first GZ camping, what to improve?
Just got back from 4 day camping by thigh deep stream, wife's extended family camps here every year, no where else for there are lots of trees…great for shade, drag for solar! Using GZ for last 15 years some batteries have died due to age. Had several discussions for not being with family but guarding GZ gear, no five-finger discounts of my stuff. Was a learning experience. Old 250 was all I needed to run lights…no music, no one can agree on what to listen to, so other use is charging phones camera. Took a new 500 for the lights, never had to charge it. Took 1000 battery (old generation) to charge new Bodega fridge chest and 1-50, 1-100, 4-30s (on tripod) all Boulders, for a total of 270, used a 4/1 input cord. Camped in area with most sunlight that only lasts 6 hours of direct sun. Every 15 min had to move all panels. What amazed me was the 1000 GZ charged the chest all for days/nights. Could only get recharge up to flashing 60%, but by morning was at 20%. What I loathed was having to babysit the panels. Due to major back surgery, panels over weight of 50, my wife has to handle plus the batteries! So…..appears a need to replace the Boulder 30s, a new 1000x which recharges faster. Why not the GZ fridge chest? Cost and at this time no wheels. Attached is setup and area. During night put GZ in truck and extended cord to chest, thus GZ was safer, and panels taken down & put in truck during night too. Although cords were all long, just not long enough.
