Single Deep Cycle install, another battery thread!!

Mr.Rick said:
I am doing this exact same project. What I ended up doing was hardwiring the cord to the fuse block. I will never run the risk of the plug coming out... If you wiggle the plug and it kicks back on I would think that it was just the connection at the socket. The cords are so cheap for these fridges that if you need one... just call the manufacturer and order a second one if you plan on swapping between vehicles. $20-30 bucks tops.
Click to expand...
Yeah I had thought about doing just that.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
Ok so the fridge is an absolute game changer when it comes to camping! It worked phenomenally​ well and I didn't have any issues what so ever. The only thing I would possibly change is the connection at the 12v outlet itself and perhaps may do that in the future probably with an Anderson poles connection. As long as nothing hits it or moves it (the connection) then it's ok. The longest the truck sat without being ran was when I parked it at he (in the sun) yesterday from 2pm until 830am the next morning so 12hrs and the volt meter still read 12.4v that's with 90+ degree SC weather with extreme humidity. I have no reservations about this setup allowing me 2days of run time but I think that would be max

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Last edited:
BTW. Here's where we camped!
93c7dfb34ebe38922da27b2dd82c0759.jpg
52c0029834c66f19b1b9561ffcb4cc9b.jpg
ed73c0ee30b9dfecc540939754353a2e.jpg


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My 2 Cent:

Our alternator as it was explained to me is not going to provide your deep cycle battery with enough AMPs, or voltage to fully charge. The computer only senses the voltage available. I can't remember the specifics but if your computer senses that your battery is at 12+ volts it stops the alternator from sending current out. Therefore your Deep Cycle battery is rendered almost useless as it's not receiving the correct amps to truly charge the deep cycle part of the battery.

I too have the X2 Battery but went with the Group 31F so have slightly larger capacity without having to re-do the main wiring harness.

<a href="http://s43.photobucket.com/user/perrythompson/media/4Runner/2017-04-28%2014.00.01.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e370/perrythompson/4Runner/2017-04-28%2014.00.01.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2017-04-28 14.00.01.jpg"/></a>

I also installed the a Cllena - USB/Voltmeter/ON-Off Switch/ARB Female plug and ran it with the ARB refrigerator wiring kit(8AWG). I use the On/Off switch to power the Voltmeter and the USB. The Female ARB plug is powered all the time. Although I don't run my refrigerator 24/7.

<a href="http://s43.photobucket.com/user/perrythompson/media/4Runner/2017-03-23%2020.08.40.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e370/perrythompson/4Runner/2017-03-23%2020.08.40.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2017-03-23 20.08.40.jpg"/></a>


I also purchased the CTEK 7002 charger that does as 8 step charge for the AGM batteries. As you can see from the picture after a long weekend with use of the refrigerator and other electrical charges from the USB the truck did start but the 3+ hour drive home did not charge the battery fully back up.

<a href="http://s43.photobucket.com/user/perrythompson/media/4Runner/2017-05-17%2014.55.00.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e370/perrythompson/4Runner/2017-05-17%2014.55.00.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2017-05-17 14.55.00.jpg"/></a>


My suggestion is if you are running a deep cycle to get your self a good charger and hook it up. If you are running your refrigerator 24/7 just to do it I wouldn't suggest that either. It doesn't take long to cool these fridges down. If you need it turn it on. If not leave it off. Your battery will thank you. Also if you are using a charger to "Top Off" your battery you need to unplug the refrigerator completely because it's too sensitive for the push of the charger.

Here is a gratuitous shot of my rear end.
<a href="http://s43.photobucket.com/user/perrythompson/media/4Runner/2017-03-26%2015.55.07.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e370/perrythompson/4Runner/2017-03-26%2015.55.07.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2017-03-26 15.55.07.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s43.photobucket.com/user/perrythompson/media/4Runner/2017-04-21%2020.48.16-2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e370/perrythompson/4Runner/2017-04-21%2020.48.16-2.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2017-04-21 20.48.16-2.jpg"/></a>
 
WHITE-OUT said:
My 2 Cent:
Also if you are using a charger to "Top Off" your battery you need to unplug the refrigerator completely because it's too sensitive for the push of the charger.
Click to expand...

A couple questions.

1. Unplug or simply switch it off?

2. What do you mean too sensitive for the charger push? What exactly happens electrically?

thanks,

TB
 
Oh, ok, good to know. Also I was thinking of the ARB Fridge when I asked that. Still good to know. Maybe it has a similar warning.
 
