[Carl n Susan]

quote:Originally posted by steelpony5555

Ok I am totally new at this boondocking thing and have a couple of questions before we leave so I know what I need.

#1 When using a generator to recharge your coach battery's do you just hook up the coachs power cord to the generator or is it faster to use a regular battery charger?

I assume your 2006 3000RK has the original IOTA converter. It delivers around 55 Amps at 13.6V (or so). Better would be to add the optional IQ4 Smart Charger for about $30. This makes the converter into a true four stage battery charger. I used to have that configuration and it only required 2-3 hours to bring the batteries back up to 90%. I imagine without the IQ4 you might need 4 hours to get to the same level.

A battery charger is likely a multi-stage one but probably doesn't match the Amp power of the converter. I would lean towards the generator to the house power and converter to charge the batteries. That way you can use the extra 120V power to do meaningful things (TV, ice maker, hair dryer, etc...)

quote:
#2 Since this is off road what happens if it does rain? Can a 2wd dually get around. I know they are not the greatest in navigating slippey or mucky roads.

Rain is fairly uncommon in Q. But it does happen. Most of the area we camp in has a rock surface. As long as you avoid any sandy spots (few and infrequent) it is the same as being on pavement. I had a 2WD the first seven years I camped there and never had a problem (and yes it rained!).

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#3 I know I can last almost a week on the black tank but how long does it take to fill your gray tank? It is very hard to judge the gray since our gauges work so well??? I have never had to fill mine. The longest I have gone is 2 days of shower worths. And once you call the honey wagons, how long does it take them to come out? I know it is hard to judge since everyone uses water differently but just a rough guess so I know what I am in for.

How long the shower tank will last really depends on you. Navy showers are best to maximize the time before filling. While some here brag they can shower in one gallon, a more realistic number is 3-4 gallons. You have a 38 gallon tank so you can do the math. One trick is to get a twist-on gate valve and attach it to the sewer outlet. Keep it CLOSED but open the grey and galley tank handles. This will allow the two tanks to share the total space. If you use a dishpan for washing dishes you are allowed to dispose of the sink water outside. Even if you don't, equalizing the two tanks significantly increases the shower water storage space.

The pumper truck usually will come the next day after you call. Once a week seems to be the average frequency for most of us.