Posted on 08/07/2023 6:03:36 AM PDT by redfreedom
We have a truck camper (slide in pickup camper) and typically camp in remote areas or national forests or national parks where there is no electrical hook-ups. This means, like many other campers, we depend on our gas-operated refrigerator to keep our food cold or frozen. Due to our age it is no longer comfortable to be climbing into the camper and especially out of bed at night, so we decided to get a conventional ball-hitch travel trailer.
To our amazement the majority of new travel trailers we looked at were all 12v batter powered only, that relied on a solar panel to keep the battery charged and the fridge going. Considering our knowledge of how undependable solar power is, the 12v fridges were unacceptable. One dealer proudly showed us a lithium battery setup on a trailer, right beside a propane tank. He said they need to be taken into a warm building during the winter. I couldn't believe it, a fire hazard when you camp and in the home during the winter.
I asked some of the dealers what do the campers do during cloudy days. The standard answer was to just run the truck to charge the battery or run a generator. This is beyond stupid, to run a big V-8 for a few hours on cloudy daya to charge a battery. Imagine the gasoline use not to mention the pollution this solar joke is supposed to eliminate. We've camped around generators for years. Some are Honda whisper quiet, some are un-muffled Harley Davidson loud. The idea of camping in the wild is to get away from all that noise.
I asked the dealers what's causing this major switch. One sales guy said it's because the gas ones are big and bulky and always need repairs. Both answers are outright lies. I got the truth from a dealer in northern Minnesota. He said the California gas ban is leading this. Manufacturers decided to follow their standard nationwide, thus go with solar/12v fridges only. What's worse is 12v fireplaces and water heaters are next making the entire camper gas free and solely dependent upon solar. I asked this guy about RV lithium batteries. He has friends that are outfitters that use lithium batteries for their electric boat motors. It does not even have to be down to 32F for them to quit. They will not work in the cold and they will not charge in the cold.
We bought a brand new 12v model and are having a 120v/gas-operated fridge installed. The dealer is giving us a trade in allowance for the lefty 12v taken out. We are keeping the camper's 200 watt solar set-up for the 12v CPAP and furnace blower - both will kill the battery in one day without a recharge.
As we continue to discuss ways around these BS laws, the government is 3-4 steps ahead thinking how to outlaw the ways around it——mass non-compliance is the only way to stop this BS.
Well the trailer won’t be going anywhere in a few years as your upcoming switch to an EV will mean you cannot tow it anywhere anyway. That will solve the electrical hook-up problem so you might as well save money on the gas conversion.
California gas ban is leading this. Manufacturers decided to follow their standard nationwide,
/\
As a Calif citizen,, I say..
All states need to
tell California to
” F-€# off !!! “
Since when are the state’s ruled by the Calif legislature ?
Raise holy hell with your representatives !!!
Tell them if you wanted to be ruled by California madmen you’d move there
And you don’t and won’t.
Grrrrr.
Your quite welcome!
I forgot to add that used campers on the dealer’s lots are practically non-existent, that is the older ones with gas operated fridges. I wonder why?
Only one dealer admitted the disappointment of new buyers blindly getting the 12v models, with their dealership not doing the gas conversion.
The left is bent on getting their tentacles into every segment of our society.
Thanks for sharing. The people making these decisions stay at a Jackson Hole type resort and have never been in an RV. I’ve never been in an RV, but understand the situation. I used to go on fly in fishing trips until about 10 years ago. Lighting was powered by solar, Refrigerators, stoves and hot water heaters were all powered by propane. Heat was provided a wood stove when necessary.
Yes, buying one from Amazon is an option, but the gas installation IMO should be done by professionals as a line needs to be run from the propane tank to the rear of the camper, there needs to be a vent to the outside of the camper and other technical aspects that are beyond my abilities.
Which is their ultimate goal …
Which is their ultimate goal …
Which is why I will always wake up and keep fighting. I don't have the screen name "Blennos" for nothing.
I can’t believe the cozies in these units these days for CPAP.
When I started looking I thought it stood for something else. I hoped it stood for something else. I’m highly disappointed that it did not.
My rv (that I’m now living out of) has a “CPAP shelf” near the bed.
“the California gas ban is leading this. Manufacturers decided to follow their standard nationwide, thus go with solar/12v fridges only. “
This is how it will go. Ca is such a big market they can bully the entire country. The car makers will not make cars they can only sell in the red states they will make EV’s they can sell in all of the states. Trump talked about eliminating the special exemption they have but didn’t so now we are screwed.
Maybe it’s a gun shelf.......... 😉
“your best bet is to keep your gas operated RV or pay a bundle for a conversion to gas.”
Your best bet is to not go camping in California anymore. Deprive them of tourist dollars.
Wow...I did not know that...What if you keep your windows open a bit while the AC is on?
That would probably be enough to keep from dying.................
That’s the whole idea. Reduce driving. You will own nothing and be happy.
When CA banned the Plasma TV that was pretty much it for the rest of the country as well..
people sleeping and not speaking up is the reason we’re dealing with this crap now
Yup. Frog in boiling water effect. Just a little bit of communism at a time, starting with just he simple PC stuff back in the 70’s to ramping it up today with full woke.
The full effect of a national gas ban on everything, including home appliances, will be the final wake up for the sheep. Unfortunately it will be too late, laws are in place, like obama care, they will never revert back, and the frog is dead.
I’ve been fighting leftist ideology my entire life. Indulge me a little temporary human weakness.
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