I don't think that CTEK is a high-rate charger. Maybe if you are in recondition mode disconnect your fridge, but it is only 7A max and in normal AGM mode is 14.4V
 
with a 80amp circuit you need 4GA wire copper. with 12 volts this will get you about 900 watts of power to your whatever in the rear...

Watts =E volts X I amps .........................so you add up your watts of these components and then you can figure out how much amps is required @12 volts

place a fuse @ the battery connection ..on that run to rear ..
 
WHITE-OUT said:
My 2 Cent:

Our alternator as it was explained to me is not going to provide your deep cycle battery with enough AMPs, or voltage to fully charge. The computer only senses the voltage available. I can't remember the specifics but if your computer senses that your battery is at 12+ volts it stops the alternator from sending current out. Therefore your Deep Cycle battery is rendered almost useless as it's not receiving the correct amps to truly charge the deep cycle part of the battery.

I too have the X2 Battery but went with the Group 31F so have slightly larger capacity without having to re-do the main wiring harness.

<a href="http://s43.photobucket.com/user/perrythompson/media/4Runner/2017-04-28%2014.00.01.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e370/perrythompson/4Runner/2017-04-28%2014.00.01.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2017-04-28 14.00.01.jpg"/></a>

I also installed the a Cllena - USB/Voltmeter/ON-Off Switch/ARB Female plug and ran it with the ARB refrigerator wiring kit(8AWG). I use the On/Off switch to power the Voltmeter and the USB. The Female ARB plug is powered all the time. Although I don't run my refrigerator 24/7.

<a href="http://s43.photobucket.com/user/perrythompson/media/4Runner/2017-03-23%2020.08.40.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e370/perrythompson/4Runner/2017-03-23%2020.08.40.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2017-03-23 20.08.40.jpg"/></a>


I also purchased the CTEK 7002 charger that does as 8 step charge for the AGM batteries. As you can see from the picture after a long weekend with use of the refrigerator and other electrical charges from the USB the truck did start but the 3+ hour drive home did not charge the battery fully back up.

<a href="http://s43.photobucket.com/user/perrythompson/media/4Runner/2017-05-17%2014.55.00.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e370/perrythompson/4Runner/2017-05-17%2014.55.00.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2017-05-17 14.55.00.jpg"/></a>


My suggestion is if you are running a deep cycle to get your self a good charger and hook it up. If you are running your refrigerator 24/7 just to do it I wouldn't suggest that either. It doesn't take long to cool these fridges down. If you need it turn it on. If not leave it off. Your battery will thank you. Also if you are using a charger to "Top Off" your battery you need to unplug the refrigerator completely because it's too sensitive for the push of the charger.

Here is a gratuitous shot of my rear end.
<a href="http://s43.photobucket.com/user/perrythompson/media/4Runner/2017-03-26%2015.55.07.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e370/perrythompson/4Runner/2017-03-26%2015.55.07.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2017-03-26 15.55.07.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s43.photobucket.com/user/perrythompson/media/4Runner/2017-04-21%2020.48.16-2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e370/perrythompson/4Runner/2017-04-21%2020.48.16-2.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2017-04-21 20.48.16-2.jpg"/></a>
Click to expand...

Couple things.
1) Agm batteries need a higher voltage to fully charge, 14.8 rather than a normal lead acid of 14.4. I can't remember if these charge correctly (fully) in the 4runner system, it might not fully charge at all, ever. Deep cycle has nothing to do with it, it's the fact it's an AGM battery and they take that higher voltage to top off.
2) Looks like you have a 100 amp hour battery there, however your charger your using (the 7002) only charges at a max of 7AH. So, it would take close to 15 hours to fully charge that battery from that charger if the battery were fully dead so 3 hours is not going to fully charge it unless it was almost full.
3) I'm confused on why your fridge would need to be disconnected. That charger only goes to max of 15.7 volts, and not sure about your fridge, but my fridge (Indel) can use input voltages up to 24 volts, so having the voltage fluctuate with the charger really shouldn't hurt anything.
4) The alternator is capable of 130 amps output and around 70-80 amps output at idle. you can fully charge a normal lead acid battery from dead very quickly from the stock alternator even at idle. output of the alternator should not be a problem.
5) I'm confused on how you are charging this, looks like your using the charger on the main battery using the existing main battery terminals to fuel the charger. I suppose this might work, but this just seems wrong to me, I would only think you would want a charger that like in a dual battery situation charging the isolated second battery, never the main. Perhaps this is the solution for stock vehicle with AGM installed in order to get the battery topped off, however still you will need it charging for a while at 7AH charge.

Of course, this is just my opinion, could be wrong, I'm still running the stock battery in my runner.
 
I have a 1A on board NOCO charger, it tops off the battery overnight no problem; that 7A is plenty.

