NewHilux.net

G'day. I'm new to the forum and this is my first real thread. I am about to take delivery of my first *cough* Toyota being a brand new 2014 D4D Manual SR5 dual cab Hilux with full leather trim. First off the rank for accessories will be a dual battery system. I have been looking at the Redarc BCDC1240 (40 amp) system but I am unsure if this will be overkill for what I plan to do. Redarc also do the BCDC1225 (25 amp) system. Has anybody used either of these systems in their Hilux and what are your opinions? I plan to set the car up as a tough tourer and will do the odd 4-8week long self sufficient desert/Cape trips and alsp plan keep the car for 10+ years in which time who knows what gizmos will come onto the market requiring a decent battery system so I plan to do it once and do it right. I will run two Engel fridge/freezers from time to time as well as under bonnet shower, numerous LED lights, charging accessories etc. ARB have told me that the 40 amp kit is overkill for my requirements and have recommended I go the 25 amp kit. After a few google searches on these kits I am skeptical that the 40 amp kit will be overkill for my needs. What are your thoughts? Cheers Brad.

Witch one you use will determine how you plane to wire it up, and if even what you are looking at will do the job

http://www.batteriesdirect.com.au/shop/ ... vAod61AAFw
This is what many use in there vans with a 50w and 200w pv system
50w is for when home and 200w when in the road with a 120-150a/h batt
When selecting a batt for the job you also need to think about dod factor

40 amp is too big unless you are fitting a huge second battery. If you read up on the Redarc site you will see these bigger ones are made for multible battery installations .
Check the specs of the battery you plan to buy and I think you will find that it will prefer a smaller charge than that, rule of thumb is usually 10% of the battery size is the most suitable amp charge.

I just purchased the BCDC1225LV for my 2010 model. I am only running 1 100ah AGM battery off it. The 1225 has the solar capability. I am not putting solar on it at the moment however it is there if I need it later. You will definitely need the LV (Low Voltage) model. I know a few with the 1225 and it meets all requirements. The 1240 is used alot in caravans with large batteries to charge.
Hope this helps.
Scott

Im running the bcdc1225 with a 92 a/h intimidator battery, it has the solar input which I charge from if camped up for a while its a 170 watt panel which charges the battery to run my 80l waeco, led lights etc handles it easily,i also asked about the 1240 and was also told overkill.

40 would be a bit of overkill unless you have 2 or more agm aux batteries and not plan on doing much driving time to recharge them.

If you go for the 25 amp like I am running wire in a change over relay to switch your supply to the fridges to the main battery when the ignition is turned on so the bcdc isn't having to carry load as well as charge.

Thanks for the replies so far. I guess the BCDC1225LV is the go then. I calked ARB today and they quoted me $2100 installed which I think is ridiculous. The kit on eBay is worth $450, $100 for wiring kit, $150 for an ARB tray, and probably allow $300ish for a battery plus maybe up to $100 Max for good battery terminals, connectors, solder, heat shrink etc. Have any of you guys installed the kit yourselves and us it all that difficult? $1000 for mark up plus fitting seems a but rich.

Donk wrote:Thanks for the replies so far. I guess the BCDC1225LV is the go then. I calked ARB today and they quoted me $2100 installed which I think is ridiculous. The kit on eBay is worth $450, $100 for wiring kit, $150 for an ARB tray, and probably allow $300ish for a battery plus maybe up to $100 Max for good battery terminals, connectors, solder, heat shrink etc. Have any of you guys installed the kit yourselves and us it all that difficult? $1000 for mark up plus fitting seems a but rich.

I got a similar story when I went to get mine (BCDC1225LV), I ended up going to a local autoelectrician who was quite reasonable. Be aware the costs do add up though, it's a fiddly job and it's good to get it set-up right the first time. Depending on your set-up you'll need to get an additional fuse box and it is worthwhile having the solar set-up even if you don't use it straight away. Also, get the LED installed in the dash (it's a standard option on the unit) it saves opening the bonnet every time you want to check if the battery is charging.

