Dual Battery Setups

[KnightRanger]

I really want to see how you attached those molle panels to your bed.

It’s the Builtright Industries panels, made for the Raptor.
They attached to the oem F-150 bed cargo tie down mounts, four bolts each, 10 total per side(2 rear screws by tailgate).Very stable mounts.
(Most of us here are still waiting for the Ranger version...lol)
https://builtrightindustries.myshopify.com/pages/product-result?rq=yr_2020~mk_ford~md_raptor

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[Glocker]

@KnightRanger
Great work with that setup! I would like to do that one day, I'm just not there yet with knowledge and skill level.

 

[Glocker]

Ugh!!!! I should have just ordered the generator I was looking at on Tuesday. It was 46% off on Home Depot's website. As of last night it is out of stock. Damn it!

I'm now considering a less powerful, little more expensive propane only model. It runs 1000/800 watts, but only weighs 28lbs. and only puts out 52 dbs. of sound at 50% load. It'll also run 60 hours on a 20 lb. propane tank at 50% load!

I'm thinking 800 watts should be enough to keep a travel fridge/freezer going through the night with a small window AC unit, and a phone charger.

 

[KnightRanger]

@KnightRanger
Great work with that setup! I would like to do that one day, I'm just not there yet with knowledge and skill level.

Thanks.
I belong to lots of other forums...
It’s mostly trial and error and years of contributing and trading tips/ ideas with other forum members.
Also from helping friends and others at Marina, fixing and wiring friends boats, jeeps etc...

Things I learned from past experience:
(and still learning...lol)

I always try to use same gauge wire or better from manufacturers recommendation.

I Add fuse or circuit breakers rated for the accessory I’m adding.

I try not to add too much wiring (adding length, causes resistance, voltage drop and heat buildup).

Protect and secure the new wiring using oem style, heat and abrasion resistant wire looms and oem or better type zipties.

Use Heat shrink type connectors as much as possible.

A few good place to start researching DC wiring:

http://www.offroaders.com/technical/12-volt-wiring-tech-gauge-to-amps/

https://www.bluesea.com/support/art...oosing_the_Correct_Wire_Size_for_a_DC_Circuit

https://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

 

[KnightRanger]

Ugh!!!! I should have just ordered the generator I was looking at on Tuesday. It was 46% off on Home Depot's website. As of last night it is out of stock. Damn it!

I'm now considering a less powerful, little more expensive propane only model. It runs 1000/800 watts, but only weighs 28lbs. and only puts out 52 dbs. of sound at 50% load. It'll also run 60 hours on a 20 lb. propane tank at 50% load!

I'm thinking 800 watts should be enough to keep a travel fridge/freezer going through the night with a small window AC unit, and a phone charger.

If you want quieter ones...I would suggest looking at inverter generators.
We’ve used them in the past when camping ( hondas, Generac, etc)
I personally have Generac 2200i and Briggs Stratton Q65 at present.
But the Generac is def quieter by few decibels.

Also look for features that has “parallel ready” which means you can add/ connect another inverter gen in case future needs change.

 

[Glocker]

If you want quiter ones...I would suggest looking at inverter generators.
We’ve used them in the past when camping ( hondas, Generac, etc)
I personally have Generac 2200i and Briggs Stratton Q65 at present.
But the Generac is def quieter by few decibels.

Also look for features that has “parallel ready” which means you can add/ connect another inverter gen in case future needs change.

I was originally looking at a Sportsman 2000/1800 dual fuel generator inverter that was on sale for 46% off; $399 before tax with free shipping was a good deal. It was 65 db at 23 feet at a 50% load. It would run about 24 hours on one 20lb tank. This other more expensive generator inverter is about half the weight and much quieter! It just has a lower 1000/800 watt rating and isn't dual fuel.

 

[KnightRanger]

I was originally looking at a Sportsman 2000/1800 dual fuel generator inverter that was on sale for 46% off; $399 before tax with free shipping was a good deal. It was 65 db at 23 feet at a 50% load. It would run about 24 hours on one 20lb tank. This other more expensive generator inverter is about half the weight and much quieter! It just has a lower 1000/800 watt rating and isn't dual fuel.

That seems like good deal.
Just to add:
Something to consider...any inverter or generator that has eco or quiet modes. They dont stay at the advertised decibels most of the time due to variations in loads and appliance demand.( e.g when fridge comp kicks in, or turning coffee maker on, etc) You will hear it change tone, louder, then gradually goes back after it senses less demand/ use.

