This one left the workshop this week and it's one of our favourite builds so far. The Pandanus trailer is a single-axle toolbox canopy trailer that we turned into a self-contained power station. It runs Starlink, lighting and 12V gear for days without plugging in, and any vehicle can tow it with working electric brakes.
314Ah lithium at the core
Everything runs off a 314Ah lithium battery. That's a large bank for a trailer this size, so the owner isn't watching the voltmeter every evening. Lithium also holds its voltage under load and handles deep cycling far better than AGM, which matters when Starlink is running all day.
475W of fixed solar on the roof
A single 475W panel sits flush inside the roof rack, so it charges any time the trailer is parked or on the move. It feeds a Victron SmartSolar MPPT, and we checked the real-world output at handover: at 1:30pm in Townsville the panel was making 417W and pushing nearly 30A into the battery in bulk charge.
417W
Live from the Victron app at 1:30pm in Townsville, from a single fixed panel.
- Panel
- 33.90V · 12.3A
- Battery
- 13.64V · 29.90A
- State
- Bulk
A second controller for the solar blanket
On a long stay in the shade, a fixed panel isn't always enough. A second 30A solar controller runs a large portable solar blanket, so the trailer can sit under a tree while the blanket sits in the sun. The two controllers charge independently.
30A mains charging
On a powered site or in the shed, a Victron Blue Smart 12V 30A charger takes over. It has Bluetooth, so charge status shows on the same phone app as the solar.
Dedicated 24V supply for Starlink
Starlink doesn't like running straight off 12V. A Victron Orion-Tr 12/24 isolated DC-DC converter gives it a clean, stable 24V supply and keeps the Starlink circuit separate from voltage dips elsewhere in the system.
Control panel and lighting
Behind the gullwing door is a KickAss Control Hub with a 6-way fuse block, voltmeter, five switched circuits, 12V sockets, and USB and USB-C outlets. Every main circuit has its own fuse and runs through cable duct for a clean, serviceable install. LED strip lights inside both canopy doors light up the whole storage area at night.
Elecbrakes EB2: tow it with anything
Most brake controllers live in the tow vehicle, so the trailer is only properly braked behind that one car. The Elecbrakes EB2 mounts on the trailer drawbar and runs from a phone app over Bluetooth. Any vehicle with a standard plug can tow the Pandanus trailer with electric brakes working, and SwayControl is built in. It's ideal for a trailer shared between work utes and the family car.
Want something similar?
Every off-grid build is different. It depends on what you run, how long you stay out and what you tow with. Come and see us at Unit 1, 66 Pilkington Street, Garbutt, call 0459 364 303, or request a quote and we'll design a system around how you actually use it.