colliehauler
Mc Pherson KS USA
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Joined: 01/27/2004
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A generator. I plan on boon docking a lot with a small TT. I figure the tv will be useless and with the water heater and frig on propane the only draw will be stereo, heater, lights and parasitic drain. I will use two 6 volt batteries and could install solar or I have a small 1800 watt inverter generator I could take along. Any thoughts?
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gbopp
The Keystone State
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Joined: 08/03/2008
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Personally, I would take it. You never know when/if you'll need it.
I'm sure you will get other responses telling you not to take it.
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coolmom42
Middle Tennessee
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I would take it.
Boondocking in Alaska is not the place to figure out that your solar system isn't adequate or some component failed.
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dahkota
Washington, DC
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As I learned in October in a snowstorm, the heater sucks up a lot of power. It wasn't terribly cold outside (32 degrees) but the 25 MPH wind really kept the heater working. Re-charging the batteries while driving helps but you have to drive for a good long while to get the batteries adequately charged.
Alaska can get cold at night, even in the summer. We carry a honda 2000 just in case. We have now used it once, but are thankful we had it.
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Silverado6x6
Wasilla, Alaska USA
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Yes you should keep a generator, depends on what time of the year and what part of Alaska you are camping in, from mid june to late august the temps are moderate but sometimes we get a wet summer up here and with all the overcast a solar panel isn't very efficient. If its pure boondocking you should double your solar panel output or even consider an extra source like a wind generator like on boats.
Those small portable gennies are sweet, they use hardly any fuel. And you can buy them up here fairly reasonable.
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joe b.
Florida
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I took one last summer, 2011, and never one time started it. We don't tend to stay in one place too long, so the batteries get charged while driving the next day. It is light all the time so there are very few uses for electricity that we have found in our 13 round trips by RV, to/from Alaska. If we need electricity for something, such as forest fire smoke, we will either find a commercial campground and plug in, or just go to some other part of the state, that is smoke free.
So all I did last summer was to haul take up space that I could have used for a better purpose, such as hauling more fishing gear?
Some people that like to boondock in remote areas for several days or weeks at one site, do need one to recharge the batteries. We run our fridge off propane, as well as the water heater, cook on propane so just don't need much electricity. We can get by using our group 31 AGM battery for a couple of days and nights before it need a recharge. An I run my CPAP machine off it each night.
I really don't go to northern Canada and Alaska to listen to a generator run, mine or anyone else's while boondocking.
You will get many opinions on the subject, some will even be from people that have been to Alaska. LOL
joe b.
Stuart Florida
Formerly of Colorado and Alaska
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Silverado6x6
Wasilla, Alaska USA
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You know I rarely camp in Alaska, I just live and work here year round. Campgrounds with power are almost always filled up and are are the ones near the major population area like Anchorage and The Valley (Wasilla) and when you do get further out there isn't a whole lot of real campgrounds, sure there are plenty of places to park near the road accessible streams but anyplace away from a community is not going to have a big selection of campgrounds.
Of course we do have an abundance of sunlight but still at our latitude its not straight up and overhead like Las Vegas. But in case you do bring a small gennie make sure its theft proof as best as possible, something like a super heavy bike cable as everyone wants a generator up here. Left unattended for a moment is asking for someone to walk along and to pick it up.
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garym114
Bluff Dale, Texas
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You don't get much from solar in Alaska, the sun is not high enough to do much good and overcast skies are the norm.
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pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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Joined: 12/18/2004
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Hi,
If you don't own a generator already then my choice would be to invest in a good solar system. I've not run my generator except to exercise it since the fall of 2008.
What make and model is your Rv?
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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RangerJay
Northern Ontario
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I guess it depends on where you are camping - what hookups they have - and how long you plan on staying in each place. On our own Alaska trip last year we made very good use of our 1000W Yamaha whenever electricity hookups weren't available - in BC's Provincial Parks, Yukon Territorial Parks and Denali. We had many 2 night stays, a few 3 night stays and a couple 5 night stays. We did use the furnace fairly regularly through much of our trip - which was the killer on our single battery.
Jay
2002 Bambi 19' - the "Toaster"
2003 Nissan Pathfinder - the "Buggy"
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