 

[Glocker]

That seems like good deal.
Just to add:
Something to consider...any inverter or generator that has eco or quiet modes. They dont stay at the advertised decibels most of the time due to variations in loads and appliance demand.( e.g when fridge comp kicks in, or turning coffee maker on, etc) You will hear it change tone, louder, then gradually goes back after it senses less demand/ use.

I figured that our in my research. I'm really hoping the demand I will be requesting of a generator invertor doesn't cause a lot of high rpm demand. Not just for noise, but for fuel consumption too!

 

[KnightRanger]

I figured that our in my research. I'm really hoping the demand I will be requesting of a generator invertor doesn't cause a lot of high rpm demand. Not just for noise, but for fuel consumption too!

Our Generac 2200i sips fuel very slowly...I was surprised.
We lost power for a few days a few months ago and I didn’t want to turn our big house generator on (bec of noise).

So I decided to break out the Generac inverter and had our TV, wifi, cable, full size fridge, lights and 2 fans running for 5-6 hours and when I checked, it only consumed less than a quarter fuel! ?

 

[Glocker]

Our Generac 2200i sips fuel very slowly...I was surprised.
We lost power for a few days a few months ago and I didn’t want to turn our big house generator on (bec of noise).

So I decided to break out the Generac inverter and had our TV, wifi, cable, full size fridge, lights and 2 fans running for 5-6 hours and when I checked, it only consumed less than a quarter fuel! ?

I found another generator inverter for sale less than the cost of the propane only one that is rated at 2000/1600 and is dual fuel. I might be heading that direction. Plus it's only 52 db!

 

[JimJa]

@Glocker
There are several companies that sell converters to change a single fuel generator to Propane, or are able to run on either gas or Propane. I converted a home back up generator (9000W) to Propane for maintenance reasons using a company in PA. Since my set-up is for emergency use only didn't want the gas sitting for a long period, turn to varnish, and gumming up the motor when needed. Conversion was easy and it works great. Cost was about $150-$180. Might be to your advantage to purchase a gas only model and convert it vice buy a dual fuel unit.

Just a possible way to save some money.

 

[Abjectwoe]

I'm going to get one setup w/ a redarc battery controller to run a vent fan (that I have to install in my topper) & fridge

 

[Glocker]

@Glocker
There are several companies that sell converters to change a single fuel generator to Propane, or are able to run on either gas or Propane. I converted a home back up generator (9000W) to Propane for maintenance reasons using a company in PA. Since my set-up is for emergency use only didn't want the gas sitting for a long period, turn to varnish, and gumming up the motor when needed. Conversion was easy and it works great. Cost was about $150-$180. Might be to your advantage to purchase a gas only model and convert it vice buy a dual fuel unit.

Just a possible way to save some money.

I ended up ordering the dual fuel unit, on sale from Home Depot, for $462.75! I like having the ability to swap to it's internal gasoline reservoir with the flip of a switch, but I'll probably run it off a 20 lb. propane tank unless an emergency situation necessitates going to conventional gasoline.

 

[PhilipV]

Where we camp generators are a big no-no.
So I built a battery box with DC-DC charger on it that lived in the bed. It had a canopy on it, I think in the USA yiu call it a topper?
I ran wires to the back (fused at the positive terminal) and the cables ended in a plug that matched the input for my battery box. The DC-DC charger automatically switched on and off by sensing the voltage from the engine battery. In essence it was a smart isolator.
I put a myriad of power points on it for the fridge/lights etc.
It was a 90ah battery and we could easily run our fridge for a weekend on it.

If I do it again I'll put the fridge behind the seats (my extended cab doesn't have extra seats) and the battery next to it.

The old school overlanders always put the second battery in the engine bay, with an isolator relay between the batteries, and then ran a cab to wherever to power whatever. This makes a lot of sense as the current draw is a lot lower for something like a fridge than for charging a battery in the bed, so the cable can be thinner As there is less voltage drop.

 

[KnightRanger]

The old school overlanders always put the second battery in the engine bay, with an isolator relay between the batteries, and then ran a cab to wherever to power whatever. This makes a lot of sense as the current draw is a lot lower for something like a fridge than for charging a battery in the bed, so the cable can be thinner As there is less voltage drop.

That would be the “ideal“ setup. Unfortunately, there’s not
alot of room in these trucks for a 2nd battery in the engine bay.
(I tried with my first Ranger and also my F150 Raptor. I ended up just running the Isolator wires all the way from batt to the bed for the 2nd battery).

I remember running a dual battery on our Jeeps, it had a dedicated tray/kit for it and it fit inside the orig location under the hood.
I have not seen one on a Ford truck yet, which is a bummer.

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