DIY Electrical Overland Box

[@PBS-nm1uu]

this is why people watch these video, great presentation, looking forward seeing more of your videos.

[@asablack1364]

Clear as mud but I absolutely LOVED IT.

[@ExpeditionExtreme]

As always great content. I think the appeal of overlanding is about the constant tweaks, new ideas, and the never ending build to perfect our overland vehicles. I think it would be soul destroying the day the vehicle is complete...... I guess, that the day you sell it and start with a new project....

[@_monkee]

Always good to see how other blokes have solved a common problem - thanks!

[@gkanai1400]

I did not know that air compressors should be on the cranking battery, so that was good to know. Thanks Ronny!

[@camscrivener4345]

Gen Kanai not exactly true he has done because he users a bc-dc charger but if you use a standard solenoid your to wire it the second

[@patb4493]

Thats not true - I have run 2 big compressors off 1 in my minitruck for years and it's still going.

[@The_Opinion_of_Matt]

Hey Ronny, I have a couple suggestions for your wiring. I've been working as a technician for about 15 years now, (USMC Avionics, installed electronics packages in police cars, test tech for a U.S. Navy contractor, and currently industrial maintenance technician for the short resume). A couple of small things that can be done to improve safety and reliability. First, put some kind of cover over the power screw terminals inside your box, it can be as simple as some electrical tape or sticking a bit of hose over the screw ends. This will prevent someone or something from accidentally shorting them to a ground while reaching inside the box and/or if something shifts while off road. Two, take your wires into the bottom of the box and incorporate a drip loop. Google "drip loop" for a more detailed description, but it is basically a low point in a wire that water will run to instead of the water running to your electrical connections. I know it is only a 12V system, but it is the amps that do the damage. 80A fuses and 0.25A to stop the heart. The question then becomes how much resistance (ohms) to ground. Normally, the human body has too much resistance for 12V to overcome and allow current (amps) to flow, but if you are getting someone unstuck, in the rain and need to reach into your box... well I think you get the idea. I know this is your old and temporary box, but hopefully you can incorporate this into your new box and I hope it helps anyone else that is building their electrical system.

[@01cthompson]

Those exposed positive terminals had me nervous too. I've seen a screwdriver melted in half when it completed a circuit from a terminal to the vehicle body.

[@JeepITguy]

All good points, but another thing that can be done is to use a waterproof compression grommet for the box penetrations.

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

I spent 30 years as an electrician doing every conceivable type of work you can imagine and have to say I concur with what you’ve said in your comment. People tend to get hurt when they are distracted. Like when you are in a hurry. Doing a recovery or in bad weather etc. Covering all positive contact points, bolts, wires etc is an absolute must. If you use electrical tape make sure it’s not the cheap stuff. 3M makes some that is rated at 600 volts if you use 2 layers. Might seem like overkill but hey it’s only your life right? lol Anyways loved the video especially the simple diagrams Happy trails mate

[@Alex.G]

thanks for showing us ya box Ronny! 👍

[@929cosmodude]

cant wait till you get your new setup, gotta be a massive improvement over that show!

[@Mrcaffinebean]

Love your box! I'm looking forward to seeing the new and improved version. I too have a love for wiring stuff up.

[@PhantasticAdventures]

I am glad you did this video. In the process of fixing up the wiring mess under the hood of the FJ. And some one the comments below will help me make it neat and tidy :)

[@pdric4430]

Good vid Ronnie. And a good overview of wiring and electrical setup. Look forward to next one

[@bananasusyd]

Great video Ronny. Looking forward to the in-depth look at the new set up!

[@samirmohammed7465]

I love the way you have done it with the batteries and the charging system

[@walleyeye]

Great video!!! I will use this video as a reference when I build my battery box for my diy overland trailer over here in Canada!!!

[@billalousis]

Good on ya Ronny...new to overlanding and you made it understandable to a newbie!!!

[@SJsAdv]

Thanks for sharing. Great idea! I want to put something like this on my trailer.

