The all encompassing RV thread

[Chewbacca 7,765]

Gentlemens!!! We have POWER!
 
Bitches win!!
 

 
 
Ran all the lights, fridge and an AC for a good while no probs.
 
Yes a little under powered but we will manage it and won’t boondock when we really need two ACs - we don’t camp with hair dryers and microwave will be off limits. should be fine for Colorado summers. Best part we can manage their weight and some redundancy.

You don't need AC to camp in the mountains here. Still gets chilly at night even in July and Aug. If you're not in the mountains, you might need it.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[utee94 15,797]

This is what I use.  It replaced my original Honda 3200 that crapped out after ten years.  I like the small "Handi" type units because they're light enough for my wife to move around when necessary.  Running two 2K units in parallel would be another option of course.  The 3500W is more than enough to run A/C on my 30A single A/C RV, but running both the microwave and A/C will kick it off.

[troph 24,781]

That’s good to know.  Yes we expect the microwave and hair dryers to be off limits if we are using the AC. I wonder if you could run two of those parallel? I would assume so.

[utee94 15,797]

27 minutes ago, troph said:

That’s good to know.  Yes we expect the microwave and hair dryers to be off limits if we are using the AC. I wonder if you could run two of those parallel? I would assume so.

Yup, sure can.  Most of inverter style gennies will run parallel these days, but you still need to check them to make sure, because that's a feature they'll sometimes cut for the entry-level units, in both the less expensive off-brands, as well as the Hondas and Yamahas.

I'm an electrical engineer so I've actually run experiments using my Fluke multimeter and if the A/C is already running, you actually CAN often run the  microwave, but it puts it close enough to the limit that if the A/C compressor switches off, and then kicks back on, it'll probably trip the genny into overload condition.

Anyway, it's easy enough to just turn off the A/C when you want to run the microwave or a hair dryer.  Irons are also massive current draws, just a straight short circuit to generate heat, but I rarely need to iron something whilst camping.

 

 

[ShaggyBevo RIP 3,868]

Saw an article were an RV mechanic said the most over looked tool for an RV tool kit is a rivet gun.  Nothing like being able to fix a busted hinge or loose exterior piece on the spot.  Gun and rivet assortment is under $50.

https://www.amazon.com/Arrow-Fastener-RHT300-Professional-Swivel/dp/B00004Z2JM/ref=sr_1_4?_encoding=UTF8&dchild=1&keywords=rivet+gun&linkCode=sl2&linkId=63174f4f0c56b29ab51ce2c34b738dd1&qid=1591275869&refinements=p_89%3AArrow+Fastener&rnid=2528832011&sprefix=rivet%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-4&tag=rvtravel04-20

Edited June 4, 2020 by ShaggyBevo RIP

[troph 24,781]

Yup, sure can.  Most of inverter style gennies will run parallel these days, but you still need to check them to make sure, because that's a feature they'll sometimes cut for the entry-level units, in both the less expensive off-brands, as well as the Hondas and Yamahas.
I'm an electrical engineer so I've actually run experiments using my Fluke multimeter and if the A/C is already running, you actually CAN often run the  microwave, but it puts it close enough to the limit that if the A/C compressor switches off, and then kicks back on, it'll probably trip the genny into overload condition.
Anyway, it's easy enough to just turn off the A/C when you want to run the microwave or a hair dryer.  Irons are also massive current draws, just a straight short circuit to generate heat, but I rarely need to iron something whilst camping.
 
 

Who are these campers that need hair dryers and irons!? I wouldn’t think to take either.

[troph 24,781]

Saw an article were an RV mechanic said the most over looked tool for an RV tool kit is a rivet gun.  Nothing like being able to fix a busted hinge or loose exterior piece on the spot.  Gun and rivet assortment is under $50.

https://www.amazon.com/Arrow-Fastener-RHT300-Professional-Swivel/dp/B00004Z2JM/ref=sr_1_4?_encoding=UTF8&dchild=1&keywords=rivet+gun&linkCode=sl2&linkId=63174f4f0c56b29ab51ce2c34b738dd1&qid=1591275869&refinements=p_89%3AArrow+Fastener&rnid=2528832011&sprefix=rivet%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-4&tag=rvtravel04-20

That’s a great idea. If I OCD enough I’ll take my list way above and add all these others to it so if someone else wants to engage in the same kind of tomfoolery they have an easy comprehensive list to consider. If...

