Hilux 4x4 Forum

Let me start with having bought a deep cycle battery from "TheoF" for my dual system (thanks again Theo! ). I needed a new battery box .... got three of them but all are too short, so I set about making one from some old material lying about. The only things I had to buy were the battery pole connectors, some battery cable, a pair of cigarette lighter sockets and some speaker type connectors.

My questions are ...... is there anything you would still add to the box or do differently? ..... and although I have some ideas, more heads are better than one, how to secure the box in the load-bin so that I still have fairly easy access to the battery? ..... (things have a tendency to fly / bounce about in the back there if not secured.


Some pics of the box so far .......

Maybe a Brad Harris plug.....

PS: You probably know this already but make sure you treat that pressed wood well because it does not like water at all

not quiet sure what all you are prepared to do to tie it down, so some of my ideas my not suit you

1. install/weld/bolt an eye/chain link next to where you would like the box to be/remain
and then use a tie down to keep the battery box in place
this way you would not even need to screw down the lid, couz the tie down/strap, would keep the lid on and the box in place
if you wished to inspect or work on something on the inside of the box, then it would mean something as simple as loosening the strap to gain access to all

2. use a piece of angle iron, to bolt onto the box and to the mounting point
this could be just two pieces of angle iron on opposite sides of the box, or you could weld up a whole frame and have it bolted on all corners to the box and the mounting area

hope this at least gives you some ideas

Fibreglass the whole box

Andy, I would replace at least one cigarette lighter socket with a Hella Socket. Same shape but more suitable for higher current than a cig lighter.

I would also suggest replacing those loudspeaker terminals with something more substantial, like these:





Obtainable here: http://za.rs-online.com/web/p/terminal-posts/6778759/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Don't forget to add suitably rated fuses on the +ve Terminal of the battery.


-F_D

I would also add a 12Volt battery level indicator Always handy to know what the battery level is :wink2:

OOOOMS wrote:I would also add a 12Volt battery level indicator Always handy to know what the battery level is :wink2:

duh... hy gaan gelyk met die laaibak vloer wees

CasKru wrote:

OOOOMS wrote:I would also add a 12Volt battery level indicator Always handy to know what the battery level is :wink2:

duh... hy gaan gelyk met die laaibak vloer wees

Daai level dink ek het hy.....soms

i strapped mine in the back. Agree that that speaker connections is not ideal.
Mine has subsequently grow. I have now added a top section where there is an inverter and charger mounted.

Hi Andy,

Daai boks moet jy na die ouens toe vat wat die rubber linnings op bakkies doen sodat hulle vir jou n laag polyurethane kan opspuit. Dan gaan hy sterker en waterdig wees.

Cheers,

Thanks for the replies so far. Yes, the chip-board will be well protected ... I know all too well that the stuff is like 'wheat-bix'. An in-line fuse or two is also on the cards. There's enough space to add different connectors on that side panel so the Hella plug will find a spot ... the other screw-down terminal is not a bad idea, Eric.

I thought about a tie-down strap for the box, but that will collapse the box in time. A strap around the side like George's is not ideal for me ..... it will still allow up and down movement. I had thought of fitting a pair of eye bolts to the side of the wheel arch at about half way as high as the box. Then using two 'J' bolts on either side through a section of angle-iron fitting over the opposite top edge of the box which pulls it down and against the wheel arch.

P.S. I have an 800w inverter but don't keep it permanently in the vehicle .... The hella plug should be good enough to handle that?

Mud Dog wrote:P.S. I have an 800w inverter but don't keep it permanently in the vehicle .... The hella plug should be good enough to handle that?

The hella should be fine.
On my box i have eye bolts through the box also.i never had a problem of upward travel.On my previous setup i used turnbuckles but the strap is better.

ek het maar die gekoopte manier gegaan.

Why no sommer blot it through the box and throught the loadbox?

I want to position it fully forward on the RHS .... that places it above the tank, so bolts through the floor are a bit of a problem (don't want to use riv-nuts) unless I reverse my configuration and put it all on the LHS. That would be OK except that the fridge controls would then be facing forward and be less accessible.

You get those threaded thingies that go through a hole in the wood. Just bolt it from underneath into the wood Is it just a rivnut issue Or don't you want to bolt from underneath at all?

I built a 2mm sheetmetal box and covered with rhino lining:thumbup:

Nice, Piet!

Stef, I'd rather avoid any holes in the floor at this point, especially above the tank.

Mud Dog wrote:P.S. I have an 800w inverter but don't keep it permanently in the vehicle .... The hella plug should be good enough to handle that?

Nope, at 800W you'd be drawing around 60 Amps. The Hella is not made for that. You would need a good gauge wire as well and you should use a Brad-Harrison type connector for the Inverter.





http://www.4x4direct.co.za/shop/index.p ... connectors


-F_D

I have a few 50A Brad Harrison plugs (found a place that sells them at R38 each so got a few spares). The inverter came with crocodile clips on the supply cable ... have left it like that and it's fine for the few times I actually need to use it .... just have to make sure that the clips are making good contact to the battery poles. Probably better that way too since it's a little more versatile to be able to clip on to any battery and not only vehicles with a compatible plug to what I may have retro fitted.

