Haven't gone boondocking but want to. I don't have alot of knowledge about electricity. When not connected to shore power the only thing that works is a few of the lights. None of the plugs work. I need a plug for my cpap at night. Solution options?
My CPAP plugs into a wall transformer. That transformer puts out 12 VDC. Therefore, I installed a cigarette lighter plug near my bed, bought a standard 12 VDC power plug (the round end is standard for 12 VDC from what I've found) and all I do is plug it into the lighter jack. Easy and much cheaper than buying an inverter...Haven't gone boondocking but want to. I don't have alot of knowledge about electricity. When not connected to shore power the only thing that works is a few of the lights. None of the plugs work. I need a plug for my cpap at night. Solution options?
We did a water & electric for a week. I put a water meter on the inlet to see how much we used - 42 gal (have 60 gal fresh tank). Then at another site we turned off the converter for 2 days (after installing a “smart shunt”) to see what our 12v usage was.A good way to gain confidence is to go to a full hookup site but don't connect to the utilities. Bingo, you're boondocking! Go about your normal activities and when you run out of water or the batteries run down or the waste tanks fill up you can connect and replenish. Then figure out what you need to make whatever ran out first last longer.
If you're in the Southwest come to our Quartzsite rally. It's a week long boondocking experience with lots of friendly people to guide you.
Quartzsite Rally 2022 Info
It CAN be but it doesn't HAVE to be. We boondock on occasion, but not often. A bit more frequently we have electric only. The main thing is, once you have enough battery to last overnight, is to learn to conserve and to get an idea of how long you can go without external power, without external water, and or/without having sewage outlet handy. Then you'll have an idea of how much more, if any more, you'll need of each of the three.Boondocking is really a lifestyle.