Vagabond Drifter Camper Buildout and Mods

Many thanks! Great info here

 

Not sure how you'd wire it in to run the drifter accessories, but for most things this is probably the easiest option. Plus you can take the battery elsewhere if you'd like.

 

Definitely interested to see your re-build once you're done as well. I see the Redarc has simultaneous DC and solar charging which would be nice. Is that the reason you're going with that over the ML-ACR option or are there other advantages?

 

Yeah, from what I understand, DCDC charging is more efficient at keeping the AGM Deep Cycle batteries fully charged due to the variations in modern alternators, so considering the cost ofagood battery like that, I wanted to make sure it's always getting the full/appropriate charge in terms of it's longevity. The solar charging/controlling capability is also an added bonus as well. Some of the more expensive DC charging units even add the ability to plug in AC to your system if you have opportunity much like an RV. Redarc is one of the big ones, but there are others such as CTEK I think that offer comparable units.

 

Somewhere within this thread someone was kind enough to provide his wiring diagram which included

$430 REDARC BCDC1225D Dual Input 25A in-Vehicle DC Battery Charger

REDARC BCDC1225D... built in MPPT Controller. There is a 40AMP out there too... both compatible with Battle Born. Will Prowse/DIY Solar Power also tested and recommended the Renogy equivalent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcVjPap9dkY

 

Just to be clear, I'd also go with a DCDC charger if you've got the money. I'll be updating my system to that at some point. I just put the ML-ACR in since it was already in the van I had before the taco.

 

This video just made things a whole lot more confusing

I'll see if I can find that old post though - sounds real helpful! Any idea about when it was posted here?

 

I have been all over Wills site and youtube pages. Very information from start (understanding electricity & terms) to finish (parts/tools/final install and testing)

This video you posted is just for the Renogy DCDC. Will also does a review on the Renogy DCDC w/MPPT for solar (Redarc BCDC alternative)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtAUrS4zNSA&list=PL7bvIB2TPsChqFLuUDNum2SCLbzl7pVdB&index=8&t=0s

One complaint he had was the Renogy was the maximum input voltage-25V (4:30 into the video) whereas Redarc is 32V for comparison. Neither being the best MPPT but the bonus of them using the vehicle alternator and saving extra gear and wiring makes them nice. Most of us will only be using one solar panel so this shouldn't be an issue.

Additional info for comparison: Renogy is $270 and Redarc is $375 (Amazon for both). Redarc is also waterproof whereas the Renogy is not.

Just some more information for everyone to wrap their heads around. Overall I think everyone's setups will get them what they want and there is not one perfect setup.

 

@Eze1139 @zhellman
So, here's my plan based on reading manuals & YouTube research (in other words, I am no electrical expert). If anyone sees any glaring issues (see previous statement), I welcome that criticism with open arms.

 

You're awesome. Thank you.

Pretty much my setup but I was thinking I wanted to put the 2nd battery (battleborn) in the bed for heat reasons. I will just have to switch some components and wiring sizes around to make it work for me.

 

Great video and looks like a solid setup. Any idea if the 3rd Gen has a smart alternator? Found another thread on here (https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2019-tacoma-alternator-is-it-“smart”.624505/) discussing this but the question wasn't really solved

 

I don't know. Best info I found was testing the alternator directly and measuring the voltage across the alternator. https://www.etrailer.com/question-326099.html

I have not done this myself though so don't have any evidence this is correct.

 

@Wackyhacky, my sincere thanks for the diagram and list. This wiring stuff, dual battery implementation is scary business. So much so I was initially looking at expensive plug-n-play solutions (i.e. National Luna "Green Box" 25A DC-DC charger). After reviewing my buddy thinks it is something we could tackle. If we should ever meet on the road and you see something strangely familiar in my Drifter, remember "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!"

 

I don’t know what a smart alternator exactly means, but I do know they my 2nd get 2015 alternator drops to 13.6v often in the summer. This means that if you charge your AGM house battery off the alternator, it will only get about 80% charged. For AGM batteries, this is a death sentence as they must be charged fully as often as possible or suffer a short lifespan. I would assume that the 3rd gens have the same problem. I would recommend a DC/DC charger for sure.

 

Definitely going the DCDC route. From what I read new vehicles have smart alternators which means you need to wire into the ignition as well as the starter battery. Doesn't seem like a big extra step but something to keep in mind

 

The more I look, it seems like lot of people are using 4 AWG wire for their main battery/charger connections. I had planned on 6 AWG per the Redarc recommendation for the 1225 model in the manual, but am I missing something.

 

Depends how long the run will be. There's a calculator here that should answer the question:
http://circuitwizard.bluesea.com/#

 

Situations/reasonings can vary pretty wildly. Maybe voltage drop is more important to some people/applications, maybe they're oversizing for future considerations, maybe they just got a good price on bulk wire and needed to go that size for some other run in their system, etc...
I used 4 ga for my

$438 BCDC1240D Dual Input 40A in-Vehicle DC Battery Charger

BCDC1240D. And I just use the standard Blue Sea chart as a reference for which size to go with.
In my case, one (extra) reason for 4 ga is that I'm going to be wiring in a big relay to allow for jumping the start battery from the house batteries if needed, so that will provide some extra current flow.

 

There's a solution for this. I have tested my 1st gen alternator and it is over 14V cold/warm so I don't need it there for my AGM, but when I switch to a 2nd gen...
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/agm-battery-charging-alternator-voltage-booster.611314/

 

I haven't seen this particular thread till now, but I've heard there can be other unwanted consequences from this type of solution, like potentially overcharging the battery.
...I mean, even if so, it's not necessarily a bad trade-off for the cost. But personally, I chose to go the route of not altering the factory system.