Tag Archives: accessories

Grenadier build – ORS fitout

12 volt, 4X4, Anderson plug, Aussie made, Australia, guide, Uncategorised, , ,

Offroad Systems (ORS) twin drawers, water tank, bed extension and ARB twin compressor are now installed.

The Doc wanted air flow around his compressor, so it was mounted on brackets over the driver’s side rear wheel arch. Trivia: there is a global shortage of twin ARB air compressors due to a surge in demand. ORS sourced the Portable Twin compressor and mounted that to the bracket over the wheel arch. That is why it looks so much like a twin portable compressor – because it is one. The compressor’s power cable was attached to the Grenadier’s spare stud on the 5 stud busbar (the supplied cable was not long enough to reach the spare on the 7 stud busbar). I sourced an 80 amp ZCase fuse, as the ARB has twin 40 amp MAXI blade fuses. The Sparky cut off the two MAXI fuses and ran the cables straight to the80 amp ZCase fuse.

Globalgregors inspired The Doc to add the bottle top opener on the drawers and go for a deeper drawer than originally planned, after he saw their finished setup.

There was another INEOS in simultaneously getting work down, and ORS asked if they could keep The Doc’s car an extra day and have their Pro Photographer take pictures of both (see some of those images below).

The rear roof shelf has been installed and will be covered in the next update.

Solar panel installed

12 volt, 4X4, Australia, crimping, tips, wire, terminals, lugs, guide, Nissan Patrol, NSW, Uncategorised,

The Doc had to replace the Patrol’s auxiliary battery charger, with a new Redarc 1225D which has a solar panel input. The Doc purchased a 100w Giant Solar panel (which uses A grade solar cells) and installed it himself on the roof rack, allowing space for the recovery tracks, jerry can and second spare tyre.

The wiring goes along the bottom of the roof rack to the gutter. The wiring then goes down the gutter behind the snorkel (visible on the right), through some body work just in front of the windscreen into the engine bay and plugs into the Redarc 1225D.

The panel is secured by six M10 eye bolts to the roof rack (five are visible in the image below). Six M12 bolts fix the panel to the brackets. The brackets are 4mm thick. The roof rack should come off before the panel ever does!

The panel has been working well and keeping the auxiliary battery topped up, with power to spare. The Doc has been using this extra power to charge various household batteries in the Patrol.

The Doc is now testing battery monitors with their iPhone & Android Apps to get real time data on battery condition. The Patrol’s Autron voltage gauges only work when the car is turned on. It is part of an ongoing project to extend battery life of the Patrol’s starter and auxiliary batteries. EDIT: battery monitor review is here.

Rain on the solar panel