Electric only TT

[theoldwizard1]

Lil' Snoozy was the only TT I have seen in the past 5 years that came as electric only. A couple of 6V golf cart batteries and an inverter that could run a small microwave to make coffee (French press) should be all you need. Of course lithium would be better.

Induction "hot plate" for use with a generator or one of those small butane hot plates and you could make bacon and eggs !

The bonus would be a compressor refrigerator !

[JRscooby]

theoldwizard1 wrote:


If I had a compressor refrigerator, I woul want at least 250Ah @12VDC of usable battery. That would require 4 6V golf cart batteries. You would also need some serious solar and/or a generator.

I'm not a expert, and my experience is not RV.
A friend had a compressor fridge installed when he bought his new '99 Pete. Working on his truck, I know he has the same batteries to crank his Cat as I used in mine.
One summer he had to leave the truck in a Texas truckstop, get home on the bird. It was 3 days before I got there to deliver the load. I planned to jumpstart the truck if needed. When it started, I grabbed a trash bag, so I could get the garbage out of fridge. Instead I stole a ice-cream bar.
Now that fridge was not very big, but his wife would send him out with enough precooked meals to last a couple weeks. He would only run the microwave with engine running.

I have taken the propane tank off the tongue, because the only installed use is the 3-way fridge. When traveling, the TV charging system will keep it cold. We camp at power post, so 120v runs the fridge. The only time I would run it on propane would be if we had food in, and stopped on the way between campsites. I'm working on hooking it to a 1lb bottle for those times.

[mr_andyj]

I built a camper and have remorse that I did not put in an induction electric stove top.
I could have tossed a butane portable stove in the floor cabinet just in case, but when camping I do not do fancy exotic cooking things, I never bake, so at least I abandon the oven long ago. Quick one-pot meals are best for me, less cooking, less cleaning (less water use).

I have an electric fridge, so using more of my two GC batts might be too much on cloudy days, so you really need more than what two lead acid GC batts can provide, fortunately this is lithium battery days, so that would be how I would go if all electric. I do have solar, but overnight my 6 yr old batts will need most of the power if I am using half the fridge for a freezer. if freezer side turned off then power need is way down from that.

Heating in the cold is the drawback. You have to keep your water from freezing, whether it is for pipes or just so you can still pour it.
In this case I would have used a diesel heater as I do not use the furnace that much as it is. Diesel heaters do need to be cleaned so are not as easy as the propane models, but they also do not use up your battery.

The other electrical uses (tv, charging, lights, fans) are all up to each individual as to what they need, so that has ten thousand answers, none that will help much here.

[theoldwizard1]

valhalla360 wrote:
12v compressor fridges are becoming the primary fridge on new RVs.

Glad to hear that ! Even with two 6V golf cart batteries there is not enough power to run the 'fridge and do any cooking.

[theoldwizard1]

time2roll wrote:
I would assume electric only is just to hop from pedestal to pedestal.

Boondocking would be a challenge !

If I had a compressor refrigerator, I woul want at least 250Ah @12VDC of usable battery. That would require 4 6V golf cart batteries. You would also need some serious solar and/or a generator.

[theoldwizard1]

rexlion wrote:
All good until you dry camp in cold weather and need a furnace. But some people never do that, so for them it's fine.

That would be me !

I actually like sleeping in cold weather, even below freezing. A good sleeping bag, some sweats and a knit hat and I am set.

Got to have a hot cup of Joe in the morning !

[BarabooBob]

I will stay with propane as long as possible. We try to stay on BLM and FS campgrounds whenever possible. I can recharge my batteries with my 2000i generator if I need to. I don't want to find shore power to cook my supper. We really COOK food while traveling, we don't just heat up something to avoid being hungary. I love good home cooked meals.