[@alexashworth6539]

Thanks for info on compressors source for power, keep up good work with the videos. Note keep high amps away from com's cables or one side of car/truck for power and other side for com's. Copy of your wiring diagram with testing tips/ fuses laminated always help."Terminal ends" electrical tape then heat shrink over the top. Just done 2500 miles trip of Europe and of to next one soon. ATB

[@WesternAustraliaNowAndThen]

I can't tell from the video but the front deep cycle certainly looks larger than the back deep cycle. It is important when using 'house' batteries that are wired together that all batteries be the same size (in amp hours) and that they are the same age. A battery bank is only as good as the weakest battery (or cell) and in order to get the most out of a battery bank, keeping sizes and age the same is important.

[@Ronny_Dahl]

yes totally agree, its one of the things I didnt have much choice about and will be addressed in the new build. It works fine but it'll kill the batteries earlier.

[@Tonkz09]

Thank you Ronny Just the video I was looking for!

[@bearsnsox1]

Great video Ronny, thanks.

[@John-zo6do]

Love your vids Ronny.. thank god this is a temp box. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.. Im an auto electrician by trade. Glad to see you giving it a go yourself and fusing everything. Just a tip. Fuse the 2.5 Aux battery too mate ;)

[@Ronny_Dahl]

yes I'm glad someone actually saw that. That was the only thing not fused. Temp box + laziness = not getting it done

[@OverlandTrax]

Nice video, thanks for sharing 👍

[@AM-rr9xs]

Hey Ronny! those LED strips require silicone on them to stick. I live in hot climate (New Mexico) around 110 F in the summer and I have those lights under my hood and inside the truck. I use liquid clear silicone to stick them down(any kind works, I typically use plumbing kind). Put some silicone on the led clamp them down to and after 1 hour they stick just let them dry and wipe excess silicone. Mine stuck even after a underhood fire when it was 100 F outside(didnt melt the silicone and still stuck, the truck still runs right, do electrical properly!)

[@HugDeeznueces]

Well done Ronny! Love your channel mate!

[@michaelfiggins7931]

awesome vid man. came here for dual battery knowledge. and i left with more questions than answers. I'm trying to put together a system where the aux accessories can deplete the "aux" battery without ever touching the vehicles battery. but the alternator still will charge both respectively. only been able to find systems that either charge both batteries equally. or charge the aux battery using the vehicle battery. or my recent find the CTEK D250S which seems to charge 1 battery, while automatically alternating from solar panels to alternator depending on output. which is like the opposite of what I'm looking for. PS i tried your weenie, rice, coconut, corn, pineapple dish. very good. i just add a little salt and pepper and a couple of eggs to round out the texture of the meal

[@jimmya9579]

nice video, gave me a few ideas for my own rig. Suggestion: Put your Aux batteries in the same place, move the BCDC charger closest to them, this should be mentioned in your redarc manual.

[@slowboat6021]

good stuff Ronnie, I don't feel to bad about my wiring efforts now LOL. +1 fuses are the most important part of the system. Have seen a close call which could have destroyed a camp because they had not installed a fuse. 19mm form ply is handy eh.

[@nipsy_lafett]

Ronny. Do you ever look back at these videos and if so what are your thoughts. I love seeing what you evolved from.

[@jojot03]

nice video! your wiring is kinda the same as mine but without the 2.5 battery haha glad to know i did it right

[@jasonhowe1697]

I might suggest loading the front of your tray with with 4-6 deep cycles to cover your power requirements You will need both a AC shore power box and AC fuse box and dc fuse box you may want to consider a Anderson pole setup for your dc setup With dc>AC power converters it is not advised to run mismatched batteries. Though I do recommend if you are going to run a converter/inverter you may want to consider something within 1-5 kw as that gives you multiple power options for an engel or some type of fridge freezer.. You typically run 2 batts to cover you cabins power requirements which will also cover lights, cb (27mhz) cb uhf in both narrow and wideband and ham and aux radio services

[@robschipholt7053]

Howzit Ronny, really cool. Thanks for the info re the compressor and the main cranking battery - I did not know that and have always run the compressor off one of the auxiliary output points, linked to my "house" battery. P.S as you said - easier if you have done some rudimentary wiring, but nicely explained. Thanks for all of this, keep them coming pleaee! Rob.

[@ppha7665]

Very informative! Keep it up!

