We Talk Boondocking, Give an Update on our Boondocking Plans and Unbox our New Renogy Solar Suitcase

[@campingalan]

Hello Troy and Linda! That portable panel looks to be a great addition to your system. I can't wait to see your adventures and how this new equipment addition does for you two. Safe travels!!

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thanks! We are excited to start. Have a great week!

[@LivingtheSilverLife]

Great tips guys for people just getting started with boondocking. Our first solar was a Renorgy suitcase, and we still have it and use it. We have since put three panels on the roof but sometimes we get parked under some trees that may shade us more than we’d like. During that time of the day, we use our suitcase panel to continue to top off our batteries. So even if you upgrade later, you will still have a need for the portable panel.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

That is exactly why we bought it - we figured we would start with the suitcase and then if still not enough, add some on the roof. But it gives us flexibility and the ability to use on the next camper, whenever that may be! Thanks for watching - we are a little behind on watching ourselves but catching up on your videos tonight!

[@islandwatersdrto]

Loving our Saturday coffee & Wines, Pines & Canines quite time before our 7 yr old wakes❤☕🍷My fire scientist husband appreciates the methology and attention to detail with which you all approach each project. I enjoy dreaming of camping, as it is still winter here - LOL! Thinking we are inspired enough today to go get our 2020 G19BH "Luna" and do the toliet swap. (Our Dometic 300 fell pray to the defect.)

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thank you for the positive comments! We truly appreciate you watching on your Saturday mornings!! It has been fairly cold and rainy this winter in NC so we are getting a late start this year - first trip planned in a few weeks and we are very excited! Sorry about the toilet swap - we had to change out in our old camper and was a fairly straightforward process. Our camper did not fall under the warranty for the swap but thinking we may upgrade anyway. Would love to hear if you think the upgraded porcelain is worth it! (Camping - where you can talk about toilet swaps so nonchalantly lol!)

[@lazaroisern8032]

Can’t wait to see your fallowing videos. The suitcase solar looks extremely durable and expensive,doesn’t look cheap or flimsy. You both are the best at explaining what your doing,thank you.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thank you! It is a pretty sturdy piece of equipment so we are hoping for a long life from it. Thanks for watching!

[@KateD]

This is a great idea for a video series! I am really looking forward to learning more about your results. I have a 20 FBS on order with a 190 solar and 12V battery so your results will be a good indicator for what I may or may not need to do. Thanks, Troy and Linda!

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thank you! We took a big trip out west last year and did almost no boondocking so this year we decided to take the plunge! We are excited to see how this year goes. And we are jealous of the upgrades on the 2021 - would love to hear what you think of the fridge. Thanks for watching!

[@KateD]

@@WinesPinesandCanines There have been rumours that some of the new models have substitutions for the 12V fridge so my fingers are crossed on this one. One of the reasons I chose new over used is for the fridge with separate freezer. I'll keep you posted when the time comes! And I'm excited to learn more about your boondocking experiences too. This is something I'm hoping to try.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Yes - we have heard that also regarding the fridge. Hopefully they have got the supply issues worked out! Have a good week!

[@ericbishop499]

Greetings! Thank you for the great vids! Looking at finally buying a trailer such as yours… I do a lot of “car” camping (after spending literally thousands of mile hiking here in the Pacific Northwest) now I'm doing more car - tent camping in - 4 or 6 person REI Kingdom tents. I carry along two large capacity 12 car batteries to power the campsite. Charging batteries (both the car batteries/camera/flashlights/ipads/laptops/portable HAM radios - no cell service within 80 miles so forget the cell phones). I have a 100 watt one-piece solar panel that I use BUT: I’ve made a plug converter so I can use my 100’ 10-guage extension cord - I can plug the solar panel’s charging controller into the extension cord and on the opposite end a converter to plug into the batteries, then tap power from them. The adapters are such that the "power receiving end" (battery side) is the MALE end of the extension cord so you can't accidentally try to plug in a 110V device. Long story short: make an extension cord adapter so you have greater “reach” for the solar panel. Here in the Pacific Northwest we have towering 120’-plus fir trees creating plenty of shade and I needed the extension cord to “chase” the sun. Works Great! A hug and a long scratch to Desi!

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thank you for watching and the kind comments! And thank you from Desi as well! And wow! That is a lot of hiking but it must be incredible there! Have not yet gotten to the PNW but most definitely on the list. And what a great tip! We bought the extension cables but they are only 10 feet - will look into your tip as well! If you end up buying the camper we would love if you circle back and let us know how it goes! Thank you again - have a great week and safe travels!

