Overlanding Vehicle Power and Battery Systems: Proven - Gear & Tactics by X Overland

Welcome to Proven! This new series is all about the proven gear and methods we have used or learned along the way during our travels. Clay speaks from his personal experience with Expedition Overland over the past 9 years and the systems we have used along the way!
This first episode is all about battery and power systems for our vehicles. Enjoy! #overlanding #expeditionoverland #xoverland
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Presented by General Tire: generaltire.com/
Gear Seen in this Episode of 'Proven'.
-Redarc Battery Charger: redarcelectronics.com/collect...
-Redarc Electronics Solar Blanket: Coming soon to U.S.A.
-Honda Generator 1000i: amzn.to/2McafPR
-Optima Battery: amzn.to/32XzRqz
-Goal Zero Yeti 400 Portable Power Station: amzn.to/2ADGuSI
-Goal Zero Boulder 100 Briefcase: amzn.to/2MaiPPh

[@ExpeditionOverland]

Thank you for tuning in! We want to help answer your questions and this series was one of the ways we could best do that. Stay tuned for a new Proven next week!

[@tailormade81582]

Unleaded fuel? You meant ethanol free, right?

[@Pooooooops]

Love the new series already, immediately checked if there were more episodes just to find this is the first, keep it up!!

[@ExpeditionOverland]

@@Pooooooops Thanks! More coming each Thursday through October.

[@DroneDane]

How do you become apart of your expeditions?! Not even kidding 😅 what's the goals and purpose

[@takeroadslesstraveled6505]

Perfect start to the new series! I'm starting a new build and having a proper power setup is my first step. Thank you for all the great info!

[@BillyWeisbergII]

Great video, love the straight forward and direct comparison from "how we started" to present!

[@jonathannieto4966]

I remember when you guys first got started and I was watching all the prep videos for the Alaska trip, glad to see you guys keep going and making it a business. I remember you saying in one of your first videos how it was your dream glad to see it's still alive. I started watching this series when I was overlanding in Arizona desert with my 1987 Toyota 4runner was happy to see someone actually go and video some out of country and in country overlanding, knowing I probably wouldn't will keep up to date with your content and purchase your Amazon videos to help you out on your next adventures.

[@cbh76]

Wow, so you happened to know the exact video I was wanting to see? Awesome!

[@haydenpruitt5199]

That was awesome please do more educational videos like this. "Education overland" lol.

[@trunorthland3193]

Yes more videos like this! Thanks, you nice work

[@TrailorSailYT]

This really has helped us answer some of the basic problems we encounter while being out at camp. Thank you!!!

[@mikehoffman3690]

Great information. We run a Genesis Dual Battery system in our JK with two yellow top Optima Batteries, and carry a 110 watt solar panel as a backup power source. Works very well for our overlanding trips.

[@russbortnem2508]

Lots of great suggestions. Flux Compacitor and all problems solved. I enjoy the videos, especially these PROVEN ones. Thanks

[@Chicanoverland]

Great work Clay. Nice to see the evolution.

[@freedomrider266]

Knowing what you need, versus buying whatever the "biggest" is, is half the problem solved...Thanks for the vid.

[@Billy123bobzzz]

1a) Your alternator will perform much better if you install a very slightly smaller fully on it so that at idle it will put out full power. This is not enough to wear out the alternator prematurely since the alternator only needs a slight RPM increase to put out almost full power. You can also look at the parts catalog and install a larger alternator that was intended for Police/Fire/Ambulance vehicles because they can be ordered from the factory with alternators that are designed to keep all their electrical equipment operating at fill power even when the vehicle is idling for hours at a time. 1b) Your usage appears to be very close to the Police/Fire/Ambulance usage case so you may want to peruse their options to see if they have already solved your problem. 2) Lithium batteries can fail if they receive any sharp impacts or excess steady vibrations above its threshold, do some research to see if you can install a shock absorbing mat or mount for them. us

[@JimmyStewpot]

I was about to say this and you summed it up perfectly. We run an alternator that runs 180amps at idle which comes from a military radio truck

[@Billy123bobzzz]

@@JimmyStewpot I want that alternator! LOL

[@samuelhaire9584]

Wow. Well done video. Very informative and straight to the point. Thank you. Learnt a lot. You sold me. Liked and subbed. Looking forward to your channel. Well done!

[@onememories8523]

Very nice. Thank you for sharing !

[@n0pe213]

Vlogspedition Overland, that Greenland footage better be awesome

[@yaelri1430]

Thank You, I've learned a lot

[@OverlandTrax]

Good video, thanks for sharing 👍

[@SUVTouring]

Great video, thank you !

