4th gen owners with dual battery setup.

[vision-quest]

I'm currently looking to install a dual battery setup. I am an outdoors/adventure photographer and often on the road for trips for extended amounts of time, so I need something to keep my camera batteries/laptop charged, ARB fridge going etc even when I stop moving for a few days.

I was looking at the ArkPak which seems a super simple (to a car noob like me) solution, but I've heard others saying an under-the-hood style dual battery system is better for reasons that are confusing to me as someone not versed in car lingo.

Which should I be looking at? I want to be able to plug the fridge in without running cables all throughout the interior of the car, plug USBs in (with adapters if needed) to charge phones, a normal wall socket that I can use with a small powerboard to charge more batteries/laptop etc.

I guess what confuses me about an under-the-hood style dual battery setup is where I am supposed to plug all these electronics in to if the battery is under the hood and doesn't have plugs attached to it?

 

[alia176]

I've achieved the same results two different ways in two different landcruisers, so my answer is NOT 4th gen specific.

My needs are similar to yours: laptop, fridge, various 12vdc doodads, winch, off road lights, rear work light, etc

One landcruiser has a dual batt system made by Wrangler Power products. This is a very dumb yet super reliable system.

Second landcruiser has a single batt, basically the OEM setup but using a larger than stock battery. I use a group 31M, huge battery in there and that vehicle has the identical power requirements as the first LC.

Both systems work well but the first LC has more complexity in terms of additional wires, a relay, switch, etc. Both rigs have 12vdc cig lighters all over for constant hot 12vdc. Still, it's simpler than some of the smart systems that are our there.

If you're planning on parking your rig for a couple of days in one spot while the fridge is running, a simple solar system that folds out on the ground is a good alternative to dead batts. Portable solar panel kits, small to large solar power kits - Goal Zero

I'm an electrical engineer but don't like "smart" systems that can outthink me, so I really like the Wrangler Power products dual batt system. I think Painless makes one that's similar. It truly follows the KISS principle and has been dependable for the last 12 years. However, a true KISS system would be just to have a larger battery in the stock location and add a solar kit if needed.

On my 4th gen, I converted the outlets to constant hot by doing the simple mod mentioned in this board. I have a Waeco and an older Engel fridge. When I plug the fridges into the cargo power outlet, I found that the Engel fridge draws around 3 amps on startup, then comes down to a 0.5 amp or so. The Waeco fridge, while being smaller than the Engel, draws 8 amps or so during startup and then maintains around 1.5 amp eventually. Waeco is a "smart" fridge with batt cut off and all that BS so it'd shut itself down due to not enough juice. The Engel, on the other hand, has no problem running in the cargo area. This is a "dumb" fridge so it'll just run until the battery is flat! The wire gauge going to the rear cargo power ports is simply not heavy enough to carry the additional load that the Waeco is asking for. Some day, I'll upgrade the wires going to all the outlets.

Just my .02 cents.

 

[vision-quest]

Interesting, thanks for your thoughts Alia.

 

[morphious]

[MENTION=118513]vision-quest[/MENTION] This is what I did:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/199237-electrical-upgrade-rebuild-complete.html

 

[vision-quest]

[MENTION=118513]vision-quest[/MENTION] This is what I did:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/199237-electrical-upgrade-rebuild-complete.html

Awesome work! Unfortunately I have zero handyman skills and all of that just has me scratching my head. Really sweet setup though. That being said, I don't particularly need outlets all over the car, as I have an UrbanRunner with a 110V already in the console + obviously the cigarette in the front. Just a battery or something up back with a bunch of connections would be fine.

 

[vision-quest]

Anyone else have ideas?

 

[snowboardwcu]

[MENTION=118513]vision-quest[/MENTION] This is what I did:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/199237-electrical-upgrade-rebuild-complete.html

found this thread like 2 months ago and couldn't find it since. soooooo glad you posted. this was cleanly done.

question, how are the 115v sockets holding up? I've been scurr'd to pull the trigger as I imagine they just pull out all the time.

the OP, this would be the path to follow if you don't want to just carry an extra battery in the back for your accessories.

 

[morphious]

[MENTION=124672]snowboardwcu[/MENTION] Thank you, the outlets are rock solid. I took my time and cut the holes small and slowly made bigger with a file so that those plugs snap into place and do not move.

 

[snowboardwcu]

[MENTION=124672]cut the holes small and slowly made bigger with a file so that those plugs snap into place and do not move.

so that does work! excellent. looks like I get to bump a 'potential mod' up to a 'git r done'

dual battery will come later, want to look into an automatic isolator that has custom voltage settings.

thanks again.

 

[vision-quest]

found this thread like 2 months ago and couldn't find it since. soooooo glad you posted. this was cleanly done.

question, how are the 115v sockets holding up? I've been scurr'd to pull the trigger as I imagine they just pull out all the time.

the OP, this would be the path to follow if you don't want to just carry an extra battery in the back for your accessories.

How much do you think it would cost to pay someone to do this? I have no know-how in this area at all.

 

[snowboardwcu]

How much do you think it would cost to pay someone to do this? I have no know-how in this area at all.

no idea. my expertise is more in doing it myself. I've seen a lot of member-to-member help on here, however. maybe someone in your area is willing to help you out? :thumb:

 

[vision-quest]

no idea. my expertise is more in doing it myself. I've seen a lot of member-to-member help on here, however. maybe someone in your area is willing to help you out? :thumb:

Possibly, beer can be a good persuasive tool I'll have to try and find someone in CO who has done something similar.

 

[snowboardwcu]

The person on reddit who shared the picture of the 'juice box' is in line with what I was thinking for you. Storage unit you can remove at will, negates the need for an isolator and actually modding the vehicle. Again, the drawback is charging it.

Another option is to just rely on your current setup and utilize the alternator to re charge the stock battery more often. It's never good to drain/charge your primary battery often, so small drains, or, use a deep cycle battery.