How one family camps off the grid in a Scamp

See how one family may now be set up for days, even weeks living off the grid.
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[@Morningdovecamp]

Thank you for that very useful information👍🚙. Enjoy your camping 👍🏞🌞

[@get2zero]

Enjoying your channel. We ordered our scamp without the blackwater toilet. We have a shower and I built a separating composting toilet. That will cut our water needs as well. I built the toilet for < $400. My wife is about to start with CPAP and sooo glad you covered this!

[@Gypsy2057]

My fiancé and I have been looking for a used Scamp. Great video, thanks. It's impressive you can go a couple of nights using a CPAT.

[@migke777]

Very informative videos man thanks! My 16' will be ready Feb. 2022. Subbed and liked:)

[@MrSkaab-mk9gc]

This is GREAT and just the conversation we needed today - planning new Scamp purchase trying to figure out what we need to boondock. THANKS!

[@ravenfeather7087]

In my opinion, the solar panel is the key. And even with a solar panel I shucked the Suburban thermostatically controlled furnace because it simply sucks up too much energy. I found out the first night I owned my Scamp how much energy it used. I bought it some distance from home and on the way home with it stopped on public land and spent the night. The first part of the night sleeping and the second part of the night freezing. The furnace with it's constantly on and off blower depleted the batter within a single night's use. That was only the first time. That little furnace is a big energy sucker. I first went to a Mr Buddy heater and that worked well except in Yellowstone where the ambient oxygen concentration was low enough to force me to open windows to the extent the heat produced was approaching the heat lost out the windows open enough to provide adequate ventilation (Mr Buddy heaters have a safety feature that shuts down the heater when oxygen concentrations get low). For me, the answer was the Dickinson Marine heater along with a Renogy suitcase solar (100 watt). I bought a better but still inexpensive "marine deep cell" 12V, replaced the old bulbs with LED, and finally the rig is almost self-sustaining if the sun is shining. The additional water containers are also in my opinion key for longer stays in remote areas. I use my Scamp in remote areas with poor roads that are at times barely passable for a truck and trailer. So I carry as many as 4 extra empty plastic 6-gallon cans and either fill them close to the camping site or truck them to a source of water after I set up. On better blacktop roads filling the integral tank is an option but I seldom do that. Perhaps just a personal preference. In regard to adding an additional water tank, for better roads the additional water tank may be an option but every 6 gallons of water adds almost 50 lbs. of weight. Which is OK on good dry roads but on poor wet/muddy roads could complicate things. I've never come close to bottoming out my rig on roads (not so when trying to back into off-road rocky sites and in regard to the jackstand (recently replaced with one that jacks up to the point the bottom pad almost touches the tongue)) but I have seen people hauling horse trailers tear off their axles on rutted roads. Plus, when I'm set up for "boondocking" I don't use the integral toilet but rather a Cleanwater Portable Toilet. Lightweight and no water consumption. No need to dump. Just close the bag securely and drop it into a garbage can (or send it to someone you don't like!). And I use the shower infrequently (if that upsets the wildlife they at least do not complain to me about it). I think we're beginning to push the design intent of the Scamp manufacturers. The Scamp I bought used was I think set up on the shore of a lake with a constant source of power. And Scamps are not really set up for boondocking at the factory, which is in my mind a shortcoming that could be remedied by adding an outback model to their line. An outback model could provide higher clearance for off road use, bigger tires, solar panels and hookups, and perhaps more importantly for winter use an option for exposed water pipes and pump that would not freeze if the interior of the Scamp was heated. Or a quick and sure way to drain them. And maybe better insulation. For full four season use. Now, when I expect it to freeze outside every night I drain all the lines beforehand and "dry" camp. Currently waterlines run in places where heat will not reach them from the inside and if they froze and burst I wouldn't want to be the guy who had to replace them. Scamp on!

[@ourscamplife5210]

I agree! And also wish Scamp would at least offer more options for a 4 season rig. After all so many people want to do things that way these days or even full time in one. But with current setup it does require some modifications. Happy tavels

[@MrSkaab-mk9gc]

Really like your suitcase solar panel - would you share brand, link, deets? Thanks!

[@ourscamplife5210]

here are our 2 videos about the solar panel. Hope this helps. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eauphWaKfLRnfJo kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGbFp32hacR6iZo

[@b0borden437]

Do you have a dry flush toilet or a composting toilet?

[@ourscamplife5210]

it flushes with water from the holding tank

[@BobDiaz123]

Warning: You can NOT run a lithium battery to zero volts. If you do that, you damage the battery. Lithium batteries offer the maximum numbers of charge cycles if you limit the amount of discharge.

[@bobbader4789]

Does scamp offer a solar option?

[@djkenny1202]

Yes. But you could order off Amazon as well. Might compare options.

[@ontimedel1]

Hey there guy. You are right about items that run on DC . There are a ton of items that run off of DC. It has been my understanding that converting DC to AC uses more of you battery. Enjoyed your video.

[@ourscamplife5210]

Yep that's why I really wanted to get off the separate battery and inverter I was using inside and get on straight 12 volt. Thanks for the comment. God Bless

[@jayrpyne7067]

Be careful with the 12 volt plugs. If your going to go that way used good quality plugs and wire gauge is important. Check it out. 12 volts has its limits for what you are talking about. SAFETY FIRST. NAMASTE JAY