Adventure Advice

When it comes to tow-vehicles in Australia, the default setting has always been the humble ute. That began with the sedan-based utes from the local carmakers and evolved into the not-so-humble dual-cab ute that is currently taking every other type of car to the cleaners in the new car sales race.

As interest in electric vehicles grows and sales continue to increase in the wake of rising fuel prices, so too does our curiosity about them. But will there ever be an EV as capable of long-distance, remote-area touring and 4x4ing as hard core as the best existing olde-worlde internal combustion engine 4WDs? And, if so, when will these off-roaders be available to buy in Australia?

Do you need to register a caravan in Australia? Yes, bloody oath, of course you do. But the processes you have to undertake, the volume of paperwork you have to get through and the fees you have to pay to register a caravan, camper-trailer, or trailer depend on the state or territory in which you’re registering it.

If you’re having a tough time trying to find your dream motorhome or caravan because of the current overwhelming demand combined with supply-chain issues, then how about considering your own DIY van or bus conversion? 

Can a red P-plater tow a trailer? Can a green P-plater tow a trailer? The simple answer is yes. However, like so many laws imposed by state and territory governments, towing regulations for P-plate drivers are not nationally consistent (that would be far too easy). So, it’s important to know how these rules are applied, depending on where you live.

There are lots of safety issues to consider when towing and one of those is making sure that the electrical systems shared between your tow vehicle and trailer are ‘talking’ to each other and functioning correctly, from indicators and brake lights to electronically controlled trailer brakes, stability control systems and more.

Knowing how to tow a trailer confidently and safely is a vital skill for any driver, from a single-axle box-trailer or camper-trailer to motorcycle and jet-ski trailers to heavy duty multi-axle caravans, horse floats and car/boat trailers.

