camping without electric?

[humormeplease]

I really think i dont want to deal with a battery. I'll just stick to the 110 power package. That doesn't deal with a battery right? Maybe a lil safer.

You can just plug in to the campground's electric right and have electric in your trailer? I like the plug and play.

Amy,
Get both, the regular 110v (like your home) and the 12v (like your car) We camp at many New York State campgrounds where they have no hook-ups. I spend too much time in front of the fire at night to even need power in my tear, but it's nice to know it's there when it rains...then you can fire up the DVD player! The outlets are very different from one another so you can't get hurt. Once you camp in a teardrop overnight you will really be glad you have that 12v fan drawing air through the cabin. Keep up the great work investigating as there are a lot of helpful ideas on this website from others who have lived it!

[dreadcptflint]

How many of you camp without electricity? Do you use some type of generator? Just going through my options and asking myself if electric is really necessary.

Does anoyne of you feel electric is necessary to camp? and you wont camp without it. Just want some opinions on this.

Is it possible to take an extension cord and plug it up at the campgrounds electric and then just use a power strip for everything you need electric for?
Or is there like a 12v battery thing (Im not sure whats its called or what Im really asking here). I guess a battery charger? I have a rechargable fan with a 12v and would like to charge it, do they make 12v chargers. Im gonna stop now cuz im confusing myself.

We camp in primative sites the majority of the time. They are usually less crowded and are closer to nature. We also don't take a generator. We are in the planning stages of adding solar so that we can stay out longer.

We do have a simple 12v system that runs a couple of lights, water pump and my CPAP machine. It charges while driving. (If I am going camping at one of the spots 1 hour away then I put it on the charger that I have at home. We have a white gas lattern and stove so our electrical use is minimal.

I guess you could run an extension cord if you wanted to. I would get a 30 amp to 20 amp converter plug. I would also have at least a surge protector set up for my electronics. I hope that helps.

[nevadatear]

Pleaase don't go ONLY 110! That will really limit your usability. If you want any power, you will be limited to just those campgrounds that offer hookups. 1) they are more expensive 2) you will miss the majority of the camping experience. Most campgrounds, at least the real campgrounds, don't have hook ups. You will need to camp at RV places with the land yachts. You miss out on the national, state, county, BLM park experiences. 110 really isn't simpler in camping mode, I think it is more complicated.

There are lots of 12 V appliances out there, I even have a hair dryer. It not really powerful, but works for me. (google 12 volt) When we built our trailer, my husband wired for both 12 V and 110, but only the 12 V is currently functional. Maybe some day we will get the 110 up and running, but for now we can camp anywhere we want. We have a deep cycle battery (think of your car battery, how you can run your ipod off the cigarette lighter) !2 V is having those cigarette lighter things available. You recharge your battery when at home with a simple battery charger and you are ready to go on another trip. Going with only 110 is not worth it in the price you will pay having to camp with hookups. I imagine you will get back the difference in a very short time.

If you plug and use anything into your cigarette lighter in your car, then you are already using 12 V power! You can even get, which is our plan, a solar system to recharge your battery then you are really independant!

You don't need 110 at all. You can certainly plug in an extension cord an use a power strip for any power you might need when you camp with hookups. Lots of people with TDs do, and that is what we probably will do before we hook up the 110.

Also, there are things called inverters that will take your 110 appliance and convert it to 12 V so you can run your regular stuff off your battery 12 v systems. Many folks do that so they can use a computer in the car.

Debbie

[b.bodemer]

I have an inlet for when there is shore power.

I also do a lot of dry camping so I added a battery/inverter in the back of the tow vehicle(my truck). I use a 25' extension cord that runs out of the truck/inverter into the inlet. This allows for a fan every night and movie too on the little dvd player. When I get home I just charge it up again for the next trip.

It's nice to have a pickup. I build a box to house the inverter/battery. It's open in the back and I remove the front cover once in camp. This way it's hidden if you peek in the back while I'm towing, then in camp it's open to allow the airflow needed for the inverter.

