Dual Battery - Redarc DCDC Charger - blue wire?

[benocalvert]

I've got a redarc DCDC charger and a second battery in my bed. The charger has a wire that is intended to connect to an ignition source so that it knows if the engine is running and will charge the second battery when it is.

Has anyone found a good way to connect this to their truck? An open fuse port or something else?

Thank you

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[ReigleCM]

Use a mini2 fuse tap; tap into any of the fuses in the engine bay that are powered when the truck is on. Mine is tapped into the electronic power steering fuse.

 

[benocalvert]

Use a mini2 fuse tap; tap into any of the fuses in the engine bay that are powered when the truck is on. Mine is tapped into the electronic power steering fuse.

Thanks! It looks like that is in the box under the hood. Does that sound right?

 

[ReigleCM]

Thanks! It looks like that is in the box under the hood. Does that sound right?

Yup the fuse box under the hood, the highlighted fuse is the one I tapped into

 

[benocalvert]

Thanks again for the help.

I ended up using a fuse tap for fuse 24 which is a spare and from my testing, turns on/off with the ignition.

I drilled a hole in the driver's side of the fuse box lid to run the wire. I then made a connector for the fuse tap with a powerpole connector so that I can disconnect the wire and take the fuse box lid all the way off.

I ran the wire around the front of the engine bay, over the fan, and around the air intake and then followed the exhaust headers close- but not too close- down to the frame. I then fished the wire through the passenger's side frame rail and out a hole near the front of the bed. The wire runs between the cab and the bed and through a small gap at the front, passenger corner of the bed.

I made another powerpole connecter and have the blue wire plugged into one of these that's mounted on the side of a FrontRunner Wolf Pack Pro that contains my battery, fuses and DCDC charger.

 

[Brett Fields]

I'm so sorry I missed this thread. I also have a bcdc1240 in my truck bed. I used power from the wire stored under the drivers side rear fender that wound be for the power port option in the drop-in bed liner. If you don't have that option, it's just tucked up there doing nothing. It shuts down on the same timer as the cig lighter power ports in the dash.
Really easy to get to and use.

 

[benocalvert]

I'm so sorry I missed this thread. I also have a bcdc1240 in my truck bed. I used power from the wire stored under the drivers side rear fender that wound be for the power port option in the drop-in bed liner. If you don't have that option, it's just tucked up there doing nothing. It shuts down on the same timer as the cig lighter power ports in the dash.
Really easy to get to and use.

Thanks, Brett. I went the fuse tap route just because I was a bit worried about draining my main battery because the timer keeps power for a while after the engine stops running with the bed power source. Sounds like it's been ok for you though?

 

[Brett Fields]

Thanks, Brett. I went the fuse tap route just because I was a bit worried about draining my main battery because the timer keeps power for a while after the engine stops running with the bed power source. Sounds like it's been ok for you though?

Yeah, it's been perfect so far.
That said, I basically agree with what you're saying. To that end, I read somewhere that this delay can be edited in Forscan. I'm gonna look into that after I complete other stuff. For now though, all is well.
BTW, when I ran the 4 gauge cable from the front to the rear, I included a length of 18g with it. I was gonna use it to send ignition power back to the bed. In the end, I use it to send ignition power from the rear to the front. It energizes the relays I use for my aux lights. (Just the coils, not the lights) I didn't like the idea of spaghetti hanging out of the fuse boxes.

 

[Brett Fields]

Got any pics? I'd love to see what you did.

 

[airline tech]

Here is the Power Point - Timeout Shet , I have not tried to change any settings to verify they work though. I do not remember where I found them, I just have them in my As-Built notes file

P/Point Time Out			Time
726-39-01	1194	0101	000E	Factory 75 Minutes
	001E			30 SEC
	003C			1 MINUTE
	012C			5 MINUTES
	0258			10 MINUTES
	0384			15 MINUTES
	0708			30 MINUTES
	0E10			1 HOUR
	1C30			2 HOURS
	2A50			3 HOURS
	A960			12 HOURS
	FF10			18 HOURS
	FFFF			18 hrs/8 min/15 sec

 

[Brett Fields]

Here is the Power Point - Timeout Shet , I have not tried to change any settings to verify they work though. I do not remember where I found them, I just have them in my As-Built notes file

P/Point Time Out			Time
726-39-01	1194	0101	000E	Factory 75 Minutes
	001E			30 SEC
	003C			1 MINUTE
	012C			5 MINUTES
	0258			10 MINUTES
	0384			15 MINUTES
	0708			30 MINUTES
	0E10			1 HOUR
	1C30			2 HOURS
	2A50			3 HOURS
	A960			12 HOURS
	FF10			18 HOURS
	FFFF			18 hrs/8 min/15 sec

Is it one value for all three power points or can they be edited individually?

 

[airline tech]

Is it one value for all three power points or can they be edited individually?

I pulled the info from (I think the F-150 side)
But I think its (1) Setting for All 3 ports and possibly the USB Ports as well as I have not played with the setting I am not sure

The 110 Outlet power immediately drops when truck is shut off and powers for 13 minutes when in Accy-Mode

 

[Brett Fields]

I pulled the info from (I think the F-150 side)
But I think its (1) Setting for All 3 ports and possibly the USB Ports as well as I have not played with the setting I am not sure

The 110 Outlet power immediately drops when truck is shut off and powers for 13 minutes when in Accy-Mode

Woulda been nice to have them separate. Thanks for the info.

 

[benocalvert]

Yeah, it's been perfect so far.
That said, I basically agree with what you're saying. To that end, I read somewhere that this delay can be edited in Forscan. I'm gonna look into that after I complete other stuff. For now though, all is well.
BTW, when I ran the 4 gauge cable from the front to the rear, I included a length of 18g with it. I was gonna use it to send ignition power back to the bed. In the end, I use it to send ignition power from the rear to the front. It energizes the relays I use for my aux lights. (Just the coils, not the lights) I didn't like the idea of spaghetti hanging out of the fuse boxes.

I'm with you on the fuse box. I drilled a hole in the side of the lid and used an Anderson connector. It was painful to make the hole but I think it turned out ok

 

[Brett Fields]

Where's the bcdc12xx mounted?

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