By Cheri Sicard
If you love boondocking or RVing off grid, or you hope to get better at boondocking, the video above from the team at Love Your RV & Boat can help. In it, they have compiled a list of their favorite and most useful boondocking gadgets and modifications.
Love Your RV & Boat’s top boondocking gadgets and mods
# 1 Extra water: Our hosts carry large jugs of water in their truck and fashioned a way to pump it into their RV’s fresh water tanks. The video shows you how by using an old water pump.
#2 Water bandit: We have covered this handy, inexpensive gadget in RVtravel.com, too. This gadget allows you to get water from any spigot, even if the spigot is stripped! Check it out on Amazon.
#3 100 feet of hose: The nearest water source is not always that near, but having plenty of hose will help you reach it.
#4 Power mods: Our host already had 400 watts of rooftop solar on this rig, and then he added an additional ground panel that he can move around to collect more power. A small cargo ladder keeps everything in place, as demonstrated in the video, along with how it hooks into his RV’s power system.
#5 Progressive Dynamics Inteli-Power converter: This converter upgrade lets you get max amps out of your generator.
#6 Old school gadgets: In case you are out of cell and internet range, some old school gadgets like a quality radio with a weather band, high-range walkie-talkies, and a handheld CB radio can come in handy.
#7 Mr. Heater Big Buddy propane heater: I, too, love this gadget for boondocking. Depending on the size of your rig, you may only need a Mr. Heater Portable Buddy (I get by just fine with it in my 25’ trailer). Our host has his plumbed into his rig’s propane system. I don’t go through that trouble and just use my Ignik Gas Growler instead.
#8 LED candles: These run on batteries and provide fire-free illumination.
#9 Blow-up solar lantern: This unique inflatable solar lantern has multiple colors.
#10 SeeLevel II tank monitor: This upgraded tank monitor can accurately tell you what’s in your tank in 4% increments.
#11 Victron Energy Battery monitor: This is another gadget I love. I upgraded after installing my lithium batteries and it is so nice to know, on a percentage basis, just how much power is left in your RV’s batteries.
#12 Wi-Fi booster: This extends the internet signal and helps you pick up long-range Wi-Fi. To my mind these have questionable value. If you have Starlink (the best option for boondockers) you won’t need it.
#13 Trucker antenna: This weBoost Drive device helps bring in cell phone signals from long distances. It sounds good, but I have no experience with this and am curious if any of our readers have. Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
#14 Flagpole: This is a fun one that mounts to the RV’s ladder and can help you see your rig from afar (although if you have Starlink, it can also make a practical mount for it).
##RVDT2389
Thank you, Cheri! 🙂 Ray does a great job. His upgrades are presented very well, just as everything else he posts is. 🙂 His tribute to his dog after her passing a few years ago is a classic, but also a heart-wrenching tear-jerker. But sometimes a good cry is theraputic. 🤔 Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
Thanks, Neal. It’s a heart-wrenching tear-jerker, all right. Reminds me of all the 4-legged best friends I’ve had and tearfully lost over the years. Take care. 😀 –Diane
You’re very welcome, Diane! 🙂 Thank you for finding the link to Ray’s tribute! 🙂 Angie was usually (always?) in his videos and he usually just referred to her as “the dog.” Once he posted this, it became clear that she was far more to him than merely “the dog.” We lost Jackson (dog #2) last summer, so I may not make it to the end, but I’ll rewatch as much of Ray’s tribute as I can (and save the link to rewatch later). Thanks again, safe travels, and good night! 🙂
Thanks, Neal. Yeah, I couldn’t watch the whole video either. I “lost it” right from the beginning, actually. Have a good night. 😀 –Diane
For extra length potable water hose, I use the Pocket Hose Silver Bullet in 25′ lengths. Super compact when drained, super flexible and lightweight.
A Water Bandit is handy, but often won’t stay on the spigot unattended and usually you have to attend the other end of the hose so you don’t overfill your water tank. I add a worm drive hose clamp with a no-tool thumb key to my Bandit. They are available in most hardware stores. Still not meant to hold a Bandit in place under static pressure, it works great to keep a Bandit in place while you are at the other end, filling the tank.