Rayne

I was full time in a 2008 Okanagan Truck camper that has 2 slides for over 2 years. Then Covid hit and being stuck inside of that tiny space in the heat in the south with no where to go did me in finally. I still use it for traveling, but now I have a home base 5th wheel that I love love love! Anyhow, on FB there are a couple of groups just for people full timing in their TC. If the one you find is snarky, you found the wrong one. There is more than one. It is do-able, but you need a sturdy truck and and to travel as lightly as you can. Good luck, Rayne and her 2 four legged co-pilots, Miki and Timmy 2008 Okanagan ULT 2005 F-500 DRW Torklift extended hitch towing a Honda CRV with a kayak and bike!

HI again Al, First, thank you for the compliment on my rig. I LOVE it! electrical issues from the mouse or squirrel all fixed as of today! YAY. Also, regarding my system, since I take so long on my replies I know it has been hard for you to keep up with my thread. My Inverter is an Inverter/ charger it is the Go Power IC2000 with the built in automatic transfer switch. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1430/0262/files/Phocos_Go_Power_2000W_Pure_Sine_Wave_Inverter-Charger_Specification_Sheet.pdf?3184031003158149263 It eliminates the need for the Converter that came in my rig is my understanding. It came last week and it just seems HUGE compared to the size of my converter. I don't know if it will fit where my converter is currently installed either. or how we would get it in there. I am a little concerned that my rig may look "rigged" when they are done with this, but I am hoping not. Good suggestions on having them "show me their work on the roof" etc. too. Thank you. The solar panel are the glue on flexible panels in order to accomodate getting me as much panels as possible due to the 2 skylights and two roof vents on my roof. I am having them remove my satellite from the room as it is right where a panel needs to go and I do not use it at all anyway. I stream most of my TV watching, or I use the little flat panel antenna that is on the back wall in my overhang closet. Also, in my PLANNED USE I forgot about my VITAMIX blender/ juicer 1500 watts used for about 1.5 minutes at a time, 4 times when I use it about every week. I should use it even more than I do, but I know I will need to turn off other things to run it. My Instant Pot ideally, up to 20 minutes at a time. Mostly in the colder weather though and then I will most likely need shore power every few days, and my occasional use of my Air fryer-it's teeny tiny, and only 1000 watts, and my 1000 watt microwave oven for 2 minutes a day on warm days or I will use the propane stove to heat my morning/ evening coffee water. again, in cooler weather that would be used more often for the same duration. So, now what do you say about my set-up? FROM MY PREVIOUS POST: My planned use is to be able to stay at free or low cost Federal campgrounds, boondocking locations etc. and NOT be dependent upon having shore power except maybe 1 time a week and only if necessary. I live in my RV technically, so this should be factored as full-time. I am just stuck at my daughters due to health problems back in January only recently resolved, and plan to be back on the road again by the end of May! Oh, and I do not know what brand of Battery monitor my technician ordered for me, but my controller is Xantrex as I suspected. 40 amp. My batteries are 2 type 31 AGMs and they are Universal Power Group batteries with only 100ah hours each. I only had them installed last October, but they may have been allowed to discharge too much 3 or 4 times at minimum as I had no idea that my truck had not been trickle charging my rig correctly while I was enroute for 3-4 hours at a time and I was running my refrig on propane with igniter and my furnace fan was running as needed too. I know, I get it now. So, I am having them LOAD tested by RV place before they install solar system so we can order me new ones of a more recommended configuration asap for them to connect to my system. I plan to power my refrig fan in the back where my coils are (12v), the Fantastic fan in my bunk overhead compartment, it is 12v and only a few amps and has a thermostat, occasional bathroom fan when I shower in the camper. To power my laptop, charge my cell phone, Flat screen TV, water heater and refrig ignitor for their propane function, water pump as needed for dishes and showering as well as toilet flushing. My furnace occasionally, but If I HAVE to run my generator to protect my batteries, I will. Oh, and I am having a new 12v awning added to my rig. There are the usual safety monitors, 2 slideouts, stove fan when needed. Hmmm, Oh, and occasionally in cooler weather, my sewing machine which is very low amps and voltage, and LED portable lights plugged into my outlets when necessary, or interior LED lights in the evenings and during the day. I have two little dogs I need to keep cool in hotter climates too. Hope this is everything you asked me about. I have to get to dr. appt now so I will do my best to check back later. I thank you again so much for your help and advice on this Al. Sincerely, Rayne https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JdIj1GwtxXdPccxmhefzy0ZWlAZzk5qb/view?usp=sharing

