Simplest dual-battery & 2000W inverter setup

xxaarraa said:

Here's a sitrep.

I ordered an Odyssey PC2150S yesterday. Group 31, 1150 CCA, 100 AH. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002498NR2/?tag=fordraptorforum-20

It will sit on my trailer's tongue all summer and power a fan and lights in my trailer when I don't have access to shore power / generator. In the fall and winter, I will move it to the bed of the truck and along with a 2000W inverter and wired in parallel with the stock battery with quick disconnects, it will help me run a Keurig and Microwave on overlanding trips.

Will post pics and updates once I get it setup in the truck.

Click to expand...

I completed this a while ago and even used it on my cross country drive a bunch. Very happy with the results.

4 gauge wiring from car's OEM battery routed to bed along the frame. Big enough fuse wired at the factory battery end. Wiring enters bed through a small hole drilled inside the factory tie-down clamp. Battery and inverter are on a quick connect/disconnect.

The inverter is mounted to my swingcase so that I can easily remove it when hosing off the bed of truck, and so that it's also easily accessible when standing by the tailgate.

The battery is held in place with my TMAT blockers. No drilling or hard mounting either inverter or battery.

I ran a small microwave a bunch on the cross country journey, as well as a Keurig. I always had the truck running while doing so, with the house battery just being the buffer for high startup draw. However, I was able to run the inverter and my appliances with truck off and just off the house battery / starter battery combo if I wanted to. The Odyssey Group 31 is super beefy.

Incidentally, engine start/stop did not work when house battery was connected. When house battery was removed and moved to trailer, engine start/stop started working again seamlessly.

Overall, very happy with the setup. Simple and effective for my use.

The tmat blockers are secure and strong enough to hold the battery in place? Very interesting setup with it being capable of holding the battery in place.

---------- Post added at 04:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:18 PM ----------

Foe the tmat blockers. Did you order the standard 5.5 foot bed setup on there home page and add additional blocks?

Very cool setup you got.

Jspeers89 said:

The tmat blockers are secure and strong enough to hold the battery in place? Very interesting setup with it being capable of holding the battery in place.

---------- Post added at 04:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:18 PM ----------

Foe the tmat blockers. Did you order the standard 5.5 foot bed setup on there home page and add additional blocks?

Very cool setup you got.

Click to expand...

Yup, I used TMAT blockers on all 3 sides with the battery wedged up against the side of the bed. Very secure.

Yes, I ordered the standard 5.5 ft bed and spent an additional $30 something to get additional blockers. Standard kit comes with 4 big non-adjustable and 2 small adjustable blockers if I remember right.