Blocked RV Solar? Save Power While Boondocking!

Рет қаралды 12,259

Күн бұрын

Have you invested in RV solar panels, and you're eager to use them? Don't let that stop you from boondocking in places where the sun isn't available... like the forest! Solar is an awesome choice, but RV camping when you can't take advantage of them is still amazing.
Watch the video to see an overview of how to conserve and maximize valuable power, and why you need to run your generator occasionally, even when hooked up to shore power!
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Peter Knize & John Sullivan host The RVgeeks channel on KZfaq, and co-host and co-executive produce The RVers TV show on The Discovery Channel, PBS, iTunes and many other outlets. Full-Time RVers since April, 2003, they share DIY RV maintenance, repair, travel, upgrade and operational tips & tricks they've learned in nearly 2 decades on the road.
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WEBSITE: thervgeeks.com
INSTAGRAM: / rvgeeks
THE RVERS: thervers.tv
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We're handy RVers, not professional technicians. We're happy with the techniques and products we use, but be sure to confirm that all methods and materials you use are compatible with your equipment and abilities. Regardless of what we recommend, consult a professional if you're unsure about working on your RV. Any task you perform or product you purchase based on any information we provide is strictly at your own risk.
We sometimes receive products for evaluation at no cost, and The RVgeeks participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. But our opinions are our own, you won’t pay an extra penny, and we only link to products we personally use, love and can recommend to friends with complete confidence.
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Пікірлер: 148

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

To read about conserving power while RV boondocking, check out our post on the topic: www.thervgeeks.com/save-power-while-rv-boondocking/ And be sure to subscribe to our blog while you're there. Thanks! 😄

@bigbenhuisman 3 жыл бұрын

We were in shock to find out our Norcold gas/electric fridge is a battery hog when dry camping. Between cooling fans behind the fridge, defrosting elements on the cooling fins and dehumidifying elements on the door the fridge can draw as much as 4 amps of DC power. It only takes a couple of days to draw down a battery to 1/2 charge without using anything else. So, not all gas fridges are the same. We use a stove top coffee peculator when dry camping with a paper filter to reduce grounds in the coffee and to make cleanup easy. On generator use, standard RV converters are slow chargers and could require an extended generator runtime. Thanks for producing another great video.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your feedback, Ben. Great points!

@rontaylor5468 3 жыл бұрын

You guys are truly awesome and I very much enjoy your videos. I don’t subscribe to many folks but your content is worth it. I have almost the same Bus as you, I have an 04 4064 Mountain Aire that I live in for work during the summer. Your tips and tricks have made this halftime life much easier and far more enjoyable. Congrats on the TV series too!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Hi, Ron! Thank you for this feedback. We're so glad you find the videos interesting and helpful. That's a nice rig you have there! We really appreciate knowing that our tips and tricks have made living in it more enjoyable. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.

@MattLesak 3 жыл бұрын

The problem here is all of this makes way too much sense 😉 The realist in me loves your content. It’s not one way or another, it’s what works for you and we wanted to share it. Thank you, once again, for the planning, filming, editing, etc that went into making this content. Bravo gentlemen!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, Matt! We appreciate the kind words. Thanks for taking the time to make our day!

@jerrydaminato743 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. Nice to see the Mortons too. 🇨🇦

@DaveSquibbSr Жыл бұрын

Love the scenery looks like a beautiful place to camp 😎😎

@SaltyVetAdventures 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. I haven't invested too much in solar. We have 200W of solar just to keep the batteries topped off out here in the southwest. But our toy hauler 5th wheel has a built in 5500 genny with 48 gallons of gas. So running our generator for an hour or two at dinner is all we ever need. Tops off everything right before bed.

@brianmcguinness1510 3 жыл бұрын

You guys just melted my mind with that edit....

