I’m back with an update on our boat’s off-grid solar charging setup for 2026. It’s always evolving, and this year I’m running two MPPT controllers: a 50-amp SRNE DC-DC Charger with MPPT that I’m using purely as a solar charger, and a BougeRV 60-amp solar controller. A pair of 195-watt Shadow Flux panels on the flybridge rails are … Read more
I got this nifty little Garmin Bluetooth GPS device for Anne for Christmas this year. It comes with a built-in lithium battery that lasts about 13 hours and can be charged through a regular 12-volt socket or USB. I wanted it mainly because Anne’s rugged Tripltek tablet works great with her drone, but Navionics charts … Read more
I’m back showing another piece of my boat’s off-grid power setup. After covering the solar panels and one lithium house bank, this time I’m looking at the second bank made up of two Xantrex 240-amp-hour lithium batteries plus the main 2000-watt Xantrex marine inverter charger that handles shore power or generator charging at up to … Read more
In this video, I give you a look at the new BougeRV Sunflow 60 amp MPPT solar controller installed into my fifth-wheel trailer off-grid power system. The 60 amp controller will be a perfect match for my 940 watts of rooftop solar and eliminate the need for and complexity of running two 40 amp controllers … Read more
In this first video, I go over the main features and demonstrate a new, lightweight, portable, on-demand propane camping shower from BougeRV. I think this little unit is going to be quite handy aboard our boat this summer. After using it for a while, I’ll be back with a full review video. Built-in constant temperature … Read more
I’m back with a quick review of a couple of new fans from BougeRV, the F01 and F02, which should be perfect for keeping us cool this summer on the boat. Our trawler doesn’t have air conditioning, though I do carry their portable BougeRV AC unit for desperate days running off solar. Fair Disclosure: I … Read more
I’m back with another review for Bluetti, this time on their new Elite 300 series portable power station. I’ve previously checked out their smaller AC70 and Elite 100 models, which are great for easy carrying, but this one packs a serious punch. It’s the smallest unit on the market with 3,014 watt-hours of LiFePO4 battery … Read more
In the video, I installed a high-water bilge alarm from Johnson Pump as an extra safety upgrade on the boat. This little unit sits just above the normal bilge pump level and alerts us with a super-loud buzzer or a light if water gets too high, in case the pumps fail or we have a … Read more
In this video, I install a new safety and navigation aid called AIS on our 34-foot CHB trawler. The AIS (Automatic Identification System) will use our VHF antenna to send and receive information about us and other boats in the local area. We chose the Em-Trak brand – B954 model. While anchored in a nice, … Read more
In this video, I’m checking out a new product from Haloview, the same folks who make the wireless rear monitoring system and cameras I use on my RV. I’ve tested several of their models, including the BT10 model, but I really prefer the BT7 with its square design over the long rear-view-mirror style. One cool … Read more
In this video, I’m checking out a new power station from DJI, the company famous for drones. They have the Power 500 and Power 1000, but this is their new Power 2000. They asked me to review it. I’ll split it into a few videos. This first one covers the main features and tests the … Read more
Werewolf (Tundra Labs in Green Bay, Wisconsin) sent me their VFLEX gadget to test. It’s a small USB-C adapter that lets you program the output voltage to power devices, like, say, for example, 12V gear common in RVs and boats. Fair Disclosure: I received a free review sample of the product The starter kit included … Read more
I’m back with a first look at Bluetti’s new Charger 2 DC-to-DC charger. If you remember, I reviewed their Charger 1 last winter, did a couple of videos on it, and we ran it all summer on the boat with great success. I was able to draw up to 500 watts from the engine alternator … Read more
In this video, I check out the Topdon TC004 Mini thermal imaging camera. It’s a compact, budget-friendly option. I’ve used their Tornado 30000 battery charger before and love it. I have also tested other thermal imagers on the boat to spot hot spots in wiring, monitor the diesel engine, and more. They are super handy … Read more
In this video, I check out a cool new BougeRV T1 telescopic camping light. Looks very handy for both RV and boat life! This thing puts out up to 3,000 lumens total from three LED panels. That’s way brighter than a regular 60W household bulb, which is around 800 lumens. It lights up a decent … Read more