When I was a kid – back in the Stone Age – we relied on an ice-packed esky to keep our food and beverages cold for the duration of a camping trip. Far from ideal, especially when you’re away from civilisation for anything longer than a day or two in searing Queensland heat, because ice melts, no matter how well the esky is sheltered from direct sunlight and insulated from the worst effects of the high temps.Thankfully times have changed in a massive way and, though eskies* certainly still have their uses, a portable camping fridge provides a more versatile solution to the problem of maintaining fresh and refrigerated food and drink and as such it has become the go-to appliance for on- and off-road tourers. (*Fun facts: Kiwis call an esky a chilly bin; South Africans call it a cooler box. There you go – don’t ever say I’ve never taught you anything.) The portable fridge market is huge and full of every portable fridge and portable fridge freezer you could ever think of, and at various price points and, as with all things, of varying degrees of quality.Most popular portable fridge compressors run on electricity by way of a 12V supply (from your car battery or caravan set-up for your caravan fridge, or solar panels) or 230V mains power. You also have the option of buying a three-way fridge or gas camping fridge, but we’ll focus on vehicle-based 12V fridges in this yarn. The best camping fridge or camping fridge freezer for you boils down to several factors (including what size of a portable fridge or fridge freezer you need, what power source you will mostly use etc) so, in an effort to take the mystique out of what can be a confusion of choice, here’s our guide to portable camping fridges. If you’re looking for a 12V camping fridge / 12V car fridge you are spoiled for choice, but it’s important that you take your time at this crucial stage of the purchase process to focus on the size of the car fridge freezer you’ll need.Small will suit some, large will suit others, and mid-size will be just right for others still.Director of Melbourne-based and Aussie-owned family company Bushman Fridges, Gary Kottmann, told CarsGuide: “We always recommend getting the smallest fridge you can get away with, rather than the biggest fridge you can fit in the car. “Choosing compact camping gear is a great way to make things a little easier when you’re loading and unloading, especially when you’re tired from a long drive, and a small to medium size camping fridge will help with that. “For most campers, something between a 40L and 60L fridge is a good size to start with. This makes the fridge big enough to hold plenty of goods, but not too heavy to carry, and it won’t take up too much precious space in the car or use a lot of power.”According to Gary, anything in range of a 15L–25L small chest fridge “is considered small and is best suited for day-to-day use or up to a weekend for one person".A 40–60L (medium chest fridge) is the most popular size for camping for a young family or couple. “You can live out of a fridge this size for two or three days so it's perfect for a long weekend,” he said.An 80L+ (large chest fridge) “is designed for longer term camping or larger families”.“Anything over 80 litres is great for lots of storage, but keep in mind the extra weight when deciding where the fridge will be placed,” he said. The next thing to wrap your head around is what internal configuration will suit your lifestyle needs: single zone (one section which can be used as a fridge or freezer only) or dual-zone (two sections which can be used as a fridge or freezer).The single-zone fridges – which have one main compartment and can be used as a fridge or as a freezer – are the most popular type and are usually set at 4˚C as a large fridge. “If you cryovac your meat - removing the oxygen from the packaging to extend the shelf life - you can keep this in the fridge section,” Gary said.“However, if you decide that you want to have access to a fridge and a freezer at the same time - rather than one or the other - a dual-zone fridge is for you. A dual-zone fridge is usually divided into two separate sections. Each section can be used as a fridge or freezer." It is possible to run a fridge off your vehicle’s starter battery, but the fridge will continue to draw power from it even when the car is switched off, so you risk draining that main battery. The lesson here? Running a fridge off a car battery can leave you in strife.To avoid that – and for a better 12V fridge arrangement – you’ll need at least one auxiliary battery, which will run your fridge and any other 12v accessories, and to keep everything charged and operating it’s a good idea to have a battery charger as well or battery pack, so read our battery-related yarns in Adventure for guidance on those subjects. Gary Kottmann, of Bushman Fridges, said the type of second battery campers need is a deep-cycle battery. “These kinds of batteries are specifically designed to run appliances such as fridges. “Batteries are rated in Amp Hours (Ah). It is important for you to know that a deep cycle battery should only be drained up to a maximum of 60% of its rated output. “For this reason we generally recommend a 120Ah battery for a medium-size camping fridge that has a rated usage of 1Ah per hour. This will get you three days of running time without flattening the battery completely (1Ah per hour x three days = 72Ah).”When you’re out and about your camping fridge relies on 12-volt power, generally from a dual battery set-up in your vehicle (again, to avoid draining your vehicle’s starter battery), as well as power from a solar panel if you’re heading out for a longer-distance and -duration trip, so you’ll effectively have a solar fridge or solar-powered fridge. You’ll be looking after the planet, you bloody champion!Your choice of solar panel is important if you’re looking to pursue a bit of solar powered fridge camping.“For a 120Ah battery, we recommend around 200 to 250 Watts (W) of solar panels,” Gary said. “This will easily keep your battery charged even on partly cloudy days. The other option for charging your second battery is using a small petrol generator with a battery charger, although this is a more expensive option than solar. “That’s why many savvy campers who are looking to keep their costs down now choose to go down the solar power route.”For an idea of how to go about figuring out the right solar panels for camping fridges, check out this guide.He also said that people should seek out an efficiently designed fridge “so it doesn’t have to work as hard to keep your food and drink nicely chilled. “How can you tell an efficient fridge from a non-efficient variant? Look for a lot of air vents! The key to an efficient fridge is getting out the heat, so the more ventilation around the compressor area the better. “It’s also a good idea to check the manufacturer’s specifications for average power usage. This is measured in Amp Hours (Ah) and is usually averaged over a 24-hour period. “Ideally, a good 40L to 60L camping fridge will use less than 1.5 Ah per hour, averaged over 24 hours at 25˚ ambient temperature.”Remember: a 12V fridge does not need to run all day long, so switch it off during the cool of the night to conserve power and if you’re camping at a powered campsite plug your fridge into a mains power outlet. Portable camping fridges can range in price from $200 or so for a rather basic, no-frills 20-litre fridge freezer, to just under $900 for a 15-litre Bushman Roadie portable fridge freezer and through to a 60-litre stainless-steel weatherproof ARB Elements fridge/freezer, “the ultimate 4WDer’s fridge”, according to ARB, which has a $1600-plus price-tag, and upwards to $2500 for an 85-litre fibreglass Evakool Infinity fridge/freezer.Portable fridge freezer brands include ARB, Bushman Fridges, Dometic/Waeco, Engel, Kings, Luna, XTM and more. Beyond the usual suspects – Aldi, BCF, Bunnings and Anaconda – it’s well worth checking out mobs such as Bushman Fridges and aftermarket outlets such as ARB and Ironman 4x4 for top-quality products, and even Kings. Portable camping fridges may cop a real battering during their ‘life’ but specific warranty and maintenance terms and conditions will depend on your fridge maker and supplier.Camping fridge repairs should be undertaken by specialised and authorised personnel.Gary said a long warranty is a clear sign of a manufacturer’s confidence in a product. “It also means you’ll have peace of mind should something go wrong on your trip. While no one wants that, it pays to be prepared for any possible situation when camping. We would recommend a three-year warranty as a minimum. Anything less than this could be a risk.”Suffice to say, reputable businesses and brands have well-established processes and sales and service networks in place, so that should make your decision about which brand to buy a bit easier.You’ll find plenty of portable, camping or car fridges for sale online but, as with any product, often cheap does not mean cheerful, so make sure you do your full research, read plenty of reviews from reputable sources, ask around … and you should be right.Note: Special thanks to the staff at Bushman Fridges for their assistance with this yarn.

