RedArc BCDC help (1 Viewer)

[nor_cal_cyclist]

Greetings - the stealership I purchased my 200 from installed a dual battery setup for me using a RedArc unit. Based on the fact my main battery keeps getting drained and the leds on the RedArc don’t turn off when the ignition is off, I’m guessing they hooked up a constant hot lead, instead of Ignition switched.

Anyone installed one and able to provide help on what circuit/wire you tied into for the install? Hoping to figure it out without paying another Toyota shop to look at it.

TIA.

 

[grinchy]

Ugh. Add a fuse to a switched fuse in engine bay probably most expedient. Where'd they put the DCDC?

 

[RobW0]

Greetings - the stealership I purchased my 200 from installed a dual battery setup for me using a RedArc unit. Based on the fact my main battery keeps getting drained and the leds on the RedArc don’t turn off when the ignition is off, I’m guessing they hooked up a constant hot lead, instead of Ignition switched.

Anyone installed one and able to provide help on what circuit/wire you tied into for the install? Hoping to figure it out without paying another Toyota shop to look at it.

TIA.

The orange wire should not be connected. Make sure that is the case. Sorry that should be the blue wire not connected.

 

[RobW0]

The orange wire should not be connected. Make sure that is the case.

Sorry should have said the blue wire.

 

[RobW0]

The blue wire is the trigger. It would be connected if we had a smart alternator but we don’t. The LC has a temp compensating one so blue wire not connected.

 

[SCDerby]

Sorry should have said the blue wire.

Yes, this

 

[CharlieS]

What they said. Blue wire remains disconnected.

BUT... You will still have lots of indicator lights on the BCDC when the power is off. That is normal.

Lots of different ways to wire it, here is one way to do it (I have a self jump setup, so I used a different schematic):

 

[NITC]

I have a RedArc 1225 installed in my LC. I don’t have the blue/orange/green wires connected. As long as the voltage on the primary battery is below 13.2 volts, there should only be a flashing light on the charge profile A. Once the voltage is 13.3 or higher, the CHARGE PROFILE A light will be solid and the CHARGE STATUS Vehicle light will be solid. The CHARGE STATUS stage light will follow the charge profile rules..

 

[NITC]

when the LC is running it should look like this..

A solid light on the CHARGE STATUS stage light indicates it is in the boost stage.

 

[catastrofe]

I have a RedArc 1225 installed in my LC. I don’t have the blue/orange/green wires connected. As long as the voltage on the primary battery is below 13.2 volts, there should only be a flashing light on the charge profile A. Once the voltage is 13.3 or higher, the CHARGE PROFILE A light will be solid and the CHARGE STATUS Vehicle light will be solid. The CHARGE STATUS stage light will follow the charge profile rules..

Correct...with the ignition off, and assuming no solar is connected, the only indicator will be a flashing LED based on the battery profile.

 

[CharlieS]

I think which light you have on depends on which charge profile you set up.

Mine has sat not running for a day and my A light under charge profile is the only one flashing. I'm at 12.4 v primary and 12.7 v aux.

Based on the label, it looks like it may be a combination of volts and temperature that determines which charged profile light flashes.

I self installed and followed factory directions.

I have other lights on when I first shut down the vehicle. A video I captured previously has the vehicle light on solid and the stage light flashing.

 

[catastrofe]

Which light you have flashing depends on which charge profile you set up.

Mine has sat not running for a day and my A light under charge profile is the only one flashing. I'm at 12.4 v primary and 12.7 v aux.

I self installed and followed factory directions.

I have other lights on when I first shut down the vehicle. A video I captured previously has the vehicle light on solid and the stage light flashing.

My bad. Corrected my previous post. Thanks for keeping me honest.

 

[CharlieS]

@catastrofe I wasn't trying to correct you - just share my experience. The OP doesn't sound like they have much experience with this system, so I don't want him to panic if if doesn't look exactly the way one of ours does. I just noticed an error in my post that I am going to correct now.

 

[nor_cal_cyclist]

Thanks guys - you are correct that I am NOT familiar with this system. I wired in a Blue Sear ML-ACR on my last truck to add dual batteries, and that's pretty straight forward.

Sounds like maybe it is wired correctly, and the stealership added Viper Smart Start alarm is creating the constant 0.2 amp draw. While not much, that combined with the battery being drained multiple times, may have damaged the batteries. I got them to take charge via a trickle charger and will see if they hold up. Not overly happy with the draw the alarm has, and since Toyota is nice enough to provide Safety Connect to us, might have Toyota disconnect the alarm when they take a look at my leaking rear diff (another gleaming example of the quality you can expect from DCI/4wheelparts).

Appreciate the help and SO NICE to be back in my 200 after it's trip to Trail Tailor for the new custom dual swing rear bumper!

 

[TeCKis300]

.2 amps is pretty typical for alarm draws.

Dealerships are notorious for delivering cars with bad batts as there's potentially long periods with the car sitting and the battery drawing down. Lead acid batts start the slippery slope of irreparable damage stored in any state other than fully charged. Lower states of charge equal more damage. With it being drawn down flat on many occasions now, no amount of conditioning and trickle charging will fix it.

I'd recommend replacing it right away to avoid further frustration. It should still be under some form of warranty or proration?

 

[nor_cal_cyclist]

.2 amps is pretty typical for alarm draws.

Dealerships are notorious for delivering cars with bad batts as there's potentially long periods with the car sitting and the battery drawing down. Lead acid batts start the slippery slope of irreparable damage stored in any state other than fully charged. Lower states of charge equal more damage. With it being drawn down flat on many occasions now, no amount of conditioning and trickle charging will fix it.

I'd recommend replacing it right away to avoid further frustration. It should still be under some form of warranty?

The truck had the factory battery replaced during the pre-delivery build out with dual Optima Reds (spec'd with Odyssey's, but another one of those "oops, we got the wrong item for you truck" things).

Wonder if there's a way to disable the alarm current draw without completely removing the alarm...

 

[CharlieS]

Maybe easier said than done, but couldn't you locate the either the wire that powers it or the wire that grounds it, then either disconnect it, or put an inline switch in? Since it is an alarm, they probably don't make that easy...

 

[TeCKis300]

The truck had the factory battery replaced during the pre-delivery build out with dual Optima Reds (spec'd with Odyssey's, but another one of those "oops, we got the wrong item for you truck" things).

Wonder if there's a way to disable the alarm current draw without completely removing the alarm...

How long did the build take? Possibly compromised the batt right at the start during the build, leaving doors and devices open/on for extended periods? I've been guilty of running down batts like this before.

Still, the batt needs to be replaced. While you troubleshoot for other potential issues.

 

[nor_cal_cyclist]

It was in and out of the install shop and body shop for 2+ months.

 

[CharlieS]

How long did the build take? Possibly compromised the batt right at the start during the build, leaving doors and devices open/on for extended periods? I've been guilty of running down batts like this before.

Still, the batt needs to be replaced. While you troubleshoot for other potential issues.

Can't a battery be load tested before jumping immediately to replacement? My local interstate battery store has a monster load tester that seems to detect bad cells, etc.