[@TheDealHunter]

You guys are approaching this in a very smart way. Incrementally adding things until you get enough. Most people go the other way and load up on solar and lithium before they even know what they need. I'm looking forward to your test results.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thanks! We have been thinking about upgrading the batteries and solar for a while and when we started this channel we thought it would be fun to show others how each steps help. We are excited to get started! Thanks for watching.

[@ilovetotri23]

Super intersted in boondocking! Super interested in the improving my solar output! Thanks for another great video!

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thank you for watching as always!

[@chuckmckee2741]

Thank you I have been searching for a solar plan and how it works. And what I can actually use. Loved the vid on the couch change out , making it incline.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thank you for watching! Glad it was helpful and appreciate the comment. Let us know if you have any questions on the couch mod - our favorite part was the coffee cup - such a small change to make a big difference haha! Safe travels!

[@Neenerella333]

Our 2022 19bh came with a second rigid roof mounted 100 watt panel. Being in northern New Mexico, we get tons of sunlight and, deep into January, our days are typically 45-60°F and cloudless. We only have the interstate 12v. We ran the furnace with minimal lights through three 25-35°F nights. We kept the thermostat in the camper at 60 degrees and were toasty all night. Our water system is still winterized, so we brought 3 gallons from home. We've done this twice now. Presently our panels have snow on them, but the battery disconnect is off.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Having that extra panel is very helpful (we have that on our list this year) as are those sunny New Mexico days! Seems like you have a great set up working. Curious - how many amp hours is the battery?

[@Neenerella333]

@@WinesPinesandCanines After about 5 hours of sun, and the battery is at 100percent, 50ah is what it reads. I still don't know what that means.🤣

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Hmmm. There is a display on the controller that tells how many total ah has come in so far - that may be what the 50ah is. On the battery itself, there should be a label that tells the ah of the battery. Or it may have a model #. That will tell you what capability the battery has. Sounds like you have a good set up as no issues so far!

[@jaybyrne8675]

Very cool, thank you. This series will be very helpful.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@SuperMikePT]

Wondering if can get advice. I got the new renogy 220 watt suitcases. I have TWO suitcases and two 20 amp voyager controllers. How can I connect the two suitcases safely to charge my 12 volt battery. I have the reverse polarity pigtail for sae connection

[@OngoingExploring]

Great info! Thanks for sharing. It’s good to know these things before setting out!

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Yes - boondocking does take some planning! Thanks for watching!

[@yannyfrag]

Looking forward for the boondocking videos. That's something am really interesting to learn about before I buy my travel trailer.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thanks for watching! We are excited to get started. We have been camping for a number of years but haven't really boondocked so we are ready to start something new.

[@jv112602]

Thanks for the experiment and great video I just got my GeoPro and would do the same thing but I will watch with great anticipation.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thanks for watching! Congrats on the purchase! We are excited about expanding into more boondocking. We completed our first series of tests on our battery and hope to have that video up this weekend!

[@UniqueAdventurez]

Great portable suitcase option. We are currently looking at upgrading to a rockwood camper with the 190w solar. Will be interred to see how this works in conjunction!

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

190w is a nice upgrade Rockwood is doing. This works well with our 100 watt on the roof but thinking an extra 100 somewhere may be where we go! Which camper are you looking at?

[@phaedrarogers2793]

I just hit that notification bell! I can't wait to see your upcoming tests. Thank you so much for doing this because it is so relevant to me and I hope that the Geo Pro / Forest River Co might like to sponsor your videos!

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Ha! Desi will appreciate! Thank you for watching - we are excited to see where all of this leads us and we hope it helps others as well. And thank you for your kind words!!

[@davidhalen1198]

I’ve got the same suitcase solar set up. I bought 20ft cables and zip tied them together so I can park my trailer in the shade and move the panels into the sun. I haven’t used them yet, but that’s the idea at least.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

We were impressed at how quickly it worked to charge the batteries and on a cloudy day. We will also be getting an extension cable so we can position it better if we need to. Thanks for watching and safe travels!

[@bt4b4]

Sweet ! Check out SOK Battery. Will Prowse approves of it, and cheaper than BB. Can’t wait for these upcoming videos ! Peacefrom510 .

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thanks! We will take a look. Have watched a few of Will Prowse's videos and he knows solar and batteries! Thanks for watching.