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome! We think. 😂

@nursekate6772 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for another great teaching video! As a new RVer I really appreciate all the time and hard work you put into educating the community. So hope I get to meet you sometime! Happy Travels - RVKaBob

@RVgeeks 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Cammy! ☺️

@DownsizingMakesCents 3 жыл бұрын

Great tips. Dry camping definitely has some adjustments. Unfortunately, Larry insists on a desk top computer that drains our lithium. I wish we could just do our work on a laptop. But we have been using iPad more. We also turn off switches too- like the microwave. But my favorite part of this video is “morning coffee” scene 😂. Loved it. Overall, we try to mix dry camping spots with electric hookup. And we have no qualms about using our generator. We have a portable Honda. We try to use our desk top computer when we have the generator going. And please people- follow quiet hours! Especially with gen use Thanks guys, Alice

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Alice! We might have to make a follow-up video... "How To Control A Power-Abusing Spouse!" 😂

@DownsizingMakesCents 3 жыл бұрын

@@RVgeeks If you do, I’ll be more than happy to supply pictures and video 😂🤣

@akdisney 3 жыл бұрын

Have think get a solar power pack (1000 watts) it can have only battery bank and solar panels or hook wire to big solar panels. A desk computer needs about (600 watts power)

@Jim.Hummel 3 жыл бұрын

WOW! Such great little flashbacks with the Wynns and the Mortons! Lots of solid tips in this video...made my day to see you guys (no idea why it took a month to show up in my YT feed, but that's Google for you!)!!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, Jim! Google is a mystery all right!

@skpjoecoursegold366 3 жыл бұрын

thanks Geeks.

@gilbertchcs 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent excellent video. You all got me excited about saving energy on my massively cool Casita. Much gratitude...

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

That's wonderful, Gilbert! Casitas are, indeed, "massively cool"! Have fun... and safe travels!

@lmon734 3 жыл бұрын

Wow these guys are an amazing wealth of knowledge.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! ☺️

@mgysgtk8835 Жыл бұрын

Great points!

@bobyocum1432 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for all of the great tips and ideas,Excellent video.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for the positive feedback, Bob. We're glad you enjoyed the video!

@karenpolansky9097 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, again, for all of your helpful information. To change my pot lights in my 2014 Airstream would require a lot of work, because they are each a whole unit, rather than a bulb in a fixture. (If you think otherwise please let me know.) So, I changed the bulbs in the over the stove vent to LEDs. As well, I bought a little lamp, to which I installed an LED bulb. These two light sources enable me to be comfortable with the amount of light in my trailer. If I need anything stronger I can turn on the overhead lights temporarily. Thanks again guys!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic, Karen! Sounds like you did a great job. The addition of those LED bulbs you installed will surely make a difference. Well done! Thanks for watching!

@John5ive 3 жыл бұрын

survey says! no high usage electric items!!! looking forward to water conservation video

@hensonjonathan 3 жыл бұрын

The “coffee monster” at 6:10 always makes me laugh!!! Cannot remember which video that originally was from! I know y’all upgraded your inverter at some point. Did you originally have a Magnum?? I seem to be having issues with my auto gen start and “they” haven’t been all that helpful so I thought about just changing brands altogether! Anyhow... thanks for the excellent content fellas!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jonathan! Glad you liked that! You remember correctly that we did indeed have a magnum inverter originally. We had some issues with it, and upgraded to our Xantrex unit and have never had a day of trouble with it. We hope you get yours' sorted out too.

@steveleonard1227 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you. A great refresher.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Our pleasure! Glad it was helpful, Steve.

@eleigey 3 жыл бұрын

Great vid again guys you two rock.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, Ed!

@MililaniJag 3 жыл бұрын

Thx for my RV Geeks fix!! Cheers!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Our pleasure! Cheers!

@foreverfixin 3 жыл бұрын

Y'all two are always a wealth of knowledge for rvers good video guys

@Crana 3 жыл бұрын

I strongly recommend a heated under blanket, on the 1/low setting they barely use any power at all, but they provide enough heat to keep things comfortable in the winter. Not entirely sure on the figures, mind, and I recommend a timed plug in case it's left on by mistake.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

We love our heated mattress pad!! ❤️

@dick923 3 жыл бұрын

Another fine video.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Richard!