Hi Al, so sorry, I have been dealing with a family situation so have had very little time or mental energy to think about this. I am confused on how to "quote" what in this forum as well. I would much rather do it by phone personally. Anyhow, hmmm, somehow I just quoted what I wanted to quote. see my answers below. And thank you. Rayne My planned use is to be able to stay at free or low cost Federal campgrounds, boondocking locations etc. and NOT be dependent upon having shore power except maybe 1 time a week and only if necessary. I live in my RV technically, so this should be factored as full-time. I am just stuck at my daughters due to health problems back in January only recently resolved, and plan to be back on the road again by the end of May! Oh, and I do not know what brand of Battery monitor my technician ordered for me, but my controller is Xantrex as I suspected. 40 amp. My batteries are 2 type 31 AGMs and they are Universal Power Group batteries with only 100ah hours each. I only had them installed last October, but they may have been allowed to discharge too much 3 or 4 times at minimum as I had no idea that my truck had not been trickle charging my rig correctly while I was enroute for 3-4 hours at a time and I was running my refrig on propane with igniter and my furnace fan was running as needed too. I know, I get it now. So, I am having them LOAD tested by RV place before they install solar system so we can order me new ones of a more recommended configuration asap for them to connect to my system. I plan to power my refrig fan in the back where my coils are (12v), the Fantastic fan in my bunk overhead compartment, it is 12v and only a few amps and has a thermostat, occasional bathroom fan when I shower in the camper. To power my laptop, charge my cell phone, Flat screen TV, water heater and refrig ignitor for their propane function, water pump as needed for dishes and showering as well as toilet flushing. My furnace occasionally, but If I HAVE to run my generator to protect my batteries, I will. Oh, and I am having a new 12v awning added to my rig. There are the usual safety monitors, 2 slideouts, stove fan when needed. Hmmm, Oh, and occasionally in cooler weather, my sewing machine which is very low amps and voltage, and LED portable lights plugged into my outlets when necessary, or interior LED lights in the evenings and during the day. I have two little dogs I need to keep cool in hotter climates too. Hope this is everything you asked me about. I have to get to dr. appt now so I will do my best to check back later. I thank you again so much for your help and advice on this Al. Sincerely, Rayne https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JdIj1GwtxXdPccxmhefzy0ZWlAZzk5qb/view?usp=sharing

Hi Al, I am in the process still of absorbing all of this. So far, I have added a Battery monitor to be compatible with my Xantrex Solar Charge controller, and I am now seriously looking at adding batteries. I'm thinking of two of the 6 volt in addition to my current 12 v ones, but I am thinking that it may not be a good combo, right? Reason to keep my two current ones is that I was thinking of adding the two more 6 volt ones in the bed of the truck directly below the camper battery compartment in the section between the camper wall and my truck bed wall. I would of course need a quick disconnect there for when I may someday be able to take my rig off my truck to camp (this is a rear stair issue being worked on by someone for me). The info you sent to me via the links was very helpful. Thank you. But it still makes me nuts on the batteries and their various Amh hours versus their sizes etc. Makes NO sense to me how they can vary so much. even amongst the 6 volt batteries, or should I say especially! LOL. So, give me a few more days of absorbing. Yawn, okay, heading off to sleep now. Rayne

Hi Al, I am in the process still of absorbing all of this. So far, I have added a Battery monitor to be compatible with my Xantrex Solar Charge controller, and I am now seriously looking at adding batteries. I'm thinking of two of the 6 volt in addition to my current 12 v ones, but I am thinking that it may not be a good combo, right? Reason to keep my two current ones is that I was thinking of adding the two more 6 volt ones in the bed of the truck directly below the camper battery compartment in the section between the camper wall and my truck bed wall. I would of course need a quick disconnect there for when I may someday be able to take my rig off my truck to camp (this is a rear stair issue being worked on by someone for me). The info you sent to me via the links was very helpful. Thank you. But it still makes me nuts on the batteries and their various Amh hours versus their sizes etc. Makes NO sense to me how they can vary so much. even amongst the 6 volt batteries, or should I say especially! LOL. So, give me a few more days of absorbing. Yawn, okay, heading off to sleep now. Rayne