[@spencersullivan4966]

Your ute is my dream car

[@grantsmith9986]

Hey Ronny, loving the video content. I've got some electrical knowledge, but just enough to get by. The way the fuzes run confuse me. If you could either explain in the new one or in a reply that would be great. This video has been a great help in figuring out what to do with mine. Thanks

[@mcopeland05]

you can save a lot of money by grounding batteries to your frame. They do it in car audio with no problems. D'Amore engineering did a current flow test that shows the resistance added is negligible on a system running 10x the current of what you will be running. The video is on youtube. Your factory system uses the frame as a common already.

[@tforest3816]

should do a video on how and what you pack when you go away ronny

[@12kerryman]

Great video, and some really good comments below. Why not run two core cable instead of single? You can use the second core to bring back the earth to a central location and u only have to pull one cable?...

[@rahalati]

Thanks for the info. What size of cable coming from front batteries to the electrical box

[@favadnazari685]

Very good vidoe 😁👍🏻

[@tomcardale5596]

I run my compressor from my stuff battery so that I can use it with the engine off. Not something I'd want to do regularly but I think it's good to have the option. The reason I can do that is because I don't use a DC/DC split charger, mine is relay based. It can take the full alternator current continuously and peak much higher so it's suitable for jump starting myself.

[@efijycat1856]

Hey Ronny Ive wondered for a while if you have a car that you use when your not using the 4WD. because shorty if something went really bad with the 4WD you would need something else to drive.

[@vincepalaa]

Any battery isolator in your system? Most here in the states use the Blue Sea ACR. I know you Aussies love Redarc (which I decided to try on my dual battery 200 series).

[@limestonecowboy]

Hey Ronny my fridge really sets up a buzz in my radio (am/fm) when it cuts in; is there some sort of suppressor that I can use to cut out the interference. My car (1kz- Prado) has an integrated (hidden?) aerial I suspect that makes it more susceptible to interference.

[@toddmillar4041]

thanx for that video I was wondering how to wire up when I start my project 4by. I'm going to a pro far beyond my capabilities

[@patm5165]

Hi Ronny, another great video, thanks. Can you put up a link for the D.C. Charger you are using?

[@SensoryAlterations]

I would get a separate fuse box for the Air compressor fuses. The inline fuses makes them harder to test and change, IMO.

[@milo257mm]

Hey Ronny. great video. very interesting setup lots involded. hey wanted to ask whats your occupation during the week? keep up the great work! is the battery in the box a gel or agm style and the second battery under the bonnet a wet type? try keep the two joined together the same chemistry! great setup cant wait to see your new setup!

[@Tobias611]

Hey Ronny,got a question: how much worse did the fuel economy get with the full equipped canopy? what were your liters/100km before and after? :)

[@mattymmmm2362]

Hey Ronny, what DCDC charger are you using? Will you be using solar panels on your next setup?

[@NickBaird]

hey mate, love the video as usual! glad to see that even the biggest names in the 4wd world have messy wiring haha. I know I look at my engine bay sometimes and shake my head at my wiring! just wondering what takes grommets were that you run the wiring through the side of the box? I just wired a compressor into an under tray toolbox and used rubber grommets as I didn't know those plastic screw on looking grommets existed! cheers mate 👍

[@Jdeionno]

BAIRDYBOII they would actually be called cable glands! They're more so used In 240v AC wiring Your local Bunnings or electrical wholesaler can hook you up

[@NickBaird]

Joe Deionno cheers mate, champion!

[@herbietiff]

Great timing Ronny. I'm currently working on my 2nd battery setup with the fridge, usb sockets, and camp lights out of the back of my Prado. Do you have any suggestions for connectors for the fridge? I'll use a merit connector with my waeco but I've heard some suggest wiring it using a 50A anderson plug. any thoughts?

[@Ronny_Dahl]

on my next setup I decided to hard wire on fridge and use a Deutsch plug for the other one (yes two fridges)

[@Engineer9736]

Are those tires stock on such Landcruiser? That truck seems like the ultimate 4WD. In the normal road-usable cars category at least 😉

[@anguspd]

You say a DC to DC charger will charge your first battery first then switch to the second. Isn't this the function of an old school solenoid. I thought a DC to DC charger is to supply a constant / maintained charge rather than act as a solenoid? Or does it do both?

