My 2021 Boondock XL project list (long)

packetjunkie

It's long, but I thought I would detail the various projects I've done on my 2021 T@G Boondock XL and lessons learned in my two seasons since purchase.

Power/Batteries

. Duracell 105aH AGM Battery (2)
. Victron Bluetooth Battery Monitor
. Renogy 3000W Pure Sine Interver
. Rockpals 250-Watt Portable Generator
. Rockpals Portable Power Station 500W

I upgraded our dead-on-the-first use battery from the dealership to two 105aH Duracall AGM batteries - using a Victron Bluetooth Battery Monitor the setup and inserted that into all the negative sources for a full picture. Both of these batteries fit in the front storage unit side by side. The bluetooth app is useful for seeing the state of the batteries, although the range is not good and you have to be right by the monitor.

Recently I added a Renogy 3000W Pure Sine Wave Inverter (mounted on a plate positioned over the batteries). I ran two extension cables under the frame to the back of the trailer and capped them. I use these to power the Starlink satellite and LED TV when using that. I have one more outlet at the front that can be used. I also can use one of the outlets in the back to attach to the Shore connector so that the batteries can be used to power the whole trailer (be sure to turn off the battery disconnect so that the charger of the trailer is not engaged). I can even run my mini Keurig (1200 watts) for morning coffee without needing to start the generator, love that.

I have a couple of Rockpals portable batteries for various uses (recharing laptops, running an outdoor movie screen).

I am leaning towards switching to Lithium batteries once these batteries lose their capacity.

Solar Power

. Renogy 40AMP MPPT Solar Controller
. Renogy Bluetooth Module
. BougeRV 180 Watts Mono Solar Panel (2)
. DOKIO 160W 18V Portable Solar Panel Kit
. TogoPower 120W Portable Foldable Solar Panel

I removed the stock solar controller and replaced it with a Regony Rover Solar Controller. With this you can have up to 520 watt of solar attached - so in addition to the 105 watt TAG panel on the roof, I purchase two 180 watt solar panels (in addition to two folding units of 120w and 160w) and a bunch of cables that allow me to scale up as much as I want. I use the Bluetooth module of the solar controller to keep an eye on what's going on. All of the solar is connected through the controller.

Solar is an interesting thing to learn about - the various connectors that you find make lining everything up a bit tricky. SAE and AWG will become familiar terms - as well as 3-1 connectors and 2-1 connectors.

Tow Vehicle

. 2021 Ford F150 (with 2k Generator built-in)

In the time leading up to our first trip I had built a vision in my head of a perfectly harmonious relationship between my new trailer and my new truck. Without the need to transport a generator, I was confident that I had everything I needed with my F150 and its integrated 2k generator and Max Tow Package. I was wrong.

When it came time to use the F150 generator that was a second biggest hiccup. None of the AC outlets in the trailer would work when connected to the trucks outlets - I have to admit in my perfect thoughts the AC outlets would work off the trailers inverter all the time, not just when plugged into shore AC. Also when hooked to my truck the GFCI in the T@G kept tripping. At the advice of the dealer, I purchased a EMS-PT30X surge protector but that only told me I had a grounding problem and didn't solve my situation. Other than not having AC power, the battery did charge from the generator and I could run the heater in the unit on LOW (not high - it got down around 40 in the evening, brrrrr). The short version of what I learned after this weekend is the truck will only work to charge the batteries and not the outlets and no combination of adapters changed that for me. Besides, running a Coyote V8 2k generator is very expensive and so I keep my Wen generator handy.

I have a practically brand new WEN 2k generator inverter that also can be used in parallel with another unit to get 30-amp 4k solution capable of running the microwave, heater or AC unit. Since buying another 2k unit and the adapter was much less than buying a whole new 30-amp generator, I did that. So now I have the two generators for 30-amp, single for some light use and the truck as a backup. Not exactly what I had envisioned in my perfect world and turns out I have never even used in that combination. Lesson learned, if you want to use your F150 as a generator for a full solution, you'll need to upgrade from the 2k version. Only the hybrid comes with a 30-amp 7.5k setup. And a 30-amp solution is not really necessary for most uses.

