To read about conserving power while RV boondocking, check out our post on the topic: www.thervgeeks.com/save-power-while-rv-boondocking/ And be sure to subscribe to our blog while you're there. Thanks! 😄
We were in shock to find out our Norcold gas/electric fridge is a battery hog when dry camping. Between cooling fans behind the fridge, defrosting elements on the cooling fins and dehumidifying elements on the door the fridge can draw as much as 4 amps of DC power. It only takes a couple of days to draw down a battery to 1/2 charge without using anything else. So, not all gas fridges are the same. We use a stove top coffee peculator when dry camping with a paper filter to reduce grounds in the coffee and to make cleanup easy. On generator use, standard RV converters are slow chargers and could require an extended generator runtime. Thanks for producing another great video.
The problem here is all of this makes way too much sense 😉 The realist in me loves your content. It’s not one way or another, it’s what works for you and we wanted to share it. Thank you, once again, for the planning, filming, editing, etc that went into making this content. Bravo gentlemen!
You guys are truly awesome and I very much enjoy your videos. I don’t subscribe to many folks but your content is worth it. I have almost the same Bus as you, I have an 04 4064 Mountain Aire that I live in for work during the summer. Your tips and tricks have made this halftime life much easier and far more enjoyable. Congrats on the TV series too!
Hi, Ron! Thank you for this feedback. We're so glad you find the videos interesting and helpful. That's a nice rig you have there! We really appreciate knowing that our tips and tricks have made living in it more enjoyable. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.
Thanks Neal! That was an old clip, but we did get to connect with them for about a week in Texas just over a year ago, including on Jason's Mom's RV! Stay safe out there!
Great video. I haven't invested too much in solar. We have 200W of solar just to keep the batteries topped off out here in the southwest. But our toy hauler 5th wheel has a built in 5500 genny with 48 gallons of gas. So running our generator for an hour or two at dinner is all we ever need. Tops off everything right before bed.
WOW! Such great little flashbacks with the Wynns and the Mortons! Lots of solid tips in this video...made my day to see you guys (no idea why it took a month to show up in my YT feed, but that's Google for you!)!!
Thanks so much for another great teaching video! As a new RVer I really appreciate all the time and hard work you put into educating the community. So hope I get to meet you sometime! Happy Travels - RVKaBob
Thank you, again, for all of your helpful information. To change my pot lights in my 2014 Airstream would require a lot of work, because they are each a whole unit, rather than a bulb in a fixture. (If you think otherwise please let me know.) So, I changed the bulbs in the over the stove vent to LEDs. As well, I bought a little lamp, to which I installed an LED bulb. These two light sources enable me to be comfortable with the amount of light in my trailer. If I need anything stronger I can turn on the overhead lights temporarily. Thanks again guys!
Fantastic, Karen! Sounds like you did a great job. The addition of those LED bulbs you installed will surely make a difference. Well done! Thanks for watching!
Great tips. Dry camping definitely has some adjustments. Unfortunately, Larry insists on a desk top computer that drains our lithium. I wish we could just do our work on a laptop. But we have been using iPad more. We also turn off switches too- like the microwave. But my favorite part of this video is “morning coffee” scene 😂. Loved it. Overall, we try to mix dry camping spots with electric hookup. And we have no qualms about using our generator. We have a portable Honda. We try to use our desk top computer when we have the generator going. And please people- follow quiet hours! Especially with gen use Thanks guys, Alice
Have think get a solar power pack (1000 watts) it can have only battery bank and solar panels or hook wire to big solar panels. A desk computer needs about (600 watts power)
We use aeropress for coffee- even less waste/cleaning than pour over. For frequent forest camping, we make a mobile charging setup so we can move house batteries into the vehicle to charge as we are driving around. Easier to do with lithium, no Gen even required.
Hi John & Peter! Thanks for the new video, lots of great info. The only thing that you didn't mention was portable panels in those two sunny areas around the rig. Portable panels can either be fancy and connected with your on board batteries or just simple small ones that recharge your "devices" (phones, tablets, cameras, etc). Either way, a good addition to the dry camping toolbox. Keep the videos coming! We've missed ya!
Hi Brian! Thanks so much for the comment, and the great additional tip. Portable panels can be a huge help, in both placement (out of the shade) and aiming (can re-orient them during the day).
First, it's great to see you guys again. Great video and great tips for boondocking. I don't do boondocking, but you never know, I may be your neighbor one day.
Thanks guys....always great to see your smiling faces! What park and site were you in? So many think you can't get a 40+ footer in such nice parks!! Thanks again
Thanks Lou! That was shot in Fort Ebey State Park on beautiful Whidbey Island, WA. We were in site #36, although there were lots of sites we could have fit in. Great place!
I use the Sun Surveyor app to map where maximal sun will come through the canopy. That and a couple portables in the sunlight to supplement the mounted panels works ok. Generally though I prefer the wide-open desert.
