Dual battery ARB fridge and bed track install

[DINOZR]

Would love to see pics of your track setup. Sounds like you have a great mount for the battery and fridge.

 

[wheelman55]

Dino. Here’s a pic of the track setup.

The ARB slider bolts to the passenger side of the track. You’ll need to improve the holes a bit in the slider to fit the track and shorten the two front Mac’s 1/4-20 handles to allow the slider to pass over.

The bracket for the battery box bolts in front of the fridge.

Battery box attaches to the bracket with a single strap. Bungee cords fail or bounce off.

I used a box for the battery to make sure that I wouldn’t drop anything metal across the terminals.

The BB battery in the box only weighs 35 pounds or so, making it easy to move.

Their are Pro’s and cons to using LiFeP04 vs AGM. Ask if you want my opinion.

I used AGM in the F250 as I was able to source a double battery tray allowing install under the hood.

In the F250 install I added four DC outlets to the bed: two ARB outlets and two marine rated standard outlets to plug other things in.

The battery box in the Raptor is easier and more useful than the added outlets in the F250.

The forum on Expedition Portal has some pretty deluxe battery box fabrications.

 

[wheelman55]

Pic of the 8 gauge w-Anderson plug in bedside.

Install hole in bedside, insert plastic bushing in hole, insert wires with Anderson power poles installed through hole, attach Anderson plug to wires.

The install of the entire system is pretty simple. The isolator on the firewall is super clean.

Ran a single 8 gauge wire to the back, added an 8 gauge ground wire to the frame, close to the bed hole.

For the ground I drilled a precision hole in the frame, then tapped for 5/16” SS bolt for the ground.

At the drill press I made a drill guide for the frame hole by making a progression of holes from 1/8” on up in a piece of hard maple.This assured a perfect 90 degree hole in the frame for the ground.

Use a grinder, or dremel tool, or even sandpaper to remove some paint around the tapped hole to assure that you have a good, solid ground.

The lug goes next to the bare metal on the frame, a SS lock washer goes on top of the lug, then the bolt attaches lug and washer to frame.

Crimp a lug to the ground end of the wire. Dress the wire. Pass both wires into the bed.

 

[amREADY]

Nice.

I did a redarc 1225 BCDC to an AGM battery in a trolling battery box. I had the battery and box from an offroad trailer and since the box has breakers in it, it saved some hassle with adding fuses/breakers, outlets, and is water-resistant. When the battery craps out, I'll replace with a lithium for greater capacity and less weight.

It powers my camping lights, charges phones, cameras, and primarily is used to run my ARB 50 qt fridge cooler.

It powers a little distribution box so I can plug things in around camp, monitor voltage and run an extension into the tent.