Enerdrive DC2DC Charger Giveaway

Enerdrive DC2DC Charger Giveaway

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

Winner: Jared Catt

Win an Enerdrive DC2DC charger and see the EPIC Offgrid Lithium System we run in our Chevy!

This is a really exciting giveaway as we are celebrating hitting 30k followers on Instagram by teaming up with Enerdrive to give away and Enerdrive DC2DC Charger!

Don’t be too upset if you’re seeing this after the giveaway as you can still shop the CRVC and My Generator websites and get a discount by using one of our codes that you will find in the description below. If you have any questions about this product, Caravan RV Camping, My Generator or our discount code, please just shoot us through a message 😁

We are often asked what we think is the most important addition to a set up .. and our answer is always the same – a good 12v system! We have been working with Enerdrive for years now and running their products for even longer. We LOVE them and would never use anything else.

Here we will give you a quick rundown of the system we have in our Chevy and give you the chance to win the DC2DC charger

TO ENTER:
✔️Watch this video and answer this question in the videos comments ‘Why should you win the DC2DC charger’
✔️Be subscribed to our YouTube Channel
✔️Be subscribed to Enerdrive’s YouTube Channel
✔️Follow us on Instagram and Facebook (or whatever platforms you use) Links below
✔️Follow Enerdrive on Instagram and Facebook (or whatever platforms you use)

✔️Engage with us on our social platforms! 🙂

WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED on our Instagram & Facebook Pages & we will post in our YT channel community PLUS on this competitions page on our website Please don’t give your details to any new accounts or pages.

Good Luck!

DISCOUNT CODES for CARAVAN RV CAMPING and MY GENERATOR:
Use code ADUCREW40 in the shopping cart to get $40 off any product over $1,000
Use code ADUCREW50 in the shopping cart to get $50 off any product over $1,700
Use code ADUCREW75 in the shopping cart to get $75 off any product over $5,000

Links here:
CARAVAN RV CAMPING: https://www.caravanrvcamping.com.au/
MY GENERATOR: https://www.mygenerator.com.au/

Our GCI Traytec Canopy

Our GCI Traytec Canopy

WHERE IS YOUR TRUCK BUILD VIDEO??? Yes, we hear you! And we feel it’s time we give you some answers.

We had really hoped that by now we would have had a full Chev build/run-down video posted … and we know you were hoping for the same thing as we get so many requests for it every day! We thought we’d better explain exactly what’s going on and why there’s no build video to be seen.

It’s a pretty straightforward reason really – the truck isn’t actually finished yet. Covid really made this build a tricky one; parts went missing (lost at sea ), wrong parts were sent, and some parts are still on backorder with no known arrival date.

So, what we have decided to do is a complete run down on the GCI Traytec canopy as this is one of the most common questions we get asked.

Why GCI Traytec? We believe without a doubt, that they are the best in the business. The innovation, styling, design, quality and precision are just some of the qualities that set them apart and has us being pulled over in the street!

The design is 100% Australian with all the work being completed at GCI Traytec which is part of GCI group. GCI group is one of the largest sheet metal fabrication businesses in Australia. The majority of the trays and canopies are manufactured at GCI, however the zinc plating on the mounts and some plastic CNC machining is outsourced.

Design, programming, laser cutting, CNC folding, welding, machining, powder coating and assembly is all done under the one roof in South East Queensland. The aluminium grades used are 5005, 5052, 5083 and 6061. There are zero raw aluminium surfaces as everything is powder coated.
Mounts are made from mild steel to ensure strength yet allowing for flex and copping a beating off-road without cracking or failure. The mounts are also zinc plated which means they don’t rust.

Here’s what we have:

THE TRAY:

Specs: 2000mmx2000mm tray, 900mm high, with a 200mm thick headboard.

HEADBOARD:

The headboard is designed in this way to match the C-pillar, allowing the tray to flow with the design on the car. In the headboard there is a 60L 316 grade (food grade) stainless steel water tank that gravity feeds into an under tray 100L stainless tank that is made from the same 316 stainless steel. It’s then pumped using a 9.5L/m 65PSI pump to the twin outlets on the rear of the tray. One outlet is for the hot water system/shower, the other is for the kitchen. Every component of the water system from filler to outlet is food grade.
The headboard also houses options for dual water and fuel fillers. The fuel fillers work with truck pump high flow diesel with zero splash back.