Having consistent access to reliable power while you’re off-grid camping is crucial.A dual-battery system – one battery to ensure your off-roader has start-up power and the other battery to keep your campsite powered – is a great set-up, but a DC to DC charger will make sure the second battery is always being recharged.You have absolutely no idea what the bloody hell I’m talking about, do you? Well, no worries, dear reader, because you’re about to experience a CarsGuide lowdown on just this topic: welcome to the wonderful world of DC to DC in-vehicle battery chargers. So, what exactly is a DC to DC in-vehicle battery charger? What does a DC to DC charger do? And how does a DC to DC charger work?Well, in simple terms, a DC to DC (direct current* to direct current) charger recharges the second battery in your vehicle from your vehicle’s alternator while you’re travelling. That means your battery is being charged while you’re on the move and you can rely on having power enough to keep all of your 12V gear, as well as smartphones, tablets and cameras, fully charged with a reliable source of power when you’re at your campsite. (* An electrical current which flows consistently in one direction.)A DC to DC battery charger keeps your vehicle’s second battery fully charged and at its correct voltage, effectively isolating your vehicle’s second battery from its main battery to ensure that all of your campsite accessories, including your 12-volt fridge, don’t run your main battery flat.The DC to DC battery charger units used in Australia are suitable for 12- or 24-volt vehicle systems and work with standard, voltage alternators or smart alternators, and they can be charged simultaneously from solar input and DC input.These in car battery charger systems are compact, fully sealed against water and dust ingress (very handy here in rough-as-guts Australia) and are protected against vibration. Again, very handy here in Australia because we have plenty of corrugated tracks of varying severity, so even the best DC to DC charger is likely to cop a fair bit of punishment during a lifetime of use.Redarc units are designed to run at full power up to 55 degrees Celsius.A DC to DC battery charger can be connected to fixed and portable solar panels for extra changing while you’re at camp.  Aussie companies, such as Redarc, do easy-to-follow ‘how to’ videos, free to watch on YouTube. I’d err on the side of caution and get a professional to install a DC to DC charger for peace of mind, but if you’re comfortable removing trim from the engine bay, as well as installing a charger mounting bracket, and tackling all of the wiring and correct routing involved, then by all means give the installation job a nudge. But, remember: follow installation instructions, always refer to the appropriate DC to DC charger wiring diagram and DC to DC battery charger circuit diagram and you should be right.Many of the tools and equipment needed for different charger installations are the same, but the fuse kits will differ depending on the charger you’re planning to install.A DC to DC charger should be installed in a vehicle’s engine bay, cabin, or in its tray (if it’s a ute), or in the canopy, caravan or camper trailer. The DC to DC charger should be installed as close as possible to the auxiliary battery that it’s intended to charge – within one metre is recommended.The unit must be correctly earthed/grounded (the vehicle’s chassis is a good example of a common ground point) and its wiring must be clear of any moving parts and direct engine-heat sources – so do not mount a DC to DC charger near the engine block, exhaust manifold or near the turbo. Prices for a DC to DC charger can range from approximately $350 (not fitted) for a 6A Redarc BCDC*1206 (a three-stage 12V DC to DC battery charger – “sufficient current to charge a battery that has a typical DC compressor fridge connected”, Redarc states); or upwards of $720 (not fitted) for a Redarc BCDC1240D (a 12V 40 amp In-vehicle DC to DC battery charger “suitable for battery types including lithium, AGM, GEL, standard lead acid and calcium”); through to $4220 (not fitted) for the “ultimate remote touring kit” from Redarc, comprising a 50amp dual input in-vehicle DC battery charging set-up, “perfect for larger battery banks and quick charging for extended travel”. (* BCDC stands for “Battery Charger Direct Current” which is a Redarc product description.)The D250SE ($499) from CTEK is a fully automatic, five-step charger able to supply up to 20A of power to any 12V service battery. The D250SE is smart alternator-compatible and has three charging modes: normal (14.4V), AGM (14.7V) and lithium (12V LiFePO4).The Smartpass 120S, also from CTEK and priced from $530, is a fully automatic 120A power-management system that distributes power between the starter battery, the service battery and on-board equipment, separating critical equipment from non-critical equipment to ensure the radio, emergency lights and navigation systems always have power. It is also smart-alternator compatible and uses power from the service battery to help get the engine started if the starter battery is flat.  When it comes to sourcing and buying your very own DC to DC in-vehicle battery charger, the same guidelines apply as they always do when it comes to a sensible purchasing decision: do your research, ask the experts (while avoiding some of those self-proclaimed experts around campfires), focus on reading a DC to DC charger review or two from well-regarded sources, and shop around: check out a Battery Link DC to DC charger, Projecta DC to DC charger, a Thunder DC to DC charger, DC to DC chargers at Jaycar, scrutinise the DC to DC chargers available on ebay, and have a chat with your mates. You never know where you’ll find a suitable unit.

We’ve reviewed numerous camper-trailers here at CarsGuide and I’ve penned many a yarn on camper-trailers and caravans (including small, teardrop and other different sizes and styles) over the years, but the off-road trailer realm is not limited to only those models which offer its users accommodation.