2018 Deer Camp-Boondocking Tips Please!

[piersurprises]

I will be camping for a week in northern Michigan starting November 9th. I am staying on state land with no electricity available. (Average high is 46 degrees and low is 28 degrees in November)

I will be using a 9500w generator and have a Heartland Wilderness travel trailer with a 12v deep cycle marine/RV battery. It has two 20 pound propane tanks that will be used for the furnace and refrigerator.

Any tips on how to keep the inside of the camper warmer and prolong the battery power? In prior years, we ran the generator at night and once it ran out of gas during the night, the furnace blower sucks the battery power and I am without heat. I have used an electric blanket at night and kept the thermostat around 60 degrees.


Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated!

[theoldwizard1]

profdant139 wrote:
Having done a lot of camping in 25 degree weather with no hookups and without using the generator, my best advice would be to turn the thermostat way down, both day and night. We dress warmly during the day and use a down comforter at night.

We always use king sized sleeping bags, open and unfolded during warmer weather, zipped up in the cold. Extra blankets

If it is really cold (below 20F) wear a sweat suit to bed.

Best tip for sleeping in cold, WEAR A KNIT HAT ! This make a HUGE difference.

[theoldwizard1]

RedRocket204 wrote:
Replace the one battery with 2 new batteries, preferably 6-volt.

More specifically, TWO 6V golf cart batteries.

[trail-explorer]

Use the generator to power some electric space heaters at night.

Buy a large gauge extension cord to get the generator as far away as possible. THose things are loud will make it hard for people to sleep

[Lwiddis]

"Because we value the silence -- that is one of the main reasons that we boondock whenever we can."

Well said profdant139!

[DownTheAvenue]

piersurprises wrote:
Artum Snowbird : I am presuming you mean 950 watts, not 9500. One battery should last one day, but that is one good battery. Two six volt batteries in series is better.

My Generator is a Smarter Tools 9500W Generator (7500 rated watts). Our group usually has 2 or 3 campers using the generator during the night.

If you have 3 trailers hooked to the generator producing 7000 watts, each camper should be able to run one 1500 watt heater and keep the battery supplying 12 volt needs at each trailer. Keep the generator running all night (maybe take turns refilling fuel during then night), watch the length and gauge of cords to the trailers, and be mindful of 12 volt draws to keep converters from drawing too much from the generator.

Using this strategy, you will be comfortable all night. Maybe bring some extra propane bottles, and let the propane furnace run too!

[WayneAt63044]

We have used a Coleman catalytic portable propane heater when boondocking (similar to their Black Cat). Creates a lot of heat for a small trailer and no battery useage.

[RedRocket204]

Replace the one battery with 2 new batteries, preferably 6-volt.

As mentioned, reduce the thermostat setting. I recently returned from a trip in the CO mtns where lows were down to 17f but the day's highs did reach into the 60s. I kept my thermostat at 52f at night and had it come on at 0630 to 62f. When I left, I would turn off the thermostat so the heater would not come on during the day. I do have 200W solar so my batteries would recharge before I returned back to the trailer. Only time I ran my generator was to watch a movie one rainy night.

Two reasons to set your thermostat to a lower temp and just use more blankets or a warmer sleeping bag:
1. Less propane usage
2. Since the heat doesn't turn on as much, the fan doesn't run as much, less wearing down your battery's available amp hours

[wanderingaimles]

Look into the Camco wave heaters, no electricity, high efficiency.
http://www.camco.net/heaters

[piersurprises]

Artum Snowbird : I am presuming you mean 950 watts, not 9500. One battery should last one day, but that is one good battery. Two six volt batteries in series is better.

My Generator is a Smarter Tools 9500W Generator (7500 rated watts). Our group usually has 2 or 3 campers using the generator during the night.

[profdant139]

Having done a lot of camping in 25 degree weather with no hookups and without using the generator, my best advice would be to turn the thermostat way down, both day and night. We dress warmly during the day and use a down comforter at night.

It is not uncommon for the temperature inside our trailer to drop into the mid 30s. As the Eskimos say, "There is no bad weather, just bad clothing."

And I should add that we are not particularly tough people -- we are in our 60s and do not like to be uncomfortable!

I know what you are thinking -- why not run the generator? Because we value the silence -- that is one of the main reasons that we boondock whenever we can.

I am not saying that everyone has to do things my way -- reasonable folks can (and do) differ. But I am saying that until the temp in the trailer gets below freezing, you really can live well without heat.

(Oh, wait. Except for at shower time. In the evening, just before shower time, we do run the heat for a few minutes to get the temp up to about 70. I gotta be honest.)

[Artum_Snowbird]

I am presuming you mean 950 watts, not 9500. One battery should last one day, but that is one good battery. Two six volt batteries in series is better.

If you are recharging the batteries, your generator is almost maxed out at full charging rate. After charging for a few hours, put on a 700 watt heater just before bed for a while. The generator should take that. Check your plug voltage, if it drops below 110 don't keep doing that.

Go colder at night. 55 is warm enough in a cozy camper.