Hi ace fridge

The best setup is something you can understand and monitor, and works when you require it to. If your hiace is brand new, you need to consider its warrenty and therefore a stand alone system would be best. You could buy a coke can inverter, plugs into cigi lighter and will charge your laptop/phone whilst driving. You can do thesame with a fridge but left on when motor is not running, you chance not being able to start the motor next day.
A battery box (with 12v outlets and 240 charger) is another option good for 2 days fridge running. Add a dc to dc charger and as long as you move every second day, the battery box will recharge.
If the Hiace is new to you, but not under warrenty, a hard wired (perminent) second battery, dc to dc charger for it and a camping fridge (12v) aswell as a small inverter to charge the laptop would make you self sufficient.
There are battery systems you can buy from DCS that are lithium, turn off when battery is half empty so it will still start the hiace.....so many options, all costs money.... i have a battery for sale on here in wollongong, if you are local.

Get a battery box with a good lithium 100amp/hour battery. This should run the fridge/computer/for a weekend. Speak to a local auto electrician about getting cable run for charging the box which can connect to a dcdc charger that will charge the lithium battery. . Get fully costed quotes so you know exactly what your getting. Definitely shop around with local shops.

If you're new to this, certainly don't buy online.
I suggest you find a friendly local auto electrician who can give you some good advice and also do any installation for you - if you have a mate who can recommend an auto elec they have used, so much the better.
Electrics can be a confusing topic for many, and getting it wrong can be both expensive and dangerous (refer the current spate of fires arising from improper installation of lithium batters or chargers).
Good luck :-)

Good quality "battery box" is the simplest.

Cheers
Jim

Hi Terry, take a look at the battery and solar bundle below. I have dealt with these people and they offer reliable products and are equally reliable to deal with

https://www.caravanrvcamping.com.au/century-55ah-agm-deep-cycle-battery-earc-100W-flexible-solar-panel

Hi Terry,
Lots of advice above but it mostly requires you to make critical decisions and put it all together yourself.
As Wildmax advised, get an auto electrician to guide you and to install the necessary wiring. Some money spent there will result in a reliable system. There are electrical specialists who can not only supply but also install and would be your best choice.
If you tell us your locality we may be able to make a recommendation of such a business.

Terry,
"Best" depends on lots of factors, how much money you want to spend, and there are many good ways to go about this. If it were for one of my daughters setting up a Hiace for touring, I'd get a Kings prewired battery box, put a 120Ah Lithium Battery in it and get an autoelectrician to wire it with a Redarc 25A DC-DC charger.
Put a single 120-160W solar panel on the roof (and the solar panel will be regulated by the Redarc charger.
That way you'll never run out of power for your fridge. The Kings battery box has USBs and accessory plugs built in along with an anderson plug for the fridge. The USB points can easily be upgraded to the fast charging QC3.0 if you like to fast charge phones or tablets.
This is similar to setups I have built for others.

So far so good. I am in no hurry and learning all the time.
The hi ace is 18mths old so still under warranty.

For those who have given advice thanks so much! Really appreciated.
Heading south from Mackay soon to near Grafton so if I pass you on the way I will wave!!

Haven't decided yet.

Hi Terry,

I read this thread several days ago, and have watched the responses with interest. Can I ask what style of fridge you have, is it a chest type or an upright? Do you think a 40 Ltr is large enough? I find a 60 Ltr to be a good size for either one or two people. I have both a 60 Ltr & a 35 Ltr, I mainly use the 60 Ltr as I find it gives me enough room for both food and drinks for several days.

A 100 amp battery coupled with a genuine 200 amps of solar capacity in full sun will keep a 60 Ltr compressor fridge, a couple of lights and phone & tablet chargers running without too much difficulty.

Macca.

here's what you might need to consider for your setup:

Portable solar panels: Solar panels can help you keep your devices charged while you're out camping. Look for a portable panel with enough power output to meet your needs.

Inverter: An inverter is necessary to convert the DC power from your battery bank into AC power that can be used to recharge your devices.

Battery bank: A battery bank is a must-have for any camping setup. It stores the power generated by your solar panels and provides a convenient way to keep your devices charged while you're on the go.

Fridge: A 40-liter fridge is a good size for camping and should fit comfortably in your van.

Cables and wiring: Make sure to have the right cables and wiring to connect your battery bank, solar panels, and inverter.

Electrical outlets: Consider installing electrical outlets in your van to make it easier to charge your devices.