Pirate Camp Winter Season '23-24

[abnorm]

Welcome to a new season of "Fun in the Sun" in the Arizona Desert

Of course Pirate Camp is in its usual home in the LTVA South in Quartzsite Arizona

Had my first all-day service.......a poorly installed Diesel Heater.......and it STILL needs work.....waiting on parts

This year problems center around POWER STATIONS............Folks have BIG power banks and they can't utilize the power like they want...............

Bluetti ciggy plug is limited to about 10 amps....................Chinese Diesel Heaters NEED 12 amps

SOLUTION is add a 120 volt brick that can provide 12v +12amps.....................CON: inverter losses

again using Bluetti ciggy plug for Refrigerator.............Once the reefer reaches temp and cycles Off....... the Bluetti shuts OFF and requires a PUSH to start

SOLUTION is to use the 120v brick and power the frig from the Bluetti inverter...............CON: same inverter loss

BEN........Jason and Brian arrive soon for Christmas...maybe a dozen rigs in camp by then....Ham and Fixins are planned for the Day

AND it looks like the BLM is making waves.....harassing HOWA Caravans about "Planned Events" on public land

 

[bullfrog !]

I have been wondering about using my EcoFlow Delta 2 to power a diesel heater in my boondocking rig. Any idea how many hours in real life it will run as in will it run continuously 12 hours? I don’t mind running a generator during the day a few hours to charge it but nobody wants to run a generator at night! Just have them park next to the Escapee’s group when they have their “happy hour” events and tell the BLM “I’m with them” Lol!!!

 

[abnorm]

^ No idea

 

[maki2]

I have been wondering about using my EcoFlow Delta 2 to power a diesel heater in my boondocking rig. Any idea how many hours in real life it will run as in will it run continuously 12 hours? I don’t mind running a generator during the day a few hours to charge it but nobody wants to run a generator at night! Just have them park next to the Escapee’s group when they have their “happy hour” events and tell the BLM “I’m with them” Lol!!!

The only way you can find out for sure is to buy a diesel heater and install it. After all it is better than not having one at all even if you need to run a generator now and again. Your RV is unique. There are lots of different diesel heaters being sold. That means there is not likely to be a reliable comparison to your own personal installation situation.

 

[maki2]

Maybe this video on YouTube will give you some clue about Chinese heater running off a portable power station.

 

[bullfrog !]

^^^thanks it seems the block is the way to be sure it works and according to one video he was running it on max heat for “days” before the EcoFlow needed to be charged. It should work fine for my overnight needs!

 

[NctryBen]

I think once it’s going it doesn’t take a lot… so if you can run it at a lower temp more continuous, the less power you consume. That’s how I felt mine worked…
It’s the getting it going that takes the juice.
Getting ready to go…

 

[abnorm]

My customer "Guppy" has two Bluetti's in the closet..........an AC180 powers her small stuff .....

And a Big white faced/Blue 2400 is always ON powering the fridge and a freezer and now the CDH

Here's the Brick I ordered.........15 amp........I hope it works......(we tried a 10 amp brick we had onhand)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C4KJYMSZ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2
Well back to the REinstall.......you just can't make this stuff up..............

He ran the diesel thru the inside of the van and then outside.....always leaking diesel smell (belongs UNDER !)
The pump was mounted wrong (nearly vertical)........35 Degrees ! The nylon feed was too close to the exhaust that the line melted..........Duh!

 

[RvNaut]

wondering about using my EcoFlow Delta 2 to power a diesel heater...blah blah.... will it run continuously 12 hours?

What does the diesel heater show for how many watts it uses while running? Let's say it is 100w. for every hour it runs, it consumes 100 watt hours. But your battery isn't rated in watt hours, it is in Amp Hours... because the industry says f-you.. If you have a 100 Amp Hour, 12 volt battery, what you have there is 1200 watt hours of battery. If you were able to use 100% of your battery you can run a 100 watt device for 12 hours, but if it is a lead acid battery the best you should do would be 6 hours of run time, and with a Lithium it would be up to 10 hours....

But... it all depends on the actual watt usage of the heater and the available battery. Then it is all about can you replace that amount of power and run everything else you want to...

this is a great series to get people up to speed on the tech

 

[maki2]

I have a Wallas Nordic Dt diesel cooktop/heater. It has a blower fan in it. Very pricey bit of gear compared to a Chinese diesel heater. But it is multifunctional, pretty quiet once it is past the startup. Thermostat control.
Here are its specs for fuel consumption and electrical use. As you can see it is variable for fuel consumption and electrical too because it has a dial thermostat. It also has a mode for cooking and another for heating. But I have never been in a very cold situation where I needed to have it running all night or all day. Other than when cooking something I have never used it in the higher temperature range. I have no plans to be in that kind of cold climate location. Some mornings around 32 degrees do happen during the fall, winter and spring depending on when I go to or leave high elevation areas. But so far I have avoided mid day weather below the mid 40s. This unit was designed for use on boats in the cold, northern Nordic waters.

 

[maki2]

Good to be in Pirate Camp. I needed a second 12mm wrench for a fix-it chore and there was no problem finding that size wrench to borrow!

Two more Pirate Camp members are due to arrive tomorrow afternoon

 

[abnorm]

Good morning............Pirate Camp has a new toy on loan......a 10" table saw..........Camila and John bought out a Phoenix Estate Sale...........Sewing Machine (hand cranked) and a "TON" of Upholstery fabric.......Table saw....Skill saw..........and more !

I'm remodeling the long/tall van......time to replace plastic bins with REAL drawers

Ben......North Country............arrived yesterday at dusk

Only 11 more days til FESTIVUS.................the shiney alumium pole..........Meatloaf dinner.........Airing of Grievances..... and finally Feats of Strength.............."For the rest of us"..........Join us Sat. Dec 23rd !

 

[RvNaut]

I'm remodeling the long/tall van...

!!!!!!!

 

[abnorm]

^ that saw will help with YOUR RE-muddle too!

 

[maki2]

How did you know I have been craving meatloaf? Sounds like a good party food celebration to me

 

[maki2]

I like tablesaws, such fun toys to play with. I miss mine but it was way too big to bring on the road. A Jet tablesaw that I put a sliding miter accessory on.

 

[RvNaut]

...am bring a quadriplegic turkey to roast... and cheeeeeesecake for xmas dinner... Brian is bringing a Ham (currently resting peacefully in my fridge)
.
the howa caravan is next door... 17 peeps at their fire the other night....
.
I have champagne and OJ... mimosas at noon!

 

[abnorm]

""It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...................""

 

[maki2]

""It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...................""

Yep, Santa is checking his nice or naughty list and the elves are busy making treats

 

[maki2]

Look at this post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/uSMR19P4g9ZT4Asd/?mibextid=9R9pXO

If anyone you know is looking for a fridge freezer of very good quality a used one just showed up on the local Quartzsite Facebook Marketplace. It is branded as a Norcold but is one of the Engels that Norcold used to import and rebrand in the years prior to Engel opening their own outlet in Florida.

Engels are more efficient to run as they use a different style of compressor than thecurrent “danfoss” types. Also this style is good for using on the portable power stations as it always has a small draw of power. No electronic digital readout board to fail. Just set it and forget it. The setting of number 1 on the dial is exactly right for food safe. Any higher number and it starts freezing. It makes the very best freezer as it will can quickly freeze to rock hard status if you want it to. So if you have been thinking you want a chest freezer in addition to your current fridge this is perfect for that use as it freezes very hard but is also has low power consumption compared to other units on the market.

The person selling it does RV repairs. It looks like it is at his workshop so you could have him turn it on for testing that it runs properly.