Off-Grid Engineering Dual Battery System Q&A

Yeah, I run 2 Optima D35's with an ML-ACR. Connected with 2ga welding wire.

 

So my stock battery is only 7 months old, about 4300 miles. If I can source another stock battery to get me through another another year or two, can I hold off on spending the $500 or so on 2 new batteries? I'm eyeing the Northstar group buy, but if I can use stock batteries for a while I'd rather save the cash. I don't plan on taxing the system constantly. I plan on hooking up the second battery to a single 30" bar, ditch lights, and a winch which will only see rare usage.

 

See post #2

 

I don't have a charger hooked up permanently but in your set up it would be just fine. The ML-ACR decides to connect or disconnect based on voltage and time. Basically if it appears to the logic that you're falling below a fully charged state it will disconnect to protect you, probably meaning the battery you make the starter is isolated from the house battery.

On the flip side if the voltage on the system is high enough for long enough to appear that you're charging then it will reconnect them. So what will happen is whichever side battery has the charger connected to it will get charged first and the second will come on after that.

The one thing to watch is that if both or either battery is run down a lot and the charger isn't stout you may create a state where the ML-ACR can get confused and will cycle open and closed. What's going on there is there's no enough current to hold up the voltage. So what I do is connect the charger to the side that is more likely to have the deeper discharge, let that top off and when the relay closes the voltage drop isn't enough to open it again. In my system the aux battery that runs the fridge is more likely to see a deeper discharge, so when I hook up a charger or solar that's the side that gets topped first. The starting battery is rarely run that far down, so there's not much dip in voltage when its brought online with the charger.

You can stop this by locking them into parallel, BTW. But this isn't necessarily ideal with a small charger and differing states of discharge.

 

Off to source a second stock battery.

 

I'd give you a good deal on mine, but getting it to AZ might take away all the savings.

 

I appreciate the offer!

 

I ended up getting 2 group 35s in a group buy. If anyone finds themselves in my previous situation I will have a new-ish stock battery available once I get my split system.

 

Would these work well on our trucks?
Only $1,138.00 for two batteries! Fast charging and good deep cycling.
These are stated to be good for up to a 3.8 liter engine.
Weight is only 3.89 pounds or 7.78 pounds for two batteries saving 62 pounds off of your fender compared to two Optima batteries or 107 pounds less than two Odyssey batteries.
Somebody on TW has to be able to afford these!

 

Has anyone run a 24 series battery with the auxiliary battery on the "split" system?

 

Is the 1st Gen system available yet @HeliMedic? My search effort revealed no further mention of it. Thank you.

 

Nevermind, it has been answered for me.

It is confirmed that a 24 series(auxiliary tray) and a 27 series(starting tray) are being used on a kit currently and fitment is great.

 

Does anyone know whether the standalone battery tie down comes with its own J hooks? I cant seem to get a hold of anyone at OGE through their website or on here.

 

Yes. It comes with one 8" and one 10" J-Hook... to mimic the factory J-Hooks

 

@HeliMedic

I'd appreciate an answer to the question above which I posed in post #371 quite some time ago please.

 

I haven't been able to get a simple question answered here or on the OGE website either . . . glad you finally had success.

 

I responded to your email a while ago.

For everyone else... I have no plans to further develop a 1st Gen Tacoma dual battery system. I have done a few custom installs ands have not yet come up with a way to provide an easy to install kit. Sorry first gen folks!

 

I answer phone calls and emails all day long. Im sorry if yours slipped through the cracks.

 

Also, I responded to a "Bob" via email a week ago that had the exact same question. I have to assume its you. Thats why I didn't respond in both places. My day at the office would never end if I did that...

 

Thank you for answering my question (disappointing as the answer is)!

I can sympathize, been there did that same routine my entire career . . . thank you for your time!!!