Battery Upgrade Advice for Overlanding JT

[ace.jtr]

My battery in my 2020 Jeep Gladiator finally died. It was the original battery and had never been replaced, so I guess it was about that time just didn’t expect it to last this long.

Since I’m replacing it anyway, I’m looking to upgrade my setup. My JT is more focused on overlanding: I currently run a fridge and auxiliary lights, and I plan to add a diesel heater in the future.

I know the Genesis dual battery system is a popular option, but I’m wondering if there are any good alternatives out there. I’m also open to a DIY setup if it makes sense and is reliable.

Any suggestions or experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, guys.

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[smlobx]

I have a second battery (100AH lithium) that is set up in the bed of my truck that is charged through a Redarc BCDC controller and can be charged when the truck is running via the alternator or solar if I’m parked for several days. I’ve taken 6 week trips and it has held up great running my fridge, water pump and charging various batteries etc.

 

[Taino]

I have a second battery (100AH lithium) that is set up in the bed of my truck that is charged through a Redarc BCDC controller and can be charged when the truck is running via the alternator or solar if I’m parked for several days. I’ve taken 6 week trips and it has held up great running my fridge, water pump and charging various batteries etc.

I also have a similar setup, but with a Victron Energy Orion XS instead of the Redarc. Im getting around 6 days worth of energy without needing to recharge.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

I’ve been diggin the newer Renogy flat batteries if going for a stand alone system. You can fit a lot more power in less room if it’s needed.

 

[Blade1668]

I'll throw in on using a "standalone" house battery system for fridge and aux parked lights. Several of us have been doing that for years, mine is at 5 years and going. Likely shutdown right now due to it being in teens now.
If you have any questions several of us would likely give you suggestions or what we have done.

 

[JTdiRtyD]

The Genesis system is nice but overpriced. You can build a better system for less, and if something dies you don't have to replace the entire system. I don't know your knowledge level, so I'll break it down for everyone.

Stick with AGM for your vehicle battery. Just get whatever is a factory replacement.

House battery:

100ah is kind of the standard go-to size. With a good charging system it's more than enough for most people. If you have a lot of electronics that you need to keep charged (drones, cameras, etc.), or you want to run an inverter then you might want to look at more amp hours, and then it's best to calculate out what you need.

Lithium is great because it's light and can provide power for longer, but they aren't great for cold temps. They should not be charged under 32deg, and they should not discharge under around -4deg, otherwise you can damage them. You can get them with low temp protection (recommended) that shuts off charging and discharging accordingly, and you can get them with built in heaters, but in the end if you regularly see those cold temps it's better to go with AGM.

With AGM you need to pay attention to where you install it as they need to be vented to outside the cab. They are heavier and you typically can't run them down as much (AGM typically start giving low voltage problems around 50-60% capacity, whereas lithium can get down to 30-40%), but they are better for the cold as they can charge and discharge in sub zero temps.

Also, "smart" batteries are getting quite popular (bluetooth connectivity), but lately there have been a lot of issues with firmware bricking the battery and rendering them useless. I have never found any legitimate need for bluetooth, so I always opt for dumb batteries (no bluetooth). Most people only ever use bluetooth to monitor capacity percentage. If you need to monitor battery capacity, a shunt and battery monitor are stupid easy to install.

Charging:

A DC-DC (does not have solar connectivity) charger can be had for pretty cheap. It will charge off your truck battery/alternator while the truck is running, but not allow your house battery to drain your truck battery while the truck is off. I prefer this as I never have to worry about my truck not starting from a dead battery if I've been running a lot of power at camp and if the house battery gets low I just start the truck and let it charge.

I typically don't spend more than a night or two in one place, so I haven't had the need for solar, but if you want solar charging as well you can get a BC-DC charger that will charge from the truck or solar. You can also get a separate MPPT solar controller instead of having it all in one. I prefer this because A) you'll get more charge at one time (all-in-one typically only charge from one source at a time, or will limit the amps when using both sources), and B) redundancy. If you have an all-in-one system and it fails, then everything fails. If they are individual chargers and the solar controller dies then you still have DC-DC and vice-versa. Something to note about solar, panels usually only see around 80% efficiency in ideal conditions, so you can expect to see 6-8amps of charge in good direct sunlight out of a single 100w panel.

Redarc is the king of off grid power, but you're going to pay for it.

Victron is a great lower budget smart system (they can network together), but I find them confusing because they have so many different options and not much documentation.

Renogy is a great budget option, but with budget comes longevity concerns. I myself haven't had any issues, but know some folks who have had components shit the bed.

If anyone wants me to go more in depth I can create a thread about all of this. I'm no expert or professional, I've just learned a lot between my few builds.



I have a Renogy 20amp DC-DC and 100ah LiTime lithium in my truck. It's been plenty to run my fridge, lights, heater, chargers while at camp. On my heaviest use days I might see down to 80% battery after 24hrs, and that'll take 1 hour of the truck running to recharge.

I have new stuff for my trailer that's ready to install. A Renogy 60amp MPPT solar controller with Renogy 400w panels, Renogy 20/40/60 amp DC-DC charger (can be set to 20, 40, or 60 amps), and 314ah lithium battery.

 

[JTdiRtyD]

I’ve been diggin the newer Renogy flat batteries if going for a stand alone system. You can fit a lot more power in less room if it’s needed.

Agreed, I just can't get past the price. Same amp hours as other batteries, probably same cells and BMS, just double the price because it's "thinner".

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