[fattyflattie 4,639]

I use my rivet gun quite a bit more than you would ever think.  And I don’t own an RV.  Useful, cheap tools. 

[utee94 15,797]

54 minutes ago, ShaggyBevo RIP said:

Saw an article were an RV mechanic said the most over looked tool for an RV tool kit is a rivet gun.  Nothing like being able to fix a busted hinge or loose exterior piece on the spot.  Gun and rivet assortment is under $50.

https://www.amazon.com/Arrow-Fastener-RHT300-Professional-Swivel/dp/B00004Z2JM/ref=sr_1_4?_encoding=UTF8&dchild=1&keywords=rivet+gun&linkCode=sl2&linkId=63174f4f0c56b29ab51ce2c34b738dd1&qid=1591275869&refinements=p_89%3AArrow+Fastener&rnid=2528832011&sprefix=rivet%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-4&tag=rvtravel04-20

Rivet gun is an awesome idea for an RV toolkit.  I always kept one handy in the Airstream for obvious reasons, but it remains in my RV toolkit in the new one, too.

2 minutes ago, troph said:

Who are these campers that need hair dryers and irons!? I wouldn’t think to take either.

Not me that's for sure!  

One sort of sneaky, relatively high-current draw, is the crockpot.  This is not normally a big deal while camping, but for tailgating, it could be a different picture.  I once helped some newbie RV tailgaters diagnose their electrical problem on a borrowed motorcoach.  They couldn't figure out why they lost power, and I checked their outside connections, looked good, but when I went inside, I saw they had about ten different crockpots plugged in with various dips, apps, and other food items they wanted to keep warm.  I recommended they unplug all of them, plug them back in as necessary, and when the breaker tripped again, they'd know to do one fewer.

 

[troph 24,781]

freaking instapot.  ugh.

[Pato del Muerto 52,484]

Probably should not bring the plug in hitachi magic wand either

[utee94 15,797]

13 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Probably should not bring the plug in hitachi magic wand either

I'm not about to search the power draw on that thing, don't want that to show up in my Search history...

 

[Pato del Muerto 52,484]

Just got these to toss in. They don’t fit in the current trailer but I’m guessing they will when we buy a larger one, and we can set them up outdoors if we want.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Disc-O-Bed-XL-Cot-Bunk-Beds/735034.uts?productVariantId=1634337&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=50028845&rid=20&ds_rl=1246525&ds_rl=1246528&ds_rl=1247879&ds_rl=1252079&gclid=CjwKCAjwt-L2BRA_EiwAacX32XRa_sN3hbgU6cnaKBZwxLBaRgLgmeDRD0vtTaOEDKGZHsIjxkAVTxoCfLMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

bought the leg extensions and rubber feet as well. 

[troph 24,781]

5 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Probably should not bring the plug in hitachi magic wand either

no comment.

[utee94 15,797]

5 hours ago, troph said:

freaking instapot.  ugh.

We use a crockpot while camping all of the time, especially during winter camping.  We'll leave it on all day to braise a roast or make crockpot carnitas.  

But I've never felt compelled to use ten crockpots, and I don't have an instapot though I do have a couple of old-school stovetop pressure cookers that I use for various things.

[troph 24,781]

We are tricked out....

Decided we wanted to use the generators less so we can enjoy intense quiet where we are camping (BFE). So we’re gonna run three batteries parallel and two 100 watt solar panels for CO style power during the day - lights, plugs, and fridge. Each panel should charge one battery per day. Gonna keep the generators for early morning and evenings and hope that we don’t really need power in the middle of the night if the batteries drain which I doubt three would.

