Community Forums

russue125 · 09-25-2017, 08:36 PM

I have a 2016 ACE 29.3 and plan to take a few long trips this winter but don't want to be paying campground fees for quick stops. I've never been a boondocker and would love some helpful hints.

Do I just run the generator when I stop to have electricity? Anything else? In fact, I don't even know what to ask???

Solo RVer; female; concealed carry.

Mikey1677 · 09-25-2017, 08:55 PM

We do a yearly (almost) from Layton, Utah to San Antonio, Texas and stop at Casino's or Love's and run the generator until we are ready to bed down. Our Bounder will hold the heat pretty good in cold (upper 30s) weather and crack open the vents in summer. Our main focus is actually finding a quite out of the way area. CWP is a must these days. Happy travels......

Isaac-1 · 09-25-2017, 10:46 PM

There are a lot of options in between a full service campground and parking in a wal-mart of truck stop. These include Forest Service campgrounds, often priced around $10 per night with no hookups, but often pit toilet and maybe water / dump station, also in the central part of the country many small towns have city parks that may offer basic electrical hookups (some with water, most also have public dump stations) at prices between free for the first night, and $20 per night.

triplewide · 09-26-2017, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by russue125

I have a 2016 ACE 29.3 and plan to take a few long trips this winter but don't want to be paying campground fees for quick stops. I've never been a boondocker and would love some helpful hints.

Do I just run the generator when I stop to have electricity? Anything else? In fact, I don't even know what to ask???

Solo RVer; female; concealed carry.

We seldom stop overnight without power, but when we do, we run the generator only as needed if allowed. Many places don't allow generators at all or are on restricted hours.

We have added a third flooded type battery and inverter for TV/DVD. Ours does not have the outside kitchen and did not come with an inverter.

The main reason for us to use generator is air conditioning and heating.
Use propane for refrigerator, water heater, cooking. So weather is a big factor for us and boon docking. Heater will run without generator but the blower fan uses a lot of battery capacity.

airshot · 09-26-2017, 06:36 PM

Our older coach uses two group 27 deep cycle batteries and when we stop overnite at wally world campground or at flying J we only run the genny if it is hot and need the a/c. Our batteries run the entire coach furnace with blower, tv/dvd player, lights etc for about two days. Overnight is not a problem, as stated propane runs w/h and fridge and furnace but battery runs the blower. Usually in the morning we run the genny for a few to operate the microwave and the coffee pot and toaster. So far have never run out of battery power as long as we keep it two days (nights) or less.

Kiawah · 09-26-2017, 07:15 PM

All very weather dependent.

Investigate increasing your house battery bank size, if you don't have enough power to last the night. When we pull in to stop for the evening, we don't need to run our generator unless we want A/C or fireplace/heatcubes, or to do laundry.

Our refrig, mwave, tv's, satellite, etc run off the inverter. Propane heats the water and furnace.

If you can make it thru the night, your battery bank will get charged back up next day driving. We can go about 4-5 days before dumping tanks and refilling water. So maybe every 3rd or 4th day hit a park or campground.

When meandering on a trip, we don't drive all day either. Might drive a couple hours and stop for a couple hours to shop or relax somewhere. Then drive again and next time we stop we're there for the night.

Craigls2 · 09-26-2017, 07:32 PM

We often spend a night at a Walmart or Cabela's parking lot on our way to or from our destination. It is invariably hot (always mid summer) and we park out of the way so our generator use doesn't bother anyone. We run it all night to power the AC and haven't had a problem. Everything else can make it through the night on the batteries/inverter.

saddlesore · 09-26-2017, 09:31 PM

On our trips & camping, nearly all are "puckerbrush dry camping" whether it be wally-docking/truckstops or nearest power line is 50 miles away We set the gennie on auto-run and let 'er rip,
We can go at least 2 and sometimes 3 weeks before needing to dump the tanks and refill with fresh water, that said .. Yes you must conserve water at every opportunity , whether it is a entry level coach or a multi megabuck one..water is life, the more you have( carry) the better off you are because poo happens.

puttin · 09-27-2017, 11:39 AM

Regarding heat- you could by a catalytic propane one that works off your main tank so you wouldn't have to use the furnace. Like this:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Portable-...3WSRdBUdhJ0pFg

bobbelcher · 09-27-2017, 01:33 PM

I tried boondocking one time at a walmart and was told it wasn't allowed when I got there. I found a nice spot out of the way, away from everyone. my intentions were to run the generator for ac all night. I wouldn't have bothered anyone where I was. When I had to improvise I went to a truck stop. It was packed as a big storm was rolling thru. I found a spot between a few trucks near a light pole and backed in, dropped the jacks just to stop the rocking. then I fired up the gen. in a truck stop my lil gen isn't going to make any more noise then those big trucks.

It wasn't quiet at all but I could sleep thru a lot. In fact when I got out of bed in the morning I found I was very alone as 95% of the trucks had already hit the road. I heard none of them leaving. Locking the doors and keeping ur trusty gun nearby is a good thing. I didn't get out of my rig. one it was pouring down. i just closed all the blinds, locked the doors and cooked me some dinner.

CoachStreamr · 09-27-2017, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbelcher

I tried boondocking one time at a walmart and was told it wasn't allowed when I got there. I found a nice spot out of the way, away from everyone. my intentions were to run the generator for ac all night. I wouldn't have bothered anyone where I was.

Are you saying that Walmart didn't allow you to even stay overnight or that you couldn't run your generator all the time?

Is this a per Walmart policy or company wide?

I've been at one of our local Walmarts late at night (several times) and I have heard generators running. Seems to be always RV's there everyday.

.

bobbelcher · 09-27-2017, 05:49 PM

This particular Walmart had signs up staying no semi parking. There were no RVs or anything there so I called and asked as I was parked in their lot. The lady on the phone said no sorry the store manager used to let ppl park here over night but then a few months ago changed her mind and now doesn't let anyone.