Whether you’re planning a colossal Four Wheel Drive adventure or simply heading off the beaten track for the weekend, taking the time to fit your vehicle with the basic electrical accessories will truly be worth it. Having the right electrical add-ons to your 4WD or offroad vehicle is a great way to improve the quality and enjoyment of your trip. Although if the situation arises the right electrical product can soon be a necessity to save you from a tricky situation. in this article I’ve compiled a list of simple electrical accessories that I believe together make an essential accessory kit for your off-road vehicle. In no particular order, I will discuss each electrical product chosen and the various reasons why.

Portable Jump Starter:
A travel jump starter is a compact but high powered battery that’s designed to jump start your vehicle in the event of a flat battery. Thus, this product certainly qualifies as part of the essential accessory kit.  When you’re off road, miles away from cell service and possible days from seeing another person the absolute last thing you want to be dealing with is a flat battery. Whether your alternators gone bad, or you’ve simply left your lights on, dealing with a flat car battery is unfortunately a very common situation to be in. So having a portable jump starter permanently kept in your glove box is a great way to never come unstuck. In a matter of seconds, a travel jump starter can have your vehicle started ready to hit the road.

Jumper Leads:
A set of Jumper cables are two long cords with alligator clamps at each end that once connected to the terminals of two different batteries transfer power from one battery to the other. Now I know what you’re thinking, why would I need a set of Jumper cables if I have a portable jump starter?
Valid question, but have you heard the phrase its better to be safe then sorry, well that certainly true when it comes to a flat battery. Portable jump starters are a super handy and easy way to jump start your battery. Although if your alternator is broken or on the fritz, to put a decent charge in your battery, you’ll need a quality set of Jumper cables.

UHF Radios:  
With a good set of jumper leads and a handy Lithium Jump Starter you’re truly on your way to becoming self sufficient, when a problem arises whilst on the road. But somethings you just can’t account for, so there’s going to be times when you’ll need a helping hand. The best places to explore or camp are usually also the most remote and thus cell service is typically a no go. That’s why a quality UHF Radio could be your saving grace in your time of need. A UHF Radio or ultrahigh frequency radio is basically a super charged walkie talkie hardwired into your vehicle. With the extended range a UHF Radio is perfect for calling out for help to nearby Four Wheel Drivers in the area.

Dual Battery:
To improve your adventures or camping trips you can’t go passed installing into your offroad rig a quality dual battery system. Rather than solely relying on your starter battery, a dual battery setup allows you to have a dedicated starter battery plus a second deep cycle battery. Unlike a starter battery, deep cycle batteries are in fact designed to be drained of nearly all power then recharged with no effect on battery life. The benefit of this is it not only reduces your chance of a flat battery but also allows you to bring a magnitude of 12 volt accessories to camp. With a dual battery kit, you can easily hook up a second battery system, and the Smart Battery Isolator will allow your deep cycle battery to be charged by your vehicles alternator whilst the car is on. Then once you’ve turned your car off the Smart Battery Isolator will separate the two batteries allowing you to fully drain your auxiliary battery without draining your much needed starter battery.

Inverter:
To truly get the most out of your dual battery setup you’ll need a quality inverter.
An inverter converts the 12 volt power produced by your battery into 24 volt, matching what power you would receive from your wall socket at home. Inverters are measured in watts, and the number of watts you’ll need is depended on the type of appliances you wish to run. The more watts the bigger appliances your inverter will be able to run.  A quality inverter can truly increase your comfort at camp as it gives you the ability to bring along all your favourite electrical creature comforts. Such as hair dryer, a microwave and an even a coffee machine, the possibilities are endless.

12v Accessory Panel:
An inverter is a great accessory for your power hungry devices, but not every device requires the massive power drain of 24 volts. Some devices and actions such as recharging your phone can completely suffice with 12 volt power. Although one issue you’ll soon run into is there’s never enough sig sockets in your vehicle.  So a handy 12v Accessory Panel will not only increase your number of sig sockets but some models also feature the addition of USB ports. Plus, a 12 Volt Accessory Panel gives you the ability to mount your additional sockets in an easy to reach convenient location of your choosing.

As you can see having the right electrical add-ons to your 4WD or offroad vehicle can not only improve your comfort at camp but also be your saving grace in the event of an unfortunate situation.  I hope my article has been helpful in highlighting the many benefits some simple electrical products possess. This list however was only a very basic electrical product starter kit.  Hence why I strongly recommend finding more electrical products that will best suit your needs. Then set a side a weekend to fit your rig with some quality electrical accessories, I guarantee this will massively improve your next adventure.