The rolling FJ40 Tech Monster!

[Denverblake]

High tech FJ40 goal - need some help & input.

The majority of my off road use, is for my photography business. So I want my 40 to help support that endeavor as much as possible. So I am trying to think of ways to make the FJ40 as tech supportive as possible. A couple of no-brainer additions would be a good sized power inverter for laptop use/charging/lighting/cooking etc. Also, I would really like a couple of outlets in the back of the 40, so I can download/edit pix from the comfort of a chair by a nighttime fire.

I would also like 3-6 USB 3.0 connectors in the back to also to support charging phones/external HDD's and the like. Maybe even have a Hard Drive mounted to the 40 and use it as a quick pic dumping station vs having to get out the laptop etc.

Installing a WiFi hotspot would be fairly easy and straightforward and would be a nice feature to upload pix to an online server and to also provide WiFi for fellow off-roaders.

A second battery in this scenario is pretty much a given to ensure clean power and to not drain the starting battery.

So, my LONG winded question is: What do you have already or planned to install into your rig from a new & techy standpoint. I want to ensure I don't miss an opportunity or a cool "should of" idea.

There are some pretty intelligent & resourceful guys (sorry pngunme, I wasn't thinking of you LOL) here on MUD, so reply back with your ideas, inputs and even brain farts.

I will post a step by step install once I pull together some ideas.

Thanks,
Blake

 

[climber8483]

Blake,
Wiring wise this would be fairly straight forward. Battery running an auxiliary fuse panel (I like Blue Sea). Hard drive wise I think the only way to go would be a Solid State Drive due to the vibration and environment. For inverters since you'll be using it to power sensitive electronics you'll have to spend a little more. There was a thread with a lot of discussion into this subject a couple years ago. I think/assume West Marine sells water resistant 120 volt outlets that would work and I know they sell the water resistant USB power ports, not sure where you would find USB 3.0 ones, maybe Allied or some other electronics store.

HTH,
B

 

[Denverblake]

Good Ideas

B,
Thanks for the input and ideas. I don't know why I didn't think of Solid State drive(s), especially as cheap as they have finally gotten. I wanted to go USB 3.0 for the speed and the extra cable distance from the hub. Downloading pix via USB 3 is soooo much faster.

Any recommendations on a power inverter? Also, if anyone has a suggestion where to mount the inverter, let me know. I am hoping it is out of sight, but not a lot of hiding places in a 40. And I don't want it under the passenger seat where the gas tank is...just in case.

Thanks,
Blake

 

[Fast Eddy]

You want at least 1000w with 1500w surge current so you can run a blender or a coffee maker, even if you're not planning on it. Pure sine wave inverters are cheap enough now that there's no reason not to get one, even if you don't need it for your application.

I've got the idea that you could mount one of these and a UPS deep-cycle battery or two in a tool box and keep it behind the passenger seat in the floor depression there, probably mounted to the tub mounting bolt that's nearby.

 

[climber8483]

I can't personally give any suggestions on which inverter or brand of inverter. I would figure out what your power requirements are first. As Fast Eddy said you'll probably want at least a 1000/1500 surge. Like electronics you'll always end up needing/wanting something bigger than what you ended up with. I like the idea of a UPS/deep cycle battery just for the inverter. I know you're supposed to use a pure sine inverter for electronics, but for 3 years almost every day and many hours every day I ran a laptop off of a cheap Home Depot 175 watt inverter. The wife's company gave her the HP supplied 12 volt power supply specific for her computer. I know it wasn't that much more than a regular power supply.

B

 

[1911]

I'm not as high-tech as you want to be, but I'm real happy with my auxiliary fuse block with a switching relay in it so that I can run any circuit in it either always on or switched with ignition at will. I have my ham and cb radios, gps, ipod amplifier, and tach all wired into it. And a 200-amp Mean Green alternator to run it all plus my winch, compressor, and fridge. Collecting the stuff for dual batteries now.

 

[Fast Eddy]

I know you're supposed to use a pure sine inverter for electronics, but for 3 years almost every day and many hours every day I ran a laptop off of a cheap Home Depot 175 watt inverter.

The transformer doesn't require a pure sine wave input. It will work fine. It's a regular PC power supply that would want clean AC power. Almost no one would be connecting one to an inverter. Not sure about a microwave. probably. Lots of things have electronics nowadays that you might not think of.

... a 200-amp Mean Green alternator to run it all

Wow. I've been planning to just run my 40 amp (?) Toyota alternator. Long winch draws would draw down the batteries. I've had my winch for a while and I hardly ever use it. I could stop and wait if I overloaded my electrical system.

 

[Mrtwooooo]

Installing a WiFi hotspot would be fairly easy and straightforward and would be a nice feature to upload pix to an online server and to also provide WiFi for fellow off-roaders.

Not sure how remote of a location you will be in but a Wilson Electronics cell phone booster would be nice to have. I know a guy that has one and I've seen it work. It would help with cellular data service for when you don't have a good signal.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Wow. I've been planning to just run my 40 amp (?) Toyota alternator. Long winch draws would draw down the batteries. I've had my winch for a while and I hardly ever use it. I could stop and wait if I overloaded my electrical system.