[@RNicknackpaddywhack]

Which battery powers your massage chair and automatic cheese grater?

[@jeyecomerford477]

Hey Ronny, love the content you bring out! Just a question about having a ciggy lighter port on the outside of your box. I would like to do this as well but also have switches and volt meter with it. How would I keep it water proof as it will be exposed to the elements. Thanks mate! Keep it up!

[@MADBONE0]

the old DIY power box ... version 1.5 i think Ronny's now onto the "Version 2.0 redarc BMS everything done properly with lithium"

[@JeepITguy]

Interesting concept, but why is it in a seperate box and not wired into the vehicle permanently?

[@dirtyoff-roadaustralian5525]

Hi Ronny Can you do a clip on the rock lights and wiring up or send me a link if already done cheers

[@sewerratt47]

Where did you get your electrical experience ? Great vid !

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

Amazing!! I’m in the Pacific Northwest USA and the landscape looks identical to some of the places I spend time in lol Is that ice or snow on the ground?

[@harrywest6624]

Prepperjon nope just sand.

[@lucasr2030]

I'm guessing that your volt/ampere gauge has an internal shunt?

[@bazza2540]

You've come a long way baby in 2 years

[@jbdnmos1]

Is that turbo V-8 diesel only offered in Australia?

[@t6c3t4]

Off topic but when did you get new tires?

[@bronsonpiacentini2050]

When joining battery's mate the should both be same Thile size and condition as it will be putting extra strain on them and they will not last as long

[@stephenmewett8114]

Hi mate we’re did you buy the white switch boxes from ?

[@JoeC92]

Are you running a normal wet cell lead acid battery for cranking then deep cycle AGM for house? I keep hearing you can't do it which is whats making my dual battery system be on hold until I can get the funds to buy two batteries plus the dual battery kit. If I can run my OEM battery then put in my deep cycle and not have a problem that saves about $500

[@JelmervanderMeer07]

As long as they are properly split, then yes, that should not be a problem. I use a Ctek Dual 250s DC to DC charger that runs from my starter battery to my deep cycle. Personally I would not use a voltage sensing relay or similar kind of relays to connect the batteries as it generally will not charge your house battery sufficiently.

[@JoeC92]

the kit I was looking at comes with a Blue Sea 7622 ML-ACR 500 amp, dual voltage sensing relay.

[@dtec30]

did you do a video on the compressor ronny ?

[@kaynefin]

Wire sizing for Batteries and appliances? Cheers.

[@Ronny_Dahl]

in the next video

[@lachlangates9099]

Hey ronnie what part of wa do you live in

[@trev9874]

nice job Ronny what DC to DC charger do you use and how is that wired in

[@EnduringGuerila]

I am looking to buy one too and was hoping he already told us which one he has.

[@knightmpw]

Do you have the manager 30 installed in this?

[@Ronny_Dahl]

no not in this temp box but in the new one I do

[@matejhosner1980]

LMAO, was that the onion knigt??! "hmm, hmmmm"

[@graceetimes9610]

When will we see the off-road sticker we sent in for your electrical box?

[@Ronny_Dahl]

they will go on the new one other wise they would be discarded with the old box

[@catfishvonbaron]

🤠

[@0521carlos]

👍

[@rowanleat6197]

I always thought it was a big no no to hook 2 different size batteries in parallel? I might be wrong.

[@sir_forsaken1857]

It is. But as Ronny said, this is temporary.

[@camscrivener4345]

Good video but from a auto sparky view some information isn't 100% correct and the wiring look very hazardous and messy which affect reliably and safety

[@Ronny_Dahl]

agreed, it was a very quick setup and was never meant to be in use for that long, the new box is done very different and a lot neater.

[@NuggetMuncherGammer]

I wouldn't fuck around with any DIY electrical for the average joe. Get a qualified sparkie to do it will be safer and it will be a better job

[@teamunscene]

its just a birds nest in there !

[@forkdriver500]

You lost me at "Hi, Ronny here"....I'm a complete pleb at 'lectrickery :-(

[@spencersullivan4966]

First

[@ridgerunner7980]

too many wires ..just more room for failure