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Keeping cool while boondocking

Jesshopes
Explorer
Explorer
We leave for a 2 week trip on Friday. Our first night we are boondocking in a Cabela's parking lot. The problem is that it's going to be warm...and there are 13 of us in a TT. I keep thinking that there has to be a reasonable way to run a couple of fans for one night...anybody have an great ideas? We do not have a generator and I don't want to buy/take one for this one night.
134 REPLIES 134

2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
SidecarFlip wrote:
11 kids, better you than me.
Not sure I believe this.
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

MNGeeks61
Explorer
Explorer
F1bNorm wrote:
Weโ€™ve had good luck with the 5โ€ battery powered O2Cool fans. They are quiet and will run several nights on 2 D cells on the low setting. Get one for each person so there is no fighting over where itโ€™s pointed. https://www.amazon.com/O2COOL-Portable-Desktop-Circulation-Battery/dp/B001B16VT6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1535506811&sr=8-4&keywords=o2cool%2Bfan&th=1

Norm


2nd vote for these fans. They don't use a lot of battery and they DO last easily 12-14 hours on low.

click

actually I have an older one that is like this but white
click2

SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Explorer III
11 kids, better you than me. One thing for sure, you don't pay any Federal Income Tax with that many dependents.

No Cabelas I know of has a plug in. Think you'd be much better off with a CG myself. Boondocking anywhere with 11 kids is kind of stretching the rubber band in my opinion.

Either that or it's generator time to run the ac or fans. Harbor Freight is offering their 3500 watt INVERTER generator for a reasonable price.
2015 Backpack SS1500
1997 Ford 7.3 OBS 4x4 CC LB

Tvov
Explorer II
Explorer II
So, the Cabela's you are planning on overnighting at does not have electric hookups? Possibly you can ask the manager if you can run an extension cord somewhere to just run fans in the camper (especially roof vent fans!!!)?

Does anyone you know have a camping generator?
_________________________________________________________
2021 F150 2.7
2004 21' Forest River Surveyor

valhalla360
Nomad III
Nomad III
Kids might be slightly less but the average human generates about 75w of heat just sitting around...you are going to try and sleep on an already hot night with the equivalent of a 1000w heater running all night.

Just buck up and pay the $30 for an RV site.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV

rbpru
Explorer II
Explorer II
I have never found a way to keep our TT cool in hot weather without AC. We have never gotten more than a few hours with a fan and inverter.

The personal fan sounds like a reasonable option.

Let us know how you make out.
Twenty six foot 2010 Dutchmen Lite pulled with a 2011 EcoBoost F-150 4x4.

Just right for Grandpa, Grandma and the dog.

starcraft69
Explorer
Explorer
One option would be offer to help clean or whatever at a church for the ability to plug in and stay in parking lot for the night.
2007 chevy 2500 HD 6.0 longbed
2015 Eagle HT 28.5 5th wheel
tucker the fishing dog

time2roll
Nomad
Nomad
13 should be enough to split the campground fee and let everyone get a better night sleep.

Jesshopes
Explorer
Explorer
stew47 wrote:
Where is the cabelas? Maybe thereโ€™s a spot with an electric outlet on a post or wall? Obviously itโ€™s bad form to steal electric though. I use rvparky app to find spots.


To find spots where you can plug in?

Jesshopes
Explorer
Explorer
2oldman wrote:
13? Is that a typo? The usual solution is battery and an inverter for 120v fans.


Ummm...nope...I have 11 kids...

Baja_Traveler
Explorer
Explorer
OPOLAR 8 Inch Desk Fan from Amazon - runs on a usb plug, is super quiet and moves alot of air on high setting. I have one over my bed, set it to 1st or 2nd speed during the night (4 speeds) and it works awesome.

F1bNorm
Explorer
Explorer
Weโ€™ve had good luck with the 5โ€ battery powered O2Cool fans. They are quiet and will run several nights on 2 D cells on the low setting. Get one for each person so there is no fighting over where itโ€™s pointed. https://www.amazon.com/O2COOL-Portable-Desktop-Circulation-Battery/dp/B001B16VT6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1535506811&sr=8-4&keywords=o2cool%2Bfan&th=1

Norm
F1BNorm

stew47
Explorer
Explorer
Where is the cabelas? Maybe thereโ€™s a spot with an electric outlet on a post or wall? Obviously itโ€™s bad form to steal electric though. I use rvparky app to find spots.

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
I use two Fantasic fans which are 12 volt ceiling fans. With sufficient batteries and solar recharging during day it works quite well. Thirteen? If you donโ€™t have a generator and apparently no solar system, how will you recharge your batteries fully everyday?
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
13? Is that a typo? The usual solution is battery and an inverter for 120v fans.
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman