RedArc BCDC help (2 Viewers)

[RobW0]

I have the 2-way Viper remote start on mine. I have not measured the current draw on it yet, but you can see that it has one by how the antenna for the system can melt snow on the windshield.

 

[TeCKis300]

Battery is done. That much is clear from symptoms of being completely flat many times by morning. Whether root issues is phantom draw or not, the battery is still already compromised.

 

[mcgaskins]

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.

Battery is done. That much is clear from symptoms of being completely flat many times by morning. Whether root issues is phantom draw or not, the battery is still already compromised.

Agreed with @TeCKis300 it sounds like even after the situation gets resolved that battery (batteries?) will need to get replaced. I would definitely go back to the dealership/shop that sold you the product at the beginning because it was clearly not done correctly along with the diff issue mentioned in another thread. Sounds like a pretty bad experience with this shop - hopefully it's not a Mud vendor. If it is a Mud vendor, they definitely should be taking care of these issues!

 

[CharlieS]

Maybe it is just me, but I wouldn't be inclined to trust the dealer that messed it up to fix it.

A nice thing about doing work yourself is that you know it is done correctly (and have nobody but yourself to blame when things go wrong). Another upside is understanding how it all goes together so when things go wrong, you know how to troubleshoot. Breakdowns always seem to happen in the most inconvenient places and at the most inconvenient times.

This doesn't really help your original issue, but in my way of thinking, if you resolve the issues yourself, you will know what to do next time something goes TU.

 

[Brucey]

Hi Guys, Mark Bruce from REDARC here. The BCDC's when wired in your LC200's need not necessarily have the blue ignition wire connected, as stated above your alternators are temperature compensating. When in standby mode, the BCDC 'A' profile light should be flashing, as our product monitors the voltage in the main battery. When we see this main battery voltage rise above 13.2V, we deem this as the engine has started and the alternator is now providing power. The BCDC turns on and the profile 'A' light is now on solid, indicating the BCDC is charging. Now whilst the main battery voltage remains above 12.7Volts, we'll continue to charge and maintain your auxiliary battery and when we sense this main battery voltage to fall below 12.7Volts, we deem this as the engine has turned off and the alternator is no longer supplying power and the BCDC will turn off. Often when you've turn your vehicle off, the BCDC will remain on continuing to maintain the auxiliary at approximately 13.3Volts however once the main battery falls below the 12.7Volts, shortly there after the BCDC will turn off, saving the start battery from over discharge. Current draw when the BCDC is idle, is very low - No Load Current <100mA and Standby Current <8mA. Thanks again guys, I hope this helps... Cheers ; )

 

[TeCKis300]

@nor_cal_cyclist , from the other thread, sounds like you never found satisfactory resolution?

Were you able to replace the batts? And still only continued to get short standby times before the batteries went flat?

 

[grinchy]

Is this part of the issue? Are you flatting the battery when external charging?

 

[nor_cal_cyclist]

Since I had the truck, I've always charged the aux first then the main, but the vehicle arrived on a transport truck with the battery dead.

Optima's being replaced with Odyssey's next week, and hoping its just that simple. If not, the shop I'm taking my 200 to will resolve the problem once and for all...

 

[BVE]

Have you checked if the blue wire is installed by accident? The video above and multiple folks (vendor included) have mentioned it. Maybe I missed it but I didn’t see a confirmation the blue wire is not wired in.

 

[nor_cal_cyclist]

Blue wire was not used.

 

[grinchy]

What candidates for the parasitic draw are there?

 

[nor_cal_cyclist]

Switch Pro was set up incorrectly (since resolved), Viper smart start alarm, and RedArc unit. I'm honestly thinking it might be as simple as the main battery was drained too low during the initial build process and won't hold charge. If so, the new battery's will resolve this problem.

 

[BVE]

Switch Pro was set up incorrectly (since resolved), Viper smart start alarm, and RedArc unit. I'm honestly thinking it might be as simple as the main battery was drained too low during the initial build process and won't hold charge. If so, the new battery's will resolve this problem.

I hope so man, sounds exhausting.

 

[nor_cal_cyclist]

Its a royal PITA to worry about hooking up an external charger if leaving the truck sitting more than a couple days. Lucky to have multiple vehicles, but still beyond frustrating to try and jump into my 200 and have it not start or struggle to turn over, knowing I added 2 matched AGM batteries when I bought the truck.

 

[TeCKis300]

Since I had the truck, I've always charged the aux first then the main, but the vehicle arrived on a transport truck with the battery dead.

Optima's being replaced with Odyssey's next week, and hoping its just that simple. If not, the shop I'm taking my 200 to will resolve the problem once and for all...

Glad to hear you may have resolution and get to enjoy the truck again. Let us know if it works out.

Coming from the RV world, compromised batteries on delivery is almost the norm. It's so common and repeated on the forums. Trailers often sit for many months at a time before being sold, inevitably with a depleted and damaged battery. Then leave it to dealers to save a buck and not do the right thing to replace them, but helping buyers out by "charging" them for delivery. Knowing full well that it is a short term solution to pass the buck. Onto unsuspecting and bushy eyed buyers then trying to enjoy a maiden voyage with a damaged battery that goes dead in the night. It gets worse because new owners jump to conclusions that they need to spend thousands more right after purchase, to gut and upgrade the electrical and batts, when simply addressing the damaged batts is all that needs to be done.

All batteries, whether flooded lead acid, AGM, lithium, what have you, get irreversibly damaged when fully depleted. Chemical reactions and sulfation create permeant damage that destroys capacity and reserves of a battery.

 

[indycole]

Any chance you have an ODB II scanner plugged in? That alone has led to some low battery situations in my truck during periods when I haven't driven for a bit.

 

[nor_cal_cyclist]

Any chance you have an ODB II scanner plugged in? That alone has led to some low battery situations in my truck during periods when I haven't driven for a bit.

I have the scanned (Carista), but do not leave it plugged in. I really am optimistic the Stealership that built my truck just killed the main battery and once I replace both the main and aux, my problems will go away. Will be nice, as I don't really trust the truck to go camping/exploring too much, for fear I'll be stuck with a dead vehicle one morning out in the middle of the dessert/mountains. I have a jumper pack from Noco, but would rather not have to carry it around all the time.

 

[CharlieS]

Not a solution, but are your dual batteries set up to self jump? If not, that’s easy to do, and it would allow you to have a backup starting setup at the push of a button to link them.

 

[FrazzledHunter]

Is this part of the issue? Are you flatting the battery when external charging?

I found this VERY interesting. Maybe adding a switch on the + wire from my starter battery to my REDARC BCDC 12225D is in my future. In the mean time, charge the 2nd battery first then the starter.

 

[Markuson]

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.

It is normal for various Redarc LEDs to stay lit or blink when the ignition is off.

Thry will indicate various states and stages its functioning in at the time.

To be clear… -If your redarc LEDs went and stayed completely dark? -that would be odd.