Off grid camp setup

[rexmitchell]

Hi all. I’m in a situation where I’m going be setting up a camp off the grid that we will use frequently throughout the year. A couple things about the place, we have windmill water but no electricity. This water will be good enough if I want to treat it to use for showers/toilet, etc. I will be using an inverter generator since it gets a tad bit warm in Texas during the summer/fall and we will need to be able to run the AC all day at times. Town if close by so if I need to haul 50 gallons or so of fresh water for the trailer that is doable. I’ll plan to haul black water to town in a tote and dump black water there so I’m not planning to build a septic at this point.

Now, I’m looking at how to handle the water. The windmill water is not where I’ll be camping and I’ll have to haul it, not a problem using a transfer pump and tanks. I’m going to setup probably a 200-300 gallon water tank in camp that will be elevated so that I can use a gravity fed if necessary but I am also looking at an on demand water pump because I will need water outside for tasks. Has anyone done a setup like this for the on demand pump? I planned to run a splitter off of the pump to run a hose with a sprayer and an outdoor sink. And other advice tips on what I’m trying to do here?

I’ve used generators before but not really a 24/7 setup. Doing research now on what type I’d like to buy but I’m open for suggestions here as well.

Thanks in advance.

[rexmitchell]

A good AC is a requirement in Texas from April-November. First week of November I had that thing cut on it got so warm. 23 degrees the week before and 80 the following week. Gotta love it. Oh and the wind. The placement of that trailer was done specifically to eat the wind in the front of the trailer. Even when it gusts 35-40 it barely moves it since the front face directly into it. Last hunting camp we had was on fixed sites and my trailer was always broadside to the wind. 30+ mph winds felt like a tornado was coming through.

[pnichols]

rexmitchell wrote:

CFerguson wrote:
Summer in TX with limited AC ability? 1 word: shade.

(and I sure could camp there! beautiful)

Summer trips out there will be limited but when we do go the Honda easily takes care of the AC. It's West Texas and the tallest tree is about 10 feet high! Not much shade out there unfortunately.

We briefly visited the Texas Panhandle during August, once, in our small motorhome when rockhounding. For lunch in the RV, we had to run both the rooftop AC (generator running) and cab AC (engine idling) ... in order to get and keep the rig cool enough to eat.

It was remote and beautiful ... but boy plenty of AC should be available for RV camping out there.

But then again, IMHO "any self respecting" RV should have good air conditioning capability - just in case.

[rexmitchell]

CFerguson wrote:
Summer in TX with limited AC ability? 1 word: shade.

(and I sure could camp there! beautiful)

Summer trips out there will be limited but when we do go the Honda easily takes care of the AC. It's West Texas and the tallest tree is about 10 feet high! Not much shade out there unfortunately.

[ppine]

A 12 volt solar powered pump will change what it is like to be there.

[CFerguson]

Summer in TX with limited AC ability? 1 word: shade.

(and I sure could camp there! beautiful)

[rexmitchell]

fj12ryder wrote:
Well, it looks...desolate? Definitely not for me, but you're the only one that has to like it. Not my choice, but dif'rent strokes...

30 miles from the nearest town, miles from the nearest human, at least 3 miles from a public road, exactly how we want it. Beautiful country out there, I could stare at those views all day long. Love some west Texas.

[fj12ryder]

Well, it looks...desolate? Definitely not for me, but you're the only one that has to like it. Not my choice, but dif'rent strokes...

[Grit_dog]

Holy snikes! What a deer!
Makes me want to move to TX....thx for posting.

[rexmitchell]

pnichols wrote:

rexmitchell wrote:
Just wanted to circle back for those that helped out earlier in the year. Here is what our camp setup looks like now. We have a 100 gallon water tank, an on demand water pump that I run the trailer off anytime the generator is on (also the hose), and a shed to run the generator in bad weather. Also helps to keep the noise down even though the honda is pretty quiet. I have a 65 gallon leg tank that I haul water out in anytime we need to top off the 100 gallon tank. First 4 day weekend we only used one tank of gas on the Honda the entire trip which is pretty great.








Here are some of our views off the back side of the camp.

Looking at that plastic water tank on a platform: When it's nearly empty of water before you top it up ... if strong winds come up is it going to stay put?

Not sure honestly. It’s about 35-40 lbs but we get some pretty good winds out there. I don’t plan on letting it get below half full but if for some reason we get it really low I’ll mount some 2x4s vertically to keep it upright.

[pnichols]

rexmitchell wrote:
Just wanted to circle back for those that helped out earlier in the year. Here is what our camp setup looks like now. We have a 100 gallon water tank, an on demand water pump that I run the trailer off anytime the generator is on (also the hose), and a shed to run the generator in bad weather. Also helps to keep the noise down even though the honda is pretty quiet. I have a 65 gallon leg tank that I haul water out in anytime we need to top off the 100 gallon tank. First 4 day weekend we only used one tank of gas on the Honda the entire trip which is pretty great.








Here are some of our views off the back side of the camp.

Looking at that plastic water tank on a platform: When it's nearly empty of water before you top it up ... if strong winds come up is it going to stay put?

[rexmitchell]

Grit dog wrote:
Solitude! Nice place!
Where's this years buck? See the meat pole ready to go...

One down and I’m going to chase the other one this weekend.

[Grit_dog]

Solitude! Nice place!
Where's this years buck? See the meat pole ready to go...

[rexmitchell]

Just wanted to circle back for those that helped out earlier in the year. Here is what our camp setup looks like now. We have a 100 gallon water tank, an on demand water pump that I run the trailer off anytime the generator is on (also the hose), and a shed to run the generator in bad weather. Also helps to keep the noise down even though the honda is pretty quiet. I have a 65 gallon leg tank that I haul water out in anytime we need to top off the 100 gallon tank. First 4 day weekend we only used one tank of gas on the Honda the entire trip which is pretty great.








Here are some of our views off the back side of the camp.

[rexmitchell]

opnspaces wrote:

rexmitchell wrote:

Already thought about that. Got the Honda today. Probably will do a three sided enclosure mainly to keep rain/sun off it. The noise from the AC will cover any generator noise and honestly that is the only time it will be run where I’ll care how quiet it is outside.

Just curious, was the Honda on Craigslist or something else? They usually go super fast so I'm imagining it was on something like close 5 or next door app.

Craigslist, basically brand new but a few years old.. Got it for 1k.