? On dry camping for 2 nights propane use?

[Motard112]

Well we are goin to do some dry camping tomorrow for the end of the season last camp before storage. So I have 2 20 gal propane tanks .right now 1 tank is about a quarter filled and the other i under half filled. I have done some dry camping but never payed attention to propane use since they were pretty much full when dry camping.so my question is: it's goin to be in the hi 30's - low 40's at night , will my remaining propane last 2 nights using the furnace set at 68 degrees?we will only have 1 bed opened . The other will stay closed . But I will be using the hot water heater sparingly and the fridge will be running.i kno the battery will make it do to experience with dry camping ..so what does everyone think?

[countywacker]

I camp twice a year at the racetrack with no services. As a backup to the battery I bring a fully charged jump box to throw on overnight so I don't have to run the generator.

[Wizfisher]

Motard112 wrote:

Chuck_S wrote:
If you only have an indifferently charged Group 24 battery you'll be lucky to get thru the first night. Parasitic electrical loads in the trailer will discharge the battery to dead in two weeks. Charge and disconnect the battery before putting it away between trips; charge at least overnight before the next trip.

-- Chuck

chuck s,
As I stated earlier I already dry camped overnight in the same conditions that will be doing this weekend but for 2 days this time.as I stated before I already did it for 1 night .started at 1100 am till next day at checkout at 1200 noon.the battery was at 2/3 when leaving.i don't understand why everyone keeps saying I will barley make it overnight? I already did it overnight with absolutely positively no problems And I left the cg with 2/3 battery!!!!i wasn't worried about the battery at all it was i
Only the propane.which was resolved.

I don't understand the hostility??
You came in here and asked for opinions. Nobody can state with absolute fact how long your possibly 1/2 and 1/4 filled 20 pound tanks will last. (Yes we now know that you have since put a little effort into figuring this out yourself and we now know one tank is full)
You also state that you camped for a night and used very little battery and propane. Of course we should just believe you when you say you used little propane since at the time you really didn't even know how much you actually used.
Batteries are funny when it comes to actual usage time. Since your 1 night trip used 1/3 of your battery, it's safe to assume that after 2 nights of use, you will have only used 2/3 of the battery, right? Problem with that is that a battery does not just use up all of its stored energy. The last 1/3 doesn't really get used and as your battery level gets lower, things will not work as well. You may not have enough juice to power the furnace fan even though the battery level indicator reads 1/3.

Filling the tank you thought was 1/4 filled would have ensured you have enough lp.
A way to charge the battery (just in case) would ensure you have enough battery.

Since all you really came in here to hear is that you will be fine on your trip......
You have nothing to worry about, the battery and propane you have is plenty enough for a 2 night trip that is only twice as long as your 1 night experiment.

Have a good trip.

[PAThwacker]

my results are from boondocking in April in early spring late winter conditions. Middle September can be AC cranking all day, and heat on at night (for the less hardy folks). I wouldnt worry. I setup to boondock Oct thru December for archery hunting. ?I can keep ours turtled, use onboard water and sleep on the rear bunks.

[PAThwacker]

I learned on day one with one group 24 battery. It was heavy raining and the pup was finally up by 830pm. Furnace cranking baby screaming you name it as the shyt hit the fan. ?i was going to trade that nightmare in the following week, kept it for two years and ATE $4500 on a trade. I bought a yamaha 2000w generator, popup gizmos, 12vt entertainment, reflectix mods, and became equipped to boondock year round in harsh north east PA conditions.

[Motard112]

Chuck_S wrote:
If you only have an indifferently charged Group 24 battery you'll be lucky to get thru the first night. Parasitic electrical loads in the trailer will discharge the battery to dead in two weeks. Charge and disconnect the battery before putting it away between trips; charge at least overnight before the next trip.

-- Chuck

chuck s,
As I stated earlier I already dry camped overnight in the same conditions that will be doing this weekend but for 2 days this time.as I stated before I already did it for 1 night .started at 1100 am till next day at checkout at 1200 noon.the battery was at 2/3 when leaving.i don't understand why everyone keeps saying I will barley make it overnight? I already did it overnight with absolutely positively no problems And I left the cg with 2/3 battery!!!!i wasn't worried about the battery at all it was i
Only the propane.which was resolved.

[PAThwacker]

The pup was brand new along with the allegedly new group 24 battery. Real life true 35 degree boondock test.

