Overlanding battery

[anotheraznguy]

Interesting. So what you guys are saying is just to get a dual battery Tray and bypass the entire Genesis overpriced system all together and just run the Redarc setup. Hmm. I like that.

Actually the genesis setup isnt overpriced at all.

Considering that their kit is 529.00 VS the tray which is just 200.00
That gives you 329.00 of wiring and solenoids.

If you were to go with the redarc route it would be quite a bit more expensive.
the BCDC 25amp charger runs around 400 dollars
the Smart isolate to be able to jump from the house battery is an additional 100 Dollars.
Before even beggining wiring you are already 500.00 dollars into it

That doesnt include the additional cost of getting a Power distribution block and power cable and wiring / connectors.

If you are a DIY guy installing the full kit from genesis is quick and easy following their instructions and videos. Wiring it yourself would be all custom and you would need to figure out wiring and placement of solenoids and chargers. If you were to pay a shop to do it it would certainly rack up the bill even more.

So in the end the more ideal charging setup will definitely cost more in the end.

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[remlemasi]

I'm coming over from the Gladiator sister forum, but there's more activity here on this subject...

I was looking at the RedArc BCDC until I found the Renogy DCC50S (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W84SS41/). It has the same functions, supports up to 50A and 660W of solar, and is only $285 on Amazon right now. The best thing is the solar input will actually charge the starter battery once the house battery is full. The RedArc can't do that. Similar to the RedArc, it uses an ignition signal wire, which helps let the charger know that the engine is on, which is necessary due to the smart alternators.

Will use a fuse tap into Fuse 50 in the fuse box, which is tied to ignition (https://www.amazon.com/Etopars-Vehicle-circuit-MICRO2-Adapter/dp/B077PBXGKQ/).

Going to use several Anderson-style connectors to make it modular (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DWXM7DD/). I would be able connect the 12-circuit fuse block directly to the starter battery if needed or I can have the solar panel charge the starter battery directly.

Here's the fuse block I will install: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001P6FTHC/

Using terminal mount fuses on the batteries to protect the wiring: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LC4YYY1/

Other parts I'm using: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051P1L52/, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TBCGBZC/, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KBF9C4L/, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MW27JNZ/, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0824QH52X/, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LBQYGK6/

Will also probably use this battery enclosure as it has a battery monitor and 2x 12V sockets built in, although I will bypass the 60 circuit breaker and just wire direct to the battery using the 150A terminal fuse: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PTHKMG/

See below for the schematic I put together.

 

[RubenZ]

Actually the genesis setup isnt overpriced at all.

Considering that their kit is 529.00 VS the tray which is just 200.00
That gives you 329.00 of wiring and solenoids.

If you were to go with the redarc route it would be quite a bit more expensive.
the BCDC 25amp charger runs around 400 dollars
the Smart isolate to be able to jump from the house battery is an additional 100 Dollars.
Before even beggining wiring you are already 500.00 dollars into it

That doesnt include the additional cost of getting a Power distribution block and power cable and wiring / connectors.

If you are a DIY guy installing the full kit from genesis is quick and easy following their instructions and videos. Wiring it yourself would be all custom and you would need to figure out wiring and placement of solenoids and chargers. If you were to pay a shop to do it it would certainly rack up the bill even more.

So in the end the more ideal charging setup will definitely cost more in the end.

True in a sense it's not. It gets overpriced when you get the Batteries it recommends using. The benefit of the REDARC setup is I think you can just keep factory battery to handle the vehicle load but also have the alternate setup for overland accessories. I'd really like a setup where I keep the factory setup. At least for now while my POS jeep is having electrical issues. I can just see my Instrument cluster failing again and they give me crap for completely modifying the Dual Battery setup.

 

[unsavory]

I'm coming over from the Gladiator sister forum, but there's more activity here on this subject...

I was looking at the RedArc BCDC until I found the Renogy DCC50S (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W84SS41/). It has the same functions, supports up to 50A and 660W of solar, and is only $285 on Amazon right now. The best thing is the solar input will actually charge the starter battery once the house battery is full. The RedArc can't do that. Similar to the RedArc, it uses an ignition signal wire, which helps let the charger know that the engine is on, which is necessary due to the smart alternators.