@morganrussman 3 жыл бұрын

6:10 I see you 2 reused the clip. Also, good point with mentioning about turning things that one doesn't need off. And, on top of which, it's good to turn lights off too when your not in a room. I can't tell you how many times that I've found that those in the house I currently live in leave the light on when they walk out of the room. I get it when you have something in your hands, but, still.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Had to re-use that clip in a continuing effort to shame John into getting up earlier! 😂

@morganrussman 3 жыл бұрын

@@RVgeeks ☺️😏😅

@FerroequinologistofColorado 3 жыл бұрын

YAY! A new RVGeeks video! My day just got better! Keep up the great work!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! You just made OUR day better. 😊

@fratermus5502 3 жыл бұрын

I use the Sun Surveyor app to map where maximal sun will come through the canopy. That and a couple portables in the sunlight to supplement the mounted panels works ok. Generally though I prefer the wide-open desert.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Good ideas, Frater. We've never gone the portable solar route because we don't have the room to store them, but they sure could've come in handy here! 😉

@akdisney 3 жыл бұрын

@@RVgeeks and hundred foot cord

@Joanna_L 3 жыл бұрын

Love you guys!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, Joanna! You just made our day! ☺️

@keithbar19741974 3 жыл бұрын

No one talks about 12v chargers for laptops but they exist and seems to me they would make a lot of sense for RVs

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

They would certainly help avoid having to run the inverter (less efficient) to charge them up!

@ashleymarks6144 3 жыл бұрын

Now boys, I will need a bit more color coordination for your outerwear. I appreciate brand matching obviously but I am sure you would agree that it’s important to maintain your RVGEEKs dress standards. Ha! (Just kidding!😉). Seriously though, the edit of the computer screen matched to the voice track was awesome.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ashley! We love that you liked the computer scene, so we’ll get started on color coordination right away! 😂

@HavingWandered 3 жыл бұрын

We use aeropress for coffee- even less waste/cleaning than pour over. For frequent forest camping, we make a mobile charging setup so we can move house batteries into the vehicle to charge as we are driving around. Easier to do with lithium, no Gen even required.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Interesting solution! Thanks for sharing!

@NeverStopAdventuring 3 жыл бұрын

We've really been doing a lot more boondocking since we installed our solar setup six months ago. Thanks for the tips!

@johnknestis3851 3 жыл бұрын

You guys always have such great and practical advice. Run the gen while your making dinner! Of course, why didn’t I think of that.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks John!

@jasoncarpp7742 3 жыл бұрын

Hey guys. I'm glad you're doing well. Have you done a video regarding your health?

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Jason! No video, but health is good. Thanks so much for asking. Hope you are the same.

@jasoncarpp7742 3 жыл бұрын

@@RVgeeks I'm glad you're healthy. I just thought you should do a video on health insurance while full-time RVing, particularly given the risk of catching Covid-19. If one of you gets sick, or injured doing something (god forbid), the other is going to need something to keep yourselves going.

@JHA6100 3 жыл бұрын

Guys, great info for us. We recently installed a solar array & I keep,looking at how to minimize demand from the Battle Born batteries with an attempt to extend their charge. Unlike you, we do not have a generator & I am hoping not to get one if unnecessary yet they are great options to top off the batteries. Hoping you are keeping well during the pandemic. Are you still in Canada or in the US? Be safe.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

We're in the US currently, Jim. And congratulations on the solar install! You'll find it to be immensely helpful, and harnessing the power of the sun is a beautiful thing. Follow as many of the power conservation tips as you can, and you may well find that you don't need a generator at all. Let us know how it all turns out for you, and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

@bucky1996 3 жыл бұрын

Greetings from your friends in Texas! Always enjoy your videos as they are in-depth and thorough with tips and tricks for a better Rving experience.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! Glad you like them.

@eplumer 3 жыл бұрын

Yay! Back doing technical advice videos :-)

@nealdavis350 3 жыл бұрын

Wow! Jason and Nikki! Have not seen them in an RV in quite a while! :-) Great information! Thank you! Safe travels! :-)

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Neal! That was an old clip, but we did get to connect with them for about a week in Texas just over a year ago, including on Jason's Mom's RV! Stay safe out there!

@remitremblay2091 3 жыл бұрын

Great job guys! Indeed, a long time coming, but we understand... this pandemic is difficult, even for campers! We love the dinner time idea, we do that as well, and yes, these older batteries take forever to charge...can’t wait to switch to lithium... all the best! Rémi (Québec, Canada)

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Rémi!

