Batteries: Dual versus Single

[smlobx]

Yes. I’ve done it. First in the JL, now in the JT. You just need the right panel and solar controller.

I’m also VERY conservative with my power needs in camp. I’m not using anything on the vehicle other than the fridge. Everything else is off. And you can program your lights etc to NOT come on every time you open a door etc. I’ve got other ways to charge devices etc as well so really, my only real draw when stationary is the Engel. And my 215w panel makes beaucoup juice most days. I also carry a larger Noco jumpstart pack JIC.

YMMV. But I intend to keep my battery and charging system OEM and covered under warranty for as long as possible.

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I have a similar setup as Dave's. Three 50W panels on portable frames that I can roll and keep facing the sun and a portable 16AH lithium battery in a pelican. An antigravity jumpstart pack. I didn't need the portable battery.

I run my 37 quart fridge (it's just me) at 40F off the vehicle battery. For the 3 days at 2019 Expo East the 3 panels topped off the vehicle battery and ran the fridge. The cloud cover varied during the day. I won't go with a duel battery setup again unless it's OEM because...

• If I sell my Tacoma all this stuff and what I paid for it doesn't go with the vehicle.
• I can move the fridge off the vehicle and set it up inside the tent and not be dependent on a vehicle mounted battery.

YMMV with the size of the fridge you have and the panels you buy. My fridge is an older model ARB from 2016. I imagine newer ones are more efficient now. Same with the panels.

Setup was 10am on the 11th. The panels were taken down at 3pm on the 13th. Voltage monitor was on the vehicle's battery.

I don’t want to derail Dave’s thread but I’ll go ahead and respond to Greg and Dave here If that’s ok.

I think that for a relatively short duration in moderate temps the single truck battery would suffice as both you guys have shown. However, in my case, my build is for more expedition/remote travel where we will be solo and will (hopefully) be parked on some remote Baja beach for a week or more in temps that could run up to the upper 80’s/low 90’s thereby putting a drain on our vehicle battery. Yes, I have a jump pack, every vehicle in my family has one (Christmas presents 2 years ago!) but the last thing I want to find out is that my truck won’t start. That is a critical piece of kit that I won’t strain beyond its original design parameters.

In my case I already have a BattleBorn 100 AH LiPho battery that I use in my other rig so there was no additional cost except for some wire and the REDARC 1240 BCDC charge controller which not only uses my flexible Overland Solar 100 amp panel to charge the house battery but will also secondarily, charge the vehicle battery which I consider extremely beneficial. The total weigh penalty is less than 40 pounds and that’s a price I’m willing to pay.

I’ve been on several long range expedition type trips in Africa, Australia and here in North America and learned a lot on how people set up these rigs for this type of travel. That is not to say that my build is the be all, end all, of truck outfitting. It certainly isn’t and I’m learning something new all the time. That’s what makes this “lifestyle” so appealing to me. Also, every person’s build is what will hopefully suit them given their parameters so there is no one perfect build. That’s why I enjoy forums like AA.

 

[Greg]

Is your secondary battery isolated from the vehicles start battery?

 

[smlobx]

Is your secondary battery isolated from the vehicles start battery?

Yes. There is a wire that was run from the fuse panel back to the BCDC that tells the controller when the truck is turned off and the controller effectively disconnects the two batteries ensuring that what ever load I place on the “house” battery will not affect the starting battery. Once the truck is running the controller detects this and opens the circuit to allow the house battery to be charged if needed.

 

[Greg]

Yes. There is a wire that was run from the fuse panel back to the BCDC that tells the controller when the truck is turned off and the controller effectively disconnects the two batteries ensuring that what ever load I place on the “house” battery will not affect the starting battery. Once the truck is running the controller detects this and opens the circuit to allow the house battery to be charged if needed.

What I'm thinking of doing is adding a DC to DC charger like the Redarc 1225 BCDC. Then using an Anderson connector to the portable battery so I can top it off when on the move.

 

[garrybrown]