A small misjudgement on my part the first time pulling it - on a tight turn a put a little dimple in my bumper with the deck on the trailer. Not all years have such a wide deck in front of the unit, but I like it and learned to be more careful in tight turns.

Cellular Usage in National Parks

. Starlink RV
. weBoost Connect RV
. FFILY Flag Pole for Outside In Ground - 25 FT Heavy Duty Telescopic Flagpole Kit
. Yeshom Portable All Metal Tire Mount 20ft 25ft Flagpole Base Flag Pole Holder Stand

The first thing we needed to do was get a decent cellular connection for some remote work - which provided for the first hiccup of the trip. I had even gotten a really nice flag pole with the intent that it would serve the dual purpose of also raising up the antenna for (hopefully) a better signal - 3 hours later, I had to give up and drive down the mountain to get a decent signal. I had purchased the $500 weBoost Drive Reach RV unit thinking it would help improve a weak signal, but it didn't. I replaced with the Connect RV stationary signal booster at $650. My feedback is that the Drive Reach seems to be geared towards those who have a decent signal outside, but want to improve the signal inside their RV - not boost it. The Connect RV worked fine - I could get 2MB-5MB of speed but you should get two apps (Opensignal and Network Cell Info) to see where the closest towers are to point to and how strong your signal is.

Unfortunately you can spend 10 minutes to over an hour trying to get a stable signal and even if you map out towers, it doesnt always means they will work. It can be easy sometimes, other times you want to smash the antenna in frustration.

For 2022 I upgraded to the Starlink RV Unit, which I love. I am getting from 40mb-250mb on any given day and can work comfortably and stream whatever I want. While $130/month can be justified for work, you'll have to consider that for recreational use. The flag pole above is great - heavy duty (more so than the weBoost or another pole I had) and the top plastic piece comes out and the Starlink RV fits perfectly inside it. I use a rubber coupler to ensure they stick together. The under-tire flag pole mount is perfect for the little T@G setup as well.

One thing to think about with Starlink RV - it will use from 60-140 watts of power, so having a decent solar setup will minimize your dependence on the batteries during the day.

Canopies

. unp Easy Beach Tent Camping Sun Shelter (3)
. KingCamp Awing Sun Shelter (2)
. CLAM Quick-Set Escape Sport 11.5 x 11.5 Foot Portable Pop Up Outdoor Tailgating Screen Tent

The canopy that I purchased a 12x12 unp Easy Beach Tent Camping Sun Shelter Backyard Canopy was a near perfect match. We had a lot of compliments on our setup over the weekend. Because it rained so much, we spent a good amount of time under it comfortably. The downside is that it only comes with two panels and they do not have the option of buying any additional ones. But at $149, I'll probably just buy a second one and then I'll have 4 panels and a backup (which I did, in fact I bought two more because they work great at the beach, too). I also purchase a couple of the KingCamp Awing Sun Shelter which I use when there is no threat of rain - this fits perfectly over the rear hatch while open with the cable attached to the rear side step and the crossbar.

This year I also added the CLAM Quick-Set Tent due to a heavy bug season - easy set up and take down made it a worthwhile purchase.

Entertainment

. YABER Y31 Native 1920x 1080P Projector
. 150 Inch 16:9 4K HD Foldable Projector Screen with Stand for Outdoor Movie Screen
. Dell 27" 4k LED monitor (mounts on inside of trailer)
. Amazon Fire Stick 4k
. BESTEK 300Watt Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter (2)

Movie night under the stars - not for everyone, but a lot of fun. We've had 20+ people join us for Moonrise Kingdom or Fantastic Mr Fox nights. The screens are incredible sturdy (even in the wind) and the projector is an inexpensive but impressive picture unit. The Dell 4K monitor is just a repurpose of a monitor from my computers I have been using and mounted inside with a 300W pure sign interver mounted in the storage area behind the door. I use a USB-C to HDMI connector for both the LED monitor and the projector from a Samsung S8+ Tablet (or plug the firestick into either)