Winching is about the battery, for example even a 200 amp alternator can't keep up with an 8274 (once you get past a 2000 pull the winch will draw more than 200amps).

The good news is a 40 amp alternator and decent battery will get you through a lot with even short breaks to recharge. BTDT

If you plan to stay put for long periods a 200Amp alternator might be worth it to cut the time you need to run the engine to recharge the batteries. You could get a small generator but in an FJ40 it would suck up a lot of space.

 

[ntsqd]

IF (note capitals) the only reason for an inverter is to charge things you might be better served with dc/dc converters and go direct rather than thru an inefficient DC>AC>DC scheme. If you need AC for true AC loads then an inverter is called for. It may be less expensive in the long run to go with an inverter if you have many different DC voltages to contend with, but their inefficiency in charging things DC really bugs me.
A link from a recent AAV thread for dc>dc converters:
http://www.lindelectronics.com/auto-and-autoair-adapters

Link to a sealed fuse or fuse + relay box:
http://www.delcity.net/store/Sealed-Mini-Fuse-Panels/p_803796

I think a dedicated battery is a good call. Look into Voltage Sensing Relays or Automatic Charge Relays for charging the second battery. I would shy away from "overland" oriented electrical/electronics companies for this sort of thing and go with companies with product on deep sea marine vessels. To me that means BEP Marine, Blue Seas, Xantrex, Balmar, and Sterling.

A possibly over the top battery charging approach:
http://sterling-power-usa.com/12volt-210ampalternator-to-batterycharger.aspx
This unit takes over control of the alternator and has a 4 step charging algorithm for each of two battery banks and has the potential to dramatically shorten charging times. Auto alternator regulators are incredibly stupid. They're fine for ~90% of where they're used, but if you want more productivity from the alternator and better battery performance and life-span then a more advanced regulator is necessary.

Blue Seas has a dual USB charging port in the same form factor as their 12 VDC Power Point (flange is removable).

If the truck is going to sit during most of your typical day then a solar panel & controller would be worth researching. If you always have a hard top on it could even be a permanent mount. I just put a 100W panel on top of our camper and right now (overcast about to rain, flat on the roof - not the ideal perpendicular to the sun orientation) it is pushing 2.5 amps into the camper's batteries.

 

[Fast Eddy]

I just put a 100W panel on top of our camper and right now (overcast about to rain, flat on the roof - not the ideal perpendicular to the sun orientation) it is pushing 2.5 amps into the camper's batteries.

So it can probably charge the batteries by about 15ah per sunny day.

1911s alternator could do that in less than 5 minutes of runtime.

I'm not convinced solar panels are worth the cost and effort.

 

[ntsqd]

200A output packaged in a case with a cooling design intended for ~60A is a failure waiting to happen. I do not care how many run them, they will fail earlier than OE, the physics of it won't allow for anything else. It's like asking a 2F to make 600 HP. Take a good look into what a real 200A alternator, that will last a long time, really looks like and how big it is. There is a LOT of waste heat generated in making 200A, the device has to be designed to handle it.
This is what a real 200A alternator looks like and costs:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...&subdeptNum=50529&classNum=50533#.Uw9zNPvhcvs
Note that this one doesn't include the regulator. None of the really high output alternators do there isn't room for a proper one in the alt. case.
Can get it in a smaller package, priced accordingly:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...&subdeptNum=50529&classNum=50533#.Uw9zQvvhcvs
Yeah, West Marine may not be the least spendy source for that product, but you get the idea of what a a real 200A alt. looks like and costs. Those MG's don't have some "secret sauce" recipe, you're giving up a lot for the difference in price.

And just for giggles while I have it pulled up, this is what a 310A alternator looks like and costs, and it still doesn't have a regulator:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...&subdeptNum=50529&classNum=50533#.Uw91Mvvhcvs

When you're off away from your rig do you leave it idling? And if you do, what is the output curve of that alternator? I guarantee that you're not getting 200A out of that alt. at idle.

My point was that once you're over the cost hurdle it is passive, nearly always there, always "free" power. Sure, there's some hassle in portable (though some efficiency gain to be had if you're willing to futz with it during the day), which is why I was encouraging permanent mount if possible.

Your estimate falls short of what I've seen in the limited time the system has been in place. More like 22ah-25ah here on the lower Left Coast, but I haven't had it in place long enough yet to have a solid long term average. To me the big advantage is that the controller has a 4 step charging program, so it does the desulphation that a so-called "smart charger" would do, only I don't have to hook the camper to shore power. Those Trojan batteries aren't cheap, to get the most from them takes good support parts.

 

[Denverblake]

Just AWESOME info and smart solutions - BIG thanks everyone for your input.

ntsqd, I about spit my diet coke back up through my nose when I saw the prices for those alternators! YIKES! Found some interesting products at Blue Seas & Balmar. The dual USB charging ports are on the order list already.

