Electrical power and Propane use while boondocking.

In this section we'll talk about propane use and conservation, and we'll begin addressing electrical power storage and use.

On propane use:

• Use your hot water heater sparingly.
• Heat water outdoors. Do dishes outdoors.
• Solar water heating works. This can be as simple as placing fresh water in a container in the sun. Warm enough for washing, etc.
• Park with your refrigerator on the shady side of your rig.
• Our favorite - grill outdoors.
  
  

On Electrical Use, and Solar Electric Power:

Our rig is not equipped with solar electric - but our next one will have it or we'll install it. We've researched it a lot because when we started out RVing we did not understand it very well. This is a very short introduction to the subject. There are books written about the subject of solar electric power, and we'll make a recommendation at the end of this brief article about where to obtain more information.

Solar electric power - here are the basic system components:

Batteries - used to store power generated by the solar system. You probably already have a couple of 'house' batteries in addition to the engine starting battery on your rig. With a solar system designed to allow for power self sufficiency you will most likely need to add two or more batteries to your system. You can be quite self-sufficient just using 12 volt power. It is all that's required to operate many of your RV appliances - lights, water pump, radio, small TV's, etc. Several types of batteries can be used to store solar power. Golf cart batteries are designed for this type of application, and may be a good option for you. They are 6-volt batteries so you need to install them in pairs to get 12 volts.

Voltage Regulator/Usage Meter - an essential part of a solar system, the voltage regulator meters the power generated by your solar panels while charging your batteries. Meters are used to monitor the state of charge and power usage of your system. They are available as stand-alone units or as convenient and efficient, combination units. They are designed to match the output of your solar panels.

Solar panels - are used to convert sunlight to electrical current. The number and type of your panels will be designed to match your battery bank and power use.

Inverter - a device used to convert 12 volt DC battery power to 120 volt AC power to operate appliances like computers, printers, and microwave ovens. An inverter/charger combination will replace your existing converter to efficiently charge your batteries when operating your generator or hooked to shore power.

For more information we suggest you go to the RV Solar Electric Web Site (link). Their paper catalog is very helpful.