obiwan_canoli

After recently having to use a small portable Honda 2K to charge my house batteries while boondocking - and ruining the generator in the process - I wondered if it made sense to pack my 60 pound monster for whatever "emergency" needs I might encounter... I have an 8K onboard generator, and nothing I have would otherwise be powered by an external power source. But it occurred to me that I lack the experience of many on this forum, and so, I'm seeking input and/or justification... Thanks!

Is a Residential Fridge ALWAYS electric only, and no propane?

My current rig - a 2017 Newmar Ventana LE - has a 12 c.f. 4-door refrigerator/freezer. Runs on 120 or propane, and simply does not keep the ice cream cold enough, and even at the highest setting, previously frozen foods begin to thaw, though only slightly. Temporary solution to this was the acquisition of a Dometic portable cooler (75DZ) that does a much better job of keep the ice cream in an acceptable state. The issue for me is this: I'm considering trading up to a new MH, and my research suggests most if not all new coach's come with residential all-electric fridge. Since I boondock often, and will continue to do so, I also plan to move my current Battle Born Lithiums to the new coach (100Ah each, 4 total). I currently also have about 600 total watts of solar, and have room for another 600 watts (3 panels), and it's a given that I'll probably have an equivalent wattage output for solar on the new rig. I'm attempting to learn as much as I can about the differences between Residential vs. Absorption fridge's, and why I would want one over the other. Capacity isn't a big issue for me, but I wouldn't want to go smaller than what I already have... To be sure, I'll be spending time at traditional RV parks with shore power, but again, there's the ice cream thing... I'd very much appreciate your insight and experience in guiding me toward the knowledge level I seek to make an informed decision - TIA! Michael

Planning to do some boondocking in the Lee Vining - Mammoth Lakes - Bishop area, does anyone have a recommendation yay or nay? Thanks!

I recently acquired a powered mobile cooler/freezer which I plan to house in one of the storage bays in my Class A. In this configuration, it can be powered by an accessible AC plug, and will sit on a slide-out tray for ease of access. The cooler measures 33 L x 20 H x 19 Deep.It can also be powered via DC, and would be an easy fit for the back of my SUV, where I have a DC lighter-type plug for access. DC rated consumption is average of 1.43 Ah/h, and includes 3-stage battery protection system, preventing deep draw, and dead battery.I'd like to install a separate battery, to power the cooler when vehicle is not running, and set it up so that this battery may be recharged via a portable solar panel (120W). The battery would be encased in a plastic case designed for such purpose, but I'm unsure how to put something like this together. Doesn't seem difficult, just need to know the right components to do so... I'm considering AGM, but open to Lithium for all the reasons one would want it, including fast recharging.Cooler manufacturer offers a LI 40Ah batter for $850, but for that, I can pick up a 100Ah and hopefully secure the components to achieve my objective...Anyone done something like this? Sure would appreciate the many voices of experience here... thanks!

Seems to me that tilting in the Winter would have greater value and effect, since the sun is low in the sky, and tilt would help direct more of the sun's energy to the panels. I don't believe additional panels, flat on the roof, would do more. Summer sun is a different issue, of course, but a system that both rotates and follows the sun is for deeper pockets than mine.

I've had great coverage with my Verizon MiFi... so much so that I increased my available Gigs

I'd run across a post in another forum about a company called SolarVector that makes remote actuators for rooftop solar panels. Hmmmm... seemed like an interesting idea at my age... raises and lowers, via remote, up to 60 degrees, and when lowered, lock into place. Don't really wanna climb up and down (3 times at least, unless I add 3 panels to the 3 I have) to raise them for more direct sunlight, that's getting a little risky... so I did a little follow up, and discovered - whoa! - these things aren't cheap... $499 a panel for the RV version. When I posted about this, I received a response from an engineer who saw the same website, and decided to design and manufacture a similar mechanism, and stated he could design something considerably cheaper - around $250 - or, $450 for a master that would control up to 32 additional mechanisms... now THIS sounds interesting... So, they're not out yet, still working on it, but I'm keeping in touch, and I'm on the list for contact once they become available... With only one producer out there, there was bound to be competition, and this guy picked up the ball, and is running with it... I'll keep you posted as I earn more...

Bought mine in Oregon, titled to LLC in Montana, I'm a California resident. Was informed the coach should be stored in Montana, and not brought in to California (permanently) for one year. No sales tax, minimal annual registration fees. Also, there's an increased registration fee for rigs over $300K.

My propensity for preparing foods in advance, and freezing them, fit hand in hand with my relatively new RV lifestyle, but the freezer space available to me is limited, as most well know. So, when I noted a sale on Dometic portable cooling appliances, I pulled the trigger, and purchased a Dual-Zone fridge/freezer combo so I would have more available space to store frozen goods, such as the chili's, soups, and cabbage rolls I like to make in bulk. So far, the positive reviews on this outweigh the negative by a good margin, so I'm hopeful I will have considered this one of my wiser buys... I'm certain there are others out there who do the same, and I was wondering what your choices might be - I'm looking to instill some variety in my menu above, and hope y'all have a few ideas to share. What do you prepare in advance for your trips and adventures? I won't have kids with me, only my Golden Retriever, and he's pretty easy to please, as am I. Whadya got?

Seems like it might be good idea to get two shorter trays for the pass through - one open to each side - rather than one long one, thus, accessible at greater length from each side...

It might also make sense for me to install a sliding tray in the pass-through - the darn thing weighs 60 pounds

I recently picked up (on sale!) a Dometic Dual Zone fridge/freezer to add to the potential comforts afforded by additional storage space, particularly when boondocking. After posting on a different forum and getting only one response, I was curious if anyone else had acquired one of these, and what your opinion might be on its usefulness and efficiency. I bought the 75DZ model, Dual Zone, but won't actually get a chance to check it out for another 3 weeks, as I'm out of the country. Nevertheless, I was hoping for input from anyone that has one, or something similar, as to its effectiveness. Thanks for your input!

That's a lot to solve a GFCI problem... OK, been having a problem resetting my two GFCI plugs (on Inverter, no shore power); my initial problem occurred while on the Inverter. When the generator is fired up, one of the GFCI's resets, the other does not (my tech has 40 years in the business, BTW)... also having an issue - while on the inverter - with the dome light underneath the microwave - it blinks on and off continuously when on the inverter... tech suggests trying to plug into shore power to see if that solves the problem... but if it does, how do I resolve the MW light blinking on and off? It was his feeling that changing my MSW Inverter to a PSW would likely solve the problem, and the cost is due to what he refers to as "the right Inverter". This was his reply to my comment about searching Amazon for said inverters, and those I found weren't anywhere close to a price that would justify a total of $2,500... he thought Newmar might have simply gone on the cheap when choosing the current inverter for my coach, but the fact is, it oughta work correctly, yet it doesn't. I'd appreciate some insight... it's a long ride to a Newmar certified facility...

An observation on 10-year-old MH's... many RV parks will not rent to those with MH's more than 10 years old, regardless of condition. Others will allow some wiggle room... You can probably save up to 50% on the cost of buying an MH that's less than 5 years old, so consider something a bit newer if you can...