Wisconsin Tacomas and bad financial advice

General comment for the TWARK crew because I can't reply to everything individually: Looks like you guys had a great trip, some fantastic photos and trip reports. Thanks very much for sharing with us!

I've got a 2nd battery but that was always part of the plan. If I ever get lucky enough for either my dad or myself to draw an elk hunting tag again in New Mexico, I need enough power to run without charging for multiple days.

I was previously charging DC-DC using a Victron Orion-TR. Worked great but not ideal mounting for my setup. I now have a

$508 REDARC BCDC1240D Dual Input 40A in-Vehicle DC Battery Charger

REDARC BCDC1240D mounted in the engine bay. And I have a hood mounted solar panel waiting to be installed.

It just all depends on how many things you intend on running and how deep into insanity you want to dive lol.

 

Does anyone have any experience under the dash of both 2nd and 3rg gen trucks? I bought a Redarc brake controller and the installation video is for third gen. I'm wondering how much has changed between the two gens?

 

Check the thread below if you haven't already seen it. I've had it bookmarked in my notepad for a while in case I ever get one.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/redarc-tow-pro-elite-install-in-2nd-gen.675690/

 

Thank the missus for us.

Great pics!

 

Thanks again!

I see now that it helps to search specifically for DC-DC chargers. I see that Renogy has a 20 amp that looks like it won't take up a lot of space, and reasonably priced. I'll have to pick your brain some more this coming weekend!

 

Well now, that was most excellent information! Thanks!

 

I may have one of those controllers that I'm not using.

 

Twark Day 5 Part 2:

Getting started from the falls was fun. kind of a bench road up from the river. The side drainages started to show there colors and soon even the flaty smacked! Dean heard it and asked if I hit over the radio... well yes I did hit. He hit also...





That was expensive. Well, the rest of the trail was hard and rough and fun. A few more crossings and a real kicker at the end: two plus foot ledge/rock step that thankfully was a downhill. Trucks got through no sweat but Alf had to sit and spin a bit to find its footing and get free. Eventually we made it to the end of the trail and had a late lunch at the cemetery.










A bit of road driving ensued as we were done rather than another long offroad chunk down to camp As it turned out we did an end around and made it to an amazing camp along Hurricane Creek. Across the creek was a Ford that we would have had to make in the morning had we come down the other side... Dave went across, in his skivvies again to see if it was doable. He said no way, so good call on our part

 

I suppose I should probably see what the charging controller I have actually does before I just keep ordering stuff. I hope to put a solar setup in the cargo trailer project also, if I ever get that off the ground.

 

These are super awesome! Thank you!

 

Yes, the plan is for virtually nothing drawing off the starting battery when camping. My setup charges by solar until the ignition is turned on, then the alt takes over, dual inputs to my DC/DC charger. Fridge can run constantly and have capacity for lights, charging the radio or even using my tablet to check emails, whatever. I even think an electric blanket could be an option.

 

A quality fridge will not draw much power. Especially if it is not in direct sunlight. A half decent fridge, can be run off of a group 27f battery for over 2 days and still be able to start the truck just fine.

Thems fightin words

If you aren't tuned, one of the benefits is you can kick up your alternator charge right to a little over 14 volts. This is huge when running deeper batteries, especially when you have high draw.

 

I'm looking at a fridge/freezer combo. And I already bought a battery. I just don't like the idea of having it drawing off the starter battery. I was mostly trying to figure out the simplest way to charge the battery off the alternator while the engine is running.

 

Just get a battery isolater switch so you can switch from one to the other or both.

 

Then he’ll need to find someone qualified to wire it up.

 

I'm not trying to power the fridge from multiple batteries. I'm trying to charge the auxiliary battery from the alternator while the vehicle is running and then switch to solar when it isn't.

It seems like there are multiple ways to do it. I was just curious how others are set up for charging.

 

Yeah, good luck there.

Kidding aside, automotive wiring is very different from what I do at work. I have done a few things for friends, though.

 

3rd gen degens have an outlet in the bed. Power kills when engine is off.
Find a diagram that shows how they have that wired.
Then how to draw from alternate source when engine is killed.
???