These are posts that are related to dry camping AKA Boondocking
Over the last 11 years of full-time RVing, our off-grid power system has evolved and changed quite often. Early on, I slowly increased our power input and output options and storage capacity as I could afford it. Then as my LYRV YouTube channel grew, I was offered product samples for review by various companies. Many … Read more
In this video, I update y’all on where we have been camping for the last few months during this season’s RV snowbird adventures. We have been mainly boondocking on free Bureau of Land Management Lands and 10 dollars a night dry camping in the Salton Sea State Recreation Area. I provided an overview of each … Read more
As we passed through the Mojave desert backcountry, we needed a place to stop over for a day or two. I had read that RV overnight parking might be allowed in the parking lot of Amboy Crater, a National Natural Landmark. We visited the site in early February 2022 and were pleasantly surprised by the … Read more
In this video, I try out my new Camco Rhino 36 gallon Tote Tank for the very first time. I will let you know why I bought it, how I will use it and what features I found noteworthy. Large Wheels with Bearings Side Mounted Gate Valve Tank Rinse Port 3/4 inch Fill Port on … Read more
In this video, I take advantage of previously run 12VDC wiring to install a 12VDC power panel near the back of our Keystone fifth-wheel trailer. I recently replaced an old water pump and decided to go with a larger, more powerful model, so I had installed a high amperage DC power feed. The new water … Read more
In this video, I install a Hiboost Travel 4G 2.0 OTW Signal Booster Kit onto my fifth-wheel trailer. The kit contains a 50 dB cell amplifier and whip-type trucker antenna plus a small internal antenna. Over the years I’ve tested out several cell boosters in our RV. A couple of offerings from weBoost and one … Read more
This video updates you on how our Mr. Heater Big Buddy portable propane heater is making out after eight years. We often use it when dry camping to save on propane and battery power versus the large RV ducted gas furnace. It’s particularly helpful to take the chill off during long cool winter evenings when … Read more
The other day I replaced my old ShurFlo RV water pump with a higher quality Made in the USA brand, the USA Adventure Gear ProGear 5300. The ProGear 5300 is a more powerful pump with beefier “Made in America” components. The USA Adventure Gear company is a small business run by an RVer based in … Read more
Mid-December 2021 finds us camped at a favorite snowbird location. The Salton Sea State Recreation Area near Palm Springs. In the video, I give you a look at our camping location called Salt Creek, the terrain, and the wildlife. Later we took a short drive to nearby Los Palmas Reserve to check out an oasis … Read more
In this video, I take a cheap battery monitor w/shunt I had kicking around and repurposed it to show amps and volts coming off a 600-watt solar panel array. I wired it up to be able to be easily connected in line with the solar panel output cable. The main reason for this meter is … Read more
As a special gift to one of my viewers in the southwest this winter, I’ve decided to giveaway a little starter kit for off-grid camping. The kit includes a 100 amp-hour lithium battery, a 180-watt solar panel, and a 30 amp solar charge controller. All you need to do is provide your own wire, connectors, … Read more
In this video, a few tips and tricks for bringing water to and filling the RV tank at our boondocking campsite. I demo myself filling my Aquatank 30-gallon water bladder at a State Park water spigot with no threads for the hose. For that, I use a rubber connection device called a Water Bandit. So … Read more
Usually, a couple of times a year, Anne and I visit my sister and her family at their home in Victoria, BC. We can park our RV in the driveway and hook up to power and water, but no sewer. Not having a sewer hookup limited our stay. Once the waste tanks filled up, we … Read more
In this video, I demo a 180W solar panel from a company called BougeRV. I have reviewed their 170W panels in the past, but this is the newer, more powerful panel. Overall, it looks like an OK panel build-wise and puts out close to the max-rated watts in my tests. I tested charging a 12V … Read more
A couple of little boondocking tips to do with water. First, a quick and easy way to top up gravity fill freshwater tanks using a siphon hose called a FloTool. Second, the way I keep tabs on our water heater temps using a fridge thermometer with its probe stuck under the water heater styrofoam casing. … Read more