@inspired2rv661 3 жыл бұрын

Love your videos so much! Always so informative, concise and complete! 🙏🏻🌻💕

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! That's very kind of you. We're so glad you find them helpful.

@rlachermeier 3 жыл бұрын

Never realized boondocking involved so much preplanning

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

It’s not as bad as it seems once you get in the swing of it! And it is SO worth it!

@gbmoves7902 3 жыл бұрын

Wine with the Wynns! WOW!

@alankawaratani1677 3 жыл бұрын

I See one bad example to show is @ 5:30 min you have a lot of led light on. when I need save power is turn off any light is no need if leave bedroom turn off the light or use s solar camp light less power on your battery

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Good spotting, Alan, but we just briefly turned on all the lights to show them for the video clip. Obviously we would never do that in real life, since we're talking about doing just the opposite to save power!

@schadenfreud33 3 жыл бұрын

Outstanding job gentlemen keep up the good work

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! Will do!

@akdisney 3 жыл бұрын

Rv charge your house battery when you are driver. a lot find out Lithium need 14 or high to change. I have hear some try some MPPT solar charger to house battery or Renogy Dc to DC charger 20 amps to 60 amps. you ask why? when took up straight it put a big load on the vehicle electric system. and may burn out dc vehicle alternator ( Ps. vehicle alternator Need more than 1000 RPM) run cool and full power. 90 amp vehicle alternator will not work

@ramonlicha3881 3 жыл бұрын

Great video and excellent information! Thanks for the time to put in. Stay safe and healthy! Safe travels!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ramon! Same to you!

@louheindel 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks guys....always great to see your smiling faces! What park and site were you in? So many think you can't get a 40+ footer in such nice parks!! Thanks again

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Lou! That was shot in Fort Ebey State Park on beautiful Whidbey Island, WA. We were in site #36, although there were lots of sites we could have fit in. Great place!

@louheindel8673 3 жыл бұрын

Wow. Great. Thanks for info...we plan to visit Whidbey summer 22, we stay on base at the NAS but will visit this state park.

@naiiawahVideo 3 жыл бұрын

Hi John & Peter! Thanks for the new video, lots of great info. The only thing that you didn't mention was portable panels in those two sunny areas around the rig. Portable panels can either be fancy and connected with your on board batteries or just simple small ones that recharge your "devices" (phones, tablets, cameras, etc). Either way, a good addition to the dry camping toolbox. Keep the videos coming! We've missed ya!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Brian! Thanks so much for the comment, and the great additional tip. Portable panels can be a huge help, in both placement (out of the shade) and aiming (can re-orient them during the day).

@timaz1066 3 жыл бұрын

I added a second 100 amp charger to run off my engine pre-heat outlet to cut my generator time. It really works well.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Great tip!

@TheHungryCubanAdventures 3 жыл бұрын

Great great information thank you

@scottb2854 3 жыл бұрын

Can you share details on your Kozy-World heater? Where did you get it? How is it connected? Very curious! TIA

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Scott! We bought it on Amazon, but availability comes and goes. Don’t see it right now. We T’ed into the propane line that goes to our stove and ran a flexible line over to it. Maybe one of the best mods we’ve done!

@scottb2854 3 жыл бұрын

@@RVgeeks I'd like to see that "T" and propane line, very interested and curious! I'm not trying to cast shade but their website says not for use in an RV. What research did you do to decide to proceed with using it?

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

@@scottb2854 We had several friends who’d had them installed in Quartzsite, and they knew many others with them too. We’ve been using ours for about 15 years with no problem. They probably have that warning about RVs for legal protection, since RVs can be pretty tightly sealed. The trick is just to leave a window cracked for air flow. Works like a charm!

@glenschumannGlensWorkshop 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks.

@catherinerague1190 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the info!

@linamatthews512 3 жыл бұрын

Miss you guys!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Lina!

@terrytinagero777 3 жыл бұрын

Cowboy coffee and Heineken beer, love your choices......ps. Missed your videos. Stay safe.

