Got a few questions for a newbie to the "RV" world. We are potentially purchasing a small pop up camper (Jayco Baja) for our family to use. We do quite a bit of tent camping, but living in Central Texas it just doesn't work to camp in the heat of the summer and fall. The camper has an AC that we would like to try out and see what kind of a difference it makes.

It has a 30 amp hook up as well as the option to hook up a battery and propane (I will need to purchase a battery and propane tank separately...any advice on a decent battery would be great.)

My major question...we have some family land that we like to go to, but it does not have reliable electricity. The idea of dry camping or boon-docking has caught my interest. I am trying to figure what do I need to make that possible.

A battery? A generator? An inverter? From my research it seems like there are a lot of options....any suggestions on how to do this thinking of cost, ease of use, reliability?

I'm sure there is plenty that I haven't even thought about or figured out yet...just looking for a place to start...and I keep finding myself going to down Google search rabbit holes to the underground world of RV Life!

Any help is greatly appreciated!

I'm really interested in this topic also. Have been eyeing getting a teardrop trailer for awhile (vs a pop-up). Something like a T@G or Silver Shadow. Came across this forum with a lot of T@G-specific topics but also lots of general small trailer topics as well - https://teardrop-trailers.vanillacommunity.com/discussions

I tent-camp about monthly with my Boy Scout sons but love the idea of just pulling up and being done.

We have done it with our 36' travel trailer with a 3500W generator in August in Texas. Our trailer likes 50 amp connections but we can get by with 30 amps. It has two AC units and it will sort of work with just a 30 amp connection - but it will occasionally pop the main breaker when both units fire up at the same time. The generator we have isn't big enough to run both units at the same time.

I think our generator was around $400 on amazon. Problem is it's loud and it burns lots of gas when it's under load. So, you have to be prepared to listen to a generator run all night and also to get up about every 4 hours and refuel. Really sucks when it runs dry at 3:00 am, in August, in Texas. Trying real hard not to spill fuel on a HOT muffler while half asleep, sweating, and all the way pissed off is not fun. We only did it for one weekend and it worked ok, but I don't think I would try it again unless we had to. We would either need a bigger generator or a smaller trailer.

If you think this will be for more than just a weekend or two, I'd suggest spending the money on a good honda inverter generator. The EU300iS would probably be my choice for your setup because it will have plenty of power for one smaller AC unit, long run time on a tank of fuel, and you can probably move it in and out of a truck bed with two stronger people (looks like it weighs 130 lbs!). You could also look at getting two of the smaller units and pairing them together but I don't think one alone would get you the capacity you need for air conditioning. I'd go with the larger one if the weight and size isn't a concern.

I don't know that you could ever practically get enough battery power storage running through an inverter to run an RV air conditioning unit for very long. Also seems like a setup that would do that would cost far more than a nice generator. Our battery/inverter setup on our trailer is good for keeping the fridge cold and interior lights on, but that's about it. I could probably get by with that and maybe a small inverter generator if we were boon docking somewhere like CO that didn't require AC in the summer. Would just need the generator to watch TV and recharge the batteries, I think.

clinte234 said:

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A battery? A generator? An inverter? From my research it seems like there are a lot of options....any suggestions on how to do this thinking of cost, ease of use, reliability?

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Yes, yes - if you want to run the A/C, and most likely.


You will definitely need batteries. There are many different ways to do this, from multiple 6v's to deep-cycle 12v, to lithium. You will not be able to run the A/C, unless you have a ridiculously large battery bank. Get the batteries you are comfortable with.

You will want a generator if you want to run the A/C. You can do it with an inexpensive Champion 3500 w/RV plug, but even better are two Honda 2000's linked together. Run both Hondas together in the summer, and just one in the winter.

If you want to not mess with a genset, then you will need an inverter to run your small electrical items. You can even run a small RV refridgerator if your battery bank is big enough. You just need a way to re-charge the batteries, such as portable solar panels or a small genset. Something as small as a Honda 1000 genset will work if you are just re-charging batteries.

Go get a Predator from Harbor Freight for a quiet generator, half the price of Honda and just as good. I use a 3500W one and it runs like a top. Keeps the A/C going all night.

I have a pop up i'd be willing to sell if you're in the market for one. Not sure if you're buying new but i'd imagine I could sell you mine for less than a new one and it's in great condition. Let me know if you're interested & i'll post my email to send you stats and photos. For reference its a 2012 Flagstaff 625D. I'd even consider throwing in the generator with it if you're interested. It's pretty much ready to go camping at a moment's notice (fully stocked).

The deer lease has a communal camper that doesn't get used as much anymore since those guys got a new(er) one to use so I really don't need it.

What about propane heater in winter time? I'm very scared of killing my self and family using a propane heater that is "indoor safe". Looked at Mr. Heaters and they seem like the best portable indoor propane heater. Have any of y'all had a bad experience with them running inside your campers?

