Build R²M 2013 GX 460 Overland Build

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Cold Iron said:
Shore power, all hotel services including ships power have to be received from shore before the Ships Service Turbo Generators (SSTG's) can be shutdown and you can enter the ship is now "Cold Iron" into the ships Engineering Log. Syncing the power can be interesting to say the least, if you are off by even a little bit things get rather interesting when you even briefly turn an electrical generator into a 3 phase electric motor 🤣

I learned with my 2nd gen Taco to stay clear of those Chinese made POS LED's. I have replaced my OEM on the GX with Diode Dynamics out of the gate. 4K as I don't want the sterile hospital environment many use with the 6K in my Luxury vehicle, nor kill my night vision. With the exception of the rear lights above the attic rack you can never have too much light back there IME. My last ones to replace were the reverse lights I went with the DD XPR the brightest ones they sell. Spendy but were worth every penny. I may replace my running board lights with DD blue yet, just not sure if it will be too pimpish or not LOL.

Once again I like how you think 🍻
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Sylvania is as cheap as I go in my house or in my cars.

The Sylvania LEDs are pretty inexpensive. They draw so little power that I can leave the dome light on for a week and not be able to tell.
 
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i’ve gone mad and obsessive with keeping battery charged. installed a genius 5 onboard charger. in its “temporary” location and messy wiring.

this would definitely keep your lfp battery in good shape

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Finally got around to installing the LiPo battery yesterday.
The first photos are of my existing setup. Already disconnected.
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Here's the single new battery in the space of two! Both the Odyssey PC1200 batteries weights more than a whopping 80 lbs! The single massive LiPo battery comes in at just 25 lbs!! I had to change the battery tie down method because the bracket for holding down the dual batteries didn't work with this large battery and where the posts were. The new method is a really long stainless steel hose clamp, a couple small sections of thick rubber hose and two pieces of angle iron. I slip the hose clamp under the battery tray and over the the battery, using the angle iron to distribute the clamping pressure along the edge of the battery rather than in one isolated spot, then the rubber hose for some electrical isolation, in case anything drops on both the "+" AND the strap.
I also had to new battery terminal connectors. With the two batteries, my power needs were spread out between house power and ignition, so all the cables were distributed between both batteries. With only one battery, there were too many cables for only two posts, so I had to get these new battery connection terminals, with six (6) posts each. As you can see, I used ALL the connections!
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Another cool thing about this battery which I've never seen before is a voltage meter ON the battery itself! And just to the right of that is a stainless steel push button. I have no idea what that's for and it doesn't say in the instructions either. 🤔
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So, it's November 1, 2025. We'll see just how long this battery lasts.
 
Maybe the button is an internal jump start mechanism? I vaguely recall seeing some LiFePO4 battery a year or three ago that was intended to be used as a starting battery and had an internal capacitor as an emergency jump start feature... Or this is my brain making things up, both could be possible
 
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@r2m Does that LiFePO4 have a built in heating pad as pretty much all won't charge below 32F even though they will discharge to around -4F?

EDIT: I was looking at ad on another vehicle battery model of TPE.. just be careful if you are in freezing conditions. Looks like standard operating temps for a LiFePO4

60cb9296-fda2-46ff-b045-37e2c48140c3.__CR0,0,1464,600_PT0_SX1464_V1___.jpg
 
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Acrad said:
@r2m Does that LiFePO4 have a built in heating pad as pretty much all won't charge below 32F even though they will discharge to around -4F?

EDIT: I was looking at ad on another vehicle battery model of TPE.. just be careful if you are in freezing conditions. Looks like standard operating temps for a LiFePO4

60cb9296-fda2-46ff-b045-37e2c48140c3.__CR0,0,1464,600_PT0_SX1464_V1___.jpg
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Yep. This is why I haven't considered it for my purposed. I think they are safe but I am a crazy sob that finds myself in sub arctic conditions more than I admit.
 
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Acrad said:
@r2m Does that LiFePO4 have a built in heating pad as pretty much all won't charge below 32F even though they will discharge to around -4F?

EDIT: I was looking at ad on another vehicle battery model of TPE.. just be careful if you are in freezing conditions. Looks like standard operating temps for a LiFePO4

60cb9296-fda2-46ff-b045-37e2c48140c3.__CR0,0,1464,600_PT0_SX1464_V1___.jpg
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About the coldest we ever get into is up in South Lake Tahoe. Below are the average temps, so I think we should be okay.
Month High/Low(°F)
December 42°/22°
January 42°/23°
February 44°/24°

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r2m said:
About the coldest we ever get into is up in South Lake Tahoe. Below are the average temps, so I think we should be okay.
Month High/Low(°F)
December 42°/22°
January 42°/23°
February 44°/24°

View attachment 4022943
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Oh absolutely. I get below zero from time to time and thats a little different.
 
