By the power of the sun
It’s almost impossible to imagine an overland trip without a fridge/freezer in the back of your rig, but this device requires a dual-battery system – and its charge will run out if you camp for several days without driving anywhere.
You will therefore need to make a plan if you’re dug in on a sheltered beach somewhere along the West Coast, or in the Kalahari under a lonely tree where there is no external power source to top up your battery. One solution would be a portable generator, but they’re noisy and take up valuable storage space. A better alternative is a solar panel, because the sun is an ideal source of energy here in the southern parts of our continent.
We chatted to two solar specialists: Battery & Outdoor King in Pretoria, and 4x4Direct in Cape Town. 4x4Direct showed us what the devices look like, while Battery & Outdoor King explained how the technology works.
Don’t just jump in your bakkie to go and buy panels. First make a list of all the electrical and electronic devices you want to take with