Simple and it works.
Barb

[teardrop_focus]

b.bodemer

I also do a lot of dry camping so I added a battery/inverter in the back of the tow vehicle(my truck). I use a 25' extension cord that runs out of the truck/inverter into the [teardrop]. This allows [the use of a 110V household] fan every night and movie too on the little dvd player. When I get home I just charge (the battery in the back of the truck] up again for the next trip.

Barb

nevadatear

Also, there are things called inverters that will take your 110 appliance and convert it to 12 V so you can run your regular stuff off your battery 12 v systems. Many folks do that so they can use a computer in the car.

Debbie

Inverters are a neat idea...

...whereas the end result is the same, an inverter will use a 12V power source and change it to 110V. Inverters are sold in various watt outputs, with the more powerful outputs becoming more expensive.

Say you're car camping in the boonies (no 110V power hookups... known as "primitive" camping) and want to whip up a batch of margaritas with a household, 110V blender... you'd plug your blender into the household socket on the inverter connected to your car's 12V automotive battery... but an inverter with that much wattage output might cost over $200! whereas an inverter with just enough wattage output necessary to power a 110V household charging dock for a laptop battery might cost $40.



A converter, or, power supply, will use a 110V power source (at a usually-busy, "improved" campsite) and change it to 12V... so you can run the 12V lighting in your teardrop's galley and sleeping cabin and at the same time have the ability (with a 12V battery charger) to recharge your teardrop's 12V deep-cycle battery. Some RV converters contain a sophisticated 3-stage 12V battery charger... but those get pricey, too, in the $300 to $400 dollar range... (someone please adjust my posted component pricing if it's way off!)



If I had to have just one or the other in my teardrop, it'd definately be a 12V system rather than the 110V system... but it's easy to have both.

[len19070]

Going away for a weekend without 110V power Is called Camping.

Going away for a weekend with 110v Power is something that is associated with Camping.

Happy Trails

Len

[doug hodder]

Bingo! I had someone ask if I would modify a galley so that she could put in her bread making machine, microwave and outlets for other appliances, not the Rocketear owners...I suggested that this maybe wasn't the camping style for them. Kinda defeats the purpose of the teardrop concept in my mind.

I just use the battery on the tear, don't even charge when I drive and I have never run out of juice in 11 days. I guess everyone just needs to decide what's important to them when they "camp" and build/plan accordingly. Doug

[planovet]

For most of the year, camping (in a tear) in Texas without airconditioning is uncomfortable at best. But I also like the ease of having lights and a fan without having to hook up to shore power. That's why I have both 12V and 120V (or110) wired into my tear. But it's an individual choice. Like most have said, do what YOU want to do. You are the one that's going to be camping in it. Good luck!

[cherokeegeorge]

There is nothing that can ruin a really nice camping trip faster then... You get to the campground early so you can pick out a beautiful site you pay your fees and then some yahoo pulls in to the campground and fires up his/her generator and ether cranks up some tunes or goes inside their RV to watch TV. There are some real inconsiderate jerks out there.

When teardrop camping a battery is all you need and there is no need to be afraid of them. I have found teardroppers to be some of the most considerate campers I've ever know.

[hiker chick]

I've never camped with electricity and my Little Guy isn't wired for anything.

That's been fine for us because we typically camp at 3700 feet where evenings are typically 50-40-30 degrees. If I had it to do again, I'd get the Fantastic Vent Fan.

And I'd have the teardrop wired for 110 and 12v.

Simply for running the fan and if I were going anywhere toasty: air conditioning.

Little Guy will put nice lights in that run AA batteries. I mostly use a headlamp in the teardrop, especially for reading.

If I go someplace warm then I'll do as has already been suggested and take a heavy-duty extension cord and a fan.

For St. Louis, I'd definitely get the Fantastic fan and wired for power.

Speaking for myself, I have no desire for a DVD or TV in my teardrop. Camping is reading time for me so my teardrop is stocked with several books.

