Any Camper Advice?

[HCJtractor]

I’m thinking about buying a used camper (19, or 20 ft) to place on my farm/hunting property. I’d like to spend an occasional night there in the fall and winter, but never when it’s hot. Hopefully talk my wife into joining me. But there’s no electricity, well, or septic system. It’s about 20 miles from my home, not too far out of town. My buddy is interested in sharing 1/2 the cost, but he would use it occasionally for taking trips in the nearby mountains, but never too far, within a couple of hundred miles. I have no problem sharing ownership, as we jointly own many farm implements, as well as ownership of the farm.
Not having any experience, are campers self contained enough to leave at the property, spend the occasional night there especially during hunting season, and not be too much trouble? I have a nice quiet Honda generator, and a 300 gallon cistern there.
Would solar help? How about dumping sewage and gray water? How often and where? It’s a 300 acre rural property if that matters.

Thought about building a rustic cabin, but without electricity or water, just don’t see that being wise, plus really don’t want to have to go through the building permit process. I’d like to keep it under 10 grand, but I see many fairly decent used ones in that range. Would this fly and if so, what should I look for?

 

[joefromga]

I can give you my experience with my rv on my hunting property for 5 years.

Had electricity and septic and a shallow well. The well was always a pain. Would break or freeze but they're cheap enough to maintain.

Generator would be a good idea and easy to carry. Make sure it's sized right. Solar panel to keep your camper battery charged would be a good idea also. 10 watts is plenty.

You will need water. To get it into the camper you will need a way to carry it there and pump it in. Before I had the shallow well it was a huge pain. A 12v pump would help and a larger tank that you carry with you.

You need propane for heat and refrigeration. The fridges work when the power is off (with the 12v battery and propane) but you can turn that off but make sure to leave your fridge door open.

The more often you go the better. Like anything that's left unattended it will rot and wither of you don't maintain it.

I didn't have any issues at first but eventually got some mice and bugs, ants and the like. So you'll need repellent. I used sticky traps but they come with their own issues.

If you keep blankets, coveralls, shoes, clothing etc they can become nesting items for varmints.

The plumbing should be clear during freezing weather of possible. Just drain the lines.

Gray water is no problem but black water needs to be dumped properly or buried somewhere which means you'll have to tow somewhere which is a huge hassle because you'll be hooking, jacking, etc. Maybe dig your own dump station with a 55gal drum close by buried and cover it. Like a mini septic.

Eventually, someone found the RV and broke in. They then broke into my 40ft container so I moved the rv off the property. Just too hard to maintain but you're close so you can check on it often.

Camper roofs will bake in the sun. They aren't made to last long. The awnings also will dry rot so that's a replaceable item.

If you worry about vandals or thieves a game camera pointing at it may help.

It's nice to have that oasis on a hunt trip instead of having to bring everything in a truck each time. But a cabin would be more ideal but way more expensive.

A handy house might works, though. No permits needed. Furnish to. Your liking.


The less you keep in the camper the less you'll lose.

 

[dragoneggs]

Great write up, Joe. Personally, I would have a hard time parking a camper that is properly equipped out in the boonies. I like decent quality stuff and I absolutely despise those who steal/vandalize and would want to do bodily harm if I caught them in the act. I think I would rather have an RV that I took to/from that was outfitted with the stuff I wanted and could keep close to home to restock/clean, etc. Just my two cents. I do understand the convenience of having a place to stay that you don't have to tow but the water/waste, power, etc. needs to be dealt with... good luck and keep us posted.

 

[coobie]

Do you self a favor and build a small rustic cabin,wire it to run off a generator.Haul your water.Neighbor went your route with travel trailer on his property and has regretted since.Mice,rot,leaking roof,general upkeep to name a few.

 

[JJZ 109]

Great write up, Joe. Personally, I would have a hard time parking a camper that is properly equipped out in the boonies. I like decent quality stuff and I absolutely despise those who steal/vandalize and would want to do bodily harm if I caught them in the act. I think I would rather have an RV that I took to/from that was outfitted with the stuff I wanted and could keep close to home to restock/clean, etc. Just my two cents. I do understand the convenience of having a place to stay that you don't have to tow but the water/waste, power, etc. needs to be dealt with... good luck and keep us posted.

I just sold a 5th wheel that I used 2 times in 2 years. Used campers are a dime a dozen in my area.
I agree with you. It may be better to set up a nice gravel pad or parking spot and haul in and out if the OP believes a camper is the way to go. Joe did indeed cover it nicely. With the amount of stuff that has to be hauled in and out every time a parked camper is used, I think I'd drag the whole setup in and out. That way you can replenish water, propane, etc when you're home and also find a spot to dump the black water tank when you're out in civilization. Hauling in and out will also minimize or eliminate vandal and thief damage.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Eventually every camper roof leaks and the damage can be bad if left unattended for many days/months. Rodents will get into it and be a mess to clean up their fecal matter etc. Potable water will be a problem because you will have to pump it into the storage tank, then getting rid of the black water (human waste) has to be done at a disposal site so you need to hook it up to take it for dumping. Grey water (shower /sink) water could just be drained into the soil a few feet from the trailer, but even shower water will start to stink if a lot of it is dumped close to the trailer.