What could go wrong?

[utee94 15,797]

9 minutes ago, troph said:

We are tricked out....

Decided we wanted to use the generators less so we can enjoy intense quiet where we are camping (BFE). So we’re gonna run three batteries parallel and two 100 watt solar panels for CO style power during the day - lights, plugs, and fridge. Each panel should charge one battery per day. Gonna keep the generators for early morning and evenings and hope that we don’t really need power in the middle of the night if the batteries drain which I doubt three would.

What could go wrong?

No I think you'll be fine, and remember that the fridge can run on propane and doesn't use a ton.  That's the ORIGINAL boondocking plan, long before solar became prevalent.

[troph 24,781]

Our fridge is electric only :-/

[TexasEd 8,066]

I didn't see it on page 5, sorry if it was later but you need a Tomahawk on your gear list. 

 

[troph 24,781]

Got a small one. Why waste the opportunity to buy a hand ax? I mean seriously?

[davidg 4,036]

What is the amperage draw of your fridge when running? Is it 120VAC it 12VDC or both? I looked at a couple of 6 and 7 cu-ft fridges and they are typically 400w on AC. I believe the DC consumption is typically smaller but even if it’s ~100W, I don’t believe you have enough solar to keep up with that load.

Also, it looks like from the labels, one of your batteries is a starting and the other a dual purpose. The starting battery has a slightly different plate construction from a DP or deep cycle type and typically not last as long when deep discharged.

[Pato del Muerto 52,484]

Do any of you run a battery tender/trickle charger when not in use?  Mine doesn’t have a power inverter and only the water pump and lights run on dc so i don’t bother. Also means my battery only gets charged when it’s plugged in to the truck. 

[troph 24,781]

We are doing that now as we prep. About to go see how the fridge held up over night.

[Texaus 377]

Does the all electric fridge stay on when not connected to power/genny? That would suck if not

[troph 24,781]

Does the all electric fridge stay on when not connected to power/genny? That would suck if not

There’s a switch.... it’s easy. See by the microwave.

 

 

Might turn it off when we go to bed and then turn it on when we wake up. But it did great last night on the one battery trickle charge. Wonder if three full batteries daisy chained will last 8-10 hours?

 

Obviously with power it’s no issue just trying to figure the best way to camp without hook ups.

[troph 24,781]

What is the amperage draw of your fridge when running? Is it 120VAC it 12VDC or both? I looked at a couple of 6 and 7 cu-ft fridges and they are typically 400w on AC. I believe the DC consumption is typically smaller but even if it’s ~100W, I don’t believe you have enough solar to keep up with that load.

 

Also, it looks like from the labels, one of your batteries is a starting and the other a dual purpose. The starting battery has a slightly different plate construction from a DP or deep cycle type and typically not last as long when deep discharged.

Gf bought it all. We’ll see. If we need to adjust to another deep cycle or even take 4 batteries to make it over night without running the generator we will. Good news is we have multiple power options now. And we can adjust. For dry camping we have 200W solar during the day, 4000W of generator power at night and early in the AM, and 3 batteries for over night, and at home a trickle charger, truck power in a pinch, and hook ups where we have them. Our toy hauler has at least a 20 gallon gas tank too so generator power should be plenty as well.

[troph 24,781]

Btw update - we pull out 7am tomorrow morning. All done prepping except a few minor items and food and clothes. We’ve got this ready so any trip we pack clothes, food and fresh towels and linens and we go. So the prep should be limited and easy. Hoping that means we use it more !!

 

Pretty damn tired right now though. We are probably pushing 100 hours and $6-8k outfitting this thing before factoring in the truck and hitch or down payment on the trailer. Definitely ready for a spending break.

[davidg 4,036]

Do any of you run a battery tender/trickle charger when not in use?  Mine doesn’t have a power inverter and only the water pump and lights run on dc so i don’t bother. Also means my battery only gets charged when it’s plugged in to the truck. 

The trailer I’m looking at had a battery cutoff switch so I will check draw and see if it kills all the loads. If so I might not.

