Boondocking Tips & Hacks

Boondocking Tips & Hacks

Here are some of my boondocking tips and hacks, to allow off grid or backcountry camping to last as long as possible.
Conserving Water:
Navy showers are a must, so be sure your RV shower has an on/off valve, and not just the hot/cold knobs. When you turn the shower on to get it to temperature, be sure to have a pitcher available to catch the cold water, which can then be used later for dishes or a non-composting toilet.
Accessing water:
Sometimes it’s not easy to find a water spigot for use, and when you do, it might not be threaded for a hose.  A simple solution to this is the Water Bandit. It’s about $6, and is a rubber piece that tightly fits over the spigot and converts it into a threaded spigot you can attach your hose to. Be sure to have enough hose, we currently hav 50′ but I will likely double it in the future.
LED Bulbs:
This is a must. This can be a very expensive conversion if you go to an RV store.  Check Ebay. It will take a little browsing to make sure you’re getting the right bulb, but it’s not difficult.  There are some great deals on Ebay, especially if you can wait for the overseas shipping times.  I would recommend the Warm White LEDs, which have the closest appearance of a normal incandescent bulb.  While they won’t be as ‘yellow’, they also aren’t super white, making them appear more natural. Don’t forget the outside lights, if you have them.
Outdoor LED lights:
We love spending our time outside. Although our RV’s outdoor lights are LEDs and have a small draw, we still use outdoor solar lanterns.  They are cheap, are compactable, and provide enough light to make the difference. Plus, some can change to a color of your desire, setting more of a ‘mood’ than normal white lights.
Portable Propane Heater:
There are a few big power draw items in an RV, and the furnace is one of them.  There are several indoor propane heaters available, and some can even be connected to the RV’s propane system (by qualified personel only).  These only use propane, and not electricity, so it’s a zero draw item.  Be sure to get one with saftey features, such as overheat and tip over protection.  The most common one used by RV’ers is the Mr. Heater Big Buddy.
Generator:
Size your generator on what you plan on running while using it.  For example, charging your batteries versus running an air conditioner is a significance in difference of a power requirement.  If you have a 50 amp battery charger, and that is all your going to use, that would only requre a 600 watt generator.  If you plan to run big draw items, such as an air conditioner, then you want to make sure you have enough AC power.  Most RV air conditioners are 13.5k or 15k BTUs, which draw up to 3,000 or 3,500 watts.  Keep in mind that air conditioners require double or more the running draw when started, so plan accordingly.
Jumper Cables:
I’m sure you have these, but if not, get them, and get good ones.  At some point you are going to have a dead battery(ies). It might be on your towable RV, or your engine battery for your tow vehicle or motorhome.  By having jumper cables, you can save yourself some grief.  If you run your engine battery down, now you can jump yourself.  Or, if your RV batteries are dead, you can still operate the 12v items as well as open or close the slide outs.  Trust me, don’t resort to using the hand crank, use your jumper cables.
Extra Water:
This might not work for everyone, so please use caution on this one.  Our RV has convenient way to winterize it. Basically, there is an attachable hose which you put in a jug of RV winterizing liquid. Then, with the flip of a switch, when we run water, it will draw from this hose instead of the tanks.  Before I go any further, you want to make sure that you have flushed this system with fresh water when you dewinterize.  Although the most winterizing fluid is ‘safe to drink’, you never know what a previous owner might have had in there.  Anyways, a great way to have extra boondocking water is to bring along the common 5 to 7.5 gallon jugs, and then draw from them using the winterizing attached hose.
Solar (small or large):
Why use the RV’s batteries to charge simple items like phones?  It’s not really an issue with our solar panels and battery bank, but if you’re on a smaller setup, this can be very helpful.  They make smaller panels that are made to be portable and will power/charge a standard usb item.  Look locally on Craig’s List (if you’re comfortable) and see if there are any that are used, as they will be cheaper.
What are your tips and tricks?  Leave a comment below with your off grid ideas.

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