The Oversleeper

[Jay61]

Nice rig. I would point out a hard lesson I just learned and it is an easy fix. Running a fridge, and numerous electronic devices will wear your alternator out in a few years. I was talking to the alternator guy today and he was telling me that a high performance sound system, just by itself, will do it with the stock alternators they use in Jeeps. I was fortunate, it happened just after I got back from a trip camping in the mountains of Vermont and then driving back home to Georgia. I had always wondered why there were so many high output alternators for Jeeps on the market, and sadly I found out first hand.

 

[Dan Grec]

Nice rig. I would point out a hard lesson I just learned and it is an easy fix. Running a fridge, and numerous electronic devices will wear your alternator out in a few years. I was talking to the alternator guy today and he was telling me that a high performance sound system, just by itself, will do it with the stock alternators they use in Jeeps. I was fortunate, it happened just after I got back from a trip camping in the mountains of Vermont and then driving back home to Georgia. I had always wondered why there were so many high output alternators for Jeeps on the market, and sadly I found out first hand.

I worked the one in my 2011 JK HARD for three years around Africa charging a dual battery setup, and I replaced it in 2021 with something like 200,000 miles on the clock.

The one in my Rubi JT is rated for 240 amps...

-Dan

 

[86scotty]

Thanks fellas. I should update that even though the system works great while leaving the fridge on all the time we have started to turn it off during the week when she is just running around in the Jeep as a daily, so the solar alone keeps the house bank topped up easily.

I should also add that a friend of mine with a 1250 watt inverter on his JLU has indeed had some battery/alternator issues. It is possibly a weak system. Time will tell on the JLU’s.


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[Jay61]

I worked the one in my 2011 JK HARD for three years around Africa charging a dual battery setup, and I replaced it in 2021 with something like 200,000 miles on the clock.

The one in my Rubi JT is rated for 240 amps...

-Dan

is that what the stock alternator is rated in your JTR? After talking to Genesis, they told me not to go over 200A continuous. I noticed about a year ago, which would have been three years into running my Jeep, which has AGM Batteries, the batteries were topped off when I would turn the Jeep off nothing major but just not fully topped. I would get the batteries tested and they would be fine. Then I got to where I would have to use the jump feature from time to time, and then right after the trip, I could not get it to start and the jump feature would not work. Had it towed because I went to crank it and all kind of strange noises were being made and the alternator was making noise. That is what led me to the conversation with the "alternator guy."

 

[86scotty]

I'm curious of Dan's answer too. I doubt that is OEM.

Another interesting note is that this JLUR is the first vehicle I've ever had that came from the factory with 100% LED lighting. I know the 'creep' is real in modern cars, having so many more things using power, but all LED lighting has to be a significant reduction in everyday power cycling, one would think.

 

[shays4me]

I really like your sleeping platform. It's very close to what I have envisioned in my head to build for mine. Now that I have only one daughter left at home and a fridge I'm sleeping downstairs most trips. It makes everyone happier when they're not disturbed from me climbing out of the Ursa Minor for a midnight tree watering. I only need the single sleeping platform, but I will be putting my fridge down on the deck to keep it more accessible for my wife. I'm curious how much length you have in a JLU to sleep? I don't have enough in the JKU presently but I took a chance on a solution to that problem and we will see if it pays off.

 

[Jay61]

I worked the one in my 2011 JK HARD for three years around Africa charging a dual battery setup, and I replaced it in 2021 with something like 200,000 miles on the clock.

The one in my Rubi JT is rated for 240 amps...

-Dan

I did that online chat with Genesis the other day asking them questions about high output alternators, they told me not to use anything with their system, at least for the JKUR, over 200A continuous.

 

[Jay61]

Thanks Justin, I went for the Willys over the Rubi because the Rubicon goodies just weren't needed on this build. I can't lift or mod the suspension due to my garage height constraints so as for running gear this one will stay mostly as is. I might add lockers someday. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but the Willys has Rubi factory sliders and the same suspension, just no lockers or sway bar disconnect.

I had an Ursa like you on my JKUR and liked it but we learned a couple of things on some long trips with that setup. If we are both going we will take the van (I have one ordered and will be building later this year). If we want to do some wheeling we'll tow the Jeep with the van. We found traveling in the Ursa to be too tight for the two of us for multi week trips. Even with an awning and rear seats removed it was just too tight. The biggest issue is that we live in TN and like to travel out west so comfort getting across the country and back becomes pretty tedious, and you can't really stealth camp in one. This little thing gets amazing fuel mileage and is amazing for a solo traveler. I averaged low 20's on a recent 5k mile trip and drove 78 on the freeway across and back.

I feel you. I am 61 years old and ain't what anyone ever called small and travel cross country to out west in my 18 JKUR. Before I hit the Mississippi river on my first trip from Southwest GA to New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming, I stopped at half a dozen truck stops getting those purple gel seat cushions, memory foam seat cushions but with the JKUR the real ticket is those "slide in the window" arm/elbow cushions, they really were 10-dollar game changers with regard to cross country highway travel for two adults in a Wrangler.

