05 Mar, 2024

Power for life on the road: Projecta

by Editorial Team

As domestic travel increased during and immediately post-COVID, the caravan industry in Australia took off and continues to grow. More and more caravanners are exploring the far-flung corners of remote Australia, away from the crowds, off the beaten track and off-grid to experience all this great land has to offer.

Of the thousands of new caravans sold annually, a significant proportion are offroad and require larger battery systems to cope with being off-grid for longer periods, while still allowing the use of the creature comforts that you would get from a powered campsite, such as air-conditioning, coffee machines and air fryers.

Typically, these larger systems are bespoke and require expert electrical knowledge and professional installation. Additionally, the appliances being used in modern caravans and RVs are moving towards high electrical loads such as split system air-conditioning, which drains the batteries faster. Existing off-grid power systems are expensive and don't last long enough.

Projecta is a household name in the caravan sector and is built on a heritage that began in 1989. Today, Projecta is recognised as Australasia’s market leader in high-quality battery maintenance and battery power products.

Projecta Senior Brand Manager, James Pearson, said: “With the Projecta range, time away from civilisation doesn't mean that caravanners need to ‘rough it’ and forgo the conveniences they enjoy at home.”

“Projecta offers a broad selection of functional and easy-to-use equipment that makes touring safer, more comfortable and much more enjoyable, whether it's for a quick weekend away or to spend extended time on the road.”

About Projecta

Melbourne-based Projecta designs and engineers the gear needed to charge, harness and convert power for a variety of applications including recreation, motor trade, transport, workshops, heavy equipment, marine, mining and farming.

It stands for quality, and to ensure that its products live up to customers’ expectations, products are torture-tested at the state-of-the-art lab facilities.

The warehouse and production facility covers almost 14,000 square metres in Knoxfield, where the team assembles, packs and processes the products, ready to be shipped to Projecta stockists all over the country.

The Projecta product development team strives to improve existing products to guarantee the highest level of product performance and reliability. A key component of the team’s development program focuses on searching the world to source new technology and products to include in its range. Projecta’s experience and knowledge of global product advancements also enable the team to design and engineer new products from the ground up in its state-of-the-art facilities.

Best known for its IDC25 dual battery charger, inverters with class-leading features, jump starters with world-first Rapid Recharge Technology (RRT) and everything in between, Projecta has an entire range of high-quality battery maintenance products, including:

Battery chargers
Battery terminals and accessories
Dual battery systems and accessories
Booster cables
Jump starters
Inverters
Lithium batteries
Power banks
Solar panels and controllers
Switches and power points
Towing and safety

Intelli-Grid

With the increasing popularity of off-grid camping comes a demand for a setup that allows campers to enjoy their luxuries from home while travelling on the road — air-conditioning, hairdryers and ceramic cooktops — without draining the batteries. An effect of this is adding more solar panels, larger battery capacity and more powerful inverters to caravans and RVs.

Projecta’s Intelli-Grid system comes with a 3000W inverter, 400Ah battery as standard and a 180A charger.

Intelli-Grid products include:

PMDC-30 DC-DC Charger (INTELLI-RV Integration)

The PMDC-30 is a 30A output DC to DC charger, designed to be integrated with the INTELLI-RV battery management system. It comes with stripped and tinned, labelled input and output wiring, for ease of installation.

Features:

Non-isolation design with max efficiency of 96 per cent
Euro-6 engine (smart alternator) compatible
Built-in multi-stage charging algorithm
Built-in automatic temperature and voltage-compensated charging
Plug-and-play for easy installation
Built-in fuse protection
Built-in heat sink for cooling
RS485 communication port for future options and upgrades
Protection against input/output over-voltage, output over-current, output short circuit, internal over-temperature, battery over-temperature

IG3-BT7 Mobile Power System with Bluetooth Monitor

The 3000W powerhouse system is full of features and with its upgraded 60A DCDC Charger, it can provide the next level of faster charging on the road.

Features:

Inverter and grid power (3000W inverter/charger with 180A charging)
Lithium battery (400Ah)
Bluetooth monitor (7in colour monitor)
Multiple charging options (60A DC to DC charging, 40 MPPT solar)
Adaptable modules (water and lighting)

IG2-BT7 Mobile Power System with Bluetooth Monitor

A complete 2000W power solution taking care of all your power needs, lighting and water requirements, connected to a colour display with Bluetooth so you can check and control the system from your phone.

Features:

Inverter and grid power (2000W inverter/charger with 120A charging)
Lithium battery (200Ah)
Bluetooth monitor (7in colour monitor)
Multiple charging options (30A DC to DC charging, 40 MPPT solar)
Adaptable modules (water and lighting)

Built for Aussie conditions

The Intelli-Grid system is designed, developed and extensively tested in Australia by a dedicated and experienced team of engineers who are also experienced caravan campers and have a detailed insight into challenges and problem-solving when doing off-the-grid camping.

Each individual component has been vibration tested to Australian standards and selected military standards.

Products are field-tested with a number of collaborators in a real-life setting. The system was installed in a number of caravans and has already done several laps around Australia and experienced all the various conditions the country has to offer.

Projecta has built a reputation for having a world-class after-sales support service, with its dedicated support team assisting customers with their DIY installations and technical questions. It also has a thriving online community of professionals and enthusiasts looking out for each other and an ever-growing video library answering frequently asked questions.

In 2023 Projecta upgraded its warranty on chargers, batteries and inverters from three to five years.

"Owners can rest assured that our equipment is designed and engineered by enthusiasts for enthusiasts and tested extensively in extreme local conditions to ensure it's tough and reliable for demanding Australian applications,” James said. “We're so confident of our equipment's ongoing performance that it's backed by industry-leading warranties of up to five years.”

Projecta has one of the best customer support networks, with a toll-free number where end consumers, dealerships and manufacturers can reach out for general customer service, tech info and fault diagnosis. Projecta also has a well-established distribution network, and most replacement products are shipped out the same or next day and have the product in hand shortly thereafter.

The Projecta difference

Other solutions provide systems that mix and match devices, meaning that not every component of the system is fully integrated and cannot control certain outcomes such as the battery condition and charging needs.

Projecta focuses on the needs of customers — faster battery charging and longer battery life. Fast charging was only possible with Intelli-Grid integrated batteries and high-output inverter chargers. As a result of the finely tuned charging algorithm and battery monitoring system (BMS), the Intelli-Grid batteries outlast competitors’ lithium batteries by 50 per cent, ultimately providing peace of mind, reliability and saving money over the long run.

The all-in-one solution means that Projecta can provide prebuilt boards that slot into existing spaces in the RV — saving time and money for the manufacturers. The seven-inch Bluetooth LCD display allows end users to monitor and control all accessories.

The installation process for the manufacturer is greatly improved offering plug-and-play solutions and fully prebuilt/assembled power boards which reduce installation time by 90 per cent. From the consumer’s point of view the freedom offered by such systems is greatly increased, with peace of mind that they won't run out of power, can continue to run their air-conditioner and cook food on their induction cooktop (this is a safety issue as previous gas burners are known to cause fires/carbon monoxide and previous battery systems could not cope with the power demand).

Projecta will soon move to Over the Air (OTA) updates, so if and/or when Intelli-Grid software updates are required this will be easily done using the customer’s phone.

For further information about Projecta’s Intelli-Grid products, head to the website.