Notes from the trail.
Guides and breakdowns on overland electronics, solar power, and 12V refrigeration — written for people planning their own build, not just buying ours.
Electronics
Sizing a 12V Battery System for Your Build
The most common mistake in a first electrical build isn't picking the wrong battery chemistry — it's skipping the math entirely and buying based on budget or what a friend used. Battery capacity should come from your actual power draw, not a guess.
Start with a load list
Write down every 12V device you plan to run: fridge, lighting, water pump, fans, chargers, any radios or recovery gear. For each one, note its running wattage (or amps) and roughly how many hours a day you'll use it.
Add it up, then add margin
Multiply each device's amp draw by hours used to get daily amp-hours, then total them. Most builds add 20-30% on top of that total to account for inefficiencies and days when you use more power than planned.
Match it to your charging plan
A battery bank is only half the equation — it needs to be replenished as fast as you draw it down. If you're relying mostly on solar, size your panel output around your daily usage, not just the battery's total capacity.
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Solar
Solar vs. Alternator Charging: What's Right for You
Most builds end up using both, but understanding what each one is actually good at makes it easier to size your system correctly instead of over- or under-building.
Alternator charging
- Charges fast whenever the engine is running
- Reliable regardless of weather or campsite orientation
- Does nothing while you're parked for multiple days
Solar charging
- Keeps charging even while stationary for extended stays
- Output depends heavily on sun exposure and panel angle
- Needs no engine time, which matters for quiet, low-impact camping
If your trips involve a lot of driving between camps, alternator charging alone may cover you. If you tend to post up in one spot for several days at a time, solar becomes far more important to your setup.
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Refrigeration
Why a 12V Fridge Beats a Cooler on Longer Trips
A cooler works fine for a weekend. Past that, the math and the hassle both start working against it.
The ice problem
Ice melts, and melted ice becomes standing water that soaks your food. On a multi-day trip, that usually means a supply run every couple of days just to keep things cold — which limits how remote you can actually get.
Consistent, precise temperature
Compressor-based 12V fridges hold a set temperature regardless of outside heat, rather than drifting as ice melts. That matters most for things like meat and dairy that need to stay reliably cold.
The trade-off
12V fridges draw continuous power, so they need to be part of your electrical planning — not just bolted in as an afterthought. This is exactly where a proper battery and charging setup (see the posts above) becomes the deciding factor in whether a fridge actually works for your trips.
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Ponderosa Trail Systems
