That's some good eaten when your really hungry.
Bill

 

I'll bet it taste like chicken.

 

That was my impression when I've had it.

 

To be perfectly honest it's been so long since I ate it I don't remember very well except that it really was not bad at all. I was surprised by it.
Bill

 

I had moray eel once without knowing until after. It was good white fish.

 

Happy New Year everyone...

This is to combine miscellaneous info that was posted in different parts of the thread so it's in one post for anyone that may be interested. Plus it wraps it up for 2017.

What started as "let's go boondocking" to offset the cost of the solar install and getting on a free boondocking roll it turned into how many days can we do consecutively of "free" fulltime living. Which has been a challenge at times but when there is a will there is a way. Having 13'+ height, 35' 5th wheel with a combined truck/ trailer length of 53', so-so ground clearance (yes, the bike rack has drug a few times) entering/ departing some locations. All locations except the one free town park for a night have been Nation Forest, BLM or property affiliated with them.

2010 Cameo 34CK3
50amp service
82 gallon fresh water capacity
62 gallon Black tank
62 gallon Grey tank
Carried in the truck is a 30 gallon water bladder to top the fresh tank off during a stay. Filled either when dumping tanks or during a road trip. Depending on how far away from civilization.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...fer-setup.html

Cameo loaded weight for travel
15,420#, pin weight 2,720# (17.63%)

2016 F350 dually
Steer axle ...5,000#
Drive axle ...4,300#
Gross..9,300#

Truck & 5th wheel
Steer axle ...4,960#
Drive axle ...7,020#
Trailer axles...12,740#
Gross combined...24,720#

B&W Companion Hitch
Model RVK3300
20,000 lb gross trailer weight rating
5,000 lb vertical load rating

Dispersed camping
2016 (4/16 - 12/31) 200 days
2017 (1/1 - 12/31) 365 days
Consecutive days dispersed camping as of December 31, 2017 starting 12/23/16 - 373 days, still going.

Using previous 2 years of rving (fulltiming) prior to solar install (4/13/16), RV park cost averaged to $25.00 a day.
443 days of dispersed camping needed for return on solar instead of paying a campground/ rv park. Accomplished!

States AZ, UT, WY, ID, MT, ND, SD, NV
6,105 miles traveled with 5th wheel

RV Dumps...
18....$118.00
14....free
32...Total

Propane $506.12
We use a Big Buddy Heater to take the chill out/ heat using a 20# tank.
1- 30# (7.0 gallon) tank will last us 17 days for running the fridge (Norcold 821), hot water tank and misc stove/ oven cooking. During the summer when the fridge can be operated off the batteries/ solar for 1/2 of the day or more a 30# tank will last 22 days.

* Pre February 2017 the fridge was running a lot and had excessive soot build up in the burner area, had to be set on #8 (propane, max cooling setting) or #6 (electric) even during the cooler weather to maintain 38-40f +/-.
1- 30# tank was lasting 14 days while only on propane. After doing some research decided to change to the Amish cooling unit $655 + $45 shipping. https://rvcoolingunit.com/Norcold-N8...-P5322846.aspx
Since installing and posting in the fridge PM thread the fridge stays 38-40f +/- on #2 setting ( either gas or electric). After adding groceries we'll switch to #3 setting for a few hours to help cool.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...dge-pming.html

F350 Dually towing the 5th wheel 6,105 miles
Fuel $1,735.02
Maintenance $172.00
Total $1,957.02

F250 Grocery getter/ Gallivanting 6,800 miles
Fuel $1,259.25
Maintenance $87.00
Total $1,346.25

Year end cost $3,927.39
This doesn't include food, insurance or personal extras.

Solar info...
Installed at Starlight Solar in Yuma, AZ last year in the spring. Completed in 3 days.

*12v 500ah (400ah usable) lithium batteries (GBS LFP battery system) Elite Power Solutions LFMP Battery Parts and Systems
*8 CTI-160 watt monocrystalline solar panels (1,280 watts), 2 in series, 4 sets parallel (37 vmp). Panels lay flat on the roof.
*Combiner box to Magnum PT100 controller
*Magnum 3012 hybrid inverter (3000w).
There is a 7" display monitor and the ME-ARC 50 to read the performance of the system, individual cell voltages/ cell temps. A sub panel was added so everything in the 5th wheel except the water heater is running through the inverter.
Total weight for entire system 500#

The system was designed so we could go 3 days with full convenience without having to hook up the generator for a hold over charge if needed. Unless it's just plain awful weather there is always some power being made whether it's enough to cover the daily consumption is a different story.

This is what the system has harvested since the beginning of the year by month.

Month ____ KWH_____ Ah to batteries
January___87.3______6,360
February__101.4_____7,410
March____136.5_____9,950
April______166.8____12,210
May______167.6____12,260
June_____164.2_____12,030
July______174.6____12,770
August___152.1_____11,150
September_108.0____7,920
October___ 90.0_____6,540
November _84.3_____6,200
December _94.5_____6,710
Total __1,527.3kwh___111,510ah
On/Work hours 4,214.4
*Harvest Total – Displays the total amount of energy in kilowatt hours (shown as KWH) delivered to the batteries.
*AH to Batt – Displays the total amp-hours (AH) delivered from the PT array to the DC system.
*On/Work Time – Displays the number of hours of active production by the PV array.

* Highest daily kwh haversted was on July 21st of 7.4 (740ah) in Idaho outside of Yellowstone National Park.

* Lowest daily kwh harvested was on September 15th of 0.2 (20ah) in North Dakota outside of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Heavy overcast skies with rain.

