We traveled over 200 miles with our Cargo Trailer Conversion to a new campground and still no power due to violent storms. We're definitely honing our boondocking skills.
Big Spring is actually a National Park Service campground now. It’s a part of the Ozark National and Scenic Riverways. It was also Missouris first State Park before that. Good to see you guys enjoying the campgrounds in my home State.
You are going to need a notebook with a checklist like pilots use on cranking up their planes when they are getting ready to fly. You have so many systems that operate between the van and the trailer. When you are hooked up and "think" you are ready to go you can go over the checklist together sitting in the van, then do a final walk around before leaving.
I saw some ones set up for generating power in the tow vehicle and transferring it into the trailer and thought I would share it with you. It was simple and I feel dumb for not thinking about it first. They had a high output alternator into a cheap 12v to 12v charger/isolator into a moderate battery (they used 100Ah agm, I would make a pack out of 280+ eve cells) they used a 12v aio inverter charger had panels on the roof of the tow vehicle. The genius part was they ran a heavy duty outdoor extension cord from the system (located behind the drivers seat in the truck camper shell) to an electric in point near the v nose. They just fed 110ac into their trailer AIO. Basically they sized their system for the amount they could produce in a day of driving and just accepted the power loss via efficiency issues as the cost of 12v parts made it so much cheaper ( I'm guessing they were using used parts or what ever they could find on sale as it was a hodgepodge) and they could use their rig for day adventures with out the trailer. It made me think about the video you guys did when you unplugged to see if you could just get by on your system with out being plugged in.
What an adventure! A great test of the system! Finding out what needs improvement. good thing you have a generator…and love the grill cooking…that’s my kind of living!
Might want to consider setting things up to plug the vehicle panels into the trailer while traveling. I have the vehicle power from the trailer connector hooked in so it charges the batteries also while traveling. It is only about 100 watts, but it helps.
I’m wondering if I should get a DC to DC charger? My alternator says it can handle it at 160 A. Thinking about the Victron 12 to 24/15 amp charger. I have the same battery pack that y’all do at 24 V 304 amp hours each cell. I often go to RC contests where we are off grid for three days. I’m planning on having 900 W of solar, but it’s not always sunny days…