Sound

. JBL Boombox 2 (2)
. JBL Flip 5 (2)

Although I have the built in stereo that is okay in a pinch, I purchased two JBL Boombox 2 units (12 hours of battery play time) and when paired with my tablet offered a great movie experience while rained in one night (you can pair both to your tablet at the same time) - and outside one in the galley and the other in the campsite was a great sound experience. I also purchased two Flip 5 speakers that fit perfects in the shelf over the top of the bed for listening to music or watching a movie inside the trailer.

Accessories

. Alpicool C30 Portable Refrigerator
. Mini Kureg Coffee Maker
. Rigidhorse 52 Inch LED Light Bar Single Row Flood & Spot Beam Combo (2) - mounted to the roof rack, one forward, one backwards with remote control
. MAXXAIR 0004500K MaxxFan Smoke Standard Remote Fan Lid (much quieter!)
. Beddy Sheets
. 3" memory foam mattress (4" was too soft)
. DEN-DRY Mattress Underlay (to combat mold)
. Car LED Underglow Lights
. UALAU 72 LED Interior Car Lights (mounted inside back kitchenette area for mood lighting)
. Bear Butt Camping Hammock (2) - hands down best purchase under $50
. Kitchen "wings" - https://www.teardropgalleywingwalls.com/

The mini kureig coffee maker was a hit without the need to get a fire going and waiting for water to boil (especially with the rain) - uses about 1200 watts, so you need to consider that for your power needs. The 500W portable battery will get you about 4-5 hours of use on the projector for movie nights.

Apologies for the long post, but other than highlighting the headaches I wanted to say how much we loves to comfort and convenience of the T@G XL Boondock. From the Beddy sheets (easy to make, warm at night, look great) with a 3" memory foam mattress on top of the stock pads and a great nights sleep to the utility and style of the galley we loved everything about the trailer. We often had people stopping by to ask questions and admire the setup and were more than happy to them how much we are enjoying our T@G.

JamesDow

@packetjunkie; Sounds like having a Ford F150 bed comes in handy moving your payload. Your dual AGM batteries have some heft.
Having up to five solar panels (105+180+180+160+120 = 745 total watts. You could go in the future with two 100Ah lithium batteries with ease.
It is interesting that the built in Ford F150 generator does not like connecting with the T@G, giving you a ground fault. My guess is that hooking a ground back to the truck may be an issue. The truck may be detecting a current leakage because it is not self-grounded like most generators, with the trailer. First, I would double check your power cord with a multi-meter to verify each pin/wire has a good connection. Next, you could try using a neutral bonding plug adapter (30 Amp?), which you can get on Amazon for less than $20. My guess the later may solve the issue.
The mini Kureig sounds nice, but the power draw – yuck. I just use concentrated cold brew for trips that I do not want to bother with my stove top.
Good luck with your setup and getting work done while traveling.
 
Continue to enjoy your T@G
 

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jmacke

@packetjunkie do you have pics of your set up to share? We currently use a 10x10 canopy off our kitchen galley and put up screens or panels as needed. However, we are looking for other/bigger options and ideally would like something that fits snug around the kitchen area to keep air from coming in under the camper into the space when it's cold out.

packetjunkie

@JamesDow I tried several grounding adapters with no luck, but then gave up. I was told on the F150 forums that the generator wasn't designed to work as I wanted it, it was a 'working mans' solution for power tools, lol. Once these AGMs show their wear, I'm going to replace wit 2 100aH Renogy lithium batteries.

I do have some photos, I just need to resize them to post here (annoying). The "snug around the kitchen' part is difficult - I have the "wings" which are nice (seems I neglected to mention those), but when it rains, nothing I've done keeps rain out of the side channels.