There are very few days that the batteries aren't fully charged by noon from April to August and the rest of the time by 3-4pm if there is enough sun and while still using the system.
There has been long periods of time during the shorter solar days that the batteries would stay between 75-80% (375-400ah) and discharged down to 35-40% (175-200ah) with the lowest discharge 25% (125 ah) while still inverting (12.4v) and using the microwave with no voltage sag. This is where the lithiums batteries really shine plus they never need to be fully charged, not having to worry about permanently damaging them from being undercharged.

We'll average 150ah +/- daily in battery use which roughly broken down with the inverter/ parasitic draw (2ah) 24/7, making 2 pots of coffee, using the microwave throughout the day (10-45 minutes), water pump, lights in the evening, tv/ dvd 5 hours +/-, charging phones/ laptops so basically anything that you do on hookups we're doing boondocking.
If more power is needed for the air conditioner our hybrid inverter has load support feature which you set the AC input amps in the Me Arc 50 remote, depending on size of generator or from power outlet (campground, house) if more power is needed than what's being supplied it will use it from batteries/ solar working in unison. If more power is there than needed then the batteries will be charged.

In the past year the Honda EU2000i genterator has been used 7 times for 2 hours each time which charges at 100ah rate from the Magnum 3012 inverter/ charger into the battery bank and 3 times for 3 hours each when we ran the air conditioner before heading to higher elevation. Some of these run times where just to exercise the generator.

Well that wraps up 2017 it's been a great adventure. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year.
Enjoy

 

Nice write up Scraprat! Quite the log books you keep, I'm impressed. Wishing you a great up coming year, enjoy!

 

Have Fun........

Hope to see ya in Montana..........

 

Scaprat ....... excellent follow up. That has some really good information in it regarding solar

 

WOW - I am impressed, that's quiet a write-up. It looks like the Amish Cooling Unit and the Solar set-up more than payed for themselves in both money and the hassle you would have faced without them.
Once again I'd like to Thank You for this really great adventure you have shared with us all here, I do hope you keep going just as long as you wish to.
Bill

PS- Forgot to add that for your Dually to tow a 5th wheel 6105 miles through some of the places you've been with only $172 spent on maintenance is great.

 

Thanks, It's been a great year. Maybe this will help someone or at least food for thought.

 

Sure been quiet around here. Hoping all is well.
Bill

 

That is the most impressive "system" that I have ever read about. Great job! And thanks for sharing.

 

Good morning Bill,
All is well just not a whole bunch to show as far as travel just been bouncing back and forth between a few spots in the desert having a some items shipped to a business that allows for packages to be shipped to for pick up. Having a house or staying in a RV park makes it easy to have the items sent to but in the boondocks and away from civilization can take some planning plus if there is a delay in shipping you have to cancel the order and try again at another location when passing through. Amazon can make this hard because it can be shipped multiplways and not all places allow for certain kinds of delivery. Certainly not the end of the world just have to get the logistics lined up and besides when your home is in tow there is that little thing of weight so being minimalist helps.

Been doing preventive maintenance on the 5th wheel. I noticed the skylight in the shower had a little moisture between the 2 domes at one edge almost like the outer dome was cracked but couldn't see a crack from on the the roof. Before taking that apart I ordered a new 18x18" smoked color, outside dome just incase it was cracked which I could only find from Icon. Ordered a bunch of tubes of Dicor 501LSW Self-Leveling Lap Sealant for the roof projects.

It took all day to do the skylight project. Removing all of the old sealant which I probably was more **** about but if I'm going to do it I only want to do once if it can be helped. Anyways got all the old sealant off and the TPO roof area clean like new. Now the skylight, mine is a 2 piece style with a shorter clear dome with clear silicone sandwiched between the outer smoked dome flat edges. Once again after getting them apart and cleaning the butyl tape, silicon and lap sealant off of them they're as clean as a babies bottom. I inspect both domes for cracks/ weathering and both looked good it was the sealant on the outside edge just starting to crack and let moisture weep in. Reinstalling it was just a reverse order of clear silicone between the 2 domes flat edges, butyl tape along the bottom dome and screwed back on to the roof carefully not crack the domes with too much pressure. Final step is to put some self leveling sealant on the screw heads then went around the skylight edge in 2 passes, 1st one is a bead on the edge of skylight and roof, 2nd pass is the top of the skylight edge and on top of the bead around the skylight. That should keep water out for years to come and seeing that the old outer dome was still good I kept the new one incase it's ever needed.
Resealed all the vents and ladder hold downs on the roof while doing the skylight project.
I did notice that the front tape seal that covers the front cap seam to the roof is starting to show signs of weathering. I'm thinking of stipping it off and retaping/ caulking. I know it would be easier to just put Eternabond tape over it but I personally feel that's a bandaid and not the proper way to fix something when your not on a time crunch or if its about to rain and you need to keep the elements out.
Another project is stripping and cleaning the old caulk off and redoing the seams of the 5th wheel plus where the lights attach. I use Geocel Pro Flex Sealant (not silicone) holds up very well but like most things alot has to do with the prep work.

 

Thanks,
We're very happy with it and it's performance has been outstanding. When it was installed we had it wired for 2 more panel (2x160=320 watts) but wanted to see how 1,280 watts would do. Summertime there is no deficit in power but winter time it can be close on the 3rd day dependent on sun. The generator can be used but I like to see what the system can actually do. I've been recording inverting power at different levels of battery state of charge using the lifepo4 batteries.
Now if I decide to add the 320w more for a total of 1,600w that would recover the batteries easily in winter (I don't tilt the panels) and probably eliminate the generator not that I would.
We've been almost 400 days now without hookups/ paid camping and could easily take this system off the 5th and transfer it to cabin on a remote piece of property and live very comfortably.

Doing some homework right now to add a compact washer and electric dryer while boondocking. Won't eliminate the laundromat runs for large heavy items but won't have to look for one either.