[NamMedevac_70]

I have successfully RV camped without using propane for several years using only electric hookups or small inverter generator. I do most hot meals and heating of things using microwave. Occasionally I use outside a one burner propane stove for cooking or heating soup, etc. Again use the microwave for heating water for washing and cleaning and occasionally check into motel for thorough hot showers and good scrubbing. In hot weather use the outside RV shower hose wearing swim trunks or use the indoor shower. Use a small electric fan heater in winter time inside Rv. Have a small but powerful electric floor fan for outside the RV in hot weather. In addition to electric fridge I use ice chest sometimes. To each their own. Always a way and all is good

If I want home cooked meals I go to restaurant or stay in the city.

Camping and fishing is what is important to me and not full timing.

[Vintage465]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Lil' Snoozy was the only TT I have seen in the past 5 years that came as electric only. A couple of 6V golf cart batteries and an inverter that could run a small microwave to make coffee (French press) should be all you need. Of course lithium would be better.

Induction "hot plate" for use with a generator or one of those small butane hot plates and you could make bacon and eggs !

The bonus would be a compressor refrigerator !

A couple of 6V golf cart batteries and an inverter that could run a small microwave to make coffee (French press) should be all you need

Well, that should be all "You" need. I want a little more. I'm cooking pies from scratch, making biscuits on cold mornings, and maybe cinnamon rolls. I need propane, Gods gift to week long boon docking patrons.

[valhalla360]

wildtoad wrote:
The only time an all electric TT should be a problem is when used off grid. Then you need a way to recharge the batteries (solar or gen) which is no different than EV’s.

Has anyone seen or experienced an EV that needs AC or heat and the impact on distance between charges?

Even on 30amp, it can be a hassle. Electric stoves pull a lot of juice which means you can't run the air/con. While we generally try to avoid cooking inside when it's hot, sometimes it makes sense.

[wildtoad]

The only time an all electric TT should be a problem is when used off grid. Then you need a way to recharge the batteries (solar or gen) which is no different than EV’s.

Has anyone seen or experienced an EV that needs AC or heat and the impact on distance between charges?

[valhalla360]

Gdetrailer wrote:

rexlion wrote:
All good until you dry camp in cold weather and need a furnace. But some people never do that, so for them it's fine.

Hmmm.. Wouldn't EVs be the same issue? Seems like most RV folks on this forum want EVs, they will be taking them dry camping but yet, you say folks can't run a all electric RV :h

Wanting and being practical are different things. I'd love a cheap, safe, nuclear powered RV good for a million miles and the waste at the end is converted to radiation free gold.

Only a small number of proponents are thinking it's remotely viable to have an all electric RV now.

Running the house side of an RV off battery is possible although more expensive and limiting but certainly doable if you feel the need.

Running the propulsion side is pretty much a pipe dream unless you are willing to limit your range to less than triple digit distances and stay only at parks with 50amp power.

[valhalla360]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Lil' Snoozy was the only TT I have seen in the past 5 years that came as electric only. A couple of 6V golf cart batteries and an inverter that could run a small microwave to make coffee (French press) should be all you need. Of course lithium would be better.

Induction "hot plate" for use with a generator or one of those small butane hot plates and you could make bacon and eggs !

The bonus would be a compressor refrigerator !

If you need a generator...not exactly electric only.

12v compressor fridges are becoming the primary fridge on new RVs.

[Gdetrailer]

rexlion wrote:
All good until you dry camp in cold weather and need a furnace. But some people never do that, so for them it's fine.

Hmmm.. Wouldn't EVs be the same issue? Seems like most RV folks on this forum want EVs, they will be taking them dry camping but yet, you say folks can't run a all electric RV :h

Your gonna have to get out of the propane stone age sometime since propane fridges pollute far more than electric fridges due to higher energy consumption.

For the record, I setup my RV with a 120V home fridge with inverter and a pair of 6V GC2s and I am not afraid to dry camp but I am not impressed with EVs..

[time2roll]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
The bonus would be a compressor refrigerator !

As opposed to an icebox? Yes that compressor would be a bonus.

I would assume electric only is just to hop from pedestal to pedestal.