longest boondock with unmodifed scamp?

[offroad]

What is the longest boondock folks are able to do with a modified or unmodified scamp (or similar size) RV?

How long can you stay off street power, and within tank refresh?

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by offroad

What is the longest boondock folks are able to do with a modified or unmodified scamp (or similar size) RV?

How long can you stay off street power, and within tank refresh?

Running out of power from the battery, in cold weather 3 or 4 days.
Running out of propane, in cold weather 3 or 4 days in warm weather 30+ days.
Running out of water, 7 to 10 days, depending how you use the water. With a toilet it's much much sooner.
Running out of food, I can carry enough for at least 2 weeks.

With a solar panel to keep the battery charged, being able to add water to the tank, replenishing the pantry, and refilling the propane tank. You can be out with trips into town for ever.

[David B.]

Kevin, we have a 13' Scamp that has a the largest battery that I could fit into the battery tray, a 100 watt solar panel, a 12 volt only "dan-foss" style refrigerator, 75 watt power INverter, all LED lights....so water is our limiting factor. Our drinking water is a separate 6 gallon jug. We refill jugs whenever we leave camp. Our port-a-potty needs emptying after 3-4 days, but it is easily disposed of when we go for water, and the same for our 6 gallon grey water jug. So if water were available, we could filter it prior to filling our jugs, and use a pit toilet to extend our stay off the grid to whenever the food runs out. We use very little propane, as we tend not to heat the trailer (boiling water for coffee warms it up in about 1 min.) so we can go a couple months on one standard "patio grill" style bottle.

[Jon Vermilye]

I'v made it 14 days parked solo with an Escape 17B camped in the Leadville, CO area (10,000 feet & 35 degree mornings). Did have a vault toilet available for half the time. Solar took care of the power end of things - I was also very frugal with water.

[offroad]

Okay so 3-4 days because of toilet mostly. If you can use external toilet, you can go two weeks.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by offroad

Okay so 3-4 days because of toilet mostly. If you can use external toilet, you can go two weeks.

The 3-4 days would also commonly be your battery limit not just your toilet limit - unless you are using LED lights in the trailer &/or have a solar panel to recharge it or dont use any lights and use head lamps only.

Going 2 weeks on a tank of fresh water is also do able assuming your *Very Very* careful with water use and dont take much of or any showers.

Going 2 weeks in warm weather on a 20lb tank of propane is also more than than do able - mine lasts a number of weeks in warm weather but in cold weather if using the furnace frequently I would not get two weeks out of a 20lb tank. Thats assuming I am running the fridge on propane as well.

Having a portable tote to drain off the toilet tank or grey water will also increase your stay time re the toilet holding tank limits.

Having a portable tote and solar panel are two items that I have found give me a great deal more flexibility as to how long I can stay off the grid.

[offroad]

Had read that there is a remote tank system you can get for a truck, that will pump between the camper, and the tank, and thus extend your limits.

has anyone seen this is use?

[David Tilston]

A composting toilet is the best for boondocking.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by offroad

What is the longest boondock folks are able to do with a modified or unmodified scamp (or similar size) RV?

How does FOREVER sound? No one says you have to use ANY of the systems. You CAN consider it as a hardsided tent. Back in my tenting days, I went a very long time without water or lights inside my tent, I could do the same with my trailer if I was to choose too. YMMV Someone else's needs may not equal your own.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

How does FOREVER sound? No one says you have to use ANY of the systems. .

So right Donna but I took it and I suspect others did that it was a trick question in so far as we werent allowed to go and get water elsewhere. Could be wrong though!

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Carol H

The 3-4 days would also commonly be your battery limit not just your toilet limit - unless you are using LED lights in the trailer &/or have a solar panel to recharge it or dont use any lights and use head lamps only.

Going 2 weeks on a tank of fresh water is also do able assuming your *Very Very* careful with water use and dont take much of or any showers.

Going 2 weeks in warm weather on a 20lb tank of propane is also more than than do able - mine lasts a number of weeks in warm weather but in cold weather if using the furnace frequently I would not get two weeks out of a 20lb tank. Thats assuming I am running the fridge on propane as well.