You are overthinking the charger, it's charging the battery from a 120v outlet. No isolation is required and it's not going to take 15 hours to top off because it's not fully dead (also the time calculation is more complicated, batteries charger faster at the beginning than at the end).

The stock charging system doesn't have a high enough voltage to fully charge the battery, so to prevent salfation you have to be sure to top off the battery occasionally. My battery wants 14.4V to charhe, it will never see that from the stock charging system so every week or so I make sure to plug it in overnight.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
e60ral said:
I have a 1A on board NOCO charger, it tops off the battery overnight no problem; that 7A is plenty.

You are overthinking the charger, it's charging the battery from a 120v outlet. No isolation is required and it's not going to take 15 hours to top off because it's not fully dead (also the time calculation is more complicated, batteries charger faster at the beginning than at the end).

The stock charging system doesn't have a high enough voltage to fully charge the battery, so to prevent salfation you have to be sure to top off the battery occasionally. My battery wants 14.4V to charhe, it will never see that from the stock charging system so every week or so I make sure to plug it in overnight.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I must of missed the part where he was charging with 120volts. That makes total sense. However I just scratch my head with this. Why would you guys want to go home and plug in a charger to your AC outlet when you have a perfectly good charger built right into your vehicle. Why not just add a voltage booster to properly charge the AGM from the vehicles own alternator and not worry about charging anything ever.
 
Airgazm said:
Couple things.

1) Agm batteries need a higher voltage to fully charge, 14.8 rather than a normal lead acid of 14.4. I can't remember if these charge correctly (fully) in the 4runner system, it might not fully charge at all, ever. Deep cycle has nothing to do with it, it's the fact it's an AGM battery and they take that higher voltage to top off.

2) Looks like you have a 100 amp hour battery there, however your charger your using (the 7002) only charges at a max of 7AH. So, it would take close to 15 hours to fully charge that battery from that charger if the battery were fully dead so 3 hours is not going to fully charge it unless it was almost full.

3) I'm confused on why your fridge would need to be disconnected. That charger only goes to max of 15.7 volts, and not sure about your fridge, but my fridge (Indel) can use input voltages up to 24 volts, so having the voltage fluctuate with the charger really shouldn't hurt anything.

4) The alternator is capable of 130 amps output and around 70-80 amps output at idle. you can fully charge a normal lead acid battery from dead very quickly from the stock alternator even at idle. output of the alternator should not be a problem.

5) I'm confused on how you are charging this, looks like your using the charger on the main battery using the existing main battery terminals to fuel the charger. I suppose this might work, but this just seems wrong to me, I would only think you would want a charger that like in a dual battery situation charging the isolated second battery, never the main. Perhaps this is the solution for stock vehicle with AGM installed in order to get the battery topped off, however still you will need it charging for a while at 7AH charge.



Of course, this is just my opinion, could be wrong, I'm still running the stock battery in my runner.
Click to expand...



Let me start off by saying I in no way really know what I'm talking about as facts. I'm just speaking from experience I have seen.

1) I don't think the voltage is as important as the amps being pushed.

2)To clarify what I was seeing was that after a three + hour ride home I connected the charger and according to the LED indicators the battery was not recharging. I do leave the charger hooked up overnight in my garage to fully charge the battery.

3)I agree the CTEK probably doesn't produce enough juice to be considered a High-output charger. I referenced the manual to show that it states to disconnect. I would rather be safe than sorry when dealing with a higher priced piece of equipment like a refrigerator.

4)My understanding, I could be wrong, is that our 5th gen trucks have a system that regulates the alternator to a point that if the system believes the battery is fully charged it reduces the output of the alternator. Therefore not producing the amps needed to charge an AGM deep cycle battery fully. No matter how much time you spend running the alternator.

5) That's what I was stating. In order to fully charge the battery fully it needs to be hooked up to a charger. In my case I have one battery. Like the OP I'm using it as my starter also.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Airgazm said:
I must of missed the part where he was charging with 120volts. That makes total sense. However I just scratch my head with this. Why would you guys want to go home and plug in a charger to your AC outlet when you have a perfectly good charger built right into your vehicle. Why not just add a voltage booster to properly charge the AGM from the vehicles own alternator and not worry about charging anything ever.
Click to expand...
I can't speak for them, but I'm letting other people test out the voltage booster. I can't think of any reason why it would cause problems, but for all I know some ECU is sensitive about voltage or something and I'll let someone else find it if it is.

Even with the booster though I've seen 14.1-14.2V results which still isn't quite high enough for me. Plus with an on board charger I can park long term and not worry about the fridge shutting off or stressing the battery.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
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