Keep the great ideas coming, much appreciated!

 

[climber8483]

Blake,
You may also want to check out the Expo section or look at expedition overland. I would suspect those guys are more than likely going to have something closer to need.

Brittain

 

[ntsqd]

Poke around Del City Wire and waytech wire pages (just beware of the minimums) for more ideas. I thought someone had already linked the powerwerx page, but I don't see it.

Then if you really want to overload there are places like Allied Electronics. Allied has some competitors in Mouser and Newark, but I tend to just use Allied. It's hard enough finding what I'm after in one of those giant pages, let alone 3 of them. It's taken me long enough just to find their mil-spec or equivalent toggle switches.

 

[mr jits]

You may also want to hit up Mudrak. I was at his shop last year and one of his customers rigs was loaded with electronics (described as a "defense contractor" of some sort). When I say loaded I mean this thing would put any FJ Cruiser technophile overlander on earth to shame.

 

[Fast Eddy]

It's taken me long enough just to find their mil-spec or equivalent toggle switches.

Don't forget the $27 flippy safety covers for the $17 toggle switches:

http://www.alliedelec.com/search/productdetail.aspx?SKU=70176371

Heaven forbid you accidentally turn on the dome light during an "op".

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Not sure why you jabbed me... but, anyway

While, I'm not sure why you jabbed me, back in the beginning of this thread, I'll be happy to absorb your venom!

This couple ( http://www.technomadia.com/category/technology/ ) has been running a high-tech company "on the road" for several years.

They started with a small Oliver Travel Trailer and completely (with help) wired it', to provide them everything they needed and allow them to run their business from remote off-the-grid locations.

They have since sold that trailer and restored (again with help) a vintage bus - which is also 'wired' - even more so!

They review hi-tech 'stuff' and write good blogs - their ideas and experiences may help.

Regarding the generator potential - while I don't have a generator, were I to need one, I would buy either a Honda EU2000i (2000 watts) or a Yamaha ef2400is (2400 watts) - both are small footprint, low decibels, eco-friendly - of the two, Honda is more widely used. Both are available at wisesales.com - and other places - Sportsmans' Warehouse (on Centennial, in Vegas) usually carries Honda. 'Trailer'campers run AC and microwave ovens and everything else, using these generators.

Regarding solar potential - we 'trailer' camp several weeks a year, at 10,500' (no air conditioner needed), with no 'connections' (water/electricity/etc.), using only a 90 watt 'briefcase' solar panel, with built in charge controller and have never run out of battery in our 17' Casita Travel Trailer. But, I have swapped all trailer light bulbs for LED bulbs (low draw) and the Fantastic Fan (roof vent fan) is also low-draw. The fridge, water heater and stove use propane. Note: I could never run AC on solar - I don't have room for a large enough array.

There are certainly better, more expensive solar charge controllers out there, but I haven't needed them.

Were I you (e.g. trying to run a business from 'anywhere'), I would read everything the TechNomadia couple have written on the subject and seriously consider a correctly sized solar system (e.g. right wattage) panel(s) and a quality charge controller (sized, perhaps, to afford you the latitude to grow your solar array, by adding additional panel(s) without need for a larger amperage controller).

One thing about solar... you have to have your panel in sunlight (not under trees, etc.) and it's best if aimed at the sun. But, a good system will pick up some sun regardless... mine has actually picked up a little bit from a full moon at 10k'. Mine is portable...

You could put a panel on your roof and have a second that's portable - the roof panel could charge your 'high-tech' battery, while driving - you could set the portable in the sun, while parked in shade... but, show me some shade around Las Vegas - unless you are camped in a Casino Parking Garage

Good luck Blake!

 

[ntsqd]

Don't forget the $27 flippy safety covers for the $17 toggle switches:

http://www.alliedelec.com/search/productdetail.aspx?SKU=70176371

Heaven forbid you accidentally turn on the dome light during an "op".

You didn't look hard enough. I've found them there for about $9.

Everyone has become so accustomed to Mal-Wart pricing on junk with short life-spans that they have forgotten that quality gear that will last costs a fair chunk of change.

 

[ntsqd]

Was thinking on this a little further. An alternator upgrade sure sounds like it's called for. I'd find your local starter/generator/alternator shop that does rebuild work for the farming/construction/marine/mining trades in your area and make friends with them. You can probably swap in a higher output stock alternator, that isn't in the Balmar/Sterling price range, and still have way more amps than stock. I'd have a good look at the newer Delco's for outputs in the 100A-130A range. If you feel that you need more than that then being friends with the local shop will be extremely helpful.
There will probably be some fabrication involved. This isn't rocket surgery, but it does need to be fairly exact or you won't be able to keep the belt(s) on. Thus far I've done 3 such conversions, a 104A Delco CS-130 onto my 22R, a 90A Bosch onto a 302 Ford and the same 90A Bosch onto a Plymouth Slant 6. Each conversion was unique with the Ford being the easiest and the 22R being the most involved.