Going all DC in PUP no need for AC uses off-grid.

[Olivert2]

90% of my camping is off grid (no Shore Power) 10% is plugged in 30 amp. I have a 3-way fridge I'll switch to AC when plugged in or DC when traveling 7-pin from tow Vehicle and propane when on solar. With 480 watts 4x120 foldable) of PV panels (240w actual on a good day 24v 10 amps using a 40amp Inverter battery charger with separate LOAD terminals I put 20 amp wire off to more car ports. I can charge my lithium 100ah and two standalone 600+300 (50ah/25ah) portable mppt power stations as backup and under the table or by a bunk or outside running a cooler at night. I use to plug the portables in to simulate Shore Power at night and trickle the batterie but with no AC and all USB or CAR there is no need anymore. The lithium is very happy doing the job at night at 30% usage by morning and being rewarded in the day time. I have gone 3 days on one solar day full charge and wanted for nothing.

So I've wired my camper with USB-C and car (cigarette lighter) receivers near both bunks and in the center bench/cooking area. Having 13.1v and 10amp from the car female and anywhere from 5v1a to 12v10a usb-c thicker cables I can then plug in more splitter and power all the newest laptops, phones, tablets, lights, coolers, fans .... all DC. I even now own an electric 12v 48-68watt blanket for the cold mornings. I can plug in a newer frig/freezers combo as it draws around 50-68watts DC also. When shore AC power is available, I'll let the converter power my DC appliances/lights/fans again all DC

My point is for 5 years I powered up my portable (MPPT) batteries and then ran the AC plug into them just to run AC fans and AC table lights along with computer converters ACtoDC all off AC outlets. Now everything is DC there is no conversion power heat loss. Or when I ran the DC to AC converter to power my DC laptop with the AC cord. Get the picture. When connected to shore that conversion to DC is not a concern. Although if I wanted to stay green at the campsite with AC power I could still run my solar panels but since I'm paying for the electricity and don't need to use propane to cool my 3-way; I leave the panels at home on that week. SO FAR.

Convert your camper to DC enjoy the power as Tesla intended for the local short haul.

 

[unclemark]

Great idea. We have used Shore Power only 11 out of 144 nights since 2015. Yet this month we will break with that trend significantly because for some reason we've planned a summer trip to Southern Illinois, and we think we'll need air conditioning. Ordinarily we avoid summer camping, but we've not had much cool-season spare time the past two years, so we're forced back onto the grid by circumstances.

 

[Mytime]

Great idea. We have used Shore Power only 11 out of 144 nights since 2015. Yet this month we will break with that trend significantly because for some reason we've planned a summer trip to Southern Illinois, and we think we'll need air conditioning. Ordinarily we avoid summer camping, but we've not had much cool-season spare time the past two years, so we're forced back onto the grid by circumstances.

Yes you will need air conditioning. Mosquito repellant as well.

 

[Olivert2]

90% of my camping is off grid (no Shore Power) 10% is plugged in 30 amp. I have a 3-way fridge I'll switch to AC when plugged in or DC when traveling 7-pin from tow Vehicle and propane when on solar. With 480 watts 4x120 foldable) of PV panels (240w actual on a good day 24v 10 amps using a 40amp Inverter battery charger with separate LOAD terminals I put 20 amp wire off to more car ports. I can charge my lithium 100ah and two standalone 600+300 (50ah/25ah) portable mppt power stations as backup and under the table or by a bunk or outside running a cooler at night. I use to plug the portables in to simulate Shore Power at night and trickle the batterie but with no AC and all USB or CAR there is no need anymore. The lithium is very happy doing the job at night at 30% usage by morning and being rewarded in the day time. I have gone 3 days on one solar day full charge and wanted for nothing.

So I've wired my camper with USB-C and car (cigarette lighter) receivers near both bunks and in the center bench/cooking area. Having 13.1v and 10amp from the car female and anywhere from 5v1a to 12v10a usb-c thicker cables I can then plug in more splitter and power all the newest laptops, phones, tablets, lights, coolers, fans .... all DC. I even now own an electric 12v 48-68watt blanket for the cold mornings. I can plug in a newer frig/freezers combo as it draws around 50-68watts DC also. When shore AC power is available, I'll let the converter power my DC appliances/lights/fans again all DC

My point is for 5 years I powered up my portable (MPPT) batteries and then ran the AC plug into them just to run AC fans and AC table lights along with computer converters ACtoDC all off AC outlets. Now everything is DC there is no conversion power heat loss. Or when I ran the DC to AC converter to power my DC laptop with the AC cord. Get the picture. When connected to shore that conversion to DC is not a concern. Although if I wanted to stay green at the campsite with AC power I could still run my solar panels but since I'm paying for the electricity and don't need to use propane to cool my 3-way; I leave the panels at home on that week. SO FAR.

