Weapon in my arsenal: Learning the tricks of RVing

Necessity is the mother of invention. This is so for most invention came into existence, as a solution to a problem, making some difficult or complicated task easier and in some cases: a pleasure. I am not claiming to have invented anything, but my energy conservation discoveries give me the pleasure of learning new, easey and convenience means of doing things. Since I was on the road, I was forced to seriously considered and implement energy conservation techniques and I learn how important such is in preventing inconveniences and in the process of cutting cost.

On the Dashboard a 12 volts Solar Charger

When proper energy conservation practices are adhered to and implemented, it goes a long way. With that in mind, I have been reading and employing new lessons as well as old information to my on the road living.

Although I have not yet upgrade to twelve volts LED lights, I have been employing other energy saving techniques. The first tool in my small box of tricks is a 12 volts solar battery charger. This is used to recharge and maintain my batteries when they began to run too low. In this case, I use nothing but the light or the energy of the sun to provide the energy needed to operate my battery charger.

When it is extremely cold, I heat the camper, using my propane gas heater. this heater operates with the aid of a thermostat and it turns on and off according to the required setting and the rise and fall of the temperature as it relates to the thermostat settings. However, to lower my propane consumption, I acquired a twelve volts ceramic heater, which I use to heat the camper; when it is logistically feasible to do so. The use of this apparatus, instead of using the propane heater has the ability to drastically reduce my heating bill and all that is required is connection to the battery.

12 Volts ceramic heater

The next tool in my arsenal of energy conservation weapon, is a simple but profoundly useful tool: it is, the twelve volts power inverter. When I discovered that the RV’s generator burns up to half gallon of gas in an hour on light load and up to three quarters of a gallon of gas on a full load, I had to come up with a more efficient method of running my household appliance.

12 volts to 110 volts Power inverter

Although I saw the inverters sitting on the shelves at AutoZone, I never knew what they were, neither did I ever took the time to look into their purpose. It was not until I needed to find a cost effective means of producing 110 volts of electrical power, to reduce the use of my generator and in turn curb my gasoline consumption that I paid attention and analyze the name of the apparatus sitting on the shelves: Inverter. This tool cannot do what its name was implying, I said to my self. It was then, I took up the product and read about its purpose and method of operation. The information blew me away.

So I purchased an inverter at AutoZone, unfortunately; a few days  after I purchased the inverter, I discovered, Advance Auto Parts store had the same capacity inverters at a cheaper price, some ten ($10.00) less. about a week into using the inverter, it malfunctioned. So I exchanged the product at an AutoZone in Virginia. Unfortunately the second inverter malfunction also. So I returned the defective products and claimed a refund. A few days later, whilst I was in Creedmore, North Carolina, I went into an Advance Auto Parts store and I saw the same capacity inverters, on sale, for half of the price, of what I purchased the first one for. I happily grab the deal saving fifty percent from my first purchase. 

This simple tool converts 12 volts power into 110 volts of electrical power. So when I connect the inverter to my  battery or plug it into my cigarette lighter port, it generates 110 volts of electrical power, which I use to run most of my 110 volts electrical appliances and these ranged from my electric hair clipper to my television.

When I was assigned to Supreme Court Judge: Justice Ian Mitchell, I learn many things from this wise man. One of his first order of business was to insulate the large Victorian windows at his office in the court house, in Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I wanted to know why the Judge was going through all the trouble to install such apparatus.

Insulated screen door

So I asked Justice Mitchell why is he going through all the trouble to spend hundreds of dollars to purchased Plexiglas and other material as well as to pay an artisan to produce these insulation cases, he informed me that it is one means of saving energy. He also said, if he invested this money now, he will cause the state to save hundreds of dollars each years on cooling; he went on to say, after a few years, the insulation will save the state thousands of dollars.

 I noticed that when it is cold, it takes a long time to get the RV at a comfortable temperature; this was when I remember what Justice Mitchell told me so many years ago. So I got myself some plastic, and I insulated most of the windows and the screen door of the camper. I also made a plastic curtain to separate the drivers compartment from the living compartment. This not only reduced the volume of space that I need to heat, it also keep the cold restricted to the driver’s compartment.  

Insulated dining room windows

To ensure I did not have to battle with serious power lost, I purchased two extra batteries. After careful research I discovered that if I got two golf cart batteries, with a high amp hour rating and you run them in a series; then you get 12 volts and the specified amp hour.

Insulated living room window

So I went to Advance Auto Parts store that has the exceptional standard of service and I got myself two six volts golf cart batteries. These batteries are 216 amp hours each, which was quite amazing for the price. I run the batteries in a series, getting the required amount of volts and the exceptionally high amp hours (216 amp hours). Now I have a kit of four batteries, providing for my electrical needs.

In the cabin 2 x 6 volts batteries
and on the ground 2 x 12 volts

I also have in my arsenal, a weapon for extreme circumstances. When I am unable to get to an AutoZone or an Advance Auto Parts store and my batteries are running below acceptable capacity, I connects my inverter, plug my 110 battery charger into the inverter and charge my batteries pair by pair.

Battery charger

I know that I have much more to learn about this new style of living and I am open and willing to learn all that I can until I settle; calling a particular location my home.