Will use a fuse tap into Fuse 50 in the fuse box, which is tied to ignition (https://www.amazon.com/Etopars-Vehicle-circuit-MICRO2-Adapter/dp/B077PBXGKQ/).

Going to use several Anderson-style connectors to make it modular (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DWXM7DD/). I would be able connect the 12-circuit fuse block directly to the starter battery if needed or I can have the solar panel charge the starter battery directly.

Here's the fuse block I will install: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001P6FTHC/

Using terminal mount fuses on the batteries to protect the wiring: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LC4YYY1/

Other parts I'm using: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051P1L52/, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TBCGBZC/, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KBF9C4L/, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MW27JNZ/, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0824QH52X/, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LBQYGK6/

Will also probably use this battery enclosure as it has a battery monitor and 2x 12V sockets built in, although I will bypass the 60 circuit breaker and just wire direct to the battery using the 150A terminal fuse: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PTHKMG/

See below for the schematic I put together.

This is very well thought out, and will be interested to see your final build!

 

[unsavory]

Actually the genesis setup isnt overpriced at all.

...

So in the end the more ideal charging setup will definitely cost more in the end.

This is true if you are only looking at raw component cost, complexity, etc. But it is overpriced when you consider it only provides a half-baked solution to the problem, and doesn't address keeping the batteries fully charged, which one might argue is a pretty major design fault.

 

[anotheraznguy]

I'm coming over from the Gladiator sister forum, but there's more activity here on this subject...

I was looking at the RedArc BCDC until I found the Renogy DCC50S (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W84SS41/). It has the same functions, supports up to 50A and 660W of solar, and is only $285 on Amazon right now. The best thing is the solar input will actually charge the starter battery once the house battery is full. The RedArc can't do that. Similar to the RedArc, it uses an ignition signal wire, which helps let the charger know that the engine is on, which is necessary due to the smart alternators.

Looks like you got your setup down. I am still in planning and proof of concept phase. I need to eventually get to work since my factory batteries are looking like they are on their way out.

In terms of renogy it seems like they came out with their controller in the last 2 years. The devices are also made in china which makes me shy away from them. Although their specs are good i would rather not risk it personally. Redarc has been around for longer and it is built in australia and has been tested and proven in their harsh conditions.

For my purposes, 25Amp would be more than sufficient since i don't plan on going any bigger than 100 Ah battery.

 

[remlemasi]

This is true if you are only looking at raw component cost, complexity, etc. But it is overpriced when you consider it only provides a half-baked solution to the problem, and doesn't address keeping the batteries fully charged, which one might argue is a pretty major design fault.

This exactly. With a DC-DC charger, you get optimum charging for the house battery, and can use to a LiFePo if you want. No need to having matching chemistries.

Additionally, you only need to buy one battery at less than $200 versus two new batteries at $300 each (and you may be getting rid of a perfectly good battery).

Not only that, but your two brand new Odyssey batteries will have a combined 130Ah of capacity. The fact that the starter battery will disconnect after a while means you have even less in real-world usage.

With a separate house battery in the back, you can get one as large as you like. The typical Group 31 will have 105Ah on its own, fully accessible to your accessories. Add in the additional 77-87Ah capacity you have with the ESS and starter batteries in the engine bay, you’re at 182-192Ah total (vs 130Ah) for way less money.

One last consideration is that you can easily disconnect the house battery and have a portable solar generator (at least with the set up I described a couple posts back). Bring your fridge to a different camp area, use it as backup power if the grid goes out, etc.

IMHO, the Pros far outweighs the Cons.

 

[remlemasi]

Looks like you got your setup down. I am still in planning and proof of concept phase. I need to eventually get to work since my factory batteries are looking like they are on their way out.

In terms of renogy it seems like they came out with their controller in the last 2 years. The devices are also made in china which makes me shy away from them. Although their specs are good i would rather not risk it personally. Redarc has been around for longer and it is built in australia and has been tested and proven in their harsh conditions.

