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Medicine Wolf View Drop Down
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Posts: 36 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Off grid camping tips
    Posted: 16 Feb 2020 at 10:20am
I’m embarking on a 3-6 month journey in my R POD 151. I plan to stay in some rv parks, but have not done much boondocking in the pod. What should I be aware of? What to do about water since I don’t want to drive around with a full fresh water tank etc....is there a site that lists all the free camp spots in the US? Buy a generator? I really don’t plan on staying off grid for more than a couple nights at a time...any help is appreciated..thanks
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Posts: 1452 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2020 at 10:55am
You don't need a full tank of water for a couple of days, and it won't hurt your MPGs much to carry at least some.  Some people stock up on bottled water.

Keeping your battery topped up is probably the biggest deal.  You should be able to get by for a couple of days, but the fridge and the furnace won't work on a dead battery.  If you're careful and you know what your're doing, you can charge your pod battery from your TV, but you really don't want to end up with no Pod battery and no TV battery!!!  Solar can be good, but it's iffy, depending on the weather.  A generator is the ultimate security, I think.  If you get one, get the quietest inverter/generator you can.  Minimum 2400 watts if you want air conditioning or microwave, maybe down to 1000 watts or less if you just want to charge the battery and maybe watch TV..

I have used AllStays Camp and RV app in the past.  It has a lot of info; almost too much!

Keep an eye on your propane if you'll be using the furnace, especially.  (The fridge will run your battery down in hours if you try to run it on battery.)  You might consider carrying a spare tank.

TT
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Medicine Wolf View Drop Down
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Posts: 36 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2020 at 12:31pm
I don't plan to use the TV at all..Ill just use my ipad... I will need heat though..I have a space heater...infrared...Will it run off battery for an entire night? Or should I just use the furnace? 
My battery is 3 years old but Ive hardly used it since ive been plugged in at an rv park for the last 2.5 years..Should I get a new one?
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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3325 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2020 at 12:57pm
Would be a good idea to invest in a cheap voltmeter from harbor freight or something similar.  Usually run around $5 that will do the job.  After a 2 amp trickle charge (24-36 hours) my 12 batteries will read at least 13.2 volts or more and when boondocking (example fall camping in RMNP when night temps in the Rockies are in the mid 40's I get a good 3 days out of each battery, and that is using the furnace a fair amount.  After charging your battery check the voltage with a voltmeter.  Let it rest for a few days and check it again - it should read the same, if not take it to an auto parts store and have them put a load test on it to see how good a condition it is in.   In the summer months we get 7 - 10 days per battery or more when not using the furnace.  Our 12 volt Interstate, group size 24's are just over 9 years old and have been very dependable.
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Medicine Wolf View Drop Down
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Posts: 36 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2020 at 1:23pm
https://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Portable-Emergency-Generator-Alternative/dp/B07NS7F1FW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

what about this for a gen? no gas required and good reviews
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6417 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2020 at 1:36pm
Originally posted by Medicine Wolf

https://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Portable-Emergency-Generator-Alternative/dp/B07NS7F1FW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

what about this for a gen? no gas required and good reviews
This "generator" is nothing of the sort. It is a Lithium battery pack. What happens when it runs down and needs to be recharged. You would still need a real generator to recharge both it and your RPod's battery/batteries. You would be better served by getting a real generator. If I did not already have the Generac iX2000, I would look for a dual-fuel generator and run it on propane so I would not need to carry gasoline along also.

The only other viable alternative is solar. Thankfully, prices for solar panels are coming down, but not yet to the point where I am willing to get a solar setup to carry since solar would be insufficient to run the AC without adding multiple batteries and multiple hundred watts of solar.
StephenH
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Posts: 1452 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2020 at 2:20pm
Originally posted by Medicine Wolf

What about this for a gen? no gas required and good reviews

What Stephen said.  It might be good for a very limited time, like maybe a tailgating party, but you need some way to create new electricity, with solar or a gasoline powered generator, for example.

As for your infrared heater, if it runs on 120 volts, it won't run at all on your Pod battery.  Not for 2 seconds.  It might be very good when you have hookups though.  You're already paying for electricity so why not use your electric heater instead of your propane furnace?

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Medicine Wolf View Drop Down
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Posts: 36 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2020 at 3:27pm
right....at rv parks I am set with the infrared heater...Its when I am not at RV parks that I am trying to figure out....I have a very small camper(16ft) so just am not sure what my needs are going to be until I'm out and about....Maybe if its cold(ill be traveling April-june/july in the southwest, colorado mtns etc....) ill just got to an RV park that day....trying to avoid carrying gas/ generator etc....
My thought on the Honda unit was to use it for a night or 2 for phone/tablet charging and then recharge it when I have hookups...Like I said I don't plan on spending more than 2 nights without hookups...So hard to really know what I will need when I'm not hooked up....Any idea how long the furnace will run off pod battery?
Same for internet...Do i get a verizon hotspot mifi or use my phone? Decisions, Decisions
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Markie View Drop Down
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Posts: 67 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2020 at 8:04pm
Dont think the furnace will run all night on battery boon docking and it is really loud for sleeping. For heat I use a little buddy propane catalytic heater. Place it close to my bed at night. turn it off when I get in bed and in the morning start it to take the chill off. Be sure to crack a window a bit for ventilation. The heater has a low oxygen shut off but always ventilate. The gas generator is the way to go boondocking. Hondas or yamaha are good. They weigh about a manageable 40 lbs.  Make sure you get at least the 2200 watt so you can run AC in the summer or in the southwest. A 2000 watt isnt quite enough to start the AC compressor. Another thought on staying in a park. Weekend campers reserve electric sites way in advance so electric sites can sometimes be hard to find. You may end up taking a nonelectric site and need a generator. When reserving a site be sure and ask if generators are allowed.    
Mark & Vicki
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Medicine Wolf View Drop Down
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Posts: 36 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2020 at 8:10pm
ok thanks..What about getting a second battery? would that help matters any?
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