In this video, I go through the current state of my RV boondocking power systems. Over the last year or so, I’ve added more solar panels, a 40 amp DC-DC charger, and a new 40 amp MPPT solar charge controller. With all these recent additions, a major reorganization to the existing system and wiring was … Read more
Last spring, I reviewed a couple of items from an online seller called BougeRV. I had a look at their 170W solar panels and AC/DC portable fridge freezer. Though both are not the best quality out there, they weren’t too bad considering the price. Since then, the company has been asking me to review something … Read more
We head back in time to early May 2012, during our first year as full-time RVers. For one full year, we traveled around North America. At the time, I didn’t have a YouTube channel or a blog but did take some clips and photos with a little point-and-shoot camera. I thought since we can’t travel … Read more
Introduction In this post, I’m reviewing the compact but powerful HIMCEN H740P 740 Watt Hour portable power station. The H740P will be out for sale soon and boasts several unique features compared to similar power boxes on the market. Disclaimer: The product review samples were provided free of charge. However, I’m not affiliated with the HIMCEN … Read more
Over the last nine years, we have enjoyed visiting the United States’ southwestern desert region immensely. Its vast areas of relatively uninhabited land offer countless opportunities to camp off-grid away from it all. We absolutely love the beautiful scenery, the desert’s peacefulness, and the surprising amount of wildlife. This winter, I’ve decided to take 12 … Read more
In this video, I give you a look around beautiful Rathtrevor Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, BC. I take you along on a morning walk around the park showing some of the many hiking trails, the beautiful forest, and ocean views, plus a look at the various camping sites available. Rathtrevor campsites are quite large … Read more
For my recent birthday, Anne completely surprised me with a Country Smokers Portable Electric Wood Pellet Grill. I guess she knew for a few years now I had been mentioning how I wanted the little Traeger pellet grill. Turns out, though, that particular grill has been discontinued, and prices for Traegers in Canada are quite … Read more
In this video, I take you along as we head out to nearby Strathcona Provincial Park here on Vancouver Island. We recently spent a few days in October 2020 camped in Buttle Lake Campground. Being the offseason, there were very few other campers making for a peaceful little getaway. I show you some of the … Read more
In this video, I demo and review a compact and lightweight complete solar system from Lensun Solar Energy. The kit includes a 200-watt semiflexible solar panel array that folds up into a super portable 16″x16″ square. It also consists of a waterproof EPever 15A MPPT controller, various hookup cables, a canvas carrying bag, and an … Read more
In this video, I do an experimental test by charging my Lion Energy UT1300 batteries using my regular OEM lead-acid converter charger and my InteliPower PD9260 converter with the optional Charge Wizard pendant. The Charge Wizard allows me to override the normal lead-acid charging algorithm and put the charger into 14.4V manual boost mode. I … Read more
In this video, I review a 50L mobile AC-DC fridge/freezer, model F40C4TMP. The product was mainly of interest to me for off-grid camping (aka boondocking). Since it is capable of operation using 12VDC or 24VDC power is could be ideal. A way to complement our existing RV gas fridge providing more fridge and freezer capacity, fewer … Read more
In this video, I perform an informal, unscientific test of the Safari UT1300 lithium batteries cold-weather performance. Charge/discharge tests, how low can you go? I put the battery inside a plastic file box to simulate a battery box and load it into my deep freeze. I then and test the charge and discharging amperage at … Read more
This video demonstrates and reviews the newly released Jackery 1000 portable power station and the companion SolarSaga folding 100W solar panel. This Jackery box comes with a built-in 1000 watt pure sine wave AC inverter powered by a 1002 watt-hour lithium battery pack. There is also a selection of DC outputs to choose from, maxing … Read more
In this video, I review a 170-watt solar panel from a company called BougeRV. First, I check over the build quality and inform you of the dimensions, weight, and rated output voltage and amperage. We also have a quick look at the shipping packaging. Next, I set up a testbed using one of my Lion … Read more
In this video, I give you a look at the Dove Springs OHV area located in southern California. It’s on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas, a little north of Mohave, CA. Camping is free, and the area boasts some picturesque camping spots, but be warned it can fill up on weekends and holidays … Read more