2015 4Runner Trail Dual Battery Installation with Air Pump relocation.

[CuStOm]

I haven't seen many dual battery installations on 5th Generation 4runners with the air pump so I will go ahead and start a build thread on this. It will take me several days to complete the build as I am working on things as time permits and parts arrive.

Parts:

1. Shrockworks dual battery tray and air pump relocation kit with optional washer bottle mounting bracket to utilize stock washer bottle.
2. Odyssey PC1500 Battery
3. Blue Sea 7620 ML-ACR with interior Contura Switch
4. Blue Sea ANL Fuse Holders (300A variant with 300A ANL Fuses)
5. Blue Sea ST Fuse Block with 12 circuits
6. Phoenix Gold 100A circuit breaker for feed to Blue Sea ST Fuse Block
7. 2x Drok mini .28" Digital Voltmeters custom fabricated into spare switch slot in TEP overhead console to monitor voltage on both batteries.
8. 1/0 Welding Cable for Battery>ML-ACR>Battery connections. 4awg for Blue Sea ST fuse block feed. Everything is done with copper connectors and covered in Techflex protective sheathing.

From a circuit and build of materials perspective I copied a local Land Cruiser build from IH8MUD, linked Here >Hhttp://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/dual-battery-install-complete.807973/, I know Eric's also active here on Expo.

My design considerations and usage were:

1. Support a fridge
2. Support having all non-factory accessory loads connection to an auxiliary battery and not the starting battery.
3. In the event that I install the hidden winch I have the ability to connect the two batteries for increased current capabilities, thus the requirement for large 1/0 wire.
4. Ability to jump start myself off of the AUX battery.
5. The design needs to be modular mounted in a way that I am not drilling holes into the car and am using space that cannot be used for much else, leaving the larger volume free locations available for other items to be added later.
6. Minimize blocking access to factory equipment

I used the stock battery studs and made up some nylon spacers and T6 aluminum stand-offs. The stand-offs thread onto the factory battery studs and then provide a tapped hole for the plate. The spacers were an afterthought after I mis-measured the required length (Ooops, damn super cold bear on a 97 degree day). The extra wires you see are for my LED light bar and will be relocated to the AUX battery fuse block.

I used some 1/2" ABS Plastic from our local TAP Plastics to fabricate the mounting plate to attach the main fuse off of the starting battery and the Blue Sea ML-ACR.

Any feedback you have on parts, placement, wiring means&methods, etc... I am happy to hear it. Hopefully this thread will help someone else. More to come when the battery tray arrives this week....

 

[CuStOm]

I got the kit and installed it over the last two days. Its more involved than I anticipated. First off, this kit is very high quality and very well made. There are a lot of little details to this that took a lot of thought to make it all work in the small space and constraints they had. Kudos to Shrockworks and their partners, excellent job.

To clarify some confusion, you do NOT need to relocate the washer reservoir or its neck to install this kit. Due to some communication issues between Mark at Shrockworks and myself regarding the add on bracket, my earlier comment was incorrect. The bracket you need, thats part of the washer relocation kit, is actually required to install the air pump relocation kit. Why its not included with that kit is a mystery to me.

Here is the kit.

Here's what things look like when the air box is removed

One discrepancy I saw in the directions is they didn't talk about these plugs and bracket and how to deal with them. They are in the way of mounting the "additional" black bracket as they create clearance issues for the bracket to sit flush. This kit is made for the FJ and compatible with the T4R, my guess is the FJ doesn't have these plugs located here.

Remove the bracket and plugs. Flip this one over.

Mount the bracket to the car. You can see the plug is retained with a few zip ties. Its not the best engineered solution but its quite stable and functional. This is a place where the kit could be more comprehensive and come with a place to attach the stock plug retainers as you'll see they did with other plugs later.

The second plug got zip tied to the rear of the bracket. Same comments as above.

Next is to relocate the stock air hose tee and replace it with a new coupler.

Mount up the air pump and reroute the hoses to the newly relocated factory tee.

Install the new battery tray. Comes with the proper mounting for the power steering reservoir and the AC line retention bracket.

Here is my completed setup, battery is below my switch panel and fuse plate. I forgot to snap a picture of the complete setup without my distribution panel. I will do that this weekend when I add the 1/0 power wires and military terminals.

Here is a close-up of my power distribution panel.

I will finish up the wiring this weekend and post up the last pictures of the complete setup later.

 

[batmn77]

great thread and write up!

 

[CuStOm]

Finished! Here is what it looks like all buttoned up.

I got the LED readout done too. Top display is Start battery and bottom display is the AUX battery. Getting a label made up for the overhead.... It looks better in person that in that picture, the flash makes it look a little messy.

Tied into the stock ground (Pin1) and aux (Pin8) to power up the meters, then tied into the stock battery (Pin 9) for the Start Battery and then ran a wire up to the Aux battery for its voltage reference.

Hope this helps someone along the way....
Cheers

 

[SurferJacoby]

That is really impressive! I have a 2000 that I will be doing a dual battery setup in soon.

 

[dzrtdave]

Very cool. I'll give it a try on mine. If I have any ideas I'll give some feedback


Dzrtdave from Turtleback Trailers

 

[codename607]

Awesome write up!