Fellas, hang on a minute.

Read this from Redarc regarding alternator type and which model of bcdc you need - it specifically says not to use the LV for the D4D. The copyright is dated 2013 so its a recent document. I'd be phoning Redarc and checking what you've been told with them.

http://www.rpc.com.au/pdf/REDARC_isolators_incompatible_vehicles.pdf

I run a 2013 Hilux and monitor the alternator voltage on the Victron and have never seen it below 13.2V. It drives a bcdc1240 in the tray (220amp/hr AGMs) plus another 1240 in the trailer for the 120amp/hr there. Installed system myself, straightforward. Has delivered 3 yrs 80,000km hassle free power since in first the Prado then the Hilux. Love the Redarcs.

hartster wrote:Fellas, hang on a minute.

Read this from Redarc regarding alternator type and which model of bcdc you need - it specifically says not to use the LV for the D4D. The copyright is dated 2013 so its a recent document. I'd be phoning Redarc and checking what you've been told with them.

http://www.rpc.com.au/pdf/REDARC_isolators_incompatible_vehicles.pdf

I run a 2013 Hilux and monitor the alternator voltage on the Victron and have never seen it below 13.2V. It drives a bcdc1240 in the tray (220amp/hr AGMs) plus another 1240 in the trailer for the 120amp/hr there. Installed system myself, straightforward. Has delivered 3 yrs 80,000km hassle free power since in first the Prado then the Hilux. Love the Redarcs.

I doesn't really say don't use it. The auto elec that I brought mine off suggested the LV variant so I rang REDARC before i purchased to check and they told me to get the 1225LV as well. Hopefully I wasn't talking to the work experience kid.
Anyway I haven't had any dramas with it.

when I first was searching this I found that many had there alt's chiped to fix this problem
And that this is why they went the 25 over the 40

It is ok to use the LV, especially if solar is a future option, you just need a panel then and not fork out on a kit with a cheap regulator and then have to buy a decent regulator anyway.

I installed my own and if you are handy with wiring it isn't that hard there is an ignition activated relay behind the glove box( on a 2013 SR5 ) with a dark blue output wire to tap into for the ign supply to the redarc, and the fridge supply change over relay if you choose to fit it.

Just use decent 40 amp circuit breakers with screw on terminals, there are very few fuse holders out there that will carry that amount of current continually, and when you are outback somewhere and you find the problem you don't have to find where you put your spare fuses only to find they have been destroyed by bouncing around with all the other stuff in the box.

I put the unit in the pocket under the back seat as it is more of a mid point between the battery under the bonnet and the rear Andersen plug, used twin 6 mm(sheathed) automotive cable both positive to supply the unit and then twin 5 mm sheath both positive to the front battery and twin 6, again both positive to the Andersen plug.

40 A circuit breaker to supply the unit at the battery end, another at the output of the unit before the split to each battery, and a 50 amp at each battery. I opted for the small manual reset type.

martynvella wrote:It is ok to use the LV, especially if solar is a future option, you just need a panel then and not fork out on a kit with a cheap regulator and then have to buy a decent regulator anyway.

Not trying to start an argument, but this doesn’t sound quite right, when bcdc MPPT solar controllers and low voltage capability are mutually exclusive? Both my non-LV 1240s are MPPT capable, and are used as such. What influence does the choice between LV and non-LV have on solar capability?

Earlier in the thread it was stated that you definitely need the LV model for the Hilux. You don't.

Geebung is right though, I said ‘specifically says not to use’ the LV, which is not what the document says. It specifies the non-LV but it doesn’t say you can’t use the LV. So I stand corrected, sorry for the bad wording, you can use the LV with the D4D. But you definitely don’t need to. If you change out your vehicle for a Nissan or Land Rover down the track and you’ve got an LV model you’re able to use your Redarc!

hartster wrote:

martynvella wrote:It is ok to use the LV, especially if solar is a future option, you just need a panel then and not fork out on a kit with a cheap regulator and then have to buy a decent regulator anyway.