TOOLBOXES:

We have opted for toolboxes all round – these are actually drawers.
Front boxes are 51L and rear boxes are 32L. All boxes are on 16” (406mm) HD slides and are rated to 40kg per box.
They are all “box in a box” construction meaning there is an inner drawer and an outer box which gives the toolboxes their water and dustproofing. All side boxes have internal lighting.
The rear tunnel drawer is 1200mm long, 625mm wide and 150mm deep with stainless flip lid that doubles as a table. The rear tunnel drawer is also box in a box, meaning the stainless lid doesn’t add or subtract to the water/dust proofing.

MODS:

• Extra wide mudguards for our 37”x 13.5” wide tyres. This is not a standard feature, but this stretched standard design is to ensure truck is legal.
• Winch infill plate (winch to go in at a later date)
• Window protector. You can’t see this, but there’s one on there!
• Central locking on entire canopy– wired into OEM remote.

CANOPY

Size: 2000mmx1750mm

EXTERIOR

• Spare wheel holders to suit our 37” tyres
• Double folding rear ladder. Very similar to standard ladder, but it has had a redesign to allow for the 37s.
• Ladder uprights are 10mm thick, 5083 marine grade aluminium.
• Powder coat. This is a scratch resistant powder which is very hard wearing and super easy to clean with dust not sticking like it would to traditional 2-pac paints.

interior

• COLOUR

The internal colour is mercury silver. We chose this light grey colour as it is light enough to give an open feeling to the canopy but won’t be blinding in bright sunlight and doesn’t show every bit of dirt.

• LIGHTING

Both main doors have three colour strip lighting: white, warm white and amber.

BATTERY SYSTEM (CLICK ITEM to purchase)

Enerdrive and GCI Traytec’s design teams have worked together to create a fully integrated lithium battery power system. This entire system is housed on the driver’s side front wall. Our system consists of the following:
BTEC 300AH Generation 2 Lithium Battery (located under false floor)
ePower DC2DC Charger capable of producing in excess of 40 amp per hour while traveling and supporting up to 800watts of solar.
ePower Battery Charger that charges at a rate of 60 amps per hour via mains power or generator.
ePower Inverter – suitable for running 240V household appliances rated to up to 2000W, complete with remote switch & RCD.
Simarine Battery Monitoring System.
• External GPO in between spare wheels
• 6 x double GPOs
• 6 x double USB sockets
• 1 x standard 12v socket
• 2 x Anderson plug sockets

You can view similar power systems to ours here – https://www.caravanrvcamping.com.au/power-systems

Current Exclusive Offers with Caravan RV Camping:

  • Use code ADUCREW40 in the shopping cart to get $40 off any product over $1,000

  • Use code ADUCREW50 in the shopping cart to get $50 off any product over $1,700

  • Use code ADUCREW75 in the shopping cart to get $75 off any product over $5,000

 

Don’t forget you can get a discount on Everdrive products (and anything else you’re after!) by heading to this page: http://www.aussiedestinationsunknown.com.au/caravan-rv-camping/ Discount codes can be used on any product on the caravan rv camping website

 

Also, on the driver’s side of the canopy we have two large drawers and the Companion hot water system. This is mounted on a slide/pivot bracket which also has a storage area for our gas line, hose and shower head. The rest of the area has been left open for storage purposes (ie. Camp chairs, table, folding solar panel etc).

Moving onto the passenger side of the canopy you will find ‘Le Chev’ aka Chris’s kitchen.

Starting from the left we have 110L Dometic upright fridge (click to purchase) which sits snugly next to our slide out pantry. In this pantry we have heaps of space for our food, condiments, coffee machine, soda stream and other bits and pieces.

The kitchen is next level and has to be seen to be believed.  It slides out, and then drops, folds and slides again before sliding, folding out and sliding out yet again. It gives us so much storage and bench space while allowing us room for our flush mount, stainless housed double induction cook top and yes, we even have a sink!
Above our transformer-like kitchen we have a large open top pull out drawer with front access and above that we have a microwave that also slides out and gives us more storage behind.

Upstairs we have the Alucab Gen 3 Rooftop Tent and 270 Shadow Awning. The Shower Cube will be installed as soon as it arrives, and we will run through the Alucab gear in more depth in a separate post. 
This is a dream build for us, and it’s now our way of life! It’s our home away from home (the caravan being our home!). By not compromising on quality, we have given ourselves the peace of mind to know that we can get on with our adventuring without worrying that something might go wrong.

