pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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Joined: 12/18/2004
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Hi fixer58,
I meant that the system should not run out of power if there are three to five days with no charging from the panels. If you want to see the evolution of my system surf here:
Technology
and click on "Solar Boondocking"
fixer58 wrote:pianotuna wrote:Hi invamartyc,
A properly designed solar system ought to have sufficient storage capacity to "carry" the rv for 3 to 5 days. Mine leans towards two weeks if I went into "conservation" mode. I'd likely run out of waste water storage long before I ran out of battery power. I can take along my generator if I think conditions will warrant it.
I would have to say that with a good Solor panel system you might be able to go for more than 3 to 5 days.
What do you think?
Fixer58
Regards, Don
Kustom Koach Class C 28'5" 256 watts solar, 875 amp hours in two battery banks 12 volt batteries 2500 watt inverter.
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Empty Nest, Soon
Southeast Ohio
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Joined: 02/02/2003
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I try to minimize use of electricity while boondocking, but I don’t go overboard. I think everyone needs to find whatever balance you are comfortable with.
I have two Trojan T-105 batteries and every other day or so I run a small (and quiet) Yamaha EF1000is generator for a couple of hours while cooking supper. With the cheap converter that came with our TT, I get an effective charge rate of about 35 amps. This keeps the batteries in fine shape.
Power usage amounts to furnace, water pump, fridge controller, minimal electric lighting, LP detector, and 1 or 2 CPAPs depending upon whether I’m alone or Michelle is along. Michelle’s CPAP won’t work on 12-VDC (thanks ResMed!) so I had to install a small pure-sine inverter. I occasionally use the inverter to power a small radio/CD player, which otherwise eats C cells like crazy, or to charge cell phone battery.
No TV, or DVD, computer. I use candles and LED flashlight to help minimize usage of 12-volt lighting. Clocks work on AA batteries. I have an old-fashioned drip coffee pot which uses no electricity. The microwave is used as a bread box only. Hair air dries. I leave the electric shaver at home. The thermostat is kept very low (~60* mostly) during the day while we’re there and the furnace is switched off at night or if we are away provided outside temps are not cold enough for pipes to freeze in the meantime.
I figure I bought the TT to have its conveniences (hot running water, heat, fridge) so I’m not going to avoid using those things in an attempt to further reduce rather modest power usage.
Wayne
Wayne & Michelle
2004 Pioneer 19T4
1998 GMC 2500HD, 5.7L, HD 5-speed, 3.73
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Rubiranch
Marysvale
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Joined: 03/09/2004
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We purchased an older travel trailer that has a radiant heat furnace so it has no blower and requires no electricity and keeps our trailer as warm as we like in very cold weather.
We have 2 small 12v car audio Rosen LCD TVs that draw less than 1 amp each.
We changed a couple of our 110v lamps over to 12v and I installed 2 LP gas lights.
One group 24 12v battery powers the water pump and a few lights. I added a group 27 battery that powers the TVs, DVD player, stereo and two lights.
We have never run out of 12v power even camping for 5-6 days watching 2 or more movies per day. We generally watch old movies while eating breakfast and/or dinner.
We only boondock and can't stand listening to a generator.
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pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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Joined: 12/18/2004
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Rubiranch wrote:We purchased an older travel trailer that has a radiant heat furnace so it has no blower and requires no electricity and keeps our trailer as warm as we like in very cold weather.
Hi Rubiranch,
May I ask make is that furnace?
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Rubiranch
Marysvale
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Joined: 03/09/2004
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pianotuna wrote:May I ask make is that furnace?
The trailer is a 1969 Excel 19'.
The furnace is a Duo-Therm "Glen Aire".
* This post was
edited 12/17/09 05:23pm by Rubiranch *
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Guest
USA
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Joined: 08/02/2004
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Popups make especially good boondocking energy miser units. Most have no fridge control boards (no electrical use at all on LP), no radio phantom loads, no flush toilets or showers, no DSI water heater...