Corps_Ag12 said:

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Go get a Predator from Harbor Freight for a quiet generator, half the price of Honda and just as good. I use a 3500W one and it runs like a top. Keeps the A/C going all night.

I have a pop up i'd be willing to sell if you're in the market for one. Not sure if you're buying new but i'd imagine I could sell you mine for less than a new one and it's in great condition. Let me know if you're interested & i'll post my email to send you stats and photos. For reference its a 2012 Flagstaff 625D. I'd even consider throwing in the generator with it if you're interested. It's pretty much ready to go camping at a moment's notice (fully stocked).

The deer lease has a communal camper that doesn't get used as much anymore since those guys got a new(er) one to use so I really don't need it.

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This is me at Harbor Freight

We bought the PowerHorse 3500 inverter from Northern Tool. It is quiet and has push button start. it will run one A/C on our 38.5' 5th wheel.

It is heavy. About 100lbs.

Thanks for all of the responses so far...it is really helpful...and if I sound really ignorant in the questions I'm asking, well it is because I am! but I want to learn.

So if I have a generator is it best to connect my electricity directly too it and run it all night to keep the AC going...or can I just use the generator during the day to charge my battery bank and then run the AC off battery power?

What type/size of battery (or batteries) should I be looking for?

Corps_Ag...I appreciate the offer. We are looking a used camper, but it is older and smaller than what you have. It is an off-road, compact pop up that is relatively inexpensive (which is what I want for my first dive into this stuff).

No problem! I think "figuring it out" is a huge part of the fun with RVing. We learned a ton with our first one and quickly upgraded to a larger truck and trailer so we could go further and stay out longer. We've had our current one for over 3 years and we spend a lot of time with it. There are definitely advantages to staying small and light, especially if you want to boon dock. Highly recommend giving it a try!

To me it seems like running a generator to run your ac unit is the most practical choice. You could do it with a battery/inverter/solar charge setup but that may get pretty big and expensive pretty quick. You could do the numbers on the power draw and convert that all to amp hours to see how many batteries you would need, how big of an inverter, etc. Then, you would also need a pretty significant solar set-up to recharge the batteries if you didn't have a generator. But if you have a generator, then it would make a lot more sense to run your AC unit off of that... I would say most RVers go to the generator solution when they want cooling.

clinte234 said:

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So if I have a generator is it best to connect my electricity directly too it and run it all night to keep the AC going...or can I just use the generator during the day to charge my battery bank and then run the AC off battery power?

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As I stated above, you cannot run the AC off of batteries.

Get a catalytic heater or two. They burn propane but you have to open a window so you don't deplete the oxygen and suffocate.

If the trailer is small, you can tee into a connection on the stove top then use flexible hosing to the heater. They work great.

I used this set up a lot when we had a small 20' bumper pull trailer in NM.

We never had a generator (didn't need it in the summer for AC). Solar panels are super useful. Another poster mentioned batteries, lots of options. I think we had 2 6v batteries wired in series.

I did borrow a small Honda generator for a winter camp, it was amazingly quiet!

Just for &hits and giggles, I did some back of the envelope numbers. I looked up a small 5,000 btu window unit and it looks like it draws 4 amps at 115V. That converts to almost 40 amps at 12 V. You can get a 100 amp hour 12 V deep cycle battery for around $200 on amazon. So, if I did the conversion correctly, a $200 battery when fully charged will get you about 2 hours of run time for that AC unit when you figure in all the efficiency losses.

I think you would spend close to $1,000 on batteries and an inverter to get you 5,000 btus of cooling for 6 hours, which probably isn't enough in a pop up on a Texas summer night. Take it up to $2,000 for a more realistic 10,000 btu cooling capacity solution. Would need to see the tag on the unit on the trailer you're looking at to make these numbers more accurate - I'm just guessing at how big the unit is. I know that our 12,000 btu unit that cools our bedroom in our trailer will barely keep up when its really hot - and that's with some (not much) insulation. Then you would need to add the cost of a charging solution. I think you pretty quickly run past the cost of a really nice generator and that will be a much more simple solution. Assuming this sizing is close, a 2K watt generator is probably about all you need and you can get a nice inverter generator in that size for $500-1,000.

Awesome! That is really helpful. I've had more than one person suggest the 2000 watt predator from Harbor Freight...I just wasn't sure if it was big enough.

clinte234 said:

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Awesome! That is really helpful. I've had more than one person suggest the 2000 watt predator from Harbor Freight...I just wasn't sure if it was big enough.

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3000 watt Predator

Does it need to be an inverter generator or just will just a regular gas generator do the job?

Is this the right board? Your family will have a terrible time unless you have a minimum 35' fifth wheel and king ranch f250 diesel 4x4 and a Honda 7000 watt generator.

I felt obligated since no one else is stepping up on this thread.

I've been expecting this!!

clinte234 said:

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Awesome! That is really helpful. I've had more than one person suggest the 2000 watt predator from Harbor Freight...I just wasn't sure if it was big enough.

