At this point you need to figure out how your going to live with out “hook-ups”? You know power, water, sewer. For some people in an RV, this is a real deal breaker. The more experienced campers probably grew up camping with out all the “amenities” but some have not and some have forgot. The RV will most likely have self-contained systems – water, sewer, and batteries for power. The real trick is making it all last long enough to enjoy your time out in the “un-connected” world. Many RVer’s that do a lot of Boondocking have additional items installed – like extra batteries, a good inverter that changes the DC voltage of the batteries to AC to run some of those fancy appliances that they think they really have to have (coffee and toasters), Extra water jugs for drinking and some for “toting” and a “blueboy” disposal tank to haul off some of that extra “wet waste” – YUK.
Many and most of the bigger units have generators for making electric and re-charging the batteries but you can’t just run that all the time – it can get expensive and as in the previous writing, will be a real noise problem to run all the time, even if you can afford the fuel. So to compensate, many RV-ers have put in Solar collectors to keep the batteries charged during the day so they will hold up at night with minimal running of the generator. I do not have a working solar collector. My RV has one but I do not think it works properly so at some point, I may be adding that to my upgrade list if we find we are staying “un-connected” enough to make it pay out. I found this article about “Camp without Hookups” and it had some links of use in it but again, a good Google search will find thousands more. – WD0AJG
Advanced RV Camping
Once you find that terrific RV boondocking site, it’s time to settle in and enjoy the area. Conserving your resources is the key to enjoyable boondocking. Leave no trace camping principles should be your guide to help protect our RV camping resources for future generations. Boondocking offers the RVer the most options for outdoor recreation, but the responsibility of good stewardship towards the land is in your hands. You wouldn’t want to find a great RV boondocking site that has trash and human and pet waste all over the area, and you shouldn’t leave your site that way either. Always leave your RV camping site better than you found it.
Here are a few tips to extend your resources:
- Battery charge can be extended by turning off your furnace/heater at night and adding a blanket or two on the bed. Turn off lights when not needed. Minimize use of TV and other electrical appliances. Florescent lights use less energy. Solar panels and an inverter can set you free…electrically.
- Generators are popular for extending RV camping trips too, but try and limit their usage to battery charging so as not to bother nearby campers.
- Generators are popular for extending RV camping trips too, but try and limit their usage to battery charging so as not to bother nearby campers.
- Extend your RV propane supply by turning off your water heater and only use it when needed. Adding that extra blanket to your bed will save propane too. Put on a sweater or jacket instead of turning up the heat.
- Water…It seems you can never have enough. Carry extra water containers if you can. Take very short "military" showers. Wash dishes once a day after wiping dirty dishes off with paper towels. Wash dishes in a dishpan. Use disposable dishes, cups, and eating utensils. An electric transfer pump can move water from containers into your RVs fresh tank easily. Using an old milk jug filled with water for flushing is much more water efficient than letting your RVs toilet do the job.
- Bears poop in the woods, and you can too. As long as you are well away from water, digging a "cathole" is perfectly acceptable, and part of the Leave No Trace camping principles mentioned above.
- Your dirty dish water can be dispersed as long as you are well away from water sources. Don’t dump it in the same place all the time as flys will become a problem. Some folks use their dish water for flushing purposes.
Boondocking locations can be found on the Internet on RV forums and newsgroups. Local chamber of commerce offices and visitor centers are good places to inquire at too. Talking to other RVers is one of the best ways to find new places, but be aware that many people don’t want to share their favorite RV camping and boondocking sites. Finding great RV camping and boondocking sites can be a bit of work, but with some research and exploration, you should find exactly what you are looking for.