theboondork's RV blog

A NEW VIEW, aJO ARIZONA

2/27/2019

Boondocking at the roping arena outside of Ajo Arizona.

I had an uneventful 120 mile drive from Ben Avery's gun range to Ajo Arizona this morning. This was the first drive that I got to use my new wired rearview cameras and oh what a pleasure it was to be able to see behind me clearly, and consistently, without the cameras blinking on and off whenever they felt like it. If I hadn't been so lazy I could've had them working a looong time ago but I had been without them for so long I'd forgotten how useful they were.

I'm currently boondocked at what is known as the roping arena a few miles outside of Ajo. I've never stayed here before so I don't know what I'm supposed to do so I just pulled in and set up camp. It's supposed to be free and if it's not I guess somebody will let me know sooner or later.

There's about 10 other RVs here and half of them have an ATV of some kind so it looks like I'll have to unload the Beta 250 and run around the desert a little bit. It already feels warmer here than it was at Ben Avery's so doing some outdoor things will be a lot more fun.

From what I understand the roping arena is closed for good, and this boondocking area that I'm at now used to be the camping area for the rodeo riders, and I believe this whole arena deal is run by the County.

for anyone interested I have full bars of Verizon signal so my MiFi is giving me high speed Internet.

theboondork

I've never boondocked here before so I thought I would give it a try. There's a lot more places In Ajo to boondock if this spot doesn't work out,

The gadgets that replace my brain while I'm driving, my Garmin GPS, the camera that watches my motorcycle, and my rearview camera.

9 Comments

Tim link

2/28/2019 02:15:22 pm

Hi Tom - I never get tired of seeing photos of that beautiful Arctic Fox 27-5L! Glad the rear camera is working - that must be a relieve.

Quick question about you solar, if you don't mind: On a really great solar day, perfect weather, no clouds, no shade, etc., what would be the maximum amount of amps you would expect to pull from your system? The reason I ask is that I'm looking at either the Victron 100 amp or 85 amp charge controller. From what I understand, either would work, but if the system produces over 85 amps, the smaller charge controller would clip the number of amps at 85. The pMax is 9.18 amps for the panels I'm looking at, which is ~74 amps. However, theoretically, it could be higher at times. After doing quite a bit of research, I think the 85 would be fine, but wanted to see what your real world experience was like.

Thanks - looks like the weather is turning nicer for you.

Tom

2/28/2019 03:23:33 pm

Always glad to help, I don't have much, but I do have opinions, and a little experience.

My solar panels put out eight point something amps. And the most amps I've ever seen come out of my six panels at one time if I remember correctly is 51 Amps. That was a long time ago when I paid attention to such things because I was trying to find out how to live within my solar panel amp budget. But now that I've figured out what my electric needs are, and that my six 140 W panels supply my needs I only glance at my Bogart meter every once in a while or to tell me if somethings wrong.

Here's something I've never done before, I'll give you a list of everything electric that I've got running right now, maybe that will be of some use to you.

Endless breeze floor fan.

two fantastic vent fans.

Refrigerator, it's running on propane but it's still using some electricity.

17 inch laptop computer, it stays on almost all day until I go to bed

Cell phone stays on the charger.

MiFi jetpack stays on the charger.

The inverter is on, I turn it off when I go to bed at night.

When it gets dark add a few LED lights to that list. And sometimes at night a couple of hours of TV.

Since my solar controller is 60 Amps and I heard from "Handy Bob" that you don't want your solar controller to spend a lot of time running at its maximum amps or it will shorten its life, I think that's about the best I'm going to do without upgrading my whole system. So fortunately for the way I live, in the locations that I frequent the system I have now seems to be about right.

A good example is today, its a beautiful sunny blue sky and about 75° with a few wispy clouds and I was fully charged and the solar controller was idling by 11 o'clock. So I think the system you're contemplating will have plenty of amps and will enable you to hang around places that don't get as much sunshine as I need.

Always keep in mind that how many amps you believe your going to use is only half the equation. Where you plan on spending a lot of your time is just as important. For instance if you love being in Seattle Washington I don't know if our roofs are big enough to hold enough solar panels for that.

Tom

2/28/2019 09:21:51 pm

Thanks, Tom - That's really helpful. Based on the numbers you're getting in real life, I think the Victron 150/85 will be sufficient, but I might go with the 150/100, depending on what the price differential ends up being.

Thanks for giving the list of your energy devices. I think my consumption will be really similar to yours, other than I might try to use my NuWave Oven, just to see how it works out. I've pretty much decided not to bring my big desk computer. I've all but stopped doing the flight simulation stuff (and don't miss it), which is where I would really need the desktop.

As you mention, where I'm going to be is going to be a big factor and the main reason I'm going to put as many panels as possible and probably adding a fifth battery (as well as keeping the Honda generator). If I want to go boondocking in the Pacific Northwest, I want to give the rig the best chance to stay energized and not avoid areas because of rain, etc.