Not trying to start an argument, but this doesn’t sound quite right, when bcdc MPPT solar controllers and low voltage capability are mutually exclusive? Both my non-LV 1240s are MPPT capable, and are used as such. What influence does the choice between LV and non-LV have on solar capability?

Earlier in the thread it was stated that you definitely need the LV model for the Hilux. You don't.

Geebung is right though, I said ‘specifically says not to use’ the LV, which is not what the document says. It specifies the non-LV but it doesn’t say you can’t use the LV. So I stand corrected, sorry for the bad wording, you can use the LV with the D4D. But you definitely don’t need to. If you change out your vehicle for a Nissan or Land Rover down the track and you’ve got an LV model you’re able to use your Redarc!

I don't take being corrected as provoking an argument, it is constructive criticism from which we can all learn.

I have never fitted a 40 amp unit hence never seen the instructions, somewhere along the line I was led to believe the LV variant was the choice for solar but I stand corrected on that.

Cool I love this forum.

Another comment made on the way through was:

when I first was searching this I found that many had there alt's chiped to fix this problem
And that this is why they went the 25 over the 40

john253a - I thought chipping an alternator only dealt with the low voltage issue, but doesn't change current output? If that's the case then why would that affect the decision between a 1225 and a 1240? Just want to understand that properly.

In my opinion, the 1225 is the simple choice.
Mainly because you can use cheaper batteries for this unit, 20 amp charge rate instead of 40 amps.
The Roo.

Only asking, not telling.

Doesn't the charger regulate output based on amps and voltage? I thought 25 amp would be fine for a single battery and small loads and a 40 for a small bank.

I think, Donk, is only going for one battery plus the cranking battery. 20-25 amps will do the job.
As you know, it depends on how you are going to use the system.
If it's just for a fridge, say the ARB 47L, and a few LED lights, well, fine.
If you want to run stoves, light the whole area up like a football field, well no.
Just buy two lead acid batteries, deep cycle with one dual purpose. Should give you around the 200 amp power range, for the batteries. About the 100 amps for the accessories.
The Roo.

hartster wrote:Cool I love this forum.

Another comment made on the way through was:

when I first was searching this I found that many had there alt's chiped to fix this problem
And that this is why they went the 25 over the 40

john253a - I thought chipping an alternator only dealt with the low voltage issue, but doesn't change current output? If that's the case then why would that affect the decision between a 1225 and a 1240? Just want to understand that properly.

Increasing the regulating voltage of an alternator will increase its current output proportionately as it is the winding of the stator that limits the output currentwise but it is calculated with a set max voltage in the formula so by increasing the regulating voltage you will allow the alternator to exceed its design limits and risk cooking it and blowing output fuses.

This being said I cant see how other than cutting a bcdc unit in a second or two earlier its output would not change, they operate on a range of input voltage and regulate their own output.

mattwhite wrote:Only asking, not telling.

Doesn't the charger regulate output based on amps and voltage? I thought 25 amp would be fine for a single battery and small loads and a 40 for a small bank.

You are right, these things are simply a smart 3 stage charger just like the ones you plug into the wall, only they have a DC input.

Smart chargers in the first stage regulate current so give as much current as either the battery demands or they can give whichever comes first, when the voltage reaches a predetermined setting it will switch to the second stage which is voltage regulated until the current drops to a predetermined level, then they go into float which is just above the theoretical open circuit voltage of the fully charged battery.

Putting a 40 amp unit on a small bank will work fine, the advantage is it can also run heavyish loads at the same time.
40 amps is a lot of power, remember in the 70ies 40 amp alternators were standard equipment on most Australian cars.

Putting too small a unit on a large bank is not so good, the internal resistance of a large bank will never increase enough for the voltage to climb high enough to switch the unit out of bulk mode or the first stage and overgassing can occur. This is why there is always a maximum battery capacity in the spec sheets.

This is my interpretation of the information given to us by sales reps when smart chargers first hit the market, since then 5 and even saw a 7 stage charger recently but haven't really researched these as I don't sell them any more.