IBS Dual Battery Management / Blue Sea Products (5th Gen 4Runner)

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Good evening,

I just thought I'd post some shots from my electrical project, not because it is anything special, but in hopes it may help others with ideas. I hope you enjoy.

 

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Metal fabricator made shelf and bracket. Stainless hardware used for fastening.

Test fitting bracket

Test fitting bracket

Support leg for bracket

Painting at the house

Painting at the house

Gear laid out

 

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I had settled on the X2 Battery displayed below from Batteries Plus. It is essentially a rebranded Northstar Battery with the same specs as the Odyssey PC 1500DT, but is $30 cheaper and has two years more fully replacement warranty (5 years total replacement, no pro rata).

Anyway, I got home an did everything I could to make it fit, with no luck. It was essentially in there, but things were too tight for my taste and I couldn't get the "hook" portion of the ABR Battery Tray tie downs to penetrate the hole fully because they kept hitting the battery.

Contact Point

Pad created to protect positive terminal to body contact


I went back and purchased a simply Optima Yellow Top. I'm going to try it and see what happens. I still raised it with some wood to get what I thought was an appropriate fit.

Optima installed after two rounds of impromptu welding across the bracket. As mentioned, I'm new at this...

Aux Battery Ground

Aux Battery Ground


I also got my CB gear in the mail and did some preliminary wiring on the electrical bracket, getting the IBS RBM set up for connections.

 

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As with any project, I made a few errors - one significant that I will show later. All in all, I'm happy though - especially for my first one.

I intend to get the Diamond Antenna mount and antenna installed today.

Blue Sea Ground Circuit built and installed in center console for good ground points, now and later. (Sorry about the bad picture). Unit is velcroed to passenger side center console, aft of installed outlets.

Two outlets and PL-259 bulkhead connector for handheld Midland CB Unit.

Outlets in back of Center Console

 

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Best Accessory

...Not picutured - ran CB Coax down driver's side door channels to rear for lift gate install with Diamond Antenna. Ran extra run of 4Gauge to the rear down the passenger's side door channels for future electrical projects at the rear.s

 

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Now for the big error...

I decided to put one outlet on the top side of the center console near the rear window control switch.

Due to piss poor planning, the outlet body and wiring made contact here where the tab with the letter "P" is seen below the shifter

My solution was cut this tab off, not realizing that it served as a "ramp" for the "shifter protection slide," the small piece of plastic with the hole in it that the shifter protrudes through. The purpose of the plastic is to keep FOD out of the shifter area, like french fries. I cut the tab, then the plastic slide still hit the outlet body so I cut the slide. This leaves a gap at the base of the shifter near "S-D", only when in PARK. Oh well, live and learn.

Don't put an outlet here if you were considering it. Just put it someplace else.

Embarrassing to admit the screw-ups, but maybe it will keep something bad from happening to the next guy.

Take care!

 

[Xterabl]

Whoa, that is beautiful work, and thank you for your candor re: the foul-up.

 

[AutoRotate]

Thanks, bud. Hope someone might learn from it.

 

[wuntenn]

Way to go. Despite the screw ups! (and I love the bloodied knuckles too!) Too many of these build threads are 'sanitized' and give us lesser mortals the impression that our fumbling bumbling attempts are so much poorer than the 'pros'. Truth is (as demonstrated here) the path to glory is an obstacle course littered with errors, and likely no different for the pros who have to do just as much ducking and weaving as us. Do please tell us what happens when you switch it on..........

 

[southpier]

you had the courage to jump into the job.


"party mode" - indeed!

 

[Yuman Desert Rat]

nothing like a little involuntary arc welding when installing a battery...

 

[unseenone]

Nice, no project is complete until a little blood is spilled!!

 

[AutoRotate]

Hahaha. The "Welding" scared the crap out if me. And I did it three or four times with a driver. Points for noticing!!!!

 

[wuntenn]

Hahaha. The "Welding" scared the crap out if me. And I did it three or four times with a driver. Points for noticing!!!!

Errr.......ummm...errr......those of us who 'noticed' the involuntary weld burn marks......er....um......only noticed because well.....rumour has it we may have been involved in similar incidents at some time....maybe...it is alleged.....:Wow1:

 

[GU4runner]

Nice write up. Have a 5th gen myself and not extremely wiring competent. Been trying to figure out a good route to go and this write up will definitely help. Don't be surprised if I shoot some questions your way sooner or later