Electricity while boon docking

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

not sure I want my 30A power cord routed around the outside of the trailer and into the bed of my truck while driving, however. I mean, I suppose you could put another 30A twistlock input on the front side of the trailer, and use a short power cord, but that sort of violates some wiring rules (if one cord is powered, and you have the other cord plugged in, the pins would be 120V hot on the plug on that 2nd cord)

If you do this, add a transfer switch. That will avoid violations & safety problems.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

If you do this, add a transfer switch. That will avoid violations & safety problems.

Suggested exactly that when an Escape owner was contemplating 120V power delivery from F-150 to trailer:
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post400861

[sunrisetrucker]

Originally Posted by alanerickson

For my Nucamp that had an absorption they did not recommend towing while on propane. Guess that's what I'm used but apparently it's somewhat common to do it. Seems like that's asking for trouble, but to each his own.

Don't get us started down that road again.

[Scambo1]

When I built a camper van with an ac/dc system, I found this to be a terrific reference for watts used. It helps to size your battery bank and solar panel.

https://www.ramsond.com/wattage-chart/

Cam

[Michael.Chadwick]

Get a generator…….we boondock often and its the way to go

[sunrisetrucker]

Originally Posted by Michael.Chadwick

Get a generator…….we boondock often and its the way to go

When I boondock it's for the peace and quiet, not to listen to a generator.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by sunrisetrucker

When I boondock it's for the peace and quiet, not to listen to a generator.

+1 !

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by sunrisetrucker

When I boondock it's for the peace and quiet, not to listen to a generator.

That's why I bought a Honda, and why I leave it at home, now that I have solar panels.
Wish I'd got a larger one that would be useful for power outages at home.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by sunrisetrucker

When I boondock it's for the peace and quiet, not to listen to a generator.

+2

Unless you really need to run an A/C solar does just fine for most folks.

Ron

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by sunrisetrucker

When I boondock it's for the peace and quiet, not to listen to a generator.

We avoid those with generators like the plague. Rather than spend $400 for a crappy, loud generator, or >$1,000 for a reasonably quiet one, we spent $450 to add 300 watts of solar to the 170 watts we already had on the roof. My hearing is bad, so I can't hear the electrons move from our roof to our batteries, but I know the electrons going to our batteries are seriously quieter than electrons from a generator. We like quiet.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by sunrisetrucker

When I boondock it's for the peace and quiet, not to listen to a generator.

+3
Almost done with van conversion with 4.6 cu.ft. Isotherm 12V 130 fridge and dual induction cooktop, Propex 2800 propane heater, and Bosch 2.5 gal AC water heater. Did a shakedown trip last week with a Goal Zero 3000X (280 AH Lithium) powering everything and despite two 195 watt solar panels wired in series the GZ ran down to 19% after two days.

The induction and AC water heater were the main offenders, yet was still a bit surprised, although the solar panels were at best delivering 200 watts for just a few of the best hours of ever shorter days right now.

So- am going to do an "Orton Method" (see Sprinter or Ford Transit Forum) and use a 700 watt Renogy Pure Sine Wave inverter off the van's batteries under the seat powered by a 250 amp alternator and then buy the rapid charging AC unit (6 Hours from zero to full) from GZ for $200.

For those who are contemplating both a compressor fridge and induction be ready for some serious draw.

[JoGo]

We are back in our escape and see that we have an inverter. Touched the button to test what our electric will be when boondocking. The only outlet that worked was the one under a bench and labeled “inverter”. Questions: 1) how do we get it wired for more outlets? We especially need the outlet at the head of the bed. 2) what and where is the toggle switch mentioned in some replies?

[JeffreyG]

Originally Posted by JoGo

We are back in our escape and see that we have an inverter. Touched the button to test what our electric will be when boondocking. The only outlet that worked was the one under a bench and labeled “inverter”. Questions: 1) how do we get it wired for more outlets? We especially need the outlet at the head of the bed. 2) what and where is the toggle switch mentioned in some replies?

There are three choices for inverter from Escape:
1) No inverter - this is standard
2) Added invertor, one outlet under the bunk is wired to it full time.
3) Added invertor, all outlets in the trailer are wired to it through a transfer switch which will auto switchover from shore power and inverter.

You have to have a transfer switch if you want any outlets to be powered by either the inverter or shore power, otherwise your shore power prongs would go live when you turn on the inverter.

[John in Santa Cruz]

you probably do NOT want to leave the inverter running all night, it draws significant battery power.

[Iowa Dave]

If you have a generator, 30 gallons of fresh water, 6 gallons of hot water, a furnace, a stove, a refrigerator, a flush toilet a shower and a TV, is it really boondocking? Or are you just ‘not home’?
Iowa Dave

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

If you have a generator, 30 gallons of fresh water, 6 gallons of hot water, a furnace, a stove, a refrigerator, a flush toilet a shower and a TV, is it really boondocking? Or are you just ‘not home’?
Iowa Dave

If you go to the word route, Tagalog for "isolated or remote area" I'd say the answer is "yes", you're boondocking. The generator etc. isn't relevant to the word meaning.

Ron

[SWCO]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

If you go to the word route, Tagalog for "isolated or remote area" I'd say the answer is "yes", you're boondocking. The generator etc. isn't relevant to the word meaning.

Ron

It is, however, relevant to the experience.

[Iowa Dave]

I guess I’d call several of our camping experiences with the Escapes, “way out in the country and comfortable.”
We’re all romantics with semantics
Iowa Dave

[John in Santa Cruz]

We consider our Escape to be a mobile cabin.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

If you have a generator, 30 gallons of fresh water, 6 gallons of hot water, a furnace, a stove, a refrigerator, a flush toilet a shower and a TV, is it really boondocking? Or are you just ‘not home’?

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

If you go to the word route, Tagalog for "isolated or remote area" I'd say the answer is "yes", you're boondocking. The generator etc. isn't relevant to the word meaning.

Originally Posted by SWCO

It is, however, relevant to the experience.

This is why there are multiple terms, to describe different aspects of the situation.

Remote camping is, as Ron explained "boondocking"... that is, camping out in the boondocks.
Camping without services is, well unserviced camping, sometimes called "dry camping" (referring to the lack of water service, and ignoring power).
Camping without much stuff might be called "primitive camping"; the opposite might be "glamping" (glamourous camping); you could camp in either of those styles in the boondocks, or in middle of a city.

If you have all of the stuff Dave listed you're closer to glamping than primitive camping; if you have that stuff in a remote location, you're boondocking.

The topic here is "electricity while boon docking", which makes sense: it's about getting electricity while in a remote (and presumably unserviced) location.