The hella should be fine.

Nope, at 800W you'd be drawing around 60 Amps. The Hella is not made for that. You would need a good gauge wire as well and you should use a Brad-Harrison type connector for the Inverter.

Sorry.I was thinking about the Brad Harrison.
My inverter is mounted on top of the battery box.Then if i need the power somewhere else it is easy to move around

It's been way overdue, but the "dual battery system" that was fitted to the vehicle when I bought it was really nothing more than a Cole Hersee solenoid that was triggered by the ignition switch and connected the vehicle battery and load bin battery via some nice thick cables. This meant that the alternator was charging two batteries in parallel and we all know by now that this means the 2nd battery never gets fully charged.

My plan to overcome this was to separate the two batteries by deactivating the solenoid and fitting a solar panel on the roof of the canopy and charging the rear battery through a controller as a stand alone system. The 80W panels from 4x4Direct were a perfect size for the available space on top of the canopy, but the one that was ordered for this purpose got 'sucked in' to use with my anti load shedding system.

I did however use the measurements to make up a cradle and it's been waiting patiently for some months to be fitted.

A couple of weeks back I got some more panels from 4x4Direct and made sure that there was an extra one for this project, but for any project one has to have 3 important factors in place at the same time, otherwise it just won't happen - that's the time to do it, the inclination / motivation to do it and the money to do it. Fortunately the money is rarely the problem and the time and inclination fell into place this weekend.

After marking the position and drilling the holes, I fitted the cradle with 8 x 8mm bolts, nyloc nuts and washers (all stainless) - overkill I know, but wanted to be sure it was going to remain secure without ever having to look at it again. For weather proofing I used bonded washers on top (like one would use for roofing). Unfortunately these were not available in stainless, just galvanised, but once they've weathered a bit I will coat them with cold galvanising for further protection against rust. With the rubber bonding on the underside they achieve a good seal against the shank of the bolt and the bracket surface. Between the brackets and the canopy surface I used some thick rubber washers, so no leaks there either.

Fits nicely and as intended, sits below the level of the rack, just in case I ever want to load something on it.
To secure the PV panel and prevent affirmative shopping I made a couple of slots in the cradle frame and corresponding ones in the PV panel frame. A 30 x 5 mm flat bar tongue then goes through it all and holds it firmly in place - I made sure that the positioning of the slots was such that it's a tight fit .... no rattles.

I got a 60mm disc lock (instead of the normal 75mm ones) to complete the security aspect. The smaller lock cannot come into contact with the canopy roof, but it did tend to rattle. To resolve this I fastened it in position with double sided tape against the cradle frame (after the pic was taken) - works perfectly.

I used waterproof 'Deutz' connectors in the cable to allow for removal of the panel.

I got the connectors along with a Phocos 20A controller from 4x4Direct as well. The Deutz connectors are nice in that they are safe when disconnected and cannot accidentally short out against any metal since the terminals are recessed, (remember there is power from the panel on one side and from the battery on the other). I also got some extra connectors that I will use to make up an 'extension lead' so that I can remove the panel from the canopy if I want to extend it to a position of better sunlight.

The old Cole Hersee solenoid and 16 sqmm cabling Has been left in place. The intention is to fit a trigger switch for the solenoid inside on the dash so that I can connect the two batteries if I ever need to, like for additional charging to the rear battery when travelling in the dark or poor light, as well as for use as built in booster cables in the front battery ever has a problem.

Nice job Mr. Chairperson Sir!

Well now... I like. I believe you are taking orders??

Here's mine, a work in progress really.

Key is that I want to maak it interchangeable between the Pradog (as 3rd battery) and the Hilux (as 2nd battery).

Up until last night I was going to bolt on the Cole Hershee solenoid to the box but that's not maaking a lot of sense now, I'll rather put a solenoid in each vehicle.

Maybe mount the solar controller on the box and swap solar panels between vehicles?

You'll see that I rivetted my 800w inverter to the side of the box so it's hard-wired with 16mm cable and I removed those crappy two pin plugs and wired in a rubber 16amp 3 pin janus.

The box also gets used in times of Eksdom load shedding, it comfortably powers my lounge electrics for 2hr spells.



Rich

This how I have done mine, 12 mm plywood.

Thanks for the positive comments, guys.

Mr_B wrote:Well now... I like. I believe you are taking orders??

Eish Bretton .... you might have to re-visit / re-evaluate your belief system!

Looking very good, I like the idea of securing the SP.

Dadz Toy wrote:Here's mine, a work in progress really.

Key is that I want to maak it interchangeable between the Pradog (as 3rd battery) and the Hilux (as 2nd battery).

