Off-Grid Engineering Dual Battery System Q&A

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Hi - I would like you guys to help make sure I buy the right stuff.

I have a 2018 sport and want to run power to the bed and want to ask Matt to send everything to wire it up so I don't need to make four trips to Lowes and buy a special crimping tool.

Here is what I think I need:
1 - 2005 - Current Toyota Tacoma Complete Dual Battery System - "Side-by-Side"
2 - Blue Sea 6 Circuit Fuse Block from PowerTrays
3 - Blue Sea 4356 Below Deck Panel With OLED Display with wiring harness from PowerTrays
4 - Custom Length Battery Cables from PowerTrays - sized to fit the Dual Batter system so I don't have to crimp anything (what do I need for this? Two? Any idea how long I should ask for?

Thanks for the help.

 

If going with a group 31 odessey which one is the recommended battery for the 2nd gen.
Also what am I looking at in the terms of run time difference between the 31 and 35? Really only plan to be running a dometic fridge rated at .77 amps per hr. Maybe some usb lights and chargers.

 

Looking at getting a dual tray for 05+ Taco. What's your current lead time on just the trays?
Running any Veteran's day/black friday promos?

 

I believe Matt doesn't post here very often anymore so it's best to contact him via FB or email as listed in the OP.

 

Thanks! I appreciate people looking out like that. The best way to contact me is ALWAYS by email. I dont get to check here nearly often enough.

 

Which tray are you looking at? The "side-by-side" or passenger side tray?

And yes. I fully plan to start a "Black November" sale thread today. Ill link to it here when its up.

 

"BLACK NOVEMBER" SALE IS LIVE!

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/off-grid-engineering-black-november-sale.575769/

 

Side-by-Side. My TRD Sport has that darn ABS module on the passenger side. Tempted by the sale, however, I'm piecing together my kit and only need the tray. Thanks!

 

Welp, TWMEMBER will always get you 5% off... and the side-by-side trays are in stock

 

Has anyone attached a bus bar on top of the tie down for the second battery? Looking for a way to clean up the mess on the positive terminal.

https://www.bluesea.com/products/2314/Common_100A_Mini_BusBar_-_5_Gang_with_Cover

 

Using a busbar will still require an inline fuse to be used for each accessory. You'll still have a mess coming from the general area of the auxiliary battery. This is why we recommend the use of an auxiliary fuse box instead.

Run one positive and one negative cable from the auxiliary battery to a fuse box located anywhere you desire. Attach all accessories to the fuse box. This keeps all circuits well sorted and properly fused.

 

anyone in here bought the wiring harness with the Deutsch for the ML-ACR? Need some close up pics of the clip that mates with the ML-ACR Deutsch if possible. I bought the harness and my own Deutsch pieces to crimp on my ML-ACR wires and want to make sure I get the ML-ACR wires into the proper slots ont eh Deutsch to make up properly to the OGE harness.

 

You need a picture of the ACR side of the harness, correct?

 

Here ya go



Pin #1 - Black
Pin #2 - Red
Pin #3 - Brown
Pin #4 - Yellow
Pin #5 - Green
Pin #6 - Orange

 

You sir are the epitome of customer service and I am extremely grateful!!!

Learning note for everyone else: DO NOT PUT HEATSHRINK ONTO THE CRIMPS AND THE WIRE BEHIND THE "BARREL", the connector will NOT "snap" into place with it on there. Lesson learned, luckily I didn't use very good heatshrink with glue so it was relatively easy to remove.

 

Why is it that there's always either a beer in the picture with either a auto part or engine... or a truck.

 

I am installing the side-by-side in my 2018 and am trying to find out what batteries to get, originally I was planning on OEM Group 24 and picking up a second one but they are too wide.

The tie down is 13 3/8" and looking at the Optima yellow top they are 6.75" which makes it look like two of them won't fit under the tie down - but the top of the Optima looks like it is narrower than the base and no one near me sells these batteries so I can't try to test fit them.

What batteries are you guys using in the side-by-side install that fit under the tied down (I assume yours are 13 3/8" as well).

 

I think the majority of us run Odyssey batteries. They come in every size and shape you could need and have much better warranty than Optima. I killed a cell in my old car probably due to bad alternator and they still gave me a new one. I just had to pry off the metal jacket since those were out of stock but it was just silicone'd on.

I run the split batteries 1500's if I remember right to share the weight instead of the side by side but I think recommended size is same

 

Thanks, I will look and see if anyone locally has them, I am reluctant to spend the money on them not knowing if the tie down will fit them.

Matt has pictures of both brands on side by side on the site but both manufactures say their group 35s are wider than would fit, I will keep looking.