110V system, have it or not, use it or not

[Stokeme]

Trying to decide how crucial it is having access to shore power. I can get a shell “with” from ATC or shell “w/o” from FWC. Trying to determine if this is a deciding factor, how much consideration it deserves.
Looking at pre-trip, trip, post-trip. I realize it has no relevance in the high alpine spaces “with a view” but I will be Wandering the West as well ... maybe even the East ...
Thanks.

 

[longhorn1]

Having the factory construct the camper for shore power will save lots of frustration later. Let them do it. Also it will be a big thing for re-sale. I have a fully loaded FWC Grandby with 2 batteries, 100W solar on the roof and 80W portable panel. How do you intend on keeping your battery charged when the camper is off the truck or not in use? We would rather be off the grid, but there are times we have access to shore power and it eases the mind if there is bad weather and we can plug in. Our Dometic 80L uses a lot of power.

You need to look at the big picture. How do you plan on using your camper? Are you going to have a fridge or use a cooler? What about batteries?

Lots to think about.
jd

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

It’s worth the expense. I had ATC put a complete electrical system in my Bobcat shell. I think it helps when you sell, too.

 

[klahanie]

^ agreed, planned use. And what all comes with that option from ATC

I would say we've only really used 120 for portable electric heater use for the rare winter campground visit. No shame in a cord out the window for a night or two... If you are plugging in for periodic charging that would be different - cleaner with system. Also consider at home and storage needs for the camper (will there be a heater, light or dehumidifier running inside for eg)

Edit we also used to pre chill the 3 way fridge with 120, night before but usually don't bother any more

 

[Pax2525]

If you're talking about a shell thats a whole lot different in my opinion then a full camper like longhorn1 is talking about

The question to ask is what else will you have in your shell? Do you really need power like that? Where do you like to camp? Will you even have it available?

We used a 12v fridge and the heater full time on our trip and our battery charged plenty from just driving around. If I needed I could add a solar panel up top and call it a day.

 

[craig333]

Camping I think I've plugged in twice. It does get a lot of use at home to keep the batteries charged when I'm running the fridge. Solar doesn't work so well under the awning

 

[JaSAn]

My 110 plug-in is used mostly at home for equalizing my batteries and for pre-trip cooling of the refrigerator. It is also handy for those multiple cloudy days when your batteries are getting close to 50%, you don't feel like driving for 5+ hours, and it is buggy outside. Being able to not have to remove a screen and crack a window to run a power cord for a genny or shore power can be priceless; @#$%& mosquitoes can find the smallest opening and are extremely annoying after lights out.

IMO it takes a minimum amount of skill to wire in a simple 110 access that I wouldn't let that be the deciding factor.

jim

 

[fourwheeldrivekc]

We don't have 110. Didn't want it and have never needed it. We don't regret it in the least.

Keeping things simple has its benefits.

 

[ckent323]

We have 110 V though the OEM Iota DLS-30 12 V Power Converter/Battery Charger with IQ-4 smart charger and the IOTA IDP-30 110 V Ac /12 V DC Distribution panel in our 2007 FWC camper.

The DLS-30 converts 110 V AC to 13.4 V DC. Both 110 V AC and 13.4 V DC are connected to the appropriate sections of the IDP-30 Distribution panel and all the camper 110 V loads and 12 V loads are connected to the appropriate fuses in the distribution panel. The house batteries are also connected to the DLS-30 power converter/charge controller and the IQ-4 automatically changes the battery charging among bulk, absorption and float phases.

We use the 110 V AC at home when prepping the camper for a trip (chill 3-way refrigerator down). We also use it occasionally if we stay in a campground that has power (not often) to save our propane (the !2 V DC refrigerator cooling does not seem to work as well as the 110 V AC or the propane cooling). Also, my wife can use her hair dryer when we are connected to 110 and I can recharge my cordless drill batteries.

Now that I have added solar and a Victron Solar charge controller, which is between the solar panels and the battery bank, it would be more convenient if all the camper 12 V loads coming through the distribution panel were connected to the Victron controller.

The Victron solar controller facilitates monitoring of the battery charging and discharging but it also provides separate monitoring of consumption by the camper 12 V loads, all from an app on a smart phone. Further, it provides a built in low voltage / high voltage disconnect which will protect your batteries as a backup. The IOTA-IDP Distribution panel does not facilitate any load monitoring

To connect the camper 12 V DC loads to the Victron controller would require some rewiring that I have not had time to do but I may do so in the future. I believe Rando has done this rewiring in his camper so may have more details an what it requires.

If installing electrical in a new or remodeled camper I would want 110 V AC capability well as the convenience of having the 12 V DC loads connected to the Solar charge controller, so that is something for you to think about.

Regards,

Craig

 

[Vic Harder]

Don't have it, but thinking of adding, if only for charging when at home and the camper is in the shade. Otherwise, solar does the trick.

 

[nikonron]

My Eagle is an off the grid camper, I tend to steer clear of any place that provides power. Solar keeps the battery tended to while out and at home. Ron

 

[PaulT]

On the few times, we were in route in the cold and had access to shore power, it was nice to run a small space heater. Not as noisy as the furnace and we probably would not have run the furnace on those nights.

However, the best use of shore power has always been to recharge the batteries after days of little sun & heavy rain. Those days we also took advantage of refilling water tank, doing laundry, taking showers, restocking food, adult beverages, etc.

When building houses, it is cheaper to put in the electrical, and plumbing before the wallboard/paneling goes on.

Paul

 

[Squatch]

I have an Eagle shell without shore power. Don't need it don't want it.