For my purposes, 25Amp would be more than sufficient since i don't plan on going any bigger than 100 Ah battery.

Completely fair points. 25A would’ve been plenty for me as well and would have allowed me to run lighter cables from the engine bay to the back. The kicker for me was the fact that the solar panels can go back and top up the starter battery. I started to design a schematic on paper that provides that functionality but it got way too complex and expensive.

The unit does everything I want* it’s way cheaper and way simpler. I’ve only heard good things about Renogy and bought on a credit card with an extra two years of extended warranty just to ease my mind.

*Actually, the only thing it doesn’t do is the boost function to help jumpstart, but the RedArc doesn’t do it either without extra solenoids and relays. With my setup, I’ll be able to very quickly remove the Renogy and connect the house battery directly to the starter battery for some extra boost, although I’m not quite sure how the fuses would fare in that situation.

 

[Lohkay]

Interesting. So what you guys are saying is just to get a dual battery Tray and bypass the entire Genesis overpriced system all together and just run the Redarc setup. Hmm. I like that.

That's exactly what I was saying. I went with a larger house battery for longer stays but a dual battery tray would've worked the same.

I guess you could add a manual switch to connect both batteries in case you want to crank from the house battery or just carry a jump wire.

 

[RubenZ]

That's exactly what I was saying. I went with a larger house battery for longer stays but a dual battery tray would've worked the same.

I guess you could add a manual switch to connect both batteries in case you want to crank from the house battery or just carry a jump wire.

Exactly. Way simpler option IMO. In Fact I think I saw somewhere where someone was able to fit a 2nd battery in factory trays sideways.

Edit: never mind it was just fitting a larger battery https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/larger-battery-group-94-size-3-6-engine.26923/

 

[Cascadia4x4]

Some really interesting info in here guys!

If anyone is looking into adding to their overlanding setup check out our Vehicle Specific Solar Systems. Our system for the JL is an 80 watt panel that plugs directly into your main (or aux) vehicle battery. It can work as a great addition for those with dual battery systems or works as a standalone setup that negates the need for a dual battery setup. The panel can provide enough energy to keep up with a fridge/freezer, charging phones/laptops and running lights no problem. If your battery ever did die overnight the panel can restart the vehicle battery in ~45mins!

More info can be found here: https://www.cascadia4x4.com/collect...vss-system-80-watt-hood-solar-panel-pre-order

 

[Dasher320]

Some really interesting info in here guys!

If anyone is looking into adding to their overlanding setup check out our Vehicle Specific Solar Systems. Our system for the JL is an 80 watt panel that plugs directly into your main (or aux) vehicle battery. It can work as a great addition for those with dual battery systems or works as a standalone setup that negates the need for a dual battery setup. The panel can provide enough energy to keep up with a fridge/freezer, charging phones/laptops and running lights no problem. If your battery ever did die overnight the panel can restart the vehicle battery in ~45mins!

More info can be found here: https://www.cascadia4x4.com/collect...vss-system-80-watt-hood-solar-panel-pre-order

I love this idea. Please tell me you have a version for the Rubicon hood in the works.

 

[Cascadia4x4]

I love this idea. Please tell me you have a version for the Rubicon hood in the works.

We are trying to work on something, but the complex shape of the Rubicon hood makes for some very limited design parameters. If we do get a Rubicon panel made it would likely only be ~30-40 watts.

We've had several customers swap out their Rubicon hood's with a Sport hood so they can run our 80 watt panel.

 

[Overland Productions]

We are trying to work on something, but the complex shape of the Rubicon hood makes for some very limited design parameters. If we do get a Rubicon panel made it would likely only be ~30-40 watts.

We've had several customers swap out their Rubicon hood's with a Sport hood so they can run our 80 watt panel.

Have you considered larger panels for the tops of roof top tents?

 

[Cascadia4x4]

Have you considered larger panels for the tops of roof top tents?

We have plans to make some rectangular panels that could be used on vehicle roofs or tents yes. Hopefully by the end of the year. Thanks,

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