Convert your camper to DC enjoy the power as Tesla intended for the local short haul.

90% of my camping is off grid (no Shore Power) 10% is plugged in 30 amp. I have a 3-way fridge I'll switch to AC when plugged in or DC when traveling 7-pin from tow Vehicle and propane when on solar. With 480 watts 4x120 foldable) of PV panels (240w actual on a good day 24v 10 amps using a 40amp Inverter battery charger with separate LOAD terminals I put 20 amp wire off to more car ports. I can charge my lithium 100ah and two standalone 600+300 (50ah/25ah) portable mppt power stations as backup and under the table or by a bunk or outside running a cooler at night. I use to plug the portables in to simulate Shore Power at night and trickle the batterie but with no AC and all USB or CAR there is no need anymore. The lithium is very happy doing the job at night at 30% usage by morning and being rewarded in the day time. I have gone 3 days on one solar day full charge and wanted for nothing.

So I've wired my camper with USB-C and car (cigarette lighter) receivers near both bunks and in the center bench/cooking area. Having 13.1v and 10amp from the car female and anywhere from 5v1a to 12v10a usb-c thicker cables I can then plug in more splitter and power all the newest laptops, phones, tablets, lights, coolers, fans .... all DC. I even now own an electric 12v 48-68watt blanket for the cold mornings. I can plug in a newer frig/freezers combo as it draws around 50-68watts DC also. When shore AC power is available, I'll let the converter power my DC appliances/lights/fans again all DC

My point is for 5 years I powered up my portable (MPPT) batteries and then ran the AC plug into them just to run AC fans and AC table lights along with computer converters ACtoDC all off AC outlets. Now everything is DC there is no conversion power heat loss. Or when I ran the DC to AC converter to power my DC laptop with the AC cord. Get the picture. When connected to shore that conversion to DC is not a concern. Although if I wanted to stay green at the campsite with AC power I could still run my solar panels but since I'm paying for the electricity and don't need to use propane to cool my 3-way; I leave the panels at home on that week. SO FAR.

Convert your camper to DC enjoy the power as Tesla intended for the local short haul.

I did not mention Air Conditioning because if I needed/had that then Shore Power or a generator would have been required. You have me thinking though if the newer refrig/freezer are about 60 watts (divided by 12 volts = 5 amp hours) could there be a DC AirCon floor unit somewhere on the market that doesn't drain a batterie in 1 hour? Note in above post all AC stands for alternating current sorry if tht was confusing.

I do have the foil trick between my zip up windows and reflective foil blankets laid over the two ends when the sun gets to hot or the weather gets to cold and I have to run the inside heater. Those foil sheets help a lot to reflect heat or cold especially when it gets windy as I believe the window material is thinner for he tent to let some light in. For me during a heat wave in the Boston area last year I kept three DC fans one was a larger table model running to circulate the air inside so people could feel cooler at night luckily we were on the ocean so just hit the beach during the day.

I'll try and take some pics of my DC solution, connections and the Inverter inside this week and post. For now here are two I took in May 2023.

 

[kitphantom]

We arrived at owning a popup with power needs via years of tent camping and a popup with no real power. Therefore, when we added items we could use, we stuck with the DC type. It's worked well for us, most of the time, we're dry camping.
Solar works well in the places we camp most often, in the 4 Corners States. With the Coleman Cobalt, we had 60 watts of solar panels, charging the single, group 24 battery, alternating with the goal Zero storage battery (as needed). We added a "cigarette" lighter outlet to that popup, for some charging, and to run our 12v fan. The Goal Zero battery was used for charging small electronics, once we bought that. That pup had a furnace, 2 ceiling lights (converted to LED), and that was it.
When we moved to the TT, we had to up-size to 160 watts of solar; we also upgraded to two "golf cart" 6v batteries. We have more power stuff, including the power hog water pump, furnace, more lights (we tend to have one fixture on at a time while dry camping), ceiling fan (added a PWM controller, which was a h int here on the Portal), fridge and HWT controls and ignition. We kept the solar system form the popup, so we use both. The current Goal Zero Yeti (the older version, not lithium) is used to run my sound machine at night, as well as charge cell phone and Kindles. The 12v outlet in the TT is in a location that is almost as hard to use as possible, and we haven't really figured out a better one where there are wires to tap into. We do occasionally use it, with a 12v extension cord, for the 12v fan.
If we know it's likely to be very hot or cold, we try to find a campsite with power. We've changed plans twice at Grand Canyon, one with the Cobalt, once with the TT, when early season snowstorms arrived during fall trips, and managed to move from dry camping to Trailer Village and power. (Funny, people seemed to have cleared out, or not arrived, both times.)