[@dingdongdaddy589]

Had one of these with an Aliner, but always worried about leaving it behind and having it stolen - and moving it to stay in prime light...that kinda shit becomes a distraction when trying to relax and unwind. Add a few to your roof...

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Those are good points! And definitely would want to put it up if leaving a campsite. Safe travels!

[@richardkoch8752]

I take it you have the flex solar panel on the roof. I'm not in favor of them as they are short lived. I would have to switch to a rigid panel but I wonder if the flex panel can be removed w/out tearing the roof material? I really like the suitcase panels to chase the sun. I would also add a couple of Lithium batteries.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

We do have the flex panel and from what we have read, they aren't as effective unfortunately. Haven't heard of anyone removing - likely because these campers are mostly 2-3 years old so hasn't been an issue for most yet. But, this will be something we are evaluating in the future. We do like the suitcase panel - have a video upcoming in the next few weeks where we finally got a chance to take it out. Thanks for watching!

[@FishingBuddiesTV]

Does your Renogy solar, have polycrystalline panels? It looks like it. Renogy also makes a model with Monochrstalline panels. As I understand it hey are much more efficient in low light or changing conditions. I had this setup and I have one word of caution for you. The legs on the suitcase are very flimsy and will pop out of their plastic sockets over time and then they are a pain to keep seated. The nuts of the legs are simply pressed into the plastic sockets on the side and not bolted in. Just FYI. Enjoy your travels.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

According to the description on Amazon - it is a monocrystalline panel but we did not know the difference - so thank you! And we will be taking a closer look at the legs. Appreciate the heads up. Thanks for watching and safe travels!

[@health101DOTorg]

Great videos! Was the reversed polarity on that side solar connector the fault of Rockwood or Renogy?

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Hi! Thank you - appreciate the watch! The reversed polarity is the Go Power that Rockwood uses for their solar. If we had bought that brand, no issues. But super simple even with the Renogy (which we are happy with) with the adapter. Hope that helps!

[@bricknboxer]

I strongly suggest you add a shunt so you can see exactly what goes in and what goes out of your battery. As you're finding out, a 65 amp hr battery doesn't get you very far. Carry on newbies!

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Yes - we had to move on from that 65AH a month or so ago. And a shunt, is on our list of go to products to purchase as we are working on buying our final battery set up. Is there one you have used and recommend?

[@bricknboxer]

@@WinesPinesandCanines I've only used the Victron model with bluetooth. Lots of useful info on the Victron app, worth the extra cost over the cheaper shunts IMHO. The range is very limited, only 8-10 ft but no cutting holes for an interior display unit either. Extremely useful tool and essential for monitoring DC power.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thanks! Like the “no cutting holes” part!

[@kennethphillippe9239]

I'm looking forward to your upcoming videos! Will the set up and adapters you have in this video (and in the links listed below) in regards to the solar panel work on my 2020 Geo Pro 19fbs? Thank you.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

They should work with the 2020 as I believe the only change in the solar so far is the 190 watt on the roof with some of the 2021’s (instead of the 100 watt). We haven’t heard or read anyone having issues with the Renogy panels but a few people have not needed the adapters - it may just depend on who was wiring that day on the production line haha. Thanks for watching and safe travels!

[@kennethphillippe9239]

@@WinesPinesandCanines Thanks for getting back! Safe travels!

[@kennethphillippe9239]

I apologize but I forgot to ask the other day if you can purchase an extension cord with this and if so do you have the link? Thanks!

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

No problem. We just ordered this one as it was in the "frequently bought together" section of the ad. We have not yet hooked it up though so can't give any feedback good or bad yet! www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D7VBKQG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@kennethphillippe9239]

Thank you!

[@Turtle3863]

Does your Geo Pro only have one battery, mine came with two. Just want to know for comparing numbers. I like that suitcase solar and am looking forward to your tests

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

We have only one 12v and it only has approx 65 amp hours. I think our dealer put in the absolute minimum that he could! Thanks for watching!

[@Turtle3863]

@@WinesPinesandCanines Love your channel, congrats on 1000 subscribers.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Thank you! And I just saw your channel - we love the 19fd and your winterization video is great! Subscribed.

[@the_mike_dub]

Looking forward to this series. We have a Geo Pro on order. Question though. Does the suitcase need to have a solar charge controller? I was under the impression (perhaps falsely) that the external solar ports would run through the charge controller already in the camper. Do you know is that’s the case? We’re looking for a pretty similar setup. Thanks!