Up until last night I was going to bolt on the Cole Hershee solenoid to the box but that's not maaking a lot of sense now, I'll rather put a solenoid in each vehicle.

Maybe mount the solar controller on the box and swap solar panels between vehicles?

You'll see that I rivetted my 800w inverter to the side of the box so it's hard-wired with 16mm cable and I removed those crappy two pin plugs and wired in a rubber 16amp 3 pin janus.

The box also gets used in times of Eksdom load shedding, it comfortably powers my lounge electrics for 2hr spells.



Rich

Why two off solenoids, for a battery mounted in the back of the vehicle ?

I would rather use one off dc-2-dc charger mounted in the box.

Funny how I ended up with a simmilar design without seeing this thread up until now.

We built 3 of these about a year ago. The box is of plywood.

It contains a national luna solenoid which is used when connected to the car under the solar charge controller and the solar charge controler when camping without 220v.

Input is on the one side of the box and outputs on the other all running through fuses.

When travelling the benton can fit inside the box and when 220 is available it can sit inside the lid.


Sent from my E5603 using Tapatalk

Tapatalk does not want to upload pictures...lets try again...

Nope... Will upload from pc tomorrow.

Some nice ideas here, I'm also redoing my system as the NL solenoid is not nearly adequate for charging the two extra batteries I have. I believe a dc to dc charger would improve the charging, so I'm looking at the 30A HCDP or the CTek 250 - both allowing solar input. Anyone with experience on these, which is best option?

Herewith the photos.
The battery box is secured to the rear of the loadbin via a ratchet strap and eye bolts fixed to the bin with Rivnuts same as George's setup.

Bester wrote:Some nice ideas here, I'm also redoing my system as the NL solenoid is not nearly adequate for charging the two extra batteries I have. I believe a dc to dc charger would improve the charging, so I'm looking at the 30A HCDP or the CTek 250 - both allowing solar input. Anyone with experience on these, which is best option?

The spontaneous answer would be : TWO extra batteries, thus get the extra charge capacity of the 30A HCDP unit.


Looking a bit deeper there may be other things to consider - -

30A HCDP :
R3225 - http://www.4x4direct.co.za/dc-to-dc-cha ... &results=4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Excellent unit, auto switches between alternator and pv. BUT, needs a clean environment - NO water allowed !! Try to avoid excessive dust as it has a circulating fan and will draw the dust into the unit. Reasonably bulky unit, and remember it needs clear space around it for the ventilation fan to work.

Has been the unit of choice in trailers and caravans for many years - until the power panel models were launched.


Ctek250S :
R5500 - http://www.4x4direct.co.za/dc-to-dc-cha ... &results=6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I LOVE this little unit !! It has given me excellent service. it is dust and splash proof. Small compact construction. BUT at only 20A charge rate it was actually built to handle one battery at the back .... and the price is not so nice ....


THIS is what I would recommend for this application -
HCDP Power Panel Mark4 (with OUT the inverter)
R 5 405 - http://www.4x4direct.co.za/dc-to-dc-cha ... &results=6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It now actually costs LESS than the Ctek, AND does so much more !!!

You bring your two wires from the front, plug it into the HCDP
PV panels has an input
Even a 220V input for campsites with power - also includes a 220-to-12V battery charger
Light switch with output points
Pump switch with output points
Fridge switch with output points
Volt and Amp meter included
no need for any solenoids ...

You can see why this is now the standard in almost all 4x4 trailers and campers.

its weak points:
- not splash proof
- bulky, BUT way smaller than all the components it replace !!
- it only charges the batteries at 12A ..., BUT it uses the bypass technology, so the battery gets the FULL 12A to charge while you drive, your alternator driving the fridges directly for this time. Thus actually not too bad, especially as you go this route because you DO have solar.



Bester there is also a THIRD option ....

HCDP 12A
R 1675 - http://www.4x4direct.co.za/dc-to-dc-cha ... &results=6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

SPLIT your circuits ...

The one fridge and some lights on one battery, with its own HCDP 12A unit, even with its own PV panel ...

Second circuit for the other fridge, water pump, etc, again with its own HCDP 12A unit, with its own pv panel

This will cost LESS than the Power Panel or the Ctek, but the same as the 30A unit. It DOES give you total flexibility !!!!


Sarel of Blinkgat products have been using this layout in his Amarok for about 75 000km through many SADC countries. And during the load shedding he ran his house of these batteries when needed.

Thanks for the detailed advise Chris! I decided on the WRND 20A unit - its the same price as the 12A HCDP, but automatically switches between solar and alternator.

Chris, laat weet of jy my pm kry -lyk of dit vassit in my outbox.

Hy bly sit daar tot die volgende ou hom oop maak.

Het dit vanoggend gekry, het ge-antwoord.

Baie dankie.

Would love your input here - viewtopic.php?f=41&t=41394" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;