 

[Olivert2]

Great example of DC/solar use. MPPT vs PWM Inverter for the solar while one is a little more efficient reading other boards let's not get into that debate here as it can go either way and we are not talking long duration use. I like the practical cold/hot solution for your TT go to Shore Power campsite or possibly you'll have to run a Honda quiet generator if boondocking. My popup has the sink but a 5gal JERRY Jug outside for dishes and such plus having no other plumbing needs I forgot about that inside pump. BTW I always use a (big blue looking inline hose) filter when connected or filling the water no matter where I get my potable water and replace it yearly.

I'm seeing more devices that work on either 12 or 24volts. I'll be researching next to take 2x12v 100aHour (type 24/27) lithium (not lead) in series (not parallel) on the tongue to keep the weight down under for a class II hitch towed by an SUV as it would increase the power over the same wiring as the amps go down. I can tell you already do that with your two 6v to make 12v but to think that 240watts 24v over 10 amp internal DC wiring and the 2x increased capacity might be over the top for my home office in the camper. Yet having a device like the Goal Zero as a backup might keep your TT out longer and payback not having to go to shore. I really think almost all DC appliances I own say 12/24 volt car lighter compatible. I wonder if the built in LED light can handle 24V.

I saw a new MPPT solar portable power station capable of 500w recharging rate from PV panels. Most older portables max out at 120watts input recharging or less.

I'm watching to much HGTV tiny homes and This Old House. But to get those people that are not into "roughing it" having all the DC they could consume with their computer gadgets plus freezers, K-cups and electric blankets might get them back into the outdoors. Again, let me remind all unless you wish to park in the sun don't mount your PV panels permanently on the roof; foldable work better in my mind they weigh a lot less.

 

[Anthony Hitchings]

90% of my camping is off grid (no Shore Power) 10% is plugged in 30 amp. I have a 3-way fridge I'll switch to AC when plugged in or DC when traveling 7-pin from tow Vehicle and propane when on solar. With 480 watts 4x120 foldable) of PV panels (240w actual on a good day 24v 10 amps using a 40amp Inverter battery charger with separate LOAD terminals I put 20 amp wire off to more car ports. I can charge my lithium 100ah and two standalone 600+300 (50ah/25ah) portable mppt power stations as backup and under the table or by a bunk or outside running a cooler at night. I use to plug the portables in to simulate Shore Power at night and trickle the batterie but with no AC and all USB or CAR there is no need anymore. The lithium is very happy doing the job at night at 30% usage by morning and being rewarded in the day time. I have gone 3 days on one solar day full charge and wanted for nothing.

So I've wired my camper with USB-C and car (cigarette lighter) receivers near both bunks and in the center bench/cooking area. Having 13.1v and 10amp from the car female and anywhere from 5v1a to 12v10a usb-c thicker cables I can then plug in more splitter and power all the newest laptops, phones, tablets, lights, coolers, fans .... all DC. I even now own an electric 12v 48-68watt blanket for the cold mornings. I can plug in a newer frig/freezers combo as it draws around 50-68watts DC also. When shore AC power is available, I'll let the converter power my DC appliances/lights/fans again all DC

My point is for 5 years I powered up my portable (MPPT) batteries and then ran the AC plug into them just to run AC fans and AC table lights along with computer converters ACtoDC all off AC outlets. Now everything is DC there is no conversion power heat loss. Or when I ran the DC to AC converter to power my DC laptop with the AC cord. Get the picture. When connected to shore that conversion to DC is not a concern. Although if I wanted to stay green at the campsite with AC power I could still run my solar panels but since I'm paying for the electricity and don't need to use propane to cool my 3-way; I leave the panels at home on that week. SO FAR.

Convert your camper to DC enjoy the power as Tesla intended for the local short haul.

thats pretty much our situation.

AC, when available, is used for our small BLack and Decker toaster so that DW can have her toast and jam while on vacation - the ultimate home luxury. Jam on one slice, Lemon Curd on the other slice. Of course, just to be polite, I have thesame breakfast, abeit with more slices of toast than she does