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It depends on the size of your AC of course, but you may well find that a 2k watt genset will not be enough. And it not only depends on the size of your AC, but also if it has a hard start capacitor. If your AC does not have the capacitor, then when it kicks on it will for a short time draw much more current than it's stated running draw, and this will cause the genset overdraw protection system to kick in and automatically disconnect.

If your AC does have the capacitor, then a 2k watt genset might run it just fine. But you won't be able to run anything else other than your electronics chargers. This is the reason why a travel trailer/RV will have a 3500 watt or 5000 watt electrical system. If you get a 3500 watt genset, you can run the AC and microwaves, hairdryers, and most importantly for us, an electric spaceheater.

I have the 3000 goal zero I bought on discount. It is awesome but won't run high output electronics for very long.

Bought a National Luna Fridge and it ran for 6 days on the goal zero.

If you are running AC you have to use a generator. My Honda 2000 runs mine, but might be too much to run much else. Starts first pull every time.

I use the goalzero for every day stuff and generator for AC and microwave type electronics.

Edit: didn't mean that emoji. Fat fingers

If you get above 6000 ft you can camp without a noisy generator and A/C.
Two deep cycle batteries and a couple of solar panels will keep you going forever. You'll have to get water.

Quote:

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Go get a Predator from Harbor Freight

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Not buying anything Chinese made, if I can help it.

We're spending the month of July in Colorado this summer. Really looking forward to sleeping with the windows open and needing a jacket in the mornings. We won't be boon docking but it looks like there are lots of opportunities to do that in more primitive parks in CO. Definitely plan to check some out and see if that's a viable option for the next trip.

I totally agree with going bigger on the generator. I think, like a lot of things, go a little bigger than you think you need and you'll probably be ok. You also don't want the generator operating at its limit the majority of the time because that won't be the most efficient. Sounds like you need power primarily for the AC unit so just get the tag info off the unit and see how many watts the unit pulls. Caladan makes a good point regarding the current draw when the unit compressor kicks on. You definitely need more generator capacity than what the AC unit tag says it needs. How much more? Maybe 20-30% more?

The inverter generators are a lot quieter and a lot more fuel efficient, I think. I know my non inverter generator is loud and burns a lot of fuel. I would love to have one of those honda inverter generators but I just don't have a need for one right now.

The Blue Goose said:

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I'm really interested in this topic also. Have been eyeing getting a teardrop trailer for awhile (vs a pop-up). Something like a T@G or Silver Shadow. Came across this forum with a lot of T@G-specific topics but also lots of general small trailer topics as well - https://teardrop-trailers.vanillacommunity.com/discussions

I tent-camp about monthly with my Boy Scout sons but love the idea of just pulling up and being done.

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This is a great site with tons of info on boondocking, battery banks, solar, etc. I have a nuCamp 400 boondock camper with solar panels. I've added a victron battery monitor to be able to watch the battery drain more closely. If you want some good info on boondocking/dry camping, there's lot's to be gleaned from that site.

The Blue Goose said:

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I'm really interested in this topic also. Have been eyeing getting a teardrop trailer for awhile (vs a pop-up). Something like a T@G or Silver Shadow. Came across this forum with a lot of T@G-specific topics but also lots of general small trailer topics as well - https://teardrop-trailers.vanillacommunity.com/discussions

I tent-camp about monthly with my Boy Scout sons but love the idea of just pulling up and being done.

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I took a look at their park closing forum. Either they have more strict moderation or they are 100x more civil over there. Not a single person was called a jack***. Very disappointing!

These replies are continuing to help out my decision making a lot. Thanks again everyone.

Please keep this thread going if there is other stuff us newbies need to know!

I want to do something similar but with a truckbed rack and an overland tent. Like a Tepui tent.

Ragoo said:

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I want to do something similar but with a truckbed rack and an overland tent. Like a Tepui tent.

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I have a Tepui tent. I love it. Trailer builds are perfect for those tents. Cant really use in in Texas summers with out A/C, but I have spent several months in Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming.

https://instagr.am/p/BVnwAWpnLta

Buy a generic rv repair book and keep in your unit. Keep a small toolbox with various hand tools in the coach. Have a hammer, finish nails, screws and wood glue. Have some gloves handy for dumping black and grey tanks.

Learn how to winterize your trailer before the next freeze! Learn about the various low point drains and install a hot water bypass kit. You can use trailer antifreeze or compressed air.

Use extra straps for an awning! Astroturf to spread in front of the trailer is helpful (keeps trailer clean). Keep a broom and dustpan handy.

I line Having dedicated camping clothes. Makes getting ready a breeze. A small trailer to shuttle food, supplies Etc between house and trailer is helpful.


Are you lucky enough to keep the trailer at the house?

Nice set up

Just followed you

All good tips...thanks! Yes, the pop up is small enough that we will be able to keep it in our garage.