[@ExpeditionOverland]

Thank you and you are so welcome!

[@theninja001]

10 months since we have had a trip video! Im dying here! Lol

[@Billy123bobzzz]

SIne Wave is actually pronounced like Sign Wave (not "Sin" Wave) LOL Other wise its a great video, thanks!

[@ExpeditionOverland]

LOL. Good to know!

[@Andrapple]

THIS. lol

[@makemineatriple2006]

Plus a non sinewave is also known as a squarewave as the scope is squared off.

[@StevenAdams777]

🙄

[@Billy123bobzzz]

@@makemineatriple2006 Actually in devotes that supply power it is most commonly known as a "Modified Square Wave"

[@erikhaw7313]

Very informative! Who knew our cars needed a minimum RPM for the alternators to charge electrical systems optimally?

[@KenMcGeachy]

100w of permanently mounted Renogy solar, 200Ah of AGM battery storage in 2- 6v units, supplemented by alternator charging through a Blue Sea ACR, took me and my family to Guatemala and back. We had a 50L Dometic fridge, lights, laptop and camera chargers drawing on it and never had a problem, even when sitting for a few days in 35 (95) degree heat.

[@curtishinkle3893]

Almost my same setup, 100w permanently mounted, 100ah house battery with voltage sensing relay, off main battery/alternator. About to switch to lifepo4 battery for more usable power if I have a couple cloudy days in a row.

[@mazevx2451]

There are reinforced higher power alternators for many vehicles available on the market, did you try one of these? While most alternators are 3 phase, they often use 6 phases what gives you a smother DC current after rectification and also higher possible amp draw at low rpm.

[@davidharden8469]

I first heard about XOverland and overlanding this summer (after buying a 4Runner last year), and I have been binge watching every video since. I LOVE your show and can't get enough! I can't wait to outfit by vehicle and take my boys out on a trip. I have 2 questions: will Jeff and Heather come back periodically? And what happened to Apollo and Rufio? Sad to see them all go...

[@ExpeditionOverland]

Thanks for watching! They just may but for now they are enjoying married life in Billings :) Apollo and Rufio we had to sell to help fund the South America Expedition - and its expensive to keep up so many vehicles :)

[@davidharden8469]

@@ExpeditionOverland Please tell them that I would love to see them in a future expedition. I am sure I am not alone in that regard. And another 4Runner would be awesome, too...

[@solexsymphony212]

That permanent panel shown looks like it’s sitting down in a valley between two boxes. If either of those boxes are shading a small portion of the panel, the panel won’t produce much of anything.

[@microsnook3]

they seem to reflect a lot of light though.

[@Casey_7140]

Some nice to know info about the Honda EU series Genny's. From the factory they can be run in parallel if you have another EU series genny and need more power.

[@garthhayward9581]

Very interesting to see your progression into full blown managed solar and lithium Tec. I've recently been investigating supplementing my power generation requirements for camp with a portable wind generator. Have you guys looked into this at all. Specifically to assist in winter months when solar won't cut it.

[@Feintgames]

I've heard having the solar panel pointing in the right direction makes a huge difference in their performance (vs. pointing straight up). I use the Sun Surveyor app on my android for outdoor photo and video shoot planning to tell me where the sun is in the sky using augmented reality. It gives you the azimuth and elevation, but you can just aim your phone and see where the sun shining the most during your stop.

[@ExpeditionOverland]

This is true!

[@great0789]

I was always having to replace the battery on my dualsport around 1 time per year. I upgraded to an odyssey battery... and never had to change it again. It was worth it. More reliable AND cheaper after year two or so. lol

[@great0789]

And... I agree about Lithium! It is next level for batteries. Not as sensitive to cold or heat as lead-acid either. Less fade.

[@trainman7068]

Good to hear you're going with solar, it is the best way to go. Do not go cheap on your lithium batteries or charge controllers. Check out Battle Born Batteries and Victron Energy for your charge controllers and inverters. Keep your Honda generator for backup. Find a way to mount your solar panels on your trailers and trucks. While you're going slow on the trails they will be charging your batteries.

[@oddjobkia]

I understand that it is another thing to carry and maintain and set up time Have you looked into Wind generator power when you are at camp? There are some compact units that put out a fair amount of amps.. love this Proven series by the way. From Sunny! Wales..

[@iralifland7952]

Where can I buy Redaec solar blankets (red180) in the states, cannot find so far even on eBay, and your show is by far one of the best on the internet...keep up the excellent work.