[PAThwacker]

Motard112 wrote:

PAThwacker wrote:
We did a early April 2010 35 degree day high temp weekend boondock with our pup. The battery was dead in the morning, by 2am Sunday the single propane tank went dry.

This I can understand why the battery might go dead bieng that the furnace runs day and night but as I stated earlier I don't turn the furnace on until the late evening when it starts to get cold outside during the day it's in the 60's-70's but at not its been goin down to 30's - 40's so the only time the furnace will be turned on at night I shut it off when I wake up in the morning.

I dropped a grand on a generator to handle 24/7 heat requirements. I have a 18 month old and a 5 year old. The older daughter went through the pup boondock nightmare and we packed up and bolted by 3am. Three seasons later, second camper, 3 trucks, young kids, and a happy wife.

[noteven]

Your propane and battery will last for your trip no problem.

[Chuck_S]

If you only have an indifferently charged Group 24 battery you'll be lucky to get thru the first night. Parasitic electrical loads in the trailer will discharge the battery to dead in two weeks. Charge and disconnect the battery before putting it away between trips; charge at least overnight before the next trip.

-- Chuck

[Motard112]

PAThwacker wrote:
We did a early April 2010 35 degree day high temp weekend boondock with our pup. The battery was dead in the morning, by 2am Sunday the single propane tank went dry.

This I can understand why the battery might go dead bieng that the furnace runs day and night but as I stated earlier I don't turn the furnace on until the late evening when it starts to get cold outside during the day it's in the 60's-70's but at not its been goin down to 30's - 40's so the only time the furnace will be turned on at night I shut it off when I wake up in the morning.

[PAThwacker]

We did a early April 2010 35 degree day high temp weekend boondock with our pup. The battery was dead in the morning, by 2am Sunday the single propane tank went dry.

[time2roll]

Motard112 wrote:

smkettner wrote:
Do you have an automatic regulator? This would prevent two partially filled bottles.

Just get them both filled and enjoy some heat. You probably have enough but why worry.

Thanks for the comment but please read the post above that I reported this morning about the propane tanks.1 is full and the other is half empty/full .thanks for comment and concerns .so the propane I have no worries.

Yes I was commenting on the original post. 😉

Motard112 wrote:
So I have 2 20 gal propane tanks .right now 1 tank is about a quarter filled and the other i under half filled.

The two partial tanks did not make sense. But the morning post with one full and the other at half you are definately good to go. And no regulator issues either.

Happy camping

[Motard112]

atreis wrote:

Motard112 wrote:
Well we are goin to do some dry camping tomorrow for the end of the season last camp before storage. So I have 2 20 gal propane tanks .right now 1 tank is about a quarter filled and the other i under half filled. I have done some dry camping but never payed attention to propane use since they were pretty much full when dry camping.so my question is: it's goin to be in the hi 30's - low 40's at night , will my remaining propane last 2 nights using the furnace set at 68 degrees?we will only have 1 bed opened . The other will stay closed . But I will be using the hot water heater sparingly and the fridge will be running.i kno the battery will make it do to experience with dry camping ..so what does everyone think?

In terms of propane you'll be fine. We almost exclusively dry camp and typically go for 1.5 weeks on a single full propane tank if we don't have to run the furnace. With the furnace, it's still a little over a week.

Thank you.thats what I wanted to hear.hopefully all the others read ur post.just a reminder u figured it out that was my typo with 20gal tanks .they are 20lb tanks before someone jumps on that bandwagon again.

[atreis]

Motard112 wrote:
Well we are goin to do some dry camping tomorrow for the end of the season last camp before storage. So I have 2 20 gal propane tanks .right now 1 tank is about a quarter filled and the other i under half filled. I have done some dry camping but never payed attention to propane use since they were pretty much full when dry camping.so my question is: it's goin to be in the hi 30's - low 40's at night , will my remaining propane last 2 nights using the furnace set at 68 degrees?we will only have 1 bed opened . The other will stay closed . But I will be using the hot water heater sparingly and the fridge will be running.i kno the battery will make it do to experience with dry camping ..so what does everyone think?

In terms of propane you'll be fine. We almost exclusively dry camp and typically go for 1.5 weeks on a single full propane tank if we don't have to run the furnace. With the furnace, it's still a little over a week.