Thanks again Tom. All this thinking about buying stuff is wearing me out. Thank goodness that this is (hopefully) the last major purchase for the RV.

2/28/2019 10:05:44 pm

My big desktop just sits under the dining room table taking up space and adding weight. I don't think I've turned it on in over a year. I've got too much money sunk in it to throw it in the trash and no earthly reason to keep carrying it around anymore, it's a boat anchor and I no longer own a boat.

I'm sure there will be more things you will need but you probably won't know it until you've traveled for a while and determined what kind of lifestyle you want to live on the road and what you really enjoy doing while living as a full timer. For me it's coming down to my camera equipment and my laptop computers are my main hobby and source of entertainment, and I never would've guessed that would happen when I started my new life.

Trying to prepare for a full-time RVing lifestyle while living a normal life in a home without wheels is like trying to learn how to swim before you jump in the pool, we all try to do it but it's never like what we think it will be.

Look at my situation for instance. I had traveled in various RVs for decades before I went full-time. I traveled in RVs when I was retired and could stay on the road for a couple of months if I wanted to and often did. You would think with that background adapting to a full-time lifestyle would just require a few minor changes. But I believe the transition was just as big a shock to me as it would've been to someone who had never been in an RV before.

Physically it's the same, but mentally it's a different world and I don't think anyone is really prepared for the changes that it brings. And just like everything else in life whether those changes will be good or bad is totally up to your perception of them.

Tom

2/28/2019 10:24:19 pm

Oh, there will definitely be more things that I'll need and/or want when I go full-timing. I was looking at the three big purchases being the RV itself, the truck, and the solar system. I'm hoping that the really big ones will be over after this, but I'll still have a few major purchases, like a cell phone and plan, cell booster, TPMS, and a laptop, but I'm going to wait until the last minute before getting those.

This reminds me of a scene from a movie (I believe it was the Nutty Professor, but not sure) where this genius learns how to surf using mathematical formulas. He goes out on the board and falls over, and over, and over again. So, he comes back and looks at the formula and realizes he forgot to carry a number (or something like that) and then he can surf like a professional. I won't know if I've gottten the formula right until I get in the RV and realize that I forgot to carry a number somewhere in my calculations.

3/1/2019 08:53:07 am

That sounds like something Jerry Lewis would do. When I was a little kid Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis were my favorite comedy team, it broke my heart when they split up.

Those are all definitely things that you will need. In the past I would've recommended an external Wi-Fi antenna but ever since I got my unlimited hotspot MiFi from Verizon I never use my Wi-Fi antenna anymore all my Internet comes from the MiFi. And I'm to the point now where this summer I might just remove the antenna.

I can't remember if you've told me how you're going to heat the Arctic Fox but I would definitely recommend adding a propane heater to that list. My Hearthrite infrared propane heater is without a doubt the key to me being a happy boondocker, especially this winter. Mine is running right now and silently warming up the Arctic Fox this morning. Here's an Amazon link, I have the 10K two brick version and it provides all the heat I need
https://www.amazon.com/Hearthrite-Vent-Free-Infrared-Thermostat-Natural/dp/B018T5OA44 .

The best things you can have that will make you a happy camper don't need to be bought, will take up no space, nor will they add weight because there all in your mind. A sense of humor, living in the moment, not worrying about things you can't do anything about, problems are just challenges that you can overcome, never forget that happiness is in your mind and not in the place you're at or the things you own, and last but not least.... this mostly applies to intelligent well-educated people..... enjoying life is simple don't over think it.

Tom

3/1/2019 08:58:22 am

I screwed up, when copying that Amazon URL don't include the period at the end.

3/1/2019 11:31:29 am

Thanks Tom - I remember you saying that you really liked your heater, so that's something I'll be adding at some point soon. I also remember seeing photos about how you connected it to your propane line. You do have the 10K BTU heater, correct?

Martin and Lewis had already broken up when I was born, but I watched a lot of their old movies when I was a kid and they were one of my favorite groups as well. along with Abbot and Costello and The Smothers Brothers.

What I'm finding about happiness is that the less I have, the happier I become. I think that's one of the reasons I'm hesitating on making the solar purchases (more stuff in my life), although I realize that will be purchases to give me more freedom. That's the big question I'm asking myself these days: "If I make this particular purchase, will it add to my freedom and/or happiness."

3/1/2019 12:10:01 pm

That's a good way to do it, question everything you buy. And you can add safety to that freedom and/or happiness standard.

Yes I have the 10K BTU heater with the two bricks in it. But just like the amount of solar panels you need, the size of the heater will be determined by where you want to spend the most time.

The 10K works for me because I stay in relatively warm places and seldom need anymore heat and it provides. But when I do I can turn on the Arctic Fox's furnace for little bit to supplement the radiant heater and I've had to do that very few times. I think this winter's been the most I've had to do that. And I do it not necessarily to warm up the trailer, but to keep the basement and pipes from the unlikely possibility of freezing.

Tom

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A NEW VIEW, aJO ARIZONA

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