If you want to see this ‘in the flesh’ we will be at most of the major national 4×4 shows and some caravan shows this year (covid pending).

If you are interested in a top-quality tray or canopy, contact the legends at GCI Traytec. They are one heck of a team!

Lazer Lamps Lights up the Silverado

Lazer Lamps Lights up the Silverado

Those of you who are serious about good clear night vision know how important lighting is.  I’m talking to you beach drivers, outback drivers and those of us who like to get out and play after dark.

We set out to build the Chev with top quality componentry that will stand the test of time and handle the harsh conditions of the Australian environment.

We know the Australian market is flooded with a variety of cheaper lighting alternatives, but for us, quality far outweighs cost.

Not all LED lights are designed the same or built the same and during our research, we came across Lazer Lamps, a product that is designed and manufactured in the UK.

 

Just to give you an idea of the quality of Lazer Lamps, here a few key points:

  • Made In UK
  • 5 year warranty
  • Continuous Improvement – https://www.lazerlamps.com/news/continuous-improvement
  • Motorsport development and testing carries over to products for everyday road/off-road use (M-Sport, Hyundai Motorsport, Toyota Motorsport etc) – WRC / Le Mans 24h Winners
  • Tier1 Relationship in Europe with VW Group (plus many other Tier1/2 partnerships)
  • Innovation Driven
  • Bespoke Solutions e.g. Grille Kits
  • Premium Product Design and Build (no compromise in the selection of component parts for the best performance and build quality)

We have 100% confidence that we have made the right choice. The Triple-R 28 Elite is what we have chose to run with; boasting 28560 lumen, delivering 1 lux to 1253 metres when we flick the high beams on, it’s just one big WOW!

Head over to https://www.lazerlamps.com.au for more info and to check out the entire range

Dream Van Build

Dream Van Build

Watch our VAN TOUR Video here

I’d been waiting for this moment. Every time Chris’s photos and videos arrived during the build process the excitement increased. Chris knew what to expect because he’d been to the factory. Watched the build happen. But despite the photos and videos, I was nervous. Very nervous. Was I expecting too much? What if… what if I didn’t like it? I wiped sweaty palms on my shorts and tried to calm my flip-flopping tummy as Chris backed the Hilux into the Caravans Coffs Coast Dealership and on up to our brand-new Titanium SS Hardcore caravan. (Full list of caravan specs are at the end of this post)

*Please note that we have since upgraded our tow vehicle to a Chev Silverado 2500 .

They let me go in first. Alone. I was supposed to take some photos before everyone else came in, but I was so overwhelmed it took my breath away. All I could do for a few minutes was gaze around me at one of the most luxurious vans I have ever seen. And it was ours.

We’ve had our new caravan for almost three weeks, and I planned for this first post about it to be completely different to what you are reading!

You should be seeing epic video footage of us towing it along beautiful open roads, photos with stunning backdrops and words of excitement and wonder at how well it handles the different terrain, how easy it is to set up and pack up and how we love traveling in our new home away from home. That’s not going to happen! I don’t need to explain why.

The COVID-19/Corona Virus epidemic has turned all of our lives upside-down and we are scrambling to maintain some sort of normality while home under self-isolation. We are so grateful though to even have our new van parked in our driveway at home, and not stuck down in Coffs Harbour at the dealership!

A few weeks ago, as the van was nearing the deadline for completion, the talk about closing borders and non-essential travel was being ramped up. We knew it was going to be close. We were due to collect the van on Friday March 27th but made a spur of the moment decision to head down to Caravans Coffs Coast in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales on the morning of Sunday the 23rd. 

The aim was to pick up the van and hightail it back home to Queensland as quickly as possible. This was the best decision we could have made. The borders were closed on Wednesday 26th at midnight. We made it back home with our new van in tow two days before the original pick up date and just 34 hours before the borders closed down indefinitely. Phew!!

We were disappointed not to be able to stay in Coffs for a few nights to test out the van, and then meander home as originally planned. But you can imagine what a huge relief it was to pull into our driveway with our brand-new caravan. We knew full well if we had have left it until the original pick up date, we might not have had it with us for many months. Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/ozd81c1Vth8

We’ve used these past few weeks of self-isolation to add our personal touches and we are so happy with everything about it.