On my boat, I have a bilge pump hardwired to each battery bypassing the cutoff/combiner switch. One has an solid state bilge switch and draws a small current and the other has an LEDso it pulls a little current too. I keep 1a NOCO battery charger/maintainers on them otherwise they will draw down over time. Usually not an issue in summer but storage over winter I have had dead batteries because of this. I hate dealing with dead and vehicle boat batteries

[troph 24,781]

I don't think I answered your question correctly - the fridge in ours is on unless we chose to turn it off.  

[fattyflattie 4,639]

25 minutes ago, davidg said:

NOCO battery charger/maintainers

Good stuff. Waiting on mine to go out so I can replace it with one. Also, the new Power Pole made charger does some really cool stuff, but it’s like $1300, so that isn’t happening unless I get a wild hair and switch to lithiums.  

[utee94 15,797]

11 hours ago, troph said:

Our fridge is electric only 😕

Ahhhh... well if you plan on doing a lot of boondocking, might be worth your while to upgrade to 2-way fridge eventually.

Also, where did you get your solar panels?  My RV came set up for solar, all I need is to buy the panels and plug them in.  Some hardcore dry campers I know keep their solar panels on a stand that they can move around remote and angle where necessary, rather than on the roof of the RV, since ideally they can park under shade during the hotter months.  I think I like that setup.

 

 

[conVINCEd 21,469]

@troph I would like to thank you for doing your best to keep the economy afloat during these troubling times.  

[davidg 4,036]

Ahhhh... well if you plan on doing a lot of boondocking, might be worth your while to upgrade to 2-way fridge eventually.
Also, where did you get your solar panels?  My RV came set up for solar, all I need is to buy the panels and plug them in.  Some hardcore dry campers I know keep their solar panels on a stand that they can move around remote and angle where necessary, rather than on the roof of the RV, since ideally they can park under shade during the hotter months.  I think I like that setup.
 
 

Several of the trailers we looked at including the GD we want have a power input port that is for solar. What so have found is that on most of them, it is just wiring with a fuse that connects directly to the battery. You really need a solar charge controller to get the best efficiency out of them.

I bought this system in Feb, not necessarily for a trailer, and haven’t even taken it out of the box yet. I will use it or another like it if we decide to boondock when a gen is not allowed

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KHZ3SXF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_KwTtpfqTMVLMz

[utee94 15,797]

22 minutes ago, davidg said:

 

 

Several of the trailers we looked at including the GD we want have a power input port that is for solar. What so have found is that on most of them, it is just wiring with a fuse that connects directly to the battery. You really need a solar charge controller to get the best efficiency out of them.

I bought this system in Feb, not necessarily for a trailer, and haven’t even taken it out of the box yet. I will use it or another like it if we decide to boondock when a gen is not allowed

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KHZ3SXF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_KwTtpfqTMVLMz

 

 

Awesome, thanks!

I go back and forth on doing solar, since our winter camping is typically at state and national parks with hookups.  But there are a handful of Fall and Spring opportunities where it might be useful.

 

[troph 24,781]

Ahhhh... well if you plan on doing a lot of boondocking, might be worth your while to upgrade to 2-way fridge eventually.

Also, where did you get your solar panels?  My RV came set up for solar, all I need is to buy the panels and plug them in.  Some hardcore dry campers I know keep their solar panels on a stand that they can move around remote and angle where necessary, rather than on the roof of the RV, since ideally they can park under shade during the hotter months.  I think I like that setup.

 

 

Harbor freight and ours are set up on the ground too, didn’t want them exposed to the sun unless we are using them. I’d like the option to dry camp hard core. This should get us started but I’m sure we will tweak and improve. Really do want to camp in remote areas for fishing and just solitude generally.

[troph 24,781]

Several of the trailers we looked at including the GD we want have a power input port that is for solar. What so have found is that on most of them, it is just wiring with a fuse that connects directly to the battery. You really need a solar charge controller to get the best efficiency out of them.