Thanks everyone, I feel like I am drowning though. The link from Kirk is extremely overwhelming to me, and I haven't opened the latest ones yet from Al & Sharon. I'm sort of getting "some" more of it though. I would definitely like to get a battery monitoring device if one isn't incorporated into my charge controller already. Praying that it is. Unfortunately, I still do not have my system in front of me in my rig to see what it can bring in on a given day, and what I use up on a basic day versus a heavy use day type scenario. Darn mice! I sent an email to the RV place that is doing my solar system today, but found out I used the wrong email address for them. So I will check tomorrow. I know the Xantrex that Al mentions is a name I know the solar guy was talking about liking and having used in the past. Hoping it isn't discontinued like the system monitor Al also mentions. Al, when you mention copy and paste all the good info I am getting from all of you, do you mean into a saveable format in my computer so I can digest it offline, or do you mean to copy and paste it all each time I reply to one of you? Oh, and another question if I may, not solar exactly, but it will be affected by my solar installation. I have a fancy satellite antenna on the top of my rig. Winnegard something or other. I cannot find anywhere in the instructions for it where I would need to have any type of subscription to a TV service to use it, and inside my rig is one of the digital antenna that is flat and affixes to an exterior window or wall. That is all I have used so far and it has at least given me something to watch wherever I have been. So, my question is, do I still need this other fancy satellite antenna, is it that much better or even still used if it isn't collecting digital signals since nearly all stations have gone to being digital? I ask, because my plan is to have them remove the rooftop satellite setup so that we can put another solar panel on the roof that will need that roof space. I realize the RV place will have to do a super job of making sure that my roof is sealed up where they have removed the satellite antenna so it doesn't leak. I would really like to be able to take the wind up thing off of the ceiling of the inside of my rig too. Thoughts? Thanks so much. NOT: I am not getting notifications in my email when any of your reply, so I have to keep checking here each evening once my grandchildren are all asleep to see. I have all of the notifications set to alert me when I get posts to any of the topics I have started or that I am watching, but I still get nothing! I am checking my spam folder too. Suggestions on this issue? Rayne

Wow, that was really helpful Mark & Teri, not sure which one of you wrote this. Anyhow, I purchased the Go power IC2000 Inverter/charger with a remote monitor, built in transfer switch, power sharing (?), and I did not get it through GP dealer, got it through Amazon but not at full price either. I do not know the brand name for sure of the Charge Controller that my RV place has ordered, just that it is an MPPT and a 40 watt or is it amps? LOL. I wish my brain would hold onto those and keep them straight somehow. I have tried everything I have learned through the years to make it stick, but not good so far. Anyhow, I think the brand is one that starts with a vowel, but I will have to ask my RV place tomorrow. Sorry I can't tell you more than this. Rayne

Hi, I read and read and read everything I can about solar systems. But no where do I see how to read and use my own charge controller effectively! Please, I just need some simple info in a format I can save to laminate and post near my controller until this becomes second nature if that's possible? I have a 40 watt MPPT charge controller, 640 watts of solar panels on my RV roof (flexible ones) and I have a 2000 watt pure sine wave Inverter, battery temp sensor, and remote inverter monitor/controller. I also have two 100 amh 12v AGM size 31 batteries. So, for example, in my set up, what is the amp or watts reading on my controller that I need to watch when I am running things to be sure that I am not letting my batteries get too low? ie, I thought 50% meant 6 volts of a 12 volt battery. See what I mean? I realize that if I add additional batteries this how too guide will change as I will have more solar storage correct? I cannot be the only one that does not understand this stuff and needs this help. Please????? Thank you in advance, I am new at all of this sort of. I do not have a partner that is better at this stuff than I am anymore either. So please keep the lectures to a minimum and don't question the size system I bought pretty please. I needed solar and I needed it now with a faster recharging rate. Hopefully, that's what I have. The battery configuration confuses the heck out of me too. So for now, I stay with what I have until somewhere I find something that will finally help me understand the various configurations. for example, how the heck can two 6 volt batteries give me more AMH hours than two 12v batteries? Makes no sense to me. So, please don't even try at this point on that issue either. I am overwhelmed already. Thank you for your understanding and help. Happy camping. Rayne

Hi all, new here as I finally must have clicked on something that told me how to find a BOF for full-timers. Geesh, technology can become time consuming to use. Anyhow, I am trying to connect with East Coast full-time members if possible to plan some caravaning towards Colorado, then the NV and New Mexico areas between September of 2019 through say end of January 2020 if I can find anyone else interested? I only travel 3 to 4 hours a day if possible because that's a long enough day in the seat for me, and for my two little buddies that travel with me. I am currently based in Stafford, Virginia until the end of may, then heading to the Shenandoah's for the UNITE 2019 meet-up for Women Rver's for a week. Then not sure where I'll be headed but I plan to be in upstate NY again for July-Sept. of this year visiting family and because it's cooler up there in the summer. Imagine that right? I travel in a Truck camper. Would love to hear from other East Coaster's too! Thanks, Rayne

