BATTERY SYSTEMS & FRIDGE TACTICS

This article is aimed at extended trips in adverse conditions. For a fridge set-up, adverse conditions include high ambient temperatures, short drive times per day, and long stationary periods with the engine switched off. In addition, you will want to keep the meat frozen and ensure the fridge copes with regular new loads of refreshments. (A six-pack is a huge load for a 12V fridge).

It is very difficult to get straight answers in this field, because of the lack of practical knowledge and real understanding. Fault-finding of a system as a whole is almost impossible as the experts mostly only partly understand their own system (the charging controller) and know surprisingly little about how the rest of the items influence each other.

The problems that overlanders face are normally much wider, and if you cannot see the whole picture, you will most probably misdiagnose the real issue.

The most common issues are bad installations, thin wires, bad connections, a too-small battery capacity, a too-low charging rate, and expecting too much. These issues are mostly because we do not really understand the requirements, or we are trying to save money.

Cheap quality simply does not exist. On the other hand, some mediocre systems can go for ridiculously high prices. On the other side of the spectrum is a local solenoid system that is excellent for a reasonable price – but gets a bad reputation due to bad installations and a lack of technical understanding.

The figures I have used below are rather arguable, and many experts will want to use different figures. However, I have to set a benchmark; and in my opinion the values I have used are a good guess based on practical experience.

The power supply

Let us start with what is available, and what we require when the circumstances are against us. The standard alternator and battery system in our vehicles is actually doing a sterling job in millions of vehicles, and is efficient and reliable. The principles that work so well are well known, and the batteries and alternators are designed to keep doing their job reliably. What are these principles?

1. Firstly, the alternator is oversized to be able to cope with draws from all electrical equipment and charge the battery at the same time. Recharging a battery that has