Off Grid Engineering Redarc Dual Battery Kit!!!
Well, it was yesterday that I wrapped this up... and admittedly I'm new to the 4runner world - owned one as long as I've been waiting on lead times for my mods. I've been working on wiring up the truck for the last few weeks as I patiently awaited my OGE Redarc Dual Battery Kit, and it finally arrived Friday. I'm not into off-roading (yet at least), but we do a LOT of camping and try to hit a lot of music festivals (pre and hopefully post COVID). My goal with this project was to be able to put everything back to OEM state with very little cost.
Before receiving the OGE kit, I did the following:
1. Installed a dual battery voltage meter, and momentary AOB switch in the pre-existing blanks in the glove box and ran wiring through the passenger firewall to both battery locations. Of course the Battery Voltages switch is tied into the dimming instrument cluster circuit.
2. Relocated factory relay box and installed a low profile Power Tray with a Redarc SBI12, for jumpstarting the primary battery off the aux. AOB momentary "Battery Link" button below the ignition button.
3. Installed a NOCO Genius 5x2 on the power tray and extended wiring to both battery locations - for charging off of shore power, and desulfating the primary battery occasionally.
4. Ran 6 wire from the secondary battery location through the driver firewall to bottle jack storage area and mounted a Blue Sea 6-ckt fuse block.
5. From the fuse block, I ran wire up to the fuse block under the dash to refeed the front power outlets from the secondary battery (using an add-a-circuit in reverse). Note, on my 2021 Nightshade, I also had to jump out a relay under the hood to make this refeed work without accessory power.
6. Installed a 12v to 24v step up transformer under the cargo area to feed (2) USB-C power delivery outlets at the taillight access panels - I can now charge devices at 20V, 3A. I also went ahead and installed an ARB fridge outlet in the passenger taillight access panel - Zero Fridge/Freezer coming tomorrow I hope.
Then yesterday, I installed the OGE Redarc kit and got all wiring terminated.
The first thing I wanted to test was the jump start function, and IT WORKED!!!
My next step is to install a NOCO port at the driver side cowl seal and an SAE solar port at the passenger side cowl seal, but I'm pretty sure my wife wants me to take a break from the runner for a while.