Hey guys, a noob here. We are doing a 3+ week trip this summer including a week in yellowstone dry camping. I have a 30' TT with 7 people total including kids and in-laws. I am borrowing the trailer actually so I don't want to invest too much money and I have been thinking through how I am going to keep the battery charged for a whole week. I don't want to buy a generator and it seems like the cheaper solar options might not push enough amps. Plus I'm not sure of sun availability/shade in the campsite.The cheapest option I may have found was to install a battery isolator in my TV and run a wire to the rear of SUV and put the TT battery in there and connect it to charge off the chassis battery/alternator while we drive around the park each day or every other day. I figure we'll be in the car for at least 1.5 hrs a day since yellowstone is so big (and crowded in July). It may not charge it all the way, but at least it will get us through the night. Obviously the TT would stay in the campsite during the day, so it wouldn't be hooked to the TV for charging while we drove.Here is one product I found on amazon. https://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-20092-Battery-Doctor-Isolator/dp/B0058SGDFKThoughts? Thanks.

Mariner14 wrote:Hey guys, a noob here. We are doing a 3+ week trip this summer including a week in yellowstone dry camping. I have a 30' TT with 7 people total including kids and in-laws. I am borrowing the trailer actually so I don't want to invest too much money and I have been thinking through how I am going to keep the battery charged for a whole week.You won't get enough charge from your tow vehicle to replace what you pull out of the battery each day. Instead, take a second battery and a stand alone charger, alternate the batteries each day, take the depleted battery & charger to anywhere in the park there's 120 vac shore power to recharge. There are several gas stations located within YP so worst case ask if you can leave the battery on the charger for the day while you're out exploring. AND teach those 7 people how to conserve power. ;)

With 7 people, I would try and get into Fishing Bridge. It has full hook ups.

SoundGuy, really? They would let me just leave my battery and charger at a gas station or ranger station for the day? And I hope it wouldn't walk off I guess. Have you done this before?I was trying to avoid the Fishing Bridge parking lot. Also it was going to be $360 vs. $120 at Grant Village for the week w/ Senior Pass discount (can't say father-in-law never did anything for me). But we might should just do that so I'm not all stressed about the battery dying. I don't expect to be very successful at teaching my 7, 9 and 11 year old how to conserve power and water.

Dry camping with 7 people? You may want to do a trial run for a day or two.

2oldman,we'll be in a campsite close to water, flush toilets and showers, but I take your point.

Charging battery inside the TV | Good Sam Community

Mariner14
Explorer
Dec 17, 2017
TomG2 wrote:
One option that might be unpopular would be to leave six of the seven at home. Otherwise, spend the five or six dollars a night per person for a campsite with hookups and enjoy Yellowstone. It is too interesting and exciting a place to waste your time playing with a voltmeter all day and all night.

Strong advice there Tom. Why didn't I think of leaving 6 at home!
Yeah, I'm just going to pony up for Fishing Bridge and relax. And use as much water and electricity as I possibly can that week!
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Dec 17, 2017
Since the author had stated he has already made up his mind maybe the following can add to the thread...

Many western attractions are at altitude so night time temperatures are a factor in power usage
National Parks can be huge. I remember Yellowstone, at a tender age. Low speed limit made traveling from Norris Geyser Basin to West Yellowstone seem like a hunger Death March
It has been pointed out so many times on this forum - Do A Test Run In Your Driveway! Reality Rules!
When I was horse packing I spent a hundred hours planning "just enough of the right foods" sometimes for six of us
I don't know what West Yellowstone is like today but "back then" lunch meat and milk was about as sophisticated as tiny markets had
About 99.9% of people brand new to Boondocking get a rude battery capability surprise
TomG2
Explorer
Dec 17, 2017
Delete double post
TomG2
Explorer
Dec 17, 2017
One option that might be unpopular would be to leave six of the seven at home. Otherwise, spend the five or six dollars a night per person for a campsite with hookups and enjoy Yellowstone. It is too interesting and exciting a place to waste your time playing with a voltmeter all day and all night.
dougrainer
Nomad
Dec 17, 2017
The ONLY way to find out what works best for you is to do a 2 or 3 day local trip with the 7 people. You are a Novice. You will be extremely disappointed if you attempt to do anything without a trial run. Also, most trailers have space for at least 2 or more batteries. I would install as many as the mount will allow. I think you will be surprised(disappointed really) after a dry run. You will need to rethink the parameters of going 7 days with 7 people. Doug
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Dec 16, 2017
Please re-visit staying at Fishing Bridge if you are hoping for a vacation and not a impossible to win situation!
SoundGuy
Explorer
Dec 16, 2017
Mariner14 wrote:
I think I’m leaning toward just staying at fishing bridge.

I wouldn't "lean" too long, reserve now if you expect to go in 2018. ;)
Mariner14
Explorer
Dec 16, 2017
The TT is my dad’s. He buys toys and doesn’t use them much then harangues us kids to use them. I’m happy to oblige before he gets bored and probably sells it next year like he did our lake house ??. I think I’m leaning toward just staying at fishing bridge. I don’t want to be constantly telling the kids or the in-laws to turn the light off. We’ll just have to do campfire s’mores somewhere else on our journey. Thanks everyone for your expertise/thoughts.
CharlesinGA
Explorer
Dec 16, 2017
Best bang for the buck is a Lowes lantern. No longer available thru Lowes.com hopefully still found in stores.

Utilitech Lantern

uses 3 D cells, lasts for ever, very bright and quite cheap. Buy several of them and a large pack of good batteries. I think they were about $14 when I bought them.

Charles
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Dec 16, 2017
This isn't a joke...

Been There Done That And Got The Tee Shirt And Secret Whistle Dept...

Campfire. The BIG DEAL in minimizing hotel load.

Campfire until 10PM. Wienies, marshmallows, stories, games.

Eat and do chores during the daylight. Flashlights for bathroom runs. Daylight showers.

When the sun sets, only one light BULB permitted on at a time.

You need BLANKETS, thermal underwear for the kids, sweaters, coats and gloves. I spent half my childhood 73 miles northwest of Yellowstone, and even in high summer it can get damned cold after sunset in the summer.

Kids love to play with the lights in a RV. After campfire, the adults are the ones the control the bedroom or sofa lights. Give them flashlights and rechargeable batteries. Use a cigarette lighter charger to breathe new life into the batteries.

I first saw Yellowstone at age nine. I saw my first Grizzly bear at age nine. At night. I was about twenty feet from the motel door. My dad exploded "There aren't any grizz... gangway...hello front office, there is a grizzly bear across the road" The rangers responded fast the bear hauled bootie.

Ask your neighbors about the bears. No doubt it is different now than it was 63 years ago.

Anyway, used super frugally, a battery can go a long time if misered.

Tell the kids you're playing "Pioneer Family" up and down with the chickens.

If you use the heater even for a few hours it draws so much battery your plans will be thwarted.