Off-Grid Living on a Small Scale

One of the advantages to having a 5th wheel trailer is that we can go camping comfortably in almost any type of climate. Yes, it costs a bit more to get to places as we’re hauling a big trailer, but we also don’t have to be concerned with finding food we can eat or having a comfortable – bed. We just bring it with us.

Here in the southern Arizona there are many spots where we can go dry camping for free. The only cost is however much it costs to run the generator or propane tanks (fridge and stove). Unfortunately, with the cost of fuel these days, running the generator for any length of time can start to get a little costly. Plus, if you’re in the middle of no where, you have to either bring extra gas or go travel somewhere to fill up. Neither scenario is ideal in my opinion.

As we continue to research the ins and outs of off-grid living, we’re looking at putting into practice the things that we learn on a small scale in our 5th wheel trailer. Ideally, we’d like to be able to run the trailer off of solar and propane and use the generator as a back-up. I’d love to be able to install a composting toilet as that would take care of some of the issues the come with needing to dump the sewage. I know – TMI, but the fact of the matter is that it’s part of life in a trailer. lol!  Now, water is a little more tricky as you can’t really collect rain water or anything like that with a trailer that you’re only taking out camping, so that is pretty much a matter of filling up your water tanks and bringing extra drinking water with you.

We’re still working out the details on exactly what we’re going to need to get a solar power system set up in our trailer. It looks like there is going to be some rewiring that needs to be done and what not. The initial investment is never fun, but it does pay off in the longer term. Plus, having the ability not to rely on a gas generator will open up the possibilities for more camping locations. (Some state/national parks do not allow the use of generators while other campgrounds seriously limit the hours of usage.)

By working through some of these things on a smaller scale with our trailer, it will give us a better working knowledge for the future when we need to implement them on a larger scale. The idea of living off-grid, while a somewhat intimidating, is a huge draw for us. We just need to learn the practical skills to make it possible.