The only things that use juice on my popup are the furnace (3.5 amps), overhead lights (1.5amp each), water pump (?a) and LP detector (tiny draw, maybe 0.1amp) The water pump isn't used much with no flush toilet, shower or water heater (we use a Coleman HWOD for hot water outside). When boondicking, we generally don't use the interior lights for more than a minute, we have some pretty nice 12 LED lanterns that run all season on one set of AAs. We use the lanterns for changing at night. They aren't too bright, but that helps avoid the shadow 'peep show' popup newbies are famous for!
We use a Mr. Buddy heater for heat during the day and run the furnace low (~50) at night when needed. With all these conservation measures, my old G27 cheapie battery would easily work for 4 days without dropping below 12.1 volts. Still worked good 4 years later, but I demoted it to sump pump duty in favor of a new G29 that I expect will give me 5-6 days.
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hausfrau
Oregon
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Joined: 07/13/2008
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Guest wrote:
When boondicking, we generally don't use the interior lights for more than a minute.
We just leave the lights off.
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garyhaupt
Kitimat, BC, Canada, Mile '0' of Alaska HiWay #37
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Joined: 11/21/2003
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I have two inverters that plug into receptacles. One on the dash, other under the dinette. I recharge everything thru them..computers, VHF, FRS radios, flashlights. My primary power is solar..2 panels with a total of 160w, two 6 volt batts. I watch movies on the laptop,am frugal about lights, with a headlamp for night reading and no furnace at night. I've never run out of batt power.
Gary Haupt
I have begun to blog.. .www.gary haupt.blogspot.com. It's not about RV'ing...but RV'ing is a part of it.
Gary
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pnichols
Santa Cruz Mountains
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Joined: 04/26/2005
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"We just leave the lights off."
We got tired of doing that at night when we dry camp!
Just recently we finally went to nearly 100% warm white LED lighting in our RV. Wow, what a nice upgrade. Interior ambiance was vastly improved by leaving any light ON we care to. Light output is the same amount as before from any particular fixture and the warm white LED spectrum is the same as that previously from the stock power hog incandescent bulbs.
I watched the RV battery bank's ammeter as I progressively turned ON each of sixteen (16) interior LED bulbs - about 3.2 amps additional current draw with the interior lit up (16 LED lights ON) like a Christmas tree. Each LED bulb draws 1/5 of an amp when plugged into the same socket as where a stock bulb used to be sitting there drawing about 1.5 amps each.
* This post was
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edited 02/19/10 08:57am by pnichols *
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Phil, 2005 E450 Itasca 324V Spirit
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#1Flyboy
California
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Joined: 09/08/2005
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. .Me thinks conservation & alternate power usage should extend ones boondocking trip without a generator, which I do have as backup. I've switched all my inside bulbs to the www.CommandElectronics.com 30LED PlugIn Module #112-170 (STUNNING LITES); Got my Mr Buddy Heater working on the inside with a longer propane line(so that I do not need to run the furnace & use electricity) & a friend of mine is going to install an adequate+ amount solar to the roof. When batteries die I plan on going to 2 supersize 6V batteries. I'm frugal with energy usage as I would rather go out to dinner than give my $$$ to a energy provider. I also have a solar charged portable light plus other handheld LED flashlights. Yes, I turn off the lights when not in the RV. Had a solar panel on my PopUp & no genset. Also plan on using my Solar Shower as needed; have had multiple of these over the years for backpacking, camping, Baja, etc. I also have a stove & BBQ that mount to the RV side & I do all my cooking outdoors (weather providing). Some people love to fire up the genset & live large; me, I enjoy the quiet & the scenery that the outdoors provide. Hopefully the only time I will need to fire up my 5500 genset is in an emergency or a monthly run just to keep things in order. . .My opinion only . .Hope to see you out there enjoying life. . .
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