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  1. #11
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    Thanks for the information. It is very helpful. We currently have an Airstream and boondocking even a few days is challenging because of the size tanks and batteries. We really like going state and national parks which often don’t have electricity.

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pepper61 View Post
    Thanks for the information. It is very helpful. We currently have an Airstream and boondocking even a few days is challenging because of the size tanks and batteries. We really like going state and national parks which often don’t have electricity.
    We can stay in state parks with our 310GK-R easy for a week, two of us, but need generator even with solar 300w. Tanks are plenty big enough probably for 2 weeks if you are a little careful. We will be getting lithium batteries which will help the running the generator to often problem and running out of power at night.

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by LanerC View Post
    We can stay in state parks with our 310GK-R easy for a week, two of us, but need generator even with solar 300w. Tanks are plenty big enough probably for 2 weeks if you are a little careful. We will be getting lithium batteries which will help the running the generator to often problem and running out of power at night.
    Good to know about the batteries. We plan to get a solar system and generator, but didn’t think we would also need lithium batteries.

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pepper61 View Post
    Good to know about the batteries. We plan to get a solar system and generator, but didn’t think we would also need lithium batteries.
    Truth be told, you need the Lithium Batteries more than you need the Solar.

    Boondocking is a matter of resources and whichever resource you run out of first will be your Boondocking limit. The biggest limitation most RVs have when it comes to Boondocking is Energy and Energy Storage. The way most RVs are equipped with one or two Lead Acid Batteries will allow you to Boondock a couple of nights if you are using the Furnace sparingly (the Furnace is a Power Hog and it sucks energy out of your Batteries like crazy). Now, if you don't need your furnace and you are running your fridge and water heater on Propane and your only other energy usage is the water pump and LED lights, you could probably Boondock for four to five days using the Lead Acid Batteries. If you replace your Lead Acid Batteries with a pair of 100ah Lithium Batteries (like the Battle Born Batteries) you could almost double those time frames I just mentioned, add a couple more Lithium Batteries and you could almost double your time frames again. Consequently, if your Furnace usage is very light (or non-existent), or your Boondocking stays are only a couple of days, you can quite easily get by with just upgraded Lithium Batteries and eliminate the Solar component completely.

    For most RVs the next resource limiting your Boondocking time is Tank Space, both fresh water and waste tanks. When Boondocking you can do a lot of little things that will let you extend your Fresh water and reduce the amount of waste that goes into your waste tanks, like taking "Navy" showers. By-the-way, the 310-GK has great tank capacity.

    Once you solve your resource limitations for Energy and Tank space, the next limitation will be refrigerator capacity, how much fresh food you can store will probably be your next resource limitation. Realistically, with the exception of Energy, all your other resources can easily last two weeks.

    So, why do you need Solar? Because, I do not want to be limited in using my Furnace (I like to keep warm at night) and only using the LED lights at night. I want to not be limited by my on-board Energy Storage and I want to run my Microwave and Entertainment center as long as I want to without worrying about running out of power. I want to Boondock for two weeks without worrying about running my batteries dead and I want to only be limited by the size of my Waste Tanks. The other advantage with Solar is that you can get into Campgrounds that are full by asking if they have any dry camping spots available. By being fully self contained, we have found several interesting Campsites we would have not been able to use if we did not have our robust Solar System on our coach.

    The Lithium Batteries are the heart of our Electrical System, without a good battery bank having a Solar system would be almost pointless.
    David and Peggy
    2019 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.7L Diesel, Dually, Long Bed
    Running with 20k Reese Goosebox (Love It) and Ford Factory "Puck" system.
    Stopping with 8,000 lb Disc Brakes and Titan Hydraulic over Electric Brakes system.
    Powering all this fun with 1200 Watts of Solar, two Tesla, Model S, battery modules, 24 volt Victron Inverter.
    2018 Solitude 310 GK

  5. #15
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    Thanks
    Quote Originally Posted by SolarPoweredRV View Post
    Truth be told, you need the Lithium Batteries more than you need the Solar.

    Boondocking is a matter of resources and whichever resource you run out of first will be your Boondocking limit. The biggest limitation most RVs have when it comes to Boondocking is Energy and Energy Storage. The way most RVs are equipped with one or two Lead Acid Batteries will allow you to Boondock a couple of nights if you are using the Furnace sparingly (the Furnace is a Power Hog and it sucks energy out of your Batteries like crazy). Now, if you don't need your furnace and you are running your fridge and water heater on Propane and your only other energy usage is the water pump and LED lights, you could probably Boondock for four to five days using the Lead Acid Batteries. If you replace your Lead Acid Batteries with a pair of 100ah Lithium Batteries (like the Battle Born Batteries) you could almost double those time frames I just mentioned, add a couple more Lithium Batteries and you could almost double your time frames again. Consequently, if your Furnace usage is very light (or non-existent), or your Boondocking stays are only a couple of days, you can quite easily get by with just upgraded Lithium Batteries and eliminate the Solar component completely.

    For most RVs the next resource limiting your Boondocking time is Tank Space, both fresh water and waste tanks. When Boondocking you can do a lot of little things that will let you extend your Fresh water and reduce the amount of waste that goes into your waste tanks, like taking "Navy" showers. By-the-way, the 310-GK has great tank capacity.

    Once you solve your resource limitations for Energy and Tank space, the next limitation will be refrigerator capacity, how much fresh food you can store will probably be your next resource limitation. Realistically, with the exception of Energy, all your other resources can easily last two weeks.

    So, why do you need Solar? Because, I do not want to be limited in using my Furnace (I like to keep warm at night) and only using the LED lights at night. I want to not be limited by my on-board Energy Storage and I want to run my Microwave and Entertainment center as long as I want to without worrying about running out of power. I want to Boondock for two weeks without worrying about running my batteries dead and I want to only be limited by the size of my Waste Tanks. The other advantage with Solar is that you can get into Campgrounds that are full by asking if they have any dry camping spots available. By being fully self contained, we have found several interesting Campsites we would have not been able to use if we did not have our robust Solar System on our coach.

    The Lithium Batteries are the heart of our Electrical System, without a good battery bank having a Solar system would be almost pointless.
    Thanks again for your input. The main reasons we’ve decided to go with the Solitude over the Reflection is because of the size of the holding tanks and the capability for an integrated generator. It’s good to know that you can boondocks over a week with the right power right set up. Based on the inputs, we are leaning toward the 310-GK with the absorption refrigerator.

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