**IBS GROUP BUY** Ends March 23**CLOSED**

Anyone else out there have negative or positive experience with either NL or IBS dual battery systems?

 

Interested (also posted on the T4R forums)

 

Free bump.

I know @ramonortiz55 and I have been talking about this for weeks, and I am trying to get some more feedback on each system for you guys.

 

Bump.

 

oh flush mount, that's sexy!

 

Been reading lately about the NL Solenoids taking a crap prematurely. Seems the IBS can handle a few more amps and I read that the NL kit draws 40ma and the IBS draws 1ma while parked. Definitely a +1 for the IBS.

 

The install for the IBS was super easy once I figured out where I was going to run the battery and accessory wiring. The only issue that I have had so far is that I mounted the IBS relay too close to the neg terminal on the Aux battery and when I was messing around wheeling they touched and it shorted the relay. Well Sierra Designs was awesome and shipped one out the same day do I had one waiting for me at the house when I got back from #rocktherapy2015

That flush mount is super clean!!!

 

Isolation #1 (brown) where is that connect to? Tap it and add a circuit inside the cab?

 

You'll connect it to a source that is only powered with the key on the ignition.

I'd probably just tap it into something like the radio power or maybe an add a fuse.

 

Thanks

 

Any word on this? I'm pretty eager to get a second battery

 

still waiting on a third vendor.
if i dont get a reply soon, well kick this off w the numbers we have

 

Sweet!

 

Just an FYI for those mentioning that the IBS isn't waterproof, the relay that goes in the engine bay is indeed waterproof, filled with resin as mentioned in https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ibs-dual-battery-kits.136373/ this thread. The other perk regarding waterproofing is that the circuitry in the IBS system is actually in the controller as opposed to being on the solenoid in the NL system. This means that the circuitry is in your cab which in theory should be the farthest away from getting wet. If that's getting wet you probably have bigger problems. I spoke with Sierra Expeditions yesterday and this is what I took away from it:

I'm leaning more towards IBS than NL after speaking with Sierra Expeditions. I spoke to them yesterday for a little while about the general tech of the two, along with the basic pro's and con's. When it came down to it, there were a couple basic items that separated the 2.

1) The IBS system is a bi-directional system in that you could hook up a charging method to your secondary battery (such as a solar panel) and have it charge the primary battery when it's linked. National Luna is incapable of doing such a thing - you would need to hook up the panels to the primary and then charge the secondary from the primary only. Not a huge deal, but I would like to keep my primary wiring down to as many stock functions as possible.

2) The circuit board of the IBS system (the "intelligent solenoid" portion of the NL) is located in the controller of the system which will be mounted in your cab, farther away from the elements one would assume than in your engine bay. If for some reason you get hood deep in water, the NL solenoid would be fried. Not saying you wouldn't have bigger problems at that point, but just a thought.

3) The IBS hardware looks to be much more water resistant than the NL. The relay is filled with resin to provide a watertight seal. I havent looked at the inner workings of the NL solenoid to compare, only what I've seen on the surface.

4) The NL system has a much higher draw on the battery when in standby mode versus the IBS. I believe 40mA vs 1mA

5) (this one I cannot verify, this is only from his testimony) The National Luna is a much louder solenoid which supposedly has triggered the glass breaking alarm for those that have it on their trucks. Again, this isn't something I have been able to verify first hand, only from what he has told me.


This to me is where the pros of the IBS end, but it's enough to sway me in this direction I think. The main pro's to the National Luna in my opinion are as follows:

1) The monitoring panel looks more refined, the solenoid is only one piece, you have the possibility of ordering a flush mounted controller which is more aesthetically pleasing IMO.

2) You can purchase piecemeal items as needed as opposed to the entire kit. I already have battery cable, terminals, heat shrink, fuses, etc. left over from my Big 3 upgrade, and both kit's are clocking in at around $400. If I were to just purchase the controller and solenoid from NL, I'd be looking at around $250. I don't have this option with IBS.

3) The IBS system requires a separate booster relay to be installed in order to operate the dual battery system in the event that your primary battery is completely dead or fails. The relay costs about $85. It can be avoided if you manually connect the batteries, but this to me is a pretty big ding on the IBS system because I feel like this is one of the primary reasons for a dual battery system. To have to purchase another pricey piece for what I would consider a basic function leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I'm not sure if NL doesn't require this, but I haven't seen anything to indicate one way or the other for them.


So all things considered, I think that I would say the NL is the better value if you have parts laying around and the GB would able to cover piecemeal items, but my mentality on the unit is "buy once, cry once". Especially when it comes to a battery setup. My thought is that I'll end up spending more on the IBS when it's all set and done, but I think it'll be a better product.

 

comments added, otherwise great post @svana

edit: just found this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ekB_tJrNP0

watching now to hopefully correct anything I just typed

 

flush mount? where is this? part number?

 

SE mentioned that the RBM was used for when the battery dropped below 7(?)V. So in a normal situation when your battery just drops below the starter threshold you should be fine. But if you run something on your starter to completely drain the starter battery, that's where you'd need the RBM (or a set of jumpers).

 

"In-cab monitor with flush mount (optional mounts available)"

trying to figure out a part number

• 
  
  

 

Correct, it just allows 100% function of the unit vs whatever minimum availability of the current voltage between the two, "if sufficient charge is still available in the auxiliary battery."

More reading here:
http://www.columbiaoverland.com/ibs-systems/ibs-relay-booster-module


I think from what I recall one benefit is not needed as much in warmer climates

 

was this a copy paste fail or you getting a part number?