[@heshamharold]

the (i) on the generator stands for inverter generator, it is an added cost if your application needs it, if you are running power tools and lights of the generator you won't need a staple frequency/voltage anyway, and most laptops chargers will work of a huge frequency and voltage range, but some smaller electronics might be sensitive to voltage drop and frequency shift. you should have used 350-watt solar PV panels, they should be enough for all of your needs. i was planning to build my own LI-PO battery using 18650s, it is cheaper though and lighter, and you can shape up ur power storage to your space, with maximum battery life if used correctly.

[@mandaloin]

Can you expand on building a battery from 18650s? Any links for where you did your research on that?

[@terryziniewicz8301]

Good thing there are not other dialects. Sin, Sine win, wine, Good on ya Clay your time with Patriot is rubbing off ;-)

[@donleamon8653]

Sin wave sounds, dirty... 😎

[@johndiannegmail]

There is another drawback to Li batteries in addition to cost and that is they don't like to operate in cold/very cold temps. If doing winter work, the batteries temperature needs to be accommodated. Another advantage is that they can endure many more deep draw downs than other batteries i.e AGM, etc. Love your videos.

[@davidharden8469]

Would you please make a video about how to select the right roof rack? What are the advantage/disadvantages between between more modern style racks such as Eezi-Awn and Frontrunner versus the traditional basket style racks for overlanding trips? Also, for those of us who also use roof boxes (Kamei, Thule, etc.) and are considering an Eezi-Awn rack, how can we ensure that we can still use our roof boxes on family road trips?

[@cyclemoto8744]

"how can we ensure that we can still use our roof boxes" = no difference to your current roof rack... use suitable U bolts to mount the boxes. "advantage/disadvantages between between more modern style racks " = flat racks provide more storage flexibility in terms of not being restricted by vertical sides on the rack, just look at the difference and it's self explanatory. Also, flat racks are slightly more aerodynamic when not loaded. No need for a video on this topic. cheers

[@doseofyum]

Was expecting a trip

[@ExpeditionOverland]

November!

[@Chicanoverland]

I had to go back and rewatch. Have one question. What about your inverters and experience with the end point of your power systems. Bottom line, what do you run?

[@mikekay213]

Have you considered lithium battery Kodiak inergy, seems it could what you are looking for. Popular with the prepper community

[@daleavery4843]

Clay, quick question, why don't you go to a larger alternator in your Toyotas? I went from the 130 amp OEM in my 5th gen 4Runner to an aftermarket 270 amp. Couldn't be happier. I realize you still have to have the rpm's up but the difference is still worthwhile. I also use a portable 185 amp solar panel when camping. It is a bit of a bear to store and set up but never needed any more power than it puts out.

[@OutofWORKoutdoors]

do you choose your equipment based on weight? i ask because the trucks with caps and armor already seem fairly heavy already and if you bring on more equipment, would it just bog down the trucks so much it might seem dangerous on higher pitch surfaces?

[@keitaishibashi5352]

Next move for you should be to look at LiFePO4 battery's. Far more usable amp hours because you can run battery's down almost all the way without damaging, lighter and 4x the cycle duty on average. Battle born is a popular brand right now

[@JoMonki]

Also what are your thoughts on hood mounted solar panels? I was looking at Cascadia 4x4 hood 30w panel to passive charge my main battery. And then I wanted to run a separate battery in the truck bed of my gladiator mounted to a top rack mounted bigger solar panel to charge batteries / gear / fridge. Any tips and info would be helpful! Thank you!

[@leafybug97]

Clay, what batteries do you use currently on your expedition rigs? Starting and auxillary. Thanks.

[@MJArch]

Curious on the battery selection. Many of the people we camp with, bring RV's and many have resolved their power problems by replacing their 12v batteries, with dual 6v batteries for the additional AH. Have you guys experimented with a similar set up or heard good and bad information about going that route? Very interested in having a Redarc battery management system and curious if it would work with that set up and effectively see the two 6v as one 12v and operate/ monitor the power as well as it would the single unit...

[@quantumuninstall]

Just a heads up, sine wave inverters do produce a sine wave, but non sine wave inverters don't produce a weird looking wavy pattern, they produce a square wave. They spend time either at the positive voltage, zero, or the negative voltage with abrupt transitions.

[@wquon2007]

many of the soft panels have a large production efficiency loss inside of a 18 months, just something to be aware of. some interesting tech is comming online in the relm of batteries, the next 5-10 years should see a leap in affordable battery tech.

[@TrapperSamm]

Need to change your format to 16x9 so we don't see the black bars on top and bottom of the videos. Great video.

[@paulschimel3572]

I have been considering lithium. I am curious how the lithium work out on your cold weather journeys. Especially in the un heated trailer.