Having a weird anomaly with my head unit and not sure if it's the head unit or my phone.
Normal: My phone has always (Bluetooth) connected no problem. Just set it in the cradle and in about 15 seconds it's playing whatever I had going on Spotify.
Not normal: Phone connects as stated above. After about 5 or 10 minutes, the head unit locks and stops playing from my phone. I have to turn off the engine and restart to reset. Then the phone connects as usual, but after a while will disconnect. The strange part is it freezes the head unit. I can't tune it off or do anything else, nor do any of the steering wheel controls work with the head unit (volume, mode, etc.)

I'm not sure if it's my phone, a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra that is getting long it tooth (over 5 years old) or if it's the head unit. The phone will on occasion switch off from speaker, in the middle of a conversation and the battery not lasting as long. So there are some issues with the phone, which, other than that is absolutely perfect condition. (I'm very careful with my electronics)

I have not had a chance to test it against my wife's new IPhone yet. When I get around to connecting her phone, that should tell me if it's my phone or the head unit.

In the years I've been on this GX forum, this is something I've not heard of anyone ever having an issue with the head unit locking up and disconnecting a phone.

Any thoughts, snide remarks, stupid ideas, good ideas, etc. would be greatly appreciated! Wonder if a new Hamilton head unit (or ??) will be in my stocking for Christmas. (not really looking forward to the cost...)
 
@r2m I think I remember that happening to mine a couple years back. I deleted & repaired the phone to the head unit and it started to work again.
 
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Acrad said:
@r2m I think I remember that happening to mine a couple years back. I deleted & repaired the phone to the head unit and it started to work again.
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Yup, tried that. Although I didn't un-pair both the phone (calling) and the (phone) audio, I just un-paired the audio.
I'll try completely taking my physical phone completely off the head unit and re-pairing just the audio and see if that works. If so, move onto paring the phone.
 
GrizzlyClint said:
I know it's probably unpopular, but I never have issues with this. Had it since Sept 2024 without trouble. It's been through hell going up USFS trails. 😆

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Thanks for the suggestion, but not sure if this will work if it needs to integrate with the head unit and the head unit is starting to go out.
Let me looking into the other trouble shooting methods regarding my phone first before I start dropping money. Don't let my wife read this, but I'm almost hoping it's my phone. It'll justify a new phone! Maybe one of those Galaxy folding jobs!
 
r2m said:
Thanks for the suggestion, but not sure if this will work if it needs to integrate with the head unit and the head unit is starting to go out.
Let me looking into the other trouble shooting methods regarding my phone first before I start dropping money. Don't let my wife read this, but I'm almost hoping it's my phone. It'll justify a new phone! Maybe one of those Galaxy folding jobs!
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it's 100% your phone. ;)
 
llm said:
it's 100% your phone. ;)
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Are you saying this seriously or just punking me?
I've never had this issue with either a phone, all of which have been Galaxy's since early 2000's, nor with the screen.
Although, I believe you may be right, that it is the phone, since the phone has a tendency to drop speaker phone, and default the "at your ear" mode in the middle of a call. I have had it happen with the phone sitting in it's charging cradle on my desk, not even touching it, on a call, and then the volume goes soft. I look at the phone and the speak is turned off.
 
r2m said:
Are you saying this seriously or just punking me?
I've never had this issue with either a phone, all of which have been Galaxy's since early 2000's, nor with the screen.
Although, I believe you may be right, that it is the phone, since the phone has a tendency to drop speaker phone, and default the "at your ear" mode in the middle of a call. I have had it happen with the phone sitting in it's charging cradle on my desk, not even touching it, on a call, and then the volume goes soft. I look at the phone and the speak is turned off.
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i was just joking for your excuse to get a new phone.
 
I wasn't paying much attention before, but now I think the problem may be the head unit or??
The anomaly now, and it seems to have started with the battery swap, every time I start my rig, the notice it's going to map display comes up, much like when you disconnect the battery, reconnect it and start your car. It doesn't do the entire startup cycle, but gives that text screen before going to the map.

It makes think this is what happens when the battery is low, but can't be, being that it's brand new AND cranking it over, it's very strong, with full power. I'm stumped. Also all accessories work just fine when I just turn on the ignition with out starting it (but still get the map screen first).

It's a head scratchier... 😕
 
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@Acrad, just tried out the button pushing method and it works getting into the diagnostics screen. I ran all the tests available and nothing came up for codes or errors. Thanks again for the suggestion.
I'll try later with OBDLink and run some tests.
 
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