If your trips are short duration, perhaps solar power to recharge the batteries would work and they would last for a few days for running lights, so no generator would be needed. You could even boost the battery capacity by adding another battery or 2 to the camper. Most RVs have 2 each 12v batteries wired in parallel so as to provide 12 volt service. Adding another battery (or 2) would allow for longer service. You may need to up the solar charge rating to at least 50 watts so as to replenish your batteries while you are there. I would put a small solar panel(10-15Watt) on the roof for maintaining the batteries, take the 50 watt home each time. The batteries would also power the water pump to activate your shower/sink water so limiting your shower times would conserve power.

Freeze protection will be a pain in the winter and everything will need to be drained blown dry or RV antifreeze induced into the lines after each visit. Busted water lines in a camper are a pain to replace since most of them are inaccessible.
All in all, I think a left in place camper will be more of a pain than a pleasure and even if you tow it to and from the site, freeze protection will need to be done each trip. While this is a simple thing to do, it is a pain to fill then flush the antifreeze out each trip. Last year I just used a compressor to blow all the lines in my camper, it worked well so no flushing out the RV antifreeze was needed.

Either way you go (camper or small cabin) water and sewer is going to be a problem and likely be the most expensive thing you will need to do. I would suggest a small portable building (8x20) then outfitted with bunk beds, small Coleman stove for cooking, perhaps a propane heater for warmth. Put an outhouse in for your necessary things and forgo the showers while hunting OR put in a proper sewer system and water well if you must have water and sewer while on your trip. This could be preliminary for adding a house later if that is in your plans. If so, make sure to size the septic system accordingly.

 

[Beltzington]

We have an RV on our property we occasionally stay overnight in, mostly we use the bathroom when we are out working. As has been stated, left uncovered your roof will start leaking, ants and spiders will find there way in and tires will dry-rot. We have both electricity and water hook-ups so we can have AC and shower. As needed we pull it to a local RV park where we can empty the holding tanks and get a good system flush. A couple recommendations from our experience would be buy an RV with slide-outs, an 8-foot wide living area is cramped even for a one night stay. Buy/Build a cover for it, they are cheap compared to RV roof repair, provide shade and help maintain value. Leave it unlocked when you are not there, initially we locked ours up until some transient broke in and stole $20 worth of stuff but caused $900 damage to the door frame.

 

[newbury]

I知 thinking about buying a used camper (19, or 20 ft) to place on my farm/hunting property. I壇 like to spend an occasional night there in the fall and winter, but never when it痴 hot. Hopefully talk my wife into joining me. But there痴 no electricity, well, or septic system. It痴 about 20 miles from my home, not too far out of town. My buddy is interested in sharing 1/2 the cost, but he would use it occasionally for taking trips in the nearby mountains, but never too far, within a couple of hundred miles. I have no problem sharing ownership, as we jointly own many farm implements, as well as ownership of the farm.
Not having any experience, are campers self contained enough to leave at the property, spend the occasional night there especially during hunting season, and not be too much trouble? I have a nice quiet Honda generator, and a 300 gallon cistern there.
Would solar help? How about dumping sewage and gray water? How often and where? It痴 a 300 acre rural property if that matters.

Thought about building a rustic cabin, but without electricity or water, just don稚 see that being wise, plus really don稚 want to have to go through the building permit process. I壇 like to keep it under 10 grand, but I see many fairly decent used ones in that range. Would this fly and if so, what should I look for?

Advice -
If there is a road or path where you plan on putting the "camp" first of all get a game cam or similar immediately and get it set out there before you do anything else so you can establish a baseline of what "traffic" is like. You'll probably see nothing.

Where do plan on parking it when it's not "hot"? Will you tow it back to the house? That would let you do maintenance over the summer near your tools.

Do you know what the permit regulations are? Places I own land don't require permits for under 200 sq ft. Which allows me to build a small "permanent" structure (next to which I can park a RV).

You write you have a cistern there but no well. Greenville, South Carolina gets 50 inches of rain, on average, per year. So figuring 4' cubic foot of ran per square foot of "roof" area that would be about 30 gallons you could catch per square foot. A small sturdy "outhouse" with a roof area of 5x5 would probably catch enough water (750 gallons) for your annual needs. And a properly designed and maintained "outhouse" can be moved easily, over another hole. Just get out there with your tractor and a PHD, dig a new hole, reposition the "outhouse".

Now the critical question - how are you going to access TBN?? Do you have a Mobley?

 

[MickeyDBC]

We have our camper at our ranch and use it while we (slowly) remodel the old farm house. I did run power to it to keep the ac working and the fridge off of propane. AC keeps it dry and not musty on the inside and I like to have cold water and beer at the ready for any emergency. Water/humidity are the enemies of campers so be cautious because they do rot. Tires on them are always bad (even if they look good they are bad) so replace the camper tires with 10ply industrial rated tires, just make sure to do it every five years or so. It is surprising how much work they take to keep up. Guess it is because they are really just small cheaply built mobile homes with moving parts (slide outs and the like) that get drug around on bad suspension.

