Anyone using a Dometic PLB40 in their Tacoma?

I double-checked, and no updates are pending for the PLB40. I did make sure that the team is aware of the request on this front, so fingers crossed , it will be addressed in the future.

Thanks!

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I bought my PLB40 in 2020 and I'm not having the same problems. I have recently mounted a rooftop solar panel connected via the Anderson port. Driving around would cause the battery to beep when the sun stopped hitting the panel. But it resumes charging by itself and isn't a problem.

The beeping was a problem, so I hooked the DC barrel input up to an ignition controlled 12v socket and everything has been perfect since. I have two sources of power so if the sun goes missing while I'm driving, it's still getting charged from my alternator. My fridge is staying ice cold and the battery is topped off a little after noon (no matter if I'm driving or parked).

I feel like I'm going to run into problems because no one else seems to be doing this and this can't be an original thought. Haha. Is there a reason I shouldn't hook it up this way?

 

I just had multiple days of cloudy weather and the PLB-40 hit 0%. Unfortunately, it turns off and stays off when it does this.

It still receives power and charges from solar but doesn't output it to my fridge even when it reaches 100%. Manually turning the battery back on when there's not enough sun seems like the norm with this battery.

Buyer beware.

 

Updating that I’ve been so happy with my PLB40 over the years but now the LCD numbers are dying. Can’t tell if 86% or 36% gets a little stressful. I hit up Dometic to see what they can do as it’s effectively been reduced to a small battery without the features that made it desirable

 

Just thought I'd update. My previous update about it not turning back on when it hits 0 is basically moot.

Since getting solar installed on my Jeep back in May, it's stayed topped off until two days ago where it got below 30%. We had multiple days of cloudy weather + multiple days of staying home and not driving. I manually charged it for a few hours but may not have needed to as it's been quite sunny since.

I wouldn't say I recommend the PLB40 but there's definitely work arounds to making it work for existing owners.

Ideally it was a bit larger and accepted a bit more solar so it could maintain a medium to large sized Dometic fridge even if there's a bit of clouds.

 

@Dometic
I got a new PLB40 recently and as per instructions plugged it in to charge it to 100% as soon as I unpacked it.
However the SOC is at 96% and won't charge over that even though it has been plugged in for hours.

What's the recommendation here? Discharge it to 0% and charge again or could it be something wrong with the battery?

 

I’ve used a Dometic PLB40 in my 2015 Tacoma since September 2022 to power my ARB Classic II 37L fridge, @Dometic. The PLB40 was powered through the instrument panel 12V power points and the Anderson connector cable.

For almost two years it worked perfectly to keep the fridge going when the truck was in camp and not running.

During a two week trip last August, after almost two years of use, The 12V cigarette lighter connector was operating very hot -- much more than normal -- and melted the fusible links in both 12V power points.

Fast forward to this spring and after (1) replacing both instrument panel 12V outlets, (2) adding a 2-pin locking 12V connector to the center console, and (3) adding a 120V outlet to the center console powered by the truck's OEM inverter modified to give 400W any time.

The PLB40 charges fine inside the cab with the unit’s 120V transformer and cable.

The PLB40 will not charge through the 12V cable, although it seems to have solid connections and expected voltage at the cable’s Anderson connector end. The PLB40 won't charge from either the 12V 2-pin connector or the 12V dash sockets. And the 12V plug on the cable gets very hot just like last summer. I'm sure it will open the fusible link in the outlets again if I continue to try to use it.

I'm starting to wonder if there's a problem with the Anderson connector circuit inside the PLB40.