Electricity / Energy Conservation / Renewable Energy / Solar
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published May 13, 2024 · Last modified May 12, 2024
Your fully off-grid RV power system may be delivering “dirty” electricity. Here’s one relatively cheap and simple way to fix that. This isn’t right for all systems, and there are other ways of accomplishing the same thing. I like this method because it’s quick, simple, and cheap. It also has...
Electricity / Energy Conservation / Renewable Energy / Solar
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published May 6, 2024
In my continued efforts to refine and simplify my off-grid power generation, I came up with an inexpensive way to add extra batteries to my battery bank. It’s quick, clever, and (once the wiring is done) essentially foolproof. Granted, the extra batteries aren’t fully integrated in the same way as...
Boondocking / Electricity / Energy Conservation / Renewable Energy / RV Life / Solar
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published April 2, 2024
If you have solar, wind, hydro, or any combination of the above, depending on what type of battery bank you use this could be a great trick for you. Try this only if you are confident that you understand your power setup and the principles of electricity in general. You...
In home appliance technology terms, my RV’s old refrigerator was practically a hand-me-down from Fred Flintstone. It was 27 years old. Not only had multiple decades of near-continuous service taken its toll on the old girl, but almost every aspect of insulation and refrigeration technology has dramatically improved during that...
I just bought new tires for my motorhome. As I was researching tires, I wondered if I could put a different tire size on my existing wheels. And if I did, how might the motorhome be affected? What I found ended up being way more interesting and bizarre than I...
Boondocking / Camping / Electricity / Energy Conservation / Renewable Energy / RV Life / Solar
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published August 2, 2023
If you want to boondock but are worried that your battery bank may not be quite up to the task of running everything 24 hours a day, here’s a clever hack to try. I did this for several months. Even running the refrigerator on propane for 12+ hours a day,...
Boondockers Welcome users were absorbed into the Harvest Hosts family when HH bought BW. If you’ve stuck with the Boondockers Welcome membership level (like me for a long time), you might be wondering if Harvest Hosts is actually worth the extra money. While the answer to that question comes down...
Almost all RVers obsess over getting their rigs perfectly level, but what awful things might happen if you don’t? let’s find out! If you want to side-step frustrating and potentially expensive mistakes, consider checking out my book 50+ Ways That an RV is NOT Like a House.
Even among people who have solar systems, there is a widespread misconception about how solar actually works. In this very short video, I break it down. (It’s so simple once you know!) Learn more tips and tricks for living your best life on the road. Check out my book 50+...
What can you do when one of your solar panels is damaged? In this video, I share how one of my solar panels got broken during a windstorm and what happened afterward. If you are in a van, RV, travel trailer, fifth wheel, or skoolie, or even if you just...
Electricity / Fulltime / Logistics / Renewable Energy / RV Life / Solar
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published July 22, 2023
It’s very common for almost anyone with solar to show off their solar panels. What is not at all common is for them to have mismatched solar panels. There are good reasons why, but there are also easy ways around the problems they can cause. I explain in this short...
Having an extra hand when dressing or hanging up clothes is very convenient. Fortunately, it’s also easy and super cheap. Check it out. Want more great tips like this? Check out my book http://amazingworldadventures.com/rv-book
Black tank clogs? Composting toilet? What do you do with used toilet paper? Here’s a quick and simple trick. Want more tips and tricks like this? Want to save yourself from potentially costly RV mistakes? Whether you’re in a van, skoolie, travel trailer, fifth wheel, or motorhome, 50+ Ways That...
People who haven’t actually been inside of Thor — my motorhome’s name is Thor Odinson — are often shocked to learn that I have no air conditioning. It actually had two rooftop air conditioners when I bought it, but I uninstalled both and now rely on just fans and other...
Nature / Off-the-beaten-path / USA
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published January 16, 2023 · Last modified January 9, 2023
Ask any eight-year-old kid — or I guess really just about anyone — to draw a cactus and they’re almost certain to draw a saguaro. Well, they really do exist. Not in all desert areas. But in southwestern Arizona and southeastern California, around the area near Quartzsite, they are all...