Winter off-grid living!

[alaskacreeker]

Hey everyone!

I'm interested in hearing people's experiences, advice, and tips on winter living completely off-grid in their camper, particularly in cold climates.
I'm attempting to off-grid full-time in my daily drivin' camper in Alaska, and I've got a bit of my story & advice on my website located below my signature.  I'd love to see a long list of posts on how people go about living out the winter in their RVs.  Hopefully I can learn more!

 

[Kim (skyking4ar2) Bertram]

Timmy,

Welcome to the Forum! most of us can only live vicariously through your adventures!

I am extremely impressed with your camper and the amenities you have added. Well thought out and extremely well done. I am impressed you can marry your work life to your fun life so well. Kudos!

I look forward to your blog...your ability to manage in such an efficient way is a lesson to us all about what can be accomplished in this lifestyle with a little thought and preparation.

Wintering off-grid in Alaska is definitely not my first choice, but I will enjoy watching you do it!  8)

Glad you're here with us! You have a great sense of adventure I hope we all share.

Kim

 

[alaskacreeker]

Thanks for the compliments Sue! It's tiny, but it's a cozy little home.  I'll drive a mile for you today;^)

 

[DearMissMermaid]

Looks like a plan!  Nice blog!  STAY WARM!

 

[Derby6]

Tim,
How's it working out?  No insulating snow and temps have been crazy cold here--Can't help but wonder how things are working.
Last Blog post was almost a month ago. ;D

 

[Jammer]

I have friends with off-grid houses.

In general, in the northern latitudes, the low solar angle and short days combine to make solar impractical even on cloudless days.  In December, here, a PV array will maybe produce 1/3 the Ah output it will in June, with no clouds.  And we often have extended periods of cloudy weather.

So you have to take conservation to new heights or have alternate sources of electric power.  I have a furnace in my truck camper that doesn't require a fan, which helps with the conservation side of things, but instead of PVs I recharge from the alternator in the truck.  Works fine as long as I move around every day.  Takes a lot of propane though.

I leave my RVs parked until April for the most part.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Totally agree with Jammer I'm the same way with solar panels on the stick house and its really tough to make any kind of solar power when the sun comes up so late and then sets so quick.

 

[denmarc]

I was curious where in Alaska Alaskacreeker was doing his camping at.  We were in Alaska for a couple of weeks a little over two years ago.  The most gorgeous country I have ever seen.  Just beautiful.  Mt. Everest, Denali, Fairbanks, Dawson Creek, Glacier Bay, etc...
Can't wait to go back.

As far as Winter camping, solar is not really an option for me.  No sun to speak of during the Winter in MI.  Propane/wood and genny is the only dependable power/heat source for off grid camping.  Like Jammer, I have a gravity type propane heater out of an old Hi-Lo camper I am trying to think of a way of incorporating into my Jayco without too much alteration to the interior.  I use my TT well into December.  Matter of fact, I might be closing it up the weekend of the 22nd for the Winter.  Another season almost done.  DAMN IT!    :'(

 

[Derby6]

I'd say he's in Anchorage--That's what I got from his Blog anyway....

Solar panels are well worth it here in the summer months when there is 20+ hours of daylight.  As long as he can keep the snow off of them, I think you might be surprised of their winter value as well.  Espicially if he hac park where they are angled into the sun.  I have left my batteries in my rig years past and as long as I kept cleaning the snow off the panels, they kept my batteries up.

Keeping the snow off has been easy so far this year...I think that may change this weekend.....Finally I can fire up the ol snow machine! ;D

 

[Conquest aka Robert]

Your idea is AWESOME!!! I am Wandering about the thermal power source from the video. How many amps does it make at the 500 degrees from the video. That is the best of all worlds heat and electric all at the same time.

 

[44LLM]

My husband and I live in Oshawa Canada (just east of Toronto in Ontario). We just bought our first rv in 2011--a 1999 Winnebago Adventurer. We love your stories as we hope to go to Alaska in a few years and wish when we put our rv away for the winter that we could use it year round without having to go south to enjoy our home away from home. Keep the stories coming. Would love to see some pics of you and your rv and the wonderful places you park with amazing scenery.  Alice & Dale