@cheryllindke3765 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the info. Is what you said about generators also true for the type of generators used at home during power outages? We turn off the gas supply & continue to run the generator until it shuts off on its own. Looking forward to your answer.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Cheryl! We know a pretty decent number of people who have propane powered generators at their sticks & bricks houses, and they're all programmed to start and run for about 5 or 10 minutes at the same time once each week. We're not 100% sure that's done to be sure they'll start during a power outage, or to protect the generator's long-term health, or both. Might be best to consult the owner's manual for your particular make & model to see what they recommend, just to be sure.

@akdisney 3 жыл бұрын

Generac have a timer that do self test once week. Power out Min or two, there no power on the main the start Generac Generators when full power a transfer switch put load to the house. two way fuel generators LPG or natural gas when main power come back transfer switch turn off and generators will run to cool down and turn off. 8 kw up too 16 kw you can install one, you need a Electrician took mains

@cheryllindke3765 3 жыл бұрын

@@akdisney Thanks for your answer; however, my generator is not a General. It’s a large portable one that I purchased from Lowe's when I was without power last year due to PG&E Fire Safety shut-offs. Unfortunately, I don't remember the brand name & it is currently in storage so I can not go take a look at it. I believe it was a Craftsman 5000watt.

@akdisney 3 жыл бұрын

@@cheryllindke3765 that ok If my memory right there are 5 to 6 brand out there and Yamaha is get into RV and house I have install three and they are General PS I did not buy them. sound you may in California? Where I'm at If I lose power City hall, fire and police dep. lose power

@akdisney 3 жыл бұрын

@@cheryllindke3765 If it pourable generator you still can modify it to run off LPG or natural gas you can look online

@Assassin1959 3 жыл бұрын

First, it's great to see you guys again. Great video and great tips for boondocking. I don't do boondocking, but you never know, I may be your neighbor one day.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

We hope so Hector!

@JonMeer 3 жыл бұрын

Great video as always! I'm curious how much power, if any, your solar panels generate when you're camping like this. Clearly not a ton. Thanks! You guys are awesome!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Hardly any! LOL Of course if there's a break in the trees, we do get some, but basically camping in a thick forest is like not having solar at all. It's a trickle, but nothing worthwhile.

@lonesomedovefree1429 3 жыл бұрын

I believe you guys have the same fridge as us, Samsung RF18. Ours is going on 4 years now. So far so good. I recently did a check with a kil-o-watt meter and found it consumed 1.5 kilowatts in 24 hours. That’s 62.5 watts per hour average. I would be interested in how this compares to your usage. Also have you ever observed how much power it sucks up when in defrost mode? Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Lonesome Dove. Our power usage on our Samsung RF18 is virtually identical. We ran a multi-day test using our Kill-A-Watt meter and averaged it out (hoping we caught a defrost cycle in there) and it came out to about 65W/hour... or roughly 135Ah DC per day (NOT exactly dry-camping friendly, LOL). We've never caught the defrost cycle to know specifically how much it pulls by itself... though we'd LOVE to!

@lonesomedovefree1429 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the reply. At least encouraging you are seeing same results. I did catch what I BELIEVE to be the defrost cycle and saw almost 400 watts for approx. 15 minutes. Scared the dickens out of me!! I have searched net wide and can’t find any info on defrost. I do know know it is not a regular cycled event. Very random. I have considered putting the fridge on an isolated 500 watt inverter but the defrost usage concerns me.

@lonesomedovefree1429 3 жыл бұрын

UPDATE--I finally got an answer from the Samsung chat line. They say the defrost cycle draws a max of 470 watts ( 3.9 amps ). A 500 watts pure sine wave inverter would be pressed to do that.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for all the updated info! And you're right... a 500W inverter would likely be a bit put out by a continuous 470W draw (most inverter brands list their SURGE rating and like to gloss over their continuous draw capabilities). We've often considered installing a smaller, dedicated inverter just for the fridge. Would save us from having to run the 3000W unit all the time (which is its least efficient when powering small loads). We'd probably stick with Xantrex and get something like their ProWatt SW 600 (amzn.to/3d2lRUG) along with the remote (amzn.to/3a8GIUA), and the external transfer switch (amzn.to/3aPXqY0). The transfer switch would allow the fridge to run off of shore power OR the small, dedicated inverter. The 600W Xantrex unit can support 540W continuous power output, which would be plenty to handle those (strangely random) defrost cycles, while not using as much power when the fridge is running normally.

