Longest time dry camping?

mom2budnbug · 07-31-2016, 06:37 PM

Wondering what the longest amount of time people have spent dry camping? Our longest, which was our first excursion, was 4 nights. We are getting ready to leave for a 9 day dry camping experience. Thankful for DH adding a second battery and of course we travel with a generator. Water will be the only worry, and not much there as there is a campground 5 miles away with pump water.

Ken / Claudia · 07-31-2016, 09:07 PM

I am unsure after so many years but, many at 7 to 9 days. I bring water jugs 5 gals type, Genny and gas for it. Propane I only have 1 extra bottle now and bring and use that. At some point a trip as far away as 2 hour drive to get more fuel, gas, propane during the week and sometimes water. Those are winter Elk hunts.

Desert185 · 07-31-2016, 09:28 PM

The two of us did eight days so far. A friend had one of these, which made the water situation easy.

http://www.campingworld.com/browse/s...XSvxoC68_w_wcB

zuley · 08-01-2016, 03:51 AM

Jst got back from our annual 15 nights yesterday. Wish we could have extended it to another week. No issues. I switched over to 6 volt batteries this year and we carry a 2000 watt generator. We also carry a small water transfer pump and pump from 20 litre blue jugs into the camper every second day.

B-O-B'03 · 08-01-2016, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desert185

The two of us did eight days so far. A friend had one of these, which made the water situation easy.

http://www.campingworld.com/browse/s...XSvxoC68_w_wcB

I am pretty sure I would not put that on the roof of my pickup

45 gallons of water is just over 375 pounds.

We have some 5 gallon jugs, a 35 gallon, tow-able, waste tank, 2 X 12 volt batteries and a 3100 Watt generator.

We dry camped for for 4 nights near Terlingua, last April and are headed back the end of October.

-Brian

Desert185 · 08-01-2016, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-O-B'03

I am pretty sure I would not put that on the roof of my pickup

45 gallons of water is just over 375 pounds.

We have some 5 gallon jugs, a 35 gallon, tow-able, waste tank, 2 X 12 volt batteries and a 3100 Watt generator.

We dry camped for for 4 nights near Terlingua, last April and are headed back the end of October.

-Brian

...and we didn't! That's what the bed of the pickup is for. I have no control over marketing decisions illogically and improperly portraying the use of the product.

B-O-B'03 · 08-02-2016, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desert185

...and we didn't! That's what the bed of the pickup is for. I have no control over marketing decisions illogically and improperly portraying the use of the product.

I was not insinuating your did, just commenting on the poor choice of marketing photo... sorry I did not make that more clear.

I am sure there will some that will put it on the roof and wonder what happened?

-Brian

randy69 · 08-02-2016, 09:31 PM

5 days in the desert .. Bring bottle waters and beer... Trailor water short showers , sinks and toilet flush my problem would be gray water. Storage Always have enough trailor water to bring back ...

Lee · 08-03-2016, 08:14 AM

We've made it 15 days while elk hunting before.

For water we would run to the nearest town ( 25 miles) and fill water jugs when the TT's fresh tank was low. During one hunt many years ago ( and a different TT) we were VERY isolated and we filled the water jugs up from the mountain river. We just strained it while filling the TT tank. BTW: We were drinking from bottled water then so no worries of "beaver fever".

For the batteries we ran the Honda 1kw every few days.

Lee

Desert185 · 08-03-2016, 08:35 AM

The bottom line for us is the capacity of the black tank. We bring bottled water as a supplement, drain the gray water as necessary and we can skip showers if we really have to, but when the black tank is full we're down to digging a latrine. By then, we're ready to leave anyway.

Wantoride · 08-04-2016, 01:05 PM

7 days. 23rb with no generator. We had to use the truck and run jumper cables to the battery to get the slide out in.Water was tight but we made it with about 10 extra gallons. The truck was new and the manufacturer never installed the fuse that allows the battery to charge while it's plugged in to the truck. We ran the truck with the trailer plugged in and ready to go, hoping it would revive the battery enough to do the job. We ended up disconnecting and turning the truck around to jump the trailer, then hooking back up again. It wasn't I till we got home that I was able to find this out. I found the fuse in the glove box. Imagine the fridge! The beer was warm and food was wasted. We were rookies

Desert185 · 08-05-2016, 10:27 AM

I think it's fruitless to attempt to keep the trailer's battery(s) charged with the truck running. The genny works well and burns less fuel...plus, you can charge phones, iPads, make ice, run the Keurig, microwave, etc. during the charging cycle.

FWIW...

GMcKenzie · 08-08-2016, 07:15 AM

I picked up a portable solar panel and set it up for anything more than 3 days. Seems to keep the batteries up and means I don't have to run the generator.

I wish there was a way to use grey water to flush the toilet. My one grey tank is shower and bathroom sink and would make for better use of water if I could flush with it.

Been as long as a week.

mfifield01 · 08-08-2016, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMcKenzie

I picked up a portable solar panel and set it up for anything more than 3 days. Seems to keep the batteries up and means I don't have to run the generator.

I wish there was a way to use grey water to flush the toilet. My one grey tank is shower and bathroom sink and would make for better use of water if I could flush with it.

Been as long as a week.

What solar panel did you get?

GMcKenzie · 08-15-2016, 03:22 PM

It's a 3 panel Coleman unit. Nothing special and I see our local Costco has similar right now. But I'm way up North so pricing will be different.

B-O-B'03 · 08-15-2016, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wantoride

... The truck was new and the manufacturer never installed the fuse that allows the battery to charge while it's plugged in to the truck...

We had the same issue, was wondering why the camper batteries were not charging while we drove down the road, our truck was missing the relay and the fuse, both were in the glove box, in a little baggie.

-Brian

Chinomax · 08-15-2016, 08:33 PM

We spend 3 months at a time in the desert with a friend that is out there for 6 months straight. Yes we have a system to dump waste and get water. Love it! Chino

Desert185 · 08-16-2016, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMcKenzie

I picked up a portable solar panel and set it up for anything more than 3 days. Seems to keep the batteries up and means I don't have to run the generator.

I wish there was a way to use grey water to flush the toilet. My one grey tank is shower and bathroom sink and would make for better use of water if I could flush with it.

Been as long as a week.

Dump some gray water in a 5 gal bucket and...

Steve S · 08-16-2016, 10:33 AM

With this trailer, 16 days. Alot longer with other units.
I've only packed water and LP, no generators or solar.
I carry alot of batteries and battery operated lamps. Now I have a few solar powered lamps and stuff.
Some of my friends say that I'm roughing it (lol) but I'm not really as I'm in a trailer

I think that I've been to two parks with hookups which I never used and everywhere else was off the beaten path.

mom2budnbug · 08-28-2016, 11:49 AM

Thanks for all the responses! We did take generator, extra gas and water. We were fortunate that there was a vault toilet on site. Ice and beer went fast so DH did run to nearest town to refresh those. We are now looking for next years trip.

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