 

[sld]

For the price and square feet you are getting with the camper you could easily build a small cabin that would be better in every way.

 

[skipperbrown]

If you are only 20 miles from your hunting place, I'd tow it back and forth. You can leave it provisioned and ready to go in the safety of your home and keep the battery on a charger. You can dump your nasties in a clean out drain at the house or for $10, use a dump station. If you leave it in a remote area, little rodents and the big ones on 2 legs will likely become a problem. Parked under a shed or in a garage, it will age very slowly.

 

[houstonscott]

I知 thinking about buying a used camper (19, or 20 ft) to place on my farm/hunting property. I壇 like to spend an occasional night there in the fall and winter, but never when it痴 hot. Hopefully talk my wife into joining me. But there痴 no electricity, well, or septic system. It痴 about 20 miles from my home, not too far out of town. My buddy is interested in sharing 1/2 the cost, but he would use it occasionally for taking trips in the nearby mountains, but never too far, within a couple of hundred miles. I have no problem sharing ownership, as we jointly own many farm implements, as well as ownership of the farm.
Not having any experience, are campers self contained enough to leave at the property, spend the occasional night there especially during hunting season, and not be too much trouble? I have a nice quiet Honda generator, and a 300 gallon cistern there.
Would solar help? How about dumping sewage and gray water? How often and where? It痴 a 300 acre rural property if that matters.

Thought about building a rustic cabin, but without electricity or water, just don稚 see that being wise, plus really don稚 want to have to go through the building permit process. I壇 like to keep it under 10 grand, but I see many fairly decent used ones in that range. Would this fly and if so, what should I look for?

Airstream.

 

[shooterdon]

For the price and square feet you are getting with the camper you could easily build a small cabin that would be better in every way.

Have to agree.

I had a 43' 5th wheel toy hauler and it was a royal pain in the ***.

If you get a camper, the first thing is to go through it and seal every hole where pipes, hoses and power comes in. Use steel wool stuffed into the gaps and foam as needed. You can build a small septic system for not a lot of money and it is worth doing that rather than having to haul a camper out when the tank is full. Grey water can be run out a hose to a spot 50' away and allowed to drain.


The varmints are the worst. Both two and four legged.

 

[JJZ 109]

Have to agree.

I had a 43' 5th wheel toy hauler and it was a royal pain in the ***.

One of the happiest days I've had in a long time was 2 weeks ago when I saw that 5th wheel camper being hauled out of my driveway by someone who lives a hundred miles away, knowing I'd never see it again! :cool2:

 

[Gary Fowler]

One of the happiest days I've had in a long time was 2 weeks ago when I saw that 5th wheel camper being hauled out of my driveway by someone who lives a hundred miles away, knowing I'd never see it again! :cool2:

I hope to have the same experience with my Class A motorhome soon.

 

[HCJtractor]

Thank you for all the advice. Yes, I can see how my idea may not be a good one. I appreciate the honesty. Glad I asked!

 

[dragoneggs]

Thank you for all the advice. Yes, I can see how my idea may not be a good one. I appreciate the honesty. Glad I asked!

It really boils down to how you want to get best use out it (being the structure/vehicle). I see the points made by some who say build a fixed structure. Others, say park it, and others that say tow in/out. I think you need to decide whether you want this investment solely for this location, and how often you would use it vs. a portable solution whether it sits there or at home. I think you got some good comments to help you decide what works best for you.

 

[square1]

Before anything else, check local ordinances. Zoning regulations at one of my properties stipulate how many nights per year and the length in duration of any one stay by a recreational vehicle. Those regs also say I must be able to produce on demand reciepts showing the history of grey / black water holding tanks having been properly dumped.

 

[JJZ 109]

Before anything else, check local ordinances. Zoning regulations at one of my properties stipulate how many nights per year and the length in duration of any one stay by a recreational vehicle. Those regs also say I must be able to produce on demand reciepts showing the history of grey / black water holding tanks having been properly dumped.

To add to this, many localities have zoning rules stating that only so many vehicles not currently registered can be on the property. Something for the OP to consider if they weren't going to keep tags on it.

 

[HCJtractor]

Zoning or regulations aren’t problems where I live. There is no supervision of this rural property. But if I want power lines run to a site which would be 1,000 yards, then I would have to obtain a permit for either a structure or mobile home, and that would open me up for permits, taxes, etc. That was what I was trying to avoid. Plus, I may sell this property so don’t want to put much more money in it.

It is a little surprising that campers are so prone to leaks, rodents, etc. You would think they are designed to “live” outside so could withstand the elements, and be sealed effectively. Since I live in the city, I don’t have anywhere else to store it. And I’m sure you get what you pay for, as a cheap camper is built cheaply.