We're an adventure couple traversing Australia, chasing rocks, and working as we go.
Our mission - Leave the rat race, find the balance and thrive!
We set off in July 2020 amidst a global pandemic and were instantly confronted with challenges and triumphs. We plan on growing this channel into an entertaining "how to" guide to live a simpler yet more fulfilling life whilst travelling this incredible globe....
...Because a mind that it stretched by new experiences can never go back to its old dimensions
I had some geniuses and I was thinking about how they were the most painful shoe I've had as you rapped down the watchtower face :) Horrible things, I wear comfortable shoes these days.
This is fantastic thankyou really informative video and great shots, giving me some great ideas of how to make an snorkel vlog! Just wondering where is considered number 1?
We just did this yesterday and ended up doing that same dodgy crawl to the rap rings you used! Did you ever figure out where the correct rap rings are? I’m guessing we had gone too far down the track?
It was a bit too exciting for the start of the day 😂 So I haven't been back since but I've been told there are a couple of rap stations not too far before the dodgy traverse. It's concerning how many people miss them
It was all looking good until you came up with that messy and lazy solution to run the cables into the van! If you did some research you'd actually find out that there are special gland housings specifically to run solar cables into vans through the roof. If you bothered to speak to professionals that fit them rather than hatch your own half baked idea you'd know that.
Good video. I have a tip for you. If you have to use your finger on the Sika flex spray it with brake clean. That way it doesn't stick to your finger and the Sika flex rolls smoothly.
Really easy to follow, great setup and saved me research. Wondering if a little more info on things used like fuses? why and how many? I froze footage and snap shotted the diagrams to study later. Ive subscribed to look for other videos on this subject, every van is different so looking at every angle before proceeding. thanks for great work. Aussie-Rig-Renos :)
I used T-rex by Soudal, made 2 trailers with composite sheeting and only used trex and a few screws to hold it on while it was curing. Used the trailers for a year and it didn't even budge the panels at all, I swear by the stuff.
Thanks Bob. Its hard to say since the track conditions change all the time. Some clearance is necessary in the softer sand and the well worn tracks. I had no problems with a 2" lift on 31" tires.
Awesome video. Im just about to buy a pop top and wad wondering how i would mount panels on it. Only thing i think about this way is air getting underneath panel and lifting it. Would it be worth running a bead of sika around the edges you reacon?
I was concerned about the same thing. Unfortunately I didn't include this in the video but, as a redundancy I drilled holes through the panel shrouds and thread a stainless steel cable through. The cable was swaged with eyelets and attached to the outside edge of the van roof. If the adhesive ever let go the cable would hold the panel on the roof. I would advise something similar since there have been many horror stories of solar panels flying off.
Watching your video was great - as my wife wants to take me there next year for my birthday. As a long time diver, the reef looks very nice indeed - and so close to the shore. Thanks.
I was looking at the video and saw a grey jumper I liked the look of, it's an old one of mine that got too small and went to the Blue drum. Don't traverse too far on the halfway ledge as you did, you walked past 3 good rap anchors to then did the death traverse and rapped down the choss of Big Trad Thong. Tow the second rope and haul the pack instead of carrying both!
Thanks for the feedback Mikl. We knew we had gone too far after doing the aptly named death traverse. Decided not to do it again so used the anchor there. I appreciated the jumper whilst we waited for a slower party ahead of us. Still blows me away how cold it can get in summer in the blueys 🥶
Was going to install an automatic transfer switch in and hard wire my inverter into the caravan 240v wiring so when I am using shore power it will kick the inverter out and vice versa
I've been doing a DYI 12V set up in our ute canopy. I have been back and forth to Jaycar to get items I should have got, one more trip and they'll be saying hi with my name lol!
You truly captured the eerie feeling, we hiked up 22.4.23, alas even after 3 hours tracking back and forth we could not find the wreck. Do you have by any chance any GPS coordinates
That's unfortunate. I feel like there's an element of luck in keeping "on track" since there are dozens of other tracks from people getting lost. We definitely got lost a few times in the eerie forest but if we didn't see any trail markers for a while we traipsed laterally in hope to find a marker to continue onwards. No coordinates, sorry
30amps is sufficient for 240v. If I'm plugged into mains power, it's going to be plugged in overnight. I designed this system to predominantly be charged by 12v (the cars alternator and solar) individually and/or simultaneously. It's designed as an off grid setup so the victron AC charger is a backup
Love the video! But NO WAY IN THE WORLD would i NOT bolt this down. Good luck to the drivers behind you! You could at least tie a tether to it 'just in case' your sika flex aint fully sika. Crazy... just using glue.... crazy af
If you read the description of the video it describes exactly that. I threaded a stainless braided cable through the solar panel shrouds and bolting it to the aluminium skirt around the edge of the roof. A great redundancy device. Unfortunately I couldn't include it in the video once it was already uploaded.
Hi Shaun, the way you connected you wiring back into the van was great & exactly how I will fit a solar panel to my little poptop van. Have been worried about going through roof with my wiring & you have solved my dilemma 🙂. Cheers
