mark, create some return in furthering your adventure. You are right, you two have put a lot of work into the postings, found on your blog. I was just hoping you might wish to share here too, on RV.net. But you've answered that.

You are correct in the satisfaction that is gained in helping others, especially in furthering ones dreams of fulltiming, as there is in the satisfaction of learning from others.


b

[Roads_Less_Trav]

bryan and profdant139 - There are ads on my site in an effort to defray the cost of keeping it.

Since I started my site in 2008, I have averaged between 2 and 3 cents an hour for my effort.

However, it has helped hundreds of people learn about solar power, learn about boondocking, learn about sailing, learn about vent-free heaters and get ideas of places to go.

And it has inspired lots of people to start a life of full-time travel.

There is a personal satisfaction in helping people, and that's why the few cents and hour is worth it.

Very few bloggers make a living from blogging. I don't think any RV bloggers can say they make a true living wage from blogging. At best, it is pocket money.

I have friends who have travel and photography blogs that are among the highest ranked blogs in their areas of interest, and they are lucky to clear $3,000 a month -- for 100+ hours a week of work. None of the RV blogs get traffic that is even close to what those blogs get.

So, enjoy the free reading!! We are all so lucky that the internet is here with free info for us all!!

[profdant139]

bka, I only see a few ads on Emily and Mark's site -- have you installed Adblock on your browser? I don't exactly know how it works, but it seems to filter out some of the extra junk that is tacked onto the frame around the site by third party website hosting software, while it generally leaves intact the ads that are authorized by the blogger.

I use Chrome, and Adblock is a very useful extension. You can fine-tune it so that it lets in more or fewer ads. There are sites where I don't block anything because the ads are useful to me -- rv.net, for example, carries ads by e-trailer, and I have found several good products by looking at those ads.

This is important for boondockers, since we aren't operating off of a landline or a fiber optic cable -- we need to make sure that the "signal to noise ratio" is as high as possible, so that scarce bandwidth is not wasted on junk.

So I guess this is another boondocking tip -- make sure your web setup is lean and mean!

[bka0721]

Hi Emily.

Thanks for posting the link too. Yep, I am known and sometimes embarrassing proud of my lack of economy of words.

The work you have put into your web site, is impressive and very well done too. Also, there is a HUGE amount of adds, on your site, as well. Clicking on one you will see there is a click counter on it. Truck Camping Magazine does the same thing too, for full disclosure and transparency.

While answering my 5 questions, IMHO, would not take as much time. With that information the reader might have wanted to check out your blog to find out even more information, given your answers. I know I have and did. Thanks!

b

[Roads_Less_Trav]

I appreciate your very long post, Bryan. And I appreciate that folks don't want to be directed to a blog outside this conversation.

Unfortunately, after putting several hundred hours into explaining our solar setup on our blog, it is hard to justify repeating myself here. I just posted our boondocking tips link 'cause I thought it would be helpful to other boondockers.

If you wish to see our solar pages, they are on our blog here:

Solar Power for RVs and Boats

Happy trails and have fun boondocking!!

-Emily

[bka0721]

Hi Emily! (n’ Mark, so as not be left out) Thanks for writing back. You had me at Sailboat! Everyone in 5th Wheels Fulltime? Right? To be honest, the number of nights is unimportant, to most. For Fulltimers it just part of a day, like the sun coming up every day. What is most interesting to me, is the number of nights someone with a fulltime job, with a family or taking kids camping that have never been before, related or unrelated. That takes more effort and time.

What is great, for what you and Mark bring to the forum, is your “tested” knowledge of how a person can be successful with items, lessen one’s learning curve and especially, learn from your mistakes and skip those steps and stretch a 3 day weekend to 4 or 5 days. Your sharing of the "Blue Flame Heater" Clicky certainly had my attention. When looking it up, I found the heater is aptly named, as it has an exposed flame. For a small space RV like mine, this would not be something I would consider, but certainly something others might consider.

To help here would be to bring information to this forum, than directing one to a Blog. For many of us, outside populated areas, we rely on bandwidth that is regulated for a cost. Or just too lazy to click again on your mouse/touch a screen (IOS). So it is helpful just having photos and information here.

Many have started using Blogs to generate income from Advertisers. These are counted as “clicks/eyes” to their sites. In my world of Adventure Riding, there are many that are using this means for financing their World Trips. Moderators, with Blogs, do this. My friend, David, writes for different RV Magazines on Boondocking. He always shares that the money he makes pays for his gas and expenses. All very noble if you can do it. So directing people to a web site often provides a benefit, to the reader and author. But if you could share here, too, that would be great! Here, you will get more feedback and questions.

Like, could you share a little bit about your solar, you have mentioned? What type of batteries? Quantities? Solar and watts? Your average daily AmpH demand? Where do you boondock (regions) for the different seasons?

Safe travels.

b

[Roads_Less_Trav]

Yes, you do have more boondocking nights than we do, and how cool is that?! We've spent almost 1,650 nights boondocking, but with another 750 of anchoring out in our boat we've spent about 2,400 nights off the grid on solar. Isn't it a great way to go?! We just love this life!