[@onzgroup2117]

Is it possible to install combination of solar , alternator and generator in one system?

[@rock283]

Have you considered lead crystal batteries for the rigs?

[@ExpeditionOverland]

We have not, but we will check them out!

[@chadmead4372]

Does the alternator and relays need to be upgraded?

[@JoMonki]

Do you guys still take the generator along as a back up of backups? Electronics can fail but a generator is very simple? ish? Wouldn't having it vs not having it when needed be a good thing? Or has the technology for solar and batteries (lithium and all) caught up?

[@guillermon5152]

so you did solar and redarc until it was free before that it never crossed your mind to do that, wow

[@ExpeditionOverland]

Your reading into this way to much. We purchased other solar and purchased current panels as well. It’s just part of our evolution.

[@garbinator09]

Wife and I are looking to purchase a Vestibule Tear Drop to tow behind our Toyota Highlander. After watching several power videos I believe solar is your solution over the long term. But, for short off grid meanderings I may stay with my Honda gen set as it sips fuel, always runs, with an extension cord can hardly be heard from distance from camp while running at idol charging batteries. To my thinking gen set versus solar is theft. Folding portable solar panels can be quickly carried away if I want to run to a Mom and Pop mountain Cafe for lunch. With my Honda going, Even exploring away from the camp site. I have a spiffy security system as I just let’er run couple of hours to get my 110 amps back good again. At night, I have little reason to run generator. Unless of course its HOT 🥵 then this old Dude has NO Problem burning unleaded. I have owned my Honda for 20 years, I bought another the same so I can pair them up if need be. Speaking of emergencies. Home base power outages are now the norm here in California. My Honda 2000’i serve double duty keeping my refrigerator and freezer going for lengthly hours. If it were me, I’d seriously do the math an research what power really means affecting your adventuring but also, being a backup for the home. One other thing. When buying fuel for generator use. Be sure to enter 30 Day reminder in your cell phone calendar so as to pour stored fuel into your vehicle. Replenish ASAP. This way fuel is always fresh. Of course I am speaking to California blended fuels-Your state may vary. The reason I don’t use stable is due to high cost here in Cally. I figure, soon, we’ll reach $5.00 a gallon closer to Christmas.

[@W0JMR]

Have you considered Lifepo4 batteries?

[@TheUTVOverlander]

W0JMR We offer those. They have their place, but AGM is more reliable by far. Very common for bms failures in vibration applications. Plus there’s the whole leave not trace thing.Li is pretty harmful for the environment considering you can’t recycle it, and the mining process is rough too.

[@briankeyes7654]

well this is old comment, but any insight on environmental impact?

[@jamestaylor9258]

I want to build a f150 powerboost-like 7.2kw battery/generator setup on an non f150. 🤷🏻‍♂️🤣

[@kingstonsean]

Modified sine wave shouldn't be an issue with DC powered devices, such as laptops.

[@nosnerd1967]

Pure SIN wave vs cheap SQUARE wave

[@silknfeathers]

Many people here in Oz use simple VSR controllers (not DC-DC) to give maximum charge to recreational batteries, supplemented with solar (caveat, "smart" alternators need to have the controlled charging turned off). Unless looking at long cable runs (to camper trailers etc.) I can see no benefit to using DC-DC. A VSR will charge more quickly than a DC-Dc for day to day tripping, topping up with solar simply makes the situation more reliable. I know you are sponsored by Redarc, but their recommendations for the average vehicle are more suited to their marketing and profitability than your outcomes (and their solar panels are, IMO, ridiculously overpriced.

[@curtishinkle3893]

Those big agm batteries are not worth it for mobile uses. The weight per usuable amp/hr is outrageous. Not to mention the space they take up. A 55 amp hr lifepo4 battery has more usable power, takes up a 4th of the space and weighs probably 20%.

[@nosnerd1967]

NOW you re TALKING

[@andrewmowery4828]

Be careful of the Lithium batteries and cold temps.

[@9thGenerationCajun]

NEVER Purchase a Optima battery from Amazon or if you do,Do not expect to get a warranty replacement! They say Amazon isn't a certified Optima dealer yet on Amazon it says they're.. Then you're stuck with some prick telling you "Well normally they go bad in the first few months " Not impressed at all with Optima battery or the people.

[@lbeckons304]

Oh god is this gonna be an optima and goal zero ad? Hard pass, get back to overlanding!

[@lbeckons304]

Okay, I was mostly wrong, but bad preview picture.

[@largemarge1603]

Edit, rehearse, work from a script. This is a half-minute video stretched to thirteen. Do not waste my time.