The whole process from deciding to purchase this van right through until pick up has been incredible. The team at Titanium Caravans down in Epping, Victoria has produced our dream caravan. It well and truly exceeds our expectations.  The guys at Caravans Coffs Coast were wonderful to deal with too, making the entire process an absolute pleasure.

How did we decide on a Titanium van? Well from the very first phone call there was a sense of rightness about our decision. This was confirmed during our first visit to the Titanium factory. We got to meet the team and see the ‘well-oiled machine’ in action and we also had the pleasure of being shown through the FP Chassis factory.

When it comes to the build of this van, we are fortunate to have partnered with some amazing and very talented people. We got to go behind the scenes; to see how many of the components are put together. Read about our tour through the Cruisemaster Factory Here and watch our Titanium and FP Chassis tour here.

We are sticklers for top quality products, and we have nothing but the best on top of, underneath, inside and outside this van! 

The design process began with us explaining what we wanted, what we needed and why. Then the experts set about explaining what they thought we needed and why and together we have come up with our perfect van. 

The obvious choice for us was the Titanium Southern Star Hardcore and we decided on another 22.6” – this is our third van of this length. We are at a (wonderful) time in our lives where our kids are older and have decided they don’t want to join us much anymore, so we didn’t have to factor bunks into the floor plan. Do you know how much space you get when you take them out of the picture? Wow – what a difference!

We have been able to add a spacious ensuite with large shower, washing machine, huge window and lots of bench space with heaps of USB’s and charging points for all of our camera gear. We have my dream angled kitchen with large bench and lots of cupboards that can fit my Thermomix, thermal cooker and Airfryer (so much YAY!) plus a large pantry and huge 224L fridge. And don’t worry – we haven’t written the kids off entirely …  if they decide they want to tag along, we can fit two in the rooftop tent and the huge club lounge converts into a bed.

The interior came about after plenty of discussions and looking at samples with the experts, comparing what we’ve had in previous vans, what we wanted in this van and figuring out how we could make it unique to us.

It was incredible to sit with Phil in the design room and watch the layout changing before our eyes as he manipulated the CAD plans on the screen as we suggested what we’d like. ‘Need a cupboard to fit your Airfryer? No worries! Let’s make this a little wider to match the measurements and tada!’ This man brought a smile to my face more than once, that’s for sure.

The two toned black and white club lounge, beautiful ensuite, embroidered bed head with full length pocket and the waterfall benchtop in the kitchen are just a few of the ADU touches we added and are so pleased with.

The quality of the build both inside and out is what really took my breath away. The upholstery, cabinetry and finishing are all flawless and I still find myself sitting on the lounge with the footrest up, just admiring and appreciating.

This is a full off-road van that is set up for complete off grid living which again makes me smile from deep in my soul. It’s great to know that if this world gets any more chaotic and we have to live in our van, we will be able to do so quite comfortably. The Enerdrive battery system gives us the power we need to run not just the lighting but also the air conditioner, microwave and even my hair dryer and straightener if need be – all without plugging into mains power! Our roof is covered with 4 huge solar panels that pump the power back into the batteries pretty quickly and the car also helps to top them up if necessary.

What’s under the van makes it more capable than any van we’ve had before … and I’m so excited to test this out! I mean, if we managed to get the Jayco Starcraft across Middle Track to the surf side of Moreton Island, imagine where this van can take us!

Our SS Hardcore sits well behind our heavily modified Hilux and tows like a dream, even without distribution bars, due to the Cruisemaster Suspension in our custom colour, ADU Teal.  It’s a ‘tough’ looking van with adjustable clearance thanks to the airbag suspension from Airbag Man. (watch our Hilux Bagged Build video here: https://youtu.be/JhqQ_CDtpik)

I love that we don’t have to find even ground anymore, and that with the push of a button on the remote control, we can level out the van.

I’m really looking forward to returning to the Outback and testing out the Carafan system that sits proudly in the roof, right by the door as you walk in. This is a pressurising system that pumps the van so full of air that dust can’t possibly get in.

And the beauty of this system is that it works even when the van has slowed to let the trucks fly past or even when you are at a complete standstill. This sure would have been handy for our Big Red Bash adventure

The full-size fridge is big enough for all the fresh food I love to prepare before we head off and while we are on the road. The pantry is perfect for storing all the hard to find ingredients I bring along with us and the full oven and slide out kitchen plus room for all my appliances, all allow me to indulge my love of healthy cooking while we are away. This was very high up on the list when we were looking for our dream van. The slide out kitchen was a last minute addition that we absolutely love. This is Chris’s domain … he cooks and cleans out here. Gotta love that!

