Dual Battery?

[adllewis42]

There really is no room in the engine compartment. Options are to hang a battery underneath on the frame, put one in the bed, or in the back seat.

Let us know how you work it out.

For me putting the battery in the bed was the best option. As far as kits go, use the Hellroaring SS Isolator.

You didn't happen to do a write up on your install, did you?

 

[wheelman55]

You didn't happen to do a write up on your install, did you?

See post 27 in this thread. Follow the link to my install in expedition portal.

Ping me if you have questions.

 

[Vegas_Sirk]

Coming way back to this, it looks like the stock battery is not enough to reliably run a Dometic CXF-75DZ. This is one of the big boys though that has two compartments which I've been using both. I've never had an issue but I've noticed now that the truck is sitting more (COVID-19), the fridge has shut itself off a few times due to low voltage. Probably never an issue with a smaller fridge and it was never an issue when I was driving every day but looks like it does eventually drain the stock battery to a low enough voltage to shut off the fridge.

When doing weekend adventures how long can you get it run while in camp? Will it run ok for 2 days?

 

[adllewis42]

When doing weekend adventures how long can you get it run while in camp? Will it run ok for 2 days?

I think a lot of that depends on where you are, what the temps are, and what you have them set to. I currently have it running the big compartment at 32 and the smaller one at 42 and It's been fine parked in my driveway for a couple days. Pretty moderate temps this time of year in Seattle though ... Everywhere I've gone camping, I've never had the truck parked for more than 12, maybe 18 hours at a time. We're constantly on the move.

 

[PatagoniaDan]

Would love a template for a clean 2nd batter install also. Would come in handy for tailgate/camping for adding Dometic as well as radio, chargers, heaters, etc.
I'm thinking a corner of the truck bed would be most practical.

 

[lateralis]

For people who have put batteries in their bed, can you post up some pictures of how you ran your main lines from the engine bay back? Trying to figure out a good way to run them without worrying about rock strikes or pinching from the frame to cab.

 

[BroncoAZ]

I just ordered a Raptor, so while researching dual battery options I found this thread. I’ve been running an ARB fridge for the past three years in a few different vehicles, a 2011 VW Touareg TDI, 2017 Subaru Outback, and currently a 2015 VW Passat TDI. I travel to Phoenix or farther 35+ weeks per year and use an ARB fridge to keep my food for the week. If the fridge fails my food spoils, unacceptable. Here are my experiences in Phoenix summers:

2011 Touareg with ARB 50 quart in transit bag - ran off the stock Group 49 battery and stock wiring in the back of the SUV. If not driven daily the fridge hit the cutoff the morning of day 2, or sometimes late afternoon of day 1 if 110+ degrees and parked in the sun.

2017 Subaru Outback with same 50 quart - the stock battery in the subi is shit, only 350 CCA, fridge was dead before 5pm on a 90 degree day. Was running on the stock wiring in the back. Upgraded to an Optima yellow top 24/78, helped some, but the fridge died quickly on days over 100 degrees.

2015 VW Passat with 37 quart in transit bag - I installed a group 31 yellow top with a blue sea systems automatic charging relay in the trunk with a run of 8 gauge from the OEM battery to it. The fridge will run for 2-3 days without running the car in any temperature, even when the trunk is pushing 150 degrees on a 110+ degree day. On spring days under 90 degrees the fridge will run for 5+ days. The Optima battery died in 15 months (like they usually do) so I swapped in a better AGM battery and it’s been fine for another year. This setup is awesome.

I’ll need to install the 37 quart in the Raptor. I ordered a Scab, so there isn’t much space in the back. I’m going to investigate removing the entire rear seat behind the driver’s seat to build a platform for the fridge (maybe with a battery under it), if that can’t work I’ll have it in the bed under whatever tonneau cover I buy. If there is a different fridge that fits in the cab better I have no issue buying it, so maybe and Engle or something. I never have more than 3 people in my vehicle, so I’d rather have the fridge inside.

I saw a Raptor in the body shop a while back that had an aftermarket tube prerunner style bumper, there was a battery mount behind the skid plate where a winch would usually go. I thought it was terrible for weight distribution. I would much rather do a box off the frame somewhere more central on the truck.

Here is the charge relay I use. It’s voltage controlled and has worked great in the Passat for the past 2.5 years in the AZ heat.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OTIPDQ/?tag=fordraptorforum-20

Here is a picture of the Passat setup with the yellow top.

 

[wheelman55]

BroncoAZ...I’ve also run an ARB in three different vehicles and ended up using a dual battery with an isolator, which works well.

On the Raptor I chose to use the bed, however I think that in the cab might end up “less hot” than in the bed and under a tonneau.

Observations:

• my old 50 quart ARB was too tall for the bed when using a slider. I bought a ARB Elements 63 liter which does fit with the slider.
• Both fridge and batt are in the bed, under the tonneau
• I used 8 awg wire and Anderson connectors to wire up the batt to the isolator, and another set of Anderson connectors from Batt to fridge.
• There is plenty of room under the bed on the passenger side to mount the batt to the frame. I stayed in the bed because I’m using a BattleBorn LiFeP04 batt. I drive on dirt roads a lot and didn’t want to get the BMS full of fine dust. With an AGM dust is not an issue. I believe that the batt would also be cooler under the bed.
• In basecamp I run both ARB fridges from the one BB batt using a 180 watt folding solar panel.
• I believe that a single 80 to 100 watt panel would support one fridge.
• It takes 5 or so hours of driving a day to keep the batt charged. Solar could work well for you in AZ.

My two cents...every position has it’s own +/-...let us know where and how you end up installing the fridge and batt in the new Raptor.

 

[jamanrr]

I believe an upgrade would be the newer f150 powerstroke diesel battery, that thing is huge.

 

[BroncoAZ]

My work trips start and end with at least a 2 hour drive, and I charge the battery with a Ctek about once per month just to keep it in top shape. I may look into a smaller battery rather than the Group 31 from the Passat if mounting it under the bed. I would want to keep the bed free of permanent obstructions if possible so I could put my bike in there under the tonneau. The automatic charge relay I use can be hooked to a switch as well to combine it with the main battery when needed, so I might be able to combine in the truck battery when needed.

Is the battery in the Powerstroke F-150 bigger than a Group 65? If so maybe the tray could be modified and used to mount a second smaller battery, or two smaller batteries.