What 24V to 12V Converter Are You Using?

[vanisle3b42]

Hey all, I'm looking to install a 24V converter in my 82 BJ42. Wondering what setups you folks are running, if there's a brand I should look for, etc. Also curious as to where you've mounted yours.. I'm thinking about making a removable box for mine or something of the sort, but a solid permanent place would be way better. Any advice would be great! Thanks!

 

[dmjay]

Hey all, I'm looking to install a 24V converter in my 82 BJ42. Wondering what setups you folks are running, if there's a brand I should look for, etc. Also curious as to where you've mounted yours.. I'm thinking about making a removable box for mine or something of the sort, but a solid permanent place would be way better. Any advice would be great! Thanks!

I am using one of these. Works a treat.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=MP3066&CATID=83&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=1002#12

 

[markthemenace]

I believe that there are now very cheap units on the market. IIRC it was Canuck Safari who posted a link to the one he bought, which was less than $20. I'm sure he'll be along shortly to post it up here as well.

 

[HJ61 12HT]

I've had one of those 10A Jaycar ones running my stereo for years, there must be somewhere near BC that sells a similar thing.

 

[Biche]

I have a Pyle converter. Was cheap to me and do a good job so far.

 

[Estancio]

I've used Samlex...but have burned out 2 of them over the years. Just put in a cheaper Pyle and time will tell....

 

[hj 60]

Use one that has an empty battery warning/stop, if my 24v meter goes low when switching on lights and the fan I know the battery was almost drained, takes about 45 minutes to fully load while driving.

The other one I use goes from 24v to 220v/5000 w. need it to open doors, locks, abandoned sites hi-lift works great to

 

[Diesel42]

Solar converter/balancer. Search for a thread from "Stone". He provided a really good writeup some years back. This particular unit allows for 20amps continuous and balances both 12v batteries in a 24v system. Which is really important for us 24v guys. Best thing is since I installed mone(years back after stones suggestion) I've been running the same batteries.

 

[GregS]

I second Diesel42. Probably installed around the same time. I've got eight years on 84 month Die Hard Platinum series AGM's. Can't complain.

 

[Bandit_guy]

Solar converter as well, 5 years same batteries no issues

 

[crusherboy]

I use a converter to charge a 12v battery from the 24v from the high side of the 2 12v batteries that are stock in my rig.

I used a Solar Converter for a while, but burned it out because I was drawing too much power through it to re-charge my 12v agm battery. My fault because I put in a slightly larger fuse. I would run down my battery a lot with a fridge or winch, and the 20 amps from the Solar Converter had a hard time keeping up. My new solution is a Victron Energy Orion 2412-70amp ($250) marine 24v to 12v converter (92% effecient) linked to a battery charger ($160) made by Colman Air model C60-PWM to do proper charging at up to 60 amps. The Orion is great because it has a heat actuated fan and a remote on/off in 24v that I tied to the ignition/accessories (24v) of my HJ61. These 2 boxes along with the inverter and sub amp are located near the tailgate on the side of a drawer cabinet. If this setup has problems, I don't know what I will do. Working so far for me.

 

[CruisinWithDogs]

Cheap chinese 40$ 10amp from ebay, been charging my third battery with it for 2 years now

 

[71hj40]

Could be overkill but I have a Cooper Bussman 100 amp converter.

cooperindustries.com/content/public/en/bussman/transportation/products/power_conversion/battery_equalizers/21100x00_converterequalizer.html

...mounting it under the driver seat in my 71 in the storage compartment. Out of the way and out of any possible water. Not done building up my rig yet but I figured 100 amp should be more than enough for anything i could think of needing down the road. Could probably be close to being able to boost a buddy's 12v car or mild winching if need be. Not sure if you have that mounting location available to you or not.

 

[71hj40]

I tried the link above and didn't work for me, maybe this one will:
21100E00 Battery Equalizer

Also, this converter has a very low standby drain...i was unable to measure any draw on it with nothing 12V running off it. Then left it connected for over 3 weeks with no drain on my batteries at all.

 

[CruisinWithDogs]

Cheap 25$ 10 amp from ebay (china)
Been charging my third battery for 2 years now with no issues.

 

[Awl_TEQ]

I was going to buy a Cooper Bussman 100A unit to supply my house battery in my BJ42. But I came to the realization that whether using 24V or 12V (after an inefficient conversion) all the little electrons come from the same place. A wimpy underachieving 35A alternator. Just running the blower motor and the headlights is too much for it. Robbing more power for non-stock add ons just didn't make sense.

I added a 100A 12V alternator using the stock idler/crank pulleys and mounting location for the a/c compressor on a 3B. I now have more electrons than I can currently use (pun intended)

 

[71hj40]

I am running a/c so i wouldn't opt for the second alternator as real estate under the hood and on the crank pulley is at a premium.

It seems odd that toyota would put an alternator on a vehicle that was incapable of running the headlights and the fan at the same time....and if that is the case a higher output alternator seems easier to me than installing a second one.
I went with the converter because all the electrons don't exactly come from the same place, the batteries supply the extra when the alternator can't keep up then they recover via the alternator after the brief periods where you exceed the output of the alternator. Ie: starting, winching, etc.

 

[Awl_TEQ]

At idle the stock, freshly serviced, 35A alternator will run the headlights and the blower. But the blower slows down due to lack of power. The headlights dim too. Dash lights dim. Signals slow down. Totally normal. Raise the rpm and all is good.

My point is the alternator does in fact supply all power. Not at 100% duty cycle obviously, but it does supply all power. So if I do a big pull with my winch and then air up the tires with the 24v air compressor, jump on the highway and use the inverter to charge the hand held HAM, talk to my buds on the main HAM, switch on the fog lights with my high beams, run the refrigerator, listen to some tunes on my big stereo, recharge my 12V battery through a very inefficient converter and try to charge the depleted 24V system all from an undersized alternator I'm asking for trouble.

That scenario is not far fetched BTW.

 

[Rockaways]

any updated answers to this question?

 

[JDM Journeys]

I've been using a Victron Energy Orion IP20 24/12-Volt 25 amp DC-DC converter for three years. It sits in between my two rear drawers and charges my third 12v battery that runs all my accessories.

Positives: you can adjust the pot to a voltage that keeps your battery happy. My agm wanted 14.7v. and it's very compact.

One negative is that it uses small terminal connectors instead of bare wire connections, which can act as a choke point if you are asking a lot of it because you ran the fridge for two days at camp...

But it continues to work seamlessly in my setup. Sometimes I forget my truck is 24volts.