Tips for Camping Without Hookups

One of the cool aspects of owning an RV is the ability to be totally self sufficient wherever you are. Providing your RV systems are fully functional, you can generate power, take showers, go to the bathroom and sleep comfortably anywhere you can find a flat spot to park. Many RVers, and I'm no exception, typically hop from RV park to RV park for the added comfort of full hook-ups. However, there are times when living a few days without power, water and sewer hook-ups is not only necessary, but can be fun.

In fact, on our 20th anniversary, we spent the night boondocking at a Walmart in our RV? We had just set out on a two week trip with the kids to visit all of the water parks we could find between Seattle and Denver. It was a fun night and our most memorable trip so far. Sure, a nice RV park would have been better that night, but there weren't any around.

Taking a break from the amenities of your favorite RV park may seem undesirable, but it is refreshing to occasionally break from all of the electronic stimuli and simply pay attention to each other and the enjoy the wonderful outdoors. Plus it's cheap! If there is a fee, then it's probably minimal. Just think of all the beautiful destinations out there that don't have an RV park nearby. Not to mention tail gating at sporting events, NASCAR races, NHRA drag races, kids soccer tournaments, skiing, and what ever else you can think of. If you've done this, then you have probably turned to your significant other and said "isn't it great to have an RV right now?"

This summer we spent five days boondocking (a.k.a. dry camping) on the Washington coast with a small group of other RVers. It was our annual trip with family and friends to relax by the ocean, eat, drink a few, play and enjoy each other's company. Aside from an occasional night in a Walmart parking lot or power outage at home, this is usually the only opportunity we get to live off of the RV grid for more than a day. I look forward to this outing each year. Aside from the relaxation and laughs, it is a great chance to test out my RVing skills and see how well I know my rig.

Life without hook-ups

With two adults and three teenagers in our coach, it's essential to conserve as much as possible. After you've done it a few times, you get a sense of how long you can go without having to dump your tanks and refill your water. Until then, it's helpful to locate the nearest dump station and fresh water source in case your tanks fill up or you run out of fresh water. From the start, I emphasized water conservation. Water would be our prime resource and, on this trip, everyone did there part to use only what they needed. Once depleted, there would be no washing dishes or, even worse, flushing. Conveniently, there was a pool and shower nearby, so we took daily showers in our swim trunks to keep clean. This helped prolong our water supply. 

Keeping the batteries charged was not really a problem. But we do try to minimize the use of non-essential electronic appliances. When dry camping my son calls me the "Power Nazzi", because I'm always saying "turn off the light". I have a lot of battery powered LED lights mounted around for when we're not hooked up to power. I would like to replace all of our incandescent light fixtures with LEDs but I'm just not there yet.

Each morning we run the generator the make coffee and charge up the batteries. We typically run the generator later in the day, usually to microwave something. That is sufficient to keep the batteries charged enough to run the gas furnace at night (as needed) and power the rig throughout the day. I have have two house batteries and a portable solar panel that I place on my roof for a little trickle charge. Of course, this requires sun, which was not abundant on this trip. Nevertheless, the thought of trying to get free power from the sun excites me for some reason and I can't stop tinkering with my little solar panel. I would love be able to generate enough solar power to power the rig, but it's just not practical here in Western Washington. 

How I prepare for a boondocking trip

Before heading out to live without hook-ups it is very important to check that all systems are functioning properly in your rig. Pay specific attention to your generator and LP gas systems (stove, oven, refrigerator, water heater, and furnace). I run my generator once or twice a month with a load on in to make sure it's working properly. I also change the generator oil at least once a year. My water heater runs either on gas or electricity, but I usually run it in electric mode. Since I usually stay at RV parks, I don't use the LP gas mode as much. Before each trip, however, I'm sure to test each appliance in both LP gas and electric mode. That way I know that it will work when I need it. Before I leave, I make sure my LP gas tank and water tanks are full. Then I make sure both sewer tanks are empty.

Finally, I test my house batteries and add distilled water as needed. After that, I'm ready to pack up and go. Before you reach your camp, be sure you have an ample supply of gas in your tank. My generator will shut off if the gas tank reaches 1/4 full. This is not something you want to find out the hard way, so I make sure I have plenty of gas to power my generator before I pull in.

Well that's it for now. So consider being more adventurous and find a location off-the-grid. You'll pay less money and might just have a great time.

Here are some useful sites to help prepare you for your next boondocking adventure:

What to check before leaving on an RV trip
Onan generator maintenance tips
Where to buy high quality RV solar panels
Where to buy low power LED replacement bulbs
Find the nearest RV dump station
Find an overnight (not camping) parking spot while on the road

Happy RVing!

  

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