bmet2000'sDW
North Carolina
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Joined: 02/17/2009
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We have never dry camped before, nor have we ever overnighted in a parking lot. BUT this summer we will be doing both on our way out west.
I have a question about what to do when it's HOT. We are planning on using walmart parking lots or some place like that a night or two on our way from NC to Grand Tetons in July.
I understand that once we get there, we shouldn't have any problem with staying cool at night, but what do we when we're on the road with no electricity and it's hot at night?
We have a generator, with two batteries, but the advice I have gotten is that the batteries will not run the ac all night and I'm guess that we won't be able to run the generator all night long?
What do ya'll do? We have a 35ft travel trailer and 6 people.
Imagine the further west we go, the less we will have to worry about it being hot at night, but here in NC, it stays in the 70's at night and VERY HUMID!
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Merrykalia
Appalachian (apple at chun) Mountains in SW VA
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Joined: 04/18/2005
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We are doing a dry camping trip this coming weekend - 4 days in the GSMNP - Elkmont Campground. I have purchased a couple of O2Cool fans from Walmart. They operate on 8 D batteries and are supposed to last at least 24 hours. When I first tried it after getting home, I put in 8 batteries that had already been used and left it running all night long. The next day, it ran about 9 hours until it started slowing tremendously - for a total of 22 hours on used batteries. We have one for our bedroom and one for the girls' bed
room.
I hope this works well, but it is forcasted to be 90 all weekend, but not quite that hot in the mtns.
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pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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Joined: 12/18/2004
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Hi,
Three hours before you stop for the night turn on the generator and run the roof air conditioner.
Make ice during the day in the freezer.
I'm not aware of regulations that require generators to not run all night in parking lots.
This link may help you find some places to boondock.
low cost and free campsites
Have a great trip!
Regards, Don
Kustom Koach Class C 28'5" 256 watts solar, 875 amp hours in two battery banks 12 volt batteries 2500 watt inverter.
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M GO BLUE
Southgate, MI
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Joined: 01/29/2001
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The A/C runs off electricity (not the batteries) so you would need to run your generator...parking on asphalt parking lots does not help but not much you can consider there when in a Walmart parking lot...
While traveling and wanting to stop in either a Cracker Barrel, Flying J, Walmart, casino parking lots, etc. if needed we run our built-in generator all night for the AC to get some sleep...and no we don't even consider stopping for a quick overnight at a campground
If you have an inverter in your trailer and depending on your battery bank you might be able to run a 12V fan at night...
2005 Chevy Silverado 3500 dually CC/LB Duramax/Allison
2008 Jayco Designer 35RLTS fifth wheel
Onan 5500W Marquis Gold gas generator (HGJAB - 1038D)
WOULD RETIRE NOW IF I COULD FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY FOR HEALTH CARE...
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PapPappy
Wilmington, NC
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My advice would be to avoid parking at Walmart if it's been extremely hot during the day, as the pavement will radiate that heat back up to the trailer, and if it's a 80+ degree night, you won't be comfortable...even with fans! On those days, you may want to just pull into an inexpensive CG (join PassportAmerica for half-price camping).....
Try and park under trees or some other shade (very difficult at Walmart, though some places do have some trees)
In a MH, you probably could get away with running the genset, as they aren't that noisy......but setting up your genset at a Walmart, might result in a missing generator in the morning
You are right that the batteries won't handle the A/C. We've got a bank of 4 batteries, with solar panels, and while it will run the A/C for short periods of time, it's not going to keep us cool all night long.
You will want to stop at a full service campground every couple of days anyway, to dump your tanks anyway, so if you can try and schedule that to fit in on the hotter days, you should be OK.
Happy Camping
Bill & Claudia / DD Jenn / DS Chris / GS MJ
Dogs: Sophie, Abby, Brandy, Kahlie, Annie, Maggie, Tugger & Beau
RIP: Cookie, Foxy & Gidget @ Rainbow Bridge.
2000 Winnebago "Minnie" 31C, Ford V-10
Purchased April 2008 FMCA# F407293
The Pets
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narcodog
Georgia
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Joined: 04/02/2006
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The heat can be quite high across Nebraska, 100's during the day and pretty warm at night. You can get some 12v fans that would help. I80 has some nice rest stops that I have used several times. In Sidney, Nb there is a Cabelas with very reasonable rates. We stayed there last Oct and it was $16.00 for the night.
If you need fuel there go into town and get it at the Aztec store where it is at least .10 less per gallon up next to the interstate.
There is a restaurant next to Cabelas not so great.
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downtheroad
Pacific Northwest
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Joined: 02/18/2003
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Bottom line...if it's really hot and we want to stay comfortable and enjoy our trip without getting cranky and without sleeping in a pool of sweat...then we pull into a campground with electricity and pay our money.
"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane"
GMC Duramax/Allison (LBZ)
Komfort .... Our Rig Picture
Reese Dual Cam HP
Lots of other stuff nobody cares about.
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Twomed
FL winters and then somewhere cool
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Joined: 06/02/2004
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downtheroad wrote:Bottom line...if it's really hot and we want to stay comfortable and enjoy our trip without getting cranky and without sleeping in a pool of sweat...then we pull into a campground with electricity and pay our money.
Ditto!!!! Even with a 10K gen and 3 airs, some nights it makes no sense to Wally Dock. With six warm bodies, I would re-plan for stops with hookups for sure. Why plan to make a great adventure a disaster??
Happy Trails
06 Monaco Dynasty
07 Hummer H3
FMCA 279843
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pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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Hi,
The website below has listings of many campgrounds. If you scroll down after clicking on a particular State, there are some listings for low cost or even free campgrounds. Nebraska seems to be the "king" in this regard, offering many free 'one night' places with power and sometimes even water hook ups.
State by State
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alliemac9
Colorado
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Joined: 10/28/2007
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If you're set on dry camping, I would recommend fans as others have mentioned. In addition, you can pack small spray bottles and mist yourself then let the fans blow on you. This technique got me through an extremely hot Chicago summer in a 3rd floor apartment with no air in college.
2007 Coachmen 2430DB + 2 people + 2 dogs
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