Your RV is a home on wheels. When you arrive at a campsite with full hook-ups, you’ve got all the comforts of home including electricity, running water, a kitchen, and a bathroom. But in order to be able to take full advantage of these amenities, you need to know how to hook up your RV …
Many RVers wonder about the possibility of using solar power for an RV air conditioner. After all, solar power is a tremendous benefit to RVers looking to sustainably power electronics, appliances, and devices by harnessing the awesome power of the sun. We love our RV solar system. As longtime boondockers, we’ve enjoyed the benefits of …
When you first move into an RV or take it on an extended vacation, there can be an unexpected learning curve regarding how devices and appliances are powered. It’s important to understand how your RV house batteries work. Questions like “What does the RV battery actually power?” or “Do RV batteries charge when plugged into …
Access to electric power allows RVers to enjoy all the comforts of home as we travel. Refrigerators, air conditioners, heaters, coffee makers, microwave ovens, television sets, computers, and the personal devices we use on a daily basis all require energy. And of course, we have batteries to charge. When we’re hooked up to shore power …
Solar energy is green, free to collect, and once you set it up, it can provide most (or even all) of your RV’s power needs. Follow along to learn about RV solar panels and which ones are the right choice for you and your rig. What Are RV Solar Panels? RV solar panels collect sunlight …
One of RVing’s most common questions, particularly from those considering off-grid camping, is “Are RV Lithium Batteries worth it?” Even experienced RVers have had a tough time determining whether the investment will pay off. “Should I just stick with the lead-acid batteries that came with the rig, or will it be a meaningful upgrade to …
Conserving battery power in an RV can be a challenge, especially if you spend much time boondocking off the grid. Even with solar panels collecting energy from the sun, or running your generator to replenish batteries, it may be a struggle to guarantee that your electrical system has power when you need it. Saving power …
If you’re a new RVer, or haven’t even taken delivery of your first rig yet, the connections and hoses you need to hook up your RV might seem a bit overwhelming. But don’t worry… hooking up your RV for camping is a simple process that anyone can learn how to do. In this post we’ll …
Adding RV solar power to your RV’s electrical system is a popular option for any motorhome or travel trailer. But just putting panels on the roof may only help you gain a fraction of the power available if you’re not using them to ‘follow the sun.’ But by tilting RV solar panels to directly face …
Light Emitting Diodes, otherwise known as LED lights, have become the popular choice for use in recreational vehicles for numerous reasons. Your rig may still be equipped with its original incandescent/fluorescent light bulbs, but we assure you that after comparing the technologies, the first thing you’ll do is switch out all of your power-guzzling bulbs …
Because we often boondock in wide open spaces, it allows us to face our RV in any direction we like. So why do we always face East when we have the option? Watch the video above for the answers! Here are some tips that may help you find your best direction, too. On a side …
As featured speakers at the 2019 Xscapers Annual Bash in Lake Havasu City, AZ, our presentation was all about RV Batteries – Flooded vs. AGM vs Lithium. Thanks to Xscapers for inviting us to speak their biggest convergence of the year. We hope this information helps fellow RVers understand the pros and cons of each …
It’s time to install our new power cord reel, plus we’re excited to announce that Glendinning has agreed to become the latest manufacturer of fine RV gear to be added to our Discounts page, offering special savings on the same CRMA50-12-RV50 power cord reel that we’re installing in our RV. Glendinning coupon code RVGEEKS saves …
The big day we’ve all been eagerly awaiting has finally arrived. We’re at Xantrex headquarters in Burnaby British Columbia for the installation of our Freedom e-GEN Lithium Battery system! After months of planning and preparation, we’re so excited to be here, and to share this with you. This isn’t a DIY project, so the system …
We’ve had flawless service from our Glendinning power cord reel for the past 13 years. But now that we need more space in the electrical compartment, we’re switching to one of their newer models that takes up less room. An added bonus is that we’ll be gaining 15 ‘ of extra cord! Check out the …
Xantrex has just released the second video in their series about our 13+ years of experience as full-time RVers. This short video touches on some of the reasons we hit the road in the first place. We also visited Xantrex headquarters in Burnaby, BC, Canada recently, where we hosted a meet & greet on board …
Xantrex recently interviewed us about our switch to their Freedom SW 3012 inverter/charger. They created the above video about it, plus you can read their companion article about us here. Our decision to replace our Magnum inverter/charger with a Xantrex unit was a long time in the making. We’d been having some minor glitchy behavior with …
Our RV’s original inverter/charger has been acting up a bit lately. So when Xantrex asked us if we’d be willing to test out one of their Freedom series Pure Sine Wave models, we said “Sure!” Since we’d had a trouble-free experience with a Xantrex inverter in our first RV, and they’re now included as standard …
While the “chassis” batteries start your RV’s engine, it’s the “house” batteries that power the interior lights, vent fans, water pump and other 12-volt equipment. Through the use of an inverter, which converts 12-volts DC into 110-volts AC, they also power the coffee maker, TVs, microwave oven and other household appliances. Like the rest of …
In Part 5 of our LED Your RV series, we’re replacing our RV’s docking and patio lights with cool, bright, low-power LEDs. We’re also excited to announce our newest RVgeeks Contest! On September 15, 2014 at 8pm Pacific Time, one lucky RVgeeks viewer will win a $250 Online Shopping Certificate to M4 Products, our favorite …
Our previous videos about LEDs have generated so much interest that we wanted to share the details about the new way we’re upgrading our fixtures. This video covers the steps needed to convert 12″ fluorescent tubes to beautiful new LEDs. Since 12″ fixtures are upgraded to LED in a different way than 18″ fixtures, we’re …
Last week’s video about our ongoing conversion to cool, energy-efficient LED lights generated a lot of interest, plus some questions. Today we’ll provide some additional details about the exact choices we made regarding color temperature, brightness and style of LEDs. The majority of light fixtures in our RV came with the following types of bulbs: Incandescents, …
An inverter is one of the greatest devices to have on an RV, allowing you to power your appliances when you’re camping “off the cord” (without hook-ups). A power inverter converts the 12-volt DC power in your RV’s batteries into standard 120-volt AC household current. But how many watts do you need and what’s the …
UPDATE: Check out the new and improved ways we’ve converted our entire RV to LED. View our entire LED video playlist here. Being frequent boondockers (for the uninitiated, that’s camping without hook-ups), we’re always looking for ways to conserve resources. Even though our RV came equipped with some fairly energy efficient fluorescent lighting, LED lights …
A new RVer recently asked us how to plug their RV into a regular household electric outlet, so we thought we’d cover the basics of connecting different types of RVs into 20-, 30- and 50-amp electric service. A standard 3-prong household electric outlet provides 20-amp service (sometimes also referred to as 15-amp service). Most medium-sized …