how many people can avoid 12 volts or 120 volts.

[Brushy_Bill]

I was lucky enough to have parents who loved
to camp and fish. Born in mid August, my first
camping trip was at the ripe age of 4 weeks old.

Been camping on a very regular basis ever since.
Growing up, my camp meals were prepared on
Coleman white gas stoves, of course if not
for the Coleman coolers, we would have had no
extra food worth cooking other than the fish we
caught or the squirrels we shot. (When camping
in early/late fall.)

The two mantle Coleman lantern with reflector,
lit up the river or lake area where we fished. But,
used coal oil/kerosene lamps around the campsite
and behind the Coleman where we were fishing.
Those lanterns were just too bright for general
camp lighting to our family. Always had a campfire,
the Coleman lanterns just ruins a guys night vision.
Flashlights were used sparingly, but we had plenty.

It wasn't until I was 13 that we ever camped
in a place that had electricity. Nice to have, but
we didn't have anything with us to plug in. Growing up, we seldom camped
in state parks since most here in Indiana, you can't camp on the water.
Usually camped on private property (with permission) on local rivers.

For the last 25 years, most of my trips have been solo. 12 foot canoe paddling
into the head waters of local reservoirs. Camping where I choose. Usually have a small
radio, and since having one, a cell phone although most of the places I go has no reception.
I have stayed out for up to 6 days without power. Only having a 12 foot canoe, it limits a guy
on what he can take.

Only in the last two years have I started regularly camping at a couple of places with electric.
They are near a river and canoe livery that I use a lot. One is actually owned by the livery.
The other place has WiFi too. It is an actual RV Park. Not my type of camping but it is
convenient for a night. As it is about an hour and a half drive to the canoe livery each way.
I can do saturday and sunday day trips on the river and not have to do a bunch of driving.

So, at 57 years old now. I take a laptop, DVD's and when staying at the place with WiFi, use the
laptop for netflix. I don't get to watch much TV through the week.
Most of my trips now are only over night. About three times a year I get to go out for five or six days.

Those trips are usually to the livery campground.
They have electric and water. Somewhat secluded, wooded campsites.
Really nice pace to stay. And I have cellphone coverage there.

I have started ordering parts, door latches, lights, windows for a teardrop build.
One would be perfect to camp at either of the mentioned campsites.

While I am accustomed to camping primitive. I am ready to give up the REI Half Dome2 tent
and sleep in a real bed. Not that the twin size air mattress I currently use in the tent is uncomfortable.
Just want the convenience of being able to park and quickly get a teardrop ready. Have all my
cooking stuff in the back, all my bedding, and not have to load, and unload totes nearly every weekend.
Just throw in some clothes, pack a cooler, and water, and go.

I work nights, so having a teardrop will allow me to take it to work with me on friday evening.
Leave after work and drive straight to the livery. I can catch a quick shower and
crash there and be ready for a 9am canoe trip saturday morning.

I will have the camp stove, george foreman grill, electric griddle, and a stovetop oven.
My laptop will be available for movies, and I am looking into a projector for watching movies
on a big screen. I can cook two sausage and eggs over medium and toast sandwiches for breakfast
on the griddle (at the same time). Some country style ribs on the foreman grill after a canoe trip.
I have even been known to fix sausage gravy and biscuits for supper.

The teardrop I am starting to build will have both 12 and 110 volt. The laptop will run off either.

I will still get the 12 footer and Half Dome out and do a couple of regularly scheduled primitive canoe trips in the
head waters of Monroe Reservoir with a group of folks that I have been getting together with
for the last 12 years or so. And, be perfectly comfortable doing so.

I have no problem camping without the electric, but after all these years, I am ready to take it easy
and enjoy the comforts it provides while still being able to enjoy the outdoors.

Sorry, didn't set out to write an essay.

[Esteban]

Brushy_Bill, I thoroughly enjoyed your essay. Your new teardrop will satisfy your camping experiences, conditions, budget, and comfort level.

We're each individuals with different experiences, expectations, budgets, needs, camping in varied locations, seasons of the year, climates and desired levels/needs of comfort.

