Shade Cloth RV Cooling Test: Jackhammers, 16ft Poles… and a Failed Experiment

Arizona High Desert Homestead | Part 20 We spent days prepping the sunny side of the RV to test whether shade cloth could help cut down our weekly propane trips and reduce how often we needed the generator to supplement the solar setup. That meant digging deep post holes through a brutal layer of rock with a borrowed jackhammer, setting 16‑foot poles in concrete, and hanging the shade cloth by climbing a ladder braced against those poles. Once everything was up, we tracked temperatures, fuel use, and solar performance… and the results weren’t great. Takeaway: the shade cloth didn’t make a meaningful difference. Along the way you’ll also see cut scenes of our ducklings and chicks growing fast here on the homestead — a little break from the Arizona heat and hard labor. At the end of the video, I show what actually solved the problem: upgrading to a larger 50‑amp generator and installing a 12,000 BTU mini split for the RV. That combo finally gave us the cooling and efficiency we were chasing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Spring 2025, we bought 20 acres in Valle, Arizona near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. We’re turning this raw land into a modern off‑grid homestead, learning as we go. If you’re into growing food, rainwater harvesting, solar power, land development, or the realities of off‑grid life, you’ll feel right at home here. Subscribe and follow our journey as we build this homestead from the ground up. #offgrid #homestead #livingofftheland #rvlife #rvlifestyle #diyprojects #roamfree #roamfreewithus #fail #beatthesummerheat