Good ideas, Frater. We've never gone the portable solar route because we don't have the room to store them, but they sure could've come in handy here! 😉
6:10 I see you 2 reused the clip. Also, good point with mentioning about turning things that one doesn't need off. And, on top of which, it's good to turn lights off too when your not in a room. I can't tell you how many times that I've found that those in the house I currently live in leave the light on when they walk out of the room. I get it when you have something in your hands, but, still.
Guys, great info for us. We recently installed a solar array & I keep,looking at how to minimize demand from the Battle Born batteries with an attempt to extend their charge. Unlike you, we do not have a generator & I am hoping not to get one if unnecessary yet they are great options to top off the batteries. Hoping you are keeping well during the pandemic. Are you still in Canada or in the US? Be safe.
We're in the US currently, Jim. And congratulations on the solar install! You'll find it to be immensely helpful, and harnessing the power of the sun is a beautiful thing. Follow as many of the power conservation tips as you can, and you may well find that you don't need a generator at all. Let us know how it all turns out for you, and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Great video as always! I'm curious how much power, if any, your solar panels generate when you're camping like this. Clearly not a ton. Thanks! You guys are awesome!
Hardly any! LOL Of course if there's a break in the trees, we do get some, but basically camping in a thick forest is like not having solar at all. It's a trickle, but nothing worthwhile.
Hello, 💖 Enjoy watching all your helpful videos. Our motorhome has a generator, but no solar panels, but we plan to have some installed in the near future. 💖 Lots of great helpful hints in your video for electronic device usage, cooking devices, etc. A backup for the Insta Pot that uses electricity, one could use an old fashioned pressure cooker which you use on the stove top burners. Works great with same results. Kindest Regards, ~~ Karen Calypte
Rv charge your house battery when you are driver. a lot find out Lithium need 14 or high to change. I have hear some try some MPPT solar charger to house battery or Renogy Dc to DC charger 20 amps to 60 amps. you ask why? when took up straight it put a big load on the vehicle electric system. and may burn out dc vehicle alternator ( Ps. vehicle alternator Need more than 1000 RPM) run cool and full power. 90 amp vehicle alternator will not work
I See one bad example to show is @ 5:30 min you have a lot of led light on. when I need save power is turn off any light is no need if leave bedroom turn off the light or use s solar camp light less power on your battery
Good spotting, Alan, but we just briefly turned on all the lights to show them for the video clip. Obviously we would never do that in real life, since we're talking about doing just the opposite to save power!
Now boys, I will need a bit more color coordination for your outerwear. I appreciate brand matching obviously but I am sure you would agree that it’s important to maintain your RVGEEKs dress standards. Ha! (Just kidding!😉). Seriously though, the edit of the computer screen matched to the voice track was awesome.
Hi Scott! We bought it on Amazon, but availability comes and goes. Don’t see it right now. We T’ed into the propane line that goes to our stove and ran a flexible line over to it. Maybe one of the best mods we’ve done!
@@RVgeeks I'd like to see that "T" and propane line, very interested and curious! I'm not trying to cast shade but their website says not for use in an RV. What research did you do to decide to proceed with using it?
@@scottb2854 We had several friends who’d had them installed in Quartzsite, and they knew many others with them too. We’ve been using ours for about 15 years with no problem. They probably have that warning about RVs for legal protection, since RVs can be pretty tightly sealed. The trick is just to leave a window cracked for air flow. Works like a charm!
Nice video again! Newer things tend to use less energy so that also one point to keep in mind. Here in Europe most of consumer things are allowed to use maximum 0,5W at standby or off state since 2013. Would it be good idea to have dedicated inverter to refrigerator?
Thanks! A small dedicated inverter for the fridge would be a great power saver, which is why many new RVs with residential fridges ofter come that way from the factory. We've been talking about doing that upgrade for years, and probably need to get around to it at some point!
I believe you guys have the same fridge as us, Samsung RF18. Ours is going on 4 years now. So far so good. I recently did a check with a kil-o-watt meter and found it consumed 1.5 kilowatts in 24 hours. That’s 62.5 watts per hour average. I would be interested in how this compares to your usage. Also have you ever observed how much power it sucks up when in defrost mode? Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.
Hi Lonesome Dove. Our power usage on our Samsung RF18 is virtually identical. We ran a multi-day test using our Kill-A-Watt meter and averaged it out (hoping we caught a defrost cycle in there) and it came out to about 65W/hour... or roughly 135Ah DC per day (NOT exactly dry-camping friendly, LOL). We've never caught the defrost cycle to know specifically how much it pulls by itself... though we'd LOVE to!
Thanks for the reply. At least encouraging you are seeing same results. I did catch what I BELIEVE to be the defrost cycle and saw almost 400 watts for approx. 15 minutes. Scared the dickens out of me!! I have searched net wide and can’t find any info on defrost. I do know know it is not a regular cycled event. Very random. I have considered putting the fridge on an isolated 500 watt inverter but the defrost usage concerns me.