Having a portable tote to drain off the toilet tank or grey water will also increase your stay time re the toilet holding tank limits.

Having a portable tote and solar panel are two items that I have found give me a great deal more flexibility as to how long I can stay off the grid.

You can do a lot of things with a few tricks. 1. Use hand sanitizers rather than soap and water. 2. Use a product called "Fresh Bath" to wash your body with. 3. Cook carefully so you don't have real dirty pots and pans. Most meals can done with a single pot. Breakfasts can be done with just hot water and instant oatmeal. Lunches = finger food. Dinner=one pot, easy to clean up meal.

Most of the water is used for drinking which is supplemented with purchased bottled water and coffee.

Battery usage in the summer is very small. It stays light late, and get's light early. Go to bed with the sun and rise with the sun if you run that little amount of sleep.
The biggest battery usage is the furnace fan, furnace no need battery lasts a long time. You can, of course, extend that with LED lights. Recharge goodies from the tow. It only takes a couple minutes to fully recharge it's battery. The only time I missed on the battery was at Big Bend TX when the temps dropped to 5°F for few days. Then Propane and battery were only good for about 4 days max.

Read about how backpackers manage for months on the PCT. Yes they replenish, but can be up to 10 days. My little tricks and methods aren't the only ones. If a person wants to go for long periods of time there are ways.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Read about how backpackers manage for months on the PCT. Yes they replenish, but can be up to 10 days. My little tricks and methods aren't the only ones. If a person wants to go for long periods of time there are ways.

I have done a number of kayaking trips for two weeks at a time with only what will fit in the kayak and bringing along all the fresh water needed for that amount of time as well due to camping on salt water & no were to get fresh water. Yup if careful and with planning it is very doable.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Carol H

I have done a number of kayaking trips for two weeks at a time with only what will fit in the kayak and bringing along all the fresh water needed for that amount of time as well due to camping on salt water & no were to get fresh water. Yup if careful and with planning it is very doable.

I guess I'm a little weird. A lot of the enjoyment I got out of backpacking and now the trailer is to do more with less. Every time I could put something in place that would enhance and at the same time reduce weight of my pack I was happy. I never stopped trying. My last pack weighed 43 lbs and I still have everything I needed.
I enjoy doing the same thing with trailer camping. I guess that's part of the reason you won't find me in RV parks. But as I often say, it's not for everybody.

[glennco]

My opinion on this should be taken lightly since I'm a serious newb, but here are my thoughts

Power: We went 3 days with temps dropping into the lower 30s at night before I got worried and hooked up the tug to recharge the battery some. I had no idea what the state of the battery was. I really believe a battery monitor is a necessity for those of us camping off grid. Solar would definitely be awesome, but it's shady enough where we camp that I'm a bit concerned that it won't generate the necessary wattage to recharge.

Water: we have a 9 mo old, washed bottles every day, took 4 baths/showers total, used the toilet for #1 overnight, and used about 15 gal of water over 4 days. Drinking water came from the camper as well. I think that to track water usage in the future we need to start with a full tank, run it basically dry then start again. This way you can judge how full your grey/black water tanks are.

Propane: After we purchased our scamp and had the furnace installed, I ran a calculation of how long a tank of propane would last. I can't remember the exact number, but I believe that a 20 lb tank of propane would last somewhere around 38 hrs if he furnace ran straight through that time. Over the course of 4 days with temps in the low 30s overnight, and up into the 60s during the day, we used around 5 lbs of propane.

Just some thoughts from a rookie

[Sandy Christie]

We just came back from Seawall CG in Acadia (no hook-ups). We were there for 7 days and it rained for 4 of those days. Night time temperatures in the high 30's and low 40's. Fridge was on propane, we used the furnace on the wet nights just long enough to get rid of the dampness, about 10 to 15 min. Lights are led and used for a hour or 2 each night. We had no shortage of power and could have stayed longer. Water was not a concern as it was everywhere and the campground had drinking water at various locations and toilets as well.

Sandy C

[Jared J]

One thing to ask is what everybody's setup is. I haven't tried on mine, but I'm sure I could go a long time. I have 60 gallons of propane, 40 of freshwater, and 38 grey. My current holdup would be the battery. I'll be going dual battery with solar eventually.