 

[86scotty]

I really like your sleeping platform. It's very close to what I have envisioned in my head to build for mine....... I'm curious how much length you have in a JLU to sleep? I don't have enough in the JKU presently but I took a chance on a solution to that problem and we will see if it pays off.

I have just about the same amount of length as I am tall, 6'2". IIRC the Deep Sleep for Jeeps mattress I have is 74 inches long exactly. To get this out of a Jeep you do have to fold AND slide the seat forward. They don't tilt forward much though, not even to a true 90 degrees I don't think, so sliding is absolutely necessary. This then creates a hole in the footwell between your sleeping platform and the back of the seat which you need to stuff with something to support your air mattress. It isn't perfect, but you're sleeping INSIDE a Jeep and this makes me very happy. After about a 2 week trip I'm ready for home again.

A couple of tips:
I always have soft gear with me so filling in the footwell space is not a big deal, just takes a minute to get ready for bed. No fun in a rainstorm but not really a headache. Living out of a Jeep, even for one, requires organization and constantly moving gear around in my experience.

Also, I have found that I'm much more comfortable sleeping with my head to the rear. I did not expect this to be the case. I find it easier to sit down in bed from the rear passenger door, pop off my shoes and then lay down towards the rear, my head beside my fridge. It's narrow but did I mention you are sleeping INSIDE a Jeep? Lol. If you sleep head forward you have to pivot around to get laid down. Just more or a pain IMO. Easier to sit up, stand up and go pee in the night this way too.

Another tip, if I really want to stretch out, with my head at the rear door I can move my feet over and rest them on the center console between the front seats. Works amazingly well and is quite comfortable.

 

[Dan Grec]

is that what the stock alternator is rated in your JTR?

Yes, mine is factory advertised as 240Amp.
I don't know if that's because it's a Rubicon and/or because it's Australian spec.

-Dan

 

[86scotty]

Yes, mine is factory advertised as 240Amp.
I don't know if that's because it's a Rubicon and/or because it's Australian spec.

-Dan

Very interesting. I just searched RockAuto and a 220 or 240 amp alternator is indeed standard for a 2021 JT. Same for a Wrangler 3.6l. Interestingly they do not show one available at all for my 2022 4 cyl. but for 2021 models a 180 or 240 is standard for the 4 cylinder as well.

 

[Jay61]

Yes, mine is factory advertised as 240Amp.
I don't know if that's because it's a Rubicon and/or because it's Australian spec.

-Dan

Well, if you plan on using a Genesis dual battery system you might want to talk to them, they told me anything over 200A continuous would be bad for their system. Or if you are using something other than a Genesis, what are you using and how does it hold up with the added load, or have you looked into that? I am certainly not wedded to the idea of it having to be a Genesis system.

 

[Jay61]

Very interesting. I just searched RockAuto and a 220 or 240 amp alternator is indeed standard for a 2021 JT. Same for a Wrangler 3.6l. Interestingly they do not show one available at all for my 2022 4 cyl. but for 2021 models a 180 or 240 is standard for the 4 cylinder as well.

That is not the case for my 2018 JKUR for whatever the reason. I guess that is one of the upgrades for JLs and JTs from the JK series. Plus, the alternator market is full of alternators for JKs that have a high output that are in the 200A range.

 

[Dan Grec]

Well, if you plan on using a Genesis dual battery system you might want to talk to them, they told me anything over 200A continuous would be bad for their system. Or if you are using something other than a Genesis, what are you using and how does it hold up with the added load, or have you looked into that? I am certainly not wedded to the idea of it having to be a Genesis system.

I have a Renogy DC/DC Charger with built in MPPT Solar charge controller.
I have the 30Amp version which can draw 15Amps from the Alternator, and another 15 Amps from the Solar.
(There is also a 50Amp version which does 25/25).

It does very smart things like prioritizing solar over the alternator draw when it can (ie if you are driving on a sunny day), it doesn't start pulling from the Alternator until 15 seconds after start up, and it will trickle charge the starter battery on a sunny day when the house battery is full from solar.

Given the 240Amp Alternator, I am not concerned in the least about the additional 15Amp load on the alternator.

I go through it all here:
-Dan

 

[Jay61]

I have a Renogy DC/DC Charger with built in MPPT Solar charge controller.
I have the 30Amp version which can draw 15Amps from the Alternator, and another 15 Amps from the Solar.
(There is also a 50Amp version which does 25/25).

It does very smart things like prioritizing solar over the alternator draw when it can (ie if you are driving on a sunny day), it doesn't start pulling from the Alternator until 15 seconds after start up, and it will trickle charge the starter battery on a sunny day when the house battery is full from solar.

Given the 240Amp Alternator, I am not concerned in the least about the additional 15Amp load on the alternator
I go through it all here:
-Dan

Nice system. Once again, I am not an electrical whiz but from what I have gathered in reading up on in line dual zone Solar / DC-DC chargers both your crank battery and your "house" battery need to be of the same type, either lithium to lithium of AGM to AGM or lead to lead. Maybe I am missing something in my research. Or maybe it has to do with the way they are isolated or not in the systems I have read about.