I bought this system in Feb, not necessarily for a trailer, and haven’t even taken it out of the box yet. I will use it or another like it if we decide to boondock when a gen is not allowed

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KHZ3SXF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_KwTtpfqTMVLMz

I’ll post deets when we open the box.

[John Lawrence 244]

On 6/4/2020 at 7:10 AM, troph said:

That’s good to know.  Yes we expect the microwave and hair dryers to be off limits if we are using the AC. I wonder if you could run two of those parallel? I would assume so.

Coffee makers too.  They pull a lot of power.

[troph 24,781]

Coffee makers too.  They pull a lot of power.

No compromises. I’ll run solar, three batteries and two generators for my coffee. Forget my Magic Wand, but not my coffee.

[utee94 15,797]

5 minutes ago, troph said:

No compromises. I’ll run solar, three batteries and two generators for my coffee. Forget my Magic Wand, but not my coffee.

Coffee maker is a large draw but I've never had a problem running the A/C and the coffee maker at the same time on a 3500W genny.  But if you do have issues, you can always just turn off the A/C for the few minutes it takes to brew coffee.

[John Lawrence 244]

On 5/26/2020 at 8:05 AM, HOOKEM4 said:

I may have missed this mentioned, spare tires. Make sure you have 2 and a good jack. The drive on jack posted above is great but can be an issue on certain terrains. Also a 4 way wrench that is adequately sized for all to change a tire. On a tandem trailer, when you blow one, odds go up that you hit something and blow 2 tires.

 

Airstreams ftw. We have an Airstream and a larger POS jayco we keep at the ranch. The jayco is used because it is 2x larger and fits the kids better but the quality is so shitty when compared to the Airstream. I know it is like comparing a pinto to a porsche but it is amazing how shitty these trailers can be. We don't travel with it so really it doesn't matter to me so long as it has a good upgraded bed. 

Speaking of beds, does the Puma have nice beds stock? I made it two nights before I was ordering a upgraded memory foam mattress.

I use a 4x4 block on my dual axle travel trailer.  Just drive up on it with the one wheel on that side that isn't flat.  Works well for any dual axle trailer. It will lift the flat off the ground and give plenty of lift to change the tire.

[Hawndoh 2,386]

You know you can make coffee on the stove with propane.

[Pato del Muerto 52,484]

Cowboy coffee on the fire

https://www.amazon.com/GSI-Outdoors-Enamelware-Percolator-Coffee/dp/B000690JTC/ref=zg_bs_3400721_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TD5GKVTEH74JNJ369J89

Edited June 5, 2020 by Pato del Muerto

[utee94 15,797]

2 hours ago, Hawndoh said:

You know you can make coffee on the stove with propane.

I actually use a French press most of the time.   But my wife likes drip coffee so, well, there you have it.

[Johnny Sack 8,397]

One of those cone shaped drill bits to split fire wood is cheap and handy.  

[troph 24,781]

Cowboy coffee on the fire
https://www.amazon.com/GSI-Outdoors-Enamelware-Percolator-Coffee/dp/B000690JTC/ref=zg_bs_3400721_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TD5GKVTEH74JNJ369J89

Yes I know how to even make cowboy coffee. But we want our coffee like at home.

[troph 24,781]

Three teen / pre-teen boys and two grown adults, two weeks camping. Offered without additional comment:

[utee94 15,797]

39 minutes ago, troph said:

Three teen / pre-teen boys and two grown adults, two weeks camping. Offered without additional comment:

Well, I see you gotta a little bit of whole grain bread in there so, good on you!

Our camping shopping cart always looks similar, but with a lot more donettes with powered sugar...

[Texaus 377]

It’s almost like you’re already in co and hit the dispensary first. Mmmm...goldfish

[Pato del Muerto 52,484]

I hope there’s 3 of those carts 

[Chewbacca 7,765]

Three teen / pre-teen boys and two grown adults, two weeks camping. Offered without additional comment:

Are you sure you have enough Goldfish?