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 toolbox power station for my pickup truck bed. The primary purpose is powering my multiple dash cams in parking mode for surveillance and storing extra … Read more
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. I’ve been using that one ever since with great success. Recently though, I got an email from a company called Blu Technology asking if I’d … Read more
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. A big plus for people using lithium batteries in the cold. So a good portion of the video is testing that specific feature. Other welcome … Read more
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 little different, using a metal case and stepped-down terminals. In this video, I tested its charging and discharging performance, then took it apart to look … Read more
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 Death Valley National Park, where we spent most of our time exploring the park and the surrounding areas. The Southwest, particularly California, was being hit … Read more
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 value for the money. I’m still using a pair of their solar panels and two controllers I reviewed. Tests performed on the BougeRV battery included … Read more
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 power. This enables you to charge the RV house battery bank via solar panels or the vehicle’s alternator using just one device. I first review … Read more
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 the fact of the matter is it takes a fair bit of research. There isn’t one all-encompassing site or database to send folks to. Since … Read more
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 nearly a year and used it for many months of boondocking. I’ll go through how it has performed and my likes and dislikes. My Use … Read more
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 Salton Sea State Park, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Saddle Mountain BLM, then down to the Ajo region of southern Arizona. For more information on each … Read more
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 wave inverter from ALFFAA. Fair Disclosure: Review samples were sent free of charge, but I didn’t receive any monetary compensation for the video. Overall they … Read more
In this update, I show the route we took from the Oregon coast to the California desert this fall. It includes four free easy-to-access overnight RV stopovers along the way. Also, if you missed it, here is the first update video to the 2022/23 trip – Adventurous Wet Beginning Stops Seven Feathers Casino, OR Camping … Read more
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 battery chargers. Overall I found the battery to be pretty well built and performed well, given the comparatively low cost. See my Pros & Cons … Read more
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 check valve is to stop the back feeding of water when hooked to city water from filling up and overflowing the fresh water tank. The … Read more
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 shunt, LCD, and Bluetooth app. It’ll display a plethora of information for me like the voltage, amperage, wattage, kilowatt hours, amp hours, temperature, and more. … Read more