The latest instalment of REDARC's Unbeatable Rigs series details the epic SUPERAM build from the team at Patriot Campers.
Patriot Games is a YouTube series that started as an RnD trip for Patriot Campers, it’s now an adventure series in its third season where Justin and the family explore some of the greatest places the world has to offer.
While filming for Patriot Games the vehicles are taken to some of the most remote locations in the country and there is little to no support, so it is important they must have the right equipment for any situation.
For the Patriot Games filming trips the vehicles need to keep all of the camera equipment powered and ready to go. Managing power is also incredibly important, it is vital to see how much is being used and how much is remaining.
The power demands for Patriot Games are quite high and space is very limited, especially when travelling for extended periods. Most standard generators are too big and require extra fuel cans to be packed, to avoid this the SUPERAM needed a compact and versatile system which is capable of charging the camera equipment and powering all the accessories it has been fitted with.
Building the SUPERAM
Filming Patriot Games takes a convoy of vehicles and for Season 2 the goal was to build the next big thing in Australian overlanding. The decision was made to take a standard RAM 2500 Laramie and turn it into the SUPERAM.
The RAM 2500 platform made a great starting point because not only is it an extremely capable off-road vehicle, but it comes standard with several of the features that take custom work for the Toyota’s to achieve. It has a 6.7-tonne towing capacity, over 1000Nm of torque and comes standard with solid axles. Let’s not forget about the virtually indestructible 6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel engine under the hood.
The SUPERAM is designed for off the grid touring so it is important that it is equipped with all the right gear that can survive some of the toughest environments known to man.
The SUPERAM power system
The SUPERAM is fitted with a 160 Amp Lithium battery to provide reliable long-lasting power. The Manager30 battery management system handles the charging of this battery and also controls all of the outputs and inputs via 110V, Anderson Plug and solar.
Filming equipment requires a lot of power especially when filming in remote locations, the crew rely on the REDARC 2000 Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter to keep everything charged and ready to go. This includes camera and drone batteries as well as running laptops and lights for extended periods.
The SUPERAM is equipped with a REDARC 150 Watt solar panel, this provides the power required to top up the battery and power some of the appliances.
Filming Patriot Games also requires a huge amount of equipment, vehicles and places for the crew to sleep, the vehicles all need to tow some form of trailer. So the SUPERAM REDARC system isn’t limited to just the power needs, it is also fitted with the Tow-Pro Elite brake controller.
Why did Patriot Campers choose REDARC?
“REDARC make high-quality products that are designed and made right here in Australia, their products have proven that they are versatile, intuitive and reliable," says Justin Montesalvo. "So when it came to choosing what to put in the SUPERAM it was a no-brainer to go with REDARC products."
"We also choose REDARC because we have the ability to customize and integrate each build differently depending on the products and what the vehicle needs to do."
To see the full range of award winning camper trailers, canopies and super tourers available from Patriot Campers visit their website, or keep up with the action from the show on YouTube.