@joethecomputerguy1 3 жыл бұрын

Hard to believe it's been a year since I've seen you guys. Hope ALL is well. Hoping to cross paths again soon. Stay safe!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Joe! This past year has been a blur. Here's to better times. Hope all is well with you, too. Safe travels!

@jeffbeifuss8385 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing! I just saw Jason and Nikki struggling with their sail sewing on the other side of the world! How did you do that??!

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Time travel! 😁

@KarenCalypte 3 жыл бұрын

Hello, 💖 Enjoy watching all your helpful videos. Our motorhome has a generator, but no solar panels, but we plan to have some installed in the near future. 💖 Lots of great helpful hints in your video for electronic device usage, cooking devices, etc. A backup for the Insta Pot that uses electricity, one could use an old fashioned pressure cooker which you use on the stove top burners. Works great with same results. Kindest Regards, ~~ Karen Calypte

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Karen! Great tip about using a pressure cooker. I actually used to own one of those!

@danterry6328 3 жыл бұрын

Probably would help if I cleaned the solar panels once in a while.

@toddanderson3865 3 жыл бұрын

What bike rack did you buy?

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Todd! We got the 1UP Super Duty Double, which can hold both of our heavy RAD e-bikes: www.1up-usa.com/product/2in-super-duty-double-bike-rack/

@slscamg 3 жыл бұрын

Reaching out from under the covers to grab the coffee is peak morning feels 😂

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked that one Matthew! LOL

@chriscook9206 3 жыл бұрын

As usual great video with very helpful advice. One question, the site next to you looks like it gets plenty of sun... move there?

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Chris! That site happened to have a little sun on it when we were filming, but it didn't last long! LOL

@1978jra 3 жыл бұрын

Nice video again! Newer things tend to use less energy so that also one point to keep in mind. Here in Europe most of consumer things are allowed to use maximum 0,5W at standby or off state since 2013. Would it be good idea to have dedicated inverter to refrigerator?

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! A small dedicated inverter for the fridge would be a great power saver, which is why many new RVs with residential fridges ofter come that way from the factory. We've been talking about doing that upgrade for years, and probably need to get around to it at some point!

@leesmith9299 3 жыл бұрын

7:33 3000w inverter. I just googled it and it seems large fridges use between 100 and 400 watts when they're working. Would it be more efficient to use a separate 500 watt inverter? would that waste less electric on the DC-AC conversion?

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Great question, Lee! It sure would. We've been tossing around the idea of installing a second small dedicated inverter for the fridge for a long time, and newer RVs that ship with residential fridges ofter come that way from the factory. If we do the upgrade, we'll be sure to share of course!

@HavingWandered 3 жыл бұрын

Woohoo!

@thebikejournal0303 3 жыл бұрын

Just a suggestion. Instead of "Iphone" or "Ipad", you should say "smart phone" or "tablet" because for one, Apple doesn't need your advertising and two, any Android device can do the same thing.

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

No disrespect to Android devices intended! It's just that we've been an all-Apple shop for so long that saying "iPhone" is like saying"Kleenex" to us. Product placement was not part of this video (although we'd do that in the future if Apple would just send us a new phone)! 😂

@akdisney 3 жыл бұрын

@@RVgeeks or be a sponsor to the channel

@Joe33305 3 жыл бұрын

Isn’t all of this “common sense”?

@RVgeeks 3 жыл бұрын

Hi, Joe! For some people these suggestions may well amount to common sense. But for many people who haven't done a lot of boondocking (and may be reluctant to do so, for fear of being "under powered"), this kind of information can be freeing. Lots of campers and RV'ers feel the need to be tethered to full hookups at all times, but would love to do some boondocking in areas they're missing. We hope these suggestions might show them that they can camp anywhere in relative comfort with a few adjustments, in addition to enjoying their favorite campgrounds and RV parks!