An Off-Grid Engineering Dual Battery (side-by-side) kit for the Toyota Tacoma was installed in a 2013 FJ Cruiser with slight modifications to the kit's mounting bracket and to the FJ Cruiser. A 100-Watt solar panel was also installed to supplement the system off-grid.
When I purchased my brand new FJ Cruiser in 2013, we took it out on occasion to camp and travel off-road, but it has since sat in my garage on mothballs so-to-speak. Unless I manually disconnected the factory lead acid battery or trickle charged it, over time it naturally discharged while parked. Over time, lead sulfate crystals built up and remained on the battery plates. This is known as sulfation, and dramatically reduced battery life and its ability to hold a charge.
Can you recall how many times you had to jump start your vehicle because of a dead battery? If you lived in the city, this was just a minor inconvenience as help was just a phone call away. What if you were out in the boondocks, intentionally away from civilization and your battery went kaput? An adequately robust, self-sufficient tow vehicle and trailer setup that could weather such mishaps was always my goal in my quest to build the ultimate Zombie Apocalypse Vehicle.
Two 12-Volt Odyssey AGM Group 35 batteries were added side-by-side and connected via an automatic charging relay/isolator. Power was routed through a distribution block and distribution box. The OEM (factory) smart alternator would supply increased voltage to the AGM batteries after replacing one of the engine compartment fuses with a booster. A circuit breaker was installed to allow a roof rack mounted Renogy 100 Watts solar panel to be connected with a 30 amp PWM Controller and bluetooth transmitter. The main AGM battery starts the truck, and the second one powers up the accessories. Both can be charged up by the alternator while the engine is running. When parked, the solar panel should adequately compensate for any parasitic drainage of the batterie(s). If the primary battery fails to start the truck, the auxiliary battery would be connected via switch to jump start it. This switch can be left in automatic mode or manually controlled from the engine compartment or the cabin.
Additionally, a dual battery volt meter was installed within the cabin area to monitor the status of the two installed batteries.
Components:
- Off-Grid Engineering 2005-Current Toyota Tacoma Complete Dual Battery System - "Side-by-Side"
- Two Odyssey AGM Group 35 Batteries (35-PC1400)
- MCIGICM 10ga Inline Fuse Holder Waterproof Pigtail Fuse Relay with 40A Blade Fuse, 3 Pack
- Bussmann CB285-40 Surface-Mount Circuit Breakers, 40 Amps (1 per pack)
- Bussmann CB285-25 Surface-Mount Circuit Breakers, 25 Amps (1 per pack)
- Renogy 100 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline Solar Starter Kit
- SolidKit Dual Battery Volt Meter (4th Gen 4Runner, 2nd Gen Tacoma, Etc) from Mule Expedition Outfitters
- Miscellaneous stainless steel hardware and wire from Marine West and Lowe's Department Store