On the few occasions that we camp where there is power I will drop an extension cord out of a turnbuckle door. I do this occasionally to run the Mr Coffee. Once this year I used the same method at home for a portable battery charger when we had 2 weeks of no sun.

 

[Jeromelo]

ATC Bobcat shell with propane heat and battery compartment at front of camper. I have a 20ft. extention cord that I run through the opening for the turnbuckles (opening is in the battery compartment) then run the cord to the back of camper hidden near the tailgate to acess for shore power. I hid a small power bar (takes three plugs) in one of the little storage areas and ran it to the enclosed compartment. I have no wires showing and shore power if I need it. So far I've only used it to keep a trickle charge on the battery when the camper is not in use. My battery back runs the lights and heater with no issues.

 

[Alley-Kat]

When building houses, it is cheaper to put in the electrical, and plumbing before the wallboard/paneling goes on.

When I purchased by ATC Bobcat shell in 2010 I asked Marty & Jeff to use screws on all interior wall panels instead of the normal staples at the bottom (and they did that for me). The reason I wanted to be able to completely remove the interior wall panels was I wanted to do the 12 VDC and 110 VAC wiring, with the exception of any wiring in the roof. At that time they told me how to do the 12 VDC wiring through the aluminium wall studs. And, they advised me about an RV requirement or law that all 110 VAC was not to be enclosed in the wall (I suppose for safety reasons).

So, if you are going to have ATC do the 12 VDC wiring and/or 110 VAC wiring having them do it at the time of original construction would be a good thing, or ask them to use screws everywhere on interior wall panels, like I did. FWC was not interested in making that change for me.

- - - - - - - - - -

BTW, my first interior build used 12 VDC for the compressor fridge, the roof fans and the LED lights. I had a Honda EU2000i generator for the 110 VAC which powered my wall heater (bathroom size), the induction cook top (single burner), the microwave (small) and the toaster oven (small). I seldom camped near anyone else and used the generator marginally for meal preparation (2 times a day) and 10 minutes of heating up the interior before sleeping and when waking up. I've currently done another interior build and have gone to propane for a furnace and cook top and eliminated all other 110 VAC, although I have kept the 110 VAC connection through the camper body. Don't use 110 VAC at all anymore.

 

[Beach]

Depends on the up charge, whether it's in your budget and where/how you want to camp, only you can decide that. Longhorn makes a good point on the resale value.

 

[LuckyDan]

My 89 Grandby was built without a 110 system. I sorta have added it via a dedicated charger and cord port for my battery. I have seriously considered running a circuit for the 3 way fridge, yet have not done so. Times when I wish I've had 110 circuits:

1: As others have pointed out, dedicated 110 for battery charging is big. That's why I did a charger mod.
2: Also as mentioned by others, pre-cooling the fridge. Currently I have to run a cord to the back via the service panel.
3: A plug in circuit for a heater when 110 is available. Think in transit campgrounds, friends driveways, ski hill parking lots etc.
3a: A receptacle is pretty handy when power tools are used inside.
4: Cold weather/short daylight camping and generator use.

Good luck with your decision....

 

[Stokeme]

This WTW Forum is simply awesome. Great mix of thoughts, opinions & considerations given throughout. The turnbuckle solution may be enough for me. I tend to get cranky camping near anyone unless it’s planned comraderie. However, I can foresee the handiness, dedicated 110V might offer, wandering this beautiful land. Any other thoughts on 110V additions, after the fact, would be appreciated.
Best wishes on future adventures ....

 

[Shadyapex]

My eagle came with 110 as part of the package and I've used it about 3 times in the 8 years we've had the camper. And I've been grateful for it each time. We don't use much electricity as I've replaced the cabin lights with LEDs and we don't have a furnace. We could camp for a pretty long time without running out the battery which is only the truck battery. But last year I had a friend who uses a c-pap machine join me on a 6 day Death Valley trip. I did the math and bought a big deep cycle battery to run it and it didn't cut the mustard. So we wound up spending a couple of nights in the RV refugee camp that is Stovepipe wells but it was better than my friend not having his c-pap.
Also I once forgot to run out the water faucet before taking the camper off the truck. And since it was going to freeze hard that night the 110 enabled me to do the job without re-loading the camper.
I also like the idea of plugging in at home to pre-cool the fridge before a trip. Currently I've been using the propane to do that but maybe the 110 is cheaper? Don't know. But either way, we don't really need it but it has come in handy and doesn't get in the way.

 

[So Cal Adventurer]

There are other options also.

My camper isnt here yet, but ive been off the grid camping in my Tundra about 2 years now with 110 power.

I almost never use campgrounds that have shore power, or campgrounds in general, but i will be ordering my Hawk with shore power mainly for resale value and to have it in case i might need it when traveling with a friend.

I run a giant Odyssey PC2150 aux battery with a Xantrex 2000 watt Sine Inverter and (2) 100 watt renogy panels. My truck is not my daily, and only driven on adventure trips. I have not shut my 65qt ARB fridge off in over a year and it maintains at 31 degrees perfectly via the solar.

This provides ample juice to run basically anything you could need without plugging into anything externally. We have run a microwave and for poops and grins went through my entire garage and used all my power tools just to see how it would do. No issues,

Simple setup, can be done in a few hours, etc...

I am hobbyist photographer and mainly use the 110 to charge all my camera batteries and the like.

I will be moving/installing the 2000 watt inverter into my hawk and installing 110 outlets with flush mount on/off switch. Should work perfectly,

My .02