One of the reasons we chose a blue flame heater was because it is thermostatically controlled. Thank you for explaining what you meant by the Wave heater being too warm above 55 degrees and not keeping up below 25 degrees. I know the Waves are awesome heaters and folks really love them. We've spent a lot of time with friends who have Waves on both their fifth wheel and truck camper, and they'd never switch to a brick or a blue flame! It's all in what works for you.

Happy trails!

Emily

[bka0721]

Roads Less Traveled wrote:
bka0721 - I love hearing about folks full-timing in small RVs. I know of one couple full-timing in a truck camper (for 2+ years)... You're only the 2nd truck camper full-timer I know of. How totally cool is that?! How many years have you been living in your truck camper??

I'm sorry your Wave heater doesn't work above 55 degrees or below 25 degrees. Other people I've met with Wave heaters have found they work really well in a much bigger range of temps. They are the oldest of the vent-free heaters on the market and have a really long history with RVers (some 20+ years).

Hi Mark! Again, welcome to the forum and hope you will post often. Reading through your blog you have had many starts and stops and varied Fulltiming Types. That is something we all will benefit from. While I don't have as many years of Fulltiming as you, mine coming up on 6 years, after selling my home, cars and either giving everything away or selling everything else in 2008. Then hitting the road in 2009.

But I do have more continuous nights in one RV and type. As well as more boondocking nights, these being in excess of 2,000 nights (GPS recorded). Since I don't stay in campgrounds, have a car, attend rallies or have someone traveling with me, or have experience staying in any other type of RV, I refrain from commenting on those topics. Sticking to what I am familiar with and passionate about.

As for the Wave Heater, you misread my earlier comment, as I never stated my Wave Heater didn't work.

What I did state was the limitations of a Radiant/Cat/Wave Heater. When I assist others, I find it helpful to describe the Pros and Cons of a device. But let me rephrase what I had earlier stated. Wave/Radiant heaters have no definitive temperature (thermostat) control, other than proper sizing and turning the dial; High, Med, Low. So when temperatures are moderate outside, say 55*F and above, one must moderate the indoor temperatures by opening a window or vent. A temperature, of 55*F is cold enough to have some radiant heat turned on. Also, when the Outside Temperatures reach 25*F, or lower, A Wave/Radiant heater is unable to keep up with the increasing outside cold. Like when a person is standing at a campfire, the colder the air temperature is, the more the fire is only heating the person's side that is facing the fire, where before the fire was able to heat the air for a greater distance around it.

You have an amazing blog and experience shared within. It is not lost on me, the time and effort it takes to create, maintain and keep current. Thank you for that! While Fulltiming, in RVs, shares many things with all types, there are specific areas where they don't. That is where I am always eager to learn more in how others are Fulltiming and what makes some successful and others not. With your varied experience, I look forward to what you bring here.

b
(bryan)

[Roads_Less_Trav]

bka0721 - I love hearing about folks full-timing in small RVs. I know of one couple full-timing in a truck camper (for 2+ years)... You're only the 2nd truck camper full-timer I know of. How totally cool is that?! How many years have you been living in your truck camper??

I'm sorry your Wave heater doesn't work above 55 degrees or below 25 degrees. Other people I've met with Wave heaters have found they work really well in a much bigger range of temps. They are the oldest of the vent-free heaters on the market and have a really long history with RVers (some 20+ years).

Ours is a blue flame heater (the newest type of vent-free heater), and we turn it on when the inside temp gets below 75 (sometimes we hold out til it's below 70). It works really well when outside temps are in the twenties. We haven't been in anything below about 20 degrees though.

Usually our fifth wheel stays about 10-15 degrees above outside temps overnight if we don't run the furnace or vent-free heater.

Maybe your heater is too small? (Hard to imagine in a truck camper, but who knows?!). Our blue flame is a 20,000 btu unit (we heat about 350 square feet of space) and we rarely run it at more than about 20% of it's full-on capacity.

Our unit works fine in any temperature and hasn't given us any trouble since we installed it in 2008. More about it here.

[bka0721]

Hi Road Less Traveled, it is nice to see another sharing about the lifestyle you and I share. I have been writing about extended stays and fulltiming for a number of years now and enjoy helping others trying this too. For what I have read, so far, is very familiar in many ways. Of course I wouldn't know what to do with all of the space of a 5th Wheel, being in a Truck Camper myself. I am always enjoying reading how others are being successful on the road (read, stealing ideas!) and will look forward to seeing your future posts.

Wave style heaters are great, up to a point. They can be too warm when outside temperatures get above 55*F and are unable to keep up when outside temperatures are below 25*F. Being able to moderate by opening windows and turning on a furnace is important, for extended summer camping or 4 season camping. Just know the limitations of both Wave Heaters and Furnaces and one will be fine.

Hope to see you posting more often here and the best to you and safe travels!

b