During our many snowbird winters, we have found ourselves exploring the US SouthWest desert area. We’ve discovered there are many beautiful and free or very cheap places to dry camp (AKA Boondock). We love the awesome scenery, wide-open spaces, and have each year embraced boondocking more and more.
Here is an archive of all my boondocking related articles with many containing video clips. Some are howtos, tips and tricks, and reviews. Others are detailing the many gorgeous camp spots we have enjoyed.
Our Boat’s Off Grid Power System as of Sept 2023 – Complete Look
When we bought our CHB trawler “Vestri” in June 2023, its off-grid power system was relatively limited. It consisted of two 100W solar panels, a 15 amp solar charger, and…
Yuma CIGS 200W Flexible Solar Panel Install & Test
A look at a new CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium Selenide) 360-degree flexible thin-filmed solar panel from BougeRV. The panel features new technology that allows it to be rolled up! Being…
Inverter/Charger Installation – Xantrex FREEDOM XC PRO 2000W
I install a new 2000W Xantrex inverter/charger in this video into our 1976 CHB trawler boat. The new inverter replaces a 13-year-old 1800W Xantrex that has seen better days. It…
Aolithium Power Kit – First Look and Some Quick Tests
In this video, I look at an upcoming product from Aolithium. The Aolithum Power Kit is an inverter/charger box that can hook up to 8 Aolithium 12V batteries. It can…
DIY Truck Tool Box Off Grid Power System
In this video, I show you my roughed-in version of a project I’ve been puttering around with lately. I’m utilizing various spare off-grid electronic components and batteries to build a…
Reviewing the Blu Tech R3 Three Stage Water Filter System w/Off-Grid Filter
About five years ago, I reviewed a dual cylinder water filtration system from Clearsource. Then two years ago, I checked out the three-cylinder system with the extra virus guard filter….
Early Spring Visit to Cathedral Gorge State Park in Nevada
We recently had the pleasure of visiting Cathedral Gorge State Park in southeastern Nevada, and it was an unforgettable experience. We were struck by the park’s stunning natural beauty as…
Junctek KH140F Battery Monitor Demo & Review
In this video, I demo and give my take on a new battery monitor series KH-F from Junctek. My main interest in the latest version is the low-temperature protection functionality….
Lvgoo LV12V130 Lithium Battery Disassembly & Review
I’m reviewing an interesting lithium battery from a company called Lvgoo. Unlike many 128V 100 amp hours, this one (model LV12V130) is 130 amp hours. The construction is also a…
TOPDON 30000 Lithium/LA Battery Charger Review
The Tornado 30000 charger charges 6/12/24 volt led acid and lithium batteries. It also includes 12V and 24V constant power supply modes. It’s an intelligent charger with nine stages and…
2022-23 RV Snowbird Trip March Update – Death Valley Area
March update video for our 2022/23 Snowbird trip. If you haven’t caught up on our previous videos, check them out. So, when we last talked, we had just arrived at…
BougeRV Lithium Battery Review – Self-Heating 100Ah LiFEPO4
In this video, I review a self-heating 100 amp-hour lithium battery from BougeRV. Over the years, I reviewed several products from BougeRV and found them to be a pretty good…
Installing a SRNE 50 amp DC-DC Charger MPPT Solar Controller Combo
This video looks at a new battery charging product offering from SRNE model MD1250N05. It’s a two-in-one DC-DC Charger plus MPPT solar controller putting out 50 amps of battery charge…
ActiveStart Soft Starter & RV Surge Protector Review
Last month a relatively new company Active Controls LLC contacted me to enquire if I’d be willing to test out and review one of their products called the ActiveStart. The…
How to Find RV Boondocking Campsites in the US Southwest
One of the most common questions I get online is “How do you find those gorgeous southwest desert boondocking locations you visit?” I wish there were a simple answer, but…
1 Year Update – EcoFlow Delta MAX Power Station & 400W Folding Solar Panel
In this video, I’m back with a long-term update on the EcoFlow Delta MAX portable lithium power station and its 400W optional folding solar panel. I’ve had the system for…
2022-23 RV Snowbird Trip – December Update
Video showing where we camped in December 2022 with information about each place. Our travels continue deeper into the southwest desert, from the Dove Springs OHV area to Mojave, the…
SimPure Countertop RO + UV Water Filter/Purifier Review
The SimPure Y7P is a countertop water filter purifying system utilizing reverse-osmosis and UV to make good-tasting safe water for drinking and cooking. In this video, I go over the…
Chins 200Ah Battery + ALFFAA 1500W – Testing and Teardowns
In this video, I test, teardown, and review a pair of economically priced off-grid power products sold through Amazon. A 200Ah LiFePO battery from Chins and a 1500W pure sine…
Demos & Review – Ampere Time 12V 200Ah (Self-Heating) Lithium Battery
In this video, I review an Ampere Time 200Ah 12V lithium battery with self-heating capability. Low temperature charging down to -4F/-18C. I also test out one of their 20-amp lithium…
RV Water Pump Check Valve Function and Replacement How-to – Shurflo 4008
In this video, I disassemble a Shurflo 4008 water pump to show where the check valve is located and how to replace it if damaged. The primary function of the…
New Test Gadget – Koolertron Battery Monitor w/400AMP Shunt & Bluetooth App
A quick look at an inexpensive new test gadget I purchased to help me review RV battery and power systems. The Koolertron (aka Junctek) battery monitor has a 400 amp…
DFUN Lithium Battery Review – Sub $500 Model (12.8V 100 Amp Hour)
Update Jan 2023. Its come to my attention that DFUN is on longer selling this battery The DFUN battery rep has been after me to review their LiFEPO4 battery for…
Bluetti AC200MAX Portable RV LiFEPO4 Power Station Review
Last summer, I extensively reviewed a portable lithium power station from a company called Bluetti. The model AC200P boasted impressive power with a 2048-watt-hour LiFePO4 battery pack and a 2000W pure…
Aolithium 100Ah LiFEPO4 Battery Demo & Review – *Updated* New Model
In this video, I demo and review a 100 amp-hour 12V lithium battery from Aolithium. The battery looks well made and utilizes quality components like grade “A” CALB brand lithium…
Testing & Install of 3000W Power Inverter + 30A Auto Transfer Switch
I needed a high-wattage inverter to help with my lithium battery reviews, but I didn’t want to spend too much money. The Motomaster Eliminator 3000W looked to fill the bill….
Reviewing the BougeRV 40A MPPT Solar Controller w/Bluetooth App
In the last couple of years, I’ve tested and reviewed several items from a company called BougeRV. There was a portable 50L AC/DC fridge freezer, 170 & 180W solar panels,…
WFCO Auto Detect (Lithium or Lead Acid) Converter Charger Review
Recently WFCO Electronics contacted me and asked if I’d like to test and review a new product they are releasing. It’s a power converter charger that can auto-detect whether the…
RELiBATT Lithium Battery Review (Self Heating for Low Temp Charging)
In this video, I demo and review a 12V 100AH self-heating lithium battery from RELiBATT (Model RE12-100BL). I was interested in testing out a lithium RV battery with low-temperature charging…
3 Free Overnight RV Parking Spots off I84 Northern Oregon
In this video, I detail three free RV overnight parking spots we used to save on camping fees as we headed west on Interstate 84 in northern Oregon. A casino,…