Freedom in a Can: Adventures with Hamlet

You don't want to end up like these folks that we saw at a Flying J Travel Plaza along I-10 in the New Mexico. Seriously, what's going on here...Man Cave? She Shed? Mobile Office? In-Laws Suite? We'll never know... If you are new to RVing, or  considering going full-time , there are many options, styles, and opinions out there, but the most important factor is how YOU plan to use YOUR home-on-wheels. Ask yourself... Are you going to travel nearly every day?  Are you going to select a region and stay put for several weeks before moving on?  Do you plan on exploring national parks in the U.S. or Canada?  Will you be working from the road?  Will you need internet and/or a dedicated workspace? Do you plan to be plugged in at an RV resort or boondock with solar in the desert? Do you want to be able to live in both freezing temperatures as well as hot summer weather? While our first RV is still our only RV (after 13+ years of full-time use), let's just say that...

Over the past 12 years of off-grid living, we’ve encountered some significant weather extremes during our travels across the continent.  Believe it or not, we’re writing this blog during an ice storm that has knocked out grid power all over the High Country of North Carolina, so our timing could not be more poignant!  While our system has been fine, we’ve needed to rely on just about every trick we have to stay powered up in the cold. Last winter, North America saw some pretty weird weather; snow on the ground for days in New Orleans, Louisiana, icy blizzards across the mid-Atlantic states.  As severe storms become stronger and more difficult to predict, the obvious questions arise:  Will the solar panels keep up, will the batteries get too cold, what if the system goes down?   With just a few strategies and the right equipment, you can be prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws at you.  Winter’s Impact on Solar Systems Solar powered systems don't really...

Whether you are living in an RV, off-grid cabin/home, or boat, you can power everything from lights and computers to refrigerators and instant pots with energy from the sun.  We’ve been powering our off-grid RV life for over 12.5 years as we’ve traveled, worked, and played around the North American continent.  Designing a solar powered system that works for your rig / home, your lifestyle, and your energy needs is key to success and satisfaction with your system! When building a system, folks often start by researching solar panels options. You’ll immediately note that the most common panel voltages are 12V and 24V, which refers to the maximum system voltage a single panel is designed for – and this voltage directly impacts system performance and efficiency.  With a deeper dive into the specs, you’ll find that panels come in various wattages and styles. Going further, you learn that both 12V and 24V panels can be set-up in various configurations and roof top panels can be...

Since we’ve been traveling in our solar powered vintage camper full-time since the fall of 2012, we’ve chosen a different region in which to basecamp each winter. We typically try to stay in warmer climates so we can spend more time outside. Some winters we’ve enjoyed the California coast, others we’ve explored the deserts of the southwest, and we spent one holiday season on the beach of Padre Island National Seashore in Texas. Even with our attempts to avoid cold temperatures, we’ve always encountered some unexpected winter weather events along the way – the southwestern deserts in 2019, the two-week Texas “deep freeze” in 2021, and this past winter we were hit with snowstorms, ice storms, and several weeks of below freezing temps in the southeast!  Being able to roll with these changes is part of living life on the road, but it can be hard on both you and your deep cycle batteries.   We first learned this lesson the hard way a couple of years ago when we woke up to 6 in...