Delete A/C , microwave from new travel trailer?

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EvanB.

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I'm looking for opinions- if you were buying a new trailer for full-time boondocking would you get it with roof A/C, microwave or TV antenna?
 
Welcome EvanB I'd keep the air & micro as you may end up using a gen set & I doubt you'd get much of a discount.
 
I would delete all three. you can get better for cheaper on all three. actually IMO you don't need any of those. highdesertranger
 
This is a bit of a thought exercise since buying used is so attractive. At this point planning on a pretty robust solar setup and no generator.
I appreciate the replies...
 
If the original construction doesn't include a through the roof air conditioner hole it is less likely to leak at that point.
 
Would I want roof AC? Yes, I am fairly heat sensitive so it is a nice luxury to have during those extreme heat days. But also can literally be a life saver. Not having it means I can't go everywhere I might wish to in the spring, summer and fall. So basically it expands your options which could be worth spending a little extra on.

TV antenna, depends on if you have a TV doesn't it? If you have a TV you will want one. If you don't have a TV then it is a useless potential source of a roof leak.

Microwave? If you use one now several times a day you will miss having one. Or at least miss it until you get used to not having one.

Some of this can be looked at as weight factoring. Microwaves and AC units are fairly heavy for their size. If you trailer is right up there close to your towing capacity then they are good candidates for reducing weight.
 
only if the unit did not come with it but if the unit I wanted has it all I would keep every single bit of it.

a genny can run that stuff if needed. even boondocking, in the future, you might have a genny and decide you want to use one of those. Your only boondocking situation could change for various reasons down the line and again, you might want those things.

I would not buy without that list on an RV. Also for resale value many want that list of options so......if the unit comes without, cool, if the unit has it in it, I would not delete it. Money savings is nil.
 
EvanB. said:
This is a bit of a thought exercise since buying used is so attractive. At this point planning on a pretty robust solar setup and no generator.
I appreciate the replies...

A generator is good/needed for periods of cloudy weather to maintain the batteries if nothing else.
 
EvanB. said:
I'm looking for opinions- if you were buying a new trailer for full-time boondocking would you get it with roof A/C, microwave or TV antenna?


Only if you are going to park it in one spot & never move it... There have been times I use all 3 of those others where they just sit for months.
They are very valuable if you want to sell it later...
 
We ordered our first RV without an air conditioner or TV but we did have a microwave. Our current one has a TV but no air conditioner or microwave. We are hooked into the grid so rarely that having an air conditioner makes no sense and we found that our solar system is only big enough to use the microwave for very short periods of time. Even then it really drained the batteries. It's pretty easy to heat things on a stovetop.

We don't watch TV a lot - mostly the news and some late night shows - but we found that we missed that small amount of entertainment and information.

We have about 250 watts of solar and do not have a generator but we usually don't sit for weeks at a time. We have plenty of power as long as the sun shines since we also get a good charge as we drive.
 
Yeah, it would be kinda like selling a car with no air.
 
"Yeah, it would be kinda like selling a car with no air."

which I don't consider a negative, in fact no air would be a plus.

highdesertranger
 
From all the researching I have done, people change their set-ups or camping vehicles many times during their lifetime. They move up a size, down a size, want to move around and boondock, want to stop driving and settle in for a few months at a time. You may want to travel to states that it is hard to boondock, or you get a real shower for little more than it costs to empty your tanks. So, for that reason, I would keep the microwave, tv, and ac. If you are in a paid campsite, and it is hot outside, I would want to use the a/c. When I car-camped, I got really hot in Florida. It is hot in the day time and then some nights, it doesn't cool off. I would want to drive a ways, and pay for camping. I did drive about 75 miles away from the ocean to get to a campground where I could set up a tent and get cool at night. I would not buy a used trailer without a/c.
 
I just bought a Vintage Cruiser 23RSSbuy Gulf Stream. Im very pleased with it. It has a AC and Microwave can do without the Mic.
 
Air tv antenna is great for a directional cell antenna and save you from buying a $300-500 weboost with the right hotspot.

A roof AC is handy for times of exhaustion in peak weather. For example if you do the NM state parks for $4 you can get an electric site and run AC for a week or month cheaply.

A microwave is also a major money saver. I use mine everyday. It lets you easily get by with one battery and a small (200w) solar system because you can start your generator and microwave, say the coffee you brewed last night, while bulk charging your batteries. A half hour every morning gets you 10-20A onto your battery. Saving you perhaps a thousand dollars on loading your roof and battery compartment while using maybe 1/20th gallon of fuel (~$.13 a day)
 
microwaves are an abomination in my book. not a way to a healthy diet. steered clear of those almost 30 years ago so i certainly would delete that. i might consider one of the microwave sized convection ovens but really prefer a good gas convection oven for cooking. i have a similar opinion of TV, have not had one for at least 25 years. i get all the news and entertainment i can handle through the internet that i already have for communication and education that TV cant provide. so definitely no TV antenna and no TV either. then as for the roof AC, they are not very efficient, if i deamed AC important i would go the custom mini-split. a much smaller generator and as much solar as i could fit
 
I use my convection/microwave a lot. I mostly use the microwave part for reheating a serving of that large meal I made so I don't have to cook everyday. It sure beats throwing it in a pot to reheat it and having the pot to clean up afterwards. To save water I use paper plates and bowls. These can be used as fire starters after use.

The built in A/C I use rarely but when needed, I am sure glad I have it and probably cheaper/easier than to delete and buy/fabricate an install later.
 
One day you may want to sell the camper. Without the AC and microwave you will have problems. Most people want both
 
I rarely use my microwave, but couldn’t be without the AC.

I’ve also known many who have taken microwaves out of their rigs, preferring the extra storage space.

They are an easy thing to add for second owners.

Many are wedded to their televisions, and need to be able to watch tv and movies even while boondocking.

If I don’t have signal, and many times when I do, I read.

I’d leave the AC and the antennae.
 
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