PW Tool Box Setup

[TwinStick]

is so hard to understand ? LOL I am not an electrician. I made it simple. My aux battery set up is a "plug-n-play" set up. When i use it, (for the winch or inverter), i plug it in, which runs it in parallel with the battery under the hood. It makes a HUGE difference in the way the winch works & the way the inverter works. The winch motor does not change it's sound/pitch whether at zero load or at full load. Same with the inverter, fans sound the same with no load or a big load. This set up works for me. It works good. It works for multiple applications for me. I have used it to charge my camper batteries when "NO GENERATORS" were allowed. Campgrounds make their own rules. Eco-nazi's are everywhere. I have also used it to power saws & drills in the field when building bridges. I have used it to power my small Craftsman air compressor. This whole set up was made for less than $200. I have had no issues with it, or what i have powered with it. I do not power computers with it. I have a small one for mp3, phones & computers. This one (2000/4000) is not used all the time, but when needed, it is worth it's weight in gold. Also it's handy when you don't want to/don't have room for the generator & gas can/s. I can also jump start myself (if my truck battery goes dead) just by plugging it in.

It may not work for you. If it don't, then don't use it. Apparently bad things will happen.

Truck battery is: http://www.sears.com/diehard-platinum-a ... 850065000P

Aux battery in toolbox is: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02850134000P

Cable used is 2/0 ga welding cable: http://www.weldingsupply.com/cgi-bin/en ... city+Chart It has like 800-1200 individual strands of wire inside for low loss over more distance. There is around 10-12'( for each + & - )of 2/0 ga between the underhood battery & the toolbox mounted battery.

[verdesardog]

I understand everything except charging your second battery...why change 12vdc to 115vac then from 115vac back to 12vdc? and where are you getting the 12vdc in the first place? running your engine?

[TwinStick]

By "second battery"---i asume you mean the one in the toolbox of the truck ? Not the two on my camper.

I can charge the aux battery multiple ways. From the trucks underhood battery (by plugging it in (in parallel) while driving the truck or while it is idleing). Or by plugging in (to the outside plug on my house-120v) the trickle charger/maintainer/conditioner while the truck is parked in my driveway (where it spends most of it's time). Or by plugging in a 10/30/50/100 amp charger to the house (120 v). Or by another vehicle if need be.

The "plug" i used to connect the 2- 12v batteries is: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANDERSON-STYLE- ... 1c0d75e257

You need 2 of these. I soldered on my own lugs & connectors & heat shrinked em all.

I am a man that likes options. The more the better.

[MOPARManiac]

Nice set up! I've got something similar in mine. I mounted my Jerry can racks (one fuel, one water) further back along my bed rails near the tailgate. The Hi Lift got mounted onto my bed rack. The cans and racks I got are from http://www.billet4x4.com/.
They have NATO type cans available, and are DOT compliant.

I liked your idea for a water can so much, that I went and found one. I picked up a plastic Military water can for $12 bucks at a military surplus store. It fits in my rack fine, but the bracket that goes over top won't fit right. I figure that I can just use a bungee strap to hold it in when I don't have the two red Jerry Cans in the racks.

[Ducky's Dad]

Posting on an old thread, but I had to clear out the back of the truck to get pics. This is the setup on my '05 QC PW. Spray-on bedliner (TuffSkin), covered by a SnugTop cab-high shell with a Conn-Ferr roof rack on Yalkma rails. The Dee-Zee crossbed box is mounted to the rails with heavy aluminum angles and eyebolts for tiedown points. It rests on the front end of a custom fabbed stainless steel and aluminum drawer unit from Ainley Kennels. The Dee-Zee carries recovery gear and tools, including full-size shovel and hoe, straps, chains, ARB X-Jack, etc. The Ainley drawer is five feet long with nearly full extension, even when loaded with hunting stuff; has a keyed lock plus a pair of loops for an HD padlock. The Hi-Lift 60" Extreme is mounted to the right side of the rails, behind the blue insulated jug. The jug is a 5-gal CamTainer (catering grade, lots of insulation) that holds cold water in the summer and hot water in the winter, plus a five-foot hose. The top of the Dee-Zee carries three large Rubbermaid Action Packers with a friction fit against the shell headliner, plus two small Action Packers friction fit under the Dee-Zee. All the Action Packers have loops for padlocks or zip ties. The big ones carry decoys, waders, camp gear. The small ones carry a spare compressor (Vi-Air 400P) plus hoses, chucks, pressure gauge, inflator-sealer, etc., plus miscellaneous stuff for the specific trip. Interior lighting is five Vision-X LEDs. When I need to carry extra gas or water, I can strap jerry cans inside the bed or RotoPax cans (http://www.rotopax.com/)on the roof rack.

[MOPARManiac]

That is a very nice setup.

[Ducky's Dad]

Thanks. Took a while to figure everything out, but I think it was worth it for the way I operate. There are a few glitches, such as having to open the sliding window on the shell to fill the jug with ice, but I wanted to maximize use of available space. I could also swap in a 10-gallon CamTainer on the same mounts if I need to carry more water. The drawer unit comes out with two bolts, but you have to remove the spare to get to the bolts. The Dee-Zee box comes out with four bolts. The Hi-Lift comes out with a couple of wing nuts.

[VA_Wagon Man]

Nice set-up, Ducky. Everything is nice and neat.

[Mayhem95]

Nice set up! I've got something similar in mine. I mounted my Jerry can racks (one fuel, one water) further back along my bed rails near the tailgate. The Hi Lift got mounted onto my bed rack. The cans and racks I got are from http://www.billet4x4.com/.
They have NATO type cans available, and are DOT compliant.

Any pics of your mount setup?