Another thing that was right up there for me was the option of having the inside lighting change to blue at night. I know most people wouldn’t think twice about this, but I love being able to dim the lights before bed to calm the mind before sleep, and if I need to turn the lights on in the middle of the night, I can do so without waking the brain up entirely.

Something that wasn’t on my list until it was already on the van was the lighting underneath the van. I’m so surprised that Chris added this and so happy that he did! I had no idea you could get rocklights that danced to music and changed colour just by sliding your finger across an app on your phone! This is the coolest thing and I spend many a night sitting on our Navigator Chairs outside the van just watching these lights. It’s kind of like a tropical fish tank, if you know what I mean? lol.

In summary this van is beautifully aggressive, luxuriously tough and exactly what we want and need in a van and we can’t thank enough everyone who has helped bring our dreams to life. Now we just need to get it out of the driveway and off adventuring around Australia like it was built to do.

 

 

Here are the specs if you’d like to know exactly what went into our Titanium Southern Star Hardcore. Links to purchase items available on caravan rv camping are next to those items.

CHASSIS

  • 4400ATM – 2960 TARE
  • Tandem axle, 16” Boss IV Rims (Satin black and modified by Chris)
  • 265/75/16 M/T Tyres
  • 3 Arm Bumper
  • DO45 Coupling
  • Galvanized Wheel Box
  • 4” Raiser
  • Drop Legs
  • Single Alloy Step
  • Stone Deflector
  • 4” Chassis
  • 6” A Frame
  • Trail-a-mate Jockey Wheel
  • Mud Flaps
  • 1 x grey water tank
  • Black Chassis (option)
  • Toolbox on A Frame with 1 x Jerry Can Holder (option)
  • XT Airbag Suspension 3 Wireless Suspension 6 Stud (option)
  • Disc Brakes (option)
  • 3 x 85ltr Poly Water Tanks (option)
  • 1 x 65lt Poly Water Tank between axles (option)

EXTERNAL

INTERNAL

APPLIANCES

INTERNAL

  • Sliding Door to Ensuite
  • Slatted Bed Base
  • 6’2” Pillow Top Mattress
  • Fire Extinguisher
  • Toilet Roll Holder
  • Piano Hinges on all Doors
  • Metal Sided Drawers
  • Grab Handle at Entry
  • Footrests to Club Lounge
  • Large Ensuite Mirror
  • Nooks in Robes
  • Corner Cupboard standard height
  • Soft close drawers throughout
  • Black Towel Rails (option)
  • Full Height Pantry (option)

ELECTRICAL

PLUMBING

  • Gas/Elec Hot Water System
  • Frosted Shower Door
  • Thetford Toilet
  • Lockable Water Filler
  • Gas Bayonet
  • Tap on A Frame
  • Water Level Gauge
  • Black Kitchen Sink (option)
  • Corner Fibreglass Shower with Glass Sides (option)
  • Black Flick Mixer Taps (option)
  • Black Shower Rose (option)
  • Dometic Slide Out Kitchen Plumbed with Hot and Cold Water (option)
  • Gas Heater(option)
  • 2 x 12v Water Pumps (option)
  • Black Ceramic Vanity (Ensuite) (option)

COLOURS

  • Wall Ply: White Leather Grain
  • Floor: VTX-596 ODIN
  • Fridge: Black
  • Black Drawer/Door Handles
  • Bench Top Laminex: Grey Bardolino H1146 ST10
  • Splash Back: Arctic
  • J Mould: Black
  • Cladding: White
  • Awning Hardware: Black
  • Tunnel Boot Doors: Black
  • Chequer Plate: Black
  • All External Accessories: Black
  • Hidden Catches on Overhead Doors (option)
  • Base Doors: Razor Black Door Handles (option)
  • Upholstery: Two Tone Volcano and Glacier (option)
  • OHC: White Furniture/Black Cupboards (option)
  • Bottom Cupboards: Black Furniture/Black Cupboards (option)
  • Full Height Bed Head with Embroidered Logo (option)
  • Magazine Pouches Either Side of Club Lounge and Door (option)

 

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Watch our VAN TOUR Video here