Authors: Bill Moeller, Jan Moeller
ISBN-13: 9780071490658, ISBN-10: 0071490655
Format: Paperback
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies, The
Date Published: October 2007
Edition: (Non-applicable)
Bill Moeller has been a full-time RV camper for more than three decades.With his wife, Jan, he has written several bestselling RV books, including RVing Basics, RV Electrical Systems, and Full-Time RVing, and a
nationally syndicated newspaper column about RVing.
Book Synopsis
Here’s Your Guide to Camping Off the Beaten Path
Ever feel frustrated by crowded RV parks? Yearn to camp out in the wild beside a babbling mountain brook or before a remote panoramic vista? Bill and Jan Moeller have been doing just that for more than thirty years, and The Complete Book of Boondock RVing is their complete guide to camping without hookups (aka "dry camping"). Whether you’re planning to spend an occasional overnight in a parking lot or an extended stay in the wilderness, you’ll learn how to equip your rig for boondocking, find great campsites, manage and conserve electricity and water, and camp in complete RV comfort and convenience.
- Increase your independence by learning how to camp "off the grid"
- Save money by finding cheap or free campsites anywhereeven in large cities
- Ensure your comfort, convenience, and safety when camping in the boonies
- Learn how to conserve and manage electricity, water, and waste, and to establish reliable communications
- Enjoy the quiet, solitude, and beauty of nature by getting away from crowded RV campgrounds
Bill and Jan Moeller have been fulltime RV campers for more than three decades. They have written several bestselling RV books, including RVing Basics, RV Electrical Systems, and Complete Guide to Full-Time RVing, along with a nationally syndicated newspaper column about RVing.
Bill Moeller has been a full-time RV camper for more than three decades.With his wife, Jan, he has written several bestselling RV books, including RVing Basics, RV Electrical Systems, and Full-Time RVing, and a
nationally syndicated newspaper column about RVing.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments vi
What Is Boondock RVing? 1
Why Boondock? 2
Extended Boondock Camping 6
A Sample Boondocking Trip 6
Where to Go Boondock RVing? 13
Public Boondocking Sites 14
Boondocking Sites: Private and Commercial Property 18
How to Find Boondocking Sites 20
Selecting a Rig 24
What's Available? 25
Selecting Your Rig 30
Water, Sewage, and Trash 32
Water 32
Holding Tanks 36
Trash 38
Food: Stocking, Cooking, and Storing 40
Propane Supply 40
Stocking the Pantry 41
Cooking 42
Storing 43
Good Food, New Friends, Great Fun 43
Heating and Cooling 46
Heating 47
Cooling 51
Communications and Navigation 55
Cell Phones 55
E-Mail 56
Internet Access 57
Satellite Radio 59
Global Positioning System (GPS) Receivers 59
BoondockElectricity Made Easy 61
Basic Boondocking 62
Your RV's Electrical System 62
Battery Basics 63
Types of Batteries 67
Battery Capacity: The Elusive Amp-Hour 72
Building a Battery Bank 76
Phantom Loads 82
Wet-Cell Battery Safety 83
Wet-Cell Battery Maintenance 85
Monitoring and Charging Your Batteries 89
Monitoring Your Batteries 89
Charging Your Batteries 95
Charging Methods 96
Battery Life Cycles 100
The Rule of Twenty-Fives 103
Charging Devices 104
Engine Alternators 105
Alternators and RVs 105
Voltage Drop 107
Testing Alternator Efficiency 110
Battery Switches, Isolators, and Combiners 111
Generators, Converters/Chargers, and Inverters 113
Generators 114
Converters and Battery Chargers 116
Inverters 121
System Size 127
A Few Words of Caution 128
Sun and Wind Power 129
Solar Power 130
Selecting a Solar Power System 131
Solar Panels 131
Solar Panel Tests 136
Solar Controllers 138
Installing Your Solar Power System 143
Wind Generators 148
A Selected List of Boondock Campgrounds 150
Resources 163
Recommended Reading 166
Index 167
Subjects