UPDATE--I finally got an answer from the Samsung chat line. They say the defrost cycle draws a max of 470 watts ( 3.9 amps ). A 500 watts pure sine wave inverter would be pressed to do that.
Thanks for all the updated info! And you're right... a 500W inverter would likely be a bit put out by a continuous 470W draw (most inverter brands list their SURGE rating and like to gloss over their continuous draw capabilities). We've often considered installing a smaller, dedicated inverter just for the fridge. Would save us from having to run the 3000W unit all the time (which is its least efficient when powering small loads). We'd probably stick with Xantrex and get something like their ProWatt SW 600 (amzn.to/3d2lRUG) along with the remote (amzn.to/3a8GIUA), and the external transfer switch (amzn.to/3aPXqY0). The transfer switch would allow the fridge to run off of shore power OR the small, dedicated inverter. The 600W Xantrex unit can support 540W continuous power output, which would be plenty to handle those (strangely random) defrost cycles, while not using as much power when the fridge is running normally.
7:33 3000w inverter. I just googled it and it seems large fridges use between 100 and 400 watts when they're working. Would it be more efficient to use a separate 500 watt inverter? would that waste less electric on the DC-AC conversion?
Great question, Lee! It sure would. We've been tossing around the idea of installing a second small dedicated inverter for the fridge for a long time, and newer RVs that ship with residential fridges ofter come that way from the factory. If we do the upgrade, we'll be sure to share of course!
Just a suggestion. Instead of "Iphone" or "Ipad", you should say "smart phone" or "tablet" because for one, Apple doesn't need your advertising and two, any Android device can do the same thing.
No disrespect to Android devices intended! It's just that we've been an all-Apple shop for so long that saying "iPhone" is like saying"Kleenex" to us. Product placement was not part of this video (although we'd do that in the future if Apple would just send us a new phone)! 😂
Thanks for the info. Is what you said about generators also true for the type of generators used at home during power outages? We turn off the gas supply & continue to run the generator until it shuts off on its own. Looking forward to your answer.
Hi Cheryl! We know a pretty decent number of people who have propane powered generators at their sticks & bricks houses, and they're all programmed to start and run for about 5 or 10 minutes at the same time once each week. We're not 100% sure that's done to be sure they'll start during a power outage, or to protect the generator's long-term health, or both. Might be best to consult the owner's manual for your particular make & model to see what they recommend, just to be sure.
Generac have a timer that do self test once week. Power out Min or two, there no power on the main the start Generac Generators when full power a transfer switch put load to the house. two way fuel generators LPG or natural gas when main power come back transfer switch turn off and generators will run to cool down and turn off. 8 kw up too 16 kw you can install one, you need a Electrician took mains
@@akdisney Thanks for your answer; however, my generator is not a General. It’s a large portable one that I purchased from Lowe's when I was without power last year due to PG&E Fire Safety shut-offs. Unfortunately, I don't remember the brand name & it is currently in storage so I can not go take a look at it. I believe it was a Craftsman 5000watt.
@@cheryllindke3765 that ok If my memory right there are 5 to 6 brand out there and Yamaha is get into RV and house I have install three and they are General PS I did not buy them. sound you may in California? Where I'm at If I lose power City hall, fire and police dep. lose power
Great job guys! Indeed, a long time coming, but we understand... this pandemic is difficult, even for campers! We love the dinner time idea, we do that as well, and yes, these older batteries take forever to charge...can’t wait to switch to lithium... all the best! Rémi (Québec, Canada)
The “coffee monster” at 6:10 always makes me laugh!!! Cannot remember which video that originally was from! I know y’all upgraded your inverter at some point. Did you originally have a Magnum?? I seem to be having issues with my auto gen start and “they” haven’t been all that helpful so I thought about just changing brands altogether! Anyhow... thanks for the excellent content fellas!
Thanks Jonathan! Glad you liked that! You remember correctly that we did indeed have a magnum inverter originally. We had some issues with it, and upgraded to our Xantrex unit and have never had a day of trouble with it. We hope you get yours' sorted out too.
I strongly recommend a heated under blanket, on the 1/low setting they barely use any power at all, but they provide enough heat to keep things comfortable in the winter. Not entirely sure on the figures, mind, and I recommend a timed plug in case it's left on by mistake.
Hi, Joe! For some people these suggestions may well amount to common sense. But for many people who haven't done a lot of boondocking (and may be reluctant to do so, for fear of being "under powered"), this kind of information can be freeing. Lots of campers and RV'ers feel the need to be tethered to full hookups at all times, but would love to do some boondocking in areas they're missing. We hope these suggestions might show them that they can camp anywhere in relative comfort with a few adjustments, in addition to enjoying their favorite campgrounds and RV parks!
@@RVgeeks I'm glad you're healthy. I just thought you should do a video on health insurance while full-time RVing, particularly given the risk of catching Covid-19. If one of you gets sick, or injured doing something (god forbid), the other is going to need something to keep yourselves going.
