Photo by adamkaz via iStock
This article was last updated on May 10, 2024.
If you’re like me, you love getting way off-grid when camping. I mean, what’s the point of camping if you have to spend your time in campgrounds full of other people?
While getting off-grid and enjoying nature’s beauty is a wonderful experience, something that’s decidedly less wonderful is trying to manage the power situation while you’re out there. Without shore power, you need big, heavy, and loud generators to run your heavy-duty electrical components, like the air conditioner in your trailer.
But what if I told you there’s a way to upgrade your camping power supply to eliminate the need for shore power or generators altogether? You just need to partner up with the right company. Let me tell you all about it!
Table of Contents
- Camping Power Supply Upgrades
- Benefits of Upgrading Your RV’s Power System
- Upgrade Your Camping Power Supply With Lux Liner
- Final Thoughts About Adding a Camping Power Supply
- Other Recommended Camping Gear
Camping Power Supply Upgrades
When you think about it, the electrical systems in trailers and RVs offer many opportunities for making significant upgrades.
For example, most trailers and RVs come with traditional AGM batteries. Though AGM batteries are tried and tested and have been trusted by camping and overlanding enthusiasts for decades, they simply aren’t the most efficient batteries in the world. For that, an upgrade to lithium-ion batteries is necessary.
Lithium-ion batteries offer higher density, more reliable power storage, and a greater depth of discharge than AGMs. Likewise, lithium-ion batteries are smaller, have a longer lifespan, and are often serviceable to extend their life even further. While lithium-ion batteries are more expensive up front, the benefits you derive from this upgrade make them a smart long-term investment.
Other Upgrades to Consider
But the batteries in trailers and RVs (and boats and other recreational vehicles, for that matter) are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to upgrading your camping power supply. If you want to go off-grid and have a more effective and reliable power system, you can upgrade the following as well:
Swap out the charger and inverter – Get rid of the old charger or inverter in your rig and replace it with a high-efficiency, all-in-one charger/inverter that runs on clean power.
Add a power management system – A power management system allows you to manage and monitor the power in your rig through a central system. Keep an eye on power usage, remaining battery power, water levels, and much more, even from your smartphone.
Add solar power – RV solar power systems offer a high-efficiency, reliable, and silent power solution for your off-grid adventures. Install solar panels on the roof of your RV or trailer, or add a solar panel slide out with an actuating panel to capture the sun’s rays.
Upgrade to a 12-volt A/C unit – The A/C units for trailers and other RVs are certainly power-hungry and are one of the primary reasons so many campers and overlanders carry generators. However, if you upgrade to a 12-volt A/C unit, you can get ice-cold air conditioning that’s quieter, more efficient, and runs off of your rig’s batteries.
Editor’s Tip: Want to complete the upgrade on your RV? Check out these RV upgrade suggestions!
Benefits of Upgrading Your RV’s Power System
So, there’s a wealth of changes to the power system in your adventure rig that can make it far more efficient and much more capable of extended off-grid trips. I mentioned a few benefits of doing a swap like this, but just so we’re clear, let’s zero in on the primary advantages of an upgraded camping power supply.
Power Supply Advantages
- No need for shore power – Without being tied down to an A/C outlet, you can camp in more locations.
- Less expense – With an upgraded camping power supply, you don’t need to spend money on a generator, fuel for the generator, power cords and pigtails, and so forth. There’s no worry about generator maintenance or failure, either! You’ll need about 250 days of use to account for the cost of a system like this, so this is a definite winner if you’re a frequent camper. But even if you aren’t, the other benefits you derive are well worth the cost!
- No need for a generator – With all the power you need onboard your trailer or RV, you don’t need to bring a generator with you, either! There’s no more worry about a loud generator running all night, fuel spills, and pollution. Likewise, there’s no more concern about violating quiet time in established campsites or having to smell its exhaust!
- High-quality, modern components – Upgraded camping power supply systems rely on quality components that give you long-lasting, efficient, and clean power.
- Turn on the air conditioning whenever you like – Even if you’re miles from the nearest paved road, you can enjoy quiet and efficient air conditioning, all without power cables or generators.
- Avoid pending bans on new generators – California recently outlined a plan to ban gas-powered accessories like generators. Other states will surely follow suit. Upgrading your camping power system now ensures your rig is ready to go in a post-gasoline-powered world.
Upgraded Power Means Better Cooling
For me, one of the biggest benefits of the upgrades discussed above is having on-demand air conditioning without the need for external power (with something like the Mabru 12-volt unit pictured above). Talk about a game-changer!
I’ve had many uncomfortable nights camping in some very warm locations – Death Valley included – and a 12-volt air conditioning system would have made a significant difference in my level of comfort. I usually run hot anyway, so even when I’m high in the Sierras, a little off-grid A/C would be more than welcome!
Extended Trips Await!
Of course, the biggest benefit of an upgraded camping power supply is the ability to take extended trips without worrying about having shore power or a generator. With solar panels on the roof, a power management system on board, and lithium-ion batteries to store all the power, you get a slick power system that you can rely on for long-term trips.
The operative word here, though, is reliable. How do you choose an outfit you can trust to make these changes to your trailer or RV’s camping power supply?
Well, that’s easy – choose a company with a long-standing reputation for performance!
Upgrade Your Camping Power Supply With Lux Liner
When it comes to something as important as the power supply system in your trailer, RV, or boat, you don’t want to leave it in the hands of an amateur. Instead, a group of professionals with the necessary experience in electronics and overlanding is precisely what you need. For that, I recommend the folks at Lux Liner.
Lux Liner got its start back in 2014 working on RVs. Over the years, the company has grown, and with it, so has its reputation for providing excellent service and the highest quality products to folks here in California and beyond.
I met the Lux Liner team through their work on RKS Off-Road trailers, and to say that I was impressed (with Lux Liner and RKS!) is an understatement. The manner in which Lux Liner integrated their upgraded systems into the RKS Off-Road trailers was seamless – it looks, feels, and operates as though it was always there.
What’s more, since Lux Liner uses high-quality components from Victron, you know you get the best possible camping power supply system. The proof is in the pudding, too. A prime example of this is that a Lux Liner-equipped RKS Off-Road trailer spent 24 hours in a desert, and even after running a 12-volt 12,000 BTU A/C system, the camping power supply system still had 20 percent battery remaining. Not bad, right?!
Final Thoughts About Adding a Camping Power Supply
Photo by chameleonseye via iStock
For many of us, camping is an escape from the real world – an opportunity to recharge our batteries and get in touch with nature. But with traditional power systems, the serenity of off-grid camping is often broken by the sounds and smells of a gas generator chugging along.
But with a camping power supply system from Lux Liner, you have the capability of getting off-grid more often and for longer periods of time, all in quiet solitude as your eco-friendly power system does its thing. Talk about a chance to recharge!
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