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Ours does require a separate controller but it is a 2019. We know that they have made some changes to the solar on the roof with the newest model but we hadn't heard that this was one of the upgrades. Forest River is great at answering questions though, and should be able to tell you. If you do find out, if you could please let us know! Thanks for watching and congrats on the new camper!

[@falcomf77]

@@WinesPinesandCanines I believe that all of the geo pros with solar on the side are connected directly to the battery. My 2021.5 19bh just landed at the dealer and we should have it in a couple of weeks. I'm still waiting on my SOK battery and when it gets here we'll go pick it up. If the solar on the side is not connected to the battery I'll update this comment. Enjoying the geo pro content, keep up the good work!

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

@@falcomf77 Thanks for the info. Ours is connected directly but wasn't sure if they had made any changes with the new 2021 updates. Let us know how you like the SOK battery and thanks for watching!

[@falcomf77]

@@WinesPinesandCanines We got our rig and LOVE it! I was able to verify that the solar on the side is connected directly to the battery. Just yesterday I set up our solar system with 2 Rich Solar residential 100w panels and the Rich Solar 20a Mppt charge controller. This setup cost only $250. I will admit that it's a little more cumbersome than a suitcase unit but its half the price of an equivalent 200w suitcase and a lot of the suitcase units have a PWM controller which is way less efficient. Also, the Rich stuff is just re-branded Renogy stuff so same quality just a better price. I made hinged legs that recess into the frame of the panel so the panels can be transported in the box that they came in and I mounted the controller in the pass-thru storage right by where the solar plug is. We have the SOK 206ah battery and this thing is a beast! Really nice construction. I haven't been able to really put it thru it's paces yet but I did spend 4-5 hours in it on a cold 45 degree rainy day with everything on. Furnace, all lights, TV, stereo, fridge, etc and no solar coming in and it only got down to 91%.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

@@falcomf77 Congrats!!! So glad it is working out for you - sounds like you are really making it your owen! That is a really good price for a 200W suitcase and a very smart mod on the hinged legs. We have been looking at the SOK - good to hear some real life experience vs online reviews. But - they are really popular so on backorder I think until June sometime. Where did you orders your through? That is excellent battery life!!!! Thanks for circling back and letting us know.

[@Neenerella333]

Just a note: national forest and BLM only allow 14 day stays, even for tents. Both often share rented use with loose cattle, and criss cross private land. Be aware of which you are on, as public roads can be simply rights of way THROUGH the private land. So no parking on the side of those roads.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Great points! It’s sometimes very hard to tell so good to be aware!

[@lelandplume6889]

Hi Troy! Quick question. How did you know the polarity was reversed in the trailer? Thanks! Lee

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Hi Lee - hope you are having a nice weekend! We were fairly certain that we would have a reverse polarity issue after looking on the Facebook GeoPro page. So, we hooked up the panel with the adaptor and it read the voltage correctly right off and started charging so I knew I was good to go. If you are going with a go power panel, it’s likely set up to plug and play but with the Renogy, we were reading that most often needing the adaptor.

[@lelandplume6889]

@@WinesPinesandCanines thanks Troy! Good to know. I think I’ll pick up a reverse polarity adapter just in case. Just wondered if you had seen the wiring from the back of the connector on the trailer.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

On this issue - was going with the majority lol. Linda had spent some time reading and researching so we just went ahead and ordered the adapter ( was fairly inexpensive and returnable off Amazon).

[@lelandplume6889]

@@WinesPinesandCanines gotta love Amazon!

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Ha! True. They definitely always have something to separate me from my money!

[@craftytraveler9238]

Harvest Host is raising their price to $99 a year as of April 1.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

We heard that. Luckily we subscribed a few years ago at a lower rate but $99 is still a good deal if you are going to stay a few times a year. And they are usually quiet!

[@craftytraveler9238]

@@WinesPinesandCanines We have had good experiences and looking forward to more.

[@toddtouchberry]

We haven't gotten into boondocking...... Yet

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

We are ready to get started and try something a little new! Hope all is going well!

[@toddtouchberry]

All is good here!

[@johndsmithkoipondgarden.878]

Had to skip half the video to see what I clicked for, Just a hint, most people do not tune in to hear the first half. Enjoy the last half.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Appreciate the watch! And thank you for the constructive feedback - every video as we look back we would do something a little different haha!

[@glock19gen3]

That charge controller is garbage... Get a real one.

[@WinesPinesandCanines]

Agree. An MPPT is on the to do list! Thanks for watching!