[BPFox]

To answer the original question "How many of you camp without electricity?" the answer is simple. None. There is nobody on this forum that goes camping without electricity. Even "hiker chick" who says "I've never camped with electricity and my Little Guy isn't wired for anything", later in her post says, "I mostly use a headlamp in the teardrop, especially for reading." Well to put it simply, that headlamp runs on electricity. To go camping "without" electricity would be to do so without a flashlight, cell phone, watch or anything else that requires electicity function.

The real question here is how much electricity do I need and what sources should I use. There is no right or wrong answer to this question. It depends on needs (definded differently by different people) wants and desires.

If purchasing a trailer, full electric is not a bad idea even if you don't use it all of the time. It will help maintain a better resale value as the majority of trailer purchasers will want some type of electric service available to them. Getting a trailer that is pre-wred from the factory by professionals is a good way to go especially if you are not in a position to do it yourself.

Keep in mind that electric is a bit of a luxury but, for many, it's a luxury that is hard to be without. Like a previous poster stated, read the "sticky threads" in the electricity section to help with making that final decision. But at the end of the day, it's your decision. And that's the one that is right for you.

[Uncle Chan]

Growing up in the PNW, camping was driving "somewhere" on a old abandon logging road and when you found just the right spot, pulling off to the side of the road, raking a level spot and pitching a tent. We built a fire pit from the rocks we removed from under the tent and there we were.

Once married, I tried to introduce "camping" to my wife. Although she was "ok" with it, she didn't take to it well. We compromised and bought a tent camper. After setting it up and down 100 times, it was sold and we didn't camp for years.

This year, we decided to buy a camper again for a variety of reasons, we chose a TD and we bought out Mobi. It came with 12v only. Well, for extended camping, the Mrs requires electricity, showers, running water, etc. So, we generally camp in KOAs or state parks with hookups. And, I had to install 110V system. Pretty easy. For simple weekend outings, we just use the 12v, gas stove, gas heater if needed, onboard water.

[tearhead]

Hi, Amy--It's great to see you've got your picture in and that you've become very active in posting!

Just in case you haven't found it, there is a Search button up top in the first line of blue lettering. Putting in the word battery would net you a lot of info, mostly from the Electrical Secrets thread.

We're newbies and former tent campers too, but don't need things like TVs and microwaves, so until we take a major road trip we're working off of a deep cycle boat battery. I understand they hold a charge for a long time. You just would plug in (using your however many prong plug we were discussing in another tread) at home.

Pat

[hiker chick]

Guess I should clarify that I have never had my teardrop hooked up to electricity. Because my teardrop, as I stated, is not wired for electricity.

Yes, my headlamp runs on a battery.

And my car that I pull the teardrop with, has headlights. The electric kind. And now it occurs to me that my teardrop has tail lights. Again, electric.

If there were an EMP while camping which fried all the circuits, I would have to whip out the emergency candles and duct tape one to my forehead so I could read.

[alffink]

Amy

My TD is wired primarily for 12v and originally only pluged in a charger a couple of days before I left for a weekend trip, I added a 110V power inlet about a year later, have not used 110V camping yet.

So that brings me to another option, that I have not seen here, or at least don't recall at the moment.

I am an astronomer and as such I get out away from not only the city but I don't really like upgraded campgrounds too much light astronomers like the dark, but we do need some power, 12v power usually from a "POWER PACK", this is a 12v battery packaged nicely with it's own charger, some even have coverters to run 110 "for a very short length of time"
but they have sockets for 12V, Like in a car, they also can have lower voltage sockets for 9V and such, they usually have a work light built in and many come with jumper cables built in, in case you need to jump the battery of a tow vehicle......actually that is the ir intended purpose. I only use mine to power a telescope, but the options are there, this would not last long powering lights, fan, DVD or CD players all weekend, but for intermittent power when needed.



just another alternative, if you want to keep the Tear - Power Less