The rolling FJ40 Tech Monster!

[Fast Eddy]

One thing about solar... mine has actually picked up a little bit from a full moon at 10k'.

You're not helping your credibility with this statement.

"The amount of energy received from the sun is colossal: 342 watts per square meter, on average, over the course of a year. Of this, 31 percent is reflected immediately back into space by reflective surfaces in Earth's atmosphere and on the surface, but the remaining 69 percent is absorbed by the ecosystem. By comparison, the intensity of moonlight per square meter is estimated at 1 milliwatt, approximately 1/342,000th of the amount received directly from the sun."

http://www.ehow.com/about_5723836_moonlight-enough-power-solar-panels_.html

http://www.wisegeek.org/is-it-possible-for-solar-panels-to-charge-in-the-moonlight.htm

 

[ntsqd]

I read it on the internet, so it must be true.

 

[ntsqd]

In the 60 forum there is a thread about higher output alternators and it reminded me of an option that I'd forgotten about. Find that local starter/gen/alt guy and ask about Leece-Neville (sp?) alternators. Should be able to move up in long life, reliable alt output w/o getting into the marine $$ bracket.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

I can live with that

Fast Eddy...

As you quoted... what I said was, "mine has actually picked up a little bit from a full moon at 10k'." - I did not say moonlight created electricity.

I merely reported what I had observed, on several occasions, using a voltage monitor - you should try it at 10k', with a full moon, before you believe everything you read on the internet.

Notice that I said '...a little bit...' - as I recall it was a climb of about .05 volts - a negligible amount, but I wasn't trying to sell everyone on a potential for capturing electricity from moon light - If that was how it was interpreted, I apologize.

I was simply trying to make the point, to Blake, that a good solar array and charge controller will charge a battery, even in the dimmest sunlight - it certainly won't be a full charge, in dim sunlight, but it will charge nonetheless.

I'm no expert on solar power, I'm just a user - I use it to camp off the grid, while fly fishing and enjoying the fresh mountain air - and I have never found myself without sufficient electrical power in that situation.

Credibility isn't my concern... You've read my observations, garnered from practical experience.

You can take them or leave them, but at least you read them.

Thank you for that!

 

[rusty_tlc]

Just to add another variable; it is possible to piggy back a second alternator on the existing factory alternator. Just find a dual pulley and fabricate a bracket. Some of the guys that do OB welders from alternators do this. One advantage of this approach is you can also get an AC source out of the bargain.

 

[Denverblake]

Just to add another variable; it is possible to piggy back a second alternator on the existing factory alternator. Just find a dual pulley and fabricate a bracket. Some of the guys that do OB welders from alternators do this. One advantage of this approach is you can also get an AC source out of the bargain.

Rusty, with a 2nd alternator, do you use this as the sole energy source for an Inverter or also tie it in to support the battery draw? I haven't heard much about a 2nd alternator setup.

Thanks for the input.
Blake

 

[rusty_tlc]

The guys that run OB welders usually run a secondary system isolated from the OEM system.

Sent via the ether from my candy bar running ginger bread

 

[ntsqd]

A second battery that is isolated from the starting battery would be a great foundation for all of your planned mods. Having a second alternator to charge that battery would be one way of isolating it from the starting battery. Batteries of this size tend to be great at noise and spike suppression.

 

[rusty_tlc]

A second battery that is isolated from the starting battery would be a great foundation for all of your planned mods. Having a second alternator to charge that battery would be one way of isolating it from the starting battery. Batteries of this size tend to be great at noise and spike suppression.

The main benefit of a second alternator would be increasing the available current for charging the aux system without modifying the OEM alternator and amp gauge. You could, in fact, build the whole system without cutting into the factory wiring harness at all.

 

[ntsqd]

Dan,
That is what I was thinking. If you have a second battery AND a second alternator the two sets don't need to know that the other even exists. Build the whole "Tech Monster" part off of the second battery/Alternator combo and leave the existing charging/starting battery system alone.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Lots of things to consider when adding a high current system to an old truck, just one;
The dash board amp meter. Unlike newer vehicles that have a volt meter in the dash the FJ40 has an amp meter that runs the entire output of the alternator through the gauge. If you go much over 45Amps alternator output the gauge will fry along with a bunch of wires. There are a ton of threads on this topic in the 40 forum.


At the end of the day consider;
Will I be parked for extended periods? If so IMHO you need a solar or small gen set system. Based on first hand experience a Honda 1000 will recharge two deep cycle RV house batteries with an hour or so run time per day. Rain or shine, Seattle or Death Valley. I'd find room for this option, or maybe a smaller generator.

Will I relocate every day or two? Most times the factory alt will generate enough current to re-charge the main and aux system while driving.