Boondocking and working with no electricity

[Cmccain13]

Hey all, obligatory "just started fulltiming" (class C Coachmen leprechaun 32 ft) and we have been thinking about boondocking with the weeks that we have to be away from a thousand trails campgrounds. However what is going to be difficult is that we wont have electricity. we do have a generator that runs off the gas in my gas tank. Now the question is im not sure how long i can work per day with working off the house battery for my monitor. i know the laptop battery wont last the full day so is there an alternative people use for a power source. I'm not really looking to get a solar bank and panels as of yet due to costs. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[profdant139]

When calculating the true cost of solar vs no solar, you need to put a number on the value of not having to run your generator, to listen to it, to smell it, to refuel it, etc. I don't know how to quantify that variable, but it is very significant, especially if you are boondocking in some beautiful remote area.

To put it another way, it cost me a few hundred bucks for a decent 120 watt solar panel, and several hundred for my almost never used Honda generator. You would have to pay me a LOT of money to give up my solar panel and run my generator instead.

[SJ-Chris]

A simple, yet powerful, unmounted solar system can be had for probably less than $150.

Components:
- 200-500w (depending on how much you need) USED solar panels: $50-120.
(you can find great used panels on craigslist, FB marketplace, etc)
- Charge controller: $20-$80 (depending on a few things)
- Wires and connectors: $20
- Inline fuse: $10
Total cost: $100-$200.

When you park, hook up your portable panels and point them towards the sun. Free electricity from that day forward.

You should also have a battery monitor. I use this one for ~$45 and it tells me everything I need to know...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FGFFHC6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you only have 1 coach battery, you definitely need to add a 2nd. With that and solar, you will probably never need your generator (but you'll have it just in case you do).

Good luck!
Chris

[Bobbo]

cyrus799 wrote:
How long will the RV battery last boondocking?

There is a different answer to this question for every RV. As an example:

In 2011 we spent 2 weeks boondocking in Yellowstone National Park in September. The days were warm enough there was no need for a jacket, but the nights got down into the mid 20's. Cold. We got there with a fully charged battery. The first night, we set the furnace thermostat at 65 degrees. About 3am, the battery was dead. The next morning, we used the generator to charge the battery back up to an estimated 80% SOC or 90% SOC. Every night thereafter, we set the furnace thermostat at 50 degrees, and slept under 2 comforters. First thing in the morning, we set it back up to 69 degrees, and in 15 or 20 minutes, the RV was warm. We got 2 nights out of the batteries doing that.

So, on that one trip, we had 6 hours and 48 hours on the same batteries in the same RV. It depended on our usage.

[StirCrazy]

MitchF150 wrote:
Power ain't free no matter how you choose to get it.. Choose your poison on how you wish to get it and go from there..

Solar costs a lot to start off with, but as long as you have sun, you can run your A/C on it if you have a system to handle it.


Good luck! Mitch.

if you can install the pannels and such your self a solare system is about 1/2 the price of a gen (well let me quallify that, I installed 325 watt 24v pannel with a 40amp Mppt controler and all the wires and such. that cost me 580.00 CDN (so about 29.99 US 😉 ) and a honda 1000 would have run me 1200.00 for me to add a second 325 watt pannel is 200.00 and I know the solar is way cheeper un the US.

Steve

[MEXICOWANDERER]

It all depends if parking in the sun is a Deal Killer.
People from 65 degree Pacific Norwet seem to forget this.

People whose rig goes to 125 degrees in the afternoon sun take it into account.

Boondocking is a fair weather sport.

My dream was a 2-axle U haul type utilities trailer clad with flip up side awnings, dead quieted generator, etc. Park it in the sunlight.

[Almot]

MitchF150 wrote:

Solar costs a lot to start off with, but as long as you have sun, you can run your A/C on it if you have a system to handle it.

Gens are easy, but loud and use a lot of gas if you are running an Onan just to charge the batteries..

Upfront cost of a modest solar is way less than the cost of Honda generator. The problem with many users - they buy a generator before they learn how to do solar, even in sunnier places. It will of course take more than a modest solar to run A/C reliably. This is one thing that is difficult on solar. Everything else is feasible, especially with large Li bank.

If laptop is their biggest worry, Li bank alone can be a solution, with occasional charging by either generator or a small solar, or going back to shore power once in a while.

[Grit_dog]

What Mitch said....OP has to expect to do “something “ to make/store power.

[NamMedevac_70]

Well said Mitch. I use combination different batteries and small portable generator for boondocking. Everything works great.

https://www.facebook.com/Pilot-Bill-Perkins-Exotic-Living-And-Travels-in-Far-East-and-SE-Asia-1425108021122523

[Dusty_R]

Going solar depends a lot on where you are going to use it. Michigan ranks 47th out of the 48 continual states in available sunshine.

[mr_andyj]

The answer is:
Look to get a solar system!!!

$250 will get you 200 watts, a charge controller and wires. Can you do basic handy man stuff? Mount them yourself, there is 1,000s of forum threads on this right here.

Otherwise, you will be putting some hard "miles" on your RV batteries by running them low, charging them back, running them los, over n over.

Solar is the easiest way. You will be glad u did.

[jaycocreek]

theoldwizard1 wrote:

Lwiddis wrote:
"Solar generators" are expensive, low powered.

Most pre-packages solutions (like Jackery, EGO and Bluetti) are way over priced ! Quick rant about "solar generators"

DIY Portable Solar Generator (minus panels)

That's Will..He did have good reviews on a couple solar generators and recommended them...Personally,owning three in total,they have there purpose for some,not all..Take my Jackery 240..Runs my cpap/charges my phones and laptop and even runs my Engel 12v compressor fridge for over 24 hrs for less than $200..That's less than a good 12V battery and it comes with an MPPT controller/PSW inverter and a 12v regulated socket and again,less than $200..I do not think that is over priced..

[theoldwizard1]

Lwiddis wrote:
"Solar generators" are expensive, low powered.

Most pre-packages solutions (like Jackery, EGO and Bluetti) are way over priced ! Quick rant about "solar generators"

DIY Portable Solar Generator (minus panels)

[valhalla360]

Almot wrote:

Yep. The best kept secret of generator users :)... When it's not charged fully every day and not equalized once a week, it won't last long.

Don't let them drop below 50% and recharge to at least 80%+ and should be fine as long as you get them up to 100% every week or two...which if the OP is going back to a campground every other week as suggested will happen.

This is has been standard practice for decades with cruising boats. Operate between 50-80% with occasional runs up to 100%. Nothing unusual to get 5-10yrs out of a battery bank doing this.

[theoldwizard1]

Rocky2 wrote:
A little off topic but having a battery pack to charge your cell phones and laptops is inexpensive insurance for essentials go dead.

A battery pack big enough to charge a laptop can be pretty expensive !