Solar Panel Setup for a Land Cruiser 79 Series — Step-by-Step Guide
## The LC79 Solar Setup Thread
The Land Cruiser 79 Series is arguably the king of the South African overland market. It's tough, parts are everywhere, and it handles corrugated dirt roads like a bakkie born in the veld. But the stock electrical system is basic — if you want to run a 12V fridge, lights, a CPAP, and charge devices on an extended trip, you need a proper solar and dual-battery setup.
Here's how I built mine from scratch.
## Step 1: Dual-Battery Setup
- Install an AGM secondary battery (100Ah minimum) or go straight to lithium (LiFePO4) if budget allows
- Use a DC-DC charger (DCDC 25A or 40A) — brands like Redarc, Enerdrive, or Victron are popular in SA
- The DCDC charger protects your start battery and charges the secondary correctly from the alternator
- Budget: R3 500–R6 000 for a quality DCDC unit
## Step 2: Solar Panels
- The LC79 canopy roof or load bin is ideal for a 160W–200W folding panel or a fixed rigid panel
- Fixed panels from brands like Victron, Enerdrive, or local supplier Voltex range from R1 800–R3 500 for 200W
- A folding 120W panel from brands like Sunman or Golabs runs around R1 500–R2 500
- MPPT solar controller (Victron SmartSolar or Renogy) — budget R1 200–R2 800
## Step 3: Wiring and Safety
- Use 6mm² cable for runs over 2 metres
- Install a 60A fuse at the battery positive terminal
- A quality 12V fuse block with blade fuses lets you add accessories cleanly — around R350–R600
- Run cable through the firewall using existing grommets to keep things neat
## Step 4: Monitoring
- A battery monitor (Victron BMV-712 at around R1 800) gives you real-time state-of-charge
- The Victron SmartSolar app via Bluetooth makes monitoring lekker easy from your phone
## What It All Costs
A solid entry-level setup (100Ah AGM + 200W solar + DCDC + controller + wiring) will set you back R12 000–R18 000 fitted. Going lithium adds R6 000–R10 000 but you get double the usable capacity for the same weight.
Feel free to share your setups and what worked on your specific 79 build!
5 Replies
Great write-up! I built a similar setup on my 79 single cab last year. One thing I'd add — the LC79 alternator is only 80A stock, so a 40A DCDC charger is usually the maximum you want to push through it. I went with a Redarc 25A DCDC and a 200W rigid panel on the canopy and it's been perfect for two-week trips into the Limpopo bushveld. The Redarc warranty and local support in SA is also a big plus.
If you're doing the Roof of Africa or any seriously rocky terrain, consider a slimline lithium battery in the under-seat compartment rather than under the bonnet. The LC79 is tight under there and heat kills batteries. I mounted a 100Ah LiFePO4 from a local SA supplier — paid around R9 500 — inside the canopy in a vented battery box. Much better thermal management than being next to the engine.
Victron gear is the go-to for a reason. Yes it costs more than no-name stuff from China, but the Victron Connect app is genuinely brilliant. I can see exactly how many watt-hours my 200W panel is pushing, current state of charge, and set alarms if the battery drops below 50%. Did a 10-day trip to the Kgalagadi last September and never had a flat battery despite running a 40L fridge 24/7.
One thing nobody mentions: get your wiring done properly by an auto-electrician the first time. I tried to DIY mine and a loose terminal almost caused a fire on the N1 north of Touws River. Spent R800 having a proper sparky redo it cleanly and sleep much better on the road now. The parts are worth nothing if the install isn't safe.
Howzit — does anyone have experience with folding vs rigid panels on the 79 canopy? I'm worried about vibration cracking the rigid panels on bad corrugations. Thinking of going with a folding panel that I can pack away when driving through thick bush. Any views?