What is great about a teardrop is that it provides a comfortable "hard sided tent" that is easily transportable with many "daily driver" vehicles to many, many camping locations. It takes little time and effort to pack, set up, or take down a teardrop trailer.

They're very affordable small RVs to buy, or to build, and to use.

A teardrop can be relatively primitive with few, or no, powered accessories.

Or it can have a well thought out abundance of (electrically) powered accessories.

It's your choice to best suit your needs, desires, budget, etc.

[rowerwet]

I can't see the point of 12V in a tear unless you live in it for many weeks off grid. Keeping a battery charged and maintained the rest of the year is more work than I care for, and $$$.
My new foamie has no power in it, the campground I built it for has no power. I bough tap lights for it, then couldn't find them until after we got home . I plan on adding 120v wiring for a/c this coming summer.

[tony.latham]

12V !!!

Keeping a battery charged and maintained the rest of the year is more work than I care for, and $$$.

When the sun's out, my battery is getting maintained. The panel was $50 and the ($30?) SungGuard controller was already in the box (for the other 60 watter I have). The only work involved will be brushing the snow off it from time to time this winter.



I like having my 12 volts. Keeps my fan cranking when it's hot and my electric blanky pre-heating the bed when it's cold. Don't know how to do that with a headlamp.

T

[booyah]

I'm a backpacker at heart, but I built the tear for the wife and kids more, so they could have a more comfortable time, but still be able to boondock it well.

So it has 12v lights, fan, charging for electronics. It has a 110 plug for recharging the battery, and I'm going to wire a few more in the cabin for heat/AC here this coming winter/summer.

Could I use it without? Absolutely, but I built it to have it. Just like I could go without a mattress in it and sleep on a sleeping pad... but yeah that wasnt on my list of todos.

[bdosborn]

I freakin' LOVE 12V and 120V and I use a lot of it. You can rough it if you want. Me, I'm gonna grab a cold beer from the electric fridge and watch some satellite TV.







Bruce

[dales133]

Ill still if i have to sleep under the stars or in a tent but agreed,refrigeration and lights at the flick of a switch are more my style these days

[Brushy_Bill]

Bruce

Happy trees.

[ae6black]

I don't have any 12 volt, just 120. My reasoning was I didn't want to mess with a battery since I mostly use the TD for hunting during winter months by myself. During the summer camping season when the family is with me we take the larger trailer that has all the comforts of home. During the winter, I'd rather not be pulling a larger trailer through the snow and since I have shore power at the Campgrounds I stay at, building one that works exclusively on 120 was a no brainer. TD's are easy to heat with a ceramic heater and I like a lot of light during those early evening hours outside while I am cooking and cleaning up. To really light up my area I take a Shop Halogen light on a tripod.

Art

[mkitchen]

12 volt is what drove me to the trailer. Mo and I are both on CPAP machines and we need power to run them. We have LED lights throughout the trailer but they are not used often but I am glad that I have them. 12 volt is easy to wire in and you can charge the battery while driving or hook up solar, we have both. I can't see going to all the trouble and expense of building or buying a teardrop without power.
Mikey

[Vedette]

Question answered!
So, according to those that have responded.
THE ANSWER IS.........."NOT MANY!"
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[fm-usa]

I can avoid it, no different than tent camping.
Flashlights, candles, propane cooking.
Propane also for heating unless you're into rubbing DaFeets together.

12 volt-/-120 volt
Just because it's there doesn't mean you HAVE TO use it.
Cheaper and OH-so much easier to install it when building it.
It's a great item(s) to have if and when selling the trailer.

[GerryS]

Not a chance. I need a fan, regardless of temperature or time of year....lights are a bonus

[Vedette]

This thread is amazing!

[Woodbutcher]

A thread is done, when people stop responding.

Everyday new people join the group. Most ask the same questions we did when we started our builds. Some of those may find this thread interesting and a help when planning their own trailers. To some it's just fun conversation. If you see no further value in this thread, just move on. There is no reason to spoil it for others.