I guess i should clarify that I only plan to do this for a year or two while I figure out where I want to settle and live the rest of my life. I even eventually hope to find someone to share my life again as being alone forever is not my thing and I figure I’ll do this in between selling the house I lived in with my late husband and figuring out where and what I can and want to do. I am considering getting rid of more and more of the “stuff” from our house but I think it is still a process for me that is bittersweet since he is not here to go on this new adventure with me. Sorry, not intending to sound sappy or anything. But it’s taken me 2 years to come to the point of even selling off the house. Lol. Oh, and I can’t fit half the stuff into a truck camper that I could have in our old motorhome either. I’m a quilter and a horse person. The two do not quite mix on the road so to speak. Lol. Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions too. This is about the best forum I’ve found so far.

Okay, I too am looking into full timing now that I am retired. But, when I see your 2K per month budget all I can think of is where do you get your RV and vehicle insurance from people? I'm also guessing maybe you aren't paying to store at least a portion of your former household in a temperature controlled location? Since I am only 62, I don't qualify for Medicare either just yet, although I would definitely have to have supplemental ins. once I do. So, my home base at this point is still New York State, and I am not sure for how long as that will be another aspect of what I am researching as part of all of this. I am also finding all of the information to research to be a bit overwhelming to figure out on my own. I want to stay a week, travel a day or so, and settle again. I have a Truck Camper and truck. I am figuring a $5,000 minimum for repairs to just the truck since it is a diesel and EVERYTHING costs more on those. Heck, my oil changes cost a small fortune since they hold so much oil too.

Hi Everyone, well, it's resolved. The RV dealership that will also be doing all of my pre-trip repairs for me will transport it by driver for $4,500. I wish I could go out and drive it back myself, but I would want to be able to sightsee along the way of course, and enjoy my time. So, as they say, time is money! Thanks for all of the suggestions. Oh, and I made the mistake of requesting a quote from a site offering cross country RV transport and car and truck. Well, they must send my contact info out to a lot of places because all of a sudden my phone started ringing and my text messages were flashing right and left from transporters all over the country bidding for my business. YIKES! Rayne

I have a quote from this company I think. It’s around $6,500.00. Ouch! I looked into rail transport but due to the high speed of rail and the vehicles not being covered there is a big chance of damage to the exterior of either or both. I have thought of a driving service too and thats what I’m looking into now. However, unless the driver really l knows RV’s and remembers how tall he or she will be in that rig, I am concerned about the driver damaging the rig. Both are I pretty nearly not replaceable. The truck is a mint condition F550 with an 8’ Bed I’m it. And only 60,000 miles. The camper is a brand I still can’t spell. Lol. It’s the biggest camper ever made and it has 2 slides. It’s incredible! I’d post a photo but apparently the ones I have are too large for this forum. Keep the suggestions coming folks, and the names of companies or services that will transport like this too. We may find a perfect one that way. Wish me luck! Thanks, Rayne

Hi All, I am new to forums, and new to being the only one with 2 legs in my RV. Have had many types over the years. First with my parents and then with my late husband. So, I found the perfect truck camper and truck for me but problem is they are all the way out in Southern California. Well, at least it will be on August 4th. However, I am in central New York State. So, here's my question, do any of you know of a good, insured trucking company that would haul them back for me across the country? Or any other safe method as I do not want them damaged externally, nor do I want anyone else driving them. The rig and truck i'm getting are a rare find indeed so I want to protect them. Now, to put you all in the same frame of mind as I am about this let me assure you that a) I cannot fly out and drive it back myself as I am needed here to pack and move my houses contents into storage for the upcoming duration of my cross country trek that is scheduled to begin from New York State around the week of Halloween. Plus in among this will be closing on the sale of my home too. Also, I have two pups that I choose not to risk flying with me across country to go and pick up this rig, nor can I leave them behind for the month it will take me to drive back while doing at least some sight seeing along the way. I want to start from here and end up out in Arizona and not the other way around. I want out of here over the winter, not during the summer months for my last summer in my late husband and I's dream house... I appreciate any suggestions and recommendations you chose to bestow upon me. Thanks everyone. Rayne