1st big boondocking trip.

[Bill&Deb]

Planning our first big trip to Arizona this winter. Trying to figure out what we'll need. Looking for tips on generators, blueboy capacity, 20 amp solar use...etc. any tips would be appreciated.

[mike837go]

Two words: "Learning Curve" and its a big one!


Only you can determine what is correct for your crew's and RV's needs.


SWMBO and use very little electricity (a 1KW genset @ 45 mins/day is too much)
Lots of propane (cooking, refrigeration and heat)
Totally screw up on food (I buy enough to feed us. Then we go out or over to friends).


Water 20/20/5 was too small. 50/50/20 is too much.


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Whether you need A/C or not will determine the amount of genset you'll need. Do the kids have an electronics addiction?
Will you be running the heater at all? Them things use LOTS of propane very quickly.
How well trained is the crew at 'navy showers'? How many can wash themselves in less than a gallon of water?
How close (hours/days) are you to fresh water and/or dump station?
You are gong to have to determine how often you need to take on fresh water and dump waste water based on your crew's needs.


Several short trips locally to get a feel for your needs. Then we can help size up equipment. Anything short of that is guesswork and wasted money.

[abarkl]

Where will you stay when you get here?; boondocking, RV park, campground, family member's home, will help determine utility hookups, conveniences, accessibility and so on.

[Mustang65]

You will need on of these to monitor your battery... when it displays 12.0 Volts, it is time to turn everything that runs on 12VDC "OFF". Plug it into your 12VDC Accessory outlet inside the TT. Batteries can get very expensive to replace on a regular basis.

What is the Ah rating on your battery(s). !2volt battery or 2 6 volt batteries in series?

Don

[Bill&Deb]

We've been taking short mon/Thursday trips within a 25 mile radius. Planning a two week trip South Dakota fishing trip. About 1000 miles round trip.

[Bill&Deb]

We're also relatively familiar with where we're headed: down by the Yuma proving grounds. Already know the distance and location of the dump sit, showers/ facilities. Choosing the boondock option lol. Access to facilities, no services. Being retired military we can use the base facilities for odds and ends.

[Bill&Deb]

Down by the Yuma proving grounds. Familiar with the area. In laws used to winter over there. Got us interested.

[SmokerBill]

Originally Posted by Bill&Deb

We're also relatively familiar with where we're headed: down by the Yuma proving grounds. Already know the distance and location of the dump sit, showers/ facilities. Choosing the boondock option lol. Access to facilities, no services. Being retired military we can use the base facilities for odds and ends.

I've passed by that area, I believe, on the way to the Imperial Dam LTVA camping area.

I suggest getting a waste tote that can handle most, if not all of the liquid from either the gray or black tank. I have 32 gallon gray/black tanks and have a 30 gallon tote. Think about how you will refill your fresh water tanks on the trailer. Some use expandable bladders that could fill your tank in one trip. I use four 6 gallon water jugs, and make a few trips when it's time to top off the tanks.

If you're using your batteries much at all, get at least a 2000kw generator, and if you need to use your air conditioner, you'll need a larger unit than that. I typically run my generator 4 hours more or less a day for just using lights, television (using a small 800 watt inverter), and charging computer/phones. If you don't get your batteries close to a full charge daily, their life will be drastically reduced.

Instead of investing in a generator, consider going with solar panels. You'll get plenty of sun down there to handle most anything, except air conditioning-unless you get lots of panels and many batteries. Lots of solar related threads here that would help you figure out what you need in that department.

Learn to strictly conserve your water, both the use of fresh and the way you manage your waste water. Doing that will help cut back on the number of trips you take both refilling fresh and dumping waste. I've boondocked the Quartzsite LTVA a few seasons, plus spent a little time at Imperial Dam.

[Seann45]

Be aware cell phone coverage in that are is iffy at best.. I have looked at it several times but lack of signal has kept me out of there..

[PlayersZ28]

I spent some time north of there last winter. There's a dump station in Quartzsite. Depending on how long you are going to be down there you could look into the LaPosa LTVA just south of Quartzsite, it has onsite dump station & water. We were @ Hi Jolly for a week then back in the area later in the winter for a week @ Plomosa. Not much of anything down in the Yuma PG area.

Lots of good boondocking in the Quartzsite area. Last winter I ran with 4x 6v & 1kw gen. This winter I plan to have it supplemented with ~300w of solar. Our stay limit is the black tank, usually for 2 of us it's 10-12days. We'll be back thru there again this winter.

[Seann45]

Blueboy.. get one that is larger than your blackwater tank.. nothing worse than overfilling a BB.

[dewey02]

Originally Posted by Seann45

Blueboy.. get one that is larger than your blackwater tank.. nothing worse than overfilling a BB.

When I think of BlueBoy, I think of Big John Cannon's son from the High Chaparral. Getting one that is larger would require you to head over to the Ponderosa and get Ben Cartwright's son, Hoss.

[Bobx2]

Originally Posted by Seann45

Be aware cell phone coverage in that are is iffy at best.. I have looked at it several times but lack of signal has kept me out of there..

Isn't that the whole point in getting out? If people would just learn to shut off their phones, and actually disconnect for a while, they would figure out that the world keeps on spinning, the sun keeps coming up and life goes on without them. Nobody needs to be online 24/7. I was 35-40 years old before I got my first cell phone. I shut it off every night and most weekends. It's never on when camping. It truly isn't a required for survival.

[Loboclone]

Our method is Boondock only:
45 gal Blue boy
45 gal Expandable water bladder
6-6 gal blue water jugs
Oreion Sand Reeper to pull the above
Sesimic 4212 Has:
145 gal fresh water tanks
2-45 gal black
2-45 gal Grey
5500 watt genie
480 watts Solar
6-12 volt AGMs

We Boondock before plugging in anytime

[Seann45]

Originally Posted by Bobx2

Isn't that the whole point in getting out? If people would just learn to shut off their phones, and actually disconnect for a while, they would figure out that the world keeps on spinning, the sun keeps coming up and life goes on without them. Nobody needs to be online 24/7. I was 35-40 years old before I got my first cell phone. I shut it off every night and most weekends. It's never on when camping. It truly isn't a required for survival.

I use it for my internet connection to pay bills and check on the house. I don't really care for coffee shop hotspots most are very insecure..

[Bill&Deb]

Just finished mounting a second 12 volt battery/w box. Going to wire them parallel for extra capacity.

[SecretCoveDave]

Is this the right place to ask if anyone else bought a 2017 Jayflight 212 Baja?

Thanks, Dave.

[wags999]

Know that Phoenix, hit 100 today...Yuma I would expect to be a tad warmer. Depending on when your coming down, you may want AC...Are you planning on an extended stay or ?

[Bill&Deb]

We're planning on hanging north until around the end of November then heading for the Yuma area for the winter.

[Mustang65]

Originally Posted by Bill&Deb

Just finished mounting a second 12 volt battery/w box. Going to wire them parallel for extra capacity.

Not sure as to how you wired them in parallel... but here is the correct way to wire them to better control the charging and discharging of the 2 batteries. Ignore the battery cutoff switch if you are not installing one.

Don