No-Hookups Camping Questions
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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=8767
Printed Date: 24 May 2025 at 11:25pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: No-Hookups Camping Questions
Posted By: osbornpodppl
Subject: No-Hookups Camping Questions
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2016 at 9:14pm
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Hi! I've never posted to a forum before and I'm fairly new to TT and camping. My husband and I have a 2011 181g purchased in 2014.
I'm trying to figure out what exactly runs off of the electric and the propane? Previously, we have always camped at full hookups. But this time a friend convinced us to go camping with them at a state park - Sleeping Bear Dunes. They will be in a tent and say no generators at night. And that they have no electricity/hookups whatsoever. I'm used to having hot water showers, using the toilet at night, plugging in (charging) my phone and computer, using the microwave if needed, cooking on the stove, having perishables in the fridge, washing dishes, using the a/c or heater, running a white noise machine while sleeping and watching a movie before going to bed. This will be from a Thursday evening to a Sunday evening. My showers are very short. We have one battery and one propane tank. But what else will we be able to do and not do to last that long in our pod? Thank you for any detailed help/suggestions/information you could give us!  |
Replies:
Posted By: JHoffman
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2016 at 11:09pm
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Make sure you have propane and a good charge on the battery. You can run the fridge and hot water heater on propane. You will need to fill your fresh water tank. With gas, battery and water tank filled you will be able to keep your perishables cold and your shower hot. One battery will last you the four days as long as you use minimal lights. You won't be able to use any of the 110 volt outlets, use the microwave or run the air conditioning. Your TV will have to be replaced with watching the camp fire. 😁. You could charge a cell phone if you have a small inverter or if the previous owner has wired in a 12v outlet. I find it very relaxing to disconnect from the world for a few days and enjoy family and friends around a camp fire without the distractions of cell phones and computers. Enjoy your trip! P.S. Most all State parks do have shower houses and most are clean and private. Take a roll of quarters with you, most are coin operated but $.50 will still get you a decent shower. ------------- 2016 176t Rpod the "Hoffpod" 2010 Toyota Tundra 5.7L |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2016 at 11:21pm
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You can use everything when off the grid except the: Television/DVD (unless 12v), the 120v receptacles (plugs), no Oven, and no Air Conditioner. Set the fridge and HWH to propane. Try not to use the heater because the blower uses a lot of battery power. You may want to test and make sure your propane function is working good on everything before going. Stretching a single G24 battery for three nights of camping can be done but you will have to conserve and make sure your battery is in tip top shape before you go.
Use your tow vehicle to charge phones. ------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 10 Sep 2016 at 11:40pm
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No problem with the battery if it is good condition. We easily get 3 days plus when camping in the mountains with night temps in the upper 30's to low 40's and the furnace runs a lot during the night. Our batteries (deep cycle group 24's) were purchased spring 2011 and still work well for us.
------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2016 at 6:11am
Just want to point out the OP states they have 1 single group 24 battery, not 2.
------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: podrunner
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2016 at 11:19am
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If your interior lights have not been upgrade to LED, do so now. There are a lot of threads on the site about doing this; easy and cheap from amazon and others. Also take a set of jumper cables, if your battery is getting low, just direct connect to your tow vehicle and run the engine for 20 to 30 minutes and you will dump a lot of amps back into your trailer battery. Happy camping and have a great time.. ------------- 2010 R Pod 151 2017 4runner 2006 Honda Metropolitan |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2016 at 11:28am
Good advice on both items. On the jumper cables I would add "good jumper cables". That means #4 AWG or better 100% Copper cables. High charging currents require very low voltage drop in the jumpers due to the limited charging voltage in newer tow vehicles. In this case cheap does not save money; it wastes money. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: john in idaho
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2016 at 11:45am
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we use flannel lined sleeping bags, and only run the furnace just prior to getting up to start the stove to percolate the coffee. Charge your C phone in the truck.
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Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2016 at 12:15pm
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100% Agree with Charlie about the quality of jumper cables. One time an old friend once said: "there is absolutely no money to be saved on house paint, tents, or jumper cables"  Good Luck, Have Fun! ------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2016 at 1:56pm
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To clarify my point, my bad here is that we get 3 plus days PER BATTERY when camping in the mountains . . .) Last time we were in Moraine Campground, RMNP we got a total of 7 days out of our 2 batteries, and they got used a lot between the furnace running a lot at night (none during the day as we were gone hiking and the furnace was turned off), and running most of the interior lights (all L.E.D.'s).
------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: john in idaho
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2016 at 5:43pm
| Another point..... Camping got a lot less stressful when I bought a 1000 W generator when we had the tent trailer. Now have a 2000 W for the microwave as well as charging the battery. |
Posted By: osbornpodppl
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2016 at 10:47pm
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podrunner - I'll have to check on the lights - not sure what we have. And that's great info for keeping the battery going! Thanks so much.
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Posted By: osbornpodppl
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2016 at 12:17am
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JHoffman - great info on everything - thank you! Quarters are ready to go. Podster - since I like it cold, I'm hoping it will be just cool enough to not need to run anything. Thanks for the tip on checking the propane function! Love your quote, "there is absolutely no money to be saved on house paint, tents, or jumper cables" Cheers to wise, old friends! Jato - thank you for the info on the battery same age as ours. Much appreciated! Considering getting another one ourselves. Just need to confirm if our lights are LED or not... CharlieM - very much appreciate the tip on the jumper cables. I will check on what we have and adjust accordingly! John in Idaho - I know nothing about generators. I'm curious, now, how big they are. Will have to check that out. You and Podster recommended charging in the truck. Wondering why I didn't think of that!
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Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2016 at 9:06am
As they say.. "quoted for truth"... ------------- |
Posted By: ChetC
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2016 at 10:58am
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You'd be surprised how much time this little guy can add to your dry camping. http://www.harborfreight.com/15-watt-solar-battery-charger-68692.html ------------- Former 2017 rPod 180 owner Now in a 2019 Little Guy MAX Full timer who logs more than 35,000 miles per year. |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2016 at 7:49pm
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I recommend 100 watts minimum. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2016 at 1:26pm
| I agree with Techntrek, 100 watts is the absolute minimum if you are camping without hookups. Also, as others have said, LED lights are not just nice, they simply don't use much electricity |